What You Need to Know About Singing Vowels

We form vowels by adjusting the tongue, soft palate (or velum), jaw, and lips. All of these “articulators” influence the shape of the vocal tract, giving each vowel a distinct sound and color. Vowels are even more important in singing than consonants, and here is why. In order to sing beautifully and project, 99 percent of singing should be on a vowel. It sounds simple enough, but some struggle to sing consonants quickly and at the same time make them understandable. The key is to place consonants before the beat. Also helpful is the knowledge of what consonants might slip you up, for instance: s, r, and w. These and other consonants take up more time, but they should still be passed over as quickly as possible. The most common consonant singers spend too much time on is the American ‘r,’ which also introduces tension in the mouth, jaw, and tongue when held. Vowels are, “pure,” when the articulators stay in one place during vowel execution. Pure vowels are particularly important in ord

We form vowels by adjusting the tongue, soft palate (or velum), jaw, and lips. All of these “articulators” influence the shape of the vocal tract, giving each vowel a distinct sound and color. Vowels are even more important in singing than consonants, and here is why. In order to sing beautifully and project, 99 percent of singing should be on a vowel. It sounds simple enough, but some struggle to sing consonants quickly and at the same time make them understandable. The key is to place consonants before the beat. Also helpful is the knowledge of what consonants might slip you up, for instance