The Kikuchi Music Institute Library

KIKUCHI
VOCAL METHOD

LESSON
(Level 1)

By Lee W. Kikuchi

The Kikuchi Vocal Method is a wonderfully new systematic vocal teaching approach unlike any other method
currently available. The Kikuchi Vocal Method includes coordinated books in four areas of instruction: Lesson,
Vocalise, Diction, and Songs, and Level 1 is intended for students ages 12 and older. Students under the age of 12
should be given Kikuchi Vocal Method Primer Level to prepare for this book. Since the student is expected to receive
(or to have had) piano training with accompanying theory, this method system does not address issues of theory or
music reading except when they specifically relate to the voice. The student is expected to learn the general music
concepts through study of the piano and the vocal concepts through this vocal method system. The Lesson book
introduces each new vocal concept with short musical examples to practice. The Vocalise book contains vocal
exercises which should be performed daily to help build the vocal technique, and develop the students daily warm-up
routine. The Diction book covers issues of language, phonetics and pronunciation as they apply to singing. As the
student advances to the other levels, the Diction book will include study of other languages, namely pronunciation
rules and basic vocabulary. The student then synthesizes the skills learned in these three books by learning the
repertoire songs provided in the fourth book, Songs. This book is a sampling of actual vocal literature of all types:
hymns, childrens songs, folk songs, popular songs and classical literature arranged in order of difficulty. Since these
songs will not contain any new material, the student should be assigned them to learn without any teacher preparation
as a way of testing what the student has mastered to-date. This series progresses through Levels 1, 2 and 3 after
which the student is will be prepared to study the standard operatic and concert literature. The author is currently
writing intermediate materials to follow the Level 3 books, primarily in the areas of Italian, German, French, Spanish
and Russian diction, that should be available in a few years.

To order copies or to provide feedback, contact the author at:

Kikuchi Music Institute
1515 Warren Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 322-0520
LWKikuchi @ KikuchiMusic.com
OR visit www.KikuchiMusic.com/publications

Special thanks to Randall D. Christner, Sr. and Barbara King Kikuchi for assisting
in the proofreading of these books.

First Printing
2006 Kikuchi Music Institute, 1515 Warren St. , Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (412) 322-0520

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface...................................................................................................... vi
Introduction ............................................................................................... ix
What is Singing? ........................................................................................1
Energy Source, Vibrator and Resonator.....................................................2
Breathing....................................................................................................3
Big Breaths.................................................................................................4
The Lip Trill ................................................................................................5
Sliding Up and Down..................................................................................6
Pitch Matching............................................................................................7
Rhythm in Singing ......................................................................................8
Quality Control Rules for Clapping and Saying ta ................................8
Clapping and Saying TA ...........................................................................9
Review 1 ..................................................................................................10
The Musical Alphabet...............................................................................11
Singing do-re-mi.......................................................................................12
Singing on the Vowel................................................................................13
Singing mi-fa-sol ......................................................................................14
Singing do-re-mi-fa-sol .............................................................................15
Singing Final Consonants ........................................................................16
Merrily Greet the Morn .............................................................................17
Multiple Verses.........................................................................................18
The Minor Mode .......................................................................................19
Singing do-mi-sol .....................................................................................20
Skipping Along .........................................................................................21
Review 2 ..................................................................................................22
Skipping do-mi-re-fa-mi-sol ......................................................................23
Singing la .................................................................................................24
Alphabet Song..........................................................................................25
Eighth Note Rhythms ...............................................................................26
This Old Man............................................................................................27
Singing ti ..................................................................................................28
Horse to Trot ............................................................................................29
Singing Consonants on Pitch ...................................................................30
Girls and Boys Come Out to Play.............................................................31
Singing fa-re-ti..........................................................................................32
Pat-a-Cake ...............................................................................................33
Mary Ann..................................................................................................34
Review 3 ..................................................................................................35
The Seven Sound Qualities......................................................................36
The Vocal Ailments ..................................................................................37
Sound Production.....................................................................................38
Appoggio Breathing .............................................................................38
Onset/Release Exercises.....................................................................38
Quality Control Rules For Good Sound Production..............................39
The Basic Onset ..................................................................................39
Subvocalization ........................................................................................40
London Bridge..........................................................................................41
Continuants ..............................................................................................42
She Sells Sea Shells ................................................................................43

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Voiced Consonant Clusters ..................................................................... 44

Unvoiced Consonant Clusters ................................................................. 45
Review 4 .................................................................................................. 46
Review 5 .................................................................................................. 47
Slurs and Melismas.................................................................................. 48
Little Bo-Peep .......................................................................................... 49
Singing Duets .......................................................................................... 50
Oh How Lovely is the Evening ................................................................. 51
Hearing Chord Pitches............................................................................. 52
Controlling the Velum............................................................................... 53
Patter Songs ............................................................................................ 54
Lets Go to the Zoo .................................................................................. 55
Review 6 .................................................................................................. 56
Review 7 .................................................................................................. 57
Flats ......................................................................................................... 58
The Key of F Major .................................................................................. 59
Movable and Fixed do.............................................................................. 60
Tonic / Dominant in F Major..................................................................... 61
Singing B= ............................................................................................... 62
Dotted Rhythms ....................................................................................... 63
Scale Triads............................................................................................. 64
Old Blue ................................................................................................... 65
Review 8 .................................................................................................. 66
Review 9 .................................................................................................. 67
Singing do-mi-sol-do ................................................................................ 68
The Major Scale....................................................................................... 69
Joy to the World ....................................................................................... 70
Sequences............................................................................................... 72
Gloria ....................................................................................................... 73
Sharps ..................................................................................................... 74
On the Banks of the Wabash ................................................................... 75
Perfect 4ths and 5ths ............................................................................... 76
Rock of Ages ........................................................................................... 77
Inverted Major Triads ............................................................................... 78
Brahms Lullaby ....................................................................................... 79
Review 10 ................................................................................................ 80
Review 11 ................................................................................................ 81
The Key of G Major.................................................................................. 82
Octave Leaps........................................................................................... 83
Singing 6ths ............................................................................................. 84
Singing 7ths ............................................................................................. 86
3-Part Harmony........................................................................................ 88
All the World Is Sleeping.......................................................................... 89
Review 12 ................................................................................................ 90
Review 13 ................................................................................................ 91
Major and Minor Triads ............................................................................ 92
Dance, Dance .......................................................................................... 93
Pentachords............................................................................................. 94
Singing Hymns and Voice Types ............................................................. 96
Colloquial Language ................................................................................ 98

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Singing Latin ..........................................................................................100

Final Review 1........................................................................................102
Final Review 2........................................................................................103
Final Review 3........................................................................................104

