We all know that the voice we’re born with isn’t the same at the end of our life. The human voice is a marvellous thing that undergoes radical change throughout the years, most obviously in the case of teenage boys when the voice becomes deeper, taking on a more adult characteristic. However, this isn’t the only change, it’s just the most dramatic. Below are a few more ways the voice can shift. Continue reading “Vocal Changes Throughout Life”

As choir singers, it isn’t often we have to deal with equipment. We’re a big, loud group so amplification isn’t always needed, and if it is, it’s usually the whole ensemble who are miced up rather than the individual singers. However, if there’s one bit of musical gear everyone should be familiar with, it’s the Shure SM58 microphone. Continue reading “What’s in a mic?”

Message from Sue:

Dear Fellow Choir Members, We have come a long way since we started up our choir and have achieved some great music making and good camaraderie, all due to Emily’s leadership, musicianship and zany ways, which have kept us upbeat. So, now she needs some time to pursue the other side to her career and we wish her well, whilst giving her enormous thanks for all of her hard work. We owe it to her to keep the choir vibrant and moving forward. It was fortunate that Andrew came to the choir a year ago ready to take over whilst Emily had her operation. Some of you will know that I have sung in another choir under Andrew’s direction for about 6 years and knew of his vast experience, but more importantly, his skill and ability to develop a choir. It has given us the chance to get used to him and for Andrew to get to know us and our ways. So, the ‘change’ should be seamless and our future will be one that Emily would approve of, making her continuing connection with us a positive one.

I hope that you will put your trust in me to look after the choir and in Andrew to develop us as a group of people who enjoy singing.

Message from Andrew:

Dear Singer,
I am very pleased, and feel honoured to have been invited to lead Bigmouth Chorus. I have enjoyed singing in the choir, and it has been a great pleasure for me to get to know you as a group, through teaching and conducting some pieces, and talking to individual members in breaks in rehearsal. It has been a pleasure, too, to work with Emily, and I would like very much to maintain our connection with her in the future.

I think that two features of the choir are important, and I would like to emphasise my commitment to maintaining both of them. Firstly, the range of music that we perform will remain broadly as it has been: pop songs of different kinds and from different eras, folk songs including world music, songs from shows, and perhaps the occasional light classical piece. Secondly, that every member is valued, and that the approaches to teaching and learning music will continue to support those who like to learn through reading music and those who prefer to learn aurally, using online audio files and word sheets. I will do my best to understand how different members of the group learn, and will try to provide support materials that you find helpful. Please do feel free to tell me what works for you.

Whilst I, like any choir director, will aim for us to achieve the highest standards of which we are capable, I don’t want that to be at the expense of our enjoying the choir as a social group – our music making is the expression of our togetherness. Emily will be a hard act to follow, but I will do my best to make rehearsals both stimulating and fun, and it is good to know that she will return to work with us from time to time.

We all know Bigmouth is different to a normal choir. Instead of covering choral classics, we’re constantly looking for new pop and rock songs to add to our repertoire, but where does “pop” come from? Pop is a nebulous thing to define, and it went through several stages before becoming pop music we would recognise today. Continue reading “The Origin of Pop”

We’ve spent some time before talking about the history of singing. We know it’s been a part of human history since before humans were even recognisable as such, but what about recording? When was the first recording of a human singing?

Recording technology hasn’t been around all that long. Though some people have hypothesised a kind of archaeoacoustics, reading waves of sound etched into clay pots as they spun, though this idea has fallen out of favour. Continue reading “The earliest recordings”

The voice of every individual is as unique as one’s fingerprint. While your Alexa might not be able to tell the difference between two people, the human ear is certainly capable of pointing out differences in voices. So what creates these differences and what do the differences mean for our singing?

Firstly, the biggest factor in shaping your voice is your training. A good singing teacher can near enough get anything from a singer with time, dedication and persistence. There’s very little that will stop most people being able to hit a certain note, though there are outliers and some biological limitations that should be seen as gifts rather than limits. Obviously, if someone has a naturally low voice, there’s not much point learning to sing solely high notes, especially when good bass voices are hard to find. Continue reading “Why do people have different vocal ranges?”

