Unit 1 · Five stairs
Five stairs
A run is a few clean notes on one syllable, like stairs. Hum one slowly, then sing it on "A-men", landing on do as the chord comes home. Light, and free.
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More in Five stairs
- Five stairsYou are here
- Five notes only
- A turn
What it teaches
A run is a few notes on one syllable, each one clean, like stairs. The spirituals were made by enslaved Black Americans as sacred songs, and gospel grew from them in Black churches: here a run serves the word.
One syllable. Several clean notes
One run a line. On a held word; the tune comes first
Light. Runs need a light voice: a medium volume, the middle of your voice, no pushing. The run happens in the voice, not the jaw. Stop if anything tightens.
What you sing
- Hum the run slowly, la, so, mi, re, do.
- Now "A-men": the run on "A-", landing on do as the chord comes home.
Singing safely
Runs need a light voice: a medium volume, the middle of your voice, no pushing or squeezing. Short sessions. Stop if anything tightens.
Free tools by Stackapella
All of these are free, and so is every course.
Stackapella teaches you to sing harmony one part at a time, right in your browser.
- A guide sings your partHear your line over the others, slow it down, then take your turn.
- Your notes light upEach note shows where you landed, and a hint when to go up or down.
- Record every part yourselfStack your takes in time until you're the whole choir.
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