Review Responses

Estelle Tiniwiel: I've sent you an email.

mrs. Malfoy: Aim to please. Thank you very much.

The Common Wind Deity: I agree with what you are saying. This went under a lot of debate because I could also see her as a Lyric Coloratura - like a soubrette with an upper extension to E6. My final decision was that I could see Emmy Rossum (who I judged on) singing Susanna in Marriage of Figaro Susanna is a Soubrette. I guess we'll never know. I basically needed to prove my Christine- Carlotta point Thanks for your feedback.

Lindaleriel: I like Soubrette could fall under Lyric. As it stands I know 7 types of Soprano and Lyrical, Dramatic and Colouratura are the main. The others are mainly combinations and extras although some famous parts are Soubrette and another one of the 7 Spinto. Hope this helps. Ps I would favour Lyric but am a Dramatic so am biased ;)

Warm ups, Performance Pieces and Pregnant Christine's

Metaphorical Head bang Number 2 the Singing Lesson.

As every good Erik knows it is impossible to even start singing something as complicated as opera without doing some basic warm ups. You can do something known as 'going in cold' which is when you just start singing without any warming up. However this is similar to jumping into a pool full of ice and swimming the 100metre back stoke without showering first. It is downright painful. On the other hand Erik reminds me in no way shape or form would he force Christine to do 2hrs of warms. There would be no benefit. Erik's ideal singing lesson would be about 30mins to 1hr and ending in marriage. This is why he never taught any men.

It is going to be incredibly difficult to describe how to do a warm up unless you understand notation. Never ever ever do you just get the singer to go up a scale and just stay there. THIS IS BAD FOR THE VOICE! Another thing, there is no C scale. Scales are either major or minor. A technically wrong way of seeing this is Major happy Minor sad. C major is the basic scale (just the white notes on the piano). Another common warm up scale is F Major (One flat on b) this is also a common key to sing in. Warm ups are usually in a certain key but not just going up and down the scale. This, Erik reminds me would be a pathetic excuse for a warm up and does not help the singer at all.

Here are some basic warms up I use with my choir:

1. Yawn then hold that position and make aahhhh sound from top to bottom of range then back up from bottom to top.

2. Staccato, legato, vibrato (sharp, smooth and wobbly!)

Start on MMM and sing the following pattern.

M

M M

M M going up, going down

M M the octave.

M m m m m

Then repeat on ee eh ah oh and oo.

3. 5 Note Run. Pronunciation.

On and on and on and on and on

Live and learn and live and learn and line

Chop and change and chop and change and chop

4. Tongue Twisters.

Repeat 8 times.

LIP, TEETH, TIP OF THE TOUNGE, THE TIP OF THE TONGUE THE TEETH AND THE LIPS

RIGHT AROUND THE RUGGED ROCK THE RAGGED RASCAL RAN

5. Range. Exercises that when used regularly will extend your vocal range.

5 note run down on kee sound

3 note run up and down on ee sound

Erik tells me there are hundreds more warm up patterns but those cover the basics. He understands that it is difficult if you have no or little musical knowledge and begs if you don't understand to ask.

Practise Pieces.

Erik would never in his right(ish) mind expect his pupils to launch into something really difficult straight away (like the jewel song). Most singing teachers have a range of easy songs to start a pupil off with. I have found a few which (as far as I know) fit the time boundaries of about 1870.

GOLDEN RULE 1: NEVER USE MODERN DAY OR SHOW SONGS

This is a one way ticket to Mary- Sue Ville. There were loads of excellent piece around at the time with plenty of emotion that reflect Erik well. There is no need to use modern day. Not even Moulin Rouge. Besides the fact that someone like Christine couldn't sing something like that anyway. Looong Story.

Here are a few easy pieces for Soprano and Mezzo in middle range.

Fairest Isle- A poem by Dryden Music by Purcell.

Since first I saw your face. Music by Ford. - I could so see Erik singing this to Christine. It is about love at first sight and how he with protect her. Used mainly for sight reading practise.

GOLDEN RULE 2: DON'T ASUME EVERYONE CAN SIGHT READ AND KNOW THE MUSIC STRAIGHT AWAY.

It is actually really difficult. Please don't patronise us. Moving on…

Verdant Meadows- G.F.HANDEL This aria from Alcina (1735) was written especially for the great Carestini. Like so many of Handel's arias it has survived the opera to which it belongs. Set in a simple form it is about nature and fairly tame.

GOLDEN RULE 3: LOVE YOUR HANDEL!

You can never go wrong with Handel. Although mainly remembered for writing church pieces he also wrote many operas and beautiful arias. As he was around the 1700's mark there is no way you can be accused of using something which was not written yet.

Art thou troubled? - G.F.Handel- From Rondelinda. Perfect for Phantom. Its like Erik's theme song. It's all about music solving all your problems and heartbreak a woman is mention.

Cradle Song- Frank Schubert. A lullaby.

Oh! The Oak and the Ash- Unknown. An unaccompanied folk song.

Lord of our being- G.F. Handel. From Rinaldo. Hymn.

If you search the names of the pieces and the composer the words should come up. Alternatively you can email and I'll get you the words. Some singers spend years just working on easy pieces to get them perfect. Erik says it worth the practice because if you can sing easy pieces you can sing anything.

GOLDEN RULE 4: CHRISTINES PREGNANT ALL ERIK'S HARD WORK GOES DOWN THE DRAIN.(Erik fumes)

A few notes. When a singer becomes pregnant because of the way the bay pushes on the diaphragm the voice gets higher (please don't ask for the science on this). Having a child can also ruin your chances of singing professionally because it can ruin your voice (again no science but I've seen it happen). There is no way Christine would be able to perform while she was pregnant. Christine would know this. It might also mean that she would not want to have a baby in the first place.

Summary.

GOLDEN RULE 1: NEVER USE MODERN DAY OR SHOW SONGS

GOLDEN RULE 2: DON'T ASUME EVERYONE CAN SIGHT READ AND UNDERSTAND MUSIC STRAIGHT AWAY.

GOLDEN RULE 3: LOVE YOUR HANDEL!

GOLDEN RULE 4: CHRISTINES PREGNANT ALL ERIK'S HARD WORK DOWN THE DRAIN.(Erik drowns himself in lake)

Well I intended to do into further details about operas and stuff but Erik reminded me about the importance of preparation and warming up. So next time I will go into detail about a few operas and the arias they have in them that could be used at the time with appropriate casting.

Please Review.