Songs as Monologues: Expressing the Character While Singing

Songs as Monologues: Expressing the Character While Singing. Written by Anne LaBella. (800)581-4609 [email protected] Home VoiceLessons Instruments InstrumentLessons PianoLessons GuitarLessons OnlineVoiceLessons AdultMusicLessons OtherLessons ArtistDevelopment AuditionPrep RecordingServices Songwriting Blog AboutUs AboutUs OurTeam History Employment Contact GeneralContact FindUs SouthOrangeCounty CentralOrangeCounty NorthOrangeCounty Voice|CoolMusicFinds SongsasMonologues:ExpressingtheCharacterWhileSinging WrittenbyAnneLaBella ThefollowingwaswrittenbyourProgramManagerandvoiceteacher,Anne.Shediscusseshowsongsshouldbeperformed,muchthesamewayasanactorwouldperformamonologue. Thevoiceisauniqueinstrument.First,itisaninstrumentthatis,quiteliterally,us.Theshapeofourheadsandnecks,ourverygenetics,addtothatspecificsoundthatisours.Second,becauseweareabletospeak,voiceistheonlyinstrumentthatalsouseswords,andthisfactaloneopensupmanyavenuesforexpressionthataren’talwaysopentoothermusicians.Butevenwiththisincredibleabilitytotellouraudiencewhatwearefeeling,wesomanytimestakeitforgranted,andthewords,whilewemayhavethemmemorized,mightfallalittleflat. Let’sgobacktotheworldofanactor.Actorshavetwobasicsortsofthingstoread.Theyhavedialogues(conversationsbetweentwoormorepeople),andtheyhavemonologues(alongspeechbyoneactor).Dialoguesarewhatmovetheplotforward.Theybasicallytelluswhatishappening.Themonologueiswhenasinglecharacterisdiscussinghowheorshefeels.Itisn’tmovingthestoryalong,butitisgivingmoredepthtothecharacter. Nowlet’stakeastepclosertomusic.Operaisaplaythatsomeoneputtomusic.Thereisnoqualifierhere;thatisactuallyallitis.Dialoguesarenowcalled“recitatives,”andmonologuesarenowcalled“arias.”Ifwemoveoutoftheworldofoperaandintotheworldofmusicaltheatre,themonologuesarereplacedwithsongs,andthedialoguestaysasthespokenpartsthatmovethestoryalong.Inotherstylesofmusic,suchasjazz,pop,androck,wehavegottenridofthedialogue.Allwehaveleftarealbumsfilledwithmonologues.Doesthatmeanthatweabandonthestory?Ohno.Sorry,wedon’tgetoutofitthateasily. Weassingershavetheabilitytousewords,butalotofthetimeweforgetthem.Manycomposersareverygoodatsettingwords,and,tobefair,manysongsaremoreaboutthemusicthantheyarethewords.Butwecan’tleaveoutthisimportantaspectofthesong.Wegettousewords,andthatmeansthatweshoulddosothoughtfully. WhenIamworkingwithastudentonasonginpreparationforanauditionorarecital,Iliketodiscusswiththemwhatthesongisabout.Whatdotheythinkitmeanstothesinger?Whatdoesitmeanthem?Whatisitthattheyaretryingtotelltheaudience?Youcanusethisconcepttohelpyouwithyourmusicianshipaswell.Whatistheshapeofthesong?Doesitmakemoresensetobeloudorsofthere?Arewegivingtoomuchinthebeginning?Doesitmakemoresensetobeairyhere,anddowewanttogointoafullbeltonthisrefrain,orsaveitforthelastone? Anexercisethatyoucantrybyyourselfistolookatthelyricsandaskyourselfwhattheimportantwordsare.Whichonesareweheadedtowardinthemelody?Goaheadandunderlinethosewords.Now,whenyouaresinging,trymakingthoseyour“landingpoints.”Don’ttreateverysinglewordexactlythesame,butinsteadcreateaphrasewherethatunderlinedwordistheoneyoufocuson.Whatdoesthatdotothesong,andhowdoesitchangeyourinterpretationofit? Wordshavealotofpower.Don’tletthatpowergotowaste. AnneLaBella ThefollowingwaswrittenbyourProgramManagerandvoiceteacher,Anne.Shediscusseshowsongsshouldbeperformed,muchthesamewayasanactorwouldperformamonologue. 0Comments SubmitaCommentCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*Comment*Name* Email* Website SubmitComment Δ Previousarticle TeacherFeature:JanetB. Nextarticle StudentSpotlight:TiffanieB. VoiceLessonsforthe21stCentury Traditionalvoicelessonsaregreat!TheInsideVoiceisBetter. CheckItOut Q Weusecookiestoensurethatwegiveyouthebestexperienceonourwebsite.Ifyoucontinuetousethissitewewillassumethatyouarehappywithit.Ok