i sing in an a capella eastern european group and we have one singer who has a really wonderful voice but has pitch problems. so here is the question - can one learn to stay in tune? or at least improve one's tuning? if so, how? I feel like it might be one of those you have it or you don't things, but I'd love to be proven wrong.
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Re: pitch questions
Wed, January 17, 2007 - 12:44 AMYes. absolutely you can learn to tune. It takes ear training. Try recording your rehearsals, and play them back. If they can't hear that they're out of tune, have another singer sing their part, record that, then have them sing it and record that, then play back both. It may be that they just don't know the music well enough. It would be good for them to practice learning intervals on their own. -
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Re: pitch questions
Wed, January 17, 2007 - 1:44 PMI agree it can be learned. Though there are people who are actually tone deaf, and can't tell the difference between notes.
Another idea if the person is willing to do a lot of work, is take up a string instrument (violin, cello). It's a little easier to hear whether the note is in tune or not if you're playing instead of singing. And it's easy to experiment with going flat or sharp. The hard part then comes with switching to being able to hear your own voice against someone else.
(I took violin as a child, and I think it helped alot with being able to stay in tune.)
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Re: pitch questions
Thu, January 18, 2007 - 1:05 AMMy teachers have told me that there is no such thing as tone deaf. Absolutely anyone can learn to differentiate pitch. It just takes longer for some.
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Re: pitch questions
Thu, January 18, 2007 - 11:00 AMNah, you've just got inborn talent, little sister!
Like me :-)
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Re: pitch questions
Tue, February 6, 2007 - 2:06 PMI recommend looking at the book "The Harmonic Experience" by W.A. Mathieu. It takes a very indepth look at the physical sensations of "being in tune", starting with the ability to drone unisons, octaves and other perfect intervals, and eventually working it's way to discerning the difference between non-well tempered intonations in eastern traditions. It's a remarkable work.
