The cast:

Elise - Harper Sr. Journeywoman
Tenya - Harper Master and Crom Hold Crafthead
Resa - Harper Sr. Apprentice
Hynavu - Harper Apprentice

Hynavu rumbles along easily and slowly in from Harper's Area.

Elise walks in from Harper's Area.

Tenya walks in from Harper's Area.

Tenya slips quietly in and heads straight to the back of the room before   plopping into a desk.  She takes out her old notebook from her apprentice   days.  Today, the harper will learn, instead of teach.  It's always good to   get a new, fun perspective, especially when it comes to lessons!

Hynavu finds himself a corner where he can settle himself, the cursed lapharp   - whose strings are all settled into tuning again, but who knows how long   before another snaps and he's fixing it ten times a day? - at his side and   sketchpad the primary focus of his attention.  He flashes a quick smile to   Resa and Tenya, then ducks his head.

Elise waits for people to settle themselves before beginning, sitting   confidently in her chair, guitar in hand.

Resa hurries in through the door, hides and notebooks barely contained in her   arms as she skids to a halt before an empty chair. Dropping everything down   on the table, she looks around the room, panting softly. Good, looks like she   wasn't too late this time.

Elise grins, and plays a quiet, simple tune that's one of the first songs   taught to children. "You all know this, right? Sing along, then. If, that is,   you warmed up before class, as I suggested?" Suggested rather strongly, at   that.

Resa eeps, blinking a few times. Warm up? She was supposed to warm up?    Ooppssss....

Elise eyes the eeping apprentice. "You didn't, hmm? What about the rest of   you? Be honest, now. It won't hurt you."

Sarman, harper apprentice extrodinaire, comes skidding into the room.    Unfortunately, he skids a little /too/ much and ends up...hitting a desk,   "Owwww..." he wrinkles his nose as he sits quickly in the offending   monstrosity, "I'm sorry I'm late...." he has quite a whiny voice naturally,   which is only exacerbated by his pain.

"A little ..." Hynavu murmurs.  He's warmed up as much as anyone can be who   some might suspect of being afraid of his own voice, at least from the basis   of the fact that you rarely hear it at even normal volume.

Resa frowns, looking a little embarrassed, shown by the bright pink color   spreading acorss her cheeks, "hmm.. sorry...  I was working on something and   forgot about the time.."  Head is ducked again, finding her fingers quite   interesting all of a sudden.

Elise sighs, and shifts the pattern into flowing fifths. "Sing along, then,   gently. Keep up with me if you can. Otherwise, ask, and I'll sing it and let   you all repeat it. You should always -- always! -- warm up before singing   anything besides the easiest of songs, especially if you're performing. Drink   water, and not juice or milk, before any performance where you'll be using   your voice; it doesn't coat things like teh others do..

Resa nods, sitting a little straighter in her chair.  Back straight, chest   out, chin up.  As she watches Elise play, Resa's soft alto picks up the song.   She doesn't strain, just lets it flow gently along in the beginning as her   voice warms up.

Hynavu nods intently, noting all the preparations that he hopes he won't often   need.  Sketchpad covertly begins to pick up her features as he straightens.    His voice comes in just a bit above a whisper, strengthening after a few   beats, but never lifting far.

Elise wanders about the class, listening intently even as she sings. When they   reach a high, but not too high, point, she stops. "Think you all can do it   without my help on the way down?"

Resa nods, a bit hesitantly, as her voice rises with the song.  Reaching the   high point, she slides down to the low, only hitting a few wrong notes on the   way down.  With each sour note, you can tell she knows by the wrinkle of her   nose.  She sings softly, scared to do more.

Hynavu misses some of the middle notes, but you can't quite tell because he's   not really surprised, and he sings quite softly, managing to pitch his   naturally powerful voice well below the group's volume.

Elise stalks over to Hynavu. "Could you sing louder, please? I sincerely   doubt, with the way you hold yourself, that that's the natural volume for   you."

Hynavu looks up at her with owlish eyes.  "Ah ... I just want to blend in ...   that's the technique, isn't it?"

Resa blinks, carrying the song on, though she wonders briefly if she should   stop.  Shrugging, she catches the eyes of the couple other students and   continues on with the song, though she listens to what Elise has to say on   the side.