Preface
The Kikuchi Vocal Method system teaches students how to sing from the ground up, starting
with the simplest steps and gradually progressing sequentially through the musical concepts and
technique with incrementally increasing difficulty and complexity. This system is modeled after
several very successful piano method books, which teach piano playing in a very progressive and
systematic way. The existing vocal materials assume the student already has two basic musical
skills: reading music and singing in tune. Many students seek voice training who do not have prior
musical knowledge, and this method system was written specifically for all such students.
The Kikuchi Vocal Method series will have three levels and four books at each level: Lesson,
Vocalise, Diction, and Song (repertoire). This system assumes that the student knows nothing
about music, and can be used for children as well as adults. However, Level 1 of this series has
been written with the adult singer in mind and should be used for students ages 12 and older.
Many teachers refuse to accept voice students before age 12, but since the Kikuchi Music Institute
enrolls many voice students under age 12, a special set of Primer Level books will be published to
help prepare those young students for the Level 1 of the series. Students age 12 and over as well as
students who have completed the first level (primer) books in piano may begin directly with
Level 1.
The Kikuchi Vocal Method - Primer Level is specially designed for the younger voice and will
teach many basic concepts much more slowly. There will be two Primer books: Voice and
Language. The Primer Voice book starts with pre-staff notation, and on the black keys (with
pictures to help students find notes) to coincide with many of the piano methods. It will contain
basic instruction on breathing, singing, and pitch matching, with coordinated exercises and songs.
Teacher accompaniments are provided as insert boxes, so that the student is not confused by
trying to pick out their melody line in complex music and to preserve the reading sequence of prestaff, lettered note and big note notation. The Primer Language book will give the student
important foundation for the Diction book at Level 1 by addressing issues of vowels, consonants,
spelling, grammar and vocabulary, to ensure that the student is prepared for study of diction,
regardless of his or her grade level in the traditional school. The Primer books should be
completed in about one years time, commensurate to the students progress on the piano.
The Kikuchi Vocal Method is a play and sing approach that helps develop the students ability
to sing and play the accompaniment at the same time. Therefore, all accompaniments are
arranged according to the students expected piano ability level. As the student progresses vocally,
the accompaniments will become more difficult (especially issues of coordination) assuming that
the students piano playing ability is progressing at the same rate. In Level 1 all songs are written
in simple Grand Staff piano notation, but at Level 2 the student will be introduced to voice line +
Grand Staff notation in order to gain competence in reading and playing from scores of that
complexity (3 staves).
These books do not teach the fundamentals of music theory as are necessary for any musician,
and it is assumed that all voice students will always study some piano to obtain the necessary
theory and piano playing skills that all singers must have. Only the musical concepts which relate
specifically to voice are covered in this series, and as is evident by the size of these books, that is
clearly enough.
Students are expected to learn all the singing concepts primarily from the Lesson book in a
step-by-step progression. Each lesson contains a musical example to learn (song or exercise) that
represents one new musical concept or the application of a recently taught concept to a previously
established technique. As necessary, written text and pictures will explain the new concept or
skill. The Vocalise book organizes the students daily practice routine and teaches exercises the
student must perform daily to master the techniques taught in the Lesson book. The Diction book

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teaches the student the important concepts of diction (including phonetics) that must be mastered
and applied to singing. The Song book contains actual songs to which the student will apply the
skills learned in the other three books. All books are in progressive order and normally should not
be used without the other books in the system at the same level, but some schools or teachers may
choose to use the Diction, Vocalise or Song books separately to fulfill an educational need not met
by existing materials.
The Kikuchi Vocal Method prepares the student for a wide variety of singing opportunities:
party singing, community chorus, concert, recital, church choir, opera and theatre. The musical
examples include solos, duets, trios, and four-part writing. The songs may be in standard English,
dialectical American or even foreign languages such as Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, French, or
Hebrew. All musical styles are represented including: classical, folk, popular, gospel, country, jazz,
Broadway and religious.
The breathing technique taught in this method is appoggio, and teachers not completely
familiar with this technique should investigate it further before teaching it. A leading teacher and
writer about appoggio breathing is Dr. Richard Miller, professor emeritus of Oberlin Conservatory
of Music. His books can give a singer a basic understanding of the technique as well as a fairly
substantial bibliography of other sources for further study.
Beyond breathing, there is another philosophical approach to teaching singing which can vary
from teacher to teacher. In this method, the student is expected to learn both fixed do and
movable do solfeggio systems. Many leading schools have chosen just one of these systems, and
even though movable do is the most popular, the fixed do system has its benefits especially for
atonal music. For these reasons it seems reasonable to teach both and let the student make a
choice later on especially after gaining admission to a music school where one or the other
system is used exclusively.
Probably the most important aspect to this method is the systematic approach to reading music
in keys that is taken directly from the piano method books. Students begin learning all songs in C
major then are gradually progressed through the keys (a circle of fifths approach) until they
acquire facility in all the keys. Even though, the student is exposed to chromatic exercises in the
beginning that help with ear training and vocal range, the student does not actually learn songs or
exercises that she or he cannot read and understand theoretically. In the many vocal methods that
choose repertoire according to range and with no regard to complexity of rhythm or key, the
student is expected to learn the music more or less by rote.
Level 1 teaches singing in the Keys of C, F and G and covers rhythmic complexities of whole
notes, dotted half notes, half notes, quarter notes, dotted quarter notes, and eighth notes. Melodic
intervals include 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths and 8ves, with special emphasis on intervals of
chord outlines. Scales and scale exercises as well as major/minor triad and pentachords are also
introduced in all keys, to prepare the student for singing in other keys.
Level 2 proceeds with progress through the various keys. The concept of tonal anchors is
introduced, so that the student will have vocalises that orient the ear to the new key using
pentachords, scales and primary chord outlines. The Keys of D Major, A Major, E Major, A minor,
E minor and D minor are introduced. Rhythm complexity proceeds to 6/8 time and dotted eighth
notes. Melodies will include 9ths and 10ths and the student will be introduced to the quality
differences of Major/Minor 2nds, 3rds, 6ths and 7ths. Harmonic complexity will proceed to
diminished and augmented triads and dominant 7th chords as well as issues of modulation from
one key to another. Musical repertoire will include music of all types (classical, religious, jazz,
popular, folk, Broadway) that have texts in English, Italian and Latin, with the occasional German
as a preparation for Level 3.
Level 3 will complete the introduction of all remaining keys, with appropriate tonal anchor
vocalises to help the student orient to each new key. The student will be introduced to atonality
and hypertonality (extremely complex tonal music), as well as music using alternate tonalities
such as modes, whole tone, middle eastern and chromaticism. Melodies will include all types of

