The characteristics of a good solo tone are also characteristics that are desirable in a good choral tone. It is not possible to thoroughly teach voice in a choral rehearsal, but it is possible to incorporate certain fundamental aspects of vocal technique in these rehearsals. These techniques will be basic principles in obtaining a choral sound that is pleasant and one that is properly produced. Regarding the use of vibrato: A vibrato is quite natural in the singing voice. There are a variety of compositions in which a minimal vibrato is desirable. Unless prescribed by the composer a straight tone, one without any vibrato, is not suggested. The straight tone has no life in it and, when brought to a forte or double forte becomes hollow and unattractive.

Proper breathing is important to good singing. Most persons breathe in a shallow manner that is inadequate for the purposes of singing. It will sustain life however, and be usable for normal speech. As a general rule, young people must be reminded of natural breathing or what conductors most often refer to as abdominal, diaphragmatic, or intercostal breathing. It is necessary to point out that intercostal breathing, rather than clavicular breathing, is desirable for the following reasons:

1. A singer can take the necessary amount of air without tightening muscles in the throat.

2. A singer can inhale more air.

3. A singer can control the air once it is inhaled. The air must be released in a continuous supply for sustained singing.

Abdominal, diaphragmatic, or intercostal breathing requires correct posture for singing. There is no need for elaborate diagrams to illustrate good posture. The singer should stand erect, but not ramrod straight. The weight should be evenly distributed on both feet and the singer should carry the weight on the balls of the feet. The chest should be high and the shoulders slightly sloped, not hunched up in an attempt to "square" them. In effect, an erect but nonmilitary stance will be the result of a good singing posture. When students are seated they should be told to sit forward in their chair and not use the back of the chain. Often, singers are asked to rehearse in chairs that do not reinforce a good singing posture, or that do not even allow for a good singing posture. Fortunately, there are chairs on the market now that are excellent for singers. An instruction to sit in a position that will allow them to stand immediately without shifting their weight will give the students an idea of the physical alertness that is desired. This will be a position of erectness from the hips up with both feet on the floor.

Teaching on reinforcing proper breathing requires insistence, because it may involve changing a habit of long standing. Actually, a serious student of high school age should be able to consistently breathe from the diaphragm after two or three lessons (rehearsals). There are many exercises that can be used, but none will be of much value unless the student really wants to change. Three exercises are listed below that seem to be most universally successful.

The first is the panting exercise. Ask the students to pant very rapidly and, as they do so, to place one hand on the abdomen, just below the rib cage. After this is done a few times, ask them to gradually slow the panting down to about one breath (one inhalation and exhalation) per second.

A second exercise asks the students to bend over at the waist with the hands on the bottom of the rib cage, fingers spread apart. Have the students inhale deeply. The singers will breathe from the diaphragm because that is the only way one can breathe in that position. After taking the breath, have the students stand erect, hands still on the rib cage and blow the air out in a steady stream, making a hissing sound. The ribs should come in slowly as this occurs. This hiss can later be changed to a singing tone.

A third exercise is that which combines the breathing with pitches and rhythms. This is more difficult and should not be used with beginning choirs. Have the singers sing the pitches and rhythms in Figure 1, staccato, bouncing the abdominal muscles on each note. Every note should have an h in front of it. This strengthens the rib muscles and gives the singers a better capability to later sing cleanly articulated runs.

Figure 6.1. 

Every choral conductor should have a thorough understanding of the human voice. If he has not studied voice privately, he should do so.

A vocal sound is produced by the exhalation of air causing the vocal cords to vibrate. The vocal cords are probably better labeled vocal folds or bands because their makeup is more characteristic of our understanding of those terms. These folds lie across the throat, stretching from the thyroid cartilage at the front, to the arytenoid cartilage in the back. The muscles of the throat that affect singing react exactly like other muscles that are better known to us, that is: they are controlled by the individual, they can become so tense so as not to respond properly, they need continued exercise to be brought into a desirable state of conditioning, and they can be damaged by physical abuse (improper use).

