Phrasing and Expression

Lesson 6/208 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Complete Singing

Phrasing and Expression

Apart from the actual notes and words used, a large part of the feeling and meaning of a song is conveyed by the expressions, inflections and phrasing that individual singers use. This is a very personal thing, partly determined by the way the singer thinks about the song and how it relates to their own musical taste and experience of life. This is why two singers can sing the same song and produce dramatically different versions.

The term phrasing refers to the individual grouping of notes and/or lyrics and the placing of punctuation and emphasis. As in speech, this can alter both meaning of the words and the feeling they convey to a listener. Here are two different ways of delivering the same set of words.

(angrily) "You did it, you know you did."
(enthusiastic and complimentary) "You did it you know, you did."

When singing any song, it is important to think about phrasing so as to be able to communicate fully with the listener. This because phrasing is a vital part of your interpretation of the song. Instrumental musicians are also aware of the power of lyrics and vocal phrasing. Many improvising musicians strive to achieve a "vocal" style of phrasing when they play. The great Jazz saxophonist Lester Young once said that he would never improvise on a song he didn’t know the words to.

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Class Sessions

1- INTRODUCTION 2- Everyone Can Sing 3- Note and Rest Values 4- Rests 5- Voice Types and Ranges 6- The Major Scale 7- Three Four Time Signature 8- The Eighth Note 9- Sounds Used in Singing 10- Dynamics 11- Slurs 12- Tones and Semitones 13- More About Major Scales 14- Keys and Key Signatures 15- The Eighth Rest 16- Transposing 17- Minor Keys and Scales 18- The Lead-In 19- Developing Your Sense of Pitch 20- Enharmonic Notes 21- The Triplet 22- 12 Bar Blues 23- Sixteenth Notes 24- Phrasing and Rubato 25- Six Eight Time Signature 26- Harmony Singing 27- Writing Vocal Parts 28- Chord Construction – Triads 29- Chord Inversions 30- Scale Tone Chords 31- More About Harmony 32- Secondary Triads 33- Minor Key Scale Tone Triads 34- Harmonies in Relative Keys 35- Seventh Chords 36- Jazz Singing 37- Articulations 38- Musical Forms 39- Form, Harmony and Dynamics 40- Singing With a Band 41- Performing in Public 42- GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS 43- Approach to Practice 44- Matching Pitches and Rhythms 45- Bar Lines 46- The Importance of Timing 47- How to find Your Voice Range 48- Octave Displacement 49- Chord Symbols 50- Eighth Note Rhythms 51- Vowels 52- Musical Use of Dynamics 53- The Tie 54- Sharps 55- Scale Degrees 56- Sharp Key Signatures 57- Syncopation 58- Get to Know You 59- Relative Major and Minor Keys 60- First and Second Endings 61- Interval Qualities 62- Accidentals 63- Swing Rhythms 64- Blues Singing 65- The Sixteenth Note Triplet 66- Simple and Compound Time 67- Banks of the Ohio (With Harmony) 68- Four Part Harmony 69- Double Sharps and Double Flats 70- G Major Chord Inversions 71- More on Chord Progressions 72- Primary Triads 73- Chord Functions 74- Chords in Other Minor Keys 75- Exercises 76- Which Notes to Use 77- Accents 78- Greensleeves 79- Nobody’s Fault But Mine – Harmonies 80- Bass 81- Overcoming Nerves 82- Listening 83- Vocal Range 84- Time Signatures 85- Referring to the Keyboard 86- Sol-Fa Syllables 87- Singing Songs 88- Diphthongs 89- Tempo Markings 90- Imitating Instruments 91- The Chromatic Scale 92- Major Scale Pattern 93- Flat Key Signatures 94- Syncopation Using Ties 95- Scarborough Fair 96- Intervals Distances 97- The Blues Scale 98- St James Infirmary (Version 2) 99- Interpretation and Improvisation 100- Twelve Eight Time 101- Harmony and Chords 102- Understanding Chord Symbols 103- Voice Parts on the Grand Staff 104- Rhythm Notation 105- Harmonizing Melodies 106- Voice Leading 107- Transposing in Minor Keys 108- Scale Tone Seventh Chords 109- Which Sounds to Use 110- Accents and Swing 111- Typical Blues Song Format 112- A Full Vocal Score 113- Drums 114- Eye Contact 115- Recording Yourself 116- Timbre 117- A Word About Pitch 118- The Bass Staff 119- Cue Notes 120- The Shaping of Vowels 121- Tempo Changes 122- Exercises 123- Flats 124- The G Major Scale 125- The Key Cycle 126- Identifying Eighth Note Rhythms 127- Identifying Intervals by Ear 128- Singing Scale Degrees 129- Call and Response 130- Repetition and Variation 131- Grouping Notes in Compound Time 132- The C Major Chord 133- Arpeggios 134- Writing Harmonies from Chord Charts 135- Melodies to Harmonize with Primary Triads 136- Practice Progressions 137- Harmonic Minor Scale Tone Chords 138- Extended Chords 139- Using Arpeggios 140- Ghost Notes 141- Learning Song Forms 142- Guitars 143- Stage Presence and Stage Craft 144- The Metronome 145- The Ultimate Melodic Instrument 146- When to Breathe 147- Exercises 148- Consonants 149- Exercises 150- Phrasing and Expression 151- Exercises 152- The F Major Scale 153- Major Scales in all Keys 154- Exercises 155- Chord Progressions 156- Major Key Triad Pattern 157- Melodies to Harmonize 158- Melodic Minor Scale Tone Chords 159- Developing Rhythmic Control 160- Rhythm Changes 161- The Whole Band 162- Developing Your Own Style 163- The Keyboard 164- Understanding Music 165- Rhythm Training 166- Ledger Lines 167- <span class="toc_p3">Language and Style</span> 168- Moving Between Registers 169- Other Major Scales 170- Harmonizing Melodies 171- Scale Tone Chords in All Keys 172- House of the Rising Sun (A Minor) 173- Vocal Soloing 174- Microphones 175- How We Sing 176- Exercises 177- Vibrato 178- Movable Sol-Fa Syllables 179- Banks of the Ohio (With Chords) 180- Common Progressions 181- Microphones for Performing Live 182- Breathing 183- Matching Pitches 184- Key of C Major 185- Exercises 186- Microphone Technique 187- Posture 188- The Octave 189- Key Signatures 190- Studio Microphones 191- Posture and Movement 192- Warming Up 193- Learning to Sing 194- Looking After Your Voice 195- Pre-Hearing Notes 196- The Importance of Listening 197- Common Problems 198- Recording 199- Registers 200- Cycle of Fifths 201- Working With a Teacher 202- Notes on the Keyboard 203- Breath Control 204- Major Scales and Key Signatures 205- How to Read Music 206- Minor Scales and Key Signatures 207- Exercises 208- Blues Scale Summary

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Phrasing and Expression