Messa Di Voce (Crescendo)

If we had to recommend only one exercise to a singer, the messa di voce—literally “mass of the voice”—might be it. This seemingly simple task builds precise coordination between the cricothyroid (for stretching the vocal folds) and thyroarytenoid (for thickening them) muscles. It also demands deep control over airflow and breath support. Though it directly relates to dynamic shaping (crescendos and diminuendos), its impact is broader: practiced consistently, this exercise unlocks an expanded expressive palette and greater technical stability.

This week’s goal is daily practice—short, focused, and consistent. The entire routine takes less than 2 minutes and builds long-term skill when repeated every day.

Each day, aim to:

This week we’ll focus on a soft to loud crescendo only. 

1. Choose a comfortable starting pitch—middle voice is ideal.

2. Pick a vowel. If you’re unsure, /u/ (“oo”) tends to be the most stable.

3. Sing a long, sustained tone. Begin at a soft dynamic (pianissimo) and crescendo extremely gradually to forteover the course of 5–10 seconds.

4. Repeat on different pitches and with different vowels.

Avoid rushing. The slower the change, the more control and feedback you gain.

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No modification. Just start where you are. Set a soft dynamic that’s sustainable—don’t push for extreme pianissimo yet. That will come with time and repetition.

 

• Focus on evenness: aim for one seamless crescendo with no sudden gear shifts.

• Explore edge pitches: try this exercise near the top and bottom of your range.

• Cycle through all vowels, especially those that are less acoustically stable for you.

• Self-assess: Are you reaching comparable extremes of softness and loudness across all attempts?

Record, review, repeat.

 

• Sudden jumps in volume—usually during a diminuendo, but possible on crescendos too.

• Rushing the crescendo: going too fast may mask instability and coordination issues. Take it slow.

• Inconsistent vowels: /a/ and /e/ often require more precision to sing softly.

• Tension creep: Don’t “muscle” your way louder. Let airflow and resonance do the work.