Choir Room Rules...

How to Sing

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ...

A photographer went to a castle determined to snap a photo of a ghost that was said to appear at midnight only once every 100 years.
So the photographer waited, sitting in the dark, and suddenly the apparition appears before him.
The ghost turned out to be a friendly one and agreed to pose for the snapshot. The happy photographer grabbed the shot, the ghost disappeared, and the photographer quickly called up the image on his camera's view screen ... and then he groaned at the mostly black image.


It seems the spirit was willing but the flash was weak.

No patriotic performance this year...

No patriotic performance this year...

The Community Chorus will not be presenting a patriotic musical this year.

I didn't receive enough positive responses from the chorus members plus I was having difficulty arranging for the necessary equipment for our presentations. Additionally I have been fortunate enough to be performing with a variety of instrumental ensembles this summer (wind ensemble, bands, brass quintets, and symphony). This has kept me busy.

I'm sorry that we won't be performing together but I refuse to present an inferior concert.

Thanks for all your past support...

Summer plans...

I am working on plans to present a patriotic musical this summer.
We have already been asked to perform at Willowcreek Winery (Sheridan), Heritage Village (Gerry), and a church in Amherst, NY.

Participation in our chorus is open to anyone over 12 years of age, so please invite any and all people you think might be interested.

Contact me if you have interest in our plans; or if you know someone who would like to help us.

WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET!

Thanks for all your help and support.

SEE YOU THIS SUMMER!

Vocal Tips...

NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT. The perception of the audience is the reality. Say that out loud, “the perception of the audience is the reality.” What they think is true, is true. So if you sing with confidence and handle that “creative” phrase you accidentally added like a professional, most of your audience will be convinced that you meant to sing it that way. Professionals sing creative nuances, amateurs make mistakes.

Vocal Tips...

MONEY NOTES MATTER. Let’s face it. If you are singing a song with a big money note, let’s be real. You can knock the rest of the song out of the park, but if you miss the money note that’s all your audience will remember. A lot of times singers miss money notes because they are worried about it and if you even think for a moment that it “might not happen” you just increased your odds of it not happening by a great deal. Usually it is only one or two notes of a phrase that reach that “money” potential. When you focus specifically on the note, you compartmentalize it and tell your subconscious to watch out for it. Instead, in practice try concentrating on the phrase. Figure out how to use the phrase to your advantage. Sometimes changing your placement on the note(s) just before your money note can make a huge difference. And of course, during performance…see yourself hitting that note like a pro. If you can see it and you believe it, you’ll hit it almost every time.

LIFT YOUR DIAPHRAGM. So many singers learn to “belly breath” (breathe into the belly) and therefore tend to think that lifting their diaphragm feels similar to holding in their stomach. You can sing like this, but you are only using half your resources and not making full use of the power provided by the muscles in the back. To get your best breath for singing, you want to fill up your abdomen like an inner tube, you should feel expansion all the way around your body…yes, even in your back. Then to compress the air and support the vocal tone release, you lift the diaphragm muscle straight up from the center of your body. If you are used to the other way, it takes some practice to get the new diaphragm muscle memory, but well worth the effort!

Singing Tips...

An old joke says that an alto is just a soprano who can read music. While funny, and sometimes true in practice, it is ideal to be able to sing the voice part that your voice suits the best. For this reason, you will create more depth in your choir if you can learn to read music and sing harmonies. That way, if you truly are an interior voice such as an alto or tenor, you will be able sing it, rather than your director having to recruit someone who can read the music but whose voice may not be as well suited to the part.

Singing Tips...

While it is fun to copy someone else's singing style, be sure not to do so to the detriment of your physical voice. Very few people have vocal chords that lend themselves to singing like James Brown, Luciano Pavarotti, or Mariah Carey.

Singing Tips...

KEEP IT CLEAN. When practicing your vocal skills focus on creating a pure and clear tone first, free of airiness, rasp and other tonal changes added for stylistic purposes. If you cannot create a clear tone full of life and energy, you are not singing up to your potential.

Singing Tips...

JAW TENSION. Most people don’t realize how tense their jaw is…because it feels perfectly natural to them. Be sure to stretch out your face and jaw muscles and even make a specific point to monitor your jaw when singing to be sure it truly is relaxed. If your jaw is tense, you will not receive your best tone and perhaps even have trouble hitting some of the higher tones.

Singing Tips...

Don't forget about listening to recordings of singers from earlier times. For example, recordings of tenor Enrico Caruso are some of the earliest recordings of classical music. Or get out Cd's of your favorite singer or singers and sing along.

Singing tips...

INCREASE YOUR AIR SPEED for high notes and decrease your air speed for lower notes. Each frequency requires a specific air speed to create the absolute best tone. Many singers push too much air, too quickly, while singing low notes in an attempt to make the note louder. All this does is add stress and tension to the tone. Use your ears to tell you when the proper balance is reached. The tone should sound clear and pure before adding stylistic nuances. Free

Singing Tips...

Like any musical discipline, I think that listening to great performers helps you hone your sound and technique. I even suggest singing along with great recordings, trying to match the vocalist exactly. Then, after you've learned their way, you have some new techniques and the ability to create your own interpretation of the piece of music.

Singing Tips...

Open your mouth! Yea, yea, I know... most people are trying to get you to shut up. Well, if you can learn to sing with your mouth "very" wide open, you will hit clearer notes and sing more strongly and cleanly overall.

Singing Tips...

If you sing in a group, be open to shifting to a different place in the ensemble, even if it is not beside your best friend, and even if there is someone a bit taller in front of you, or vice versa. Some good choir directors will put people in different places according to the unique qualities of their voice and tone.

Singing Tips...

Consider singing as part of a group, even if your main interest is solo work. It can really open up your ears to singing better on pitch and blending your voice to match other sounds.

Singing Tips...

FEATHERS. When learning to sing your full range and accomplish the desired one voice (same power with similar tone throughout the whole range) singers often experience cracks and breaks. One way to test this is to practice a siren. Slide on the syllable “he” from the bottom of your range to the top. If you do not experience cracks or breaks, try it on all syllables at all volumes. When you find yourself faced with this challenge, it is the common response to “try harder” or “give more effort” on those notes. This is not the way to solve this issue. What you want to do is to lighten up just a bit on these notes, let them float like a feather instead of trying harder and stomping on them. Understand that most often this is caused because muscles and membranes not having the memory they need to make the transition you require, as quickly as you want it made. Repetition will give them memory, so keep practicing. Lighten up just a bit on those notes and sing through the break. Don’t develop the habit of stopping when you “crack” or it will come back to bite you later.

Singing Tips...

ENERGY NOT EFFORT. This is one of the most confusing concepts in singing. Energy in the tone is what we want and Effort is something we want to desperately to avoid. Energy is created naturally when our vocal instrument is in balance and our body is involved in the singing process. It feels good. It feels easy. Sometimes it occurs naturally and other times we may have to make adjustments. Effort usually occurs when singers use their throat muscles/membranes and vocal cords improperly to create volume. We should actually feel and see very little happening in our throat area. Free