Elise smiles, oh-so sweetly. "When you're singing with others, yes, but you   should still match their volume. Therefore, I want to hear you on your own,   to see whether your voice would be better suited for solos or choral pieces.

The song falters at Elise's words as Resa and the other students hear her   words to Hynavu. Turning in her chair, Resa peers behind her to watch.

Hynavu bites his lip.  "Well, it doesn't really matter," he says, "because I   don't think I'm going to be singing solo ..."  Last-ditch attempt to get out   of it.

 Elise strikes a chord. "Do you know this?" It's another simple, well-known   song. "If you do, sing it." She beams.

Resa blinks, wondering if she and the others should be joining in?

"Hynavu?" The Journeywoman questions, proddingly. "I do mean you..."

Hynavu glances about, hoping that's a signal for everyone.  He draws a slow   breath and sings at more or less his accustomed volume ... maybe a notch   softer, just in case he's out in the open.

Elise lifts her chin. "Louder, Hynavu.

Hynavu looks as if this is somewhat painful, but gradually pitches his voice   upwards in volume.  As he does, the sound rounds out, becoming clearer and   fuller along with louder.

Elise gradually crescendos the volume of the song, trying to get Hynavu to   follow. One foot taps out the time.

Resa lets her chin fall to her hand sitting on the back of the chair she's   turned around in.  She seems alittle in awe, for this is surely the loudest   she's /ever/ heard Hyn!!

Hynavu grips the edges of the sketchpad somewhat more tightly, voice wavering   for a moment before he follows the precedent the instrument has set.  A note   here and there cracks and falters as he looks around him, far too keyed into   the reactions of the others.

Elise ends it with a flourish. "Very nice, Hynavu. You could, honestly, go   either way. Now... Those of you who've been watching, tell him what you think   could have improved his performance."

Resa hmms, stammering a little, "Not being scared....  being scared tightens   your vocal cords so that you can't sing..."  She gives Hyn a smile, letting   him know she thinks he did rather well!

A young girl from the back speaks up, "Sit straighter, don't slouch?"
 

Hynavu grins over at Resa.  "Time to prepare?" is suggested wryly to Elise.

Resa grins back at Hynavu, nodding, "That would probably be a good one..."

Elise chuckles, and nods to each of the speakers. "All of those. Thank you for   singing, Hynavu. Now, other things you can do while performing are pretty   simple. For instance, tell me what you all like to see in a performer."

Resa hmms, looking around for a moment, "Someone who looks like they're at   ease and enjoying what they're doing?"

Hynavu grins broadly to himself, oddly amused.  He slips sketchpad back to   drawing position as the class continues.

Hynavu bites his lip.  "Someone who gives voice to the mood of the piece she's   singing?"

 Resa nods to Hyn, "Aye, one who makes you /feel/ the piece..."

Elise nods, her head bobbing with enthusiasm. "Yes, yes, yes. /Ex/cellent.   Would you want someone who jittered? Or stood there like a rock while they   sang? Or someone in between?"

Resa would deffinately go with the one in between. Jitters would make her   nervous and the rock would put her to sleep.

Hynavu shakes his head wordlessly.  Of course, a rock singer would make a   sketch easier, but it'd be an awful life composition ... off art, Hynavu.    Now.

Elise quirks a brow. "What about breathing styles? How should you breath, or   not, on stage?

Resa blinks, there's a way to breathe? "That would be like playing my pipes   right?  If you can get your lungs used to holding, you can go a decently long   time on one breath...  "  Confuse everyone why doncha?

Hynavu cocks his head.  "Don't breathe at the top of your lungs?"  His voice   has dropped to its usual 'hue.'

Resa nodnods, "Yes... breathe from down low..." She points to her diaphram...   or somewhere's thereabout.

Elise levels a finger at Hynavu. "Speak up. Yes, you're both right. What else?"

Hynavu cocks his head.  "Pass out?"

Elise frowns puzzledly at Hynavu. "Expand on that, please... It's not at all   clear."

Hynavu flushes a little.  "That is, don't try to extend a phrase on so little   breath you ah, faint?"

Elise tips her gitar. "Splendid point! Next?"

Resa blinks, "But you don't want to take some many small breaths that you're   huffing and puffing... then you'd hyperventailate!"

Elise rewards Resa with a nigh-blinding smile. "Just the one I was looking   for. So, anyone want to run down the list before we end the class?"

