Singing Showcase: Monday 25th November 2013: Session Four

Monday 25th November 2013

Session Four

We began the session we a series of vocal warm ups. 

These vocal warm ups included:

• Sirening (with Lip Trills)
• Sounds
• Arpeggios

I have noticed that I have a much stronger Lip Trill compared to before through practising the Sirening exercise with the Lip Trill outside of lesson and in. I can go on the scale twice confidently without having to do two different extended Lip Trills. I'm pretty glad that I can do this because I'm furthering and developing my breath control and also starting really exercise my lips. 

We began learning a new song, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina", from the musical Evita and then we splint into two groups - boys and girls - to create an ensemble piece. 

Here are the lyrics to the song: 

"It won't be easy, you'll think it's strange, 

When I try to explain how I feel, 

That I still need your love after all that I've done. 

You won't believe me, 

All you will see is the girl you once knew,

Although she's dressed up to the nines, 

At sixes and sevens with you. 

I had to let it happen, I had to change,

Couldn't stay all my life down at heel, 

Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun. 

So I choose freedom, 

Running around trying everything new, 

But nothing impressed me at all, 

I never expected it to. 

Don't cry for me Argentine,

The truth is I never left you,
All through my wild days,
My mad existence,
I kept my promise,
Don't keep your distance.

And as for fortune, and as for fame, 

I never invited them in, 

Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired. 

They are illusions, 

They are not the solutions they promised to be, 

The answer was here all the time,

I love you and hope you love me. 

Don't cry for me Argentina, 

The truth is I never left you,
All through my wild days,
My mad existence,
I kept my promise,
Don't keep your distance.

Have I said too much?

There's nothing more I can think of to say to you.

But all you have to does look at me to know, 

That every work is true"

We started to sing the song as a class to familiarise ourselves with the lyrics of the song. Our singing teacher then asked for five volunteers to perform solos. I didn't put my hand up but was asked to sing the line "When I try to explain how I feel" as a solo along with four other girls who had solo parts. The rest of the song was then sung in a two-part harmony. The lyrics in bold are what we covered that lesson.

I had heard this song before so I was familar to the tune which gave me a slight advantage. I didn't however find my line extremely hard to pitch at the start, when I sung it through it sounded nice but as I couldn't pitch I was slightly embarrassed. Thankfully, our singing teacher went through it with me and I started to really get use to the pitching and sing it confidently. 

I think the song is really lovely and it would have been nice to work out it some more. I think this could be a song that I learn and keep in my repertoire as it suited my voice well. I think I do need to start listening to more songs as it's good to have an idea of a song before when you're learning it.

Although I was quite hesitant to do the solo, I'm really glad I did because I challenged myself to sing something that I may not feel totally confident with. I need to get used to singing in front of people and building myself up is a good way to do it.

We then separated into two groups - girls and boys - to create a piece of ensemble work that could be used in our assessment.

My group tried a few songs, including "The Power of Love", but after testing them out we decided to sing "Just The Way You Are/Just A Dream" which is a mash up from the film Pitch Perfect. We listened to the song a few times and concentrated on the details of the song - the Singing and Responding exercises we've previously really came in useful and benefited me when doing this as we knew what detail to look for.

We then split into four groups, each group had a different job to do to create the mash up:

• First group: Sung "do, do, do" 
• Second group: Sung "ahhh, ahhh"
• Third group: "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars
• Fourth group: "Just A Dream" by Nelly

The mash up was quite short so we could complete the task in the time we had. As this song was accapella we didn't have to worry about any background music or using the piano.

The first group sung "do, do, do" with high pitch and sharp throughout the mash up. In the second chord the second group came in and started to sing the "ahhh, ahhh" which was smooth.

The third group came in on the third chord and started singing the following lyrics:

"Her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining, 

Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying, 

She's so beautiful and I tell her every day."

The fourth group then started singing with the third group.

