Weeks 5-6: vowels & SOVT · voice
Vowel switching on one pitch
Switch between vowels on the same pitch without breaking the tone.
Why this matters
Switching vowels mid-phrase without pitch drift is foundational for legato. Most singers unconsciously raise or lower pitch when they shift from a closed vowel to an open one — bel canto pedagogy treats stable pitch across vowel changes as a prerequisite for any sustained line.
What you should be able to do
V-B: vowel transition stable across 4 common pairs, pitch drift ≤ 35¢.
Estimated focus time: 1.25h
How to practice this with your voice today
- Drone any comfortable pitch (middle C works well).
- Sustain 'ee' for 2 seconds on the drone, listening for unison.
- Without re-attacking, switch to 'ah' for 2 seconds — same pitch, bigger mouth shape.
- Without re-attacking, switch to 'oo' for 2 seconds — same pitch, rounded lips.
- Record yourself and listen back: did the pitch stay locked, or did it sag on 'ah' and rise on 'oo'?
Interactive coming soon
Formant tracking (F1/F2 vowel discrimination) requires Praat/Parselmouth or a Web Audio analyser-node implementation we haven't built yet.