Dynamics and sustain · Intermediate · Every style, Choir, Classical
Long note, fading
Fading a long note without losing pitch or tone is harder than getting louder. It needs the breath to stay steady as the volume drops.
How to do it
- Start the long note strong but easy.
- Fade slowly to almost nothing.
- Watch the pitch: fading notes tend to go flat.
Remember Fade the volume, not the pitch.
| Numbers | 1 3 5 |
|---|---|
| Sargam | S G P |
| Solfa | do mi sol |
| Notes | G B D |
| Sung on | oo – – |
Where it comes from
- Jacob's Vocal Academy: cool-down with marked dynamics
- Pattern: NSM original
More dynamics and sustain
Vibrato trigger
Swinging between two notes a semitone apart, faster and faster, until the swing becomes a natural vibrato on the long note..
Messa di voce
Soft, grow, soft on one note: the classic test of breath and balance from the bel canto school.
Swell over the scale
Get louder up the scale and softer coming down.
Garcia: sustained tones, half step by half step
Manuel Garcia's first study: single long notes of equal strength, moving up a half step at a time, so every note of the range gets the same care.