"I was thinking about her,

I know, I know,

Thinking 'bout me, what we gon' be,

When I compliment her she won't believe me,

Open my eyes yeah, it was only just a dream,

It's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see, 

But every time she asks me do I look ok, 

It's only a dream,

I say...

When I see your face, 

So I travelled back, down that road, 

Will she come back, no one knows, 

Not a thing that I would change, 

I realise yeah, it was only just a dream, 

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are,

It was only just a dream. 

When I see your face, 

So I travelled back, down that road, 

Will she come back, no one knows, 

Not a thing that I would change, 

I realise yeah, it was only just a dream,

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are,

It was only just a dream. 

When I see your face." 

I sung the "Just A Dream" part which suited by voice as it needed more powerful voices. 

I thought that even though we directed ourselves, it sounded really good and all the voices together blended well. For an ensemble girls piece, this was a really good choice. I'm glad that we went through other options and experimented to come up with something everyone was happy with. 

We didn't have the lyrics and we did everything by hear so even though it was quite challenging it was interesting to see how we could work together and create a really pretty-sounding ensemble piece. 

All of us needed to pay attention to the beat to enable accurate timing but it all came together in the end and I was surprised that our independent work was to quite a high standard overall. It would be nice to work as an ensemble again because I think our co operation and listening to each other enabled us to perform to a good standard. 

I really enjoyed doing some ensemble work independantly and I'm hoping we get the opportunity to do this as we all have creative ideas to add and it's fun experiment. I am also very happy that I managed to sing a solo line as this showed me I'm slowly, but surely, becoming a confident singer and can develop my skills further. 

I think I still need work on my pitching as it took a long time to pitch my solo for "Don't Cry For Me Argentina". 

As I need to work on my pitching, I am going to start with the "Happy Birthday" exercise outside of class with some of my peers who also feel their pitching could improve. Hopefully by next week, and by the assessment, I can pitch better. 

Singing Showcase: Monday 18th November 2013: Session Three

Monday 18th November 2013

Session Three

As always we started off with warm ups like we do every week. 

This week's warm up exercises were: 

• Sirening (with Lip Trills)
• Arpeggios
• Number scales

My aim last week was to practise the Arpeggios as it would help me with the pitching of "You Raise Me Up" in the chorus. I found that I could go through the scale this week without straining my voice and it was used to the higher notes. I still had to work hard but it was much easier as I had been practising them each day. I was really happy this because I knew it would enable me to perform the chorus of "You Raise Me Up" with more confidence. 

We went on to sing "You Raise Me Up" a few times. I thought the song was coming along really nicely and it had a pure sound to it. I am happy I went through the song and practised my Arpeggios because I was able to sing the song and I thought I pitched it well and the harmony was stronger than last week. I really want to continue increasing my range so I can perform more challenging harmonies and become more versatile. 

We began working on a new song "The Rhythm of Life" from musical Sweet Charity. 

Here are the lyrics to the song: 

"Daddy started out in San Franciso, 

Tootin' on his trumpet loud and mean, suddenly a voice said, "Go forth, Daddy", 

Spread the picture on a wider screen." 

And the voice said, "Brother, there's a million pigeons

Ready to be hooked on new religions. 

Hit the road, Daddy, leave your common-law wife. 

Spread the religion of The Rhythm Of Life."

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

Puts in a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel The Rhythm Of Life)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat)

Rhythm in your bedroom, Rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the The Rhythm Of Life)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat) 

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

Yes, The Rhythm Or Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the Rhythm Of Life)

(Go, go, go)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat)

(Go, go, go)

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

(Tell them everything)

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

(You know)

Flip you wings and fly to Daddy, 

Flip your wings and fly to Daddy, 

(Flip you wings and fly)

Flip your wings and fly to Daddy, 

(Flip you wings) 

Fly, fly, fly to Daddy, 

(Fly, fly, fly)

(Fly, fly, fly)"

The girls sung the pink, the boys sung the blue, then the sopranos sung the purple and the altos sung the orange. 

