5 Diction
Diction
Diction is how clearly and correctly we say words when we sing. It’s about
making sure that each word is easy to understand by pronouncing the sounds
clearly, especially the consonants (like "t," "s," or "d") and vowels (like "a," "e,"
"i," "o," "u"). Good diction makes your singing clear and understandable to the
listener.
Function of Diction
Clarity: It helps people understand the words you are singing, so they can
follow the story or message of the song
Expression: Clear diction helps you express the emotions and meaning
behind the lyrics better
Impact: It makes your singing sound polished and professional, allowing the
song to have more impact.
By practicing good diction, you can make sure their words are clear, which helps
them communicate the song's meaning effectively!
Activity : Gather your friends around in a line and ask your teacher to pass
on a message from the first person to the last person
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Vowels
Vowel Sounds in Singing
Vowel sounds (A, E, I, O, and U) are the clear, open sounds we make when we
sing or talk. They help make your singing smooth and easy to understand.
Why Vowels are Important
Breath Control: Vowels help you breathe properly and sing longer without
running out of air
Voice Sound: Different vowels make your voice sound fuller and stronger. For
example, "Ah" makes your voice sound warm
Feelings: Vowels help show emotions in songs. "Ah" can sound calm, while
"Ee" can sound more focused
Staying on Pitch: It’s easier to stay on the right note when you sing on a
vowel
Projection: Vowels help your voice be heard from far away, whether you're in
a room or on stage!
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Vocal Exercise 7
Ah - le le Oh Oh Ah - Ah There’s a time and place for
Do Re Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi Re Do Re Mi Fa Fa Fa Fa
ev-ery - thing Ah - le le Oh Oh Ah - Ah There’s a time and place for
Fa Mi Re Mi Fa Sol Sol Sol Sol Sol Fa Mi Re Mi Fa Fa Fa Fa
ev - ery - thing Ah - le le Oh Oh Ah - Ah
Fa Mi Re Do Re Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi Re Do
Vocal Exercise 8
Drop your jaw Let it fall shape your vow els sound
Do Do Sol Do Do Sol La La Sol Do Re
Op - en mouth north and south for a fall est sound
Do Do Sol Do Do Sol Fa Mi Re Do Do
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Count on Me
If you ev - er find your self lost in the midd le of the sea
Mi Re Mi Re Mi Re Mi Mi Mi Re Mi Re Mi Mi Mi
I’ll sail the world -- to find you
Re Mi Do La Mi Re Do
If you ev - er find your self lost in the dark and you can’t see
Mi Re Mi Re Mi Re Mi Mi Mi Re Mi Re Mi Sol Mi
I’ll be the light __ to guide you
Re Mi Do La Mi Re Do
We find out what we’re made of when
Do Fa Fa Sol La Sol Mi Mi
we are called_ to help our friends in need you can
Fa Mi Re Do Fa Mi Re Do Re Mi Mi
count on me like one two three I’ll be there
Do Mi Sol Do Ti Mi Sol Ti Ti La
and I know when I need it’s I can
Do Fa Mi Re Do Fa Mi Re Do
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Count on Me
count on you like four three two and you’ll be there
Do Mi Sol Do Ti Mi Sol Ti Ti Ti La
cause that’s what friends are s’posed to do oh yeah
Do Fa Mi Re Do Fa Mi Re Re Do
Oo Oo Yeah Yeah
Do Re Mi Do Ti Do Re Mi Ti La Sol Fa Mi
If you tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep
I'll sing a song beside you
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me
Every day I will remind you, oh
We'll find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need
You can count on me like one, two, three
I'll be there
And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two
And you'll be there
Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh (x2), yeah, yeah
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Consonants
Consonant Sounds in Singing
Consonants are quick, short sounds we make when we sing or speak, using
parts of our mouth like the tongue, lips, and teeth. Examples are B, C, D, F, G, K,
P, S, and T. Consonants help shape words and make them clear.
Why Consonants are Important
Clarity: consonants help make words easy to understand. Without them,
songs would be hard to follow. For example, "cat" and "hat" sound different
because of their consonants
Rhythm: consonants help create the rhythm in songs. They give clear "stops"
and "starts" in the music. For example, the "P" and "T" sounds in "pat-a-
cake" keep the song fun and bouncy
Expression: consonants help show emotions in a song. Strong consonants
like "B" or "T" can make words sound powerful, while soft ones like "L" or
"M" can sound gentle
Breath Control: consonants need quick, controlled movements of your
mouth and breath. For example, when you say "S" or "P," you have to control
how much air you use
Balance with Vowels: While vowels carry the melody, consonants give
words shape, helping the song sound clear and interesting.
Activity : Gather your friends around in a line and ask your teacher to recite
some consonants from the first person to the last person
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Vocal Exercise 9
The lips the tongue the tip of the teeth
Sol La La Do Do Mi Mi Mi Do
care ful - ly sing - ing it’s words
Mi Mi Mi Mi Re Do Ti
en - un - cia - te en - un - cia - te
Sol La La Do Do Mi Mi Do
so that the ly - rics are heard
Mi Mi Mi Re Do Ti La
Vocal Exercise 10
Sea Shells
She sells sea shells down by the sea shore I’m sure she sells sea shore shells
Sol Mi Sol Mi Fa Re Mi Re Do Sol Mi Sol Mi Re Sol Do
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You are my Sunshine
You are my sun sunshine my on ly sun sunshine
Do Do Re Mi Mi Mi Re Mi Do Do
You make me Ha ppy when skies are grey
Do Re Mi Fa La La Sol Fa Mi
You ne ver know dear how much I love you
Do Re Mi Fa La La Sol Fa Mi Do
please don’t take my sun sunshine
Do Re Mi Fa Re Re Mi Do
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Module Assessment
Theory
Q1. Vowels allow for better breath management.
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True False
Q2. Consonants help make each word distinct
True False
Q3. _______ are open sounds we make while singing or speaking
Q4. _______ are the quick, short sounds that we make while speaking
Q5. Diction is how clearly and correctly we say words when we sing
True False
Practical
Perform one song from the module: Diction
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Supporting Test
Sound Recognition
Your teacher will sing different vowel sounds, identify the
Vowels
Teacher’s feedback: Activity score :
Total score:
20
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