i don't think consonants have to be long to be clear. the problem with most choirs is that many people who sing in them are under the impression that the initial consonant goes on the beat rather than just before it while, others who put the intitial consonant before the beat, are singing the intitial vowel sound on the beat. also, many amateur singers do not connect vowels behind consonants which, reduces the efficiency of resonance for voiced consonants.
mike
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