We started by separating the words between girls and boys as the song progressed the girls were split into two groups (alto and sopranos) creating three different groups singing. 

I had never heard this song before so I was learning something new, our singing teacher had printed off the lyrics for us and this made it much easier for someone who didn't know the song and I was grateful for that even though I know that I should be able to remember it and exercise my memory, but a song this length would be extremely hard. 

Even though I didn't know the song, the tune was easy to grasp and it was a very upbeat and energetic song. I think as I have been doing this sessions my ability to pick up songs is improving which is great because it means I am developing my singing skills as a performer. 

I really enjoyed singing this song because it was upbeat and energetic, it also told a story and I thought it would be an ideal song to characterise and perform. I sung the alto lines and all the lines together with the three groups sounded really different, all the voices blended nicely together and created an atmosphere. 

As this was a high-energy and upbeat piece song it was very fun to perform, I also found myself being able to get learn the words and the tune more efficiently then before, showing me these singing sessions are improving and developing my singing skill. 

As the song increased in pace towards the end my diction fell. 

My aim for next week is to focus on practising the end of this song so I can get used to the speed and my articulation and diction doesn't suffer from the pace increasing. 

Singing Showcase: Monday 11th November 2013: Session Two

Monday 11th November 

Session Two

We started with a warm up which included: 

• Sirening (with Lip Trills)
• Arpeggios
• Number Scales

I find that performing different warm ups each weeks allows me to identify parts of my singing I need to work on and practise to develop further. 

We went onto continuing singing "You Raise Me Up". We started by growing through what we did last week and were reminded on the tune. Then we went on to the chorus which we focused on for the rest of the session.

This session we focused on the chorus: 

"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains,

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas,

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders, 

You raise me up to more than I can be."

The first three lines of the chorus are performed in a four part harmony in four groups (Tenners, Altos, Sopranos and Bass). These four groups allowed the harmony to suit our voice. We all sing in unison together in the last line. I was in the Alto group as this group suited me when we sung "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor" in the last project.

We then sung what we learn last week and added the chorus to what we had already learnt. 

Learning harmonies isn't ever really easy but with the more practise and rehearsal it starts to come to you naturally. I find isolating myself from everyone else enables me to perform a more accurate harmony. When being taught the harmonies, you have to have a lot of patience and respect because our lecturer can only teach one group at a time. I loved how the harmonies impacted the song and gave it a sincere emotion to it.

Singing the last line in unison was much simpler because we then could sing together and listen to each other. 

I didn't find remembering the chorus as hard as the verse last week as it's more repetitive compared to the verse. I am really glad I practised the harmonies outside of lesson last week as it allowed me to perform this week to the best of my ability without worrying about the words or getting the harmonies right because it came naturally from practise. 

I was happy that I could perform the song with confidence in the harmonies and words this week as I could think about how you could then perform it to an audience. 

I think my pitching was slightly off in parts of the chorus and it's slightly higher than I am comfortable with. 

I am going to practise the Arpeggios exercise to familiarise myself with higher notes by next week. By practising my Arpeggios I should be able to strengthen the higher notes so they are performed with more confidence for when we next do the song.

Singing Showcase: Monday 4th November 2013: Session One

Monday 4th November 2013

Session One 

This is our first session for our second project "Singing Showcase" in the unit "Singing Skills for Actors and Dancers". We started our first session back by going through the project brief. 

I have written in detail what this project will consist of here: 

http://singingskillssomer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/singing-showcase-monday-4th-november.html

We started the session by warming up our voice. We had learnt from the previous project the important or warming up the voice and how that can help to develop singing skills. 

We did the following warm ups: 

• Sirening (with Lip Trills)
• Sounds
• Number Scales 

As this project isn't focussed on the warm ups we do, this time the warm up was shorter than usual but is still an important part of singing. 

We then started doing work on the song "You Raise Me Up" by Westlife. 

