Gerald Eskelin - Components of Vocal Blend Plus Expressive Tuning
Gerald Eskelin - Components of Vocal Blend Plus Expressive Tuning
Gerald Eskelin - Components of Vocal Blend Plus Expressive Tuning
VOCAL BLEND
Plus "Expressive Tuning"
. Stage 3 Publishing
Woodland Hills, California
11
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Prelude
lV
v
Vll
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter4
Vowel
13
Chapter 5
Brightness
23
Chapter 6
Resonance
27
Chapter 7
Nasality
31
Chapter 8
Pitch
35
Chapter 9
Density
43
Chapter 10
Loudness
45
Chapter 11
Phrasing
47
Chapter 12
Consensus
51
Addendum
"Expressive Tuning"
55
111
IV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Gerald Eskelin
Vl
Prelude
As an adjudicator of high school and college choral festivals,
I'm always thrilled to hear a student group that has it all-vibrant
dynamic sound, elegant phrasing, and artistic musical expression.
In such cases, it is evident that the director provided an environ
ment in which the singers were able to develop excellent vocal
techniques, impressive ensemble unity and expressive musicality.
"Judging" such a group is largely a matter of complimenting the
obvious.
On the other hand, I have heard many groups whose sheer
enthusiasm for choral singing proves inadequate by itself to
produce the performance level described above. Often, singers in
such groups have had little or no exposure to fine choral singing.
Given the meager offerings of quality choral music we find in the
media, this is not surprising. And while local high school football
games often appear on television, local high school choral concerts
rarely do. In fact, choral music of any kind is virtually absent in the
popular media except during the holiday season.
It would appear, then, that the primary responsibility for pro
viding positive and gratifying choral experiences for singers with
limited exposure rests with the choral music teacher. Playing
recorded examples of fine singing is an obvious part of the solu
.tion, and is relatively easy to accomplish. More challenging,
however, is teaching singers how to achieve the results they may
have come to admire.
I have sometimes observed choral teachers focusing more on
the imaginary music in their heads, than on the actual sound
produced by their singers. They create a type of delusional "self
defense" that blinds them to the actual condition of their choir.
Some teachers are in this predicament, ironically, because they
themselves had excellent choral experiences. Quite likely, they
Vll
IX
Components
of
Vocal Blend
C H A PTER
ONE
Blend and
Blendability
Opinions vary among vocal authorities in regard to matching
vocal sounds. Some believe that in order to blend one must remove
all or most of the natural characteristics from individual voices.
Some believe that a choral group should blend when singing in
certain styles-Renaissance, jazz or modern, for example-but
need not blend when singing in other styles-including Baroque,
Classical and Romantic. Others believe that when ensembles
consist of sensitive and talented singers, blend will occur naturally,
regardless of the musical style.
Some voice teachers and choral directors seem to fear even the
notion of "vocal blend." Many directors are reluctant to "manip
ulate" singers' voices, and therefore tend to select singers who
already have a voice appropriate to the sound they envision for
their groups. Voice teachers who do not want their students
exposed to "harmful practices" would likely support this approach.
On the other hand, some teachers forbid their voice students to sing
in a choir-any choir.
Singers themselves are sometimes quite unaware of the notion
of vocal blend. More than a few singers, probably for a variety of
reasons, accept the idea that their voice is their voice and they are
more or less stuck with it. Some who have studied for years sing
"the way I was taught" no matter what the ensemble environment.
Some consider themselves to be "classical" singers, "pop" singers,
"jazz" or "folk" singers.
On the other hand, there are singers who can blend with almost
any vocal group, easily and quickly adjusting to the sound of a
particular ensemble. Like chameleons, they virtually disappear into
it. Such singers can enter a recording studio and become whatever
the producer wants.
emerge. The crusts that encased the old ones are shattered and,
from that point on, the struggle is essentially over.
Once a singer abandons the "my voice" concept, development
of vocal flexibility and sensitivity becomes possible. One needs
only to reactivate the process of exploring and acquiring new
sound concepts. When singers experiment systematically with the
various components of vocal sound, their aural-to-vocal associative
processes are reawakened. Whether or not a singer has a "good"
voice, awareness of vocal sound components can make any singer
a better blender-indeed, a better singer. And, if blending voices is
a value shared by director and singers, the group thereby becomes
a better ensemble.
