Singing in tune?

[averygoodun42]

Okay all you musical people out there. How do you and the choir you are in (important qualifier, that) stay in tune on difficult songs? We're due to sing "I Believe in the Sun" arranged by Jonathon Adams, and although it's beautiful, it's hell to stay on pitch. We're usually flat four notes in.

I'm trying to remember the tricks that previous directors have used to lift our voices into pitch, but I've only come up with a couple. Like standing up, for one. (Yeah, yeah, I know...) I was thinking that since the background of the piece is so somber (words were found on a basement wall in Cologne, presumably written by someone hiding from the Gestapo), maybe that's dragging us down a little further than the notes are supposed to go, so psychological counters are needed. But it would be kind of weird to sing this song while smiling.

So... any tips? We perform this one on Sunday, so we're all out of practices, besides the morning of.

Comments

[vanityfair00.livejournal.com]

Are you going there together? Because if everyone is in the same key even if you are flat then it is less noticeable to the audience. It helps to be aware of where it is you`re dipping and making sure you sing "on top" of the notes rather than below them. This is especially true I think for sopranos. We tend to go flat if the piece is high just because we`re reaching up and not quite getting there rather than coming in on top of the note. It`s all psychological really but it helps...some.

Or if your group is good enough, sometimes mixing the parts up, basses standing next to altos standing next to sopranos, etc. can help a lot. When everyone can hear all four parts easily they are more likely to stay in tune.

Hope that helps!

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

For most a capella pieces, this is true, but on this piece... it just doesn't sound good flat. It's supposed to be uplifting and it ends up sounding depressed (Oh God, why do you have to be so silent? You're killin' me here!)

It almost certainly is the soprano/alto's fault, as we lead in, but... The other thing is that we are getting psyched out on how this piece is written rather than how it sounds. The time signature switches between 4/4 and 6/4, and we're just a bunch of amateurs who get freaked when weird numbers and rhythms are presented upon the page.

Probably getting us up on the, erm, stage, we'll be better, if only because we'll be standing, but... It sounds like such a simple piece. And it goes so badly wrong (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Kfis4UOE8gM) when not done well. (Granted they used a piano accompianment for pitch so you can hear when they are off.)

[alienor77310.livejournal.com]

Standing up and concentrating on the flow of air is a big one. Our director is very big on feeling the diaphragm pushing and the perineum as a base for the effort.

Also, if that song starts with descending notes, imagine steps going up while singing those notes.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Think about raising the pitch while singing. It shouldn't actually go up, but may help prevent it from going down.

Support, support, support.

Posture: chin down, not up. Think of there being a string attached to the crown of the head, pulling up to the ceiling.

Something I've always found helpful is the direction from which I approach the notes. A not isn't just one frequency, it's a small range, with harmonics. Listen to various singers, some, like Pavarotti or Gundula Janowicz, are always in the upper part of a note. So when I'm singing, I always try to approach my notes from above, and sing the "top half" of the note. As I (apparently) have naturally low harmonics (2nd sop!), this always helps me stay in tune. Obviously, it's more difficult en masse, but if everybody tries....

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

Raise your eyebrows - this gives some of the facial effect of smiling - and support everything from the diaphragm.

Make sure all the upward intervals are all lifted as far up as they can go, and that all the descending intervals don't slide any further down than they're supposed to. I find that most songs that do this have a long series of descending intervals in them, and it's very easy to go flat during those.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Hmm... that's a good idea. Both are good ideas. Thanks!

I think the problem with this song is that we really want to descend a full step to a major chord when it's only a half step to a minor. All psychological.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Excellent advice above- all point to the most important things about maintaining pitch- having consistent air to power the sound and keeping the soft palate raised to create resonance. Failing to do either will make you go out of tune and destroy your tone. Raising the eyebrows, lowering the chin, and keeping the lips rounded (one director called 'em "fish lips") are ways to encourage the soft palate to rise and stay up. Standing up with good posture, having defined phrases, explicit breath markings, and penciling in reminders to breathe at least a bar before entrances will also help with having consistent air. Warm-ups that focus on getting a proper breath (say, over 8 counts), expanding the lower ribs, and releasing it consistently on an "sss" help focus attention on the breathing apparatus and not letting it collapse as air is expelled.

It's sad but true that descending, slow, or quiet lines have a tendency to go flat. It happens to every chorus. The only way you can fight against it is to be aware of the tendency, stay focused, and keep as much good breath spinning healthily through your sound as possible. In this case, "breath" and "energy" are interchangeable, so try to keep people from sitting stationary on a pitch- even if it's four tied whole notes, try to give them a shape, whether it be < > or just a gradual crescendo. And just remember- adrenaline makes people go sharp! ;) Best of luck!!