Onsets · Beginner · Classical, Choir, Every style
Balanced onset on "oo"
A balanced onset is neither breathy (air before voice) nor glottal (voice before air). "Oo" short and then long is the cleanest place to find it.
How to do it
- Three short "oo" notes, each starting cleanly, no H and no click.
- Then the same three notes joined in one breath.
- Listen for the start of each note being clear but soft.
Remember Not a puff, not a cough. Just "oo".
| Numbers | 1 3 5 1 3 5 |
|---|---|
| Sargam | S G P S G P |
| Solfa | do mi sol do mi sol |
| Notes | G B D G B D |
| Sung on | oo oo oo oo – – |
Where it comes from
More onsets
Staccato triads on "ha"
Short notes on "ha" teach the breath to start each note.
Bip, bap, bah
Twice short, then once smooth on the same arpeggio.
H vowel ladder: hee hay hah hoh hoo
Each note starts on H, so the air moves first and the throat cannot clamp.
"Yah" on every note
The Y glides into the vowel from a closed tongue position, which gives a clean, balanced start on every note without a hard edge..