It also becomes a more stylistically flexible ensemble. The
group can readily modify its sound to accommodate a variety of
choral traditions from opera to jazz and from the past to the
present-indeed to the future. In my view, the key to this artistic
kaleidoscope lies in understanding the vocal components that
provide a rational and practical basis for achieving choral
flexibility. Ultimately, it is this flexibility-guided by experience
and taste-that opens a wide spectrum of possibilities in choral
artistry.
C H A PT ER
TWO
Approach and
Method
Voice teachers generally agree that asking a singer to directly
engage specific muscles to modify vocal sounds can sometimes
induce tension and, as a result, can reap constricted and unpleasant
results. Of even more concern is that applying such practices can
sometimes give a singer a false sense of "rightness." In the worst
of cases, succeeding generations of teachers may continue to pass
along these "right things to do" without really understanding what
they were intended to accomplish.
I believe the safest and most effective way to train singers is to
provide good vocal examples and to encourage students to emulate
them. It is amazing how much can be accomplished simply by
filling students' ears with good sounds. We all learned to speak by
listening to others. There is every reason to believe that the same
brain that figured out speech characteristics can learn to explore
and imitate the sounds of good vocal production.
The Ears Have It
will use a term in one way while others use the same term to mean
something else.
My intention here is not to settle questions of correct vocal
terminology, rather, to remind us that a word is not equal to the
concept it is intended to represent. The critical point here is that a
student of vocal techniques be fully aware of the difference be
tween words and perceptual information.
What's,in a Word?
C H A PTER
T HREE
10
11
While this may sound simple in theory, there are at least two
factors that make learning "vocal components" somewhat
problematic. One of these is that the variables are not physically
independent of one another. Some vowel sounds are naturally
brighter than others, therefore, a singer must learn to adjust
brightness appropriately as the vowel changes in order to maintain
a uniform brightness in the phrase. This inter-relationship of vocal
sound components frequently results in difficulty in isolating them.
A novice singer will often change brightness when asked to adjust
vowel. In order to break through this obstacle, one needs to be
diligent while conceptualizing the two separate variables and learn
to recognize their unique quality.
Another factor that impedes learning vocal components is that
the terminology of vocal practice is often a tangled web of
miscommunication. What some people call "vowel focus", others
call "resonance," "placement" or something else. I suspect that
when voice teachers warn students about considering another voice
teacher's "method," the differences may be only a matter of
terminology.
There actually may be more agreement in practice than this
apparent disagreement of terminology would suggest. Or perhaps
talented students are intuitive enough to succeed in spite of
terminology. In either case, it is important to remember that the
object of this book is not to standardize vocal terms. Rather, it is to
describe a technique by which singers can get in touch with the
components of vocal sound, regardless of specific terminology,
and thereby achieve results they can hear for themselves.
For our purposes, I will use the terms "vowel," "brightness,"
"resonance," "nasality," "pitch," "density," "loudness," and
"phra.sing" to represent what I see as the basic components of
vocal blend. Some of these topics will require considerable pages
12
C H A PTER
FOUR
Vowel
If there is one component more important to vocal blend than
all the others, it is surely vowel. While good intonation is vital to
good blend, pitch agreement is very difficult to achieve when
singers disagree on vowel focus. Once vowel is in agreement,
intonation improves with little effort. Therefore, understanding
vowel would seem the best way to begin exploring the compo
nents.
You may have noticed that the title of this chapter is
"Vowel''-not "Vowels." That choice was made for a very import
ant reason. The traditional concept of "five vowels" ("ay-ee," "ee,"
"ah,- ee," "oh-oo" and "ee-oo") has caused countless "trained"
singers to become encrusted in vocal habits that limit flexibility
and sensitivity to the full spectrum of vowel possibilities. Just as
"loudness," "pitch," and other components can be modified
gradually, so can vowel be adjusted in a seamless continuum.
The use of the symbols pp, p, mp, mj, f and if do not cause
singers to leap from one degree of loudness to another as if they
were absolute values. Singers generally flow through musical
dynamics with flexibility and sensitivity, using the symbols as
approximations and letting the ear indicate the specific loudness
needed to achieve an artistic performance. But when focusing
vowel, many singers ignore what they hear from their fellow
singers and simply make sounds they assume are correct. The
result is all too frequently a battle of conflicting sounds.
