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For people who are blessed with a melodious voice, maintaining and improving it is definitely a huge

responsibility. You voice is necessary for communication purposes, and toning it is a good way of
maintaining it. You may have an ambition to sing or to offer your voice for other professions, there is
always a need to polish it and make it sound audible. When you go for auditions which are related to
your voice, you are judged on its quality, sharpness and melody. Your voice has to be clear with
noticeable pronunciations. Thus, if you want a good voice, you have to work hard for it, following a
few exercises and using certain tips. Some of these helpful voice training tips are mentioned in the
following paragraphs for your convenience. So, take a look and make sure you are a regular user of
them.
Tips on Voice Training
The first thing you require to start with training is determination and will power. It is on the basis of
these that you can get yourself to practice your vocal exercises every day. Professional singers and
vocalists have regular schedule for training, which help them sharpen their vocal features and improve
their voice quality. Along with the various techniques that are well-known in such professions, there
are some tips which can be followed effectively. These tips not only help you strengthen your vocal
talents, but are very easy to follow even while doing absolutely nothing! The requirement of having a
good voice is not just limited to professions, but you can use it for daily speaking as well. Other than
using these techniques and tips for singing lessons they can also be followed for conserving a healthy
vocal cord.
Listen to Your Own Voice

The first tip to improve your voice for singing or speaking is to hear it yourself. When you
hear your own voice, you can judge if you have hoarse voice and improve it, by toning it.

Thus record your voice and try to find out your own mistakes. If you can't figure out what's
wrong, you can take help from others so that implementing a required strategy can be helpful.

Continue to record your voice at every practice session, so you can judge your improvements.
When you do this, you will notice changes as you hear your voice very differently in your
head and on the tape. This will also help you improve your voice during conversations with
people.

Other than simply being critical, this exercise can definitely boost your confidence. After
recording your voice, don't delete those recordings but hear the earlier ones to find out how
much you have improved.

Healthy Breathing, A Must

Even though breathing is more of a technique than a tip, you can always practice it even while
doing other things.

According to the breathing exercises suggested for training, deep breathing is a very essential
exercise. You have to breathe from your diaphragm and exhale gradually so that you can
control your vocal cord more effectively.

Breathing through your diaphragm means taking deep breaths till your stomach is filled with
air and then exhale slowly to liberate it.

When you practice this exercise at least once every hour, you can surely control your voice
modulation. This control gives you the advantage of taming the voice, and becoming
proficient in high and low pitching.

Practice Helps!

As it is rightly said, practice makes man perfect, keep practicing your vocal exercises and
scales every day for a particular period of time.

When you practice the scales, you not only make your voice sharper, but also memorize the
single notes of music. Practicing these scales in different octaves is a very important activity
in voice training.

Since scales are only used in singing techniques, this is of the tips exclusively used for singing
at high pitches.

Ear Training & Pitch Exercises


So....... what is 'Pitch' and how can you identify it?
Notes on a piano produce a fixed sound when played which do not go up or down but gradually
fade away. Many instruments including the human voice are capable of producing infinate
numbers of fixed sounds between any two notes on a piano with only tiny differences between
them. However, all instruments and singing voices normally only use the particluar notes of the
piano.
When guitarists tune their guitars, they are trying to find exactly the one fixed sound they want other notes in the music will be played in relation to this one note.
For instance playing the note A on a piano then a note to the left (G) - the second note is lower
than the first. When playing the note to the right of A (B) the second note is higher. The word
'Pitch' refers to the height or depth of sound.
The term singing (or playing) 'off pitch' denotes that the note that is being sung is not 'in tune'
with the recognised norm (the exact fixed note that a musical instrument is tuned to. Keyboard
players use middle C which is the C nearest to the center of the keyboard/piano, guitarists use E
as their base tuning and orchestral players use A above middle C).
Scroll down the page or click the links to browse the Q & A, use our Pitching Exercisesand
find Free Online Ear Training Sites & Applications. There are also further explainations of music
theory in the Sight Reading & Singing and the Solfege page explores this system of shape note
singing for learning melodies and a few books are listed below.
Ear Training & Pitch Q & A
Q. What is ear training

A. Ear Training or Pitch Exercises are the terms used to describe the method of teaching and
learning how to identify a note and sing in tune with the note or chord that is played.
Q. Why do I need to learn how to pitch a note to the music?
If you want to learn to sing or play an instrument it is essential to be able to sing the correct notes
in the right place (and at the right time!). Ideally a singer should be able to recognise the key
being played and sing any one of the notes within the chord or scale without sounding sharp or
flat (unless that is the effect you require for the song!!).
Q. My friend can do this and she hasn't had lessons - but I can't - why is this?
Some people are born with an excellent 'ear' for music and are naturally talented, but most singers
need to learn and practice the art before it becomes second nature.
Q. How can I tell if I am on pitch or not?
Record yourself singing along to a song that you know well and listen back to your efforts - are
the notes you sing melodic, are they exactly the same as the singers or do they sound harsh, sharp
or flat? If the latter is the case then you are not singing 'on pitch'. You can also try recording
yourself singing our online scales. If you are singing in key then the notes you sing will sound
like the notes that are played.
Q. What is 'Perfect Pitch?'
This is the term used to describe someone who can sing (or play) the notes (or chords) along with
the music without reading the sheet music. It is also used to describe the ability to sing any note
on request without hearing the note played by an instrument. Some people are born with this
ability - others need to learn and practise to become competant.
Q. I can't Pitch - am I Tone Deaf?
Unlikely - very few people are really 'Tone Deaf' which is the term used to describe someone who
appears to lack the ability to differentiate between one note (or chord) from another - This is
extremely rare! Most people who think they are 'Tone Deaf' just need to learn how to listen and
practice their pitching skills. It takes some people longer than others but it CAN be learnt.
Q. How can I learn to pitch correctly?
The key to recognizing notes, chords and intervals is repeated listening and singing back. Ideally
you need a teacher to help you identify how you are progressing but there are exercises provided
below for you to practice although you need an instrument to do them. Alternatively you can try
the online Ear Training programs or download pitch recognition software listed below.
Pitch related Q & A in the Frequently Asked Questions Section
I've been playing guitar for some time now and I'm have trouble coming up with the melody notes
to sing while I play the harmony on the guitar - can you help?
When playing on an A-minor scale.....is it proper to just pick one of those notes on the scale and
sing the verse to it?
Pitching Exercises
In this section we concentrate on learning how recognise and 'pitch' the notes by listening and
singing back.
You will need a 'Cassette Tape Recorder' to record and review your progress and a musical
instrument that is tuned to perfect pitch - preferably keyboard, piano although a guitar, violin or

