Thread: Choir/ singing tips?

Hey guys!

When I head back to school in August, I'll be forced to take....chorus class....(the horror! =O)...Anyway, I was wondering if you had any tips or advice on how to sing well or at least to get a passing grade. I'm trying to prepare for all my upcoming classes this summer and that choir class is somewhat a "fear". I just wanted a small head start...(okay, it might be cheating, sue me!).
Thanks, and I'll look forward to your replies!
4/4 player



P.S. Did I mention that I'm a terrible singer? Hehe....

If you want to sing well, the trick is to imagine your mouth is a trumpet and stick your lips out while making the largest space in your mouth.

When you breathe in, your stomach/diaphragm should come out and then immediatly in. This means you have the largest volume of air possible in your lungs and you have the support to carry a phrase through without musical blemishes.

Eyebrows should be raised at all times - especially on the 3rd and 5th degree of the scale. Sound should be projected through the forehead and not manufactured in the back of the throat.

Remember these points and you can't go far wrong.

4/4player, you must manipulate the choir's director to sing something good like Brahms or Mozart!

Hello there. So, how's it going? The onlyentry I see here that could really help is the last, the others a bit complicated and not necessarily right on..
I'm going to put my three cents in (celtic, we think in threes!!)

before you step in, just take 60 seconds and find yourself. breathe, feel where you are.
When you walk in, take your place, and draw a circle in your mind around and "step in" it. That is your singer's magic place. When you're in there, nothing can get to you, only your joy in your body and your giving voice.old stage trick, and works, you'll see.Fill that circle with an image of a field, or a pretty light,whatever you feel..

Now, practical. let your head roll down, your knees NEVER locked (really bad for back--and neck--and throat) as far as you're comfortable. a few breaths out pfffff like a horse, let it all roll off into the floor, roll up slowly, your head hanging until last. do some wolf howls, if you dare, always start from top notes down at first. Unfortuneately alot of choir directors do the opposite, which really gets people tense, so do your own. If you feel self concious, do it as a light "oo" and howl down, not singing yet, , with byoo, byoh, byay. Think of the sound as narrow, going way high and turning, like those dragon fire curls you see in chinese paintings..Don't open your mouth wide, it drags the sound down.The best is to pretend you don't even HAVE a mouth, sing higher than that--NOT int the nose, higher still Pronouce , but not IN your mouth, more over, between your eyes, like a ventriloquist. Keep your feet flat on the floor if you're sitting and sit a bit forward and push against that floor.It'll get you a high or low note that's a bit tricky.
Yes, breathe in that triangle between your ribs, out when your breath comes in, in as you're slowly puttting the breath out, You DON'T need to take a big breath, your body knows perfectly well how to breathe in, alot of breath blocks things--you don't need much breath really to sing, it's the breathing out that requires control and thought. This is important: you always have enough breath. Feeling out of breath is just the muscles blocking a bit. To release, get to the end of the phrase, press your feet in the floor, pronouce just that much more, you'll be amazed! there's alwasy enough to get to the end of the phrase.

So, have fun. Keep watching the conductor, it really helps. keep your shoudlers loose, check every once in a while.

How do I know all this?? I'm a Wagnerian soprano who still has a perfectly clear voice after 20 years of singing the big stuff, with no wobble, and who can sing at the drop of a hat, which is great fun. AT home, do some breathing excercises, that breath going outlike brushing a hair off your face, the breath going up, not straight out, your triangle (it's where the daiphragm connects ito the front part of the body) coming in to control the breath out. , then release and let your body pull in the breath it needs, don't "take" a breath..If I can sing a page and a half on that, you can can be sure there's enough breathe to sing what you nedd. do that for 5-10 min at night before sleepor watching the tube, if you do. You'll be very surprised at the results. And yes, drink alot of water, she's absolutely right about that. Don't ever tip your head back or up, cuts off sound. Sing like you're putting a spell on someone, through the third eye...!

Now, when that gets easy, here's a next step to try. Fell like you're pushing out your ribs in back particularly. What you're doing is stretching that diaphragm tight like a trampoline so you can control the beath in and out perfectly. Don't think too much just try it...open those ribs behind and around for those high or hard low notes...It'll be easy from there, promise!
have fun!

most important thing: listen to the parts around you so you dont stick out, and relax. singing is a natural activity and like playing any instrument, you've just got to relax and let it happen.