Vowel as Timbre
14
very different from the sound of a pure "oo." In a sense, they are
simply "different instruments" created by changing the relative
strengths o partials.
Watching patterns of partials change on an oscilloscope is not
required for learning vowel focus. Although that would
undoubtedly be interesting and informative, simple listening can
do the job very well when combined with vocal exploration. In
short, one must participate in the process. By experimenting with
vowel sounds, one can discover the physical movements that cause
vocal tone to modify the timbre toward a particular vowel focus.
The chart below represents a spatial relationship of vowel
sounds. It is not unlike other such charts in that it reflects the
spectrum of common vowel sounds found in acoustical analysis of
speech. It places the sounds in terms of front/back and high/low
relationships. These relative locations transfer easily and logically
to physical vocal adjustments, helping singers to visualize the
spatial relationships as they explore the sound relationships.
seen
sit
soon
took
earth
sofa
SQ
such
fther
front
back
VOWEL
15
Many more "standard" words could be added but this might tend to
clutter rather than clarify.
For example, standard phonetic alphabets use the same symbol
for the vowel sounds in the words "sit" and "sing." Yet, the
commonly used vowel location for the word "sing" is slightly
higher than for the word "sit." Try this experiment to see whether
this is your preference. Say the word "sit" and repeat the vowel
sound a few times to let it register in your memory. Then use that
same vowel sound while saying the word "sing." Did t sound
somewhat unnatural and uncomfortable? Now tum the experiment
around and start with "sing" and use that vowel while saying "sit."
Do you see what I mean about subtle vowel adjustments?
The vowel chart shown above does not contain both "sit" and
"sing" since the difference is subtle. However, once a singer
becomes proficient in gradually moving through the spectrum of
vowel locations, smaller degrees of difference become more vivid.
If you did not sense a difference in vowel sound while saying
"sit" and "sing," that doesn't mean you are "wrong," even if most
singers tend to focus the two words differently. Singing a given
vowel "correctly" is not the point. The purpose here is to explore
the full spectrum of vowel sounds in order to make appropriate
spontaneous adjustments for the sake of vocal blend. All of this is
aimed at preparing singers to match-by ear-the vowel location
of any and every variety of singing style and speech dialect.
The Concept "Vowel"
16
VOWEL
17
18
I have found that the most difficult vowel sound for singers to
locate is the vowel "eh," as in "st." Curieusly, many singers who
clearly speak the vowel do not use it while singing. Instead, they
sing a vowel nearer to "st." When this is sung with other singers
who are producing a well placed "eh," the result is rather jarring.
Are you one of those singers? Let's find out. Say aloud the
word "Amen." Did your second-syllable vowel match the one in
"set"? Now sing the word "Amen." Did you sing "A-man" (as in
"sf!,t'')? If so, try raising your tongue position. If you sang it
correctly, you are one of the few singers who do not place it too
low.
I suspect that teaching singers to drop the jaw into the "singing
position" may have inadvertently caused this common disability.
The jaw goes down and the tongue goes with it. That works well
for the vowel "ah," but not for the vowel "eh." Evidently, it takes
considerable conscious effort to overcome this habit and to sep
arate tongue movement from jaw movement. The hand-on-the-jaw
technique (described above) can be a great help in curing this
ailment.
Yes, I realize that some may consider this discussion a matter
of taste. However, I consider it important that singers be able to
sing lyrics in a manner corresponding to standard speech. If one
chooses to perform lyrics differently for singing than for speaking,
VOWEL
19
20
VOWEL
21
will be said about this later in the chapter on phrasing, but for now
it is sufficient to simply identify and experience the neutral
vowel-in singing as well as speaking.
Inside Vowels
22
minimized when singers have been weaned from the concept "my
voice" and have accepted the idea that their voice is a versatile and
flexible instrum,ent.
C H A PTER
F I VE
Brightness
The vowel spectrum has an inherent natural variation in bright
ness; for example, "seen" is much brighter than "soon." However,
the brightness component can be modulated independently as a
separate variable. The vowel can be held constant (largely by
maintaining tongue position) while other parts of the vocal
apparatus can be modified to vary the brightness.
