Learn singing with these simple steps. This material is available for free and fair use (which includes sharing btw)

1. Learn Singing
Sessions Overview
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2. Why Sing
Singing - Essential to every Human Being
• Human voice is one of the most wonderful musical Instruments capable of
producing rich musical tones and endless Pitches… and the best thing is it comes
absolutely free.
• Singing has strong positive impact on health based on numerous researches
• It involves deep breathing, which is good for the nervous system
• Great way to work out – singing as aerobic exercise increases oxygen levels in
the blood
• Improves posture and tones tummy muscles.
• Reduces stress levels and blood pressure.
• Vocalizing helps in Ear Training and developing overall musicality
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3. Course Objectives
• The course is targeted for people with little or no
background in Singing
• Includes introduction to fundamental music concepts
required for Singing
• References and examples are drawn from Indian and
Western Styles, largely focussing on common elements
• Aimed to instil love for Music, especially Singing
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4. Contents
Session 1 Session 7
Overview of Music Scales and Notes Singing in different Scales
Singing Scales and Notes with different Styles
Session 2 Session 8
Identifying your Vocal Range
Song Structure and Arrangement
Identifying favourite Songs suited to Voice
Session 3 Session 9
Singing Various Note Patterns - Alankaars Taal Kaherwa
Session 4 Session 10
Singing across Octaves Expressive Singing
Session 5 Session 11
Singing with Pauses Singing in Public
Session 6 Session 12
Preparing for Performance
Singing in Rhythm
Next Steps
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5. Session 1
Overview of Music Scales and Notes
Preparation to Sing - Breathing Exercises, Omkar
Singing Single Note with different Styles
Singing all Notes in a Diatonic Scale
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6. Notes on Musical Scales
Overview Indian Western
• Musical Note is a sound of constant Pitch / Swars Notes
Frequency
Sa C5 523 Hz
• Musical Scale consists of Notes with defined
Ni B
Pitch distances
• In a commonly used ‘Equal Tempered’ scale, the Dha A 440 Hz
Notes are divided into 12 equal steps
• Each Step is referred to as a Semitone (S) and 2 Pa G 392 Hz
steps as Tone (T)
• Notes with Frequency difference of two times Ma F 349 Hz
are said to be an Octave apart. S
Ga E
• Note A above middle C with frequency of 440 Hz
is used as Tuning Standard in Western Music Re D
Indian Music Western Music T
Swar Note Sa Middle C 261.5 Hz
(C4)
Saptak Octave
Music Scale shown over 12 Equal Temperaments
Thaat Scale
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7. Diatonic Music Scale (Bilawal Thaat)
Most of the Music systems in the world use Diatonic Scale as the basic framework for musical
Compositions which follows same pattern of Pitch distances T T S T T T S
8 C Sa C D E F G A B C
S
7 Guitar
B Ni
T
6 A Dha
T Piano
5 G Pa C D E F G A B C
T
4 F Ma Staff
S Notation
3 E
Ga
T
English Notes C D E F G A B C
2 D Re
T Indian Notes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
1 C Sa
Spanish Notes Do Re Me Fa So La Ti Do
Pitch gaps in a Diatonic Scale Diatonic Notes Names in various Music Systems
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8. Preparation to Sing
Breathing Exercises Favourite Song routine
• Identify selection of songs that you truly enjoy
• Breathing exercises to strengthen singing ability
singing almost any time
• Find comfortable position
• Narrow down to 4-5 songs that you would want
to focus on during the Vocals learning
• Inhale deeply for a count of 6
programme in early days
• Hold breadth for count of 6
• Identify, ideally with the help of a teacher, a
song that you would like to practice everyday as
• Exhale slowly for a count of 12
a warm up routine.
Omkar Routine
• Take a deep Breath, Relax
• While exhaling slowly from the mouth, sing OM, sounding AUM
• Remember to sing at a consistent comfortable pitch and consistent volume
Singing Om regularly enhances deep breathing pattern and provides nice warm up for the Vocal Chords
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9. Sing a single Note with different styles.
• Sing at a consistent pitch – ‘Do’ or ‘Sa’ while changing the volume as shown below
• Choose a comfortable pitch within your Vocal Range (your teacher will help you in this)
• Sing using different sounds – AA, EE, OO, O etc
Constant Volume
Increasing Volume
Decreasing Volume
Low High Low Volume
High Low High Volume
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10. Singing Scales
• Now you should try singing various notes in a scale by matching your pitch with a
keyboard/piano (or any other pitched instrument).
