To: <vocalist>
Subject: Re: teachers: your technique, in a nutshell
Date sent: Tue, 8 Feb 2000 15:55:02 -0800
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Alright, here it is, in a nutshell:

The usual steps in Speech Level Singing are:

1. Release: introduce the student to all the registers and sensations of the
voice (speaking, singing in chest, mix, head, breathy voice, strained
voice, and anything you can think of), and explain in simple terms what is
happening inside the throat in each of those cases. Correct vs. incorrect.
2. Connect: apply scales to help full vocal cord closure, relaxed larynx,
and enable the smooth transitions of each passaggi. Treat breathy voices
with a little "cry" or slightly raised larynx in order to get the cords to
close, and strained voices with a little "hootyness" or slightly lowered
larynx in order to keep the larynx from rising and allowing the vocal cords
to make the necessary adjustments at each passaggio. Let go of cry or
hootyness as soon as bridges start holding. Make sure the student is singing
correctly in the appropriated register at all times, and make student aware
of all the associated sensations.
3. Strengthen: scales which target the bridge notes, first staccato and then
sustained, train the mix areas. Focus on getting the larynx to stay relaxed
and the vocal cords closed through the passaggi. Train on vowels, first
closed ones and then how to transform a closed one into the closest open
vowel to achieve correct placement. Find vibrato on sustained notes (usually
it comes all by itself if the student is singing correctly). Train student
on actual songs to watch his/her vowel pronunciation in order to keep all
the transitions between registers smooth. This is where the student learns
how to apply the knowledge he/she gained by singing scales to actual songs.
Make aware of sensations.
4. Tone: Fine-tuning the mix, increase the volume of the voice slowly,
making sure that the student's voice well-balanced throughout, not too light
and not too heavy. Find the "home base" sound. Keep working on songs. Still
the sensations...
5. Style: adjusting the quality of the mix to the style of music the student
wants to sing. Modern styles usually come with a harder mix, classical
styles or similar with a softer mix, but never out of balance. By now the
student should know well how his/her voice works and be able to
self-diagnose and self-correct mistakes to a certain extent. Then it's time
for coaching style, phrasing, repertoire, acting, etc., which can be
continued with the same teacher if the teacher is specialized in the style
the student wants, or with someone else with a similar technical background
but a different area of specialization.

Absolute beginners usually reach step five after more or less a year of
continuous study, depending on the abilities and dedication of the student,
but that's just an observation, not a rule.

Of course each student comes in with a different level of ability and with
different goals. The steps are adjusted, or skipped, or lenghtened as
needed, each student needs a different approach, but we try to stay away
from blurry imagery and prefer to use customized scales and sounds which
target the problem areas. Personally I'll ask a lot more from a professional
vocalist (or someone who wants to become professional) than from a student
who simply wants to sing for friends and family. The students set the
desired pace (I'll always give my opinion).

Nutshell enough? The "big" shell is in the Vocalist archives (SLS:
Definitions and Differences).

Best!! ;o)

Rocio Guitard
Speech Level Singing Instructor