MK Macko is a program producer. She has also blogged about another important banner—but this one is "only" a year-old piece of silk. Goose bumps. These are just some of the things visitors tell us they experience when they see the flag that inspired our national anthem. Connect with more stories like these in between visits to the museum. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Skip to main content. Blog Home About Archive. Why is the national anthem so hard to sing? The Children's Chorus of Washington sings at the museum. Museum visitors participate in a flag folding while singing or humming the anthem.
Related Blog Posts. Why these colors don't run: Dyeing the Star-Spangled Banner. We all know the colors of the American flag. But how did those colors physically come to fly on flagpoles and inspire national anthems? Cameras are everywhere. I currently have three devices in my purse that I can take a picture with. Skip to content Home Useful tips How hard is it to sing the national anthem? Useful tips.
Esther Fleming June 21, Table of Contents. Previous Article Where is the Wisconsin border? I want you to have a reference marker to go back to so you can hear the difference these tips make in your performance of this song. Most of us have heard our American national anthem since we were small children. Perhaps we know the words so well we no longer pay attention to what they mean?
This is important because the Star Spangled Banner is the one song a singer is most likely to be asked to sing. The good news is that the popularity of the American national anthem offers singers the opportunity to perform in public, often in front of thousands of people at civic or sporting events.
The bad news is that the Star Spangled Banner is fiendishly difficult to perform. But it all starts with the words. Many singers sing the Star Spangled Banner with little or no emotion. In other words, without giving much thought to the words and story behind the song. If you want to make a strong impression with the national anthem, think about the words and figure out what they really mean to you. Do some homework and brush up on what was happening during the War of , when Francis Scott Key put quill to paper and wrote these words.
You must think about the words and what they stand for if you want to give our national anthem the attention it deserves. How lucky we are to live in this great country. We have our freedom thanks to millions of brave men and women who fight so we may keep that freedom.
This song honors them. A slight detour. Listen to the singing of Nat King Cole. How do you feel about his phrasing and use of consonants?
Notice that the entire first verse of the Star Spangled Banner is made up of only two sentences. The first sentence is really, really long and the whole song is full of phrasing and breathing landmines.
Dangerous phrasing issues occur when the natural word-related phrase breaks come into conflict with the natural rhythmic and harmonic phrase breaks. But slowing it down a tad really brings out the emotion. A few tiny flourishes here and there, but mostly just pure sound, from the heart. I remember watching this game. I believe I even groaned when the band was announced. Then they started singing. Notice how relatively straight their performance is. Compare that to one the Backstreet Boys did just two years before.
I actually watched quite a few Backstreet Boys versions. For another great, heartfelt group effort, check out the Grateful Dead from All the examples above feature traditional approaches to the song. If you are thinking of trying a new take on the anthem, be warned: most different versions are poorly received at first, and you may be subject to a ton of criticism.
Americans hate it when you mess with their song. But it did. He made it work, though it easily could have gone badly. It divided the public at the time. Traditionalists hated it, considering it a disgrace. She gets the lyrics and most of the notes right.
And she keeps changing her accent. Or something. Fergie is perfectly capable of singing the National Anthem, by the way. She did a decent version at a Miami Dolphins game back in She can sing. Return to text. Scott McCormick is a musician and the author of the Mr. Pants series of graphic novels for kids. He also runs Storybook Editing , offering developmental editing for authors.
Related Posts How to prepare for a vocal recording session How to organize a set as a vocal warm-up Picking the perfect song for your voice Falsetto, vibrato, and other natural vocal effects you should master Add natural vocal effects to your songs. BSB is more vocally talented than NSync, always has been.
Their technical ability is far superior, which is why they can do embellishments.
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