What musical choices should every ensemble singer regularly default to?
I’ve written about Factory Default Settings before; we made a list in rehearsal this week and added some more to my list.
These aren’t musical choices that will always work – but they’re musical choices that will almost always work. So if we make these choices by default, we’ll usually be right – and save time in the process!
Choral Factory Default Settings:
- Four Bar Phrases. Most Western music is built on regular four-bar phrases.
- Grow On Long Notes. A half-note or longer will almost always grow.
- Silent Breaths. There are times when a breath should be audible, but they’re vanishingly rare.
- Read Vertically. Always be aware of what’s happening in other parts and how it relates to yours.
- Quiet Unison. This requires reading vertically, but the recognition of when you’re singing 4-part, 2-part, or unison in your choir is essential to good balance and phrasing.
What am I missing? What’s a factory default you teach to your students?