Contents at a Glance COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. Introduction... 1 Part I: Exploring Singing Basics Part II: Improving Your Singing...

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Contents at a Glance COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. Introduction... 1 Part I: Exploring Singing Basics Part II: Improving Your Singing..."

Garey Hood
5 years ago
Views:

1 Contents at a Glance Introduction... 1 Part I: Exploring Singing Basics... 7 Chapter 1: Preparing to Sing...9 Chapter 2: Determining Your Voice Type...17 Chapter 3: Aligning Your Body for Great Singing...27 Chapter 4: Breathing for Singing...39 Chapter 5: Toning Up the Voice...57 Part II: Improving Your Singing Chapter 6: Acquiring Beautiful Tone...73 Chapter 7: Exploring Resonance...83 Chapter 8: Shaping Your Vowels for Clarity...93 Chapter 9: Exercising Consonants for Articulation Chapter 10: Crafting a Practice Routine Part III: Advanced Techniques to Improve Your Voice Chapter 11: Developing the Parts of Your Singing Voice Chapter 12: Expanding Your Vocal Flexibility and Range Chapter 13: It s a Cinch: Belting Out Your Song Chapter 14: Training for Singing Chapter 15: Finding the Right Voice Teacher Part IV: Preparing to Perform Chapter 16: Selecting Your Music Material Chapter 17: Mastering a New Song Chapter 18: Acting the Song Chapter 19: Confronting Your Fear of Performing Chapter 20: Auditioning a Song COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

2 Part V: The Part of Tens Chapter 21: Ten Performers with Good Technique Chapter 22: Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Singing Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Maintaining Vocal Health Chapter 24: Ten Tips for Performing Like a Pro Part VI: Appendixes Appendix A: Suggested Songs to Advance Your Singing Technique Appendix B: About the CD Index

3 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 About This Book...1 Conventions Used in This Book...2 What You re Not to Read...3 Foolish Assumptions...3 How This Book Is Organized...3 Part I: Exploring Singing Basics...4 Part II: Improving Your Singing...4 Part III: Advanced Techniques to Improve Your Voice...4 Part IV: Preparing to Perform...5 Part V: The Part of Tens...5 Part VI: Appendixes...5 Icons Used in This Book...6 Where to Go from Here...6 Part I: Exploring Singing Basics... 7 Chapter 1: Preparing to Sing What You Want to Know Right from the Beginning...9 Determining your voice type...10 Locating the notes on the staff...10 Considering posture, breath, and tone...12 Developing Your Singing Voice...12 Working the Different Parts of Your Voice...13 Applying Your Technique...14 Having Fun...15 Chapter 2: Determining Your Voice Type Sifting through the Ingredients to Determine Your Voice Type...17 Identifying the Fab Four...19 Highest range of the dames: Soprano...21 How low can she go: Mezzo...22 Highest range of the dudes: Tenor...24 He s so low: Bass...25

4 x Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition Chapter 3: Aligning Your Body for Great Singing Evaluating Your Posture...27 Creating Correct Posture...29 Feeling grounded on your feet...29 Engaging your legs...31 Releasing your hips...32 Lengthening your spine...33 Balancing your head and shoulders...33 Releasing Tension...34 Letting go of tension in your upper body...34 Opening space in the head...35 Walking with ease...36 Projecting confidence through posture...37 Chapter 4: Breathing for Singing Breathing Basics...39 Inhaling to sing...40 Exhaling to sing...40 Posturing yourself for breathing...42 Practicing Inhalation...42 Opening your body...43 Breathing, slow and steady...47 Catching a quick breath...48 Practicing Exhalation...49 Blowing in the wind...50 Trilling for exhalation...50 Recognizing resistance and suspending the breath...52 Testing Your Breath Control...53 Releasing abs and then ribs...54 Singing slowly...55 Chapter 5: Toning Up the Voice Defining Tone...57 Creating unique tone...57 Identifying factors that affect tone...58 Considering tone, pitches, and notes...59 Flexing Your Singing Muscles...59 Discovering your own bands...60 Making the first sound...60 Dropping the jaw...61 Putting your larynx into position...62 Matching Pitch...64 Sliding up and down on pitch...65 Developing muscle memory...66 Recording yourself and singing along...67 Releasing Tension for Better Tone...68 Checking for neck or jaw tension...68 Bouncing the tongue and jaw...69

