Advanced Vocal Exercises: “Body & Soul”
Welcome to this video where we will work on more advanced exercises for melding your singing and playing, learning Body and Soul, and advancing your connection to the piano.
After completing the previous vocal exercises video, you will know the melody reasonable well for Body And Soul so now we will incorporate some more advanced exercises by singing the melody over the bassline.
Start by Singing the Melody as Written
You might remember from earlier videos in this course on accompanying vocalists, that most jazz singers rarely sing the melody as written. However, they do learn the melody as written first, and then they step out. So now that you know it, you can experiment too, first with embellished melody and then work your way up to pure improvisation.
Exploring Triads, Inversions, 7th Chords & Rootless Voicings
After watching these lessons, you will see that we are getting in the habit of thinking through changes, voicings, our playing, whilst singing and developing out voice at the same time. This engenders a real and natural connection to our playing whilst getting stronger in the melody and chord changes on one particular tune. Playing piano is one skill, singing is another skill. Playing and singing is a 3rd skill that you must acquire. This approach will help you develop your ability in this area.
Correct Posture When Singing & Playing
It’s important that you maintain the proper posture which singing and playing. Using your diaphragm, and having proper posture is completely possible at the piano. It’s something you need to be aware of. Pay attention to the charts that we use to illustrate this point. You can see in the lesson diagrams and downloads, that you must keep your upper body straight to enable diaphragmatic breathing.
Related Lessons
A seventh chord is a triad which has been extended to include the 7th degree of the scale. This creates a fuller sound than simple 3-note triads.
Rootless voicings sound more professional than root based 7th chords and they voice lead much more smoothly in a 251 progression.
To play a rootless voicing we leave out the root of the chord and play one of the upper extensions to get a richer, more colourful sound.
Practice Tips
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Simplify your playing, You must account for some of your brain going to singing, and give yourself space – not only in your sound but in your mind.
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You want to learn to balance your focus between the two. Record yourself to hear objectively if you are doing this.
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If the voice is sounding pitchy, flat or not as good as you know you can do, might need to simplify your piano part, to allow more of your effort to flow into the voice – this is harder to hear objectively and hence the recording.
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Above anything else, listen and watch other singing pianists. See how they do it and get inspired!
Thank you again for such inspiring and useful teaching, Lyndol and Hayden 🙂
You’re so very welcome Natasha. Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad it’s useful to you. And Inspiration is so contagious… I’m truly excited be working on more lessons today cause Georgia is On My Mind 🙂
This one is awesome! Would you mind posting the download sheet for body & soul?
Hi Joel 👋
I have added the Chord Changes PDF to the “Downloads” section of the page.
If I can be of further assistance just let me know.
Cheers!
Hayden
You are an awesome and your lessons are heaps of fun
Thanks Oliver! So glad to hear you are enjoying them. Happy Practicing!
I love this lesson; To go thru your gradual steps is a marvelous way to learn a song from the ground up. Looking forward to more lessons.
the more I sang and played along and the more I repeatedly watched the inversions, 7th chords, dropping the root and then adding the root up to the end of the video – the more I’m hooked to learning it – given the the possibilities/options on how to sing it and play to it … That was amazing and very enlightening! Lyndol. Thank you so much. I love these lessons! :). 🙂