AIBU to ask for your suggestions on which songs are good for a beginner singer with a soprano range?

[FoxtrotGolf]

Hi all,

I started singing lessons a couple of months ago and am focusing on learning breathing exercises and vocal exercises at the moment.

I’m not working towards any exams but just decided to start the lessons as something fun and because I’d always been curious about singing.

In my last lesson, I started looking at a passage from a piece by Handel (As when the dove), which my teacher recommended as a good way of improving technique.

However, we’re now going to be looking at learning songs together rather than just looking at vocal exercises. My teacher is a trained opera singer and has music that we could look at together, but she’s said that if there any particular pieces I’d like to learn, she’d be happy for me to bring them so we could look at them together.

Do you have any suggestions on which pieces I could look at please, as I’m a bit stuck? My range is soprano and I’m a complete beginner, so I’m not sure which pieces would fit that range. I enjoy any type of music, so would be open to anything :)

Thanks for your help!

Bumping.

Ave Varum

Caro Mio Ben is a good aria for a beginner.

Thanks Come and Little! If anyone else has any further suggestions, please let me know :)

And you can look up Ave Verum on u tube to see if you like it x

I would also suggest 'cara mio ben' also have a look at 'panis Angelicus' and 'voi che sapete' x

Dido's Lament ..."When I am laid in earth"

Ooh thanks!

What do you think about songs like Pie Jesu, April showers (the song from Bambi 😂) and Dream a little dream of me (all songs I like that I found as recommendations for beginners on other sites)?

Do you know of any other similar ones e.g. a mix of pop/sacred/musical theatre songs that would be good for an adult beginner?

What I’ve found tricky is that a lot of beginner soprano song suggestions seem to be aimed at kids rather than adults. So far, the songs for adult sopranos that I’ve found seem to be aimed at sopranos looking for audition songs rather than beginners.

I think Didos Lament is quite tricky.

If you are open to MT some of the songs from King & I perhaps. Getting To Know You & I Whistle A Happy Tune.

Ahh good idea Come - thanks!

I really like Ave Maria by Caccini - do you think that’s too tricky for a beginner, though?

Check out the ABRSM Songbooks for soprano/ treble voice. I would Lomé at Grade 4 and above. I particularly like Down by the Salley gardens

Lots of sacred music. Tantrum Ergo, Panis Angelicus, Jesu Joy of mans desiring etc. Think what cathedral choirs learn from seven.

Faber Music publish a series of books called "The Language of Song". Get the high voice elementary level book.

Ave verdin is for a choir, and Dido’s Lament is gorgeous, but for a Mezzo Soprano. How about Schubert’s Ave Maria, some folk songs (She Moved Through the Fair is my fave) Bach, “Jesu Joy of My Desiring” or “Sheep May Safely Graze”?
There is a book called something like “Twenty Italian Songs and Arias” which used to be nicknamed the yellow peril which has heaps of perfect beginners songs that I am sure you can find online. I know that Caro Mio Ben is in it.
Mozart’s Arias written for Cherubino would be good too.
PM me if you want me to look further.

Another vote for the yellow book.
What kind of thing would you like to sing, OP?
Down by the Salley gardens (trad, Britten)
The Water of Tyne (trad)
Laudate Dominum (Mozart)
Ave Maria (Schubert)
Someone to watch over me (Gershwin)
Sumer is y cumen in (trad.)
Pie Jesu (Fayre)
How Beautiful are the Feet (Handel, from Messiah)

'Where're you walk' by Handel is also good

Also Mendelssohn 'On wings of song'

If you want to look at some songs in other languages, some of Schubert's are good: 'Die Lotusblume' or 'Die Nussbaum'

twenty four Justilou - there was a Scarlatti one I used to sing but I was about Grade 7 at the time.

Fab - thanks, Marschallin, Cherry, First and justilou!

*verum!!! (Autocorrect!!!)

palahvah, I’m open to singing all sorts, but have some favourite musical theatre, classical and sacred songs. A PP above - TheMarschallin - recommended looking at the Grade 4+ songs from the ABRSM syllabus - does that sound about right for a beginner?

Summertime by Gershwin would be great too. Everyone loves that one. What’s not to love? Fosters superb legato as well.

Oooh yes good shout justilou - I love Summertime! Do you think it would be okay for a beginner?

Depends what you like! Disney songs are good for beginners. You could have a look at the book "the art of song" (it comes in different grades). The pie Jesu from faures requiem is often sung by a young treble and was my DD's first solo at 10 so quite easy.

There's also a book called something first soprano solos that was good when dd was starting. She didn't bother with the early grades and started with grade 6

@Fox - good advice re grade four to start with. I did my degree years ago. (Am ooooooooooooooold now!) Fauré Pie Jesu is gorgeous too, btw. Actually, Fauré wrote lots of lovely songs like “En Preure”, “Les Roses d’Ispahan”, “En Sourdine” & “Apres Un Reve” among many!!! They’re lush!

By the way, summertime is grade 8 I think, dd didn't do it but it's in her book (or it's grade 6 the only other grade book we have)