VOCALS
BLENDING: THE ART( AND IMPORTANCE) OF SINGING TOGETHER | Renée Maranan
Photo by William King on Unsplash
As a young singer, I was blessed to be part of one of the best high school choirs in my country. One memory that stood out to me the most was a major choral competition, where our choir had an undefeated winning streak for many years in a row. The stage was huge, and the expectations were very high. One year, we sang an a cappella Indonesian praise song called“ Toki Gong Sambil Menari Haleluya( Beat the Gong while Dancing, Praise the Lord)”. Our choir director cued us in, and we started singing. And then, a few bars into this incredibly complex foreign-language song, she walked offstage.
We kept singing. We stayed completely in sync, on key, and perfectly blended.
Her exit was part of the act. She wanted to show the audience how a choir of teenage girls have mastered the art of singing as one. It was this display of vocal unity that set us apart. Not only did the singing sound beautiful, but our demonstration of togetherness inspired those who watched.
Choirs are no longer as common in church as they may have been in the past, but many worship singers still sing in teams. And I would argue that in a smaller team of singers, it’ s even more important to know how to sing together – how to blend with each other and complement one another. I learned a lot about singing as part of a group in my years as a competitive choral singer. Here are some of my favorite practices:
FOR BALANCED VOLUME: LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER It’ s difficult to blend when some voices are overpowering others. To avoid this, you can actively listen for the voices of the people on either side of you. Can you hear their voices as well as your own? If you can hear their voices but not your own, there’ s a chance you might be singing too quietly. If you can hear your own voice but not theirs, you may need to pull back on your volume. This is not a perfect solution, and external feedback is still helpful to ensure that the right volume balance is struck. But the practice of listening can be very helpful in developing a sense of connection with the other members of your team.
FOR CLEANER HARMONIES: SLOW DOWN AND SUSPEND One mistake I often see among singing groups is the tendency to rush through their songs during practice, without taking the time to really tighten up the harmonies. There are many singers who are more than capable of finding the parallel harmony line, even on the fly. Still, it can be helpful to slow down and sustain words where harmonies are being sung. This gives everyone a chance to really hear themselves in the context of the group, and to make adjustments to their own part if it isn’ t exactly meshing with the other harmonic parts. It also gives everyone a chance to hear how the harmonic intervals fit together, which improves their ear and enables them to“ settle” into the greater whole.
FOR TIGHTER RHYTHM: WATCH THE ONSETS AND OFFSETS Onsets and offsets are often neglected in group singing. Is everyone coming in at the same time? Is everyone cutting out or fading out of their phrases at the same time? Synchronizing rhythm can be an easy way to add a finished quality to a group’ s sound, even in the absence of harmony. After all, rhythm plays an integral role in creating the overall sound and feel of a
song. Lack of rhythmic clarity can obscure the overall effect of the rhythm as it was written. So although it may seem tedious, clearly define onsets, offsets, and other rhythmic details.
IT’ S ABOUT MORE THAN SOUNDING GOOD … … it’ s about practicing the art of singing in community. Mastering the art of singing in a group gives us opportunities to practice listening to each other, uplifting each other, being present, and enjoying the experience of being part of a greater whole. This is a big part of what makes worship ministry so meaningful. As individuals, we are called to come together with our brothers and sisters and become part of one joyful song to God.
Got a singing question? Send an email to hello @ reneemaranan. com with“ WM Vocals Question” in the subject line!
Renée Maranan Renée Maranan is a vocal instructor, voice teacher trainer, and life coach, with over 20 years of experience working with singers, vocal instructors, and performers from all over the world. For more vocal help, visit her www. reneemaranan. com or follow her on Instagram(@ reneemaranan). www. ReneeMaranan. com Instagram @ reneemaranan
30 August 2025 Subscribe for Free...