I have been asked to lead a 20 minute "refresher" on posture and breathing for a community chorus is sing in. Does any one have any clever or innovative suggestions so I don't rehash the same stuff everyone already knows? snip Tina Harris ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tina, This works for me.
Have the singers stand with 50-60% of the body weight in the heels. Accompany this with reminders to unlock/soften the knees, lengthen and widen the back at the belt line.
When you've discussed how this shift in alignment affects breathing and what you want them to do with it, ask them to pant lightly using as little air as possible.
As they pant lightly, tongue in a resting position, (very little air) have them phonate on random pitches(their choice). Now they're producing relatively balanced onsets and singing quasi staccato.
Then play with assorted vowels and have them sing longer tones while sustaining the sensations and coordination of the onsets. I use the suggestion that one keeps the air in the body and lets out tone.
Have them sing short sentences or passages from a piece they'll be doing. Have them sing the phrase using short onsets on the vowels of the text then take them back to legato. Remind them to "sing in the onset" or "stay in the onset."
I hope this helps. It gets at a lot of the basic coordination issues without talking technique.
Cindy Donnell
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