vii

intervals, including augmented and diminished. Harmonic complexity will include all types of
triads, 7th and 9th chords, including half diminished, Neopolitan, and Augmented 6th. Musical
repertoire will include all types of music, in English, Italian, Latin, German and French. Some
exposure to Hebrew and Russian will be provided.
All the Lesson books Levels 1-3 will be coordinated closely with the Diction, Vocalise and Song
books of the series so that the student will have ample practice in applying the singing skills
learned. Throughout this book exercises have been included to help the student practice and apply
all the different skills right away (including diction). Even though this book should not be assigned
without the supporting material found in the other books of the series, there is ample material
within this one book for the student to drill and master many of the singing skills.
By completion of Level 3 the student should be fully competent to sing in a professional choir,
but to sing solo (especially in other languages) the student should continue study at the
intermediate and advanced levels. In order to learn and perform arias and songs in foreign
languages, the student must acquire more knowledge of the language than the basics provided in
these beginning books.
Beyond Level 3 the author is considering developing a much more in-depth diction books for
each primary language (English, Italian, French, German, Latin) as well as supplementary ones for
Spanish and Russian. A workbook for the war-horse, Twenty Four Italian Songs and Arias, will
be developed to help students learn this fundamental and important material through readings,
written exercises, vocabulary builders, musical analysis and preparatory technical exercises. Any
books beyond Level 3 would not be part of a method series, but will be stand-alone
texts/workbooks for continued study at the intermediate and advanced levels. At the Kikuchi
Music Institute, these books would be part of the Music Appreciation or Young Artist Programs,
and music schools might choose to use them for their entering freshmen.
This method series is truly a wonderful new approach to singing, and one which heretofore has
not been approached. It teaches singing in a step-by-step sequence that is parallel to what the
piano method books use, especially in regard to playing in keys and is in fact designed as a play
and sing method so that the student is capable of accompanying him or herself. The four area
approach insures that the student learns all aspects of singing: reading music, sight singing, ear
training, diction, foreign language, harmony, duets, trios, 3- and 4-part harmony, choral singing
and learning solo repertoire. The Kikuchi Vocal Method expects the student to understand all the
music fully every step of the way (including the accompaniment). Teachers should never resort to
rote learning or playing/singing on tape for the student to learn the songs. Anyone with a
reasonable ear can learn by imitating recordings, and students do not need to pay the high cost of
music lessons to develop that skill. The goal of this method is to give the voice student all
the knowledge and skills needed to learn new music without having to resort to
listening to recordings or rote learning.

Lee W. Kikuchi
March, 2006

viii

Introduction
In general, the student should master each page of this book before advancing to the next page.
If a particular skill seems to be taking the student more time than would be normally expected, it
is acceptable to advance the student onto new material while still trying to overcome those
difficulties. The books are coordinated according to concepts taught and level of difficulty. In
general, the songs in the repertoire book (Song) should not be attempted until the prerequisite
material has been mastered and in fact can serve as a form of test to see how much the student has
mastered, retained and is able to apply.
Daily practice is absolutely essential for mastering any musical instrument, and for the voice it
is doubly important because singing involves muscles of the abdomen, neck, larynx, face and
mouth. When any activity includes so many muscle groups, the practice routine must be that
much more regular and disciplined. To miss even one day of practice (except in the case of illness)
can be the muscular equivalent of forgetting one days work. It is virtually impossible to make up
for missed practice time and progress will not only seem slow, but in fact might move backward in
weeks of little practice. The lesson time will be spent relearning skills as if they are new, and
possibly fixing bad habits that have formed as a result of careless and inconsistent practice.
The Kikuchi Vocal Method includes all the necessary daily practice exercises to ensure that the
concepts are not only learned but actually retained by the muscles involved. The Vocalise book
has special Warm Up Routine pages that help the student monitor daily progress. The student
must be honest about recording the daily activity so that the teacher can make fair assessment of
how to proceed. If a student claims to practice daily, but the results appear to be ineffective, the
teacher will take a different course than if the student simply did not practice as much.
A glossary is provided at the end of the Diction book as a quick reference in case the student
forgets any terminology already taught. These books are written at an adult level, and the author
realizes that some words may not be familiar to a student still in middle school or high school, and
this glossary includes those terms as well. Such words are primarily linguistic or physiological
terminology. A glance at the entries in the glossary can give the new student a quick understanding
of exactly how much material must be learned at this level. Likewise, a read-through of the
glossary after completing the book can be a good test to see how much the student has retained.
Review pages are provided throughout the Lesson book to test the students retention of
terminology and concepts presented to-date. The student should do these review exercises
without referring to any other pages in the book, and without looking up answers in the glossary.
This way the teacher will know what needs extra review before proceeding to the next lesson. The
review pages are designed to make the student think carefully, to ensure that the student can
actually apply the concepts and not simply recite rules and definitions verbatim.

ix

What is Singing?
The act of singing is probably the oldest form of music making, because it seems to come naturally
to practically everyone. Song birds sing. Even many of the harsh cries and screams of various
forest animals can be considered singing. For all these animals, singing is used for special
communication: mating calls, warnings of danger and even lament. A dog will issue a plaintive
howl when a pack member has died both as an emotional response and to communicate that
feeling to others. Children learn to sing at the same time they learn to speak, and in fact many
childrens songs are designed to help children speak and read because words set to music are
easier to remember than words by themselves. (Example: The Alphabet Song). Singing is the
unique combination of language and music. Although there exist many musical examples where
singing does not include language, but rather a hum, an oo or some other utterance, for the most
part all singing includes a language, whether English, Italian, German, Latin, French or another.
For this reason alone, singing is unique among all the music making processes and explains why
singers must master skills that no other musician must consider: acting, phonetics, and foreign
languages. As you learn to sing, not only will you learn all the important musical concepts needed
to make beautiful music, you will also learn how to express the meanings of the text (from facial
expressions to actual body language). Most importantly, you will learn the fine art of vocal diction
that allows the singer to be understood despite the many musical and acoustical demands that can
often impede the clarity of the language. A common misconception is that singing is just spoken
language on pitch. In fact, the demands of singing distort many aspects of the language such as
sustaining vowels much longer and exploding consonants much harder and faster. Instead,
singing is the art of making beautiful musical sounds that sound like language to the listener.
List below the songs you know how to sing, even though you do not know music yet. This
can include childrens songs, church hymns, patriotic songs and popular songs:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Energy Source, Vibrator and

Resonator
All of music contains these three important elements: energy source, vibrator and resonator. The
energy source is whatever method generates the sound. For voice and wind instruments, it is
the human breath. For string instruments it is the bow. For the piano it is the hammers
(controlled by fingers striking the keys). For the organ it is a wind box powered by a turbine
blower. The vibrator is also different for every instrument. For the flute, it is the open hole
mouthpiece. For reed instruments it is the reed. For brass instruments it is the lips buzzing
against the mouthpiece. For string instruments and the piano it is the string. For the voice it is
the vocal folds. For the organ it is the open hole on the pipes (most function in the same way as
the flute but some have reeds). The resonator is also different for each instrument. For all wind
instruments it is the tubing (whether brass, wood, silver, resin or other material). For the string
instruments it is the wooden box of the instrument. For the piano it is the sound board and case.
For the voice it is the throat, mouth and nasal passages. In learning how to sing we must master
techniques for controlling all three elements. We control the energy source through our breathing
mechanism (abdominal muscles). We control the vibrator to make specific pitches as required by
the music. We control the resonator to produce beautiful vibrant tones, good vowels and correctly
execute consonants. We already know how to use all these elements for every day speech, just as
we already know how to walk and run. However, knowing this basic step does not mean we know
how to sing, just as knowing how to run does not make us an athlete. The process of attaining the
next level of ability is a long and difficult one requiring thousands of hours of practice over the
course of several years.
On the chart below specify the energy source, vibrator and resonator for each instrument:
INSTRUMENT
VIOLIN
TRUMPET
VOICE
PIANO
FLUTE
CLARINET
ORGAN
GUITAR

