What is IPA? and its uses in singing

IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet. It is essentially a way to learn how to pronounce any sound in any language, using only the IPA letters.  Most of the alphabet is self-evident; a 't' sounds like a [t] in English, for instance, but IPA becomes extremely helpful for sounds in foreign languages that we just do not have in English.

Of even more benefit then learning how to pronounce foreign languages is that IPA can become a quick way to discuss modification of vowels for high notes.  In a previous blog, I discussed how vowels have to be modified in order to project high notes, and to be more specific, MOST people benefit from thinking of a more 'closed' vowel for high notes.  IPA provides a lexicon on the difference and progression of 'open' to 'closed' vowels.  As an example, the [E] in bed is an open vowel; try to sing that vowel sound on a high note, however, and you most likely will end with a weak or unintelligible vowel sound.  By simply going to a more closed vowel, the [e] in cake, those high notes become far easier to produce.

DWS