How to Find the Starting Note in a Song: Part 4

In Part 1 we looked at “getting over embarrassment” as even the best singers hit a wrong note from time to time; and outlined steps to support hitting the correct note. In Part 2 we expanded the discussion to include more tips and examples of how to use musical instruments/accompaniment to help find the starting note. In Part 3 we dissected the basic elements of chord structure and introduced the confounding issues of overtones using different instruments, and impact of chord inversions. In Part 4 we’ll explore starting notes that are not the root of the chord, but the 3rd or 5th of the
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How to Find the Starting Note in a Song: Part 3

In Part 1 we looked at “getting over embarrassment” as even the best singers hit a wrong note from time to time; and outlined steps to support hitting the correct note. In Part 2 we expanded the discussion to include more tips and examples of how to use musical instruments/accompaniment to help find the starting note. If you just discovered this conversation thread, you may want to go back to these previous discussions. Note: we’re talking about leading and teaching a song to a group, but all of these principles can apply to most other settings. In Part 3 we dissect
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How to Find the Starting Note in a Song: Part 2

This questions might seem trivial at first for some singers. However, it does apply to all skill levels. Consider a “Classical” aria where the piano, or orchestra, plays an introduction that goes on for what seems like minutes and the vocalist seems to pick the starting note out of thin air as it doesn’t apparently fit with anything recent in the accompaniment (think Brahms). In such situations the singer might be listening for a strong note 8 or 16 measures earlier and from that point jumping a known interval to find the right entrance. Wow! It’s not easy sometimes! Fortunately,
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How to Find the Starting Note in a Song: Part 1

Ever wonder how to find the starting note in a song? I travel quite a bit and work with a lot of singers who lead/teach others in singing. This might be a choir, sing-a-long, or other group gathering. For someone new to the role of leading a group, one of the most common questions/problems is “how to find the starting note”. Of course this is a challenge for singers in all situations. At times it’s quick, easy, and comes naturally. At other times, depending on experience, and the complexity of the song, and your history of singing (eg, what you are
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