Singing Exercise: Octave Glissandi For Altos

By Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith - Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

This is an exercise in seamlessly changing registers, moving from one part of the voice to another. The aim should be a smooth sound sliding from one note to another, and back again. The exercise is probably easier to sing than to read about, so feel free to jump in, play the sound file and sing… Continue reading Singing Exercise: Octave Glissandi For Altos

Ballad of 1891

This is a song about the 1891 Australian shearers’ strike.  The song has been arranged in three parts: Words: Helen Palmer; Music: Doreen Jacobs; ©1950 Doreen Bridges Sheet Music Here is the definitive score, I’ve worked from, sourced from the Sydney Trade Union Choir, (STUC) in Cm. Sydney Trade Union Choir Score (.pdf) From this… Continue reading Ballad of 1891

One World, One Chance: A Song

I don’t know the provenance of this song. The two bits of sheet music I have found have the attribution, “Devised by Raised Voices of Climate Change Demonstration”, London December 3rd 2005. Tune: “Mayenziwe ‘Ntando Yakho”. Full SATB Version (Scroll down or click here for a simplified version) Sheet Music: PDF All Parts Soprano or… Continue reading One World, One Chance: A Song

We Shall Not Give Up The Fight

A song from South Africa, in this incarnation,  inviting a unified and humanitarian response to the refugee crisis. Original Sheet Music Practice Tracks On PC Right Click Title to Download On Android Devices, Press and Hold to Download All Parts Soprano/Melody Alto Tenor Bass In Performance  

Tolpuddle Man: A Song Arrangement

Here is an arrangement of a song by Graham Moore, a commemoration of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Scroll down for sheet music and practice tracks. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural… Continue reading Tolpuddle Man: A Song Arrangement

Singing Exercises 3: “Tuning” The Voice

After making sure we are breathing correctly, and having warmed up our singing mechanisms, it’s time to tune the voice. Here we are going to begin to use the Kodaly Method,  developed by Zoltan Kodaly. Remember the Sound of Music? The exercise below should be sung using the Solfege notes: “Soh, Me, Soh, Me, Soh, Me, La,… Continue reading Singing Exercises 3: “Tuning” The Voice

Singing Exercises 2: Warming Up The Voice

After making sure we are breathing optimally in order to sing well, we need to make sure our vocal chords are working well, and that our voice is resonating across a comfortably wide range. To begin with let’s quickly look at the basic mechanisms of singing, to give us an idea of why we might… Continue reading Singing Exercises 2: Warming Up The Voice