Resa smiles, looking a little happy with herself.  She got one right! Wohoo!    Gold star for her!

Hynavu gives it a try, somewhat unusually.  "Be relaxed, feel the mood of the   piece, sing from the diaphram, don't take too few breaths, don't pant and ...   is that it?"

Elise beams, and claps her hands once, sharply. "You've all done a wonderful   job. Class dismissed!"

Resa smiles, giving Elise a bright smile as she gathers her stuff together and   scurries out the door onto her next appointment.  "Thanks Elise! Nice to meet   you!"

Hynavu smiles as he rises to his feet.  "Thank you, Elise ... but never do   that again?  Please?"

Elise ehs... "I'll keep your request in mind." Which isn't a yes and isn't a   no, but is infinately polite and unobjectionable.

Tenya stands and curtsies politely to Elise before making her way to her   office with a fresh batch of class notes to analyse. Tenya walks through the archway leading to Harper Office.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Basics of Singing Book
Carefully bound and made of a sturdy, mid-quality hide, the small booklet   seems relatively new and very well-cared for.

 Singing.
It's something most of us do, but do we ever really think about how   we do it? Or if the way we sing is the same way everyone else does? Why is it   such in integral part of our lives?  I hope to make you wonder about these things, and provide pointers on some of   them. Much to my regret, I will only be able to give the briefest of touches   to the differences in technique that occur culturally, for I have only my own   life experiences to draw upon. The way we stand, breathe, eat -- all of these   affect our voices and the sounds they produce, along with training. These all   fall under the label of 'technique.'  There are different levels of difficulty in singing, as well. Master Menolly's   songs are easy; as you may recall, it was said in the books that anyone could   sing them. Master Petiron's songs, on the other hand, are among those of the   most difficult. If he says he doesn't want you to take a breath for the next   4 measures and hit 14 notes, or for the next 2 and a half measures and hit 55   notes, he means it.

With every skill, you must start at the beginning, and this is true of   singing. Practice is something you are no doubt familiar with. Singing   requires more of that, to expand or maintain your range. The ability to read   music, to listen to and reproduce a note or series of notes once given, to   keep yourself on pitch; all are invaluable if you wish singing to be your   area of expertise, and even if not. They help immensely.  There are many different styles of singing, too many to name, so I shall   describe a few of the better-known ones. The five-tonal scale used by many in   the further holds, yet different for each of them, often create tunes that   linger in your ears, and can, at times, seem challenging to those used to a   twelve-note system of naturals, sharps and flats. The long, sliding tones   used by the herders of High Reaches are a type of singing, though it may not   seem that way. A way just as the warping and weaving songs, the lively though   unaccompanied rhythmic and vocal overlays that some say comes from Ruatha,   and the full, energetic reply songs found in Southern Boll are.

As I've touched on earlier, there are many different types of singing. Some   are used to pass the time. Some, like the puirt a beul (purst-a-bial), are   used in the place of accompaniment for dancing. Some use the voice as an   instrument; others need instruments to support and tune the voice.  On Pern, the musics of many cultures have combined and re-combined, resulting   in something that is probably unrecognizable to it's original creators, were   they able to hear it. But the function of music, singing in particular, has   not changed. It remains as it always has been, a way of passing the time,   learning the news, keeping up morale. It occupies a niche in our lives, and   though there may be a few out there who hate it, it is a niche that will   never go empty.  So it is that we find patterns unlike those we usually hear, or notes put   together in a way that hovers in the balance of like and dislike, because it   is unfamilar, and think nothing of it. There are fast songs, slow songs,   in-between songs. There are songs that wrap you in calm, and those that jolt   you out of it and set you to thinking; those that speak naught but nonsense,   and some that have no words and remain songs.

Most singing is done with accompaniment. It makes it easier to stay on pitch,   keep the time, and adds another dimension to the music. However, each   instrument -- and voice! They're instruments too -- has its own little   quirks.  With some strings, you have the problem of the voice blending with   it. A good example of this is a violin and a soprano, the highest of the   female singing voices, which ranges from middle C to at least two octaves   above.  When the instruments are loud, people usually try to sing louder than them. A   good idea, but one often overdone. Voices have their limits, and even with   the best of care, if you push them too far, you'll hurt them, and usually   sound bad. At the opposite end of the scale are the people who sing so softly   that the accompaniment can't help but drown them out. The best thing is to   find a happy medium between them.  In addition, there's the firelizard singing pioneered by Menolly. They are as   responsive as any skilled musician, and alter their volume to suit yours.   They improvise extensively, but provide a good backdrop for almost any song.