ENERGY SOURCE

VIBRATOR

RESONATOR

Breathing
We will begin our voice lessons with the first of the three elements of sound production: the energy
source or breathing. We all breath continually, every day, hundreds of times a day without even
thinking about it. We do it correctly. We do it naturally. However, the minute we do it
deliberately we often make mistakes and distort the correct breathing mechanism. Take a
moment now to go in front of a full length mirror and take a big breath. What did you observe?
Did your shoulders rise? Did your face make any distortions? Did any other parts of your body
move? In natural breathing, only the abdominal muscles (primarily the ones between the naval
and the sternum) move to draw the air in and push the air out. Lie down on a sofa or bed. Place
your hands clasped over your naval and lie quietly while breathing normally. Notice how your
hands move up and down. You should not feel any motion in the chest or shoulders. You should
not have to do anything different with your mouth or face. In singing, we want to use the same
muscles as we use during normal breathing, but we need to use them in slightly different ways. In
trying to learn how to breath correctly for singing, you must constantly examine yourself to make
sure you are not breathing incorrectly. When you sing, you use the normal breathing mechanism
but in a different way according the demands of singing. At all times, make sure you exhibit no
head, neck or upper body motions. Make sure you do not tense up muscles in those same
regions. Make sure you do not change your mouth shape or tongue position to breathe. When it
comes to the energy source only the abdominal muscles move. Keep the other muscles free to
express language, act or execute theatrical blocking.

Relaxed Breathing
For the next few weeks, take a minute at bed time to reflect on your breathing. Put your
hands on your belly and just lie quietly breathing. Notice how the hands move up and
down in a continuous even motion. There should be no shoulder movement, no chest or
upper body movement and no head or facial movements.

Prolonged Breathing
This exercise is also a good one to do at bedtime, and may even help you fall asleep. Place
your hands on your belly as above, and breath in and out with even regular breaths.
However, in this exercise there are three phases you will be monitoring: inhalation, holding
and exhalation. Time each phase by counting your heartbeats. The first one should be
about 5 or 6 beats. Each phase of breathing should be the same amount of heartbeats, and
for the purpose of this exercise deliberately make them match. After the first breath, take
the second breath counting one more heart beat for each of the three phases. With each
succeeding breath, prolong the breath (slow it down) by one more heartbeat. Try to get up
to 10 or 12 heartbeats before quitting. For example:
[in-2-3-4-5 / hold-2-3-4-5 / out-2-3-4-5]
[in-2-3-4-5-6 / hold-2-3-4-5-6 / out-2-3-4-5-6]
[in-2-3-4-5-6-7 / hold-2-3-4-5-6-7 / out-2-3-4-5-6-7]
[in-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 / hold-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 / out-2-3-4-5-6-7-8]
[in-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 / hold-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 / out-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9]
[in-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 / hold-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 / out-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10]

Big Breaths
In singing, we must breath at different rates from normal breathing. We use the same muscles,
but we use them with different speeds. When we breathe in (inspiration), we try to take in the air
very quickly, and when we breathe out (expiration) we must move the air very slowly. This is
because singing requires that we sustain the sounds of the voice over several seconds (a long
melody) but we must then take the next breath very quickly (often a split second) to be ready to
sing the next phrase of music. In normal breathing, you inhale and exhale at more or less the
same rate. When you perform the bedtime exercises described on the previous page, you do not
change this regular rhythm of breathing, but instead simply prolong it to help develop deeper and
more controlled breathing. The exercises below focus on quick inhalations and slow exhalations
that are specifically what we need for singing. Always pay attention to the breathing mechanism
and the upper body so that only the correct muscles move (no head, chest or shoulder movement).

Blow Out Candles (Paper)

When we take a big breath to blow out candles, we inhale quickly and pucker our lips to
create a forceful steady stream. The puckered lips help impede the airflow and focus it to
make it more forceful. Hold a piece of paper at arms length from the face, take a big breath
and blow the paper. If you do not pucker your lips adequately the force of the airflow will
not make the paper move (it should flap significantly). When you inhale, make certain you
do not make any gasping sounds. The inhalation must be quiet and quick, almost the
same kind of breath you might take when startled: open mouth, open eyes, open throat,
fast inhalation but not a gasp. When you blow, try to keep the paper moving for several
seconds. Time yourself every day to see if you can prolong the time you blow the paper.

Lip Trills (Fluttering Lips)

In this exercise, take big breaths and slowly blow the air out through the closed lips to
make them flutter. Many people must practice this one to get it right. The lips must be wet
and loose, but must be held together (as if humming) just enough so that the air pressure
makes them flutter. If the lips stop fluttering the air pressure is either too forceful or too
weak. Try to prolong the lip trill for as long as possible, timing yourself every day.

The Lip Trill

A basic exercise used by leading voice teachers around the world is the lip trill. The reason this
particular exercise is so useful is that it gauges the actual airflow (pressure). When singing, it is
possible to use too much air or not enough air to produce good vocal sound, and the lip trill is a
kind of measuring device to monitor your control of airflow. If the airflow pressure increases or
decreases in any way, you can sense it by either a change in the sound of the lip trill or by the fact
that the lips stop flapping. This type of direct feedback is much easier to recognize than changes in
vocal quality, especially by the student, so it is a very useful tool in helping students learn good
breath control. As with all breathing exercises and singing, be sure to take a good big breath
quietly (no gasping) before executing the lip trill. We must build step-by-step on the skills already
learned and constantly apply them to the next technique.

Lip Trill (With and Without Voice)

Pitch: _________
You learned how to produce the Lip Trill without voice (just air) in the previous lesson, and
now you should learn how to do the same exercise using the voice. A good starting pitch
is F#, but your teacher may have you do the Lip Trill on another note. Make sure that the
lips flutter continuously and without changes. Make sure the pitch is stable (does not
wobble). Monitor your daily progress on both the lip trill without voice and the lip trill with
voice, recording how many seconds you are able to sustain it.

Lip Trill (Singing a Song)

Name of Song: ____________________________________________ Start Note: _________
Try singing one of the songs you listed on page 1 while doing the lip trill. How far can you
sing on one breath? A good song for this is America (My country tis of thee) if you can
remember it. Mary Had a Little Lamb is a good second choice. Your teacher will write a
starting note above so that you do it the same way each time.

Lip Trill (Sirens)

Once you learn the siren technique on the next page, do Lip Trills while singing the siren.
Be sure to go higher and lower each time you Lip Trill the Siren, to help extend your range
in each direction.

Sliding Up and Down

Now that we have addressed some basics regarding the energy source (breathing), let us move on
to the vibrator (the voice box or vocal folds). To sing, we must match the pitches of the melody
exactly, and we do this by tightening or relaxing the vocal folds in the larynx (voice box). Unlike
any other instrument where we can see exactly how our fingers change the notes, the voice box is
not visible to us, so we cannot see how our voice works. The only way to know we are singing
correctly is by listening to the sound that we are producing and comparing it to a pitch source such
as a piano. Brass instruments share this feature to a degree, as the performer must tighten the lips
according to certain notes and it takes time to feel this technique. In singing, we learn to feel what
our vocal folds do to produce a note, so that we do not have to adjust the pitch with every note we
sing by comparing it to the piano. After enough practice, we just open our mouths and the right
note comes out. As was mentioned above, the pitch of our voice changes by tightening or relaxing
the vocal folds. As we tighten them, the pitch rises, and as we relax them, the pitch lowers. The
same effect can be observed in a rubber band. Stretch the band and pluck it. As we stretch the
band tighter, the pitch gets higher and as we let the band relax the pitch lowers. The exercise
below is one to help develop the muscles in our voice that control pitch. We are not concerned
with the exact pitch yet we are just using the muscles to make pitch changes. This could be
compared to a baseball pitcher swinging his arm before a pitch he is moving his muscles in a
general way without worrying about throwing the ball in any specific direction.

