Learn to hold your own note
Singing harmony is a skill in two parts: hearing the other note, and staying on your own. This trainer plays a guide and checks the note you sing against it, so you can practise on your own, with no choir and no teacher.
What you can practise
- Against a drone. Match the note, then the octave, the perfect 5th and the 3rd. This is where you learn what "locked in" sounds like.
- Thirds above a tune. The guide plays a short melody one note at a time and you sing the third (or sixth) above each one.
- Notes of a chord. Sing the root, the 3rd and the 5th over a chord, as three singers would split it.
- A line through chords. Sing the chord note closest to the last one, so your line barely moves while the chords change under it. This is how good backing vocals work.
For a guided route, follow the Sing in Harmony program (beta). To see a harmony line written out before you sing it, use the Harmony Finder, and to drill the theory use Harmony Parts.
Frequently asked questions
How does it work?
A guide sound is held (a drone, a melody note or a chord) and you sing a different note against it. The microphone listens to your pitch, shows how far sharp or flat you are, and counts the note when you hold it in tune. The guide stays on until you have the note, so there is no rhythm to chase.
Do I need headphones?
Yes, please. Without them the microphone hears the guide as well as your voice and can get confused. With headphones it only hears you.
Is my voice recorded?
No. The sound is analysed live on your device and thrown away. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Which octave should I sing in?
Whichever is comfortable. Any octave counts: only the note name matters. Low voices will sing below the guide and high voices above it.
I do not have a microphone, or I am shy. Can I still use it?
Yes. Press "Hear the guide and the target" and sing along quietly. You lose the pitch checking, but the ear training works the same.
Why does a perfect fifth feel empty and a third feel sweet?
Notes a fifth apart have vibrations that line up very simply, so they blend almost completely. A third is a little more complicated, which gives it warmth and colour. Singing against a drone is how you learn to feel that blend.
Is it finished?
It is in beta: it works, but we are still tuning how strict it should be. If something feels off, tell us.