HOW TO PRACTICE AT HOME

WARM UP. Always take the time to warm up. Use the exercises that you do with your leaders at the beginning of rehearsals. There are also lots of tips and videos online for good warm ups. Go with the basic ones as that is all we really need. Something like this

PRACTICING SONGS.

Hum the song through - Play the ALL version of the song that you are practicing and hum along with it. Humming is a brilliant way of keeping the voice warm whilst also allowing you to listen at the same time. Make some mental notes about the bits you do and don’t know.

Break It Down - Sing through the whole song that is JUST YOUR VOCAL PART and identify the bits you DON’T feel are very strong for you. Then practice those isolated bits a few times until you feel you know them more. Then put them back into the whole song and sing through it. Repeat this process until you are confident with it all.

HELPFUL  NOTE - On the JUST YOUR VOCAL track (eg. Sop, Alto, Tenor) we make your voice part louder and PAN IT TO THE LEFT. So if you are using headphones and don’t want to hear the other vocals, take your right headphone out and just listen with the left.

HELPFUL NOTE from a Choir member - it can help when learning your voice part to make it easier to follow. You can edit the lyric PDF on your smart phone - adding text notes for extra direction on the lyrics.

Test Yourself - It is important once you feel you are singing it strongly that you test yourself by singing along with the ALL part again. If you only practice with the recording of your voice part, it isn’t clear how much you know it and how much you are following what you are hearing. By adding all the voice parts back in and managing to stick to your line, you can be sure that you know it. Also, this is more realistic to how it will sound to you on the night performing on the stage.

Open up - In the words of Louis Walsh, 'Sing it like you really mean it'. Tap into your inner Whitney/Stevie/Amy! Let rip. You're on your own so enjoy it…it's why we do it right?? 

Crack on -  Walk around and do something else while you listen and sing along. Make the song part of everything you do. Commuting, cleaning the house, brushing your teeth, running, sitting around being bored - stick on the dropbox and Imagine yourself on the stage - feel the buzz.