LESSON 1

Before we get started, be sure you have gone over the Lessons page. Review the elements of a lesson, the terms used and most importantly the warm up.

Connect your phone to your Bluetooth speaker, put in your ear buds, turn up

your speakers and...... GET READY TO YO-ODEL!

1a.

Beginning our work with foundation notes, this passage should be sung in the chest voice with good air support. Choose a note that is close to the break in your voice. In this example, the break in my voice is right about the E-F. Find a note about 3 notes lower than the break for this exercise. A C works well for me.

1b.

Fantastic! Be sure to practice these lines in different keys. That will be particularly important when we get to yodels with voice breaks.

Now, let’s work on picking up speed a bit with this next line. Use your tongue to keep the notes clear and crisp.

Featured Personality

Bart Plantenga (author)

Netherlands

I first was introduced to Bart Plantenga and his book Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World in 2004.
Bart is probably best known for his groundbreaking books on the global phenomenon of yodeling. YODEL-AY-EE-OOOO: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World & Yodel In HiFi: From Kitsch Folk to Contemporary Electronica have brought new regard to the art of yodeling and produced the Rough Guide to Yodel CD compilation & YODEL IN HIFI Top 50+ Youtube channel.

1c.

Are you feeling pretty good about that one? Now we'll add another note. Start with two bars of C then to the B and back. This corresponds to a C chord and a G7 chord. This is a simple progression very common in yodel phrases. The second run through adds syncopation, also very common to Foundational yodel notes.

Performance #1

In this first performance, we are using many different note values and have added pick-up notes G-A-B.

Remember to video record your performance and save all 5 to YouTube. Record these in funny places like a grocery store, coffee shop, wherever you want and when you have all five create a Playlist on YouTube and send me the link to earn your Student Certificate of Yodelology.

The Foundation Yodeler

YODELING WITH FRIENDS

In our first YODELING WITH FRIENDS segment we are echoing the lead with the second part. All Performances include two recordings, one of me and Brian yodeling and one with just instruments so you can use it to practice and record your performance. The great thing is these are on YouTube so you can see the syllables and yodel along.