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Unit 2 · The vowel switch

The way down

Flip down from head voice into chest voice lightly, at speaking volume, as if you'd just said "oh", over an octave and then a fifth. Never a thump. Free.

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What it teaches

The way down is the flip singers often slam. Never slam: land in chest voice lightly, at speaking volume, as if you'd just said "oh".

Warm up first. A lip trill or a quiet siren, up and down

"hee-o". High to low, one flip

Land lightly. Speaking volume, never a thump

What you sing

  1. Over an octave first: "hee-o", landing lightly.
  2. Over a fifth, the smallest leap: flip down, don't slide.
  3. Listen, then sing three "hee-o"s back, each landing lightly.

Singing safely

Voices that are still breaking should wait before yodeling. Keep every flip light and at a medium volume, land gently, and stop if anything tightens, tickles or hurts.

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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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