Any Tips for helping members with pitch and how to harmonize?

[Holy Roller]

Does anyone have any exercises helping to get new choir members to hear harmony and stay on pitch?
maybe some exercises in 3 part harmony? I gather with all the new members once a week and O boy do I have my work cut out!

many of us grew up singing and just sort of assimilated into the church. the generation coming up now, many are unchurched.

If anyone has some good vocal techniques, exercises that would be much appreciated !

[biggddd]

Hello

Sorry, I do not have any - I am looking myself.  I have been singing in choirs all my life with no problems, but very recently i cannot seem to stay on key.  i feel like i am not hearing properly...

I am piggy-backing myself onto this thread so i can get any help ASAP

Darlene

[MUNCHY]

One exercise that I think might help is to sing arppegios.  (I know I spelled that wrong) What I mean is this...

Let's say you are hit a C chord on the piano.  The tenors will sing the "c", the altos will sing the "e" and the sopranos will sing the "g".  Now after you have given them their note have each group sing it in an arrpegio style.  So instead of singing simultaneouly, sing it like this...   C-E-G-E-C-E-G-E-C....  you understand?  Then end it on everyone singing together.  Then modulate about 4 or 5 times.  What happens is each group will then recognize that they have their own distinctive note and sound.  You will begin to see the folks becoming more cohesive and ultimately they will rely on each other for their notes and not you.  It sounds corny but it is a type of crawl before you begin to run with the jams that you teach them that have 3,4, and 5 part harmonies.  Aight then...  peace 

[diverse379]

this is a big problem with choirs even those that are (churched)

some causes are
lack of musician ship (the voice is an instrument)
lack of really listening to music live
singing in unison for years
poor teaching from the musician or director

the last is really the biggest culprit so lets first own up to the fact that the condition of our choirs are our responsibility,

the correction will take time and patience

first of all you have to do exercises that get your choir singing together
you should have several warm ups that you do
introducing new ones when they become to comfortable with the ones they are already doing

or you can introduce more advanced ones as they continue getting better

warmsups do several things they
teach ptich they teach interval recognition
they train the whole choir to sing on one accord
they train vowels
they train jaw control and articulation or annunciation

here are my warm ups I do
i only have beginner and intermediate warmups now because that is the level of my group


The long breath have the choir take a deep breath and exhale slowly thay should put their lips very tight to resist the air coming out
I can exhale for 45 seconds one member in my choir can exhale for 1 minute and 12 seconds
this exercise really builds breath control and strengthens the diaghram
it also develops your choir to sing long notes (so they can hold those long phrases)

I usually time them and let them know which choir has the record of the longest exhale
i never let on which choir member just which choir (use this with care) but it is fun because the choir members try harder also you should do it with them so you know how long it takes
i usually play a little vamp or chours while they exhale

advanced version same thing but htis time really put the lips together even tighter and really resist the air pressure if you do it right it makes a funny sound
like a kid blowing a rasberry

simple pitch exercise
la la la la la la la la la la la la
going from C D E F G F E D C
and modulate all the way up all twelve tones
while they do this you can either play with them note for note or alternate between C And g  or 1 - 5
this then becomes a warm up for you too

beginner
do the same exercise on each vowel  long A short a
long O short O long E

this is a vital exercise for the articulation of vowels because we sing on vowels not consonants

advanced beginner version

C G G f E D c G G F E D C

do this in every key again you can play note for note with them or play 1 5 in each key with them

Mah Me May Mo Moo

this is a beginner exercise again training vowels and pitch
each of the vowel sounds are done on one note
and then you modulate and do the next series
until you have completed the octave

intermediate

i teach my choirs sol fege
Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do

i usually sing it with them so they dont have to memorize

i have them hold each one for four beats
up the scale and back

then i have them do simple scale patterns

like stuff from early finger piano exercises
Intermediate vocalise
sing these notes
CDEFGFEDC

but this time you start the first note on one vowel and immediately move to another vowel for the rest

so for example
 EE  AH Ah Ah AH AH AH AH AH AH

OH EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE

this is harder then it looks and really gets them to change together
the challenge of these exercises binds the choir as well

the yum zum tum
this is funny sounding and very fun to do even for the older choirs
but the importance should not be over looked this gets their jaws moving beciase
because it forces the tongue and lips to moe very quickly out of the way with each word

start slowly at first with quarter notes then eighth notes then 16th notes

the notes are

CBAG CBAG CBAG going down the scale modulate after each round of three

yum yum yum yum  zum zum zum zum tum tum tum tum

I found this funny little exercise the key to pushing my choirs to the next level
so dont let the child like sillines of the way it sounds prevent you from taking this valuable exercise seriously


I hope these techniques help


advanced exercises for harmony
I dont do these but i did experience these in a theory class the instructor wanted us to hear how each note worked in a cadence and in doing it we could hear the relation ship of each note against the other
we use DO Me And So
but you can use letter names of each note if you want or la


have your singers sing each variation of a 5 1 cadence

CEG BDG CEG

EGc  DGB   EGC

GCE  GBF  GCE

then do each version of a Plagal cadence

CEG  CFA   CEG

EGC  FAC  EGC

ther are other ones these are some ideas to get you started

[Holy Roller]

One exercise that I think might help is to sing arppegios.  (I know I spelled that wrong) What I mean is this...

