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Oh, hey singers!
And welcome to a special holiday episode of
Quick Singing Tips.
If you follow our show, you know that each episode
we turn New York City into a pedagogical playground.
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But today it's just too cold for that.
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So I'm staying in with a warm drink,
a vocal book, and a few friends.
Which leads us to our question for the day from
David C. in Bangkok, Thailand.
David writes, "Dear Justin, can you help me learn
to sing in harmony?"
Well sure, David!
After all, 'tis the season for joy, peace, and harmony.
But harmony isn't a gift that one man could
ever give by himself.
So today I invited some friends from
New York Holiday Singers.
They've opened for Pentatonix, made TV appearances on shows like
Good Morning America, and CBS Sunday Morning,
and they perform throughout New York City each year.
Today I'm honored to have them with
me in the studio
to explore five tips for singing in harmony.
So off we go!
Step one, learn to hear chord notes.
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To start singing in harmony we really first need
to hear the notes within chords.
A chord is formed when multiple notes
are played or sung together like this...
♬ La ♬
Or this...
♬ La ♬
Or this...
♬ La ♬
You can practice doing this with a piano, a guitar,
or just with the music you're listening to.
Challenge yourself to listen to the
individual notes within the chords that you hear,
then try to sing them.
From there, we sing the thirds.
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The most common harmony is singing the
interval of a third above or below the melody.
This works in a large percentage of songs
and it's one of the best ways to get started with harmony.
So first we listen for the melody line...
♪ Jolly old saint Nicholas lean your ear this way ♪
♪ Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say ♪
And then we find that third and sing it...
♬ Jolly old saint Nicholas lean your ear this way ♬
♬ Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say ♬
Once you know that trick, find a simple song.
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A big mistake singers often make
is trying to harmonize with difficult songs first.
Remember, some harmonies will be harder to find than others.
So give yourself a chance to get good at it
and build some confidence.
Hymns, folk songs, and children's songs
often work nicely in getting started.
Or maybe a Christmas song!
♬ We wish you a merry Christmas ♬
♬ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year ♬
From here we can get a little bit more advanced
by learning a written harmony.
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Learning to harmonize is just like learning how to sing.
You've got to be willing to make a lot of mistakes
and make some really weird noises sometimes.
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So don't worry if more difficult harmonies
go a little wonky at first.
It's the only way.
Not only this, but harmony lines
often don't sound all that melodic on their own.
Like this...
♪ Puttin' on some fun apparel fa la la la la la ♪
It's only when you put it together with the rest
that it sounds right.
We've got to get used to this.
So we need to get some sheet music and try to learn
a few harmony parts that are already written out.
This will give you better instincts
of what some more complex harmonies
sound like and feel like.
And last, hold your own.
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Once you've tried some of these tips,
get with a friend or a group.
It's all kinds of fun!
But as you're hearing other singers around you,
you might feel tempted to be pulled up to their note
or down to their note.
That's when you've got to hold your own.
After all that listening practice, you've actually got
to stop listening so hard
or else you'll be pulled off of your harmony.
Listen first and foremost to your own line
and then stick to it strongly.
From there, learn to listen more ambiently to others around you.
If you do, you'll start to achieve a perfect blend.
Like this...
♬ Puttin' on some fun apparel fa la la la la la ♬
So beautiful!
Well, I hope that helps you with harmony.
It's really the gift that keeps on giving.
We'll have a little bit more from the choristers in a moment.
But first, here are some more things
that I hope will help keep your singing merry and bright.
We are pleased to announce the upcoming release
of Justin Stoney's new book Sing Like Never Before.
For more information visit, SingLikeNeverBefore.com.
For voice lessons or Skype lessons with the NYVC staff
visit us at NewYorkVocalCoaching.com.
If you'd like a vocal course that you can do at home check out the
Voice Lessons To The World Vocal Course.
This twelve part program takes you on a singing journey
from beginner to master level vocal exercises.
You can find it at VoiceLessonsToTheWorld.com.
Or, if you'd like free vocal tips sent to you each day
sign up at DailyVocalTips.com.
And now, here's Justin with this week's vocal benediction.
Singers, this holiday season I feel so incredibly thankful
to be a part of your vocal journey.
The greatest gift for me is the gift of seeing
so many of you grow in excellence and in joy.
So thank you for that gift
and for all of your messages, your love, and your support.
I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays,
and a happy new decade of joyful noises.
Thanks again to my friends,
the New York Holiday Choristers.
Be sure to check them out at
NewYorkHolidayChoristers.com.
And now let's take us ho-ho-home!
1, 2, 3, 4...
♬ Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la ♬
♬ It's the season to be jolly, fa la la la la ♬
♬ Puttin' on some fun apparel, fa la la la la ♬
♬ Fa la la la la la la la la ♬