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woodsprite

(12,242 posts)
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 09:59 PM Dec 3

Just slogged through the most exhausting choral rehearsal I've experienced in a long time!

I've been in the group for over 40 years. Tonight was the battle of the sopranos - or rather 2 sopranos. We have 8 - 5 firsts, and 3 seconds. We were struggling with intonation, not being helped by the piano needing to be tuned, and with blending. Thankfully one of the singers had an old fashioned pitch pipe and when we sang without the piano the intonation was better - not as good as we can be, but better. Still had problems with blending because the a couple of singers were not listening to each other or for the other singers. I just totally backed off, so did the director's wife, and my friend. I asked a few questions that pointed out "I think the sopranos are having a problem agreeing on that note. Can we hear it?" or "I think we're trying to sing an F instead of the E that's written".

But I'm exhausted and needed to vent. I knew you all would understand. I'm going to take my frustration out on my needlefelting (stabbing wool into play food for Christmas presents) and spend some time looking up some choral exercises to get us listening to see if it helps with our blend. We started out in a mixed arrangement. The director could hear issues so a few weeks ago he moved us into sections thinking it would help blending. Our first concert is Dec 14th, so we'll see how it goes.

Oh well, thanks for reading my vent.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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MLAA

(18,669 posts)
2. I do envy you! Neither my husband nor I can carry a note. Occasionally we sing along to a dvd and
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 10:07 PM
Dec 3

invariably one of us says I wish I could sing as well as xyz artist and the other adds I wish you could also!

woodsprite

(12,242 posts)
5. :) Singing is how my husband and I met - 7th grade concert choir!
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 11:19 PM
Dec 3

He stood behind me on the risers and he'd kick me in the back of my knees. My mom thought he was a cute boy. I thought he was stupid because he kept kicking me. By the time we were in 9th grade, I asked him out to the Sadie Hawkins dance and we've been together ever since singing all the while. We'll celebrate our 39th anniversary next week!

The people we've kept in touch with through the years have all been because we sang or performed together.

You could always try a non-auditioned group to sing with. We have a few singers who didn't think they could sing, but their sound blends with everyone so it works. They won't do solos, but they do sing in the ensemble.

MLAA

(18,669 posts)
6. What a wonderful story of how you met and built/became part of a singing community.
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 11:25 PM
Dec 3

I was in a 7th grade musical when the director told me to lip sync! I went on to earn roles in high school plays, thankfully the drama teacher never attempted a musical!

NJCher

(38,218 posts)
3. I have many musician friends
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 10:25 PM
Dec 3

So a rant like this isn’t exactly new. It does make me smile knowing my friends aren’t the only ones with such issues.

usonian

(14,592 posts)
4. Try to find an electronic piano.
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 10:27 PM
Dec 3

Temperature here varies too much to keep the real piano tuned. Fortunately, many years ago, I got a Roland FP-1 (yeah, it's THAT old) but it's always in tune and you can bounce A440 around as needed.

It started breaking key levers and I keep repairing them with epoxy resin. So when I got a chance to get a used Clavinova, I grabbed it.

You're a bit far, some 3000 miles. But I wish you luck in finding a steady accompaniment. Santa?

woodsprite

(12,242 posts)
7. I have a Casio PMP-500! It's YEARS old and I've lost the power adapter for it.
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 11:32 PM
Dec 3

I tried going out to the Casio site and they don't use that type of adapter anymore. I ordered a knock-off from Amazon, but I haven't tried it yet. It just arrived this week.

usonian

(14,592 posts)
8. Good luck!
Tue Dec 3, 2024, 11:46 PM
Dec 3

I have boxes of adapters, like to old disk drives that are useless or broken. I have to clean them out!!

Casio clone power supplies should work fine.

Happy intonation!

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