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Unit 1 · Swing and settle

Hear the difference

Train your ear on three sounds, a straight tone, a small quick vibrato and a slow wide wobble, then sing a hymn line with every long note straight. Free.

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More in Swing and settle

Hear the difference

Before you shape your voice, train your ear: straight, a wave, a wobble.

Straight. One calm line

Vibrato. A small, quick, even wave

Wobble. Slow and wide

What you sing

  1. Listen to each, as often as you like, then choose.

Challenge: Straight through a line

Hymns and choirs often sing straight, so every chord rings clear.

Listen to the line. Amazing Grace, the first line

Keep each long note calm. "maz-", "grace", "sweet", "sound"

Light, not held. Straight comes from ease, not effort

What you sing

  1. After a bar of chords, sing the first line, every long note straight.

Singing safely

Never force a wave or shake it from your jaw or throat: vibrato grows by itself from an easy note, sung softly.

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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