Estimated reading time 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you want to learn how to harmonize in tune? We will discuss getting a strong vocal tone as we continue to harmonize with sing-along songs. Keep reading to learn more.
This article uses technical musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
What to Listen for When You Harmonize with Sing-Along Songs
As you sing along with the soundtracks below, you need to:
- Pay attention to the melodic distance between melody notes.
- However, your main focus needs to be on harmonic tuning as you harmonize with the sing-along song.
- Also, you need to listen to the buzz, beats, and tone color between the harmony’s notes.
- For a full explanation: 10 Elements that Impact Singing in Tune
This post has sing-along songs.
- The song tracks use synthetic voices rather than actual voices.
- Research has shown that this will help with the ability to identify and produce absolute pitch information.
- For more information: Why Use a Synth Voice Instead of Real Voices
Melodies and Harmonies Tune Differently
We are revisiting the pole-vaulting exercise, because melody tunes differently when played solo versus with chords.
- Greene (see the Glossary) noted that solo violins tended toward Pythagorean tuning, which has wider major thirds than equal temperament.
- Whereas Hagerman and Sundberg (see the Glossary) found that barbershop singers tended toward just tuning, which has narrower major thirds than equal temperament.
- This shows that melodies and harmony tune differently.
- I tuned last post’s soundtracks to reflect melodic tuning tendencies.
This week’s post has a special tuning that balances harmonic and melodic tuning and will help you successfully harmonize with the sing-along song.
Vocal Tone and Harmonizing with Sing-Along Songs
The Soft Palate
Consonants impact intelligibility, but you can’t sing a note on most consonants. Singing is all about the vowels, because vowels have an impact on vocal tone and tuning when harmonizing with the sing-along song.
To master vowels, you need to explore the space at the back of your mouth.
- Run your tongue along the roof of your mouth.
- The front has a bony part, while the back has a softer, fleshy part.
- The bony part is called the hard palate, while the fleshy part is called the soft palate.
When singing vowels, you need a high soft palate.
- It needs to be relaxed.
- You will not get a good tone with the soft palate extended too much.
The Vowels
Making the vowel ah:
- Start with the vowel ah. Imagine a nice, easy, relaxed yawn. You need that feeling when singing ah.
- Pretend to yawn, but morph it into singing ah at the height of the yawn.
- Make sure that the back of your mouth feels relaxed when you sing ah.
Making the vowel oh:
- Once you have mastered ah, try singing oh.
- The vowel oh should have the same space in the back of the mouth as ah. However, you need to round your lips into an “O” shape.
Making the vowel ee:
- The vowel ee is trickier, because the jaw comes up higher than either ah or oh.
- Imagine a sneeze. Draw in the breath to sneeze, but instead of sneezing, sing on the vowel ee.
Making the vowel ay:
The vowel ay will feel somewhat like ee, but the jaw drops more.
Making the vowel oo:
- The oo vowel remains the trickiest to sing.
- Once again, the vowel oo needs to have a nice, open space in the back of your mouth.
- Sing the vowel ah, but morph it into oo by rounding the lips.
- The opening of your mouth should be about the size of a Hershey’s Kiss.
Practice singing each vowel before trying to harmonize with the sing-along song track.
Vowel Tutorial Video
Harmonize with Sing-Along Songs: The Example
When singing the exercise, make sure to:
- Sing with a high soft palate
- Sing without vibrato
- To take a breath between measures
Written in the tenor range, children and sopranos should sing up an octave. However, basses may feel better singing down an octave.
When ready, try singing the exercise to the solo organ part. Practice these exercises daily until you have mastered them.
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
Extended exercise inspired by the pole-vaulting image:
Solo organ:
Final Thoughts to "Harmonize With Sing-Along Songs"
The pole vaulter inspired vocal exercise gives us the chance to work on both harmonic and melodic tuning within the same piece.
- However, you need to focus on one type of listening at a time.
- Listen to the distance between notes when working on melodic tuning.
- Listen to the buzz, beats, and tone color between the notes when working on harmonic tuning.
In coming posts, we will continue to explore harmonizing with sing-along songs.
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© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
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