Singing Diction: Foundation for Advanced Singing

Diction – A Prerequisite for Good Singing

CarrieUnderwood-singing-diction Singing diction is one of the most important factors of good vocal. It is as important as pitch, rhythm, proper breathing and voice control.

One major effect of a song is the message it carries and the emotion it conveys. This can be done only if the singing diction is good. When a listener hears a song, he has to relate to it first to like it. If what he hears sounds like a lot of nonsense then the effect is lost and the emotion and message are not successfully conveyed.

On the other hand if the song is clear and understandable then the listener is able to feel the song, sympathize with the emotion. He naturally picks up the words and starts singing which shows that he is able to relate to the music. Even the nonsensical words which are called musical jargon are picked up and hummed.

You might have heard many singers who do not have proper singing diction. This is because they are naturally not audible and they have not practiced diction. This, let me tell you will be very negative for their image as an artiste in the long run, affecting their livelihood.

An aspiring singer should aim to achieve good singing diction when they sing. This is first step towards connecting with your audience. If you have watched reality shows, you will sometimes notice the judges saying, “Your song did not reach me“. Lack of diction causes lack of emotion and lack of feel in the song. Practice diction well, as a good foundation in singing diction will also provide you with greater flexibility while singing allowing you to choose how to pronounce the vowels.

You might wonder as to why we are emphasizing so much on diction when you have heard many singers whose vocals are barely understood especially the ones in the low register. Well some of it are intentional. But almost always a singer is expected to project her voice and sing clearly. If you have not understood what we are saying, then just go to one of the local live music venue. Sometimes the sound engineering is bad, sometimes the orchestra and the vocals are not complimentary and most times the vocalist is not clear. Whatever the reasons the upshot is if you cannot hear the song then you cannot enjoy it with the singing diction benefits.

If you just compare notes on all the singers and bands who have become famous, you will see an underlying thread of commonness in all of them. All of them will possess good diction and emoting prowess. The message of the song will be clearly understood and appreciated. This shows their commitment to not only to music but also to the audience who are their fans. If you do not have an audience who will you sing to?

Every language has its unique way of pronouncing the words which related to singing diction. The shape of your mouth when you sing, the use of the tongue and palette are very important factors to be kept in mind while practicing diction of words. Perfecting the singing diction and proper breath control helps in improving range and clarity of singing.