Good technique contributes to singing in tune

Teachers and conductors sometimes assume that poor intonation is the result of singers not listening, or perceiving the pitch incorrectly. 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 can be classified in two main categories (Powell, 1991):
Personal intonation (melodic line; relevant for both soloists and ensembles)
The following are common causes of poor personal intonation:
  • Incorrect perception of intervals -- When singing their line, singers need to accurately perceive the spaces between pitches—the intervals. Even in the choral setting singers should think of their part as a melody and read the intervals accurately with attention to how the key signature affects spacing. In addition, they need to develop muscle memory for the correct distance between pitches. Pitches must be learned correctly the first time—if errors are not quickly corrected, they will become a part of muscle memory and will be difficult to correct later.
  • Too much or too little breath pressure -- Too little breath pressure for a given pitch will flatten the pitch; too much breath pressure will sharpen it. In general, higher breath pressure is required as pitch ascends.
  • Insufficient or incorrect resonance space -- Without sufficient resonance space, singers will often sound flat. And, if the jaw and tongue are in an incorrect position for  the vowel being sung, perceived intonation will also be compromised.
  • Incorrect use of registers -- Head/Chest/Mix Voice
  • Excessive tension in the neck, larynx, or tongue -- Tension causes problems with intonation because it affects resonance space and ability to create correct breath pressure. Note that poor posture and incorrect approaches to breathing are major causes of tension. This is addressed in greater detail in Vocal Technique.