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Rock chorus
An original anthem-style rock chorus: two climbs to the octave with a held peak and a way back down to the root.
An original anthem-style rock chorus. It climbs from the fourth to the octave twice and holds the peak, three beats the first time and four the second, with a drop to the minor seventh, fifth and fourth in between. The last line walks down the minor pentatonic to the root. The open “oh” trains a big, steady sound on the top without letting it darken or get pushed.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the opening line alone, then sing along.
- Sing the first climb at moderate strength so the second, longer peak can be the strongest.
- Keep the “oh” bright and open with a loose jaw. Let support hold the peak, not your throat.
- Take a quick, low breath in each half-beat rest. After the last peak, let the line fall to the root.
- You sing the chorus twice, the second time a semitone higher. Slow the tempo with the slider if you tire.
Coach's tip: Hold the peak on support and a bright vowel, not from the throat. Breathe in the rests, and take a break if you get tired.
What to watch out for
The peak is where singers push. Keep it strong, not as loud as possible, and keep the vowel bright instead of dark and heavy. The second peak lasts four beats and the pitch tends to sag near its end, so don't use up your air on the first. The walk down can sink flat on the root. If you feel scratching, hoarseness or pain, or your voice cracks under pressure, stop, rest, and sing lower and softer.
Who it's for
Level 3, for singers who have worked with long strong notes. Use it near the end of the main block, after Rock verse and Climb into a long strong note. Cool down afterward with Downward sigh (yawn) or Hum on one note. With the Rock style chosen, Daily training picks it more often than other exercises, though only slightly.
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Related exercises
- Pop phrase: chorus with a high note An original chorus: a leap to the octave and holding it for 3 beats. Twice.
- Pop phrase: belt An original phrase: a 5-7-9 run-up and a four-second belt on the octave.
- Show finale An original finale phrase: two approaches to a high note and a long held peak at the end.
- Soul ballad An original soul ballad phrase: a calm opening, a climb to the top and a melisma to finish.
- Twang on “nyah” A bright, narrow “nyah” on the first five scale degrees, holding the fifth. Twang is the safe base of rock edge – the voice sounds sharp while the throat stays loose.
- 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.