Wrabler Rehearsal Notes 13 October 2015
Venue: Linklaters. Chair: JB
Attendees : JB, DC, SE, KM, MM, RM, MS, WT, LS
Apols: DD (convalescing), JL (has meeting)
1 Warm up & Useful exercises. We did scales counting up and down in increasing sections, then inversely in two groups. Good for concentration on timing and pitch. We were better at it at the end than the beginning.
DC led some throat relaxing exercises, including a graphic tip of imagining singing while chundering. Engages the belly muscles, apparently. Very useful.
All songs tonight revealed that a raggedy standard of part learning has crept back into Wrablers this term (tsk tsk).
DC ably assisted song leaders, particularly with issues of timing. You know, what all them dots and squiggles actually mean. We seem to pick it up quickly, and the songs were much improved after each session.
There was some experimental oohing behind the men’s verse in Hallelujah, but divided opinion as to whether it was an improvement.
We experimented with starting with the root note of the starting chord of a song, then splitting effortlessly into our start notes. DC was extraordinarily patient with the many false starts. It goes like this:
Piano note played
Wait
Sing the same note that was played on the piano (in the same octave)
Slide smoothly to the start note of your part.
Sing the song.
Something to work towards to end faffing in gigs!
AOB
1.Kathleen has bagged Wimbledon Unplugged for Wrablers. She will send location info, etc. It was agreed that unfortunately none of the new songs were ready yet, so we decided to sing:
Run to You
Sloop John B
When Will I See You Again
These to be sung through next week.
2. ‘Christmas Presence’ emerged promptly and firmly as the Dec gig name.
JB to send out draft flyer asap.
3. Songs for next time: The above to sing thru and polish, and also Shenandoah, Riu Riu Chiu and Boars Head Carol.
Chair: Louli – Though I thought I heard Seb say he was? Over to you two.
3. Off to PUB at approx 21:15. Yay! JB