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Long note 15 s

Fifteen seconds. The level of a big ballad chorus.

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

Long note 15 s is the top of the long-note ladder: one note held fifteen seconds, twice, the second three semitones higher. This is the stamina a big ballad chorus asks for, where the last word hangs on and on. Nothing changes but the length, and that changes everything about how you start. The rounded “oh” keeps the lips slightly closed, which slows the airflow and makes the note easier to sustain than an open “ah”.

How to do it

  1. Hear the cue note. Breathe low and slow; take an extra second to fill up.
  2. Begin the “oh” softly, lips gently rounded. Save your air.
  3. Watch the line: flat and green for all fifteen seconds, not a slow slope down.
  4. Keep the ribs open and the chest lifted to the end.
  5. Rest for a breath or two, then repeat three semitones higher.

Coach's tip: The chest stays lifted to the end – only the belly works.

What to watch out for

At fifteen seconds every small leak shows. The usual failure is a slow fade into a flat, breathy tail; stop the note at twelve seconds instead of forcing it. Pitch tends to creep up as you tighten to save air; keep the throat open and the volume modest. Don't gulp a huge breath with the shoulders; it locks the chest. If you feel lightheaded, sit down and rest. Only two repetitions for a reason: this is tiring.

Who it's for

A level 3 exercise for singers who can hold Long note 10 s steadily every time. Use it once in the main block, not at the start or end of a session. Timed “sss” hiss beforehand primes the breath, and Messa di voce (soft → loud → soft) adds dynamics to the same skill. Not part of a program.

Practice this exercise

Opens the app in your browser. Free, no account. Put on headphones first.

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