Ev'rybody can sing!

Grete Bjerketvedt

Ev’rybody Can Sing!

About the Book Singing instruction, especially teaching it, is an important part of my life. Through trial and error, I’ve developed a method of working that I can vouch for. By writing this down, I have gained an overview of my own particular pedagogy.

What may be considered a good and natural way of singing is totally individual. Working with song and voice production must come from an inner need to sing your own personal song with your own unique voice.

In this book, I have made suggestions of how to think and given practical help towards self-expression through song. What manner of help a singer needs is completely individual. There is no right or wrong. Be true to the inner song within yourself!

Expressing oneself through singing and music must stem from an inner need.

Ev’rybody Can Sing, consists of two parts. In the first part I present “My Method”. In the second part practical examples are given on how to use “My Method”. The practical examples are presented in five cases through five singers who sing in different genres.

The book is introduced by reflections on different aspects of singing instruction. Some questions addressed are: what principles are at the core of my teaching? How aware am I of the needs of the individual singer?

In the methodology section, I refer to a philosophy of cooperation as the basis for my teaching. In this way the singer’s unique voice and expression are discovered. The singer’s own wishes and needs lay the premises for the lessons. Only by being open to good communication will it be possible to create a fruitful working atmosphere.

Ev’rybody Can Sing, is completely based on my personal way of thinking and teaching. Therefore, there is no reference to documentation that supports professional assertions. But it goes without saying that my principal idea is built on a common knowledge of singing which I have acquired in different situations, and which I have adapted and woven into my own ways of thinking and teaching.

The method I base my teaching on is the same regardless of age or level. The singers I work with are from 16 years of age and well into adulthood. The book is therefore aimed at a wide audience. A lot of the instruction involves raising the student’s awareness of the physical aspects associated wih using the voice as a “human” instrument.

Ev’rybody Can Sing, was mainly intended for use in my own pedagogical instruction. Yet I feel that all types of singing coaches will find the book useful when working with singers who use their voice as an instrument of expression, be it singing for pleasure, voice instruction, singing in different genres, acting or song and dance etc.

In this book, I have given concrete advice as well as my own recipes for self-study when working with songs and texts both technically and expressively. Hopefully, everyone who sings will be able to use the book in its entirety or in part.

Februar 2018 Sarpsborg, Norway Grete Bjerketvedt

Table of Contents Part 1 My Method,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

SPELLDÅSEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Summery of «Spelldåsen»/The Music Box . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Beginnings of My Life as a Singing Coach . . . . . . . . 14 Reflections on My Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 A Platform for Singing Pedagogy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Work Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Lesson Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Concept of the Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Singer as a Musician and Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Approaches to Singing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 A Natural Starting Point for Singing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 MY METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Meeting the Singer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 “The Chat” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 True Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Man’s Inherent Tool Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Increasing Awareness of Voice Type and “Pitch” . . . . . . . 39 Increasing Awareness of the Singer’s Inherent Tool Kit . . . 42 Articulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Articulation, diction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Articulation, consonants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Articulation, vowels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Working with lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 The Art of Articulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

The Mandible Joint – The Starting Point for the Entire Function of the Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The Mandible Joint as a Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The Active, Flexible Mandible Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The Mandible Joint as a Starting Point for the Formation of Vowels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 The Mandible Joint as a Tool for Tonal Dynamics. . . . . . . 51 The Mandible Joint as a part of the Vocal Apparatus . . . . . 52 Various Music Genres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Expression and Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 THE TOOL KIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 The Basic Physical Function of the Vocal Apparatus . . . . 61 Partial Functions of the Vocal Apparatus . . . . . . . . . . . 61 The Vocal Apparatus as a Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Exercises -The Function of Breathing . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Increasing Awareness of the Physical Process of Breathing In and Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Breathing In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 «Teamwork» between the muscles of the Breathing Apparatus, Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 The Abdominal Muscles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Singing Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Inhalation in Song, Exercise 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Vocal Cords and the Muscles of the Larynx, Exercise 2 Creating Resonance, Exercise 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mandible Joint, Exercise 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Melismata and The Tongue, Exercise 5 . . . . . . . . . . .

Voice Volume, Exercise 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Singing in a High Register, Exercise 7 . . . . . . . . . . .

Articulation, Exercise 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Legato, Exercise 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Organs of Articulation, Exercise 10 . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . .

