Free Download: Vary Your Vocal Workouts with Different Intervals
There are certain patterns you hear very often in vocal exercises, usually involving the root, third, and fifth of the scale. I use these patterns most often myself, in lessons. But it's good to exercise other intervals and other degrees of the scale too!
I found this to be important recently while recording a tune for a jazz album I'm doing with Pete Hartley. I was landing on the wrong note in certain phrases because I was out of training for singing certain intervals quickly.
So, instead of an article today, I just have some free downloads for you. These vocal exercise backing tracks include minor scales and degrees of the scale other than the root, third, and fifth - in particular the minor third, the fourth, and the dominant and major seventh. Next week I will provide more downloads focusing on other notes in the scale such as the second, flat second, sixth, and tritone (flat fifth).
Use any common syllable(s) to exercise with them: mah, ee, nay, meow, bup, ah, muh... the point is to tune your voice exactly to these less commonly used intervals.
Each of these scales covers both the male and female range; you should NOT be able to sing every pitch. Stop singing when the exercise is out of your range.
- Minor third
- Minor third with major seventh
- Minor third with dominant seventh
- Fourth
- Major and minor second
- Sixth
- Tritone
(c) 2011 Adrienne Osborn
Adrienne Osborn is a vocalist and performance coach based in Colorado. For more free articles and tips, visit http://PerformanceHigh.net.
Adrienne Osborn
Reader Comments (2)
These are awesome Adrienne! Exactly what we've been talking about to help build flexibility. I'm glad you created different tempos of each exercise. Without really paying attention, I clicked on the fast Minor Third, Major Seventh exercise and almost blew a gasket! LOL I like that you can start slow, build accuracy and then as you get warmed up, move to the faster tempos. I look forward to the next set of downloads.
LOL! The fast ones are indeed fast. :-p