Here are the lyrics to "You Raise Me Up": 

"When I am down, and oh my soul, so weary, 

When troubles come and my heart burdened be, 

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, 

Until you come come and sit awhile with me. 

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains, 

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas, 

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders, 

You raise me up to more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger, 

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly,

But when you come and I am filled with wonder, 

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity. 

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains, 

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas, 

And I am strong, when I am on your shoulders, 

You raise me up to more than I can be."

We focused on the first verse to start with: 

"When I am down, and oh my soul, so weary, 
When troubles come and my heart burdened be, 
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, 
Until you come come and sit awhile with me."

The girls started by singing the first line, then the boys sang the next line. We all sang the last two lines in two separate harmonies. 

This was a fairly easy start to the project, the girls had no problem in pitching their first line. The boys had sight more trouble in pitching and had to listen really carefully to Alison, due to the work we did with Singing and Responding I think they found it easier than they would have if we hadn't worked on that singing skill. 

I had heard the song before but I was completely familiar with it so I had to pay a lot of attention to what Alison was playing and singing. Also I had word-learning trouble at first, especially as we added more lines in. 

I thought I would find the harmony work hard but it was pretty simple once I had got the right pitch. I really think that the exercises we did last project has given me the confidence to succeed in this project. 

I was really happy that I could warm up my voice efficiently to prepare for the singing ahead. Without performing the warm up correctly then the voice won't be able to be used to its full ability. 

Although this is the first session, I think I need to start working on being able to remember lyrics quickly so I don't have to concentrate on the words as much as I currently do. 

For next week I am going to go over the part we have learnt to ensure that I can perform it to the best of my ability and have the power to develop the song further. As it's only a verse it shouldn't be hard to learn in a week. 

Singing Showcase: Monday 4th November 2013: Project Brief

Monday 4th November 2013

Project Brief

Our next project for the unit "Singing Skills for Actors and Dancers" is "Singing Showcase". In this project we will be working towards a ensemble performance, we have to imagine we are part of the entertainment team on a cruise liner. 

The class will rehearse a variety of songs to add to a repertoire. These songs will range from popular songs, show songs and rocks songs through to choral music, jazz, soul, folk and more. As a performer you have expectations to be versatile and these project will work on that.

In our lessons, we will be expected to take part in the following:

• Vocal Warm Ups
• Learning Musical Material ("note bashing")
• Follow direction and instructions
• Good Listening Skills
• Practising Learn Material 
• Waiting for Cues
• Learning Words and Movements (where required)

Self-discipline is required throughout the sessions and is expected from everyone when applying the vocal techniques correctly. There should be co-operation (especially as it's a project based on ensemble work) and commitment shown in the way we work with others with is easily recognisable. 

There is also a requirement for self-discipline outside of class as we are expected to do independent work and practise regularly to get the most out of the project. We will need to take part in a regular practise routine that includes classes and independent work.

This blog will be used to post video and audio clips of rehearsals and independent technical exercises. It will also allow me to post reflective comments relating specifically to the work in this project and throughout the course. This blog will enable me to detect improvements and continue my development as a performer.

To make sure I reflect and improve so I can achieve the best to my ability, I will include:

• Positives
• Improvements
• Aims

The targets I set will follow these expectations Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART targets).

SMART targets: 

S - Specific: A clear, focused and detailed target which has an aim but also says how.
M - Measurable: Can be tested to ensure that it has worked.
A - Achievable: A realistic target which can be done.
R - Relevant: Needs to help this project and develop singing skills.
T - Time-bound: A clear deadline to achieve by.

To achieve the SMART targets I will support them with specific technical exercises and warm ups.

The musical material from this project will be performed in front of an audience but the grades in this project will come from the rehearsal process and not the performance.

I'm really looking forward to learning more about working as an ensemble and developing singing tehcniques with the help of your peers. I hope that we get to perform harmony work as we only touched it in the last project.