SEARCH RESULTS FOR: PITCH
Holding
By Abram PoliakoffWelcome to Part 2: Holding. Holding tension is caused by over-pressurizing our abdominal support, which prevents airflow. If we don’t balance this properly, our body...
Lifting and Straining
By Abram PoliakoffWelcome to Part 1: Lifting and Straining. Lifting is one of the most common types of tension, and if left unchecked, it leads to vocal...
Pulses & Bends
By Camille van NiekerkRemember, a pulse sounds like this, and a bend sounds like this. They might sound similar at first, but a pulse is dipping below the...
3-note Riffs
By Camille van NiekerkA 3-note riff can be descending or ascending, and it’s the simplest pattern to start with! Although you could include skips in a 3-note riff,...
Conclusion
By Camille van Niekerk Thanks for joining me in this series! Remember, improving agility and precision with riffs takes time, but these tips and exercises will help you make...
Improving Style
By Camille van NiekerkThe final component we’ll focus on is style. Style involves dynamics, inflection, and embellishment. Here’s how we can work on each:Dynamics: This is how we...
Improving Speed
By Camille van NiekerkThe next aspect we’ll work on is speed. Let's use a riff from Beyoncé’s rendition of The Star Spangled Banner as an example, focusing on...
Improving Clarity
By Camille van NiekerkThe first step to improving your riffs is making them clear. Without clarity, riffs can sound like a slide rather than distinct notes. For this,...
Welcome
By Camille van Niekerk Welcome! In this lesson series, we'll work on improving your riffs and runs, focusing on three key areas: clarity, speed, and style. If your riffs...
Conclusion
By Camille van NiekerkThank you for joining me in this series! I trust that you gained some new tools to refine your intonation in the next song you...
Common Tuning Issues in Songs
By Camille van NiekerkSometimes pitch issues are more about the structure of the song. Let’s explore these issues and work on solutions:Large LeapsLarge jumps between notes can make...
Correcting Sharpness
By Camille van NiekerkSharpness is often caused by the following factors:Overshooting the NoteWhen leaping to a higher pitch, it’s easy to overshoot. To fix this, think "down" instead...
Correcting Flatness
By Camille van NiekerkFlatness can be caused by several factors:Descending LinesWhen the melody descends, gravity can pull us lower than intended. To fix this, think "up" instead of...
Welcome
By Camille van Niekerk Do you sometimes go flat, or sharp? In this lesson, we’ll troubleshoot reasons you might be singing flat or sharp, and offer tips to help...
Bright & “Bratty” Sounds
Stronger Head Voice
In this part, we’ll focus on using brighter, more forward sounds to help bring your vocal folds together more efficiently. This technique can help create...
Vowel Choice & Modification
Stronger Head Voice
Welcome to Part 1 of our Stronger Head Voice lesson series! Today, we’ll dive into the world of vowel choice and modification. You’ll discover how...
Agility & Confidence
By Camille van NiekerkVocal riffs require clarity, agility, and confidence. Start with staccato articulation for distinction, then transition to legato for smoothness.Exercise 1: RUN 5 4 3 2...
Blending & Chest-Dominant Mix
By Camille van Niekerk In Part 2, we’ll focus on achieving a chest-dominant mix to retain the strength of your chest voice while accessing higher pitches. We’ll practice the...
Conclusion
By Camille van NiekerkWrap up your vocal agility warmup series with insights on how to apply the exercises learned throughout the videos.Use these exercises to create a compact...
Speed & Clarity Techniques
By Camille van NiekerkSpeed and clarity are vital for effective vocal agility. In this video, we’ll work on the descending major scale using both staccato and legato techniques.Exercise...
Mastering Large Leaps
By Camille van NiekerkEnhance your vocal agility by tackling large leaps in this second video.Exercise 1: 1516178 – Gradually work toward an octave leap, focusing on vowel adjustments...
Wide-Range Patterns
By Camille van NiekerkJoin us as we explore wide-range vocal patterns that stretch your vocal agility. This video covers major scales and introduces a 1.5 octave scale, helping...
Welcome
By Camille van Niekerk In this standalone tutorial, discover daily vocal agility warmups designed for high voices, including sopranos, mezzos, and altos. We’ll start with an overview of the...
Welcome
By Abram PoliakoffIn this introduction to better breathing for singers, Abram explains the importance of breath control and how it impacts your vocal performance. You’ll learn how...
Riffing Exercises
By Abram PoliakoffWelcome to Part 3, where we'll put our vocal agility to the test with popular riffing style exercises.Exercises:Easy Slingshot Riff (I Will Stay):Uses the pentatonic...
