Chapter 6Chapter 6

Vocal MusicVocal Music

The Uniqueness of VoiceThe Uniqueness of Voice

Voice part of individual’s personality; many Voice part of individual’s personality; many factors shape and refine one’s performancefactors shape and refine one’s performance timbre, register, culture, style of musictimbre, register, culture, style of music

Vocal RangesVocal RangesRegisterRegister FemaleFemale Male Male

HighestHighest ColoraturaColoratura CountertenorCountertenor

High High SopranoSoprano TenorTenor

MidMid Mezzo-sopranoMezzo-soprano BaritoneBaritone

LowLow ContraltoContralto Bass Bass

Marian AndersonMarian Anderson Grew up in Philadelphia singing in church Grew up in Philadelphia singing in church

choirschoirs Studied music and achieved great Studied music and achieved great

renown in Europerenown in Europe Suffered from great racial prejudice back Suffered from great racial prejudice back

in USin US Refused permission to perform at Refused permission to perform at

prestigious concert hall in Washington, DCprestigious concert hall in Washington, DC 11stst Lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for Lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for

concert to be held at Lincoln Memorialconcert to be held at Lincoln Memorial

Andrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli

Italian TenorItalian Tenor Born in Tuscany and began singing at Born in Tuscany and began singing at

early ageearly age Went blind after being hit in head by ballWent blind after being hit in head by ball Graduated from law school, but chose to Graduated from law school, but chose to

pursue music career insteadpursue music career instead One of several famous crossover tenorsOne of several famous crossover tenors

Crossover – Opera and Crossover – Opera and PopPop

Trained opera singers moving into pop Trained opera singers moving into pop music marketmusic market

Charlotte ChurchCharlotte Church Records sales topping 10 million albumsRecords sales topping 10 million albums By age 14, had performed for many heads of By age 14, had performed for many heads of

statestate Youngest solo artist to have a record in Top Youngest solo artist to have a record in Top

3030

Voices in Your School Voices in Your School CommunityCommunity

Most high schools have choirsMost high schools have choirs Concert choir, show choir, jazz choir, gospel choir, etc.Concert choir, show choir, jazz choir, gospel choir, etc. Can bring school sense of pride, accomplishment, and Can bring school sense of pride, accomplishment, and

enjoymentenjoyment Musical texturesMusical textures

Polyphonic – independent melodies that stand alonePolyphonic – independent melodies that stand alone Homophonic – melody supported by harmonic Homophonic – melody supported by harmonic

accompanimentaccompaniment Monophonic – melody without accompaniment or Monophonic – melody without accompaniment or

harmonyharmony

Using Your Voice to Using Your Voice to Express YourselfExpress Yourself

Some of humanity’s most profound Some of humanity’s most profound thoughts expressed through musicthoughts expressed through music

Performing both exhilarating and Performing both exhilarating and demandingdemanding Develop control and confidenceDevelop control and confidence Must be certain of high level of musical Must be certain of high level of musical

qualityquality Great deal of practice and repetition until Great deal of practice and repetition until

piece of music is masteredpiece of music is mastered

AudiationAudiation

Musicians audiate before performanceMusicians audiate before performance Hear music in your “mind’s ear”Hear music in your “mind’s ear” Composers think sounds before writing Composers think sounds before writing

them downthem down Internalize pitches and rhythms of a Internalize pitches and rhythms of a

melodymelody

Singing A CapellaSinging A Capella

Singing without instrumental Singing without instrumental accompanimentaccompaniment

From Latin phrase meaning “as in the From Latin phrase meaning “as in the chapel”chapel” Early days of Christian Church when no Early days of Christian Church when no

instruments allowed and singing only instruments allowed and singing only unaccompaniedunaccompanied

The Art of Vocal The Art of Vocal PerformancePerformance

Culture Influences the VoiceCulture Influences the Voice Each culture has own style of singing Each culture has own style of singing

they find pleasing to the earthey find pleasing to the ear Vocal timbres reflect sound of a Vocal timbres reflect sound of a

country’s languagecountry’s language Function of music varies from culture Function of music varies from culture

to cultureto culture Bel Canto StyleBel Canto Style

Operatic singing styleOperatic singing style Italian for “beautiful singing”Italian for “beautiful singing”

The Art of Vocal The Art of Vocal Performance (cont.)Performance (cont.)

Blues StyleBlues Style Vocal timbre reflects sense of sadnessVocal timbre reflects sense of sadness

Originated in African American spirituals and Originated in African American spirituals and work songswork songs

Simple and direct; expression of life’s painful Simple and direct; expression of life’s painful experiences and the reasons for themexperiences and the reasons for them

First popularized by WC HandyFirst popularized by WC Handy

12-Bar Blues12-Bar Blues

harmonic pattern of 12 measures that harmonic pattern of 12 measures that repeatsrepeats

Three chords based on the tonic, Three chords based on the tonic, subdominant, and dominantsubdominant, and dominant Chords numbered by the pitches of the scale Chords numbered by the pitches of the scale

using Roman numeralsusing Roman numerals chord chord II built on 1 built on 1stst pitch of scale, chord pitch of scale, chord VV built on built on

55thth pitch, and so forth… pitch, and so forth…

Assists improvisers since they always know Assists improvisers since they always know what’s coming nextwhat’s coming next

VocabularyVocabulary Registers – vocal rangesRegisters – vocal ranges Range – the distance in Range – the distance in

pitch between the lowest pitch between the lowest and highest pitches of the and highest pitches of the voicevoice

Coloratura – the soprano Coloratura – the soprano voice that is light and voice that is light and flexible enough to perform flexible enough to perform rapid scales and trillsrapid scales and trills

Soprano – the high female Soprano – the high female registerregister

Mezzo-soprano – the Mezzo-soprano – the intermediate female intermediate female voice that sings in the voice that sings in the lower part of the lower part of the soprano rangesoprano range

Contralto – a low Contralto – a low female register with a female register with a full, rich, dark, and full, rich, dark, and powerful qualitypowerful quality

Vocabulary (cont.)Vocabulary (cont.)

Countertenor – the highest Countertenor – the highest male voice with a falsetto male voice with a falsetto range and quality and a range and quality and a register in the female alto register in the female alto range range

Tenor – the high male Tenor – the high male range with a powerful, range with a powerful, ringing qualityringing quality

Baritone – the Baritone – the intermediate male voiceintermediate male voice

Bass – a lower male Bass – a lower male register with a rich, register with a rich, robust, resonant, and robust, resonant, and full qualityfull quality

Audiation – the Audiation – the capacity to think sound capacity to think sound

A capella – singing A capella – singing without instrumental without instrumental accompanimentaccompaniment

Vocabulary (cont.)Vocabulary (cont.)

Bel canto – a style Bel canto – a style caracterized by lyrical and caracterized by lyrical and flowing phrases, beauty of flowing phrases, beauty of vocal color, and brilliant vocal color, and brilliant technique technique

Blues – a genre of African Blues – a genre of African American music that often American music that often expresses frustration, expresses frustration, sadness, or longingsadness, or longing

Blue notes – selected Blue notes – selected pitches, usually on the pitches, usually on the third and seventh third and seventh degrees of the scale, degrees of the scale, whose intonation is whose intonation is altered at the altered at the discretion of the discretion of the performer performer