Between the Staves: Choral Questions, Candid Answers, is fresh take on the classic advice column—this time for all things choral music! Modeled after the beloved “Dear Sally” format, this blog will answer your questions about choral music education, performance, and leadership. Whether you’re curious about vocal technique, rehearsal tips, repertoire selection, or the “other” side of our profession (business, fundraising, scheduling, recruiting, communication, audio engineering, etc.!), Between the Staves will have you covered.
This Month’s Question Is:
I have a number of singers with inconsistent ears. They can match pitch most of the time, but many have issues with accuracy around their passaggio. What strategies do you have to help them sing in tune more consistently?–From a teacher in a rural community in the Midwest, who teaches 7-12 grade choir.
This Month’s Responses Are:
The premise of “inconsistent ears” is puzzling. If students can “match pitch” most of the time, then the ears are probably not the problem. It is more than likely vocal technique and/or voice change issues.
Start with high to low “sirens” so the students can experience register changes without focus on pitch.
Find a series of pitches in a higher place in the voice (upper register if you will) where the students are “matching” well. Then work in a slow downward pattern into the lower place in the voice. The key is slow work.
After doing the above exercises, work on stopping and holding pitch on the trouble spots.
I would do all of this on an “oo” vowel first then work on other vowels.
If these singers are in voice change, pitch matching could take a considerable amount of time. They are learning how to use a “new instrument.” Similar to when a string player up sizes from 1/2 to 3/4 etc. There is a significant period of time wherein the students play out of tune as they adjust to the new instrument.
Program a unison piece and spend significant time on tone and tuning with that piece. Work regularly without text and paying attention to pure vowels. (I am currently doing this with a seventh grade choir that is struggling with tone and intonation issues).
Work on simple short melodies (simple canons) in unison and then in canon a cappella. Change keys so that students can slowly move the melody into less comfortable areas of their voices. I do this regularly and build this into warm ups and I often program these canons.
Ron Korbitz
Choir and General Music for Hill Middle School, Madrigal Ensemble assistant director for Matea Valley High School
34 years experience in elementary and middle school
The zona di passaggio, is what many colloquially call “the break” because it’s a point of “passage” or transition. And the reason there’s a break in sound is because a bad baton handoff occurs between two muscle groups, the ones in charge of the low (thyroarytenoid) and the ones in charge of the high (cricothyroid). Science and fancy anatomy aside, the relationship of these two muscles needs to be strengthened and bonded. I suggest having basses and tenors starting on a F3 and then performing vocal intervals of a fifth and back down on an [o] vowel. At first, mitigate any sliding and have a clean break between the leap. This will help with laryngeal tilt and will keep the larynx low, despite a flight upwards. At the first chance of a “pulled” sound, usually occurring at an E flat, have the singer flip into head tone. It might sound weak and frail, and you need to be okay with that before it gets stronger. The reason for the [o] vowel is because the passagio tends to respond better to back and closed vowels. The [o] vowel, next to [u] provides the lowest laryngeal position or tilt as well, as opposed to an [ i ] vowel, which carries the larynx the highest–avoid this through the passagio.
When the singer gets stronger from the leaps up and down of a fifth, start adding in a slide/portamento between the two and monitor the larynx so that it stays low. This is the final step, in my opinion.
The other thing that I’d consider is starting the tenor and bass voice up pretty high around a B5 in head tone and do a five note descending scale on a comfortable vowel (I use [ i ] plus a schua) and keep moving down by half steps, having them stay in head voice as long as possible. Most choir directors don’t do this for many reasons, but instead push the chest voice up as high as possible with no thought of working from the top down to develop the cricothyroid muscle more. Because after all, few young men are speaking up there in their everyday voice, hence the weak passaggio and above. Happy to zoom and discuss this further.
Dr. Chris Nakielski
Director of Choral Activities, Cornell College
Sixth year at the institution, 19th year in teaching overall
When singers have generally good pitch–matching skills but struggle around the passaggio, the issue is usually more about vocal function than anything else. Here are a few strategies I’ve used that tend to help:
1. Stabilize the register transition.
Have them slide slowly through their passaggio on semi–occluded sounds (like lip trills, straw phonation, NG, etc.). These help even out pressure and encourage a cleaner shift so the voice doesn’t “grab” or get breathy—both of which cause intonation issues.
2. Work pitch exercises inside the passaggio.
Isolate 3–5 note patterns that cross the tricky point (e.g., 5–4–3–2–1 descending). Start on a comfortable vowel like oo or eh to encourage a more balanced setup. Go slowly and remind them to aim for lighter rather than louder in the upper notes.
3. Use a visual reference.
I use the app “Singscope” that plots the pitch and intensity of what is being sung. I will sing the note correctly and the student can see it on the display. Then I ask the student to match it as they’re watching their sound production displayed on the screen in real-time. It allows them to make adjustments in the moment and get instant feedback. I find that they can typically dial in the right pitch more easily using this method.
Chris Johnson,
6–8 Vocal Music Teacher, Gilbert Middle School (Gilbert, Iowa)
25th year in education
Most pitch matching challenges stem from active listening, consistent airflow, appropriate vocal weight through the passaggio, and the simple processing time students need before reproducing a pitch. To build these skills, I begin with foundational work: establishing relaxed, balanced posture, then using rhythmic breath patterns on a gentle “sh” to create awareness of airflow and support. Sirens help students experience the break without pressure, first bottom-up to locate the shift, then top-down to bring the lighter mechanism of head voice into chest voice. This is especially important for new tenors and basses, who often carry too much weight or tension through the passaggio; beginning in light head voice or falsetto, using an F-major triad above middle C on an S–M–D pattern on “pwee,” helps them blend registers more smoothly. Ascending first and then descending through the vocal break allows students to experience register shifts with security and without added tension. Practical tools such as five-note descending “oo” patterns, adding a soft “p” for clean airflow, and simple listening aids like tubaloos or ear-cupping strengthen both awareness and accuracy. When focusing on individual notes, a clear three-step process of listen, breathe, and sing helps students gain the focus and time needed to listen, process, and replicate pitch consistently.
Michael Snyder
Director of Choruses at Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek, Georgia
22nd year of teaching
Additional resources for developing voices:
8.072 “The Changing Voice: The Elementary Challenge,” by Wesley S. Coffman. October 1987, page 5. An examination of the cambiata concept of Irvin Cooper as it applies to the elementary school singer. A companion article to 8.073, 8.074 and 8.075.
8.073 “The Changing Voice: The Middle/Junior High Challenge,” by Eva Adcock. October 1987, page 9. An examination of the cambiata concept of Irvin Cooper as it applies to students in the middle school and junior high school. A companion article to 8.072, 8.074 and 8.075.
8.074 “The Changing Voice: The High School Challenge,” by Don L. Collins. October 1987, page 13. An examination of the cambiata concept of Irvin Cooper as it applies to the singer on the high school level. A companion article to 8.072, 8.073 and 8.075.
8.075 “The Changing Voice: A Future Challenge,” by Don L. Collins. October 1987, page 19. The development and philosophy of The Cambiata Vocal Music Institute of America is discussed. A companion article to 8.072, 8.073 and 8.074.
8.078 “Finding the Child’s Singing Voice,” by Olaf M. Frodsham. April 1988, page 32. A discussion on helping the very young singer learn how to match pitch.
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