65 66 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 76

Physical Training, Exercise 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 THE MUSIC BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Part II My Method in Practice

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 CASE I, CLASSICAL SINGING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Helen’s Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Work Processes with Classical Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 “Solveigs Sang”/“Solveig’s Song” by Edvard Grieg . . . . . . 85 “Die Nachtigall”/“The Nightingale” by Alban-Berg . . . . . . 88 “Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen”/ “Exult in God in Every Land” by J.S. Bach . . . . . . . . . 91 CASE II, SINGING OPERETTAS AND MUSICALS . . . . . . . 94 Andrew’s Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Work Processes with Musicals and Operettas . . . . . . . . 98 “Da geh` ich zu Maxim”/“I Go to Maxim’s” by Franz Lehàr . 98 “Bui-Doi” by Claude-Michel Schönberg . . . . . . . . . . . 101 “Bring Him Home” from Les Misèrables by Claude-Michel Schönberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 CASE III, POP AND ROCK SONGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Chris’s Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Work Processes with Pop and Rock songs . . . . . . . . . . 111 “Lately” by Stevie Wonder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury . . . . . . . . . 114 “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 CASE IV, JAZZ SINGING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Eva’s Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Work Processes with Jazz Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 “They Can’t Take that Away from Me” by George Gershwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 “Desafinado” by Antonio Carlos Jobim . . . . . . . . . . . 127 “Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most”

by Tommy Wolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 CASE V, CHRISTAN SONGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Grete’s Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Repertoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Work Processes with Christian Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 “Softly and Tenderly” by Will Lambartine Thompson . . . . 138 “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by Civilla Martin . . . . . . . 141 “Shine Your Light on Me” by Tore Wilhelm Aas and Jan Leonard Groth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 ADDITIONAL SINGING EXERCISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Lyrics and Quotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Ev’rybody Can Sing - a personal touch . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

MY METHOD

“My Method” is the result of continually having tried to take a step or two back in order to gain an overview of how the teaching situation functions. “My method” is entirely based on my own experiences and strongly influenced by singing and pedagogical circles at home and abroad. But, in a teaching situation I am the textbook and everything depends on me. Naturally, I have my own idea of what a singer should be and how singing should be performed.

Many of my opinions have been voiced in the previous pages, but in “My Method” I want to spell out my way of working. Explanations and exercises go hand in hand.

Meeting the Singer

As a singing coach, I meet practitioners of acting, dance and song who wish to perfect themselves through voice coaching.

Experience has taught me that it is important to allow for a holistic approach to singing and voice development. The human voice is a part of a physical and mental whole but its sound is distinct and unique for each person.

Lessons are based on working together extensively. This provides the foundation for expression within the genre or musical environment the singer feels is right for him/her. Quite simply, the focus should be on the person and their enthusiasm for singing, their need for personal expression of their talent.

Some rules I try to keep to in a teaching situation are that: • I am not “God” who wants to create the singer in his own image • I shall show respect for the singer’s distinctive character, expression, voice and choice of genre • I shall not lecture the singer, but learn from him/her • I shall work together with the singer • I shall create a good atmosphere for mutual communication • I shall not fear the unknown, but take it as an exciting challenge • I shall take the singer seriously • I shall take my own work seriously • I shall use my knowledge and experience in a way suitable to each singer • I shall increase my knowledge in order that the singer benefits from his/her lessons • I shall work on the singer’s own terms with regards to his/her taste in music and choice of genre • I shall, through constructive discussions with the singer, motivate him/her to experiment with various genres in order to understand broader musical expressions. This in turn will strengthen the singer’s own area of expression and talent.

THE TOOL KIT

The Tool Kit, consists of two parts. Part one is a simple introduction to the basic structure and function of the vocal apparatus together with exercises. Part two consists of singing exercises. The different exercises are designed to raise the singer’s awareness of how the voice actually works at the same time as improving voice strength and agility. After each exercise, there is a description of why and how the exercise should be done.

In “My Method” one finds references to relevant exercises in, The Tool Kit. Although some exercises have not been referred to; they will still be practised for the purpose of placing them into the structured whole that “My Method” is built on.

The exercise consists of singing bahm on each note in a downward major scale from, for example, a1. After the last bahm, in the scale, the mandible joint relaxes so that the jaw is slightly lowered and the mouth opens. At the same time the jaw drops, a chain reaction takes place in the vocal apparatus. First, the excess air is let out. Then, the soft palate, the larynx and muscles controlling inhalation (the sequence is not important) are activated so the lungs fill with air, and the vocal apparatus is ready to produce new tones. Everything takes place quickly until one is ready to sing the exercises again.

The exercise is repeated starting a semitone higher each time until 2 the start tone reached is f .

Inhalation with “dropping the jaw” Exercise Sing ah, as in father.

