Hi people,

I have started my singing classes recently. Don't know which grade I fit into but my teacher started with Grade - I songs.

She gave me "Lady Bird" of Brahms as first lesson. I practised it and sang before her. She told me I was singing the correct notes but my pronunication of words and the feeling that I put is not what is expected by the composer.

English is not mother-tongue, may be that's why it's making a difference. I asked her to show how to pronounce and sing the whole song for me. She says the song is not in her pitch and so she cannot sing it for me.

If I can hear someone singing it, I can very well catch up the pronunciation and expression (feeling).

Are there any cassettes/CDs which have the songs in the book "The Art of Song (Grades 1-5)" sung by a good singer with/without accompaniment so that I can listen and learn?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Hi Sandesh

Well done on starting singing lessons. If you come over to the Viva Voice, you'll find lots of people who discuss everything to do with singing.

You've hit on one of the challenges for most singers - singing in a language other than your mother tongue. Sometimes you end up singing in a language you don't speak at all!

Don't worry too much about the pronunciation. It'll come in time. What you need to focus on is what the words mean. So first, write the words on a piece of paper separate from the music and translate them into your mother tongue. Then read your translation through and decide what story it's telling. Then go back to the music and look at what performance indications (dynamics, phrasing etc) the composer uses to underline the word meaning. Then have another go at singing it.

I am very shocked that your teacher said she will not sing for you. Even if it is "not in her pitch", at grades 1-5 it won't have such a big range of notes that she won't be able to sing it up an octave or two. And demonstration is such an essential part of learning that she should be prepared to do this as a normal activity.

Good luck, Sandesh. Do come over to Viva Voice, and ask questions and share opinions.

Cheers

Katyjay

Thanks a lot, katyjay! Your very first sentence brings smile on to my face



Thanks a lot for the tips. I follow them and I am very much confident that I can try and pronounce any language well, it's just that I need to have a demonstration or a cassette/CD to listen and learn from!



I dont know why she is hesitating to sing for me! If I force her, she would start singing a line or two, but when she reaches a high pitch, she stops! She plays piano excellently, but I dont know much about her singing skills...She should have been a good singer too....may be she lost the practice!



Thanks, katyjay

Sandesh,

Your singing teacher doesn't need to sing the piece at pitch for you does she if she wants expression and pronunciation???!!! Get her to sing it a comfortable pitch and listen to her vowel sounds.

Good luck
xxx

Just another thought based on this: is your singing teacher actually a singer and a specialist in that area? It's just the way that you say she 'plays piano excellently' but won't sing. I do hope it's not just a pianist who's decided that since they can accompany they can set themselves up as a singing teacher, you really need someone who knows specifically about singing as there are lots of specific techniques (and potential problems). If, of course, your teacher is a singer then ignore me but you need to be aware that a pianist doesn't always make a good singing teacher (I'm not talking from the perspective of a singer here, I'm just guessing from what a pianist with no experience of singing knows about singing....).

Thanks, AnotherPianist! I shall find out more about her expertise [] I hope she is a good singer!

This is a very good point - I had similar thoughts when first reading this thread.

I teach piano and organ, am a fairly competent accompanist - and I teach sight-reading both for keyboard instrumentalists and specifically for singers. Although I have trained choirs and sung in them for much of my working life (and earlier!) I am not a singing teacher or solo voice coach and I always make that clear to anyone whose enquiry is in any way connected with voice.

I would be slightly anxious about the fact that your singing teacher is reluctant to sing for you.

ps you mentioned singing classes - are you learning in a group lesson ?

Sandesh

I have hesitated about writing this, but since the issue has been raised by a few people here, I'm going to jump in to this discussion. I may be being totally unfair, but, based on the three threads you've started today, my initial impression of your teacher really is not good.

I doubt that she has any serious singing experience, let alone any training as a singer. For me, a big alarm went off when you said she would not demonstrate to you, and that the song you were singing was "outside her range". Your subsequent comment about her refusal to address your queries on your range and your high notes surprised me again. That she hasn't adressed with you the issue of how to practise, and how much to sing in one session is downright awful.

It's an awful thing to say - and probably presumptuous as I don't know you or her, but I don't think you should have lessons with this person. She is not going to do anything to help your voice or your learning at all.

I'm sorry to say this - and of course, as this is a total stranger writing to you, you may well decide that I'm wrong, and that you will ignore what I say.

But I think you need to find a proper singing teacher, and I don't believe that this person is one. I hope you can find someone who will help you properly, and I wish you luck in your singing.

Best wishes

Katyjay