Although pitch is determined by the tension of the vocal folds, it is more difficult to pitch the voice than probably any other instrument. The pitch must begin in the singer's mind. He must be able to mentally hear the pitch before he can sing it. Any average person can be taught to play some notes on a piano, for instance, and those notes will always be correctly pitched if the piano has been properly tuned. It is also true that a string player will be able to produce the correct pitch by an accurate placing of the finger on the string and a bowing technique that will allow the string to vibrate properly. A singer has no outward, physical method of placing pitch. One cannot rely on pushing down valves, covering holes, or striking keys to produce the correct pitch. Unless a singer has absolute pitch he will need a given pitch as a reference point or must be given the actual pitch that he is to sing.

The singer produces the pitch by applying the correct amount of breath pressure so the vocal cords will vibrate at the proper tension for the given pitch (a process that is done unconsciously by the singer). This does not ensure the singer of a good tone but will only produce the correct pitch.

The tone can become deep and rich when the tone is properly placed in the natural resonating chambers. These resonating chambers are the larynx itself, the pharynx, the mouth, and the nasal cavity. The trachea and chest are also considered to be resonators by some. Since they are located below the larynx and the singer has no control over them, in terms of resonation, they are of little importance to this discussion.

The pharynx consists of the upper part of the throat directly above the larynx. In order for this resonating cavity to be of value to the singer, the throat needs to be open. The pharynx changes somewhat because of its relation to the mouth and the formulation of vowels.

The mouth is a resonating chamber and is the one that can be constantly altered. The tone and the vowels are colored by the shape of the mouth. The tongue and soft palate (velum) play a large part in the act of singing. The tongue must be relaxed and remain low in the mouth. It is recognized that it will be higher when singing an ee vowel than when singing an ah vowel. However, it should always be relaxed.

The soft palate should be raised so the back of the mouth is in an open position. When the soft palate remains lowered, the tone does not have the resonance of the upper cavities that singers find add pleasant qualities to the tone. When one yawns, there is a point just before the yawn actually takes place that is a good position for singing. Once into the yawn itself, of course, one will find a constriction of the throat that is not conducive to good singing.

The nasal area cannot be changed by the singer. However, the tone will not resonate properly unless the previous suggestions are followed. It is true that teachers constantly attempt to teach singers to direct the tone forward and high into the head, particularly into the mask of the face. While this is good imagery, the fact is that one cannot direct the sound vibrations in any direction inside the head. What really happens is that a properly produced tone will resonate where it is allowed to resonate. As water seeks its own level, the vibrations will seek all resonating chambers that are open to them.

The teacher's real goal is to create ideal conditions in which proper resonation can take place. To this end teachers use the word "placement," recognizing the limitations of the instruction.

An ideal choral tone is one that is pleasant to listen to, is capable of a ringing forte, is equally as capable of an intense pianissimo, and is warm and vibrant. Good choral technique is compatible with good studio voice technique. Many choral directors are also, or have been, studio teachers, and good ones.

The voice teachers who criticize the choral director for pushing voices too much seem, somehow, less likely to attack the opera director who may demand even more demanding vocal work. Good voice teachers will not attack choral techniques that are based on good vocal habits. When a choral conductor consistently uses rehearsal techniques designed to free the voices and that result in a live and warm choral tone there will be little, if any, criticism. Unfortunately, the teaching of voice is not very standardized and disagreements seem to be as constant between voice teachers as they are between voice teachers and choral directors. Several good reading references regarding the study of voice are listed under the module CHORAL TONE which is the collective head of this and other modules pertaining to choral tone.

1. Directors can refer to the National Association of Teachers of Singing Bulletin for consistent and usable information on the voice and the teaching of voice.

