Common Mistakes in Singers

The Scale
You will need a roompreferably largeand musicians who will give
you honest feedback. There are two parts: aural and visual.
In full voice, at a medium-slow tempo, sing a steady, ascending 12or 16-note scale on ah. Breathe, then sing a descending scale. Do
not force or go to either extremities of the range. Kid stuff, right?
Lets see.
Aural Checklist
1.

Intonation: Was every note in tune?

If a simple scale is not in tune, how will you ever manage chromatic
music? When the vocal line is surrounded by lush orchestral sounds,
the problem may be less glaring, but when the singer is left vocally
exposed (as is often the case in Bel Canto arias) faulty intonation is
excruciating.
2.
Stability of tone: Was the vibrato even and matched on every
note?
The vibrato on every note sung in full voice should be even and
matched with every other note. It should not change on high notes
or start part way through the phonation. The pitch must never
waver nor should the volume fluctuate involuntarily.
3.
Ease of production: Was every note produced effortlessly and
neatly?
Effortless singing is a fundamental objective of technique. The
classical singer is expected to make the difficult look easyand that
includes everything from the top to the bottom of a singers range.
An amateur or beginner can hit a note. Hitting a note is not
singing.
4.

Rhythm: Was the rhythm solid and steady?

The ability to maintain a steady pulse is indispensable. If air or an

h precedes the tone, the listener will perceive the sound as late. In
languid music the defect will be less apparent. The singer who
cannot maintain a steady tempo in a simple scale will be incapable
of mastering complex rhythmic passages, unable to stay together in
small ensembles, and will annoy the conductor.
5.
Evenness of scale: Was every note of equal volume and
weight?

If a note is weak, the singer may be inaudible (and, therefore,

expressively ineffective) or may force. A professional musician plays
on an evenly calibrated instrument. In the same way, the voice
should be equalized. Pay special attention to the middle and low
notes, which are nowadays often the most neglected. In the 18th
and 19th centuries, the great teachers trained the voice from the
bottom up. Some arias climax on a written or added high note, yet
operas are packed with climactic moments that require a strong
middle or low voice.
6.

Volume: Would all the notes carry in a theater?

Related to evenness, the power and projection of your voice is a

critical factor in where and what you will be hired to sing.
Strengthening weak notes is one of the primary goals of training.
Remember, a voice with a few strong notes is not a big voice, and
small rooms or churches can be acoustically deceptive.
Although projection can be reliably gauged only in a large hall, if one
can hear air mixing with the sound, as opposed to pure sound, those
notes will have less carrying power. As Patsy Rodenburg, the great
voice teacher of actors, has written, However truthful a performer
might be, or indeed creative, it means nothing if he or she cannot
communicate over space. Breathiness could also be an early sign
of vocal fatigue.
7.

Legato: Were all the notes connected cleanly and smoothly?

The ability to sing legato is one of the pillars of a technique. At this

stage of inquiry, all notes must be the same volume and weight and
must be connected with no spaces, scooping, or cracks. Legato is
what gives phrases their shape. When a singer is called
unmusical, the reason is often a deficiency in the legato. Until you
master the above touchstones, the legato will be problematic.
Visual Checklist
The body and face must remain neutral and calm, never showing
signs of strain, grimaces, or involuntary movements. Any emoting
would be superimposed, artificial, and absurd.
1.
The shoulders must not rise on inhalation or move as the pitch
changes.
2.
The jaw must never shake or lock.
3.
The tongue should be relaxed and flat and never tremble.
4.
The larynx should not be seen shaking.
5.
The arms and hands should be relaxedno gesticulations or
hand ballets.
6.
The expression on the face should be composed and pleasant.
7.
The neck muscles should be relaxed, never popping or
reddening.
8.
The mouth should not distort as the pitch changes.

9.
The eyebrows and forehead should remain neutral and not
furrow or rise.
Facial distortions and involuntary body movements become
magnified on the screen. They get worse with time (often becoming
comical or grotesque), interfere with sound production, and are
incompatible with effective acting. They are also signs of
unnecessary muscle tension. Releasing that tension will help the
overall freedom of the vocal production.
The Results
Get honest feedbacknot compliments, coddling, criticism, or
advice. Decide how to proceed after you have had time to reflect. In
Marchesis system, after solidifying the basics, you would begin to
master variations of speed, volume, rhythms, melodic patterns, and
articulation. Remember that the basics are your road marks. Speed
must never come at the cost of intonation or rhythmic sloppiness.
Gaining a note at one end of the range must never come at the cost
of losing another note. Everything must always be in tune, steady,
and produced without effort. The legato must be seamless.
This is technique. Then comes the part that made you start this
journey in the first place: the expression, the text, the colors, the
communication and, most importantly, the art.