It is important that singers separate the concepts of vowel and
brightness. When asked to raise an incorrect "sat" vowel focus to
"set," singers often widen the lips (which brightens the sound) but
fail to move the tongue (which would change the vowel focus).
The confusion is understandable since "set" is naturally brighter
than "sat," but it is evident that these singers do not understand the
differehce between the two components.
In order to concentrate specifically on brightness, singers must
first be secure in their understanding of vowel location and focus.
Ill-defined concepts and tentative skills will only lead to increased
confusion, both in sound sensitivity and in terminology. Just as
learning about musical meter relies on a solid grasp of basic pulse,
learning brightness modification is fully dependent on mastering
basic vowel focus.
Change in the size and shape of the mouth appears to be the
main factor in modifying brightness, however, other factors likely
contribute. Knowing the causal functions of all the specific mouth
parts is not particularly critical to identifying the brightness
variable since the adjustments can be governed directly by what
the ear hears. As with the other components, one can learn the
"moves" that cause changes in brightness simply by listening to
and experimenting with darker and brighter sounds.
The tongue, of course, must remain in the prevailing vowel
position in order to isolate changes in the brightness component.
As one explores the brightness component in all parts of the vowel
24
BRIGHTNESS
25
26
C H A PTER
SIX
Resonance
Some singers produce a beautiful, full sound with seemingly
little effort, while others produce a dull, lifeless, weak tone,
sometimes in spite of great physical effort. The difference is often
attributed to "natural talent" (or lack of it) which too often gives
the poorer singer reason to accept his or her instrument "as is."
After years of struggling with "breath support," "vowel
placement," "singing in the mask" and other good practices, many
singers still seem unable to break through the barrier that inhibits
them from singing with a free and beautiful tone.
Lack of resonance may appear to be a less critical factor than
other components in larger choral groups, since poorly resonated
vocal sound does not contribute much to the total choral product.
The best that can be said for singers lacking resonance is that they
"don't get in the way" vocally while helping fill the stage with
bodies. Needless to say, social participation has its own reward,
but this alone cannot match the satisfaction of actually contributing
to an elegant ensemble sound.
On the other hand, singers having poor resonance often resort
to shouting when the dynamic level rises. When singers "push" the
sound, they not only injure the ensemble' s blend but risk injuring
their own vocal instrument. Very often, the suggestion offered to
such singers is to "support" the sound with good breathing
techniques. This advice, while good in itself, can easily lead to
more tension and simply add to the problem. "Supporting" a
poorly resonated tone is largely a wasted effort.
Understanding the nature of "noisy tone" may help to find a
cure. Actually, this phrase is an oxymoron, since by definition tone
is "regular vibrations" and noise is "irregular vibrations." Poorly
resonated loud vocal sound contains considerable "noise," thus
blurring pitch (which requires regular vibrations). Also, the tension
required to produce noisy sound inhibits vocal flexibility. As a
result, such sounds are nearly impossible to tune.
28
RESONANCE
29
30
C H A PTER
SEVEN
Nasality
Like other components, nasality can be adjusted by moving the
appropriate vocal muscles. As the air column passes through the
throat, it can be directed entirely through the nose by touching the
back of the tongue to the soft palate (as when singing "ng"), thus
closing off the mouth. By gradually separating the soft palate away
from the tongue, increased amounts of air are split off and directed
through the mouth. When the soft palate and tongue move to the
point where they are farthest apart, nearly all of the flow is directed
through the mouth.
Vocal sound is generally rather pleasant when about half the
sound is directed toward nasal resonance. From that neutral point,
quite a range of musical results are possible by shifting the
predominance to either the mouth or nasal cavities. "Correctness"
of a particular adjustment is largely a matter of musical taste and
style, and like other components is controlled by what the ear
wants to hear. A full-throated operatic performer or hard rock
vocalist might favor mouth resonance while a typical "bluegrass"
singer or jazz artist might favor nasal resonance.
To produce a slick commercial or jazz sound, a vocal group
might combine a considerably nasalized mixture (roughly 70%)
moderately compressed (using breath support) into a rather
straight, vibrato-less tone. For a high gloss "stainless steel" effect,
a vocal group might increase nasality to maximum and compress
the tone until the individual pitches virtually disappear into the
chord.
Background Effects
32
NASALITY
33
A Cure-all?
