It always surprises me when singers sing so loudly that they can’t hear the rest of the choir.
It’s hearing the other harmony parts that keeps you on the straight and narrow, and it’s where the singing pleasure lies.
I had this guy in a workshop once (and, yes, it’s often the men!) who had been to many of my events over the years. He came up to me and told me excitedly: “I understand what you mean now! When I sing more quietly, I can hear all the other parts and it makes it much easier.”
This revelation lasted a whole five minutes, then he was back singing loudly again.
When we’re a little unsure of what we’re singing, we tend to sing more loudly as reinforcement, and also to block out the other parts lest they confuse us.
However, even when we’re learning something new, singing more quietly so we can hear all the other parts actually helps us to fix our own part.
When singing in a group, you need to resist the temptation to get lost in your own little world and just sing out loud. Harmony singing is a team game, and you need to balance your voice so you can hear all the other parts.
I often find myself at the extremes of the choir — basses and sopranos — signalling for people to sing more quietly because they’re beginning to dominate.
I don’t know where I first came across this expression, but to “listen more loudly” than you sing sums up neatly what you need do.
other posts
Here are some older posts that you might find useful.
Singing is all about listening
10 exercises guaranteed to get your singers listening more carefully
The most important thing do when choir starts again after a long break
How do you know how loud you should sing in choir?
The sound of silence – rediscovering the art of listening
In a choir, it’s not about singing loud vs. soft – it’s about balance
Chris Rowbury
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