How to Learn a Song for Singing

Among the many teaching responsibilities of the voice teacher, How to Learn a Song is one of the most important. Vocal Students have a number of obstacles to tackle when learning a song. First of course are the notes and rhythm. Then there are the words! Learning the words encompasses the diction, translation, emotional meaning, and theatrical context. And we cannot forget breathing, accompaniment, musicality … The list goes on. This can be intimidating for students, especially those who aren’t comfortable sight reading or who are unable to play piano. There are many resources available to instrumental teachers for teaching students how to learn music. The same is less true for voice lessons. Through my own studies and teaching I have settled on a method of song learning that seems to work. And I have created a checklist to keep my students on track while learning a new song!

Slow Is Fast

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In my teaching I subscribe the dictum that when learning a new song “slow is fast”. Mistakes take longer to fix once muscle memory has set in that learning the song accurately from the start. In order to ensure accuracy students must approach the song with patience and careful study. Just like everyone learns from piano teachers: Learn the hardest part first, so should the voice student! Likewise, though it may be easier, students should NEVER learn music simply by listening to an artist recording! No doubt recordings are a powerful tool! They just shouldn’t be the sole learning material for the student. If I have a student who cannot play their part on the piano I will record their music, note for note, during the lesson. A secondary bonus of doing this is that the student has a straightforward guide for home study.

Do the Research First

Before students even begin singing a song I make them do research. Research includes listening to recordings, understanding the text, and knowing what the song is about! Typically I send this with students as homework and look over it in the following lesson. Nearly 100% of the time it is obvious whether or not the student has done the research before we begin learning the music in the next lesson.

First, students need to know what the heck they are singing about! If the song is in a foreign language the student needs to get a word for word translation and write it in beneath the text. Secondly, the student needs to understand the poetic meaning of the text. Similarly in English, students need to understand all the words! I have them look up words they don’t understand in the dictionary and write a synonym for in the music.

Equally important, Students need to understand the theatrical context for the song. What is the song about? Who are they as a character? Who are they singing to? And why are they singing at all? I ask students to get a synopsis of the play the song came from and write a backstory for their character using first person. If the song is a standalone piece I ask them to make up a backstory to achieve the same feeling. I also ask my students to do a character study. In college a wonderful professor introduced me to the acting philosophy of Sanford Meisner. I use a variation of Meisner’s acting method for students as a framework for their character studies. Look for a blog post about this coming soon!

Phrase By Phrase

Finally, the music! In keeping with “slow is fast”, I teach students to learn music phrase by phrase. A phrase is

“any short figure or passage unbroken in continuity and thus complete in itself” – Schirmer

In other words, a phrase is what is sung in one breath, like a sentence, part thereof, or a line of poetry. I emphasize punctuation and make sure the student isn’t breathing mid word or sentence!

In the lesson I will begin the process of learning the song together then I will send them home to learn as much as they can independently using the note for note recording I have made for them. I have the student start the first phrase first by speaking the text in rhythm. Then I will have them play/listen to the first phrase until confident it can be sung accurately.

Next the students buzz (aka lip trill) through the phrase, followed by singing the phrase note by note on la or Ki etc. until completely accurate. Students then sing the phrase on the vowels of the words (the words without the consonants). This is particularly important for identifying dip and trip-thongs and focusing the voice on the important vowel. Finally students will sing the phrase on the actual words.

Throughout the process students need to make sure to sing legato, following all dynamic markings, and with the emotion of the phrase. Moving on we repeat steps for the next phrase. When the second phrase is complete we put the two phrases together and sing through. In this same way we move on to the next phrase, and so on until the song is learned in its entirety.

Where to Focus

Special emphasis should be paid to more difficult passages! Phrases that include difficult wording, coloratura, or key changes for example take longer than others to learn and to master! I find that having students start with these more difficult phrases, rather than at the start of the song, give them more time to focus on these section. Plus the rest of the song will feel like a breeze once the hard part is tackled!

Benefits

Learning in this way has so many benefits!

It provides a structure for students to practice at home.
It helps students to learn music with accuracy and attention to detail.
It teaches students discipline!
It integrates all aspects of the song from the onset of learning rather than layering on dynamics, emotions, musicality and theater after the notes are learned.
An added bonus: memorization is a shorter process having learned the music this way!

The Checklist

Warm up
Understand the meaning of the text!
- Foreign language: Get a word for word translation and write it in beneath the text
- English: Understand all words, write synonyms for difficult words beneath the text
Decide what your song is about
- Do a Character Study (I use a version of the Meisner method and have a post coming soon!)
- Write a Backstory
- Get a Synopsys of the Play if applicable
Learn Song Phrase by Phrase!!
- Speak the Text in Rhythm
- A phrase is what is sung in one breath, (like a sentence or a line of poetry)
  - use punctuation,
  - no breathing mid word or sentence!
- Play/listen to the first phrase until confident it can be sung accurately.
- Buzz through the first phrase
- Sing the phrase note by note on la or Ki etc. until completely accurate, making sure to sing
  - Legato
  - Following all dynamic markings
  - With the emotion of the phrase
- Sing the phrase on the vowels of the words (the words without the consonants)
- Sing the phrase with the words making sure to sing
  - Legato
  - Following all the dynamic markings
  - With the emotion of the phrase
- Repeat steps for the next phrase.
  - Buzz
  - La or ki, etc.
  - Vowels of the words
  - Words
- Put the two phrases together and sing through
- Move on to the next phrase, and so on
Sing the song with words from start to finish, making sure to sing with
- Dynamics
- Emotion
- Focus
- Good Posture
Memorize the song

Remember!

Slow is Fast!!

Practice doesn’t make perfect … PERFECT practice makes perfect!

Printable

Want this handy checklist for your own studio! Feel free to download my free printable How to learn a song checklist to use with your own students!

Until Next Time

I hope you find this post both helpful and encouraging AND I hope to see you back here reading again soon!! Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have, ideas you would like to see posted in the future, and of course to sign up for lessons!

Until next time!

~ Alissa

How To Learn A Song For Singers!