The Vocal Siren Exercise Player lets you practice smooth pitch glides and vocal warmups right in your browser. An app that runs in-browser enable you to warm up your voice and smoothly glide from one pitch to another. You can control the widget with a few mouse clicks or more accurate keyboard changes on your computer. It produces synthesized sounds formed into certain vowel shape. This enables you to work on range and pitch accuracy without any need for recording kit or a mic.
The main chart features two circular handles that let you set your pitch range. To do this, drag the top one with the arrow to set the highest point (the peak). Drag the bottom one to set where you want to start. The chart shows the notes in musical terms, running from C3 to B5, to give you an idea of what it will sound like. At the bottom there is the number of semitones between each end-point. You can change these points using the keyboard or by adjusting the two handles.
How to Use the Vocal Siren Player
To adjust the low handle, use the L key to position your cursor over it, then use the up and down arrow keys to change the pitch by semitones. Use the H key for the same effect with the high handle. If you keep both ends-points within a comfortable range the exercise session should feel relaxed.
Above the chart is the control panel where you tailor the sound before starting the glide. There are four vowel paths to select: round Oo, forward Ee, open Ah and gently humming Ng. These create distinctive tones. Think of them as different vocal positions.
For each of these there’s a slider for the round trip time that allows you to specify how many seconds it takes for one complete up-and-down arc. Three to ten seconds is the range. Faster times ask more of your agility, slower times assist in breath control.
A further adjustment is provided by the cycles selection which tell how many arcs will play out before pausing. Contour Control alters the shape of the glide. Balanced gives equal rise and return, Quick gives a fast rise and slower return, Patient gives a slow rise and quicker return.
Vibrato adds a slight pitch change to the tone. From no modulations (a straight tone) through to a dramatic fifty-five cent swing is available. This lets you explore adding vibrato while keeping it stable. Ladder on Crest: Rises pitch by one note on every cycle until it reaches its top. Helps you expand your upper range slowly.
The Master Level slider controls the volume to a comfortable level in your chosen listening environment. This is where it gets really cool. The Crest Flight Plan section visually outlines the pitches you’ll be hearing on each arc. You can see at a glance what the high and low notes is for that arc. And if you turn on the crest ladder, as shown above, you’ll notice that the high note ascends one step for each card. That’s your visual roadmap of how the pitches change. In turn, that lets you set up your voice to match.
Underneath the chart is a readout telling you your location in the cycle, along with the current pitch of the rider and its corresponding frequency in hertz. That means you can double-check whether you’re singing accurately by comparing it to the tone being created.
Interval buttons quickly give you common ranges at the click of a button. An octave? A twelfth? There is a major third. Perfect fifth? There are plenty of good options to choose from when you target certain interval distances during your warm-up exercises.
To play just the lower and higher notes without the glide in between, there’s an endpoint check button. That allows you to hear the exact pitch you have set before doing the entire thing. Want to try it starting on the highest note instead? There’s a “start from high” button that flips the direction so the glide starts at the highest pitch and goes down.
When ready, simply click to launch the siren arc and away we go! You’ll see a picture of where your rider is on the pitch curve. This will represent where you are in real time. At the bottom you have the status area that confirms what range and direction the current glide is travelling.
To halt the exercise, click land the glide to instantly reset the player for the next round and fade out the sound. If you alter a setting mid-play, all the controls automatically finish the current glide. This means you don’t have to worry about a sudden jolt from one exercise to another.
With that, you can get in and out fast using the space bar to launch/land the glide quickly without moving the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to set an octave (O) and a perfect fifth (F) quickly so your hand remains near the keys to go through settings faster.
Varying the vowel shape is fun, and you’ll notice how different vowel shapes affect your perception of pitch. Play with other contour settings and see if you can push your vocal agility and breath management. The widget will expand to full screen when pressed. This is handy if you’d prefer a bigger view of the controls and the pitch chart. There is a handy help panel for a quick reference of control functions and keyboard shortcuts. Click on the how to play button up at the top to toggle it open.
Spend some time experimenting with the various combinations of vowel shape, range and speed. The aim has been to create something that can immediately and flexibly support your vocal development.
Begin slowly with a small range to set an even and smooth tone. Gradually work up to longer durations and wider intervals until you have stretched your vocal muscles. Try to gradually extend your top note using the crest ladder but don’t force it or strain your voice. Make sure that you listen in a quiet space where you can pick out all the details of the synthesised sound.
With regular practise using these lead-in glides, you will find your vocal co-ordination and pitch accuracy will be improved. When you’re happy with your selections, go for it!