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Gentle 1-2-3-2-1

Three notes up and down. Change the vowel: mee, meh, mah.

meemeemeemeemee
One repetition of the pattern. In the app it is transposed to your vocal range and scored note by note.

Three scale steps up and back: root, major second, major third, second, root, ending on a two-beat note. It's the smallest melodic pattern in the app, which is exactly why it's here. The vowel changes from repetition to repetition, mee on the first, meh on the next, mah on the next, moving from a narrow vowel to an open one while the pitch pattern stays the same, so you learn to keep tuning steady as the mouth shape changes. Each pass rises a semitone, until you're near the top of your range, then the pattern comes back down the same way.

How to do it

  1. Listen to the piano play the five-note shape at a moderate walking tempo.
  2. Sing it on 'mee', then switch to 'meh' and 'mah' on later repetitions.
  3. Keep the jaw loose and connect the notes; the roll should show small even steps.
  4. Each repetition is a semitone higher, working up toward the top of your range and back down the same way; aim for green on the long final note.

Coach's tip: Loose jaw, each note “attached” to the previous one without scooping.

What to watch out for

The major third is the note most likely to come out flat, especially on the open 'mah'. Think of it as slightly bright. Scooping into each note from below shows up on the piano roll as little upward hooks; start each note where it belongs. If the jaw tightens as the vowel opens, drop it more than feels natural. This range is tiny, so any discomfort means you should simply sing softer.

Who it's for

Made for absolute beginners and for anyone who wants a calm tuning check before harder work. Use it right after the hums in a warm-up and before 5-note scale. If the third keeps coming out flat, go to Interval: major third and isolate it. It's included in the 5-minute warm-up and Intonation programs.

Part of programs: 5-minute warm-up · Intonation

Practice this exercise

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