Song Leading

The unique skill of leading 'lieder': inspiring others to sing with you

 FOLKWORKS, Nov/Dec. 04

'Tis soon to be the season of sing-along's, holiday music gatherings, and assorted Saturnalian parties. What better time to brush up on the skills of helping OTHER people sing together?

Yes, song leading is a skill, not an inborn talent! It's not quite the same as conducting an orchestra, teaching someone a new song from scratch, accompanying yourself on an instrument, or calling a square dance. But song leading includes elements from each of these experiences.

You have to give visual cues, anticipate trouble spots, and provide musical references of pitch and tempo right before they're needed. More than anything, an effective  song leader must exude total confidence that your group of singers can and will sound wonderful.

[This is the greatest thing I learned from Pete Seeger, watching and singing in his audiences from childhood onward: He never doubts that a crowd of strangers can sing together in wonderful harmony! Instead of nagging everyone, he makes us want to join in his truly-democratic dream of making music together—and in that moment we know that we can.]

  So—let's assume that you are picked to lead the songs/carols/parodies/ whatevers, because you have a smidge more musical training than anyone else present. Let's assume further that you've picked up enough music theory to figure out the basic structure of a song.

Does the melody start at its lowest pitch, highest pitch, or (most commonly) somewhere in the middle? This is important for picking a good key. Does your own voice tend to be a lot higher or lower than other peoples' voices? That means you should transpose from where YOU are most comfortable, to fit the biological average.

Note: Most inexperienced singers of can usually sing from a low Bb to high Bb, so keep the melody in that range. For more extended tunes, try to stay between a low G and a high D at the outside. Move all of this a couple of notes higher for children; kids don't usually have much power below middle C. Move a step or 2 lower for groups of adolescent/still-changing boys' voices, and for senior-aged women.

If you're accompanying as well as leading, be sure that the song is in a key you can play without looking. If you're leading from a keyboard, use the transpose functions if necessary, to stay in a key your fingers know easily; emphasize the melody, backed up by steady rhythm, and simple chords for context.

For guitar-strapped songleaders, it's better to ask someone to help you transpose the guitar chords to an easy voicing and then use a capo, rather than fuss and swear at those bar chords you just can't grab yet! This is not the time for fancy instrumental intros or picking patterns; a solid strum to anchor both rhythm and tonality will serve just fine.

Naturally, you have to know the song itself pretty well in all dimensions, so that you have the right rhythm and feel in your head before you start, and you can set a reasonably good tempo. Does it start on an upbeat (i HAVE a LITtle DREIdel) or a downbeat (JOY to the WORLD)? This influences what kind of lead-in you provide. If someone else is accompanying the group, rehearse with them at least once, to confirm the keys and tempos as well as the selection of songs.

Ideally, you're familiar enough with the lyrics that you don't need to read them closely. This frees your attention - and eye contact - for the other singers. At least know the chorus cold, and be able to start every verse or transition without having to look at the song sheet.

If there will be an audience (for instance, you're caroling at a hospital or nursing home), plan the order of songs in advance AND double check that your singers have their song sheets in the right order. Start and end with the ones that are most familiar or easy; otherwise alternate faster and slower tempos, and sprinkle the hardest numbers in the middle. If you'll be capo-ing around, write notes on this. My working song sheets are full of reminders like "Bb: play G+3" [frets].

For each song, the leader's first jobs are to get everyone's attention, confirm what song is "up," and provide the starting pitch - or cue the person with the pitch pipe or guitar. Establish the rhythm with the instrument, or conduct it with arm gestures.

Then give a bigger visual cue, perhaps a head nod or a lift of your peg-head, a beat or two before the first word, because that's when people will take their breath to sing. The larger the group, the bigger the cues. Watch films or video of Pete Seeger - the absolute master of song leading - pulling his right arm off the banjo in a big, uplifting circle, sweeping fabulous harmonies from a concert hall or hillside-full of thousands of total strangers.

Keep your attention on the group as you sing, grin encouragingly no matter what you hear, and keep the rhythm strong. Anticipate transitions (into a B-melody, a chorus, or a repeat) with louder accompaniment or bigger gestures, just as a dance teacher or sports coach cues the trickier moves just before they happen. If someone in your audience is paying especially good attention, or harmonizing well, catch their eye & nod to cheer them on.

 Keep your attitude cheerful and positive until the session is over, and your singers will thrive on your enthusiasm. When confident, happy voices come back at you and fill the room, it's the best holiday gift of all.

© Joanna Cazden 2004