Let's say you are hit a C chord on the piano.  The tenors will sing the "c", the altos will sing the "e" and the sopranos will sing the "g".  Now after you have given them their note have each group sing it in an arrpegio style.  So instead of singing simultaneouly, sing it like this...   C-E-G-E-C-E-G-E-C....  you understand?  Then end it on everyone singing together.  Then modulate about 4 or 5 times.  What happens is each group will then recognize that they have their own distinctive note and sound.  You will begin to see the folks becoming more cohesive and ultimately they will rely on each other for their notes and not you.  It sounds corny but it is a type of crawl before you begin to run with the jams that you teach them that have 3,4, and 5 part harmonies.  Aight then...  peace 

THANk YOU ! THAT IS GREAT !!!
I've been doing Arpeggio exercises for years but in union (what shall I si -ing today  C-E-G-C-E-G-C). I never thought to do them in parts - I really appreciate this tip

[Holy Roller]

this is a big problem with choirs even those that are (churched)

Thanks my brother ! you are tremendous!! - just a few questions/clarification if you don't mind.

some causes are
lack of musician ship (the voice is an instrument)
lack of really listening to music live  What exactly do you mena by this ??
singing in unison for years
poor teaching from the musician or director

the last is really the biggest culprit so lets first own up to the fact that the condition of our choirs are our responsibility,

the correction will take time and patience

first of all you have to do exercises that get your choir singing together
you should have several warm ups that you do
introducing new ones when they become to comfortable with the ones they are already doing

or you can introduce more advanced ones as they continue getting better

warmsups do several things they
teach ptich they teach interval recognition
they train the whole choir to sing on one accord
they train vowels
they train jaw control and articulation or annunciation

Yes, I agree!

here are my warm ups I do
i only have beginner and intermediate warmups now because that is the level of my group


The long breath have the choir take a deep breath and exhale slowly thay should put their lips very tight to resist the air coming out
I can exhale for 45 seconds one member in my choir can exhale for 1 minute and 12 seconds
this exercise really builds breath control and strengthens the diaghram
it also develops your choir to sing long notes (so they can hold those long phrases)
I usually time them and let them know which choir has the record of the longest exhale
i never let on which choir member just which choir (use this with care) but it is fun because the choir members try harder also you should do it with them so you know how long it takes
i usually play a little vamp or chours while they exhale
I do this but never timed them- I'll try that

advanced version same thing but htis time really put the lips together even tighter and really resist the air pressure if you do it right it makes a funny sound
like a kid blowing a rasberry

simple pitch exercise
la la la la la la la la la la la la
going from C D E F G F E D C
and modulate all the way up all twelve tones
GREAT!

while they do this you can either play with them note for note or alternate between C And g  or 1 - 5 ????? Clarify please
this then becomes a warm up for you too

beginner
do the same exercise on each vowel  long A short a
long O short O long E
not sure what exactly you mean here - can you explain

this is a vital exercise for the articulation of vowels because we sing on vowels not consonants

advanced beginner version

C G G f E D c G G F E D C
do this in every key again you can play note for note with them or play 1 5 in each key with them
Mah Me May Mo Moo

not quite sure what you mean here

this is a beginner exercise again training vowels and pitch
each of the vowel sounds are done on one note
and then you modulate and do the next series
until you have completed the octave

intermediate

i teach my choirs sol fege
Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do

i usually sing it with them so they dont have to memorize

i have them hold each one for four beats
up the scale and back

okay good

then i have them do simple scale patterns

like stuff from early finger piano exercises
Intermediate vocalise
sing these notes
CDEFGFEDC

but this time you start the first note on one vowel and immediately move to another vowel for the rest

so for example
 EE  AH Ah Ah AH AH AH AH AH AH

OH EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE

this is harder then it looks and really gets them to change together
the challenge of these exercises binds the choir as well

the yum zum tum
this is funny sounding and very fun to do even for the older choirs
but the importance should not be over looked this gets their jaws moving beciase
because it forces the tongue and lips to moe very quickly out of the way with each word
start slowly at first with quarter notes then eighth notes then 16th notes
the notes are
CBAG CBAG CBAG going down the scale modulate after each round of three
yum yum yum yum  zum zum zum zum tum tum tum tum
I found this funny little exercise the key to pushing my choirs to the next level
so dont let the child like sillines of the way it sounds prevent you from taking this valuable exercise seriously
I hope these techniques help
GOOD!


