6.6 Warm-ups and warm-up as a tune-up  (Page 3/4)

Another similar exercise that serves much the same purpose as the above is shown in figure 2, the second figure.

Let the first note be held on the "ning" sound. Change smoothly to the ee and hold as long as desired. The first note should not be accented but should be started with a clear attack. After you are convinced that you are getting the best possible sound on the ee, let the students sing from hm or ning to ee and then to eh. The next step is to add an ah vowel to both of the above—from ee, to eh, to ah. This is the most difficult transition to make. Most often the forward ping in the tone is lost when the ah is begun. The tone seems to fall down in the mouth as the ah is reached. Some imagery will be valuable here. Try to suggest the image that the vowel "stands up" in the mouth, that it is then alert and has forward resonance. The tone needs to follow a path up the back of the mouth, over (following the roof of the mouth), and out, just below the upper teeth. This can be illustrated on a chalkboard as in figure 3.

Another technique that this author has found to be very successful in achieving focus and intensity in choral tone is the "circle of sound" concept. Ask singers to visualize their circle of sound within the volume level required in the music being rehearsed. If, for example, Mf is the volume level, it (Mf) is then visualized as the outer limits of the "circle of sound." Ask each singer to press the tone to the very edges of the Mf circle, without breaking outside the circle and singing too loudly. This sensation will achieve an intensity in the tone that gives life and vigor to the tone without destroying its lyric qualities. Even drawing a circle on a chalkboard with arrows inside with the arrowheads at the circle's edges, can be of help in making the point. Singing a "circle of sound" requires concentration and vigorous tonal contribution from each member of the choir. The conductor should notice the tonal results immediately. Singing a "circle of sound" also generally maintains or improves section and ensemble intonation.

A visual expression of the tone can be quite helpful to students. Impress upon the singers that, at the uppermost point of the curve, the soft palate exists and must be raised. Have the students sharply inhale through the mouth. They will feel cold air strike the soft palate. It is this area that needs to be high when a singing tone is produced.

Another way to give the singers an idea of the space needed inside the mouth is to ask them to imagine that they are startled by something and involuntarily say "oh!" with a sharp inhalation. That shape will also provide the space for a nice singing tone. All of the above suggestions are particularly good to use at the beg inning of the year, but can be helpful throughout the year.

The following exercises can be used all year to formulate and maintain a consistency of vowels and a color line in the vowel sounds.

The exercise, figure 4 "b", works well to provide more depth in an ee vowel that has nice resonance but needs to be richer. The oo that precedes it can be fed ever so slightly into the ee to create a rounder and deeper tone.