Good technique contributes to good intonation
As noted on the Singing in Tune page, teachers and conductors sometimes assume that poor intonation is the result of singers not listening, or not perceiving the pitch correctly. While this is true in some cases, the vast majority of singers try very hard to sing in tune. However, singers can find it difficult to recognize when they are out of tune because what they “hear” is not the sound that the audience hears due to bone conduction and directionality of sound (away from singers’ ears). Telling singers that they are out of tune (either flat or sharp) is only part of the solution. Many singers will not know how to fix the problem.
All aspects of vocal technique (posture, breath support, resonance, jaw position, tongue position, vowels, consonants, vibrato, etc.) contribute to intonation.
The causes of poor intonation in the choral setting can be classified in two main categories (Powell, 1991):
Relational Intonation (harmony in ensembles)
Singing in tune in a choral setting requires listening to others. Indeed, a major difference between professional and amateur musicians is that professional musicians usually listen and adjust to the sounds of those around them.
There are three types of listening that are important for ensemble musicians. Listening to:
Robert Shaw (Blocker, 2004) cautioned against over-singing (forcing) and cited it as a major contributor to poor choral intonation. Over-singing is usually caused by high levels of breath pressure and/or pressed phonation as pitch ascends. Under such circumstances pitch control is more difficult. Under-singing also poses problems for intonation as the tone may be somewhat breathy, due to less than optimal vocal fold vibration and a lack of resonance. In the choral setting good intonation requires singers to be able to hear both themselves and others (Ternström and Sundberg, 1988). A reminder that the way a singer mixes their sound (primarily in the middle register) can also cause blend issues (more "chest voice" dominant vs. more "head voice" in the mix).
Vowel differences within ensemble sections
Conductors can eliminate many intonation problems by ensuring that singers are producing the same vowel sound in the same way. This is an example of where careful attention to uniform production of vowels in the warm-up pays off. If conductors suspect that vowels are not in agreement, they can try the following:
Isolate the word. Ask the choir/section which vowel sound(s) they should be singing. Correct them if necessary. Remember that diphthongs can be especially confusing. Have the singers sing only the vowel(s). If necessary, isolate sections (tenors, sopranos, etc.). Now ask the choir to sing the word as written (with consonants). Finally, put it back into the context of the passage.
Remember that singers will not look exactly the same, even when singing the same vowel. They should, however, create the sound in the same way inside.
All aspects of vocal technique (posture, breath support, resonance, jaw position, tongue position, vowels, consonants, vibrato, etc.) contribute to intonation.
The causes of poor intonation in the choral setting can be classified in two main categories (Powell, 1991):
- Individual (horizontal) intonation (important for both soloists and ensembles; addressed on the Singing in Tune page)
- Relational (vertical) intonation
Relational Intonation (harmony in ensembles)
Singing in tune in a choral setting requires listening to others. Indeed, a major difference between professional and amateur musicians is that professional musicians usually listen and adjust to the sounds of those around them.
There are three types of listening that are important for ensemble musicians. Listening to:
- Yourself
- People around you (in your section)
- Other sections
Robert Shaw (Blocker, 2004) cautioned against over-singing (forcing) and cited it as a major contributor to poor choral intonation. Over-singing is usually caused by high levels of breath pressure and/or pressed phonation as pitch ascends. Under such circumstances pitch control is more difficult. Under-singing also poses problems for intonation as the tone may be somewhat breathy, due to less than optimal vocal fold vibration and a lack of resonance. In the choral setting good intonation requires singers to be able to hear both themselves and others (Ternström and Sundberg, 1988). A reminder that the way a singer mixes their sound (primarily in the middle register) can also cause blend issues (more "chest voice" dominant vs. more "head voice" in the mix).
Vowel differences within ensemble sections
Conductors can eliminate many intonation problems by ensuring that singers are producing the same vowel sound in the same way. This is an example of where careful attention to uniform production of vowels in the warm-up pays off. If conductors suspect that vowels are not in agreement, they can try the following:
Isolate the word. Ask the choir/section which vowel sound(s) they should be singing. Correct them if necessary. Remember that diphthongs can be especially confusing. Have the singers sing only the vowel(s). If necessary, isolate sections (tenors, sopranos, etc.). Now ask the choir to sing the word as written (with consonants). Finally, put it back into the context of the passage.
Remember that singers will not look exactly the same, even when singing the same vowel. They should, however, create the sound in the same way inside.