advanced exercises for harmony
I dont do these but i did experience these in a theory class the instructor wanted us to hear how each note worked in a cadence and in doing it we could hear the relation ship of each note against the other
we use DO Me And So
but you can use letter names of each note if you want or la


have your singers sing each variation of a 5 1 cadence

CEG BDG CEG

EGc  DGB   EGC

GCE  GBF  GCE

then do each version of a Plagal cadence

CEG  CFA   CEG

EGC  FAC  EGC

ther are other ones these are some ideas to get you started
GOOD!

[diverse379]

Glad you liked the information

let me se if I can answer your questions
when you grow up hearing gospel choirs the sound gets in your ears
and you are more likely to develop good pitch recognition
that is what i meant by listening to live music

as far as playing chords as they do the exercises
almost all of the vocal exercsises can be harmonized by a simple movement up a fifth and back

as you go throught the keys with the choir you will be getting a little warm up in each key as well

so lets say they are doing the la la la la exercise

from C d e f g f e d c
i would play a c chord then a g chord and then a c chord again
in time with their la la la la la
i may start on c when they begin hit the g chord when they get to g and resolve to c chord when they hit c again
and then modulate with them so i get to do a 1 5 cadence in every key with them

after a bout 6 months you will notice you wont have to think about playing in different keys because you will have gotten comfortable

the idea is to warm up you and them at the same time so you both grow

The Mah mee may moh moo exercise
is a simple vowel exercise
where you sing all of the above phonemes
on each tone

so when you play a c chord they sing mah me may moh moo
on c
then you play Db and they sing Mah me may moh moo on Db
you go up about an octave to an octave and a half

for your own technique play appegios as they do this this way you get to practice your warmups


I pray your success

[Holy Roller]

Got it (took notes )!
I have such a passion for vocal training. this Is good stuff. thanks so much


P>S
I will probably combine the 1-5 cadence and the plagal cadence
1-4-1-5-1

[c$harp]

REPS...............When I teach a song I make them do it over and over again.  It kind of works like muscle memory. 
For instance you are teaching notes to a song only give them two notes at a time to think about.

EX. Tye Tribbett Song: Everything

Everything(by itself it has 3 different keys)
E   F#   Ab
So what I do is give each section there note, and all together we sing just that part over and over usually 5 times.  I found once their mind and ear get it tune with the general idea of the song then it goes faster through the rest of the song.

[Maestro87]

Here is something I posted in my Vocal Health blog in the M.O.M. forum area.

As for the pitch problem.  Make up some simple listening exercises for them to do.  Get a metronome or have the drummer keep a steady tempo and play a note for 8 counts then wait 8 counts and have them repeat the pitch back to you for 4 counts.  Each time you do that shorten the length of time to wait and then shorten the length of time the sounds before they reproduce it.  When they are comfortable with that add simple melodies and lengthen the time accordingly to how long the melody is to how long you give them to reproduce it back to you effectively.

Then keep on of your harmonies and switch to random keys and see if they can maintain their part.  This drill is more about the precision of the notes rather than the speed.  Keep doing that regularly and begin to make the harmonies a bit harder and a bit longer and then they will begin to hear their part more effectively and maintain it.  If they mess up try it again.  It is tedious but the ending result will be worth it.

[zeph1]

One exercise that I think might help is to sing arppegios.  (I know I spelled that wrong) What I mean is this...

Let's say you are hit a C chord on the piano.  The tenors will sing the "c", the altos will sing the "e" and the sopranos will sing the "g".  Now after you have given them their note have each group sing it in an arrpegio style.  So instead of singing simultaneouly, sing it like this...   C-E-G-E-C-E-G-E-C....  you understand?  Then end it on everyone singing together.  Then modulate about 4 or 5 times.  What happens is each group will then recognize that they have their own distinctive note and sound.  You will begin to see the folks becoming more cohesive and ultimately they will rely on each other for their notes and not you.  It sounds corny but it is a type of crawl before you begin to run with the jams that you teach them that have 3,4, and 5 part harmonies.  Aight then...  peace 

Can this work for beginning youth choirs?????

[BassbyGrace]

Aside from the great info already posted, I would say make sure you work some without music.  Alot of times with so much going on, its hard for the ppl keep their notes or they actually get lost in the mix.  When you do alot of a capella work with teaching the song, it allows the ppl to better hear their notes and also the whole choir to hear how their parts fit into the harmonies.