other stringed instrument or a good chromatic tuner like the Sabine 1100 will do. (If you don't
have a piano or guitar use the Computer Keyboard at the Electric Blues Club, although there is a
much better Virtual Piano at Piano World - Links open in a new window - (don't use a wind or
brass instrument you need to concentrate on singing not playing).
Using a guitar or piano play the note 'C' (any octave within your vocal range is fine) - listen
carefully as it sounds then play it again - this time singing the note as you play. If the note is too
high or too low for your voice play the note in another octave and/or sing the note in the octave
that is comfortable for you - even if the note played is higher or lower than the C note you sing - if
you are pitching correctly both notes will 'gel' together. If, however your pitching is incorrect your
voice will sound 'sharp' or 'flat' (or may be a completely different note!).
Repeat this exercise with each note going up and down the scale. Then do it again picking random
notes.
Once you have mastered the exercise above and can pitch the notes you are singing to the ones
that are played then move on to the following exercise.
Play the chord C (notes C, E, G) listen carefully to the notes that make up the chord. Play the C
chord again, identify the middle note E and sing it. Repeat the exercises listening and singing each
note within the chord until you can identify each note and sing it easily without being put off by
the other notes being played. Repeat this exercise with the chords D, E, F, G then repeat again
randomising the chords order of play. Then do it all over again using minor chords, 7th's etc., until
you can sing any note from any chord in every scale that your voice is comfortable singing.
Now lets make it a little more difficult! Play a C chord an octave above or below your vocal
range, but sing the notes in your range. This will help you recognise the chords regardless of
where on the scale they are played and consistent practice should aid in improving your ability to
pitch your notes regardless of how 'busy' the accompanying music.
There are a couple of fun software games by 'Happy Note' that teach ear training and music theory
aimed at children and beginners (although fun & educational for any age!) - details and free
downloads are available in the Freeware & Shareware Music Downloadssection.).
A piece of equipment that all singers and teachers should have in their kit box is a good tuner.
They can be invaluable for ear training and checking tuning during pitch exercises and lessons.
There are dozens of tuners available from stores and online, some are only suitable for use with a
musical instrument like a guitar or when used with a microphone so be careful what you
purchase!

Front foot, back foot - bringing different energy to your performance


By Jeremy Fisher

There are many ways to shape musical or dramatic phrases - with dynamics, with tempo, with
rhythmic intensity or variation.

Here is an exercise I use with high-energy performers to help them grade their performances. It will
work in any musical genre, and is also effective for speeches, both in the theatre and in the wedding
reception. For this exercise you will need a favourite song, speech or phrase.
First, let's prepare for the front/back exercise. Stand up with one foot slightly in front of the other,
about shoulder width apart. Your weight should be evenly distributed between both feet to begin with.
Stand on the outside of your feet, so that your weight is pushing outwards slightly. Now stand on the
inside edge of your feet, with your weight pushing inwards slightly. Move your weight to your heels,
then move your weight to your toes. Finally, stand with your weight balanced on the centre of both
feet, evenly distributed.
You may notice now that you have an habitual stance, on the outside or inside edge, or slightly back or
forwards.
Now let's examine the physicality of the front/back foot idea. Move your weight now onto your front
foot. You may find yourself leaning forwards, or you may be able to balance successfully without the
lean. Nevertheless, more of your weight will be on your front foot, with less on your back foot. This
has an inherent emotional and directional feel. The emotional feel is more urgent, faster, more
aggressive, more pressing. The directional feel is forwards and either down or up, depending on how
your weight is balanced. You might also feel narrower in your upper body, and your breathing might
change or feel different. Now sing your favourite song or start your favourite speech, staying on the
front foot. Notice the feeling of your body and emotions as you continue your vocal task, staying on
your front foot.
Now do the opposite. Move your weight onto your back foot. You may find yourself leaning
backwards, or you might be able to shift your weight backwards easily without the lean. Notice the
inherent emotion and directional feel. This feels less urgent, more "laid back", slower, even more
accepting. The directional feel is backwards and either up or down, depending on how you are
balanced. You might also feel wider and more open in your body, and your breathing might alter. Sing
your favourite song or start your best speech again, staying on the back foot. Notice how your body
feels, and what emotions emerge as you continue to speak or sing, staying on your back foot.
Now do the same song or speech, but this time stay balanced upright with your weight equally on both
feet. Notice the emotions and the feelings in your body that arise.
These different "directions" are used constantly in music or drama - many pieces have phrases or
sentiments that have a forward, urgent feel and others that have a more laid-back, lazier feel. This form
of tension and release in the phrasing is something that experienced performers can use consciously.
Many comedians and presenters use the front foot/back foot technique to encourage an audience to
laugh, applaud or quieten.

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