Editing and the art of Tuning
So I studied stage one conducting at University. I was so shy and intimidated by our teacher, whose National Youth Choir had won 'choir of the world'. I only lasted up to stage one. But when you sing in a choir at that level or are responsible for conducting, you soon learn the art of tuning. It uses every part of your brain, I'm sure of it. You have to be aware of any soprano who is sharp, any alto with too much vibrato. Like tuning a choir or an orchestra, editing requires an ear for the finer points, without losing the bigger picture. Easier said than done? Here are some of my thoughts:
1. The more you read, the more in tune you are.
If you have never heard a piece of music in your life, the chances are slim you would know if one was in tune or not. Reading a lot and widely increases your pitching ability, that sense for sniffing out phrases, paragraphs or words that don't harmonise with the overall tone or voice of the piece. Some people are born with perfect pitch (don't you hate them). But for those of us who want to tune our editing ears, reading widely will increase the ability to pitch correctly.
2. Know your pitch
If you don't know what key you are supposed to be in, it's a bit hard to pitch. In other words, know the purpose and audience of the text inside out, or the literal pitch (how the text is marketed or categorised) and you will have a centre to always bring everything back to. That is the equivalent of your tonal centre, your home key if you will.
3. Know your sharps from your flats
When I was learning singing, I would have to complete these horrible ear tests. A woman would play a note on the piano and then another, then ask if it was sharp or flat. If you don't know what a dangling modifier looks like, or the difference between a widow and orphan on the page, you might need further training.
In summary, it only takes one off-key alto to ruin the Schubert. That's your attention to detail that's going to get your piece singing from the right hymn sheet. So tune in.
