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To: "'VOCALIST'" <vocalist>
Subject: RE: Chin vibrato - Observations
Date sent: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 12:41:39 +1100
Organization: Einstein's Moon
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Dianne Clark wrote "I myself have struggled off and on
for years with this problem, and I have excellent alignment (after years of
Alexander Technique and other training). There is more involved than body
alignment, and I think every person is different with regard to finding the
key
that unlocks. My gut feeling is that the problem is based in breath
manage-
ment."

The Alexander technique leads to better alignment in most people, but it
about coordination not alignment. Most singers' ideal of good alignment
doesn't add anything to their singing. In fact in my first lesson with most
singers I ask them to do a really exaggerated collapse - bent knees &
rounded back - and sing. Give it a try and see how your tone, breathing and
general ease in projection improve! Most people with "good alignment" are
holding themselves in the "right position" with lots of excess muscle
tension that interferes with breathing and vocalizing. Unfortunately some
interpretations of the Alexander technique encourage a subtle holding which
interferes with vocal freedom. In fact Alexander began his teaching as a
vocal teacher and the trainees on his first training courses, with no
previous experience as actors, ended up on the stage in London acting in
Hamlet and the Merchant of Venice. In his early days in Melbourne & Sydney
he was known as the Breathing Man, because of the way in which his work,
without focusing directly on the breathing opened it up for people.

The Alexander technique is about how we organize ourselves in activity. It
is pretty confronting work for singers as it is really all about how they
are thinking as they sing. Ideas about "support" and the "correct" way to
stand and breathe are up for grabs. If the jaw and mouth and tongue are
interfering in that activity, then they must be attended to in Alexander
work. A skilled teacher may wait several sessions before attending to these
specific tensions - often teaching the student to release holding in the
head neck and back will undo excess tension in a lot of other areas.

In his writings Alexander describes ways in which he worked with
mal-coordination involving the lips, tongue etc. Certainly, working with
singers I am always awake to what is happening with eyes, lips, tongue and
jaw. A person bringing unnecessary tension to these areas cannot be said to
be well coordinated no matter what a superficial view of their alignment
would suggest.

David Moore
The School for F.M. Alexander Studies
294 Smith Street
Collingwood, Vic 3066
Australia
61 3 9419 8273
info-at-alexanderschool.edu.au
http://www.alexanderschool.edu.au