34
C H A PTER
E I G HT
Pitch
The phrase "singing in tune" has at least two general meanings.
One has to do with melodic tuning-singing pitches one after the
other that relate to a single central pitch (sounded or imagined).
The other has to do with harmonic tuning-singing related pitches
simultaneously with other performers. Despite that distinction,' the
two are not totally unrelated. Experience with good harmonic
tuning very likely contributes to the development of good melodic
tuning.
Since vocal tuning in both contexts is relational, the phrase
"singing in tune" prompts the question: "Singing in tune with
what?" To some singers, the phrase means singing in tune with a
piano, or other fixed pitch instrument. To others, the phrase means
singing pitches that relate directly to one another regardless of
what a keyboard might play. If that distinction comes as a surprise,
you may not be aware that the tuning used in our modern
keyboards is not the same as nature's tuning.
A Little History
36
PITCH
37
38
PITCH
39
40
PITCH
41
(both soli and solo) will take on a new freshness and sparkle. The
difference is really quite remarkable.
Consider that the location of the half steps is the identifying
feature of any tonality. A singer who has learned to hear and
recognize half steps is well on the way to developing a strong
sense of tonality and harmonic function. Not a bad payoff for a
simple exercise, I would say
Here is an exercise for practicing flexible tuning while moving
from one chord to another. One's signals might be as simple as a
hand signal indicating a "I" chord by holding up one finger or a
"V" chord by holding up five fingers. That, of course, requires that
the singers know which scale steps are contained in which
chord-information that is not difficult to supply. Alternatively,
one might show the scale steps contained in each primary chord on
a blackboard or projection screen and point to the chord to be sung
and tuned. In the early stages, the basses should always sing roots.
(The charts in "Natural Ear Training" are well suited for this
purpose.)
Rehearsal Tuning Techniques
42
realize what they are hearing. At the very least, an audience will
notice that there is something very different and exciting about the
performance.
C H A PTER
N I NE
Density
"Density" is used here to mean the amount of breathiness in
the tone. The full spectrum of density ranges between a closed
glottis (no air and no phonated sound) and a completely open
glottis (all air and no phonated sound). A skillful singer moves
through that range by adjusting the glottal and breathing muscles.
As with other vocal variables, density adjustments are best
controlled by automatic responses to what the ear wants to hear
rather than by direct voluntary muscle control. This helps to
minimize tension and avoid vocal fatigue or injury.
Many singers perform with one shade of density - commonly a
pleasing one, but sometimes with a tone too breathy or too tight for
general use. While the main purpose of this discussion has to do
with developingjlexibility in density for artistic use, exploring this
component should provide insight for singers whose tone suffers
from either "breathiness" or "necktie tone,"
In order to explore density in singing, it is important to
understand- or more precisely, to get the feel of- the relationship
between the breath and the glottis. To demonstrate this relation
ship, ask the singers to say very vigorously, "huck-huck-huck," not
exploding the final consonant, but instead stopping the sound by
containing the breath against the closed tongue and soft palate.
Then, ask them to do it again with the tongue relaxed, stopping the
airflow further back in the throat. While maintaining the breath
pressure, have them move the tongue freely, thus giving evidence
that it is the glottis that is stopping the sound.
Next, ask the singers to relax (open) the glottis very gradually
until it begins to vibrate, first with a thin, crackling sound, then
progressively through shades of singing tone and ultimately to a
toneless flow of air. Once this is successfully accomplished,
singers can go on to explore the sound and feel of various shades
of density.
44
C H A PTER
TEN
Loudness
I once considered loudness to be the most critical factor in
maintaining choral blend, and would attempt to quiet stronger
voices to prevent them from "sticking out." I now believe that
loudness is actually one of the least important factors in creating
choral blend. In fact, singers who sing too timidly probably injure
the blend as often as those who sing too loudly.
As long as a section of singers blends in regard to pitch, vowel,
brightness, density, etc., it doesn't much matter if some individual
singers are slightly louder than others. Loudness matters only
insofar as a section of blended singers relates to another section of
blended singers, in which case it becomes a matter of the director's
artistic judgment of musical balance.
That point of view, however, does not offer a license for louder
singers to "take the lead" and to dominate the sound within a
section. The common practice of hiring "paid soloists" to help
bolster a local church choir should not create a solo quartet battling
it out on Sunday mornings for vocal supremacy. In such choirs, the
"average" singers might just as well join the congregation.
