Date sent: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 10:58:34 EST
Subject: Re: Intonation and Diction Problems
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

al,
i would suggest that you may want to rent a bunch of italian movies and
get used to hearing them speak and then just try imitating them using the
text of your aria and a tape recorder. you may want to begin with the most
outragious imitation of an italian accent and work back from there if it is
indeed, too much. that would be much easier than trying to creep up from your
american accent. one other little tip- try sticking the tip of your tongue
just outside the teeth, rather than just inside them, for N,L,D and T.
are your intonation problems always the same? flat or sharp? do you have
these problems when you vocalise or just when you are singing a piece of
music? can you whistle in tune?

mike