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Diction - "If
you can't understand it, the message ain't gettin' through!"
How
to Handle the "r"
Voiced and Unvoiced Consonants
Rhythmic
Diction
Expressive Diction
How
to Handle the "r"
-
Only sing "r" before
a vowel sound.
-
Don't sing "r" before
a consonant sound.
-
Don't sing "r" before
a pause.
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In serious
music, flip the "r"
between vowel sounds.
(See: Marshall,
Madeline, The Singer's Manual of English Diction. New York,
G. Schirmer, 1953.)
Voiced
and Unvoiced Consonants
-
Learn to sing
unvoiced consonants separate from the vowel that follows with
varying degrees of intensity. Examples: s, k, t,
p, f, h, etc.
-
For "musical
line" think vowels; for "expression" think consonants.
-
Voiced consonants
normally cannot be separated from the vowels that follow. They
can, however, be used expressively by lengthening their duration
when appropriate.
(For example, lengthening the "l" in the phrase "I
love you!"]
-
The danger
in using consonants for expression and clarity is that performers
often approach them by punching the consonants AND the vowels
that follows them. That, of course, can completely destroy
the sense of "line." Practice emphasizing
and lengthening consonants WITHOUT punching the vowels that
follow. This is part of the work of developing artistic
diction.
Rhythmic
Diction
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Every sound
within every word must be placed within a rhythmic context.
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Be sensitive
to consonant releases; often the release is more "delicate" off
the beat rather than on the beat.
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Always give
the vowels of a diphthong proportionate rhythmic values; usually
the primary vowel sound receives the greater proportion of rhythmic
time.
-
Try solving
diphthongs in words that come before pauses by singing the primary
vowel sound to the release, placing the "whole" diphthong
on the actual release point in the rhythm of speech. Thus,
the completion of the diphthong and any consonants that follow
it will be heard slightly after the release beat.
-
Don't sing words;
sing all of the sounds of the words.
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Distinguish
between strong and weak (unaccented vowel sounds) and avoid making
them all equal.
Expressive
Diction
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Look for
the emotional words within a phrase; look for the dramatic words;
look for the words that "must"
be understood if communication with the audience is to take
place!
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Make sure
that these words are clearly understood. To do this may
require one to slight or "rob time" from less important
words so the important ones will emerge clearly within the
context. Many monosyllable words fall into the category
of being
"less important." These include "the," "a" and
"an," "and," "as," "of,"
"than," etc. When they are followed by an emotional
or dramatic word, don't hesitate to use some of the duration of these
words to emphasize the initial consonant of the following word,
for example: Sing the lines yourself to find the best
solutions.
-
Make sure
that you overlay the singing line with a verbal thought. This
will also help the development of phrase shape and dramatic meaning
within the phrase.
-
When words
are being sung very quickly, don't try to make each word or syllable
equal. Make the important words stand out. Our ears
will supply much of the rest because of communicative context.
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