Vocal Dictionary K Through R

Okay, we’re rounding the bend with our Vocal Dictionary. Now, hopefully, you can understand why it’s taken me so long to get it put together for you. This Post takes us all the way from the Letter K through R, so there’s only one Post left after this one. Check them all out and let me know what you think. I hope you’re gonna learn to love singing even more than you do already. Here we go:

            Octave – This is a musical term for a note that has the same name as the note 8 tones below or above it. It is, therefore, the Tonic, AND the ending note in any Scale (Major or Minor), such as c3 to C4 to C5 in either a C Major Scale with no Sharps or Flats, or a C Minor Scale, whether C Natural, Harmonic, or Melodic Minor Scale. All of these Scales BEGIN AND End with “C” notes, one Octave apart.

·      Opera – This describes a dramatic or comedic play, which is ENTIRELY sung, not spoken at all. Some passages are not necessarily melodic, as “Recitatives” may be monotonous and sound as though they are “talk-sung”. However, there are NO parts of the play that are strictly spoken. This was the pre-cursor to modern popular music, or Musical Theater and operettas. Themes varied from political to folk tales, and love stories. Operas include elaborate costumes, choirs, libretti (a “little book” or the text of the script of the story of the opera), as well as special lighting, sets, and more dramatic subject matter. Examples of Opera include, “Carmen” by Bizet, “Die Walkure” by Wagner, and “La Traviata” by Verdi.

·      Operetta – This is a type of theatrical production, which lies between Opera and contemporary Musical Theater. An operetta consists of a spoken theatrical piece, interspersed with songs. The subject matter is, generally, much lighter, and operettas are also shorter in length than operas. Stylistic characteristics include wit, elegance, exotic settings, and memorable melodies. Examples of operettas include Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance”, “Babes in Toyland” by Victor Herbert, and “Candide” by Leonard Bernstein.

·      Over Breathing: This means taking a huge breath in and then constricting the lungs, making it difficult to impossible to hold or sustain a tone due to the constraint you are imposing upon your body. In THIS case, the important thing is NOT that you have inhaled too much or too little or ANY amount of air, but that you are unable to CONTROL the EXHALATION of that air.

·      Parlando Singing: This style of singing was made popular by Rex Harrison in “My Fair Lady” on Broadway. It maintains rhythm and pitch in a song BUT the tone of the sound is more closely related to speaking than singing. Attitude and content are emphasized over vocal tone color and quality, and pitches are often shortened with phrases being ended with a downward inflection. Parlando Singing style still requires vocal talent since pitch is provided and controlled but emotional content may be sacrificed.

·      Passaggio:  This is the “technical” name given to the area of a voice between Vocal Registers. For example, for most female vocalists have a Passaggio between their Chest or Modal Register, and their Head Register. Males experience a similar “bridge”. These areas are frequently weak. The Tone quality of these passages is characteristically thin and airy, and very different from their stronger Chest strength. Singers often avoid singing in this area “like the plague” BECAUSE it doesn’t sound similar to the more substantive Chest voice. To bolster the Passaggio, a singer must CONSISTENTLY and CORRECTLY practice specific Bridge/Mix vocal exercises.

·      Patter: Patter refers to rapidly-delivered passages of lyrics within and between song passages, which are spoken, rather than delivered through a vocal, singing performance.

·      Phrasing:  This term refers to the “grouping” of notes and lyrics in a song juxtaposed to the breaths between each grouping. I, ordinarily, have students, armed with a pencil, READ the lyrics of a song somewhat slowly. EVERYTIME his or her voice “lifts”, naturally pauses or takes a breath during the reading, they place a comma or a check ------- above the lyric.  A natural place for a “check” is at points of punctuation, such as commas, periods, semicolons, etc. However, it may also be necessary to ADD “Snatch Breaths”, very quick, undiscernible breaths in preparation of a big “High Note” or because there is a very long progression of lyrics without any “obvious” place to breathe. I always recommend that my singers mark their sheet music entirely before going through a song, so that as they memorize the melody and the lyrics, they can also learn the breaths. It is always possible to delete unnecessary breaths once the song is learned but it is very difficult to add breaths at this point because they have not been a “part” of the song from its introduction. Good Phrasing to CRUCIAL to the great performance of any song.

·      Pianissimo:  This is the descriptive word for very soft and it is designated on sheet music by the symbol pp or ppp for pianississimo.

·      Piano:  This Italian term means soft and/or played or sung tenderly. This is, of course, also a keyboard instrument with 88 black and white Keys. Technically, a Piano is a Keyboard Instrument, a Stringed Instrument (there is a Harp-like device inside every acoustic Piano, whether a Spinet or a type of Grand Piano), AND a Percussion Instrument (it must be “struck” to create sound). This is also the term used to delineate a section of music that is to be played or sung softly. The symbol for this is:  p

·      Pitch:  This is the sound a particular note makes. More specifically, it is the sound frequency at which the ACCURATE pitch of the note is attained. Therefore, if you have ever heard someone say a singer or a note was “out of tune” or “off pitch”, they mean that the note (hopefully, it’s only one note) that was sung either never achieved a high enough frequency or it overshot the correct frequency, which is to say the singer was “Flat”, below the pitch, or “Sharp”, above the pitch. Either way is undesirable, though all of us have hit a “Sour Note” at least once. It is VERY important for singers to “train their ear” to hear correct pitch. This way, if or when he or she sings an out-of-tune pitch, they hear it and are able to correct it the next time. Some people are able to do this pretty naturally but even those people are benefited by practice.

·      Placement: Understanding Placement is one of the essentials of good singing. Placement can, potentially, be in the throat, in the nose, in the head, forward in the “Mask” (the teeth and lips, and the sinuses by the cheekbones, next to the nose, and in the forehead), or in a combination of these areas. Most people, including myself, recommend very “forward” placement, utilizing the natural resonances of the mouth and sinuses. This results in a full, resonant voice, reminiscent of singing in your ceramic-tiled bathroom but all the time.  Some FAMOUS voices, however, have placed their voices otherwise. Elvis Presley used a very nasal placement. Pee Wee Herman and Kermit the Frog favored a throaty placement. However, the list of healthy, successful singers exercising forward placement is much longer than this entire blog. You choose. You can learn to “move” your placement. In fact, if you ever want to do vocal “impressions” or imitations, you’ll have to. Contact me for details on HOW to identify, correct, and move your vocal placement.

·      “Popping” a Microphone: In a recording studio for singers, the microphones used are significantly more sensitive sonically to vocal nuances than an “ordinary” microphone such as one built into your computer or purchased inexpensively at a “Radio Shack” or online. When singing into such a microphone, certain consonants concentrate air forcefully at the cone, the central mechanism, of the microphone, and the result to the listener is a loud, unpleasant “pop”. This can be eased by utilizing a “Pop Screen” on the microphone of light foam rubber or even a scrim of hosiery-type fabric stretched between the singer’s mouth and the microphone.

·      Presto: This is a Tempo notification, showing the player or singer to perform the musical piece or passage at a very fast tempo. Pieces written in contemporary times, usually include a specific Metronome delineation, such as q = 144, which would be Presto tempo.

·      Projection:  Projection is the “Natural” ability to be heard over a distance. This is NOT simply being loud; it is learning to focus your voice powerfully, so that it can be heard on the front row, as well as the back row of both the orchestra and the balcony. Projection can also be the ability to convey and communicate emotion to an audience. Someone might say, “he projected confidence and charisma with every glance.”  This is definitely a talent that must be cultivated and honed. For example, “projecting” an emotion to a small, intimate audience requires more subtle technique, while “projecting” the same sentiment to a large crowd subtly would be totally lost; it demands grander, more dramatic action.  Both of these methodologies can be acquired, however, with study and practice.

·      Pure Note: This is a term describing a sustained note, held and controlled but without vibrato. A child’s voice has not yet developed vibrato but an adult must exercise great control of both the Diaphragm and the Vocal Folds to create a clear, relaxed tone that still has strong energy and life.  Frequently, in studio group work, Pure Tone work is necessary for specific cut-offs at the end of phrases or for particular styles of music. A good producer will understand when Pure Tone work is what is needed for a balanced sound.

·      Quarter Note/Rest: The Quarter Note, q, and Quarter Note Rest or Crochet, are the most common in music. In any Time Signature with a “4” on the bottom, each of these symbols receives ONE count, so that it would take FOUR Quarter Notes or a combination of Quarter Notes and Quarter Note Rests to equal FOUR beats in each measure of 4/4 time, or any combination of THREE beats in each measure of ¾ time.

·      Quartet: This is a group of FOUR singers on FOUR different vocal parts, such as Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano, OR 1^st Soprano, 2^nd Soprano, Alto, and Contralto. Another example would be a Barber Shop Quartet of Bass, Baritone, 2^nd Tenor, and 1^st Tenor.  In years gone by, there were many famous vocal quartets:  The Lennon Sisters on “The Lawrence Welk Show” of the 1960s and 1970s; the Mills Brothers who, literally sang together from 1928 to 1982; The Jordanaires, a Gospel Quartet who gained huge notoriety backing Elvis Presley; and most recently, Britain’s One Direction.

·      Rallentando (Rall.): I KNOW that some of these words seem ridiculously long and difficult but having a little bit of knowledge about the most important of these terms, goes a long toward, not only, helping YOU understand but also your knowledge of these details helps professionals you are working with to RESPECT YOU much more. SO, Rallentando or Rall., as it is commonly abbreviated, is SIMILAR to Ritardando except that with Rallentando, the tempo is “broadened” and slowed more gradually.

·      Range:  This is the term used to explain the scope and extent of the notes a singer is able to perform consistently and comfortably. However, just because you have a “set” range, does not mean your range must stay limited. Working with a professional voice teacher should allow you to expand your range, strengthen any parts of it that are challenging for you, and overall, to help you develop a stronger, more consistent range, among other things.

·      Rapping: “Rap” music is a much newer genre of music to the music scene. Technically, it does not include actual singing, as the “Rapper” speaks the “Lyrics”. However, there are definitely exceptions to this, wherein a singer “fills” or provides a vocal background to the actual “rap”. The principal musical contribution of Rapping is “Rhythm.” Rhythm and Tempo are essential to Rap Music; there must be consistent flow, energy, and rhythmic adherence throughout an entire piece of Rap Music. This can be especially challenging in some pieces as there is an abundance of lyrics but very few opportunities to breathe. Rapping also requires amazing articulation. Otherwise, understanding the lyrics and, indeed, the intent of the rap, is impossible.

·      Register: This word is used to describe the expanse of musical tones created by a particular muscular and vibratory pattern of the Vocal Folds. For more a more detailed explanation of registers, see my Blog Post from October 17, 2016 on Vocal Registers generally and on each individual register, specifically. The common Vocal Registers are: Vocal Fry (created using the False Vocal Cords); Modal (this is a person “normal” voice or, what many refer to as the “Chest” voice); Head voice (lighter and above the Modal Register); Falsetto (literally translated as the “False” voice); and the Whistle register (an ultra-high Register some singers are able to access). 

·      Rehearsal:    This is the term used to describe times of preparation for a performance of music, singing, theater, dance, or any combination of these, including musical performances, musical theater productions, and/or films.  A rehearsal can be as intimate as a single person practicing music, vocal parts, choreography, or whatever, to a huge, coordinated session with: an entire orchestra; a stage crew of technicians for lighting, sound, set and property moving, storage, and placement involving both manual and digital activities; a large cast of performers of any and all types (dancers, singers, actors, on-stage musicians, even audience participants required for a particular portion of a script or other program; as well as, production administrators such as directors, choreographers, administrative assistants, apprentices, and any number of other people necessary to a specific production. There is also no SET number of rehearsals for any given performance or production, though different performance unions may stipulate regulations, limitations, and requirements that must be considered when planning a rehearsal schedule.  As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect!”   