5 Table of Contents xi Part II: Improving Your Singing Chapter 6: Acquiring Beautiful Tone Creating Tone...73 Starting the tone...74 Creating back space...74 Coordinating air with tone...75 Sighing your way to clarity...76 Releasing Tone...77 Inhaling to release tone...77 Letting your throat go...77 Sustaining Tone...78 Connecting the dots with legato...78 Trilling the lips or tongue...78 Working your breath control...79 Finding Your Vibrato...80 Moving from straight tone to vibrato...80 Imitating another singer s vibrato...81 Chapter 7: Exploring Resonance Good Vibrations...83 Exploring your resonators...85 Ringing it out...86 Eliminating Nasality...87 Getting the feel for soft palate work...87 Coordinating your soft palate and tongue...88 Moving air through the nose...89 Debunking Common Misconceptions...90 Misconception: Tone resonates in your sinuses...90 Misconception: You have to place every tone in the same location...90 Misconception: You re supposed to keep your tongue completely flat...91 Misconception: You need to open your mouth as wide as possible...91 Misconception: The more forward the sound, the better...92 Misconception: You have to smile to stay on pitch...92 Chapter 8: Shaping Your Vowels for Clarity Getting Your Backside into Shape Back Vowels, That Is...94 Exploring the shape of back vowels...94 Lipping around your back vowels...96 Singing the back vowels...97 Mastering the Front Vowels...97 Exploring the shape of front vowels...98 Speaking the front vowels...99 Singing the front vowels...100

6 xii Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition Chapter 9: Exercising Consonants for Articulation Saying Voiced and Unvoiced Consonants Making Tip Consonants Shaping tip consonants Singing tip consonants Making Soft Palate Consonants Shaping soft palate consonants Singing soft palate consonants Working Lip Consonants Shaping lip consonants Singing lip consonants Working Combination Consonants Shaping combination consonants Singing combination consonants Chapter 10: Crafting a Practice Routine Knuckling Down to a Practice Plan Getting Answers to Your Practicing Questions Where should I practice? What s the best time to practice? How long should I practice? What do I need besides my voice? Warming Up Stretching to warm up your body Warming up your voice Exercising Your Voice Picking exercises that work for you Breaking it down Practicing Correctly Recording yourself Applying information and exercises Using the CD to practice exercises Part III: Advanced Techniques to Improve Your Voice Chapter 11: Developing the Parts of Your Singing Voice Finding Your Middle Voice Noting your middle voice range Singing in middle voice Checking Out Your Chest Voice Zeroing in on your chest voice range Feeling your chest voice Aiming High with Head Voice Finding your head voice range Feeling head voice...138

7 Table of Contents xiii Let s Hear It for the Boys: Figuring Out Falsetto Discovering your falsetto Experiencing your falsetto Making a Smooth Transition Maneuvering in and out of chest voice Transitioning in and out of head voice Mixing It Up Make the most of your mix, man Get into the mix, gals Chapter 12: Expanding Your Vocal Flexibility and Range Tactics for Tackling Register Transitions Working On Your Range Taking your range higher Varying the dynamics Moving between registers Taking Your Agility to New Levels Moving along the scale Picking up the pace Skipping through the intervals Improvising for a Better Pop Sound Mastering patterns in pop music Singing pop riffs with chords Chapter 13: It s a Cinch: Belting Out Your Song Playing around with Pitch Talking to yourself Chanting and speaking Finding your optimum speaking pitch Increasing your speaking range Using body energy to find clarity of tone Defining Healthy Belting Comparing belt and chest voice Knowing your limits as a beginner belter Noting the difference between the sexes Coordinating breath and energy Preparing for Belting Speaking in a mix Calling out to a friend Moving Resonance to the Front Exploring vibrations of resonance Being bratty to feel resonance Combining Resonance and Registration Increasing your belt range Belting up the scale Advancing Your Belt Sustaining belt sounds Exploring different vowels...182

8 xiv Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition Belters and Belt Songs You Should Hear Male belters Female belters Belt songs Chapter 14: Training for Singing Defining Training Requirements Crooning as a country singer Jazzing it up Making your mark in musical theater Performing pop-rock Opting for opera Showing your range with R&B Training to Sing at Any Age Recognizing differences between young singers and teens Developing long-term technique in teenagers Understanding that voices change with age Training with a Choir Enjoying the benefits of singing in the choir Singing in the choir versus going solo Chapter 15: Finding the Right Voice Teacher Searching for the Best Voice Teacher Finding a prospective voice teacher Identifying what you want Interviewing a prospective teacher Knowing What to Expect from a Teacher Feeling good when you leave the lesson Working with imagery and other tools Applying tried-and-true singing methods Knowing What to Expect from Yourself Developing your own practice process Avoiding overworking your flaws Making Your First Lesson a Success Part IV: Preparing to Perform Chapter 16: Selecting Your Music Material Choosing the Song Finding songs at your level Determining the appropriate key for you Selecting a suitable song style Singing to your strengths...217