• You can use either Indian ( sa, re, ga,…) or western notes (do, re, me,…) for singing
• You can also use the practice sound-clips available from Muziclub
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11. Session 2
Identifying your Vocal Range
Identifying favourite Songs suited to Voice
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12. Identifying your Vocal Range
• Every human being or a musical Instrument is capable of producing a limited range of
pitches known as Vocal Range. Following diagram shows typical vocal ranges
• During this session we will help you identify your vocal range.
• For this you need to try singing various notes on a keyboard starting with middle C going
up and down to identify the highest and lowest note that you can sing comfortably (your
teacher will help you in this)
Human Voice
Concert Piano
Violin
Bass Guitar
Guitar
C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 Octave C8
Middle C
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13. Identifying favourite songs for Practice
• While learning to sing its useful to identify simple favourite songs that suit your voice
range and quality for practicing
• There are several Voice Characteristics which influence the kind of Songs that you can
sing properly and comfortably
• Vocal Range: Total span of ‘musically useful’ pitches that can be produced by a person
• Male/Female, Age
• Voice Quality/ Timber/ Tone
• Voice Type. In western music following are the classifications
• Soprano: C4 – C6
• Mezzo-soprano: A3 – A5
• Contralto: F3 – F5
• Tenor: C3 – C5
• Baritone: F2 – F4
• Bass: E2 – E4
• Choose few of your favourite songs with following guidelines
• Song Notes are within your Vocal Range
• Narrow Melodic Range
• Medium or slow Temp
• Easy memorable lyrics
• Your teacher will help you in making the right selections
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14. Session 3
Singing various Note Patterns (Alankaars)
sa, sa, re, re
sa, sa, sa, re, re, re
sa, re, re, ga, ga, ma
sa, re, sa, re, ga, re
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15. Singing various Note Patterns
• During this session, we will focus on singing various combinations of notes in the
scale as shown below
• These exercises help you to bring ease in singing and make your vocal chords
flexible. The more flexibility you get, the faster and clear you can sing.
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16. Singing various Note Patterns … contd
• Its important to sing notes correctly at the right pitch for these exercises
• You can sing along either with the teacher or while playing these notes on an Instrument.
Alternatively you can use practice sound files on Muziclub website
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17. Singing various Note Patterns – additional exercises
• sa sa sa, re re re, gag a ga, ma ma ma, pa pa pa,dha dha dha, ni ni ni, sa` sa` sa`
• sa` sa` sa`, ni ni ni,dha dha dha,pa pa pa,ma ma ma, ga ga ga, re re re, sa sa sa
• sa re, re ga, ga ma, ma pa, pa dha, dha ni, ni sa
• sa ni, ni dha, dha pa, pa ma, ma ga,ga re, re sa
• sa re sa, re ga re, ga ma ga, ma pa ma, pa dha pa,dha ni dha, ni sa`ni, sa` re sa`
• sa` re` sa`, ni sa ni,dha ni dha,pa dha pa,ma pa ma,ga ma ga, re ga re,sa re sa
• These exercises can be sung using Indian or Western notes (Do, Re, Me etc)
• Like previous exercises, its important that you sing at the right pitch. For this, you can sing
along either with the teacher or while playing these notes on an Instrument. Alternatively
you can use practice sound files on Muziclub website
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18. Session 4
Singing across Octaves
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19. Multiple Octaves / Saptaks
• In Indian music, a group of seven Swar (notes) is called Saptak. There are three types of Saptak:
• Mandra (lower) Saptak
• Madhya (middle) Saptak
• Taar (Higher) Saptak
• Mandra Saptak is represented by a dot below the swar. Taar Saptak is represented by a dot
above the swar and Madhya Saptak is represented by writing the swar as it is, without dots
…
Ga
Re
Sa
Ni
Dha
Pa
Ma
Ga
Re
Sa
Ni
Dha
…
Mandra Saptak Madhya Saptak Taar Saptak
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20. Singing across Octaves / Saptaks
• ‘Aaroha’ is a series of notes sung in the ascending order of a pitch.
• ‘Avaroha’ is a series of notes sung in the descending order of the pitch
• Now we will sing combinations which includes Aaroha and Avaroha together.
sa re re sa, re ga ga re, ga ma ma ga, ma pa pa ma
pa dha dha pa, dha ni ni dha, ni sa sa ni, sa re re sa
• In this exercise we have to start singing a sa from Madhya saptak considering it a root
note, then we will start adding mandra saptak swaras one by one and keep coming back
on the root note. Now we will keep changing the root notes followed by re, ga etc
sa
sa ni sa
sa ni dha ni sa
sa ni dha pa dha ni sa
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21. Session 5
Singing with Pauses
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22. Singing with Pauses
• Now we will sing Sa ,RE, Ga, Ma putting the coma (,) in different ways. The sign of coma (,)
shows a pause. So we will have to take a little pause where we see a coma (,).