A lot of people thinking singing happens entirely in the throat and mouth, but those in the know recognise singing is a full body activity. Good posture is a vital component in setting up a great singing voice. Without it, it’s like trying to play a guitar with a crooked neck or a piano with the keys stuck down – it just doesn’t work. Continue reading “The Joy of Posture”

Perfect pitch is one of the most enviable talents a musician can possess. It is the ability to identify and recreate a note, though it comes in two forms.

The first is absolute pitch, the ability to recreate notes without using a reference point. Someone with absolute pitch would be able to identify the note produced by everyday sounds such as a car alarm or could recreate a piece of music perfectly. It’s is believed to be a very rare occurrence with estimates suggesting that 1 in every 10,000 people possess the trait.

The second is relative pitch, which is the ability to work out the relation between two notes by using a reference note. For example, someone could play a reference note, like middle C, and then play a second sound which the listener could identify based on the reference note, i.e. “two octaves above middle C”. Unlike absolute pitch, relative pitch is a fairly common skill amongst music students, as it is the same skill we use to sing melodies by ear. Continue reading “What is perfect pitch?”

Probably the biggest hurdle to overcome in singing is the creeping feeling that you’re secretly the worst singer in history; that you might be …TONE DEAF!

When people say “tone deaf” they refer to the supposed phenomena that one cannot tell the difference between two notes. It’s the kind of thing thrown around in casual conversation to dismiss oneself as a singer. In fact, it’s so common a phrase that many people falsely believe they are tone deaf and thus, beyond all hope as a singer. Continue reading “Are you actually “tone deaf”?”

If you’re anything like me, the start of barbecue season also means food with a little kick. Summer just doesn’t seem right without a jalapeño or two, but is spicy food affecting your voice?
I’ve always heard about professional singers avoiding spice but it seems the issue is a little deeper than it might first appear.

It turns out there are pros and cons to spicy food, but hopefully we can break down the complexities for you. Continue reading “Is spicy food affecting your voice?”

Summer is definitely on the horizon, and with that comes the heat. While it may be great for relaxing by the beach, the heat can actually throw a spanner in the works when it comes to singing. Heat can dry your throat out, pollen counts are super high and we have plenty of opportunities to shout during the summer months. Of course, there’s plenty you can do to battle the heat and emerge in cooler seasons with your voice intact. Continue reading “Some Like it Hot – Singing in the Summer”

The sun is out again, and for most people that’s a great thing. However, some of us have experiences with hayfever and allergies which can make it more difficult to sing. Allergies can play havoc with your breathing and tone, as swelling in your nose and throat interfere with the systems we usually draw upon to sing. It’s a lot like trying to sing with a cold. Continue reading “Singing during allergy season”

A few weeks ago, we spoke about falsetto and mentioned, in an offhand fashion, the existence of a register above falsetto. The whistle register, or flute register as it is sometimes known, is unique from falsetto in that the sound produced has a unique timbre, akin to that of a whistle. Continue reading “The Whistle Register – How High Can You Go?”

A few weeks ago, we talked about overtone singing in preparation for a workshop with Lunatraktors, but while doing our research, we came across another fascinating extend vocal technique. While overtones are high ethereal notes that dance about an octave above the normal singing voice, undertones are their inverse.

Undertones are low, droning sounds that occur under the singer’s voice. These are normally produced through one of two methods. Firstly, we have the use of strohbass, also known as vocal fry, which you might remember from our article on the death growl. By slowing down the vibration of the vocal cords, the note produced becomes creakier, or fried, and produces the lowest register notes. Continue reading “Undertone singing”

We know all about chest voice and head voice but have you heard of “disconnected head voice”, a higher register with a shrill, thinner tone than your usual head voice. This is falsetto, and it often covers the highest notes a person can reach (outside of whistle register at least).

