1. Expression
Elements of Music #4

2. https://youtu.be/diHBB1gWPkU
How many different ways can you see the actress using expression in this video?

3. The Dimensions of Music
Meaning
Color
Time
Pitch
Words
Story
Acting

4. Pyramid of Vocal Technique
Diction (Vowels & Consonants)
Tone (Focus and Space)
Placement (High/Low Voice)
Breath Support
Posture
Expression

5. Many people consider expression the most important part of singing.
Expression emotionally and intellectually connects the audience with the song and the singers.
Expression brings realism and meaning to the performance.
Expression allows the performance to teach us something about life and humanity.

6. How do you sing with expression?
Use More Energy
Focus That Energy on an Objective
Create a Timeline of Changing Emotions
Be Appropriate and Professional
Coordinate Everything Together

7. How do you sing with expression?
Use More Energy
Emotions are usually too subtle to be noticed by others. To express them in a performance, they have to be amplified.
Raise energy level in these three areas: 1. Body 2. Voice 3. Emotions
Actor–singers pretend. They elicit seemingly true emotions through facial expressions, gestures, movements.

8. How do you sing with expression?
Focus That Energy on an Objective
Your objective could be: displaying an emotion like excitement, telling a story, interacting with the audience or another character, etc.
Shut out other non-important things like the room you’re in, the audience, your nerves, etc.

9. How do you sing with expression?
Create a Timeline of Changing Emotions
People don’t stay on one one unchanging emotion in real life. They continue to think, evolve and come to a resolution. Show this process, make it look real.
Songs are perfectly structured for evolving emotions. “Emotions over time.” Make sure the progression makes sense or you will look crazy.

10. How do you sing with expression?
Be Appropriate and Professional
Every style and setting has conventions, ie. expectations. The audience will judge your performance based on these.
If you don’t follow these, you will confuse and maybe even upset people.

11. How do you sing with expression?
Coordinate Everything Together
Voice, Body, and Emotions (in face and voice) should be saying the same thing.
Stay flexible to “spur of the moment” changes, but stay focused on your objectives and your storyline. The performance doesn’t have to be the same each time, but it should reach your objective each time.