Sirens Up
Making a sliding sound with the voice is very much like imitating the sound of a siren. For
this exercise, take a good full quiet breath (no gasps) and begin singing a sound starting in
the lower part of your voice range. Slowly slide up as high as you can go without straining.
If you hear any gaps or breaks, try to sing through them (eliminate them). You should sing
Sirens Up at least 10 times each day as a daily practice routine. With each successive
attempt try to start lower in the voice and end higher in the voice, and try to slide up more
slowly (make sound for a longer time) and continuously (no jumps or breaks).

Sirens Down
This exercise is exactly the same as Sirens Up except you start at a high pitch in your
voice and gently slide down to the lowest pitch in your voice. Sliding down can often be
more difficult to control, and you should work hard to make it gentle, slow and even.
Relaxing the vocal folds in a slow controlled way is more difficult than tightening them up.
Do this exercise at least 10 times daily. This one requires more work to master.

Sirens Up and Down

Once you have mastered Sirens Up and Down you can replace them with this one where
you slide up and down on the same breath. Make sure your slide down is just as
controlled as the slide up and for the same length of time (not quicker).

Pitch Matching
Any steady sound you make with your voice, as long as it does not move up and down, is a specific
pitch. In music, we sing the specific pitches that can be found on the piano keyboard. Each key is
a different pitch and for the most part we limit our singing pitches to the same ones we can find on
a piano. However, like many other instruments the voice can slide between pitches and this ability
is used according to the style of music or demands of the composer. Before we can just sing the
right notes because we can feel them in our voice and hear them in our head, we must first learn to
match our voice to the correct pitches of music very carefully and deliberately. You must first hear
the sound, then start singing, then adjust your voice to match the sound if your voice is too low or
too high. You will slide your voice using the siren technique from the previous lesson until your
ear tells you that your voice is matching the pitch of the sound. To practice this skill you must use
a good pitch source for comparison, and for singers this is always an in-tune piano or
keyboard. To use any other instrument can be less than useful because other instruments have
the ability to adjust pitch just as the voice does so they can often be not as accurate as the piano.
With the piano, you press the key and whatever sound you hear is a stable and unvarying pitch.

Pitch Matching

Start on: _________________

Stop on: ___________

For this exercise it is important to follow the steps exactly:

1.
Press and hold the key on the piano.
2.
Listen to the sound.
3.
Start singing la_______.
4.
If the sound you are singing does not match the pitch, slide up if it is too low, or
slide down if it is too high.
5.
Breathe and go on to the next key (pitch).
6.
Start on the note specified above and repeat this exercise with each key going up the
piano. This includes all the black and white keys, one-by-one. Stop on the note
specified above.
It is important always to press the key before singing, and to take the time needed to listen
to the sound. This can be as much as 2 seconds. Once you start singing, do not let go of
the key, but instead hold it so you can compare your voice to the sound of the piano.
Listen carefully and try to decide if you are matching the pitch or are too high or too low. If
you cannot tell that you are too high or too low, slide your voice a little both up and down
until you can sense that your voice is matching the pitch of the piano. If this takes too long
and the sound dies away, re-strike the piano key and repeat the process. On a keyboard,
you can change the setting to organ which will sustain longer if this helps.

Sustained Pitch Matching

This is a variation of the Pitch Matching exercise and all the same instructions still apply.
However, once you have matched the pitch exactly continue singing the note for at least 4
counts (seconds) before moving on to the next note. Monitor your sound carefully and do
not let the pitch slide away from the correct sound. Make sure your vocal sound is clear,
and the same loudness (dont let it die away). With each note that you are singing, make a
good vocal sound that does not change for the full 4 counts that you are sustaining it.
Then breathe and move to the next pitch (piano key).

Rhythm in Singing
All music has rhythm, which is the fact that each sound has a different length some sounds are
short, some are long and some are in between. In addition, all music has a steady beat, which is
the steady pulse of the music. The rhythm of music must fit within the steady beat at all times.
Most musicians count while they perform in order to keep themselves steady with the beat.
Depending on the music and the complexity they might say, 1-2-3-4 or 1-2-3 or a variety of much
more complicated number patterns to help them stay with the beat and not get lost when the
music gets complex. In practice, musicians will count aloud to make sure they are on track. In
performance, musicians will count silently (to themselves). Singers cannot count aloud because we
are using our voice and mouth to produce sounds and words. In fact, we cannot even count
silently in our head while singing because we sing words, and that would be too confusing!
Similarly, wind instrument players cannot count with their mouths either because they have a
mouthpiece in their mouths while playing. Until you can count silently in your head, which is a
skill that takes years to develop, you must practice other ways to keep steady and on the beat.
Because the hands are engaged in playing, instrumentalists learn to tap a foot to keep the beat
(although this is considered totally unacceptable in performance). For singers, clapping is the best
choice because it feels closer to us (the foot feels far away). Even if the singer is singing just ta-tata (that is, no words), clapping a steady beat is a great way to keep on the beat and not get lost. As
you practice the clapping skills, feel the 1-2-3-4 or 1-2-3 pattern carefully, maybe even clap beat
number 1 a little harder so you can feel the pattern. The more ingrained your sense of clapping
rhythm is, the more you can use it to help learn difficult music. In addition to clapping, singers
can also pulse their voices to match the beat. For example, a half note would be ta-ah with two
pulses for the two beats, a whole note would be ta-ah-ah-ah in the same way.

Quality Control Rules for Clapping and Saying ta

When doing the clapping exercises on the following page, and whenever you clap the rhythm of a
song before learning to sing it, pay attention to the following quality controls:
1.
Sustain the ah sound continuously between notes. No gaps before the next t.
2.
Clap steadily and evenly.
3.
Maintain consistent vocal sound: timbre, loudness, and pitch (no scooping).
4.
Breathe only at the breath marks.
5.
Pulse the voice to keep the beat. (ta-ah)
6.
Move only the tongue to make the t sound (not the jaw or head).
7.
No pauses or gaps in sound.
8.
No head bouncing or other extraneous motions.

Clapping and Saying TA

Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

M.M. = ________ / ________ / ________

Clap a steady beat and say these rhythms on ta,

Pulse your voice to match the beats that you are keeping with the claps.
Repeat 4 times each, and observe the Quality Controls listed on page 8.
Follow the syllables for pulsing the ta carefully with your eyes.
Do not look away or you will get lost in the music.
Practice at all three metronome speeds.
Once you know this exercise well, practice it without pulsing your voice.

Review 1
Fill in the blanks:
1.

A _________________ _________________ is a vocal exercise that monitors the

control of the _________________ by _________________ the lips. This exercise
can be done with or without the _________________.

2.

_________________ _________________ is the skill of singing the correct note

exactly the same as on a fixed pitch source such as a _________________.

3.

