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Unit 3

Guide on, guide off

Learn the refrain and the last line, put the guide down early, then sing your whole part on your own with the other parts. Free, step by step, at home.

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The refrain

The three "O come, let us adore him" lines share the words and the same three neighbouring notes, in a different order each time. The first drops low on "him", the second ends high, and the third drops low again, then goes on to "Christ the Lord".

Not the tune. Meanwhile the tune climbs, so you can't just follow it

The rests. Cut "him" off short, breathe in the rest, and come in on "O" just before the beat

What you sing

  1. Hear line 5, a little slower, then sing it back.
  2. Line 6 on the stave, a little slower, with the guide: spot what changed.
  3. The whole refrain at speed, with the guide and the other parts.

The last line

The last line jumps: up a fourth to "Christ", up a third to "Lord", then down a fifth inside "Lord" to a long low note.

Breathe first. Shorten "him," a little to breathe, then sing "Christ the Lord" in one breath

Slowly, then faster. With the guide, then without

Ring the last chord. Your long low note is the chord's middle note: listen for it to settle

What you sing

  1. Hear the last line slowly, then sing it back.
  2. The last line a little faster, with the guide and the chords.
  3. The last line at speed, the guide off, the other parts on.

The guide steps away

The guide is there to learn from, then to put down. Put it down early: at rehearsal there's no guide in your ear.

The whole part. Every line you've learned, joined

The lights fade. Halfway through your notes stop lighting: keep going by ear

What you sing

  1. The whole part with the guide and the other parts. Halfway, the lights fade.

Challenge: Your part, on your own

What you sing

  1. The whole part, start to end: no guide, the other parts on. Find your first note as you did before; Give me my note is there if you need it.

Singing safely

An easy, medium-soft voice, not a whisper. A note too high or low is sung lightly, never louder. 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.

Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up.
  • 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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