The falsetto voice uses only the thin, leading edges of the vocal cords to generate sound, and although this means it uses less power, it also uses less breath support and can, in time, anecdotal evidence suggests it may cause damage to the throat. Continue reading “Hitting the high notes – Falsetto”

Last week on this blog, we spoke about beatboxing. In particular, we were really impressed by the ability to make more than one noise at a time. Imagine if singers could do the same…

This practice is called overtone singing and not only is it an amazing skill, it’s becoming more talked about.

A talented singer is able to produce a two notes (or even more): firstly a low base or fundamental note is sung before a second, whistle-like note appears about two octaves above the base note. Continue reading “The wonderful world of overtone singing”

This week, we’re continuing our exploration of extended vocal techniques by looking at one of the most versatile, recognisable and easy to grasp techniques. Beatboxing is the vocal approximation of drum machines and is often tied into the world of hip-hop.

The earliest sounds we may recognise as beatboxing may come from early American rural music, such as eefing, also known as “hillbilly beatboxing”. There are also a collection of sounds in African traditional music that might also be at home in beatboxing, built upon the sounds of loud exhaling. Jazz scat singing also fits in to the forms history, though scat focused more on the approximation of words than the production of percussive sounds.

Vocal percussion appears in popular music such as Paul McCartney’s “That Would Be Something” and Pink Floyd’s “Pow R. Toch H.” Both of these songs were recorded in the late 60s, at a time when hip-hop was just starting to emerge. Continue reading “A rough guide to beatboxing”

Few extended vocal techniques could claim to be as famous as the yodel. Often maligned, the yodel is actually a great demonstration of vocal technique involving the shifting between the low chest-voice and the high head-voice. For most people, there is a gap between these two registers. Yodelling takes advantage of this by making quick changes between the two. Continue reading “A brief history of Yodelling”

As part of Bigmouth Chorus, not only are we all fantastic singers but we also possess another marvellous talent. We are masters of a fantastic musical instrument: the kazoo!
In formal terms, the kazoo is a membranophone, an instrument with a membrane which vibrates producing a distinctive tone. Unlike most instruments, you don’t blow into a kazoo, instead you hum into it and a sheet of wax paper acts like a reed, providing a raspy buzz. Continue reading “The Kazoo – A Choir’s Secret Weapon”

Within the confines of heavy metal music, the iconic growl stands out as one of the genres unique defining traits. However, it’s abrasive sound puts many listeners off, and while we’re unlikely to start trying to bring death metal into our choral practice, it’s still a valid extended vocal technique and it’s execution often requires a high degree of technical singing prowess. Continue reading “The “Death Growl” – An Extended Vocal Technique”

It’s time to start threading another feather into our cap this week! Whilst it isn’t all the way there, we will soon be well on the way to learning Something Inside So Strong by Labi Siffre. This iconic song will be one of many to feature in this year’s annual concert, so watch this space! Fancy singing this song and many others? Come down for a free trial rehearsal or contact us with any queries.

A concert update this week; with choir leader, Emily Peasgood returned from installing her latest work, Requiem for Crossbones, the choir was buzzing with excitement for our final term of the choir year. To add to the excitement, posters and hard copy tickets have been ordered and are on the way so be sure to keep your eyes peeled – there may be a poster going up near you! Sound like a choir you’d like to try? Pop down for a free trial rehearsal or contacts us with any queries.

We are off to try a new venue this week! This upcoming Tuesday will mark our trial of the Walpole Bay Hotel in Margate. With a spacious function room at this lovely sea side venue, we are hoping to start a new chapter in BIGMOUTH History! Feel free to come on down for a free trial session or contact us with any queries.

We all know that singing in a choir can make you happier but in recent studies a whole host of other benefits have been unearthed. With the increase in happy hormones within our body, singing lowers blood pressure and stress levels but there is also evidence that suggests that taking part in a choir can alleviate the symptoms of depression, Parkinson’s and lung disease.

