[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from almost 30 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across the globe. Your experiences may differ from mine, so do feel free to leave a comment and let's begin a conversation! A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]
I've been trying to sing against a recording of two other people singing different harmony parts.
I found it almost impossible to pitch accurately because I couldn't see them.
I've written before that Singing is all about listening. But we don't just listen with our ears. We 'listen' with our eyes too.
I've just completed a week's online course of Corsican singing. This style of singing is usually done in small groups and is most often in three-part harmony.
There is a wonderful game that takes place between the different singers. The sicunda (second) voice begins. Next to enter is the bassu (bass). Finally the terza (third) voice joins the other two.
There is plenty of ornamentation involved which is improvised around a few fixed notes. Singers need to pay full attention to each other in order to know when to move onto the next note of their part. Also to know when to start and finish their ornamentation.
Once the terza part has ended the whole pieces starts again.
It turns out that this is fiendishly difficult if you can't see the other singers!
It reminded me that we get loads of clues about pitching and timing by making eye contact with our fellow singers.
There's a strange phenomenon in observed in groups. Sometimes I spread the different parts though the group rather than having singers stand in their parts. There might be a singer singing the same part as you standing a long way off. It's not possible to hear them in isolation. But if you watch their lips and make eye contact, it enables you to sing together and stay on pitch. Strange but true!
So when you're singing together in the same room with others, try to listen more with your eyes as well as your ears.
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Chris Rowbury
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