Why do choirs stand in sections to learn songs? Here’s an alternative that might work better!

Most choirs rehearse and perform with voice parts standing together in blocks: all the sopranos will be together, all the basses together, etc.



But there are other ways to rehearse (and perform) songs which might make learning easier. Here is something you might want to try.

The 7 elements of vocal blend and how to control them

There is a balance in any choir between individual voices and the overall sound. Most choirs aim to blend voices so that there is a cohesion rather than individual voices sticking out.

photo by pinkbelt

If this is taken too far however, I believe that you lose the humanity in the choir. It’s still a good thing to aim for though. Here’s how to go about it.

Audition or self-selection? – how to select singers for specific projects

Most of my work is carried out using Natural Voice Network principles. That means my singing projects are open to anyone who wants to sing.



Occasionally though I do side-projects which involve selecting singers. What’s the best way to do this?

What to do when you run out of ideas

It comes to all of us at some point. We sit down to plan a warm up or rehearsal or singing workshop and we just go blank.



That’s exactly how I’m feeling now writing this blog post! Here are a few ideas that might help.

Lip trilling and bubbling – is it useful (and how to do it properly)?

I use lip trills (or lip bubbles) as part of my warm ups. Some singers find them hard to do. Others don’t see the point.



I’m going to share some expert advice so you can do lip trills properly then make up your own mind about their use.

Should conductors mouth the words for their choirs?

I’ve often mouthed the words for my choirs. I’d rather singers don’t use lyric sheets when performing, so it’s a kind of security blanket for them.

photo by Tambako the Jaguar

But it can be considered patronising or even a way of letting singers off the hook. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

When singers don’t show up – how to rehearse effectively

The other week it snowed quite badly where I live. I held a rehearsal as usual, but only 23 singers turned up out of 56.



We have a concert coming up soon. What do you do when so many singers are missing?

Should choir leaders socialise with their choir members?

Many choirs hold social events throughout the year. It helps build a choir community and encourages team spirit. That can only be a good thing.

photo by Split the Kipper

But should your choir leader be invited along, or should they maintain a professional distance?

Effective ways to make a song more interesting for your audience

Sometimes choirs think it’s enough to sing a song well. They stand in static rows and sing the whole thing from start to finish.

photo by John Cummings

But that can be like watching paint dry. You need to create some interest if you’re going to keep your audience interested. Here are some simple ideas that might help.

Making the space work for you – how to cope with unusual venues

I have run several singing workshops recently in less-than-ideal spaces.



Rather than being a problem, I found ways to embrace the situation. Here are some ideas you might find useful.

Leading your first ever singing group – a complete beginner’s guide

I am often asked for advice from people who want to start a singing group, but have absolutely no experience.

photo by The U.S. Army

Or sometimes people have been asked to start a workplace choir or to take over their church choir activities. Here are some tips to get you started.

Why being ‘pitchy’ can be in the ear of the beholder

Sometimes when I watch TV singing talent shows like The Voice or X-Factor I think that the singer is out of tune, but the judges don’t seem to notice.



At other times the judges point out that a singer is ‘pitchy’, but I think they’re perfectly in tune. What’s going on here?

What do singing and sex have in common? – more than you think!

Sex is (mostly) a private activity. If somebody were to observe you, you would (probably) find it embarrassing.



Singing with others is an acceptable public activity, but it too can be embarrassing. Often in surprising ways.

A little self-doubt as a singer can help – especially if you’re a man!

There was an article in The Guardian about how women tend to experience more self-doubt than men.



I’ve noticed that the men who come to my singing weekends are often not as good as the women. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s because men over-estimate their singing abilities.

Not everyone will like your singing voice – but that’s OK

Your friend plays you one of their favourite singers and you just don’t get it. To your ears it sounds pretty awful.



Liking a singing voice is very subjective. We all know that. However, it can get us down when it’s our voice that’s being considered.

Can you join a choir if you can’t hit a note?

I had an enquiry this week: “Am I correct in believing that, to join your choir, it isn’t necessary to be able to hit a note?”



I said that yes, that was the case. But it’s important to unpick what “unable to hit a note” means.

New year, new plans – how to get what you want

Many people use the turning of the year as an opportunity to reflect on the past and make plans for the future.



