So there you are, lost and confused. Your voice part is supposed to start at a measure that follows the accompaniment doing something goofy and you can’t figure what your starting note is supposed to be. Horrors! Fear not, this too can be defeated (99% of the time, sometimes you just have to hear and sing it a gajillion times so that it burns into your brain). There are two ways that you can (usually) find your way.

The Anchor Note
This is pretty straightforward and takes a little “stealth” humming to make it work. You need to identify your note in a preceding measure and then attach it to your brain to save it until it’s time for you to sing. I don’t know about you but it really helps me if I hum it ever so quietly so I don’t lose it (and jump in with a random and incorrect note). That also allows you to correct for a note that’s an octave away. Beware though; it needs to be quiet enough that only you can hear it!

Here’s an example:

Notice that the note in the measure where you start to sing is a B (the red circle on the top line). Yes, there’s a B in the piano chord in that measure but it’s buried pretty deep and probably really hard to find. However, look at the low note that the piano plays in the measure before (the red circle on the bottom line). A nice long B an octave below your starting note but hung out there and easy to hear. You’d just hold that note in your brain (or humming really, really softly) and you’re home free.

The Slider Note
This one takes a little more thinking but chances are you won’t need to hum it. There’s often a movement of notes that drives straight to where you need to be and all you need to do is come in on the next logical note in the progression.

Here’s what I mean (if you click on the graphic it’ll be bigger and clearer):

The note you’re hunting for is the E (the red circle in the bottom stanza) but there isn’t one to grab for a long time prior to that. Notice, however, the little line of descending notes the measure before you come in (the red arrow in the top stanza). It ends on an F (the red circle in the top stanza) so it’s pretty easy to step down to your note. It’s just a simple G-> F -> E (your note). Yeah, yeah, I know there’s a second F but it’s still really easy to track it to your note.

This can also be applied when the note before yours is off by a half step, you just move that little bit to get where you need to be.

Of course, these are just methods to get the hang of the thing, once you’ve practiced it a bunch it will just come naturally; the sound of that note will already be in your head. You can use the Anchor or the Slider to get started on that journey and it will make things a whole lot easier.

“I love it when a plan comes together.” – Hannibal Smith (while clenching a cigar between his teeth)