1

## & # 44 œ

œ

Sing "ah" as in "father"

Inhalation with "dropping the jaw"

bahm

œ

bahm

œ

bahm

œ

bahm

bahm

œ

bahm

œ

bahm

œ

bahm

In a song, relaxing the jaw should be done in relation to the song’s rhythmical pulse. In this way the air flows quickly and easily into the lungs, and slowly out again to be transformed into tones.

The Vocal Cords and the Muscles of the Larynx, Exercise 2 The muscles that stretch and relax the vocal cords need strength and elasticity. The vocal cords need to be stretched and slackened because they will constantly be adjusted to various pitches. Stiff and untrained vocal cords have a limited range and make the music sound unclear and unrefined.

A good exercise for stretching and relaxing is to slide from note to note, for example, on the vowel ah. Don’t stay on one note, but slide through the notes up and down in pitch in one long glissando.

Glissando exercises are to be practised within a small range of notes. After a while the range is extended little by little. We have to be careful not to force the voice, causing the musculature and vocal cords become tired. If that happens, the tone will sound breathy

and hoarse, because the muscles and vocal cords lack the strength to close the gap between the vocal cords (the glottis).

Glissando is also a good method for working with legato singing.

It creates a flexible transition from noteExercise_2.musxorr-1.musx, to note during the entire Page 1 melodic progression.

Exercise 2

Glissando Sing ah, as in father.

ah

ah

ah

œ

ah

ah

ah

œ

~~

œ

ah

œ

~~~

ah

œ~~ ~~~ œ

~

œ~

ah

œ ~~ œ ~~~~ ~~ œ

ah

œ

~~

œ ~~~ ahœ ~~~ ahœ

ah

~~ œ ~~~

