Choir vocab (all units)

Medieval Era

-500-1400, mostly unison chant

Renaissance Era

-1400-1600, a lot of vocal partsongs often in imitative style

Baroque Era

-1600-1750, a lot of opera and choral/orchestral works in a complex style

Classical Era

-1750-1800, a lot of opera and choral/orchestral works in a clear style

Romantic Era

~1800-1900, a lot of solos and choral/orchestral works in a dramatic style

20th/21st Century

1900-Today, widest variety of musical styles and genres

Messa di voce

Singing of a gradual crescendo and decrescendo on a long sustained note

Rubato

A temporary disregarding of strict tempo to allow greater expression. Robbed time.

A Tempo

In time (return to original tempo)

Stagger Breathing

No breath gaps can be heard to create a continuous sustained sound

Shadow Vowel

Adding a short vowel sound after a voiced consonant

Vowel Modification

Changing a vowel sound to make it easier to sing and improve the tone quality

Voiced Consonant

Consonants that require the use of vocal cords to produce the sound. For example, B, D, G, J, L, M, N

Unvoiced Consonant

Consonant sounds that are made without the use of the vocal cords. For example, T, S, PK, F

Chiaroscuro

The balanced use of light and dark tone colors

Phrase

A substantial musical thought

Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract

An exercise when the mouth is partially closed, increasing the back pressure to help the vocal folds vibrate with more ease and less effort

Abdominal Muscles

Muscles across the abdomen that contract during exhalation

Larynx

Organ inside the trachea that contains the vocal folds

Vocal Folds

Muscles inside the larynx that vibrate to create sound

Onset

The initial sound of a musical note or word

Tempo

The speed of the beat in a piece of music

Rhythm

The combinations of sounds and silences of varying durations that fit within each measure

Diction

Clear pronunciation of the text

Dynamics

The volume or intensity of sound

Timbre

Tone color of a voice or instrument

Balance

Relationship of one section to the rest of the choir

Intonation

Accuracy of a pitch (sharpness or flatness)

Range

Spectrum of a voice's highest and lowest possible pitches

Tessitura

Spectrum of a voice's highest and lowest comfortable pitches

Vibrato

The natural slight fluctuations above and below a pitch

Scoop

Beginning below a pitch and sliding upwards (pop/jazz style)

Head Voice

The high and light register available to tenor and bass voices

Chest Voice

The heavy vocal mechanism used on the bottom of a singer's range

Falsetto

The light vocal mechanism used on the top of a singer's range

Passaggio

The passage in a singer's range between head and chest voice

Accent

To emphasize a note with more weight and volume

Tenuto

To hold a note for its full value or slightly longer

Staccato

Short and detached articulation

Legato

Smooth and connected articulation

Marcato

Heavy and strong articulation

Accelerando

To gradually increase the tempo

Ritardando

To gradually reduce the tempo

Fermata

To hold a note longer than its normal value

Tie

Connects notes on the same pitch

Slur

Connects notes on different pitches with legato

Alignment

Proper positioning of the body that supports optimal vocal production

Tension

Excessive tightening of muscles in the body

Articulators

Parts of the mouth, such as lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate that shape and modify vowels and consonants

Trachea

Organ inside neck connecting mouth/nose to lungs

Soft Palate

Back of the roof of the mouth, lifted for resonant singing

Diaphragm

Large muscle under the lungs that expands downwards and flattens during inhalation

Intercostal Muscles

Muscles between ribs that expand during inhalation

primary vowel

The vowel on which singers should spend the majority of their time singing. For example, the "ah" of side vs. the "ee" of side.

Dipthong

A sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable. For example, wait, loud, or side.

Schwa

An unstressed central vowel represented by an upside down /el.

Diphthong

A sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable. For example,

placement

technique choices that alter the singing sensation and tone quality

Resonance

The tone quality of a sound determined by internal or external space

glottal attack

The onset sound heard when air pressure opens the airway

blend

Relationships of a voice to those around it