Singing

The definition of diction is "the choice and use of words and phrases in speaking or writing". We have learned about this term a lot over the past semester in my AP Language and Composition class. However, this term has a slightly different meaning in music. In music, diction can be defined as "the pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing". Oftentimes, when singers are singing their lines they are told to use their diction to enunciate the words they are singing. This is especially stressed in show choir. During the concert choir season, the directors often tell their students to use 'show choir diction'.

When young students sing, they do not always think about how their words sound to their audience. The students know the lyrics and the words they are singing, so they do not think about if their audience can understand them and what they are saying. Sometimes singers do not concentrate on pronunciation and it just sounds like they are singing mush. The words are not distinct or clear and it is impossible to decipher the lyrics. To avoid this the singers must be sure to always make sure they pronounce both the beginnings and the ends of their words. Perhaps the hardest words to do this with are words that end with the letter 't'. It is easy to simply run the middle of these words into the beginning of the next word without fully pronouncing the 't' sound. However, if you actually take the time to think about it, it is easy to make your words sound clear and crisp to the audience.