How to Sing on Pitch
Match pitches on a digital tuner, piano, or guitar., Select a target note., Sing major scales., Sing major arpeggios.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Match pitches on a digital tuner
The ability to hear, recognize, and then match a pitch with your voice is a fundamental ear training skill.
While some people have a natural ear, others are “tone deaf.” If you are “tone deaf,” you develop this skill through consistent practice.
Find a digital tuner, piano, or acoustic guitar.
Digital tuners are ideal for this exercise because the tool tells you if you are too sharp or too flat.
If you don’t have access to any of these tools or instruments, there are several vocal match websites and apps available for you to choose from. -
Step 2: or guitar.
A target note is the musical note that you wish to match in pitch.
You can choose any note within your vocal range—you could start by trying to match pitch with the lowest "C" in your vocal range.
As you move through the exercise, continue to pick random notes that fall within your vocal range and attempt to match their pitch.
Play the target note on the digital tuner, piano, or guitar.
Listen to the pitch carefully.
Try to hear the note in your head.
This ability to hear, or visualize, a note in your head is called auralizing.
This skill is developed over time and through persistent practice.
Sing the target note.
If you are using a digital tuner, look at the screen to see if you have perfectly matched the pitch, if you are flat, or if you are sharp.
If you are off key, slide your pitch up or down until you perfectly match the pitch.
Once you have matched pitch, select a new target note and repeat the process.
It may take you awhile to find notes that are within your vocal range and you are comfortable singing.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with notes in different octaves., Scales are musical exercises that go up and down in a predetermined pattern.
Major scales are the most predictable and familiar.
Scales are extremely adaptable and personalized exercises.
When you sing scales, you can focus on mastering a specific technique, such as vibrato, overcoming a certain problem, like pitchiness, or increasing your vocal range.
Play a major scale on a piano or acoustic guitar.
The C Major scale is an excellent place to start.
The C Major scale follows this pattern:
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, C, B, A, G, F, E, D, C.
Listen to each pitch and visualize the note in your head.
Play the exercise and sing along.
As you move up and down the scale, focus on matching and maintaining each pitch.
After mastering one major scale, move on to another major scale.
Repeat the process., Arpeggios, like scales, are musical exercises.
Instead of moving up and down from pitch to pitch, arpeggios go up and down in intervals.
Practicing arpeggios will not only improve your pitch, but they will also enhance your ability to jump from one pitch to another pitch as you sing.
Play a major arpeggio on a piano or acoustic guitar.
Basic arpeggios follow this pattern: 1, 3 (Major Third), 5 (Perfect Fifth), 8, 5 (Perfect Fifth) , 3 (Major Third),
1.
Start with the C Major arpeggio.
It follows this pattern:
C (1), E (3, Major Third), G (5, Perfect Fifth), C (8), G (5, Perfect Fifth), E (3, Major Third), C (1).
Listen to each pitch and interval.
As you hear the notes, visualize the pitches and intervals in your head.
Play the exercise and sing along.
As you move up and down the arpeggio, strive to match and maintain each pitch.
Pay particular attention to hitting each interval.
After mastering the C Major Arpeggio, work on another Major Arpeggio.
Repeat the process. -
Step 3: Select a target note.
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Step 4: Sing major scales.
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Step 5: Sing major arpeggios.
Detailed Guide
The ability to hear, recognize, and then match a pitch with your voice is a fundamental ear training skill.
While some people have a natural ear, others are “tone deaf.” If you are “tone deaf,” you develop this skill through consistent practice.
Find a digital tuner, piano, or acoustic guitar.
Digital tuners are ideal for this exercise because the tool tells you if you are too sharp or too flat.
If you don’t have access to any of these tools or instruments, there are several vocal match websites and apps available for you to choose from.
A target note is the musical note that you wish to match in pitch.
You can choose any note within your vocal range—you could start by trying to match pitch with the lowest "C" in your vocal range.
As you move through the exercise, continue to pick random notes that fall within your vocal range and attempt to match their pitch.
Play the target note on the digital tuner, piano, or guitar.
Listen to the pitch carefully.
Try to hear the note in your head.
This ability to hear, or visualize, a note in your head is called auralizing.
This skill is developed over time and through persistent practice.
Sing the target note.
If you are using a digital tuner, look at the screen to see if you have perfectly matched the pitch, if you are flat, or if you are sharp.
If you are off key, slide your pitch up or down until you perfectly match the pitch.
Once you have matched pitch, select a new target note and repeat the process.
It may take you awhile to find notes that are within your vocal range and you are comfortable singing.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with notes in different octaves., Scales are musical exercises that go up and down in a predetermined pattern.
Major scales are the most predictable and familiar.
Scales are extremely adaptable and personalized exercises.
When you sing scales, you can focus on mastering a specific technique, such as vibrato, overcoming a certain problem, like pitchiness, or increasing your vocal range.
Play a major scale on a piano or acoustic guitar.
The C Major scale is an excellent place to start.
The C Major scale follows this pattern:
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, C, B, A, G, F, E, D, C.
Listen to each pitch and visualize the note in your head.
Play the exercise and sing along.
As you move up and down the scale, focus on matching and maintaining each pitch.
After mastering one major scale, move on to another major scale.
Repeat the process., Arpeggios, like scales, are musical exercises.
Instead of moving up and down from pitch to pitch, arpeggios go up and down in intervals.
Practicing arpeggios will not only improve your pitch, but they will also enhance your ability to jump from one pitch to another pitch as you sing.
Play a major arpeggio on a piano or acoustic guitar.
Basic arpeggios follow this pattern: 1, 3 (Major Third), 5 (Perfect Fifth), 8, 5 (Perfect Fifth) , 3 (Major Third),
1.
Start with the C Major arpeggio.
It follows this pattern:
C (1), E (3, Major Third), G (5, Perfect Fifth), C (8), G (5, Perfect Fifth), E (3, Major Third), C (1).
Listen to each pitch and interval.
As you hear the notes, visualize the pitches and intervals in your head.
Play the exercise and sing along.
As you move up and down the arpeggio, strive to match and maintain each pitch.
Pay particular attention to hitting each interval.
After mastering the C Major Arpeggio, work on another Major Arpeggio.
Repeat the process.
About the Author
James Rivera
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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