Integrating Vocal and Musical Techniques - Columbus State University

As singers participate in the above exercise, they will be forced to listen intentlyto those around them.As they attempt to match the pitch, dynamic, color, and resonanceof their fellow choir members, the tone will eventually become more unified.Eberhardt(1973) compares the exercise to a piano being tuned. It is not until all three chords(above the assigned hammer) of a specific pitch are tuned alike that the desired sound isachieved.Resonance, dynamics, and color of tone among individual singers can best beunified by having them hum using the suggested consonant and vowel pattern (p. 11).Vowel production, another contributor to poor intonation, can also be addressedin a warm-up routine.To do so, the following is suggested:3EEEEmee. mch mah moh mooExample 6: Vowel Consistency, for Intonation(Brinson, 1996, p. 192)This exercise is designed to make the singers aware of the differences in vowelproduction between individual singers. It features a simple, melodic pattern of thirdswhich students from young to old should be able to sing after a short demonstration.Also, a director can instruct the ensemble on the correct pronunciation of the five purevowel sounds.If an ensemble is able to perform the above exercise with ease, a director maywant to go a step further by having the choir in four parts (SATB).18