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Fast octave scale
A full octave in eighth notes.
Fast octave scale is the whole major scale up and back down, fifteen notes in eighth notes at 140 beats per minute, with the top note, the octave, right in the middle. It's the fastest scale in Clearsing and the natural next step after Fast 5-note scale. Beyond agility, it trains steady airflow: fifteen notes in one gesture of about three and a half seconds. 'Lah' gives a light consonant that keeps the notes separate at speed without slowing the voice.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano run the full scale up and down once; hear it in four groups of four.
- Breathe low, then sing 'lah' softly and evenly, thinking in groups rather than counting notes.
- Watch the piano roll for a clean arch of green blocks; the octave at the top is a touch, not a peak.
- Keep the descending half as light as the ascending half; the end should not be louder.
- Each of the four repetitions starts one semitone higher.
Coach's tip: Think in four groups of four – not in single notes.
What to watch out for
The seventh degree tends to go flat on the way up, so the octave arrives late and sharp. Aim the seventh high and the octave falls into place. Losing air before the descent is the other big problem; the last notes sag and turn red. Take a quieter, lower breath and use less air per note. Rushing is common at this tempo; let the piano set the pace. If your voice tires or scratches, slow down or stop.
Who it's for
This one is for advanced singers who already move cleanly through Major scale (octave) and Fast 5-note scale. Put it late in the main block, once you're fully warm, and follow it with something restful like Downward sigh (yawn). It isn't in a preset program; find it in the Agility category when you want to test your top speed.
Opens the app in your browser. Free, no account. Put on headphones first.