Some discussion of the vibrato needs to be made because this is one of the points at which voice teachers and choral directors may differ. A vibrato is an essential part of the life of the tone of a choral ensemble and of a good singer. A slow and wide vibrato is not acceptable in a good choral tone and should not be acceptable as a good solo tone either. The tremolo, or fast bleat, is also not desirable in either the soloist or choral group. A well-controlled tone with a pleasant vibrato should be acceptable to anyone.

Some problems seem to arise when a choral director rightfully desires a tone for stylistic purposes with a minimal vibrato, or occasionally, for an effect, without any vibrato. This is no different than the soloist who will want to minimize the vibrato or even use none at all, to sing a text describing, for example, a "stark, desolate place."

Real problems and legitimate ones are created by the choral director who constantly attempts to achieve a tone without any vibrato in all music, a so-called "straight tone". It used to be the case that certain, very successful choirs founded in the early 20th century sang with a straight tone. These choirs, for the most part, did not sing with a "ringing forte". Their tonal range was limited and there was very little variation in the tonal color; every piece tended to sound exactly the same, regardless of the style in which it was composed. This style originated with F. Melius Christiansen and the St. Olaf choir of the very early 1900's. It was modeled on the organ tone, a tone without an vibrato. Now, in the first part of the 21st century there is an attempt to imitate the sound that is characteristically produced by Eastern European choirs that, in addition to singing without vibrato, are also quite harsh in any attempt to sing forte or fortissimo. There are also compositional techniques being employed at the same time that include static, tone clusters that require less vibrato for careful intonation. Unfortunately some conductors carry this tone to an extreme. Some college singers may have enough maturity and sometimes enough vocal technique to be able to cope with such demands on an occasional basis but not on a continual basis. It is likely that voice teachers will react negatively to this type of singing and an unnecessary barrier will be drawn between voice teachers and choral conductors. The sound of the choir will not be warm and cannot carry the beauty of the singing voice. The young high school singer does not have the vocal technique to adjust to this type of singing. In his eagerness to please the director, he will go beyond the point that his technique and support will carry him without strain. There is no doubt that a quick blend can be obtained through the use of this straight tone. It creates the false security of having achieved something because it will not have the capabilities of singing a true forte without forcing the voice and it will not have the warmth to be interesting. It is a white tone with little capacity for beauty. When forced to a very loud volume it becomes harsh and generally has an edge to the sound.

There are a number of vocal exercises that can be used with a choir to stimulate and create a warm, lyric tone. Several of these are provided in the module regarding warm-ups for the choir.

Some choral directors use vocal warm-ups at the beginning of a rehearsal because they believe the warm-ups will make the student's voice ready for intensive rehearsal. Some of these directors use the same warm-up exercises in every rehearsal and strive to obtain maximum results with their use.

Other choral directors use warm-up exercises only because they think they are supposed to use them. They do not have a planned use for them but use them because they do not know what else to do to start the rehearsal.

The use of vocal exercises only to free the singer's voices and ready them for rehearsal is an inefficient use of rehearsal time. While it is true that these two factors are important, it is equally as true that much more can be gained through the use of this time. Try to incorporate some rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic elements from the music that is being rehearsed into some of the opening exercises. This does not mean that this must be done with each exercise or all of the time, but that one exercise can be slanted to a particular rehearsal problem. This can be done with just a little planning and the use of a chalkboard.

One example of this is a passage that this author used as an exercise to develop cleanly articulated runs for several weeks before the music from which it was taken was even distributed. It was apparent that it (and one other similar passage) would cause rehearsal problems because both were to be sung at a moderately fast tempo, and by the basses, often the least flexible section of the choir.

Figure 6.2. 

The passage given in figure 1 was placed on the chalkboard twice and sung by all voices on several vowels and syllables. It was even sung once or twice on the text "dispersit." This was done at various moments in several rehearsals to change from one style to another style of repertoire or as a beginning exercise. After the second time it was not necessary to write it for the students. When it was finally introduced later as part of a work, it had already been learned and needed no further attention. When this is done, no mention will need to be made of its existence in any piece. The students will be aware of it when it occurs in a selection, or it can be mentioned when the piece is introduced.