Sa Re Ga Ma
• Sa, Re, Ga, Ma
• Sa, Re Ga Ma
• Sa Re, Ga Ma
• Sa Re Ga, Ma
• Sa Re Ga Ma,
Pa Dha Ni Sa
• Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa`
• Pa, Dha Ni Sa`
• Pa Dha, Ni Sa`
• Pa, Dha Ni Sa`
• Pa Dha Ni Sa`, All Notes
• Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa`
• Sa Re, Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
• Sa Re Ga Ma, Pa Dha Ni Sa
• Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha, Ni Sa
• Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa,
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23. Session 6
Singing in Rhythm
Taal Dadra - 6/8 Rhythm
Singing Alankar in Taal Dadra
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24. Rhythm / Taal
Overview
• Rhythm (Taal in Indian music) is regulated succession of strong and weak elements. Its made up of
sounds and silences which are put together to form a pattern of sounds which gets repeated in time
• Singing in Rhythm involves singing the right notes/words at the right time for the right duration
Tempo Metric Level Western Music Indian Music
• Basic Unit of time that can Rhythm Taal
• Speed or Pace of a given piece
be audible
• Can affect the mood and Tempo Laya
• Also called Beat level
difficulty of a piece.
• Repeating series of Bar Khand
• Usually expressed in Beats per
identical distinct periods
minute
known as Bar Beat Matra
Whole note Half note Quarter note Eighth note
4 Beats 2 Beats 1 Beat 1/2 Beat
Beat Level Division Level
Multiple Levels
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25. Taal Dadra - 6/8 Time signature
Dadra Taal Structure
6
• Matra – 6 8
• Khand – 2
• Taali – On 1st
• Khali – On 4th
6/8 Time Signature
1 2 3 4 5 6
Dha Dhi Na Dha Ti Na
X 0
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26. Singing Scale Patterns/ Alankars in Taal Dadra
• In this exercise, we will sing notes on Scale in the given pattern over the beats of Taal Dadra as shown in
the figures below. This could be done by playing a track of Dadra Taal or 6/8 Time Signature
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
sa re ga re ga ma ga ma pa ma pa dha
X 0 X 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
pa dha ni dha ni sa sa ni dha ni dha pa
X 0 X 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
dha pa ma pa ma ga ma ga re ga re sa
X 0 X 0
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27. Session 7
Singing in different Scales
Alankaars with Teevra Madhyam
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28. Structure of Alankaar with Teevra Madhyam
Diatonic Scale Indian Swars Western Notes Teevra Madhyam
C sa Octave sa
B ni (shuddha) Major seventh ni
ni (komal) Minor seventh
A dha (shuddha) Major sixth dha
dha (komal) Minor sixth
G pa Perfect fifth pa
ma (teevra) Augmented fourth ma (teevra ma)
F ma (shuddha) Perfect fourth
S
E ga (shuddha) Major third ga
ga (komal) Minor third
D re (shuddha) Major second re
T re (komal) Minor second
C sa Unison sa
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29. Singing Alankaars with Teevra Madhyam
• These exercises are similar to earlier exercises involving Bilawal That (Diatonic Scale). Only
difference is that instead of singing ‘shuddha ma’ you have to sing ‘teevra ma’. ‘Teevra ma’
is shown with a little vertical line over ma - ma
• sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni, sa`
• sa`, ni, dha, pa, ma, ga, re, sa
• sa sa, re re, ga ga, ma ma, pa pa, dha dha, ni ni, sa` sa`
• sa` sa`, ni ni, dha dha, pa pa, ma ma, ga ga, re re, sa sa
• sa sa sa, re re re, gag a ga, ma ma ma, pa pa pa,dha dha dha, ni ni ni, sa` sa` sa`
• sa` sa` sa`, ni ni ni,dha dha dha,pa pa pa,ma ma ma, ga ga ga, re re re, sa sa sa
• sa re, re ga, ga ma, ma pa, pa dha, dha ni, ni sa
• sa ni, ni dha, dha pa, pa ma, ma ga,ga re, re sa
• sa re sa, re ga re, ga ma ga, ma pa ma, pa dha pa,dha ni dha, ni sa`ni, sa` re sa`
• sa` re` sa`, ni sa ni,dha ni dha,pa dha pa,ma pa ma,ga ma ga, re ga re,sa re sa
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30. Session 8
Song Structure and arrangement
Intro and Outro
Verse
Chorus
Middle 8
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31. Song structure and arrangements
• During this session, we will discuss Structure of a song covering various parts
• We will specifically cover these details for the song selected for you
• Following is a general overview of key song sections and a typical song arrangement
Intro and Outro
• Unique section at the beginning (Intro) and end (Outro) of a song Intro
• Generally this contains only music and no words Verse
Verse Chorus
• Main part of the song comprising of poetic stanzas
• Song mostly consists of two or more parts with same melody and Verse
different lyrics. Each such part is known as a Verse
Chorus
Chorus Middle 8
• Chorus is part of song that repeats itself both musically and lyrically