~~~

Glissando

~~~

## 3 & # 4

Sing "ah" as in "father"

ah

ah

Creating Resonance, Exercise 3

Exercise 3a In order to create resonance, we begin with increasing awareness of only the head voice. This is done by closing the mouth and placing the tip of the tongue behind the teeth of the lower jaw. The remaining part of the tongue is placed against the roots of the teeth in the upper jaw and against the hard palate. With the mouth closed and the tongue in place, the voiced nasal tone m, is hummed. All the sounding air has room to resonate freely through the throat and in the cavities of the head. The tongue stays in place the entire time, but in order for the root of the tongue not to stiffen, the tongue rubs forward and backward against the hard palate, while one hums m.

Exercise 3b In order to achieve resonance in the oral cavity, or resonance in all the cavities situated over the larynx, in addition to resonance in the cranial cavity, one can hum m with the tongue lying normally in the lower jaw.

Melismata and Tongue, Exercise 5 The root of the tongue can literally be the root of many a problem.

When tension arises in the root of the tongue, the tongue is drawn backwards into the throat. The sonorous air gets very little space to resonate in and to pass through. Tension in the root of the tongue can spread throughout the whole vocal apparatus. It becomes difficult to sing because the mobility of the muscles is reduced. The root of the tongue can be massaged by applying gentle pressure with the thumb to the sore points under the chin.

Exercise 5a By singing yeh, on one note, the tongue will become loose and supple.

The note is sung anywhere between c1, and g1, depending on the singer’s Pitch. The tip of the tongue has contact with the lower front teeth the entire time. Repeat, yeh, slowly at first. Increase speed by allowing the tongue to move with very small movements. After having practised a while, the tempo will become so fast that it1can feel Exercise_5a.musxrr-1.musx, Page like the tongue is vibrating against the teeth.

Flexible Tongue Exercise 5a Sing, ye, as in yet and, eh, asasin in bet.

Sing "ye" "yet" and "eh" as in "bet"

& 44 œ

Flexible Tongue

yeh

œ

yeh

œ

yeh

œ

yeh

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

yeh yeh yeh yeh - etc.

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Exercise 5b Melismata is the singing of several different notes on one vowel sound. It demands a rapid, supple and flexible voice production.

Exercises 5a, and, 5b, are good starting exercises to sing melismata.

But it is necessary to practise several notes in a row. The exercise is sung on yaw. The series of notes is sung with an airy voice,

(almost only overtones) in the beginning. With practice the voice is “filled” to a full voice. At the start, take a breath after each series of notes (two bars). Then sing two and two tonal sequences on one breath, and three and four. This exercise builds endurance with Exercise_5b.musxrr-1.musx, Page 1 regards to breathing and a quick, flexible tone production.

Flexible and Quick Tongue Sing, ye, as in yet and, aw,Exercise as in saw.

5b

Sing "ye" as in "yet" and "aw" as in"saw"

Flexible and Quick Tongue

& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw

3

&

5

&

œœœœœ œœœ˙

yaw

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

yaw yaw

yaw

yaw yaw

yaw

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

7

yaw yaw

yaw

While working with the tongue, it is important to keep the mandible joint flexible. It is practically impossible to achieve a loose and free tongue without a flexible mandible joint.

Voice Volume, Exercise 6 Exercises 3a, and, 3b, pg. 67, and, Exercises 3c, and, 3d, pg. 68, are good for achieving greater volume. Different genres of music call for different ways of using the body’s own resonance to project the voice. Opera and operetta demand maximal resonance and volume.

Musicals, pop and rock all use microphones to amplify the voice.

Whatever the genre, it is healthy to learn about the body’s resonance capabilities. (See, Various Music Genres, pg. 54) All the head cavities should be open so that the sonorous air receives free passage. The throat cavity is the first cavity the sound comes to, and is of vital importance for the voice’s resonance capa-

ADDITIONAL SINGING EXERCISES In Ev’rybody Can Sing, there are only a limited number of singing exercises. The additional exercises below are to be used for variation and increasing awareness of the aims of each singing exercise in Part I My Method. A recording demonstrating the singing exercises below has been included.

Inhalation in Song, Exercise 1, (See 65) Inhalation i Song Exercisepg.

1a.musx,__Pitch_.musx, Page 1

Exercise 1a

Sing legato in a medium tempo. Inhalation with "dropping the jaw" during the pauses.

Sing "oo" as in "moon", "ee" as in "meet" and "ah" as in "father".

F & 38 œ œ ‰ too - oo tee - ee tah - ah

œ œ ‰

œ œ ‰

too - oo tee - ee tah - ah

œ œ ‰

œ œ ‰

œ œ ‰

œ œ

‰

Inhalation in Song, Exercise 1b.musx_Pitch_.musx, Page 1

Exercise 1b

Sing legato in a slow tempo. Inhale and "drop the jaw" at the breathing signs.

P 4 &4 œ œ œ œ

Do Re Mi Fa

w

Sol

,

U, Uœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Sol La

Si Do

Do Si

La Sol

Sol Fa Mi Re

w

Do

Inhalation in Song, Exercise 1c.musx_Pitch_.musx, Page 1

Exercise 1c

Sing fast, light and lively. Inhale and "drop the jaw" during the pauses.

Sing "ah" as in "father".

F œ œ 3 & 8 œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ. vah - ah - ah

vah - ah - ah

148

The Vocal Cords and the Muscles ofthethe Vocal Cords and Muscles Larynx, of Larynx, Exercise 2b.musxmusx, Page 1 Exercise 2, (See pg. 66)

Exercise 2a

Sing lightly and lively in a fast tempo.

Sing "oo" as in "moon"

p 4 &4 œ

œ

^œ

œ.

œ.

œ œ. œ. ^œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ w œ œ

moo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo - oo

moo - Muscles -of themoo Vocal Cords and the Larynx, Exercise 2b.musx, Page 1

Exercise 2b

P 4 &4 œ œ yeh

yah

Sing legato in a moderate tempo.

Sing "ye" as in "yet", "eh" as in "bet" and "ah" as in "father".

˙

œ

œ

yeh

yeh

˙

yah

,

˙

œ

yeh

yeh

yah

œ œ

œ œ œ œ ˙

Vocalyah Cords the yah Muscles the Larynx, Exercise 2c.musx, Page 1 yahandyah yah ofyah yah

Exercise 2c

F 2 &4 œ œ

yaw aw

Sing in various tempos.

Sing "ye" as in "yet" and "aw" as in "saw"

œ. œ.

aw aw

œ œ

yaw aw

˙

yaw

œ

œ. œ.

yaw aw

aw aw

œ

œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙

yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw yaw

yaw

Invoking Resonance, Exercise 3a.musxsx.musxxise 2b.musxmusx, Page

Creating Resonance, Exercise 3, (See pg. 67)

Exercise 3a

Hum "m" and place the "oo" in the same resonance cavity.

Sing "oo" as in "moon"

1) F 2 &2 w

2)

˙ ˙

moo

10

5)

&˙

moo

3)

moo moo

˙

moo

˙

moo

˙ ˙

w

moo

˙

moo

˙ ˙

moo moo

w

moo

moo moo

6)

˙

moo

˙

moo

149

4)

˙ ˙

w

moo

˙

moo

moo moo

˙ moo

˙

moo

˙ ˙

w

moo moo

˙

moo

moo

w

moo