CLASSICAL VOWEL CHART

* Oh vowels should be very intense and forward, not passive.

** Oo vowels should be very intense and forward (puckered) with the lower lip out slightly more than the upper lip, as if you could catch a raindrop in it.

Combining the sung vowel with the mouth shape listed above creates the ideal combination for singers as it orients the lips in a more rounded shape.

In general, the lips should be rounded for all vowel sounds. A more rounded vowel is less edgy and far more blendable. The mouth shapes above help to ensure rounded lips and blendable vowels.

Uniformity of vowels is foundational for good choral singing because it leads to greatly improved blend.

Round covered vowels are more blendable at all dynamic levels.

Think of your vowels as having more of a north/south orientation instead of east/west.

We don’t sing like we speak, and we don’t speak like we sing.