When practicing a _______________________ by clapping and singing or saying ta,

it is important to _____________________ the voice so that you feel all the
______________ of the notes.

4.

A _________________ is a vocal exercise where you slide the pitch ___________ and
___________ the full range of the voice.

5.

A common misconception is that singing is just _________________ ___ language

on _____________________. Singing is very different because the vowels must be
___________________ much longer, the consonants must be ___________________
much harder and faster.

6.

The voice, just as all other musical instruments, has three elements contributing to
sound production: _________________ _________________ (breathing),
____________________ (the vocal folds), and _____________________ (the throat,
mouth and nasal passages).

7.

In _________________ _________________, we use our heartbeat to count and time

three different phases of breathing: _________________, _________________ and
_________________. On each succeeding breath we try to sustain each phase
________ heartbeat longer.

8.

During normal breathing and while singing, only the muscles in the
________________________ should move, never any part of the ________________,
____________________, or ____________________.

10

The Musical Alphabet

American, English and German music uses letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) to describe
the different pitches or notes in music. The Romance language countries, particularly Italy, where
all written music originates, use a different system for describing pitches (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti)
called solfeggio syllables and singers around the world almost universally use the same system for
a variety of reasons. The first reason is that the solfeggio syllables have different vowels which
makes them easier to understand and associate to the notes than the plain letters (5 of which have
the same ee vowel). The second is that their consonant + vowel construction makes them
particularly useful for singing. The third is that all singing technique comes originally from Italy
(bel canto) and the Italians use the syllables to describe the pitches for all music, even for
instruments. [do=C, re=D, mi=E, fa=F, sol=G, la=A and ti=B]. When singing a song for the first
time, it is useful to sing it first using the solfeggio syllables. The lack of consonant clusters,
diphthongs and final consonants removes the need to think about diction issues, and allows the
singer to focus on notes and rhythm. For the purpose of learning music theory and playing the
piano, you will be required to identify notes by their letter names. For the purpose of singing, you
will identify notes by their solfeggio syllable. A singer with a solid background in solfeggio can
sight sing a new song easily, because the use of the syllables helps the ear find the correct notes.
Throughout these books, you will be asked to sing the musical examples first using solfeggio
syllables before anything else. Once you know the song well just singing do-re-mi you can begin
the process of singing with words which requires applying a complex set of diction rules.

Recite The Syllables

M.M. = ________ / ________ / ________

Every day recite the syllables forward and backward until you know them solidly. You
should be able to do this quickly from memory. Clap while reciting to keep a steady beat.
Do the recitation slowly, then faster and faster without stumbling. Rhythm helps to solidify
the memory process. Use a metronome at three different speeds to monitor your ability.
1.

DO RE MI FA SOL LA TI DO

2.

DO TI LA SOL FA MI RE DO

Play and Sing the Scale

Play and sing the scale below, up and down, to get used to singing do-re-mi and the notes
of the scale. Always play the next note before singing it, so you can hear the correct pitch.

11

Singing on the Vowel

Whenever singing songs with words, it is important to sing on the vowel. This means that you
sustain the vowel on pitch as long as possible before singing the final consonant(s). There are
many reasons for this, but the primary reason is the importance of maintaining the melody while
singing. If you stop the vowel too soon to form the consonant the melody becomes broken or
choppy just like a street with pot holes. When singing, we want the melody to be as continuous
and connected as possible, with the consonants interrupting the sound of the melody only briefly,
just enough to be understood but never so much as to stop the singing sound. When singing on
solfeggio syllables, it is easy to sing on the vowel because they do not have any final consonants
(we always sing so instead of sol), and the initial consonants are single and simple. But even
when singing on solfeggio syllables it is important to sing continuously on the vowel so that there
is no break to the sound between notes. Do not stop the voice! Do not breath! The vowel of one
syllable should flow seamlessly into the consonant beginning the next syllable. Singing on the
vowel correctly while using solfeggio syllables is the first step to singing on the vowel correctly
when singing the actual words of the song.

Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

M.M.

= __________

Clap and say ta-ah or ta.

Sing the song using solfeggio syllables. (Play chords in LH while singing).
Clap while saying the words rhythmically and sustaining the vowels.
Sing the song using words. (Play chords in LH while singing).

13

Singing Final Consonants

The concept of singing on the vowel is closely related to the concept of singing final consonants.
In order to execute consonants at the correct time in the rhythm, it is important to know how long
to sing the vowel before making the final consonant. The vowel must be sung continuously until
the consonant is formed, without any break or decrease in the vocal sound. It is also important
not to form the consonant early. Allowing tongue or lips to move toward the consonant early, even
just a little, can distort the vowel or impede the sound. The vowel must remain pure until time for
the consonant, then the consonant is executed quickly in the time remaining. Final consonants
are executed in two different ways: If another word is to be sung without a break (legato), then the
final consonant is elided to the beginning of the next word. That is, the consonants are
pronounced together as a cluster. If, the final consonant is at the end of a phrase (before a breath,)
then the consonant becomes a consonant release because it is followed by a breath. If necessary,
we shorten the note slightly to place the consonant on the final beat of the note, or if there is a rest
following the note, we can allow the vowel to take the full value of the note and place the
consonant release on the available rest. The decision regarding which to do depends on the style
of the song, as well as how the music was written. Some composers write in rests for singers to use
for consonants, and others leave it to the singer to decide where to place the consonant releases.
Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

16

Sing the song using solfeggio syllables. (Play LH notes while singing.)
Mark the consonant releases with an up arrow (


).
Clap while saying the words rhythmically and placing final consonants correctly.
Take a quick breath at each rest (after the consonant).
Sing the song using words. (Play LH notes while singing.)

The Minor Mode

Until now you have been singing songs in the Key of C, which is the easiest key because it has only
white keys (on the piano). More specifically the Key of C is called C-Major. Western music uses
two different kinds of keys: major and minor, also called major mode and minor mode. Major keys
are usually described as happy and minor keys are usually described as sad, based on what the
different modes sound like. In the Key of C-Major, you ended your songs on the note C. For our
song in this lesson, you will begin and end on the note D and learn to hear the Key of D-Minor.
Notice how starting and ending on different notes gives the melody a totally different sound even
though you are singing the same 5 notes you have already learned: do-re-mi-fa-sol! Just by using
different starting and ending notes, and different notes in the harmony (re & fa, instead of do-misol) you can create a totally different mood and sound and that is what is called tonality.
Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Sing the warm ups for Gloomy Night at least 4 times each.
Sing the song using solfeggio syllables. (Play chords in LH while singing.)
Mark the consonant releases with an up arrow (


).
Clap while saying the words rhythmically and placing final consonants correctly.
Sing the song using words. (Play chords in LH while singing.)

19

Skipping do-mi-re-fa-mi-sol
A very common pattern in music is the sequential skips, that is do-mi-re-fa-mi-sol, etc. This kind
of skip pattern can be a few skips, or can be a long series of skips going up and down the scale.
The technical term for this pattern is broken thirds. Thirds because a skip is also the interval of a
third. Broken because the notes are melodic thirds (not harmonic thirds). All instrumentalists as
well as singers must learn this technique. This lesson includes only the broken thirds of do-mi-refa-mi-sol, up and down. Eventually, you will need to learn this technique pattern for notes up and
down the entire scale.
Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.