It’s easy to go overboard though and end up trying to become a completely different person or making unrealistic plans which will inevitably fail.

Making a good impression is what counts whether you’re a business, singer or choir leader

I’ll let you into a secret: I’m not glued to my computer on this Christmas day!

photo by Nigel

I wrote this piece a while back and have scheduled it to be published on 25th December.

A little praise goes a long way for both singers AND choir leaders

When things aren’t going well, it’s noticeable. That’s when you give constructive criticism.



But when everything is going smoothly, it’s easy to take it for granted. That’s when a word or two of praise can work wonders.

What to do if you catch a cold and a concert is looming

At this time of year many of you will be singing in Christmas concerts.

photo by Courtney Carmody

It’s also the time of year when there are plenty of bugs around. Here’s a timely reminder of what you can do if you catch a cold and a concert is coming up.

12 false beliefs about singing that can prevent you from even trying – don’t let them stop you!

Many of us had bad singing experiences at school. You might have been kicked out of the choir or told to stand at the back and mime.

photo by Northern Ireland Executive

Experiences like that can put you off singing for years, and even if you really want to give it a go in later life there are many ridiculous myths which may prevent you from even trying. Time to explode them!

Is your choir name fit for purpose?

Many choir names are descriptive and give a clear idea of what kind of choir it is.



But choirs change over time. Maybe your choir name doesn’t fit what you do any longer.

Four ways that your choir can begin a song badly – and how to correct them

It’s wonderful when a choir starts a song in a crisp and precise way. But there are so many ways in which this can go wrong.



How can we ensure that every singer gets off to a good start?

Why it’s vital to include voice training in your choir leading

I’m just back from leading a singing weekend for singers who want to improve their small group harmony singing skills. We focused quite a lot on blending which required us to look at vocal technique.

But should you make space for this kind of work in your regular choir? Or have people just come to sing?

Is it time to hand your choir over to another leader?

Nothing lasts forever and change can be a good thing.



There comes a time when it might benefit everyone if you hand your choir over to somebody else. Why would you want to do that?

8 reasons why choir leaders should go to more singing workshops

Recently I went to an amazing weekend for choir leaders led by Stephen Taberner of The Spooky Men’s Chorale.



I don’t spend enough time on the receiving end so found it thoroughly refreshing and stimulating. Here’s why it’s good for you.

Mixed tenor sections: the weirdness of men and women singing the same note

Many community choirs have mixed tenor sections with men and women singing the same part.

photo by Stefan Karpiniec

That’s when things can get weird! Let’s look at what’s going on.

How to keep your performances interesting

Is it enough for your choir to stand in front of an audience and just sing?



Or do you need to make your performances more ‘interesting’ somehow?

Make your choir leading easier by doing less

Many choir leaders believe that they’re indispensable, that their choir only functions when they’re out front leading.



But this can be stressful and doesn’t take into account the choir’s ability as a whole. Here’s how to make your choir leading easier.

How do you know how loud you should sing in choir?

Your singing teacher is always telling you to be more confident and sing up.



But your choir leader asks you to sing quietly and listen to each other. So how loud should you be singing?

How to help singing groups harmonise even if it seems they can’t

Katharine leads a small informal choir where music is not part of the singers education and the level of musicality is low.



She’s tried some simple harmony songs and rounds with them, but they seem to have a total inability to harmonise. What can she do?

When a new musical director takes over your choir: a guide for choir members

Last week I wrote about strategies for musical directors who were taking over an established choir.

original sculpture by susie mendelsson

This week it’s the singers’ turn. How can you easily adapt when a new choir leader takes over your choir? Here are a few hints which might help.

Taking over an existing choir: a guide for musical directors

Choir leaders don’t last forever. There will come a time when a choir will need a new musical director.

A Village Choir, 1847 (Thomas Webster)

Here is a brief guide for those who find themselves in the position of taking over an established choir.

The most important thing do when choir starts again after a long break

Many choirs have a long break over the holidays and start back in September.

photo by Sebastian ter Burg

What’s the most important element to focus on in your first session back? Read on and I’ll let you into the secret.