The main problem with the overly loud singer is that he or she
can't hear the characteristics of the prevailing blend. It goes with
out saying that a singer who intends to blend must of necessity
hear what he or she is attempting to blend with . The logical
standard then is to sing no louder than will allow for good
listening. That will not in itself provide for good blend, but at least
it will provide for its possibility.
From the individual singer's point of view, the goal is to match
the consensus of sound by adjusting the variables discussed above
until one's own voice virtually disappears into it. However, singing
more quietly won't disguise a poorly focused vowel or forgive an
under-pitch third. All singers must be committed to mai nta i n i ng all
components of the prevailing vocal blend or the sound w i 11 be
injured, no matter how quietly the wound is inflicted.
46
CHAPTE R
E L EV E N
Phrasing
One might consider phrasing to be outside the topic of vocal
blend, having more to do with style and interpretation. However,
elegant phrasing requires that all ensemble members are equipped
to produce it, and in that sense, phrasing is just as important to
vocal blend as any of the topics previously discussed.
Vocal phrasing involves more than simply deciding where to
breathe. Well-formed and rhythmic phrasing infuses life into
music. Consider the difference in viewing a flat horizon or viewing
the contours of a majestic mountain range. In the latter, the eye is
invited to explore the energy of the sight, moving rhythmically
over the foothills, metaphorically struggling up the steep slopes
and relaxing gracefully into the valleys.
That aspect of phrasing, however, is shared by both vocal and
instrumental performance and is not the primary focus of this
discussion. Vocal phrasing has another dimension. In addition to
the general contour and energy of a phrase, singers access the
"nooks and crannies" of phrasing by means of lyrics. This added
dimension can be either an asset or a liability, depending on how
singers treat it.
A Singer's Most Expressive Tool
48
PHRASING
49
50
C HAPT E R
TW E L V E
Consensus
"Attitude" is unquestionably an important component of vocal
blend. Without singers who agree to strive for vocal blend, there is
little chance of achieving it. Every singer must constantly be aware
of the consensus of sound in the ensemble and adjust to it,
regardless of their personal preferences. Lacking that, producing
vocal blend is unlikely.
While that goal may appear logical and practical, there are
some commonplace obstacles that can impede consensus. One of
these can be the professional singer brought into the group to give
substance to the sound. It is certainly desirable to have some
trained singers in an amateur ensemble, but it can be a mixed
blessing when such singers are unprepared to modify their sounds
in the interest of vocal blend. You may remember the previous
discussion regarding the many experienced singers who had little
prior knowledge of the concepts taught in the L.A. Jazz Choir
workshop. It would be a mistake to assume that a hired profess
sional would automatically know or practice the skills described in
this book.
Another commonplace impediment to consensus can be the
average singer' s concept of "my voice," described earlier. This
psychological limitation can inhibit a novice singer just as much as
"training" can inhibit an experienced one. Vocal habits are often
very persistent and can easily become part and parcel of one ' s
vocal self-image. Frequently, this concept i s perpetuated by the
assumption that change is not necessary or possible.
We noted earlier that some singers, after having spent small
fortunes on vocal training, feel that modification for the sake of
blend would compromise the integrity of their training. They also
may believe that since their own sound is already well-produced,
other singers should be the ones to make any needed modi
fications. There is considerable truth to this argument, and
52
CONSENSUS
53
relinquished for the sake of the sound. Any extraneous quality that
is not shared by the other singers in the ensemble should be
surrendered in order to create vocal blend.
On the other hand, a choral group might choose to collectively
incorporate any of these distinctive qualities in order to produce a
particular style or vocal effect. Again, the requirement is that all
singers produce it. The director, of course, must decide when a
particular vocal quality is appropriate and whether it is consistent
with healthy vocal production.
Thousands of fine choral organizations offer extensive
evidence that a mix of trained and average voices can produce
well-blended choral sounds. Excellent singers need not com
promise vocal integrity and average singers need not detract from
an artistic product when all agree on vowel, brightness, pitch, etc.
As stated earlier, it is not so much the difference in vocal training
that prevents vocal blend, but rather the mutual disregard for blend
and the lack of technique necessary to achieve it.