Fortunately for us our fearless leader Emily has worked with The Sidney De Haann Research Centre as a research assistant on their groundbreaking exploration of choirs and their benefits.

Depression

In a recent study by The Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health, over 1000 choral singers were interviewed and assessed on various aspects of personal wellbeing. Over 67% of professional choir singers agreed that singing had helped their mental health, while in a university choir society that number rose to 71%.

It is suggested that it is not just the community aspects that benefit them but the range of small skills we develop in practice. Things like improved posture and better breathing carry over to our daily lives and subtly improve our quality of life. For some, it is that release of tension and emotion they find through singing that helps them go about daily life with a renewed energy.

In studies, its even been proven that singing in a choir is better for your mood than even playing team sports. The speculation is that this is because no one “wins” in a choir, we all come together for the same goal and we all accomplish that together.

Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s is known for causing tremors throughout the body but one of the effects that isn’t spoken about often is the loss of voice. Vocal issues effect 60-80% of Parkinson’s sufferers, often leading to a flat, monotone voice and a lack of variation in volume and intensity. Difficulties with breathing are also common.

There are a number of interventions that help remedy these, however they don’t improve overall quality of life and the drop out rates in these therapies are high.

By working to strengthen the voice and the muscles that control it, singing is an effective technique in fighting off the progression of Parkinson’s. What really makes choir singing stand out is the social and emotional aspects. Diseases like Parkinson’s can be isolating, increasing the difficulty in maintaining a healthy social life but by combining the therapeutic aspect with a community, it encourages people to continue with the practice, far more than the sterile approach of some treatments.

Lung Disease

In another study by The Sidney De Haan Research Centre it was found that the attention paid to breathing actually helps fight COPD by strengthening the lungs and increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood.

Noted in the study was the ability to sing while seated, making it suitable for those who have suffered from the effects of COPD for a while. They even considered the exercise of singing as a moderate cardio workout.

Sufferers also gain a sense of power over their illness. For those times when they are singing, they don’t notice the effects of COPD. The anxiety they experience about their breathing, the short gaspy breaths, disappears. Their breathing is strong and confident.

Unlike many treatments, singing is cheap and suitable for almost all people. It’s also a lot more fun than turning up to a clinical hospital room to repeat certain actions. The improvements it makes to your mood have knock-on effects for the rest of your life.

A few weeks ago, we spoke about falsetto and mentioned, in an offhand fashion, the existence of a register above falsetto. The whistle register, or flute register as it is sometimes known, is unique from falsetto in that the sound produced has a unique timbre, akin to that of a whistle. Continue reading “The Whistle Register – How High Can You Go?”

A few weeks ago, we talked about overtone singing in preparation for a workshop with Lunatraktors, but while doing our research, we came across another fascinating extend vocal technique. While overtones are high ethereal notes that dance about an octave above the normal singing voice, undertones are their inverse.

Undertones are low, droning sounds that occur under the singer’s voice. These are normally produced through one of two methods. Firstly, we have the use of strohbass, also known as vocal fry, which you might remember from our article on the death growl. By slowing down the vibration of the vocal cords, the note produced becomes creakier, or fried, and produces the lowest register notes. Continue reading “Undertone singing”

We know all about chest voice and head voice but have you heard of “disconnected head voice”, a higher register with a shrill, thinner tone than your usual head voice. This is falsetto, and it often covers the highest notes a person can reach (outside of whistle register at least).

The falsetto voice uses only the thin, leading edges of the vocal cords to generate sound, and although this means it uses less power, it also uses less breath support and can, in time, anecdotal evidence suggests it may cause damage to the throat. Continue reading “Hitting the high notes – Falsetto”

Last week on this blog, we spoke about beatboxing. In particular, we were really impressed by the ability to make more than one noise at a time. Imagine if singers could do the same…

This practice is called overtone singing and not only is it an amazing skill, it’s becoming more talked about.