Sing the warm ups for Handy Spandy at least 4 times each.
Sing the song using solfeggio syllables. (Play chords in LH while singing.)
Sing the song using words. (Play chords in LH while singing.)

23

Singing fa-re-ti
The notes fa-re-ti outline part of a V7 (said, five-seven) harmony, or can stand alone as a vii
harmony (that is a chord built on the 7th note of the scale, which is a diminished triad). This song
helps you hear the notes fa-re-ti as a chord outline in the context of a melody.
Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

32

Sing the warm ups for Hickory Dickory Dock at least 4 times each.
Sing the song using solfeggio syllables. (Play chords in LH while singing.)
Mark the consonant releases with an up arrow (


).
Clap while saying the words rhythmically and placing final consonants correctly.
Sing the song using words. (Play chords in LH while singing.)

Sound Production
Everything related to making good vocal sound is called sound production, and this includes all
aspects of breathing (inhalation and support), pitch, dynamic, timbre and vowel formation. The
cornerstone of the appoggio [a-POH-jee-o] technique is the breathing mechanism which includes
quick inhalation and support using muscle antagonism. This technique is then applied to all other
aspects of sound production. The two areas which best demonstrate good appoggio breathing are
the onset (beginning of vocal sound) and the release/breath (stopping the vocal sound combined
with the breath). In the appoggio technique the onset is always clean without grunt (glottal
stroke) or aspiration (breathiness or H sound), and the breath must be silent (no gasp). Hearing a
gasping sound indicates that the glottis (the space between the vocal folds) is not fully opened.
Further, skill must be developed to ensure the singer is correctly sustaining the vocal sound.
Problems can occur in two general areas: breath support and facial/mouth motions. If the breath
support is inconsistent the timbre or dynamic will change. Unwanted facial or mouth motions will
change the vowel sound, which can happen when the tongue or lips move toward the next vowel or
consonant, or when some part of the face or mouth performs an extra motion that does not belong.
This latter problem is usually caused by the unconscious act of moving out of the singing posture
during breathing and this must be corrected should it occur. All the parts and muscles of the face
and mouth must maintain a continuous singing posture, even during breathing and the singer
must treat the breath as a part of singing, not a different set of motions.

Appoggio Breathing
The word appoggio [ah-POH-jee-o] comes from the Italian word appoggiare, to lean, and is used
in the bel canto school of singing to describe the technique of singing on a supported and full
reservoir of air. Good sound production requires that the air pressure on the voice be firm and
steady, but never pushed or forced. Forcing or pushing are very common ailments of the amateur
singing, which are evident by changes in pitch or timbre (harshness). In addition, such pushing
can strain the voice and potentially damage it. With appoggio breathing, the singer supports the
air with firm abdominal muscles, and the air is used sparingly only enough to sing the notes.
The classic expression, less is more could not be more true for singers, where a good supported
breath can produce vibrant sounds that can carry over a hundred piece orchestra into an opera
hall of 3000 listeners, and virtuoso singers can sing long melodies for 20-30 seconds as if never
needing to breath. A voice used with good supported breath will not strain or be damaged.

Onset/Release Exercises
The onset/release exercises taught in these books are based on the exercises created by
Dr. Richard Miller, Professor Emeritus of Voice, and Retired Chairman of the Voice Department,
Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio. They are designed to practice all aspects of
appoggio technique sound production, including onset (vocal fold approximation), release (open
glottis), pitch, supported breath (muscle antagonism), vibrant timbre, vowel formation,
aggiustamento, and controlled body motions, so that the student can begin incorporating good
sound production into all singing. The first exercises focus on clean onset, vibrant timbre and
quiet release. Later exercises will expand the technique in application to more complex musical
and diction issues as the student becomes more accomplished in areas of language, flexibility,
acceleration, rhythm, harmony and musicology.

38

Quality Control Rules For Good Sound Production

As you master the various vocal techniques, you must continually monitor these 12 very important
qualities regarding good sound production. Notice that qualities 1-7 are sounds you can hear, and
qualities 8-12 are body motions you must see or feel (use a mirror). Review the list daily until
you have completely memorized it so you can monitor these qualities every time you sing:

BODY (SEE/FEEL)

SOUND (HEAR)

QUALITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.
11.
12.

GOAL

PITCH
DYNAMIC
TIMBRE
ATTACK
VOWEL
RELEASE

PRECISE, UNWAVERING
STABLE
VIBRANT, CLEAR
CLEAN
PURE, CONSISTENT
COMBINED WITH
BREATH
BREATH
SILENT, QUICK
LUNGS/CHEST FULL, EXPANDED
ABDOMEN
MUSCLE ANTAGONISM
Firm and Controlled
Motion
UPPER BODY
STILL, RELAXED
JAW / FACE
CONTROLLED
Moves Only As Needed
TONGUE / LIPS CONTROLLED
Moves Only to Form
Vowels or Consonants

AILMENTS
off pitch, scooping, sliding, wobbling
creeping in, fading out, accenting
breathy, raspy, straight tone
grunting, aspiration
diphthong, anticipation, laziness
inverse grunt, excess breath, nonrhythmic
gasping, uncoordinated, slow
collapsing, feeling overcrowded
pushing, lacking support, belly moving
instead of upper abdomen, abdomen
moving too much
tension, motion during breathing
moves unnecessarily, tension, moves
during release/breath
moves early to form next vowel or
consonant, does not maintain correct
vowel sound throughout, moves during
release/breath

The Basic Onset

Start note_______
End note: _______
The exercise given below is only the first of many exercises to practice the appoggio technique.
Learn this exercise first at a slow tempo (MM = 60) to make sure that phonation begins exactly on
beats 1 and 3, and the release (breath) happens exactly on beats 2 and 4. Place the hands above
the waist where the hands can feel the lowest rib in order to feel proper breathing muscle motion.
The motions for singing and breathing should be only minimal, and the posture should be still.
Continue singing the notes up the keyboard as instructed by your teacher (specified above). Once
this exercise is mastered at a slow tempo, the rate can be increased gradually to master more rapid
execution of the onset + release mechanism. The teacher will assign vowel changes as needed.

