Becoming Aware Of The Breath (with Michaela Bartoskova)
If singing seems scary, what about breathing? Discover a “so easy you can’t fail” route into singing successfully in this episode.
Pitch
Pitch is one of the most fundamental aspects of music, and developing your ear for pitch is an excellent starting point and area of focus for musical ear training.
Before you work on more advanced skills like relative pitch (interval recognition etc.) spend some time honing your pure sense of pitch: how high or low a note is.
This brings a range of benefits, including:
- Better ability to tune your instrument, pick up on any tuning problems, and fix them directly
- Improved ability to “blend” your voice when singing with others (e.g. in a choir or a cappella group)
- More sophisticated appreciation of, and control over pitch manipulations (such as bends, vibrato and pitch slides)
Improving your sense of pitch lets you build a very solid foundation for the important skills of relative pitch, and improves your overall musicianship by giving you a more accurate sense of tuning and pitch accuracy in all musical situations.
Tone Deafness
Many people (including musicians!) worry that they might be tone deaf. Tone deafness is a real condition but it affects an incredibly small number of people. So before exploring pitch ear training it’s worth learning about what tone deafness truly is and isn’t, and discover whether you are in fact tone deaf or not.
→ Learn about Tone Deafness
Singing in Tune
One reason musicians start pitch ear training is to help them sing in tune. Once you know you’re not tone deaf, what if you still sing off-key or out of tune? The answer is that you need to learn to match pitch, develop vocal control and learn to sing confidently, reliably and accurately.
→ Learn how to Sing in Tune
Free articles about Pitch
WHY Every Musician Must Sing (Inside The Book)
If you’ve ever heard that every musician must sing, here’s exactly why, and the specific concrete benefits it will bring you in music.
Q&A: I sometimes get the notes wrong when I sing – what can I do?
Musical U founder, Christopher Sutton talks about the three step process to singing the right notes. Learn to increase your vocal accuracy and musicality.
The Biology Of Musicality, with Prof. Henkjan Honing
Professor Henkjan Honing, a leading researcher of biomusicology, shares results from his research on how human musicality works and where it comes from.
In Perfect Swinging Harmony, with The Quebe Sisters
We’re joined by The Quebe Sisters who share how they write and arrange harmony parts and the relationship between ear skills and theory.
Rewind: Singing
The Musical U Team shares the most powerful lessons from past episodes on singing. Tune in for some tips to free up your voice and build confidence.
Foundations Of A Musical Mind Is Open!
The popular Foundations of A Musical Mind course is back – and enrolment is now open! Reserve your place and get ready to level up your musicianship.
Singing Is Your Birthright
There is almost a 100% chance that you are not tone-deaf, and are therefore capable of becoming a great singer. Learn about the mental model that can help!
A Better Mental Model for Pitch
There’s a better way to learn pitch than with intervals – a more intuitive, ear-friendly, and effective system called solfa. Get introduced!
The Secret to “Good” Singing
Singing isn’t about whether your voice sounds “good”, but rather how you feel when you’re singing, and whether you’re getting the tone and emotion you want.
Making Sight Singing Child’s Play, with Dale Duncan
Singing teacher Dale Duncan shares his inclusive and highly effective approach to helping his students integrate pitch and rhythm skills in sight-singing.
Singing and Science: Busting Myths with Allan Hubert-Wright
Le Chanteur Moderne founder Allan Hubert-Wright busts some pervasive singing myths, and gives you the facts on correct breathing, vocal support, and more.