A talented singer is able to produce a two notes (or even more): firstly a low base or fundamental note is sung before a second, whistle-like note appears about two octaves above the base note. Continue reading “The wonderful world of overtone singing”

This week, we’re continuing our exploration of extended vocal techniques by looking at one of the most versatile, recognisable and easy to grasp techniques. Beatboxing is the vocal approximation of drum machines and is often tied into the world of hip-hop.

The earliest sounds we may recognise as beatboxing may come from early American rural music, such as eefing, also known as “hillbilly beatboxing”. There are also a collection of sounds in African traditional music that might also be at home in beatboxing, built upon the sounds of loud exhaling. Jazz scat singing also fits in to the forms history, though scat focused more on the approximation of words than the production of percussive sounds.

Vocal percussion appears in popular music such as Paul McCartney’s “That Would Be Something” and Pink Floyd’s “Pow R. Toch H.” Both of these songs were recorded in the late 60s, at a time when hip-hop was just starting to emerge. Continue reading “A rough guide to beatboxing”

Few extended vocal techniques could claim to be as famous as the yodel. Often maligned, the yodel is actually a great demonstration of vocal technique involving the shifting between the low chest-voice and the high head-voice. For most people, there is a gap between these two registers. Yodelling takes advantage of this by making quick changes between the two. Continue reading “A brief history of Yodelling”

As part of Bigmouth Chorus, not only are we all fantastic singers but we also possess another marvellous talent. We are masters of a fantastic musical instrument: the kazoo!
In formal terms, the kazoo is a membranophone, an instrument with a membrane which vibrates producing a distinctive tone. Unlike most instruments, you don’t blow into a kazoo, instead you hum into it and a sheet of wax paper acts like a reed, providing a raspy buzz. Continue reading “The Kazoo – A Choir’s Secret Weapon”

Within the confines of heavy metal music, the iconic growl stands out as one of the genres unique defining traits. However, it’s abrasive sound puts many listeners off, and while we’re unlikely to start trying to bring death metal into our choral practice, it’s still a valid extended vocal technique and it’s execution often requires a high degree of technical singing prowess. Continue reading “The “Death Growl” – An Extended Vocal Technique”

The human voice is an incredibly versatile instrument. Through choir practice, you’ll have heard first-hand some of the incredible things the voice can do but the possibilities are truly endless. From rapping and screaming to beatboxing and complex overtone techniques, no one singer can claim to be a master of every vocal technique, and researchers continue to discover new and exciting forms of singing amongst tribal cultures, even today. Continue reading “Pushing the boundaries of singing”

As musicians, we’re all familiar with the notes of the heptatonic scale: A B C D E F G. What many of us may not know is the history of these notes and how musical notation got to be the way it is.
The purpose of musical notation is to tell someone what notes should be played without playing the note. They are supposed to be agreed upon reference points to enable music to be shared without being played. Continue reading “A brief history of musical notation”

We believe in making singing as accessible and easy to take part in as possible. People with disabilities and people aged 21 or under can attend at no cost. We also have bursaries available for people from low-income households. Get in touch if you or someone you know would like to join a great choir.Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download

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BIGMOUTH Chorus will soon team up with Ageless Thanet to provide people aged 50+ living in postcodes CT9, CT11 and CT12 with ten free sessions starting from 17 January 2017. Contact Ageless Thanet on 01843 210005 to book your place now.

We believe in making singing as accessible and easy to take part in as possible. People with disabilities and people aged 21 or under can attend at no cost. We also have bursaries available for people from low-income households. Get in touch if you or someone you know would like to join a great choir.Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download

Please follow and like us:

BIGMOUTH Chorus will soon team up with Ageless Thanet to provide people aged 50+ living in postcodes CT9, CT11 and CT12 with ten free sessions starting from 17 January 2017. Contact Ageless Thanet on 01843 210005 to book your place now.

BigMouth Chorus is a friendly and innovative non-audition singing group in Thanet for anyone aged 14 and over who loves to sing.  You don’t need experience to take part and don’t even need to think you can sing!  Our role is to support you in believing you can while having a great time. Get in touch if you or someone you know would like to join a fantastic and fun choir.