Articulation and vocal quality when singing
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can adjust my articulation and vocal quality to convey the emotion and purpose of a song.
Key learning points
- We can explore characters by thinking which body part they lead from when they move.
- We can use different singing techniques to change the vocal timbre to suit a different character.
- Changing the articulation, for example, from legato to staccato, can change the mood and atmosphere of the music.
- Adding body percussion can add another level of characterisation and can be performed 'in character' too.
Keywords
Staccato - performing in a short and detached way
Forte - a dynamic instruction asking us to play or sing loudly
Articulation - how individual notes or groups of notes should be played or sung
Diction - how clearly and precisely words are spoken or sung
Vocal timbre - a description of the tone, sound or singing quality of our voice
Common misconception
Singing in opera is just like our everyday singing.
Singing in opera is all about telling a story. We can adapt the quality of our voice by using a different vocal timbre, using diction in a more percussive way or by singing with different articulation to bring our character to life.
Teacher tip
Leading with different body parts (eg nose, knees, shoulders) is a great way into creating a character. Developing a character's voice can build from this. Revisit the reasons why this song is so different to the previous one (legato/staccato, short/long phrases, forte/piano, tempo, vocal timbre).
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