·      Repertoire: This is a most important term for any singer as it is the list and compilation of all the songs/ musical pieces or shows a singer knows and is able to perform proficiently. Depending on the type of music a singer wishes to focus on, a Repertoire needs to contain a wide variety of stylistic choices in order to showcase versatility of vocal styles and range. Examples of repertoire categories might include for Opera: arias in multiple languages such as Italian, French, German, and English; comedic and dramatic arias; and arias, which demonstrate ability to convincingly and easily execute musical “decorations” such as melisma, runs, and trills. Musical Theater singers should assemble a “Book” of audition pieces, which include the categories listed in Blog Post, “Broadway Musical Singing Styles” from May 31, 2016. I recommend that each song added to a singer’s Repertoire be presented, at least, in 16-bar and 32-bar arrangements along with instructions for an accompanist. It is also helpful for a singer to keep “notes” regarding the performance of each piece, so that if he or she is called upon to perform a piece that has not been practiced recently, the notes provide specifics guidelines, which will direct the singer in its performance. For pop singers who will be performing in clubs and/or restaurants alone or with bands, it is helpful for his or her Repertoire to include songs from recent and past pop hits, Country and Western selections, ballads, up-tempo and/or Rock pieces, possibly Jazz and/or Blues songs, as well as “specialty” songs such as songs appropriate for weddings, Jewish events, Christmas songs, “period” pieces (Swing tunes from the 1940s or Disco songs from the 1970s, for instance), and/or original songs by friends or band members.

·      Resonance:  Resonance is the result of modification and amplification of the voice once it has traveled through the Vocal Resonators, including: the Chest area; the Pharynx or Throat; the Oral Cavity (from the Soft to Hard Palate); the Nasal Cavity; and the Sinuses and Head. This resulting Resonance is what distinguishes one voice from any other, and creates the unique sound, which ultimately exits your mouth. 

·      Rest: A “Rest” is not a singer’s term but a musical term, which singers must recognize, and utilize in the crafting of musical phrases in a song. Technically, when a musician and/or singer sees the symbol for a Rest, it indicates you must STOP or PAUSE, depending on the specific TYPE of rest and the time duration associated with it. Rests are most useful to singers as their presence allows him or her the opportunity to take a breath for the length of the Rest. To SEE what the different Rests look like, here’s a great link:  http://www.visualdictionaryonline.com/arts-architecture/music/musical-notation/rest-symbols.php

·      Reverb:  This term refers to a sound engineering capability through the mixing board of a Sound System, separate device, or studio mixing board. The use of Reverb with singers can afford them great benefit as it adds tone color and ambient presence to his or her sound.  Usually, Reverb should be added in moderation, so that it merely enhances a singer’s tone rather than having so much emphasis that it calls attention to itself. When I sang with Julio Iglesias, people joked that the Sound Engineer used so much Reverb on Julio’s voice that if he sang yesterday, he could still be heard today. Trust me, this was not the doing of our Sound Man but wholly the preference of Julio himself.

·      Ritardando (Rit.): This is a Musical Tempo direction that indicates that a singer and musicians need to slow down or decelerate for a notated period of time. This would NOT be a marking for an entire piece, only a section.

·      Root: The Root of a chord is the first note of the scale the chord is based on. An example would be that the Root of a C Major chord would be a “C”; the Root of a G Minor 7 chord would be “G”. Another name for the Root of a chord might be the Tonic, which is the first note of a Musical Scale though these terms are more interchangeable regarding scales than chords.

·      Rubato: This is a Tempo designation that indicates the singer is allowed to sing the music at the Tempo of THEIR choosing. In Italian, this term means “Stolen Time”. Rubato singing can be a favorite style for singers as they are not required to maintain a specific Tempo but instead, can inject additional emotional, expressive, and even rhythmic interpretations by slowing down, speeding up, or even taking additional pauses during the Rubato section. A good accompanist will follow the singer without drawing undue attention to him or herself.   Rubato sections most frequently appear in the Verse or Recitative sections of songs but they can be available anywhere the composer sees fit to allow them, or the singer and accompanist arrange ahead of time.

·      Runs: This is a term used in Classical music for rapid, musical slides up or down, as in a string or scale-like movement in a particular passage of music.

Now that you’ve gotten this far, hopefully, you’re finding real practical value for this Vocal Dictionary. I really hope you will send me any further suggestions you come up with, any questions you have about existing Dictionary submissions, and, of course, any other Blog Post topics you’d enjoy knowing about. This is another important tool for your Vocal Toolbox. Thanks so much for reading and utilizing all the entries from all 5 Posts. If you have ANY questions about my lessons or about me, check out my website at www.SingitForward.net. Thanks again for reading! Remember, Sing it Forward!