39

Voiced Consonant Clusters

In addition to disappearing when it is a final consonant, the other place where a voiced plosive
often disappears is before another consonant. The tongue or lips move into position for the
plosive (that is, close to form it) but never complete it. In addition, voiced continuants must be
fully executed (slightly sustained) in order to be heard before another consonant. This exercise
consists of consonant clusters to help practice forming voiced plosives and continuants before
other consonants. These sounds may seem unnatural at first, because they do not sound like
words in English, but in fact such combinations occur regularly when the final consonants of one
word elide (i.e. are said back-to-back) with the initial consonants of another word. Being able to
sing these consonants with just the right amount of subvocalization or sustaining before the
second consonant is an important skill in singing.
These exercises practice executing voiced consonants in clusters. While singing them,
make sure, that 1) if the initial consonant is a plosive, there is a subvocalized neutral vowel
after it, or 2) if the initial consonant is a continuant that it is properly sustained, before
executing the second consonant and vowel. All the sounds must be clear and distinct and
the consonants must precede the beat (the vowel is on the beat). Treat the L as plosive.
The following consonant cluster grid is provided so you can be sure to practice all
possible combinations:
VOICED CONSONANT CLUSTERS
B
B

44

BD

BG

BL

BM

BN

BV

BZ

DG

DL

DM

DN

DV

DZ

GL

GM

GN

GV

GZ

LM

LN

LV

LZ

MN

MV

MZ

NV

NZ

DB

GB

GD

LB

LD

LG

MB

MD

MG

ML

NB

ND

NG

NL

NM

VB

VD

VG

VL

VM

VN

ZB

ZD

ZG

ZL

ZM

ZN

VZ
ZV

Singing Duets
Music to be sung as a duet is also called two-part vocal writing. The two lines sound harmonious
together because the notes of the duet part are also part of the same chords or harmony that go
with the melody. Being able to sing a duet with someone else is an important part of singing, and
requires that each person have a good ear so they stay in tune. When practicing at home alone,
play the duet line on the piano and sing along with it. At the lesson your teacher will happily sing
the duet with you. Be sure to learn both parts so you can trade off!
Sing these exercises on solfeggio syllables. Learn both parts to sing with your teacher:

50

Flats
In music the flat (=) symbol indicates that the pitch must be lowered a half step. On the piano,
this means striking the next key to the left (whether black or white). In singing, the pitch
adjustment must be heard and felt. In all of music, a half step is an equal distance from any note
regardless of its position in the scale or octave location. You first encountered half steps when
singing the notes mi-fa and then ti-do and these are the naturally occurring half steps in the
major scale. A flat can appear in front of any note, and therefore any note can be adjusted down a
half step. Therefore, F= is in fact equal to E and C= is equal to B since there is no black key
between E and F or between B and C. In the solfeggio syllables, a flat is represented by a vowel
change. The initial consonant is preserved so that we still know which note it is (letter name), and
the vowel is changed to either an a or e depending on the original syllable. Notice that Do and
Fa do not have a flat equivalent. Remember that the bar line cancels any flats in the previous
measure!

58

C=

D=

E=

F=

G=

A=

B=

TI

DO

RA

RE

ME

MI

MI

FA

SE

SOL

LE

LA

TE

TI

Scale Triads
A triad is a chord of three notes built in thirds. Do-mi-sol is a triad, because do to mi is a third
apart and mi to sol is also a third apart. We label each note of a triad as root, 3rd and 5th. The root
is the lowest note, the 3rd is the middle note and the 5th is the top note (because it is a 5th from the
root). There are technically four types of triads, but we will consider two for right now: major
triads and minor triads. In a major triad the interval between the root and 3rd is a major third
(four half steps), and in a minor triad the interval between the root and 3rd is a minor third (three
half steps). Since the 5th is always the same (seven half steps) this means that the upper third
(between the 3rd and the 5th of the triad) changes too: In major triads the upper third is a minor
third and in minor triads the upper third is a major third. In music, a triad can be built on every
note of the scale and we label those chords using Roman numerals I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, etc. The I
chord is build on the first note of the scale and is also called the tonic. The ii chord is built on the
second note, etc. We use upper case Roman numerals of major triads and lower case Roman
numerals for minor triads.
Practice singing these broken chord exercises based on the triads of the C Major scale.
Notice which ones are major and which ones are minor, and feel how they sound different.

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Gloria
The words Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis come from the Latin Roman Catholic Mass. These words
are very commonly used as a refrain in Christmas carols where the versus are in the common
language (English, French, German, Spanish, etc.). Further, the word gloria is most often set to a
sequenced pattern (as below). Since good church goers would be familiar with the most common
verses of the Latin Mass, such a mixing of languages would not seem at all out of place. It is
certainly no more unusual, than the peppering of Spanish phrases in the common speech of the
people in California, or the use of French phrases among the elite of New York. Literally, Gloria,
Hosanna in excelsis means glory and praise in the highest and is meant to express the most
exuberant joy possible. The use of Latin is probably meant to tap into the inner soul for meaning
the goes beyond the poetry of the regular text. The pronunciation in IPA is [gloria ozana in
ekelsis]. Notice that h is silent in Latin and the c becomes sh after x. Be careful to make the
[i] a bright ee sound (it is not in as in English, but rather een) and the [e] should be brighter
than the e in English met. The [ek] should sound almost like ache.
Practice Directions:
1.
2.
3.

This Goria is excerpted from the well-known French Christmas carol Ding Dong
Merrily on High.
Learn the song using solfeggio syllables. (do = F)
Practice singing with words.

73

Rock of Ages
Notice the use of perfect 4ths and 5ths in the traditional Hebrew melody. Do you think the use of
these intervals makes the melody sound more majestic?
Practice on fixed and movable do before learning with the words.

77

Singing 6ths
Hearing and recognizing the different intervals comes with many hours of practice. Already we
have covered 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, and 5ths. We have even seen that 3rds can be major or minor (as in
major and minor chords). Many musicians use catch melodies to help remember intervals. For
example, Here comes the bride for perfect 4ths and Twinkle, twinkle, little star for perfect 5ths.
The most common melody for remembering major 6ths is My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, and for
that reason it is a great song to help practice them. Notice that we have already sung 6ths because
they were part of the inverted major triad patterns on page 70 and have been in other songs such
as Over the Rainbow. (Note: in this song, the word bonnie is not a name but rather a word that
means beauty or sweetheart).
Practice the warm ups and song using solfeggio syllables first. Can you recognize which
6ths are major and which are minor?

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85

Dance, Dance
Slavic melodies have the charming element of alternating between the major and minor triads,
often as a direct repeat in rapid succession. What better way to practice hearing and singing the
two type of triads back-to-back!

93

Singing Latin
Although Italian is the most important language for opera, Latin is the most important language
for concert singing both choral and solo. Almost all the major works for chorus and orchestra
are in Latin because composers use the Latin text for the Roman Catholic Mass. The Requiem
Mass is a special version of the regular Mass text that is used for funerals, and has special sections
relating to death, the judgement day and salvation. Latin was used in all Roman Catholic services
(the Mass) until the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) decreed that it was acceptable to conduct
Mass in the common language of the people. However, even to this day, composers still write
Masses in Latin, and in many churches throughout Europe and the United States, musical settings
of the Mass in Latin are performed regularly. Since Latin is considered a dead language, there is
no consensus regarding pronunciation and in fact there now exist several different accepted
pronunciation schemes. The most commonly used is Italianate Latin (based on Italian
pronunciation rules, and is the version of Latin used in the Vatican). Other versions are Germanic,
and Academic which will be addressed in more detail later. In the past, singers would use only one
pronunciation system depending on their country of origin, but today the accepted practice is for
singers to use the pronunciation system that the composer would have had in mind when writing
the music. Hence, todays singers would sing Germanic Latin for a Mass by Mozart, and sing
Italianate Latin for Verdis Requiem. Competence and versatility in all versions of Latin are now
standard practice for professional singers. You have already learned the Latin text, Gloria, in
excelsis Deo. The song below is actually an old childrens round with a very simple text, Dona
nobis pacem means Give us peace and is pronounced [donY nobis pYem] in the Italianate
pronunciation. Both texts are taken from the Latin Mass.

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