by Norene Morrow
Does your choir sometimes have issues with singing in tune? Chances are it probably does, because no one is perfect and there are many factors that can influence one’s sound. The good news is that if choir directors can learn to recognize the signs, this problem can be corrected in most cases. These signs fall into three categories — environmental, physical, and musical.
An overheated, stuffy rehearsal space sets up an uncomfortable environment that promotes fatigue and wandering of attention, resulting in flat singing. Directors can improve the situation by turning down the thermostat, opening a window, or moving the choir to another room.
Fatigue and boredom play such a big role in how well a choir sings, so directors must find ways to energize the singers through the warm up process and the pace of the rehearsal so that they don't sing flat, especially if the rehearsal is at the end of a long day of work. By the same token, choirs have been known to sing sharp if they over sing. Sometimes in an effort to "get it right" choirs force the tone, particularly in the higher ranges. The best way to avoid both problems is to plan short breaks and vary the styles of music. This keeps up the energy and interest without over taxing the voices.
Lack of a good vocal technique will certainly cause a choir to sing out of tune. However, that does not mean all is lost if your choir is not made up of trained singers (which is the case in most churches). Directors need to encourage good posture at all times. Do not allow hunched shoulders, slouching, or crossed legs. The breathing apparatus needs to be allowed to function properly so that a singer has air to support the tone. Also, encourage a relaxed body by incorporating some stretching and relaxation exercises into the warm up. Finally, as I wrote in my March article, make sure that all singers have uniform vowel shapes and listen to each other. This goes a long way toward correcting poor intonation.
Other factors are not so easy to deal with, such as a singer with a hearing impairment or those who are easily led astray by the other singers around them. The best way to deal with these issues is to arrange your singers in a way that will be beneficial for all. Intersperse your stronger singers among your weaker singers or put strong singers behind the weaker ones so that the weaker singers will hear the right notes sung in their ears. Avoid putting weaker singers near someone who is singing a different vocal part. If your hearing impaired singer has one ear that is better than the other, make sure he/she is situated in such a way as to hear others and the accompaniment. Next, make sure that your choir is well rehearsed. If members do not know their vocal parts they will likely go off key or if singers are singing parts out of their range, there will be problems. Performance anxiety can also play a role because raised adrenalin levels may push the tone sharp. A few calming words and some deep breaths will diffuse this.
Finally, if a director has dealt with all of the physical and environmental issues, and intonation is still a problem, then consider the music. Sometimes it is not in a good key, because phrases may sit in a weak part of the singers’ voices (i.e. the "break" area). If possible, raise or lower the pitch by half a step. It can make a world of difference and your singers will be happier. Within the music there can be many pitfalls — long notes and phrases, soft passages, slow tempi, descending musical phrases, repeated notes, certain intervals or large jumps, sudden changes in dynamics, dissonances, certain vowel combinations, and releases on difficult word of phrase endings. These can be corrected by careful rehearsal and the proper use of the breath. Remember that slow, soft, and descending pitches are danger spots for flat singing. Correct this by having your choir sing with more energy, increasing the tempo slightly, and making use of the staggered breathing technique. (Singers breathe in different spots during a long passage so as to give the illusion that the tone continues to be supported and sung as one breath.) Fast, loud, ascending phrases are danger spots for sharp singing. Correct this by having your choir ease off on the volume, relax their bodies, and yawn open their vowel shapes.
If you can incorporate even some of these ideas you will be well on your way to having a well-tuned choir all year round!