Now THAT’S what I call singing! Volume 3

Many moons ago I wrote a couple of posts to share the kind of songs I like from traditions all over the world.



I thought it was about time I added a few more!

10 ways in which leading a choir is like writing a blog – the day to day challenges

I’ve been writing a weekly blog since 2006 and leading choirs since 1997.



It turns out that there are quite a few things in common between these two seemingly unrelated activities.

What singers can do when choir’s on a break

I know not all choirs take a break at this time of year, but many do.



What can singers usefully do whilst there is no choir?

How men sing (Part 5) – amazing examples from across the globe #getmensinging

This is the fifth in a series of posts which features amazing examples of men singing. Here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

men sing while waiting for the women to arrive at the Bona-na festival in Ladakh

My hope is that if men see a huge variety of different kinds of men singing together, they might be inspired to get off the sofa and go and try it themselves.

Outdoor gigs: how to cope when audiences aren’t interested

It’s summer, the time when many choirs and singing groups perform outdoors.

summer Singing Safari, Holywells Park, Ipswich, July 2016

It’s hard enough to sing in the open air, and compete with music on the other stages at festivals, but for me the most difficult thing is when audience members wander off. How do you cope with the heart-sink?

Ways into vocal improvisation for singing groups

I’m often asked by choir members if we can do some vocal improvisation.

photo © Aude Vanlathem

Improvising with a large group of singers is really hard, but here are some pointers to get you started.

Do everything you can to support your choir leader – they’re the only one you’ve got!

For the last two weeks I’ve been looking at how to sustain your choir as it grows and develops.



Last week I considered ways to persuade choir members to help run the choir. This week I want to look at how your choir leader’s uniqueness can make your choir vulnerable.

Beyond the usual suspects – how to get choir members to volunteer for supporting roles

Last week I wrote about how to sustain your choir as it grows and develops.



This week I will look at how you can persuade choir members to volunteer to help run your choir.

Choir growing pains: how to sustain your choir as it grows and develops

This post is part of a series of occasional Questions and Answers. Just use the contact form if you want to submit a question.


Hannah writes:

“Our choir started in 2013 very informally with a small membership and modest organisation. We have gone from strength to strength in terms of the quality of our singing and repertoire, membership, community grant, website, the availability of practice recordings for each voice part and each song ... the list goes on!

“We have always had a committee run by volunteers, with a constitution. Inevitably there is a very limited group of people who are stepping up to take committee roles, and after four years there is only so much that can be asked of people.

5 ways to keep things fresh when you’re being taught a song you already know

At any singing workshop I run there will probably be someone who already knows one of the songs I’m teaching.

photo by Sludge G

If that is you, what are your options for staying interested?

The ‘good enough’ singer or how to enjoy performing with your choir

I am often faced with a sea of frowns as singers struggle to get a song ‘right’. The frowns even appear during performances when songs have been well-rehearsed.

photo by Senior Airman Amanda Morris

This self-doubt can begin to pervade everything and then singers start to believe that they’re not good enough.

The nuts and bolts of running a singing workshop – 10 practical tips

I ran a day of singing last weekend and whilst I was setting out the tea and biscuits and putting up tables, I realised that the practical side of running a workshop is at least as important as the singing.



Here are 10 handy tips from my experience over the last 20 years.

Does the choir you’re in reveal your political leanings?

An opinion piece this week based on personal observations.

photo by Roger Blackwell

Here in the UK a general election is looming and I’m wondering whether the type of choir you’re in reveals your political stance.

There is no “I” in “choir”

A choir is no place for egos. When you join choir you agree to give up a certain amount of autonomy in order to work together as a team.

photo by Colin J

That also applies to the choir leader, although many would disagree!

Are you a singer with hearing loss? Steps you can take to make life easier in your choir

Last week there was a guest post about what choir leaders can do to help singers who have hearing loss.

photo by Hadley Paul Garland

This week I want to look at steps you can take yourself if you’re a singer who is experiencing hearing loss.

Singers with hearing loss: how choir leaders can help

More and more older singers are in choirs these days. Many of those singers will have some kind of hearing loss.

Joshua Reynolds "Self-Portrait as a Deaf Man"

How can you, as a choir leader, help them? Here is a guest post by Bettina Gellinek Turner^*.