Beyond the Major Scale: Engaging The Ear And Voice In Vocal Exercises
Tuesday 13th October 2020, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
About this two hour Webinar:
Vocal exercises are used by singers and singing teachers alike to help develop, refine and establish various aspects of vocal technique. But vocal exercises can also be harnessed 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 an equal emphasis on technique and musicianship throughout training, as opposed to the more “monorail” emphasis on technique alone. As the eminent classical pedagogue, Richard Miller, sagely said: “Be first a musician and second a singer”. But how can this be readily achieved within a lesson context?
Currently, there is 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 found in vocal music. From listening to and analysing a range of pop song excerpts, this interactive workshop will introduce vocal melodies based on other scales and modes, some of which are more commonly used than the major scale. The presenter will then show how relevant, engaging vocal exercises can be created from these patterns. They are not only still technically demanding but also provide musical variety and ear challenge to vocal exercise repertoire. This concept can be applied to any style of singing and doubles the educational value of exercises.
All sessions are recorded and will be sent out to all registered participants.
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.
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Only around 3% of the population fall into the category of amusia while over 17% consider themselves ‘tone-deaf’; and this does not account for non-singers, a wider group sometimes described as ‘tuneless’. So, who are ‘the voiceless’? Join William Leigh-Knight as he unpicks this question and considers the purpose of training a voice, when it is considered such a natural human attribute, and he expands on the principles that drive his own practice, which may be summarised as ‘person-centeredness’
Monday 3rd August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
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1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
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1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
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Build on your foundational knowledge of accents and phonetics in this week‑long lunchtime course designed specifically for voice teachers. Whether you have completed our Level 1 Certificate or already possess a basic working knowledge of phonetics and accent work, this Level 2 course will help you deepen your skills, sharpen your analytical ear, and expand your practical toolkit for teaching.
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