Sing!
Practice Plan 20B
If you are shortening your practice session, do not omit the following exercise tracks: 73, 74, 75, 76, 77 or 78.
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
76A: Separated /kă/
40A: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mee_mee/
78D: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/[/audio]
28A: Bent Cries on /yoh/
42D: Cries in Fifths on /hmm . . . mee/
35A: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
76D: Separated /kă/
22D: Cry and Legato Scale on /yoo/
78A: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/
31L: Half Note Breathing on /yoh/
43D: Breathe after Three on /hmm . . . mee/
35A: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
56A: Breathe Every Three on /mee hee/
76D: Separated /kă/
6D: Combination Vowels /oo-ee/
78A: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/
32D: Breathe after Three on /yoo/ and /yoh/
35D: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
78A: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/
45A: Responsive Breathing on /yoh/
76D: Separated /kă/
14D: Combination Vowels /oh-ā/
59A: Cry and Legato Scale on /hmm . . . mee/
35L: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
40D: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mee_mee/
76D: Separated /kă/
21A: Cries in Fifths on /yoo/
78D: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/
20D: Bent Cries on /yoo/
35L: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
59A: Cry and Legato Scale on /hmm . . . mee/
44A: Responsive Breathing on /yoo/
76A: Separated /kă/
78D: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/[/audio]
41A: Bent Cries on /hmm . . . mee/
35L: Singing the Hum
7D: Connected /yoo/ Scale
18A: Connected /yoh/ Scale
55D: Responsive Breathing on /mee hee/
76A: Separated /kă/
19D: Sustained Legato on /yoh/
78A: Sung Connected /hmm . . . mă_mă/
59D: Cry and Legato Scale on /hmm . . . mee/
35D: Singing the Hum
The /ă/ Vowel
Remember to press your lips together to pronounce the “m,” and then use the consonant sound “m” to stretch your muscles into the smiley position to speak the /ă/ vowel. This will produce the syllable /hmm . . . mă/. Continue to invoke the natural smiley stretch while you sing the /ă/.
Helpful Hints
- Start any day of the week.
- Practice daily, in the order listed
- Repeat each exercise a minimum of three times before moving to the next chord example.
- Sing the exercises only as far in your range as is comfortable. Never force the sound, but allow your voice to improve naturally.
- Always use a mirror to check your form and muscle movement.
The Natural Smiley Stretch
You can enhance the vowels and make them easier to sing by using the natural smiley stretch on middle- to low-range pitches. Stretching keeps the vowels connected so you will not relax and drop the articulation from syllable to syllable. Eventually you will be able to lift and stretch from the inside of the mouth, without the help of an external exaggerated position.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the natural smiley stretch needs to be in constant motion. Your stretch occurs through the full range of motion, as you pronounce each syllable. When you do this, it will help you to avoid the tendency to lock up your muscles.
Warm-Up and Warm-Down Exercises
Please remember that the first two tracks, 7D, 18A, and the last, 35D or 35A, are there to warm up and warm down your voice, and you should always include these in your practicing. Also, remember that you will only sing one repetition per chord example, instead of the usual three repeats, since these are for warming up/down your voice.