• Use the good silver.
    Learn three clean jokes.
    Always accept an outstretched hand.
    Be forgiving of yourself and others.
    Leave everything a little better than you found it.
    Drink champagne for no reason at all.
    Compliment three people everyday.
    Strive for excellence, not for perfection.
    Floss your teeth.
    Keep it simple.
    Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards.
    Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank filled.
    Rekindle old friendships.
    Leave the toilet seat in the down position.
    Wear polished shoes.
    Wave at kids on school buses.
    Compliment even small improvements.
    Feed a stranger's expired parking meter.
    Never refuse homemade brownies.
    Avoid negative people.
    Don't be afraid to say "I made a mistake."
    Never underestimate the power of love.
    Marry only for love.
    Sing in the shower.
    Look people in the eye.
    Sing in a choir.
    Keep your promises (no matter what).
    Plant flowers every spring.
    Call your mother.
    Keep secrets.
    Make new friends but cherish the old ones.
    Remember other people's birthdays.
    Don't be afraid to say "I don't know."
    Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
    Be the first to say hello.
    Commit yourself to constant improvement.
    Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
    Count your blessings.
    Take responsibility for every area of your life.
    Over tip breakfast waitresses.
    Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
    Say "thank-you" a lot.
    Carry jumper cables in your trunk.
    Stop blaming others.
    Ask for a raise when you feel you've earned it.
    Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.
    Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
    Return all things you borrow.
    Have a firm handshake.
    be there when people need you.
    Watch a sunrise at least once a year.
    Plant a tree on your birthday.
    Have a dog.
    Say "please" a lot.
    Dance like no-one is watching. Sing like no-one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt.
    Don't expect life to be fair.
    Send lots of Valentines Day cards and sign them "Someone who thinks you're terrific."

Find your vocal range

Your range


Your range is the highest and lowest notes you can sing comfortably. Most of us have a feel for where we can sing best but may not know what the range is called.

Vocal ranges overlap a lot, as you can see by the chart, yet all ranges span roughly the same number of notes.

  • Soprano – the highest-pitched range, usually female.
  • Mezzo-soprano – many women sing in this range.
  • Alto – somewhat lower than soprano. Altos can’t usually hit the higher soprano range; conversely, sopranos have trouble with the middle to low alto range. Usually female, but some men can sing a low alto part.
  • Tenor – the highest men’s range. Few men are true high tenors.
  • Baritone – overlaps the bass and tenor ranges. This is the commonest men’s range.
  • Bass – the lowest common men’s range. Few men are true low basses.

Want to find your range? There’s a handy tool at https://playback.fm/vocal-range that can get you started. Or just ask your accompanist before practice one day.

Your change

Your voice has a distinct point at which it changes from one tone to another, often towards the top of your range. As you sing a rising scale, you’ll feel the change; you make your sound in a slightly different way. Singing across your change takes practice and work, so many singers opt to sing either down or up an octave to avoid it. That can push you out of your range, though, with unpleasant consequences for the sound of the song. The best bet is to practise singing over your change, until you can sing above, below and through it with ease. Try some of the Warmup tips like the Arpeggios, Solfège Ladders or Sirens.

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