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Have you ever dreamt of becoming a great singer but struggled to hit the right notes? If so, you’re in the right place. In this post, I’m excited to share some easy exercises that will help you in achieving great pitch and intonation quickly and enjoyably.
Understanding Pitch and Intonation
As singers, we all strive to hit the right notes because no one wants to be heard singing out of tune. However, it’s important to remember that our voices, as biological instruments, are naturally imperfect. Aiming for excellence is a worthy goal, but hitting perfect notes 100% of the time isn’t realistic. Great singing is about communication and connecting with your audience, not just about perfect pitch.
Mastering Single Pitch
The first step to improving your pitch is accurately replicating a single note. Generally, those who enjoy singing have a decent sense of pitch and can reproduce a note they hear fairly accurately. When a voice is out of tune, it may sing sharp (higher than the target pitch) or flat (lower than the intended pitch).
Let’s try an exercise together. You will listen to a note and then repeat it using an “AH” vowel. We’ll start with C4, then move to E4 and G4. Therefore, if it’s more comfortable, feel free to sing it down an octave. Here we go:
- C4: AH
- E4: AH
- G4: AH
Exploring Vowel Impact on Pitch
Different vowels can affect your sense of pitch and ability to hold the right note. Let’s repeat the exercise with an “EE” vowel. Notice any differences? Some might find the “EE” vowel easier for higher notes due to the shape of the vocal tract.
Try other vowels like “OO” and “AY” and observe which ones are more challenging. Practising the vowels that you find difficult can help improve your control over them.
Intonation and Pitch Changes
Intonation refers to the movement between individual pitches. Achieving accurate intonation can be challenging. The vocal folds need to make tiny adjustments in length and oscillation patterns to change the pitch. This task becomes more complex in a song as the vocal folds must quickly move between notes while the vocal tract adjusts for vowels, consonants, and timbre.
Let’s practise our intonation using a three-note scale, or major triad, which consists of the tonic, third, and fifth. Start with A major and progress chromatically upward until we reach an octave. Pay attention to the accuracy of the second and third notes and avoid tension, aiming for a relaxed sound.
Practical Application with a Familiar Song
Now that we’ve practised single pitch and intonation let’s apply these skills by singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” This nursery rhyme exercises your intonation over an octave. I’ll play the starting chord (A major), we’ll sing the tune, and I’ll play the chord again on the final note to ensure we end on the same note we began with.
Here we go:
- A major chord: Row, row, row your boat
- Gently down the stream
- Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
- Life is but a dream
If your voice strayed from the right notes, that’s okay. It means you need more practice to improve your intonation. Try the exercise again. If it wasn’t too challenging, attempt it with one of your favourite songs. Look up the song’s key, play the opening chord, and sing the verse. The goal is to maintain the correct pitch throughout the verse and chorus.
For more about improving your pitch accuracy, check out this video…
Disclaimer: This blog post was generated by ChatGPT-4o, an AI language model, based on Dr Dan’s video script (original work). For a comprehensive understanding of the topic, we suggest watching the original video above.
— TOOLS for SINGERS —
* Download your FREE Worksheet here – https://drdan.co/SingingPracticeWorksheet
* FREE 7 Day Vocal Technique Detox
* More Vocal Exercises
* Dr Dan’s Online Singing Course