• Conveys main theme of the song Chorus
• This part is of highest musical and emotional intensity in the song
Chorus
Middle 8 Outro
• Section of song with different musical feel then rest of the song
• This part is mostly music with little or no words Typical Song
• Its usually in the middle of the song and typically has 8 bars Arrangement
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32. Session 9
Taal Kaherawa
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33. Taal Kaherawa - 4/4 Time signature
Taal Kaherawa Structure
4
• Matra – 8 4
• Khand – 2
• Taali – On 1st
• Khali – On 5th
4/4 Time Signature
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Dha Ge Na Ti Na Ka Dhi Na
X 0
• During this session we will discuss the structure and composition of another popular Taal
• We will sing Alankaar in Taal Kaherwa as we did for Taal Dadra
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34. Session 10
Making Singing more Expressive
Enriching Voice Quality
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35. Expressive Singing
Diction
• Diction refers to distinctness of pronunciation in singing
• Pay attention to each and every word in a song and learn how exactly it is pronounced
Dynamics
• Dynamics refers to managing loundness while singing various parts of the song
• Some vocal exercises as covered in session 1 help in improving Singing Dynamics. Try doing these exercises
for different notes in a scale to sing at a certain pitch while increasing or decreasing volume
• Use of Dynamics in a Song goes hand in hand with the meaning of the lyrics to enhance emotional
expression
Phrasing and Articulation
• Articulation refers to overemphasizing certain words or parts in a song while Phrasing refers to taking
pauses and breaths at correct spots.
• There are various techniques to enhance the impact through phrasing and articulation such as - Linger
over a long note, Change inflection on some words, use throaty huskiness on certain words etc
Emotional connect
• Perhaps the most critical element for bringing correct expression in singing is to emotionally connect with
the song and bring the emotions out through singing
Expressive Singing requires long time of dedicated learning. Most of these techniques are covered in
Advanced Singing courses. However in this starter course, the Muziclub teacher will help you
understand basics of some of these techniques for familiarity and adoption
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36. Session 11
Singing in Public
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37. Singing in Public
Pitch sensitivity
• Most people, even non-musicians, can easily recognize a tune and any errors of singing wrong pitch get
immediately noticed by everyone.
• Practice the song by singing along several times to feel comfortable that you are singing all notes at the
correct pitch before your public performance
Follow the Rhythm
• Signing at a consistent Tempo and in correct Rhythm is most significant as the rhythm is most easily
recognized by the audience and any randomness will be immediately discovered
• If you are singing in a band, it is absolutely important that you keep pace with the band members (or they
keep pace with you).
Know the Lyrics
• Knowing the correct lyrics of the song will help you focus on singing correct notes expressively rather than
trying to memorize the lyrics while singing.
• Its generally not a good idea to keep a sheet a piece of paper with lyrics on and it doesn’t sound very
pleasing when you have to mumble on certain words or even worse stop abruptly somewhere
Body Language
• Reflect Confidence and composure while singing
• It doesn’t matter that much whether you sing good or bad as long as you demonstrate harmony with
yourself
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38. Session 12
Song Performance
Next Steps
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39. Preparing for Performance
Song Practice
During these sessions, you would have practiced singing your favourite songs and would hopefully now be
roaring to sing in Public to show your newly acquired skills.
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40. Next Steps
Discussion
• During this session, Muziclub Teacher will be happy to discuss further
learning Options with you such as
• Learning Indian Classical Raagas
• Preparing for Indian Classical Graded Exams
• Western Operatic Singing
• Professional Singing
• Special Singing Techniques
• Singing in a Band
• Karaoke Singing
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41. Join Muziclub Online Classes
4 FREE Sessions
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42. Warm Wishes for living music
Happy Singing
and
THANK YOU
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online@muziclub.com
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