As with every instrument, your voice requires a bit of care and lots of   tuning. Yelling, coughing, clearing your throat, and excessive strenuous   exercise are all bad for you voice.  Most of the care is common sense. Drink plenty of water, warm up the voice   gently before singing, don't force you voice to go where it hurts, rest your   voice if you've got an illness that affects it, and make sure you're prepared   when singing for a long time.  Each voice has its own range, and its own sound.
There are seven basic ranges,   though there are divisions even in those. The individual voices are placed   according to the highest note they can reach.
<G G# A A# B <C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B c c# d d# e f f# g g# a a# b                c>[                    Soprano                               ]       [              Mezzo-Soprano                               ] [ F <C    Contralto, AKA Contralo and Alto             ] [ F <C    Countertenor (male)                          ] [C <C             Tenor                     ] [Second A <C   Baritone   ] [Second F <C  Bass  ]
The above are general ranges. Voices can stretch to more or less, depending on   use, experience, age, and a number of other factors. Soprano, mezzo-soprano   or mezzo, and altos are female; countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass are   male. The baritone and mezzo-soprano are the most common ranges to find.    Countertenors are both rare and natural. Sopranos, while not present in   overwhelming numbers, are not -- but the ones you can hear in a non-acoustic   hall without wincing are. Tenors don't typically have the problem of   shrillness, but are like the sopranos in being semi-rare. Basses and alto   more often end up with a gravelly voice, or one thick with vibrato, and   aren't as easy to find as baritones and mezzos.

Middle C is <C. An octave is eight notes, and goes from the first note to the   next one like it. For instance, C major is <C D E F G A B c.  A key signature tells you where to sing and the instrumentalists where to   play. A sharp is a half-step above the previous note (I.E., F and F#). A flat   is a half-step below (A# is also Bb). A full step is D to E. A key signature   can have up to 6 sharps or flats in it, but only one or the other.  Time signatures tell you the rythym. Most songs are in common time, or four   beats to a measure with most of the notes being quarter notes.

Remember how, way back in the begining of this, I talked about how the little   things can affect your singing? This is where we talk about them. First   posture, then breathing, then the three 'voices'.  When you stand, you want your feet about shoulder-width apart, one slightly   ahead so that you're balanced and not wobbly. Knees should not be allowed to   lock, and the stomach should not be sucked in. Shoulders should be relaxed,   neither thrust back nor scrunched forward, and the back is ideally held   straight in a comfortable way. Your neck should be aligned with your   shoulders, and your head either level or slightly down -- never up. Hands   should be at your sides, longest fingers against the side seams.  If you fill your lungs so that you can place a hand at the base of your   ribcage, in the middle, and feel it, then you are breathing right. If you can   sing, expelling breath, and take more in at the same time -- a difficult   thing to do, but posible -- that's even better. With practice, your breath   control will improve, until you can at least do four measures without   inhaling.  There are three 'voices' that people use, though the third is not something   everyone has. There is the chest voice, where you sing the lowest part of   your range; the head voice, where you sing most of your range, and sometimes   just the middle part, and this is where most people find it easiest to sing;   and the whistle voice, though it has many more names, which is the very   highest part. Another difference between them is where you feel them. Chest   vibrates just that and your throat. Head vibrates that, particularly the   jaws, ears, and nose. Whistle you can barely feel at all.

This is where you put all that study to practice, and get out there to   perform.
These are some pointers, things that you may or may not find useful.  Do:
Mention the notes you're singing in a general sort of way. Low, high,   middling...
Show gestures and movement. Express yourself.
Let the audience see the song's emotions.
Keep yourself relaxed, IC and OOC.
Enjoy it!
Don't:
Detail every single note, where it is, and what its name is.
Fidget. It looks unprofessional.
Be a rock.
Slump! It's bad for you, bad for the song, and nasty to look at.
Stress out.
Let your eyes wander all over the place if you're being conducted. Look at the   conductor, and make sure you can see their hands.
Forget to breathe. Passing out on stage is terribly embarrasing, and the   Healers don't like it much, either.
Gasp for air like a  fish out of water. We want to hear you sing, not pant.