This use of actual music in exercises can be done with many pieces of music and in a variety of ways. It can save valuable rehearsal time and make learning easier and more enjoyable for both the choir and the director. The example shown above is a bit extreme in range and one may desire a less extreme exercise.

Several general exercises are listed below that can be used to open a rehearsal or can also be used any time during the rehearsal. Each of them is discussed briefly. Although the exercises are notated in one key, they can be transposed to any key and moved by half or whole steps through various parts of the student's range.

A few general comments about the use of exercises is needed first. It is best not to use the same exercises every day. No matter what they are, they can become boring. Mix the exercises, but mix them so, over a period of one to two months, the ones that are basic to the development of a good tone occur in a steady cycle. Do not hesitate to use exercises at points in the rehearsal other than the beginning. After some strenuous singing, exercises can let the singer relax the throat and, once again, unify the choral tone.

Which exercise to use depends on the point the ensemble has reached in its choral development. Some directors remark publicly that, ". . . no matter what choir I conduct, I always use these two exercises, . . . ." Any conductor who makes this statement is ignoring the capabilities and differences of singers. It makes no more sense than saying, ". . .no matter what choir I conduct, I always use the same piece of music." There are some choirs at the college level that can achieve a desirable choral tone through choral repertoire without the aid of exercises per se. This is probably not true of high school or most church choirs, however.

There is also no reason that some rehearsals cannot begin without exercises. If the director chooses carefully, the students can free the throat and warm up the voice using a piece of music instead of a vocalize. One does not have to use the text of a piece all the time, but can have the choir sing the parts on any given vowel. In this manner the director can rehearse the notes and rhythm of a piece and still get the voices warmed up.

Another important aspect of the opening part of the rehearsal is that of tuning up. The warm-up is a tune-up also. Sometimes the students do not need to have the voices warmed-up but they do need to tune-up, refining the use of their voices within a choral ensemble toward a unified goal. This aspect should not be ignored because it is the part that helps to reorient students to the rehearsal. The moment a student begins to refine the use of his voice, to listen to the vowel color, to listen to the voices of others, and to contribute to a choral tone that has beauty and warmth, he will have turned his mind on to the choral rehearsal.

Work for a choral tone that has ringing resonance and a deep, rich warmth. This is much easier to say than to do. It is the tone that most choral conductors are aiming for. This tone will not happen accidentally, although one will occasionally have students who, without any prior training, sing with a tone that is very close to that desired. Usually these students cannot maintain the tone consistently throughout their range; good voice training will help gain that control.

Choirs need both the forward resonance and the depth. Several exercises can be used to help acquire both. Figure 2, the first figure, is an exercise that can be used to develop a focused tone with a forward placement. Have the singers accent the h and go immediately to the hum. Each singer should make the abdominal muscles tense at the attack. Cue the singers to move slowly from the m to the ee. Tell them to try to maintain the ring or buzz of the m in the ee. This is a good exercise for the first part of the year when extra attention will also be given to breathing, and at any time to overcome breathiness.

Figure 6.3. 

Another similar exercise that serves much the same purpose as the above is shown in figure 2, the second figure.

Let the first note be held on the "ning" sound. Change smoothly to the ee and hold as long as desired. The first note should not be accented but should be started with a clear attack. After you are convinced that you are getting the best possible sound on the ee, let the students sing from hm or ning to ee and then to eh. The next step is to add an ah vowel to both of the above—from ee, to eh, to ah. This is the most difficult transition to make. Most often the forward ping in the tone is lost when the ah is begun. The tone seems to fall down in the mouth as the ah is reached. Some imagery will be valuable here. Try to suggest the image that the vowel "stands up" in the mouth, that it is then alert and has forward resonance. The tone needs to follow a path up the back of the mouth, over (following the roof of the mouth), and out, just below the upper teeth. This ca