Mix-belt Range Extension
By Abram PoliakoffWhen some singers say they want to sing higher, this is what they mean: they want to sing higher, without cracking or “flipping” into their...
Head Voice Extension
By Abram PoliakoffRelaxation is always important, but it’s essential for high head voice extension! Please prioritize relaxation over tone - meaning, don’t worry if it doesn’t sound...
Low Range Extension
By Abram PoliakoffAn inability to access low notes often has to do with our tendency to drop and press our larynx to try and reach physically for...
Welcome
By Abram PoliakoffThis series is intended for Bass, Baritone, and Tenors. Because those voice types span a wide range already, you’ll probably find one section more challenging...
Warmup
By Camille van NiekerkThe foundation for a strong voice is a good connection to your breathing muscles. Place one hand on your ribs and one hand on your...
Conclusion
By Camille van NiekerkEven if it doesn’t feel like riffs and runs come naturally to you, I promise you’ll improve with consistent practice. For the best results, include...
Pulses & Bends
By Camille van NiekerkAnother word for a pulse could be a dip, because we’re singing one pitch, dipping just below, and then back to that same note. It’s...
Pentatonic Scale Patterns
By Camille van NiekerkThe pentatonic scale has just 5 tones. You’ll notice it sounds very similar to the major scale, but with some notes missing. If you play...
Major Scale Patterns
By Camille van NiekerkStarting nice and easy with a 3-note pattern. To ensure we’re singing all 3 pitches clearly, we’ll start staccato (short & detached), and then smooth it...
Warmup
By Camille van NiekerkEngage your abdominals on a hiss closing to a hum, followed by a hiss & “hee” pulse. Exercise 1: Breath (hiss to hum, hiss & pulse)Choose...
Welcome
By Camille van NiekerkThis lesson series is for beginners who want to learn riffs & runs for pop singing. The longest riff pattern we’ll learn is just 5...
Mix Belting
By Abram PoliakoffMix belting. Although some pop singers like Adele and Lewis Capaldi use a heavy chest voice sound, the vast majority rely more on a chest-dominant...
Agility
By Abram PoliakoffExercise: Riff/run agility: 8-765, 5-4321 on Yah Agility! Our next exercise takes a descending major scale and turns it into a riff. Listen to the pattern....
Warmup
By Abram PoliakoffExercise: Hiss to ZZZ (5 pulses each) CBegin by pulsing your breath on a hiss and feel your abdominal muscles push down and out through...
Open Vowels
By Abram PoliakoffSo far, we’ve used specific vowel combinations that make a smooth transition easier. This time, we’ll stay on one vowel for the duration of the...
Sirens & Slides
By Abram PoliakoffSirens or slides. We’re transitioning slowly, and eventually smoothly, from one pitch to the next. This is actually easier said than done, because a lot...
Wide-range Exercises
By Abram PoliakoffThe first step to blending our registers is to access them, and not get stuck only singing in chest voice or only singing in head...
Conclusion
By Camille van NiekerkI encourage you to download these exercises for agility practice on the go. You’re welcome to mix and match, depending on your current skill level...
Leaps
By Camille van NiekerkExercise 1: 15 16 178Please be mindful of that lowest pitch: as the interval, or the distance between pitches gets wider, that lowest pitch (your...
Narrow Range Patterns
By Camille van NiekerkExercise 1: 5-5-54321 (staccato start)For the first exerccise, starting with that same staccato articulation from our warmup. The staccato start should help you keep distinction...
Warmup
By Camille van NiekerkWelcome to your warmup. Lets jump in with some exercises!Exercise 1: Breath (hiss to hum, hiss & pulse)Engage your abdominals on a hiss closing to...
Belting
By Abram PoliakoffPart 3: belting. We’re using a variety of belt-friendly syllables for the different ranges and intensities we might want to use. Exercise: Mix range - ONE/WHY...
Pentatonic Riffs (improv focus)
By Abram PoliakoffYou may remember from previous lessons that the pentatonic scale uses 5 notes from the major scale. The vast majority of R&B riffs use the...
Day 13: Advanced Sweeping Exercises
By Camille van NiekerkToday we put much of what we have learned in Part 2 together into more advanced sweeping style exercises. I call an exercise “sweeping” when...
Day 12: Vowel Strategies Moving Through Registers
By Camille van NiekerkToday we’ll learn 3 different vowel strategies for moving through registers; Vowel stretching, neutral vowel release, and vowel glides for helping us bridge the gap...
