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“Ng” siren (fifth)

The sound at the end of “soNG”. Leads resonance into the “mask”.

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

A shorter siren than the octave version: root up a perfect fifth over two beats, then back down on 'ng', the closed sound at the end of 'song'. With the back of the tongue touching the soft palate, air leaves through the nose and the sound gathers behind the eyes and around the nose, what singers call the mask. That forward buzz carries over into speech-like pop singing. Each pass is a whole step higher than the last, until you're near the top of your range, then it comes back down the same way.

How to do it

  1. Listen to the piano glide up a fifth and back; the range is small and comfortable.
  2. Say 'song' and hold the last consonant, then start the glide on that 'ng'.
  3. Slide up and down in one breath, feeling the buzz stay in your nose and cheeks.
  4. Watch the shallow arch on the piano roll; each repetition climbs a whole step, working up toward the top of your range and then back down the same way.

Coach's tip: Back of the tongue touches the soft palate. You feel the sound in the nose and behind the eyes.

What to watch out for

If the sound turns into a plain 'n' or 'm', the tongue has dropped; put it back up against the palate. Pushing air through the nose too hard makes it strained and honky; the volume should stay conversational. Some singers let the glide stall at the top, so keep moving. Since the range is only a fifth, any strain means you're too loud, not too high.

Who it's for

Useful for intermediate singers working toward a mix or belt, and for beginners whose sound sits back in the throat. Place it mid-warm-up, after “Oo” siren (octave) and before open-vowel work like “Nay” 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 (mix). It belongs to Path: Pop (mix & belt). Skip it when you have a stuffy nose.

Part of programs: Path: Pop (mix & belt)

Practice this exercise

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

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