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June 2002 Table of Contents
Your Voice For God
Helping Solists Be Their Best Part I
By Chris Beatty, Vocalcoach
Think back to the most recent solo vocal performance you heard. What do you remember most? The music? The performer? The overall message? The audience's reaction? How the performance affected you? The technical presentation? A vocal performance is a multifaceted event that touches people in a variety of ways.
The broad category we are discussing is communications. It includes a message (something to be communicated); a transmitter (the voice, which moves the airwaves, facial expressions and physical gestures to underscore your message); and a receiver (the listener's ears, eyes, heart, and mind).
The Sometimes Not-so-obvious
A non-negotiable in this process is the singers' voice. It needs to be capable of clearly and accurately singing the message, and that means paying attention to those often- neglected foundations like good posture, breathing, tone, and diction to name a few. Any effort spent training the instrument always pays off with more pleasing and predictable performances.
Selecting The Song
Clearly, one of the most crucial elements is choosing the songs. Consider the following:
1. The Singer's Age. I've heard a 15-year-old singing a testimony song about multiple marriages, their suffering children, and the house and car they lost due to their sinful lives. Well, that's just plain foolish. The song's message is not consistent with the singer. I've also heard adults sing about topics they can't honestly relate to at their age. It's imperative in ministry that you only sing those messages which you can honestly sing.
2. Where The Singer Is In Life. The message needs to relate to the singer . . . now. Singing an unbelievable message will be just that: Unbelievable. If you are a conservative, 40-year-old who was brought up in the church and never listened to rock-and-roll, don't sing a rock-and-roll song in an effort to relate to the youth of your church. Your performance will probably look and sound like what it is—phony.
3. Musical Style. There are few things more sadly humorous than someone singing a style they don't
understand. Whether you're singing rock, Bach, a spiritual or something with a Latin beat, you need to study and understand the nuances, rhythms and even proper pronunciation. If you don't, you run the risk of presenting something that just plain doesn't work.
4. The Composer.Considering singing your own compositions? Don't weaken your communications by insisting on using too many of your own songs unless you know them to be worthy. Don't hesitate to ask those wiser than you for critical feedback on your songs. It's the only way to honor the listener and avoid compromising concerts.
The Key-range Relationship
Selecting the right key. As obvious as it seems to many of us, there are those who don't understand the key-range issues. Singers who haven't studied piano or theory often don't realize that just because they sang one song in the key of D they can't sing all songs in the key of D. And, just because they managed to hit a high A before doesn't mean he or she can depend on it to always be there.
I recommend that all singers identify and write down these two characteristics of their own voice: 1. Full, comfortable range, from top to bottom. And remember, comfortable range includes only those notes you can sing in the morning, at noon or at night any day of the week. You own them. 2. Prime Octave. That's the comfortable octave in the middle of the range where most of the song should be.
With the above information established, the singer can put the song in a key that allows for ALL OF THE SONG to be in the comfortable range, and MOST OF THE SONG to be in the prime octave. If a singer is using a soundtrack that abuses their honest range either change the notes or don't use the track. Singers who do a lot of singing should consider having some custom tracks made that conform perfectly to their range and style. It can be relatively inexpensive and make all the difference in your performance.
Making The Message Yours
There is no clearer way to internalize a message than to rewrite it in your own words. This process causes the singer to define and restate the essence of the message. Often, the result is a much deeper and clearer presenting of the message. Another valuable approach is to narrate the lyrics, or act them out like a dramatic reading. Both of these exercises will help the singer internalize and own the message.
Part II will deal with gestures, expression, mice technique and more.
Chris Beatty
Vocal Coach/Upright Foundation-Life Coaching
P.O. Box 2144, Brentwood TN 37024
Office: 615-331-1080
Fax: 615-331-8847
E-Mail: chris@vocalcoach.com
Web: www.vocalcoach.com
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