Voice

[ludwig]

...as an instrument? Is there some sort of a cliched statement about the unlikeliness of a vocalist who is also a pianist?   anyways, I was just wondering if anyone was interested in becoming a voice major? Or sing as a profession, or have singing lessons...

[dinosaurtales]

Oh, Ludwig!  I can guarantee you don't want me singing ANYTHING!  I used to try out for various choral groups, 'cause I wanted to sing, but the conductor would always pull me aside and ask if I would like to accompany.  I got the message - I simply CAN'T sing.  Pretty awful, actually.  I don't dare take a sight singing class - I'd flunk!

[tosca1]

What about "never the twain shall meet"?
Humour aside, pianists can learn much from vocalists and vice versa especially in matters of keeping time and reading notes.
Robert.

[sary2106]

Well..... I am planning on majoring in piano performance in college this fall, but I am also planning on doing voice (soprano) as my secondary instrument. I think there is soooooooo much to be learned from the voice! Listen to Maria Callas (a personal favorite!) and try to apply her wonderful phrasing to the piano... it adds so much to how you listen to the piano.

Love,
Sarah

[amee]

I like singing especially when there are 3 or 4 parts going and I find it's good for my ear...but I've never thought of getting lessons or singing as a profession.  However I do sing in the school chorale and it's most enjoyable

[rich_galassini]

Robert,

Great observation. Singers can learn much from pianists. Discipline, sight reading skills, etc.

OTOH, every pianist must learn to breathe and make the piano sing!

[ludwig]

I would really like to have singing lessons, but just haven't got the time at the moment. My goal would be to be able play at least one instrument from each section of the orchestra and band. Not brilliantly at them, but an idea how to produce sounds and basic skills. I'd really appreciate it if anyone could offer some technical advices to singing....thanks.

[amee]

I've heard the more you sing, the bigger your range gets.

[amp]

Amee's Chopin qoute is appropraite :-) I'm a music education major, piano is my primary instrument and voice secondary. A lot of times at schools pianists sing in the choir for their ensemble. Not much piano ensembles around!!!

[ciocia_fifi]

the question of voice- really vital!
i think its crucial 2 understand playing any instrument (and especially when it concerns the piano, which is polyphonic;"an orchestre itself" ) as singing! well, the music was born from the human voice, it is the basic material for every kind of music. i dont want 2 say that , being a pianist, im obliged to sing very well, or 2 study it myself ( well, my voice is horrible, even though my mum- callas - like soprano , tried 2 teach me for thpousands of times ..... ) anw, we should listen 2 the vocalists, play with them, sing in the ensembles, just to train our way of musical perception and the way of understanding the phrase..
listen 2 a natural, beatiful voice...its so pure,spontaneous, simple , touching the bottom of your heart...why do we lose thiat so often, when playing an instrument? (because of those numerous technical barricades, i know;) ) it s a great loss indeed!
im sure u know this term-bel canto. chopin, for instance, was one of the masses of virtusos, who would emphasise it . as a composer, he was searching for the naturality and beauty of human voice. look at his phrases..
another example (there are thousands of them )-schumann, a great fan of the lieder..he regarded that type of music as the most perfect one, and in his instrumental , polyphonic works he would still search for the singer-like phrase at the first place! he also claimed that its inevitable to train our ear and sensuality by singing in ensembles.
so....let us sing, however we do , and let us enjoy the beauty of the human voice. its a gift from the nature.
ps. well, i sing so bad, but i dont mind- i always do it while practising! u can try for example playing some bach fugas ad singing one voice instead of playing. real challenge. but your voice always gives u the perfect tips! gould knew that well;)
ps. and u know this tremendous russian virtuso , arcadi volodos? he is a proffesional singer as well, a living example that it is possible 2 succeed in both fields ( wow! ) good luck for all of u, who try d same:)))))))) o sole miooooooo!!:)))

[natasha]

yeah i take voice lessons and am in the school chorale. when i forst started mi range of notes wasnt that big, but it has really improved. ive been doing singing for about 3 years now and its fun! i sing soprano 2.

[amee]

Hey Natasha,

I sing S2 as well!

[lea]

i sing s1!!!!!

[natasha]

hey amee and lea
r ur school chorales/choirs doing the big sing at the chch town hall? have u started preparing ur pieces? we havent last year our senior chorale did really well:)

[lea]

yeah were doing the big sing

i dunno what pieces were doing, aye

do u know what catergories theyre in

i mean the criteria

[rachfan]

You know, I have to say that one of the greatest learning experiences I had was accompanying singers.  It's a whole art unto itself, quite different in some ways from the solo piano gig.  But the more you listen to the human voice while accompanying, the more you are able to suggest the voice in playing the solo repertoire, such as the bel canto passages of Chopin.  Or, for example, when a signer does a leap, there is necessarily a very slight pause in executing it.  That can be replicated to good effect on the keyboard in some situations.  You also learn how to breathe with the music when playing solo.  If you ever get the chance to accompany, do it!  You'll learn a lot that you'll never forget.

[chopinetta]

i would love singing but i just couldn't do it! i'm left with just listening!