Beautiful tone is the desired result of all good singing. Understanding the vocal mechanism and its unique capabilities will lead to this result. Good singers need to develop an awareness of 1) breath control, 2) tonal support, 3) voice placement, 4) tone quality, 5) tonal resonance, 6) intonation, 7) balance and blend when singing with others, 8) diction, 9) sensitivity to the music and lyrics, and 10) stylistic authenticity.
No matter what type or style of music being performed (Bach, rock, opera, jazz, etc.), the basic concepts of good singing always apply. Good singing technique does not change with the style of music; what changes is the approach to the basic musical concepts as they apply to that particular style of music. This means a change in approach to 1) tone, 2) diction, 3) rhythmic interpretation, 4) articulation, and 5) sensitivity to the lyrics.
We all know the difference between a voice teacher and a vocal coach, but many of our students do not. We encourage our singers to take private voice lessons and we advise our advance students to work with a vocal coach. When this is not possible, we bring the teacher/coach into our group lessons and masterclasses. In this way, we avoid vocal abuse and encourage good vocal technique and health. In essence, we all benefit-our choirs sing better and sound better!
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