The younger the choir members, the less likely that conflicting
preconceived notions will inhibit consensus. Vocal habits are less
fixed, and a willingness to explore ways of improving the group' s
sound i s more o r less a given (provided the teacher secures the
children' s attention). This flexibility suggests that younger singing
groups, given sufficient rehearsal time and talented direction, are
likely to acquire the skills of good vocal blend more readily than
most adult choirs.
In my own experience, I have found that my entry-level non
auditioned college choir members (mostly beginners) tend to learn
the skills of vocal blend more effortlessly than my auditioned
chamber singers (mostly experienced singers). Some degree of
"rethinking" is usually required in the advanced group. As you
realistically evaluate your own situation, perhaps this will help you
to plan an approach that will ensure success with your singers.
54
Ad d e n d u m
Expressive Tuning
Far too many singers believe that performing the "right notes"
is the ultimate goal of accurate singing, particularly those who
model their tuning on the keyboard. That belief inevitably prevents
them from taking advantage of one of the most expressive
elements in musical performance - namely, flexible tuning. Since
traditional music education has largely fixated on the "twelve
tones" of the modern keyboard, many, if not most, singers never
consider flexible tuning as an expressive element.
Some singers have so much trouble finding the piano' s version
of the twelve scale steps that they are content to accept any pitch
that is in the vicinity. This is not surprising, since hearing the
"system" of piano pitch is far more difficult than discovering
nature' s system of tuning.
Artistic Meaning
56
EXPRESSIVE TUNING
57
58
#
Which is higher in pitch - F or ob ? Keyboardists, of course,
need not be ' concerned. Singers, on the other hand, can gain
considerable artistic advantage by exploring this question. To my
surprise, I found that my microtonalist friends were quite
unanimous in agreeing that G b , being a variant of G, was closer to
#
G; and F is closer to F. To me, this arrangement is arbitrary and
probably has little to do with the expressive performance of
major/minor music.
In contrast to that view, I tend to agree with the great cellist
Pablo Casals, who taught his students to "lean" an accidental
toward its destination (or sponsoring) pitch. More specifically, a
raised chromatic note is generally more expressive when tuned
closer to the next higher scale step and a lowered chromatic note is
generally more expressive when tuned closer to the next lower
#
scale step. It follows, then, that a well-tuned F would be con
siderably higher then a well-tuned ob .
The chromatic upper or lower neighbor is one context in which
this tuning. principle can be applied. For example, the opening
phrase of the song Beautiful Dreamer offers two such oppor
tunities for bringing freshness and life to the melody.
r r l l 1a
1 r
Beau
ti
ful
Dream - er,
wake
J J
13
un
to
me.
EXPRESSIVE TuNING
r----- 3
; 1J J J
59
r--- 3
J J J J J I fJ_;J
Ma - ri - a.
just kissed
r-- 3 -----,
a girl named Ma - ri
a.
5
0
7
0
2
0
4
0
-6
60
<-------J
2:3
lower "F"
2:3
EXPRESSIVE TuNING
61
This difference i n tuning is even more vivid when the roots are
sung rather than played on a keyboard. A fine-tuning exercise such
as this is an excellent warm-up for choral rehearsals and helps to
remind singers to tune flexibly.
Another example of flexible tuning is to observe the influence
of major and minor thirds on the tuning of a chord seventh.
lower "F"
higher "F"
62
Notes
Notes
Can vocal groups having a mixture of talent levels achieve a stunning blend?
In Gerald Eskelin's opinion, it is not so much a difference in vocal training
that prevents vocal blend but rather the mutual disregard for blend and/or the lack
of techniques necessary to achieve it. The primary purpose of this book, then,
is to identity the elements that contribute to a beautiful choral sound and
to provide methods and exercises by which to explore them.
The suggestions and ideas are based on Dr. Eskelin's five decades of experience
working with singing groups - both amateur and professional. The exercises are
applicable to a wide variety of musical styles -from barbershop quartet to
opera chorus - from the theater to the cathedral. Solo singers, as well, will find
techniques here to enhance the artistry and professionalism of their performances .
The value of this book lies in the way each "component" is addressed individually
and discussed in a conversational manner that is easy to understand, yet not over-simplified.
After reading "Components,t',l have found myself much more aware of vocal blend
as I work with my 100-voice choir here at Central.