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Slow legato up to the sixth
The first five degrees of the major scale, the sixth held for three beats and back down to the root – slowly, on one vowel, with no gaps between notes.
The first five degrees of the major scale, then the major sixth held for three beats, and back down to the root, held for three beats again. The tempo is slow on purpose. Every note flows into the next with no gaps, accents or scoops, all on one open “ah”. It trains breath control, even tone and clean intonation on a line long enough to expose any wobble.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano, then take a full, low breath. The line is long.
- Sing “ah” from the root up the scale, moving from one note to the next without a break.
- Hold the sixth for three beats on steady air. It's the peak, not a note to push.
- Descend with the same tone, then hold the root for three beats and let it end softly.
- Check the roll for a smooth staircase. Each repetition starts a semitone higher, then the line comes back down the same way.
Coach's tip: Connect the notes like a bow on a string: no accents, no scoops, no holes. The same vowel from the first note to the last.
What to watch out for
The third degree and the long sixth tend to sag, so keep the air moving. The half step between the third and fourth degrees is small; singers often flatten the fourth. On the way down the line droops when the energy drops, so keep the same support. Don't press an accent on each note. If the line feels too long, lower the tempo with the slider instead of gasping. Stop if your throat tightens.
Who it's for
A level 2 exercise for singers who can sing a five-note scale and want smoother, longer lines, including choir singers working on legato. Use it in the main block after a warm-up and 5-note scale. Next, try Long phrase on one breath (12 s). It's in no fixed program; the daily training favors it with the Classical & choir style.
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Related exercises
- Major scale (octave) A full octave up and down.
- Minor scale Natural minor scale – a darker sound, typical of ballads.
- Major pentatonic Five notes that almost all pop runs are built from.
- Minor pentatonic The minor pentatonic up to the octave and back, the basic scale of R&B and soul runs. The minor third and the seventh give it a darker color than the major pentatonic.
- Five vowels on one note One note and five vowels in a row: mee, eh, ah, oh, oo – with no gaps between them. Trains even vowels and legato: pitch and tone stay, only the shape of your mouth changes.
- Tuning a chord like a choir Root, major third, fifth and octave – each note long and straight, without vibrato. The piano gives only the first note; you tune the rest yourself, like one voice in a choir chord. The score also counts steadiness.