9 Table of Contents xv Shopping for Sheet Music Finding retail outlets Downloading sheet music Flipping through compilation books Checking out music at your local library Chapter 17: Mastering a New Song Tackling a Song in Steps Memorizing the lyrics as text Tapping out the rhythm Singing the melody (without the words) Putting words and music together Using Vocal Technique in Your New Song Giving voice to vowels Backing into phrases Breathing heavy: Fogging up the windows Changing the tone for each section Using Musical Elements to Create Your Arrangement Comparing songs Articulation Dynamics Tempo Using vocal variety Style Accompanist Chapter 18: Acting the Song Seeing the Song As a Story Chatting it up before you sing Musical responses Accounting for interludes Exploring Character Characterizing your character Discovering your character s motivation Planning actions to get something done Getting Physical Figuring out where to focus Gesturing appropriately Movin and groovin with your song Chapter 19: Confronting Your Fear of Performing Facing the Symptoms Alleviating Anxiety through Preparation Practicing well Playing to your strengths...252

10 xvi Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition Managing your thoughts Getting up the nerve Building performance focus Performing to Build Confidence Devising a game plan Evaluating your performance Chapter 20: Auditioning a Song Tailoring Your Audition for Any Venue and Any Style of Music At the opera Onstage at the theater In the club On television Choosing Audition Songs to Highlight Your Strengths Showing versatility Connecting with the lyrics Avoiding the wrong audition song Preparing the Music Choosing the key Making the cut Marking the music Rehearsing with an accompanist Bringing a recording Nailing the Audition Doing your prep work Dressing in the right outfit Knowing who will attend the audition Greeting the audition accompanist Acting at the audition Preparing mentally Part V: The Part of Tens Chapter 21: Ten Performers with Good Technique Kristin Chenoweth Linda Eder Renée Fleming Faith Hill Michael Jackson Toby Keith Beyoncé Knowles Elvis Presley Anthony Warlow Stevie Wonder...282

11 Table of Contents xvii Chapter 22: Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Singing Is Belting Bad? What Should I Do If My Voice Feels Off? How are an Accompanist, a Coach, and a Voice Teacher Different? If My Voice Is Scratchy, Do I Have Nodes? Do I Have to Be Big to Have a Big Voice? What s the Best Singing Method? Do I Have to Speak Italian to Sing Well? Can I Have a Few Drinks Before the Performance to Calm My Nerves? Why Can t I Eat Ice Cream Before I Sing? How Long Will It Take Me to Learn to Sing? Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Maintaining Vocal Health Identifying Everyday Abuses Incorporating Healthy Speech into Your Singing Knowing When to Seek Help Staying Hydrated Getting Plenty of Shut-Eye Making Sure That You re Well Nourished Preventing a Sore Throat or Infection Medicating a Sore Throat Protecting a Sore Throat Keeping Your Emotional Life in Check Chapter 24: Ten Tips for Performing Like a Pro Rehearsing to Beat the Band Wearing the Right Ensemble Finding Your Stance Singing with a Piano, Organ, or Band Making Your Entrance Roping in Your Audience Ignoring That Mosquito Handling Those Hands Using the Mic Taking Your Bow and Leaving the Stage Part VI: Appendixes Appendix A: Suggested Songs to Advance Your Singing Technique Classical: Ten Songs for Soprano Classical: Ten Songs for Mezzo Classical: Ten Songs for Tenor Classical: Ten Songs for Baritone or Bass...309

12 xviii Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition Musical Theater: Ten Songs for Soprano Musical Theater: Ten Songs for Mezzo Musical Theater: Ten Belt Songs for Women Musical Theater: Ten Songs for Tenor Musical Theater: Ten Songs for Baritenor Musical Theater: Ten Belt Songs for Men Country: Ten Songs for Women Country: Ten Songs for Men Pop-Rock: Ten Songs for Women Pop-Rock: Ten Songs for Men Appendix B: About the CD System Requirements Track Listings Troubleshooting Index

Version 5: August Requires performance/aural assessment. S1C1-102 Adjusting and matching pitches. Requires performance/aural assessment

Version 5: August Requires performance/aural assessment. S1C1-102 Adjusting and matching pitches. Requires performance/aural assessment Choir (Foundational) Item Specifications for Summative Assessment Code Content Statement Item Specifications Depth of Knowledge Essence S1C1-101 Maintaining a steady beat with auditory assistance (e.g.,