To mic or not to mic? – that is the outdoor choir question

At this time of year many singing groups are asked to sing outdoors.



Whether it’s on stage at a noisy festival or a pop-up choir at your local village fete, the question of amplification will arise. Let’s look at the pros and cons of using mics for your choir when performing outdoors.

When teaching a new song goes horribly wrong

I taught a new song to a group on Saturday. It was a bit of a car crash!

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano

What can you do when teaching a new song goes horribly wrong?

Rehearsing and singing in a circle: the pros and cons

Many singing groups work in a circle when learning and rehearsing songs.



There are some advantages, but also downsides. Let’s look at the pros and cons.

What is harmony singing?

I had several new members join a singing project recently. I quickly realised that they didn’t really know what they’d let themselves in for!


It’s so easy to bandy words around without realising that they have a particular meaning and are ‘jargon’ to anybody outside the singing world. In this post I’ll consider our use of the word ‘harmony’.

10 golden truths I have learnt from 20 years of choir leading

I started my first choir WorldSong in Coventry back in September 1997. Which means I’ve been in this choir leading lark for just over 20 years.

photo by Alex Ristea

Here are some of the things that I’ve learnt on the way.

Does God mind if you sing badly in church?

I’m not a religious man, but I often get emails from church choirs.



Recently I’ve had a few such enquiries asking what to do about singers in the choir or congregation who sing too loudly or out of tune.

Why my singers don’t use recorded parts to learn songs

Some choirs make recorded parts available to their singers and expect them to know their part when they come to the first rehearsal of the song.



For me though, learning together in the same space is more important so I don’t use recorded parts. Here’s why.

How do you know if you’re singing the right thing?

Often, at the end of a singing workshop, someone will tell me that they didn’t think they were singing the right thing and ask if there is anything they can do about it.

photo by Xavier Vergés

It’s often people who have only recently started to sing with others, but this doubt can hit at any time. How can you tell if you’re getting it ‘right’?

Finding your voice can be scary – but don’t let that stop you

I’ve heard a couple of stories this week from otherwise confident individuals who find it scary and embarrassing to sing with others.

photo by Howard Lake

What’s going on here? And is there a connection between our singing voice and “having a voice” in the wider sense?

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.