Day 20: Stepwise Agility with Rhythmic Variation
We’re returning to the stepwise agility pattern from earlier this week, but with a new challenge: a quarter–eighth–eighth note rhythm, ascending and descending. This increases the density of short notes, pushing your timing, coordination, and ability to keep pitches clean when the pace quickens within each beat.
Today’s Exercise:
You’ll sing the full pattern ascending, then reverse it immediately and sing descending.
How to Practice:
- Start in a comfortable mid-range key.
- Sing on a consistent vowel (“ah” or “eh” work well).
- Set your metronome so each beat = quarter note. Aim for 80–100 bpm.
- Keep the quarter note steady and place the two eighths evenly within the beat.
- Audiate each pitch before singing, especially the quick pairs.
- Avoid sliding—land every pitch directly.
- If timing or pitch drifts, slow down and reestablish accuracy before increasing tempo.
Why This Matters:
Singing the pattern in both directions with this rhythm demands rapid-fire precision while maintaining a steady pulse. It builds agility for faster passages and improves evenness, clarity, and control across your range.
Ongoing Work:
Continue your Vocal Function Exercises and log your times. Even a second longer is real progress.
Tomorrow: We’ll wrap up Week 3 by combining agility elements into a single, musical drill—and reflect on how your control has grown since the start of the week.
