How do I get 60 boys to sing louder?

Question:Hi there,

I am in charge of a choir of 60 boys (13-18), and we are singing a 'Les Misérables' Medley for a competition. (This is not a choir of singers, it's a group of boys who are in a particular House at school, and not all of them can sing!)

They are singing the right notes, but they are so quiet. What can I do or say to get them to sing ten times as loud? I know they can - other Houses (of the same talent and size!) do.

Thanks for your help.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hi there,

I am in charge of a choir of 60 boys (13-18), and we are singing a 'Les Misérables' Medley for a competition. (This is not a choir of singers, it's a group of boys who are in a particular House at school, and not all of them can sing!)

They are singing the right notes, but they are so quiet. What can I do or say to get them to sing ten times as loud? I know they can - other Houses (of the same talent and size!) do.

Thanks for your help.

There are several ways, peer pressure, competition, deliberately asking them to sing as if they are cheering for a football team, (you can always get them to sing more musically immediately afterward) discussing the proper mouth set for singing (Draw a straight line - this is a person who is not singing at all! Draw a small circle - this is a person who is barely singing - Draw a grotesques pumpkin shaped mouth - this is a person who is over singing or making fun of others - then draw a lovely circle and explain that this is the person who is opening their mouth properly and allowing their mouth to act as a resonating chamber)

Oops, one more. Try dividing them into groups and pitting groups against each other. They may be shy in a group, but they will always compete against each other!

Put up signs around the room such as "Real Men Sing!"

Use pictures and video examples of men who your students can look up to but who also have good singing voices

Teach your students how to breath. In order to produce sound, they must have enough fuel. Air is fuel. Teach them to take in and let out air efficiently and use it well.

Show them the results of competitions where previous choirs did well, not so well, and discuss the discriminating factors involved.

Another sign that works wonders "In Space, no one can hear you sing! ESPECIALLY IF THAT SPACE IS BETWEEN YOUR EARS!!!"

If no one can hear you, it doesn't matter how good you are!

How good would your favorite rock group be if the lead singer mumbled?

I know you think you are singing, but your mouth isn't moving and if you don't breath soon, we are going to have to take you to the nurse (or to the funeral for burial depending on how graphic your school allows your signs to be)

Breath in - Breath out! GOOD!
Now, next time you are singing - Try breathing out!

Sing along with them and dare them to drown you out!

Pick a couple of fun songs and if they are singing to their full capacity, reward them by letting them sing those songs at the end of the rehearsal. I use Karaoke for this purpose. It's a nice relaxing activity that seems to bond the group. My problem is that I can't seem to keep them from borrowing the disks forever!

sing with them to start. they are just scared that if they mess up everyone will. and the younger ones might not be used to their voices yet and think that they are messing up.
... they just need the confidence
good luck

I was in a choir and always shuddered at singing in groups less than three... but it seems like all of them aren't ready to step up to be louder for everyone to follow.

find a hallway where the sound will echo off really nicely and get them inspired. We had a stairwell next to our room that did really well.

Once the ambiance is set encourage them to sing a little louder and once you feel its alright tell them to remember how that feels. It was always a nice inspirational booster when you find yourself in a place like that because you finally sound how you hear and the fear drops down a bit. Especially for males in high school. Singing isn't so cool, unless you sound great. Let them know they're doing just that.

Young people are strange with singing, they often don't sing loud at all until they feel secure about singing that particular song. I'd have them sing through it three or four times and try each time to get them a little louder, but just let them keep singing it over and over till they're willing to show they know it.

Whatever you do, don't sing with them. They will let you do all the work. Do some warm up exercises with them to help them identify different dynamic levels. You might relate them to speaking tones: whisper, talking to the person next to you, talking to someone accross the room, talking to someone accross the street.

Then give them instructions as to which size voice you want them to use.

If they don't respond to that, have them count sing from 1 to 8 and back again, each number getting progressively bigger. Then you can ask them to sing as loud as 7 or as soft as 2.

Good luck!