Ensemble singing #3

 Links from todays lesson:

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/5bbc3e39-6dea-4485-a34b-42bbe01ba664

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/99304408-2c04-4aff-b18f-1d86c7de1755

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/a96f12ed-6d28-4dda-a911-217b7d2c601d

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/892c5cc7-1d65-476e-9742-c5fc8bf3167f

In todays lesson we continued working as a class on two of our main songs that we are working on at the moment. These include - 'Somewhere only we know' and 'And so it goes'.

We started the lesson off by doing a vocal warm up, and this was lead by two of my classmates. During this we did things like physical body warmups to start off to make sure that our bodies where prepared and ready to sing - This included stretches and face massages. By warming up our body before hand this makes sure that we do not damage any of our muscles when we start singing. After this we then went on to proper singing warmups. Firstly we started off by doing simple breathing exercises. This involves breathing in for four, holding for four and out for four. We then repeated this for six and eight counts to make sure that we are using as much of our lung capacity as possible. To then follow on from this we then began to do some simple siring with the word sing so that we could make sure to warm up our whole entire vocal range equally. Following on from this, we also did warmups such as, Holding onto a note and letting out for as long as possible, I like the flowers song in groups and more that we do every time we go to sing.

In todays lesson we worked on these two songs one at a time and we recorded different takes that show our progress on the song from the start of the day to the end of the day. So I will be reflecting on my own progress along with the classes when it comes to these songs and our different recordings of them.

And so it goes 

When it comes to the song 'And so it goes', this was the song that I was the least confident in at the start of the day. And this was due to my lack of knowledge in my harmonies at certain parts of the song and also the fact that I was unsure of some of the lyrics that were included in the song. The combination of this meant that in the first take of this I was not as confident when it came to singing it as I did not want to mess up any words or harmonies that I had to do. However by the last take of the piece, I was more secure on my knowledge when it came to the harmonies that I had to sing, Which allowed me to be able to sing the song with more confidence.

What do you notice about how you’ve improved?

When it comes to how I have improved, I can see a clear change in vocal confidence and this could be mainly due to me having more confidence in the harmonies that I was singing during the song. Along with this my ability to be able to sing the song with more emotion was also apparent by the last recording as I began to feel more confident in the song.

Strengths?

When it comes to my strengths when it comes to this song, I would say that they include my ability to remember harmonies once they are learnt and being able to perform them accurately. Along with this, another one of my strengths is my ability to work along side other harmonies without losing my own.

Areas for Development?

When it comes to areas that I feel I need to develop in terms of this song, It would be my overall confidence in my own ability to sing the harmonies I am singing along side my ability to actually sing the song according to the volume markings like crescendos as I struggle to sing a song with a change in volume. This can be seen as I seem to sing the whole song at the same volume throughout. 

Somewhere only we know

When it comes to the song 'Somewhere only we know', this was the song that I was the most confident in at the start of the day. And this was due to my knowledge of my harmonies in the song and also the fact that I knew most of the lyrics that were included in the song. So in the first take of the song I was pretty confident in what I was singing and sung it well, However there were some areas where I slipped up and this was due to not knowing the harmony at one point in the song. But in the second take of the video, it was clear that I knew this as it was not an issue apparent in the recording. When it comes to this song not much of a change was made through the recordings due to me already being confident in the song. 

What do you notice about how you’ve improved?

When it comes to how I have improved in this song, the only way I see clear that I have improved was that I now knew my harmonies, which in turn let me be able to sing the song out with confidence. 

Strengths?

When it comes to my strengths when it comes to this song, I would say that they include my ability to remember harmonies once they are learnt and being able to perform them accurately. Along with this, another one of my strengths is my ability to work along side other harmonies without losing my own.

Areas for Development?

When it comes to areas that I feel I need to develop in terms of this song, It would be my overall confidence in my own ability to sing the harmonies I am singing along side my ability to actually sing the song according to the volume markings like crescendos as I struggle to sing a song with a change in volume. This can be seen as I seem to sing the whole song at the same volume throughout. 

three targets for improvement. 

Three targets that I am going to set myself for both of these songs is to work on my ability to read and actually put into action volume markings like crescendos, Learn the lyrics to both songs so that the music will not become a barrier for when I am singing and to have more confidence in my own ability to sing the harmonies of the song out.