Scale Patterns For Singers

singing lessons vocal technique May 08, 2023

Singing scales can seem pretty intimidating if you’re new to voice lessons. (And, sometimes even if you’re not new to lessons!)

But, trust me, it’s worth it.

The truth is, scales are the fastest way for you to develop and condition your voice so that your songs feel free and easy.

And, that’s what we ultimately want, right?

So, take the time to put in a little repetition and practice, and you’ll have these scale patterns down in no time!

Below you’ll find practice recordings of the 4 most commonly used scale patterns for you to listen to right here, or download to your device so you can practice them on the go.

Let’s start with this video to see what these patterns are all about.

The 4 Most Used Scale Patterns For Voice Lessons

WHAT ARE THE SCALE PATTERNS?

Scale and arpeggio patterns are a specific order of pitches and intervals that form a repeated melodic sequence.

5 Tone - uses the scale degrees 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1. We will use this for your vocal assessment and other exercises.
Octave Repeat - uses the scale degrees 1 - 3 - 5 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 5 - 3 - 1. This one gets used a lot for a variety of exercises.
Octave and a Half - uses the scale degrees 1 - 3 - 5 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 4 - 2 - 7 - 5 - 4 - 2 - 1. This one is usually the trickiest, but just keep listening and either humming or lip-trilling along as I demonstrated in the video. (I would not attempt this one with numbers.)
Broken Scale - uses the scale degrees 1 - 5 - 3 - 8 - 5 - 3 - 1. This one can be tricky, too. It’s less commonly used than the other three but is also a helpful pattern.

WHAT DO THE SCALE PATTERNS DO?

The cool thing about scale patterns is that they serve as tools, and when used correctly, they can help you balance out your voice.

The Five Tone Scale - with its short intervals and ascending direction, helps thicken the voice and build resistance.
The Octave Repeat - This scale spans an octave and repeats on the top note, so it assists the connection of the bottom and the top of the voice by building up resistance at the repeated note.
The Octave and a Half - This long scale spans an octave and a half and gives us access to the higher notes. It can help reduce resistance because of its large intervals.
The Broken Scale - This scale helps develop agility and precision because of the large interval leaps. It also can help reduce resistance.

Scale Pattern Practice Recordings For Singers

HOW TO USE THE PRACTICE RECORDINGS

For each pattern, there are two versions, one set for higher voices, and one set for lower voices. Use what feels most comfortable for your voice.
When you practice the patterns, just focus on getting the pitches, so you’ll be free to explore your voice and technique once you get to your lesson.
As I demonstrate in the video, you can sing along, hum along, use numbers, or even a lip trill while you get familiar with these patterns.
If ever it feels too high or too low, just drop out, no big deal!