Beyond 4/4 Time
Thursday 28th October 2021, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Vocal exercises are the bed rock of vocal practice and they can be used to develop a singer’s musicianship alongside technique. Just as a train track has two rails to stay balanced, it is proposed by the presenter that a “two-track” approach to a singer’s development would be equal emphasis on technique AND musicianship throughout training, as opposed to the more “monorail” emphasis on technique alone. To use another metaphor, we can stand on one leg but we are more balanced standing on two. As the eminent classical pedagogue, Richard Miller, sagely said: “Be first a musician and second a singer”. But how can this objective be achieved in a lesson context?
In her presentation last year – “Beyond The Major Scale” – Kim Chandler suggested that there is currently an over-emphasis and over-reliance on major scale-based patterns in vocal exercises at the expense of the appetising array of other musical patterns that vocal melodies are constructed on, e.g. scales such as the Natural Minor & the Pentatonics and modes such as the Dorian & Lydian.
This presentation is the rhythmic counterpart, suggesting that there is also an over-abundance of songs written in 4/4 time in pop repertoire at the expense of other possibilities.
From analysing and singing through pop song excerpts across the eras, this interactive workshop will introduce music based on a range of other time signatures including odd meters, compound meters, cross rhythms etc. The presenter will then show how rhythmic-based work can be applied to technically-demanding vocal exercises that are also musically challenging. This concept can be applied to any style of singing and doubles the educational value of exercises.
Kim Chandler
Kim Chandler (MMus BMusEd) is a renowned contemporary vocal coach & session singer. She runs a busy private studio in Marbella, Spain, where she coaches an elite clientele of stadium band singers, including BRIT award winners & GRAMMY nominees, artists from a range of genres, professional singers and vocal coaches online.
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
The identity politics of accent learning!
Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!
Kim Chandler
What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!
Monday 7th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 8th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday 9th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday 11th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Monday 14th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 15th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday 16th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday 18th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to statistics and working with quantitative data for Voice Professionals: 8-Session Online Bootcamp
Dr David Cane
This certificated statistics course is ideal for individuals interested in laying a solid foundation in quantitative research methods. By focusing on essential statistical principles, you will be equipped with the tools to understand and apply quantitative research techniques effectively. Statistics is a crucial component of quantitative research; mastering it will enable you to grasp quantitative methods more confidently and precisely.