Step 6: Sing Clearly

These exercises are to improve articulation. They can be tricky as first, but persevere and listen carefully to what you are singing. Make sure you are singing the correct words!

Consonants: these are formed by the mouth but, if over-emphasised, can cause you to push out too much air and tense your mouth and throat muscles. Speak out the consonants and you will sense them gradually being placed further back in the mouth, with the final pair being produced in the throat.

• p p p p p p , b b b b b b (x3) then p b p b p b p b

• v v v v v v, f f f f f f (x3) then v f v f v f v f

• th th th th th th (as in ‘they’), th th th th th th (as in ‘thirty’) (x3) then th th th th th th th th

• d d d d d d, t t t t t t (x3) then d t d t d t d t

• Continue, as above, with z and s, j and sh, j and ch, g and k.

Sister Susie: make sure you say the words correctly!

These exercises from previous steps can also be used to practise clear singing, perhaps using some of the consonant sounds above: