Mike wrote:
> i would conclude from this statement that the concept of
registers is
> then an artificial concept placed on a voice that may have no
registers at
> all.
Mike, I would agree with your statement to a certain extent. I
don't think of registers as being artificial- every voice has these
events. Yes, different people make different choices- some people
are head-dominant, some are chest-dominant, some are mixed-
registration, some are perfect coordination. However, to get to this
"perfect" coordination model takes years of work, along with the ears
of a discerning teacher. VERY few(classical) singers ever acheive
this model of registration. People like Jussi Bjoerling, and
Leontyne Price fall into this exceptional categogy. And I would add
that I'm not just saying this about them because I love their voices-
I have spectrographed JB and LP several times, and the exquisite
technique we hear is clearly observable right in front of your eyes.
Mike wrote:
>and, that it is our expectations of certain sounds that place an
> unnatural 'sameness' throughout a range of the voice that should be
> constantly changing rather than remaining the same.
dead on here! The muscular balances are in a constantly changing
state of balance. Surely we all want our students to sound like they
have a seamless scale. Nobody wants to produce a voice with blatant
breaks. But, it's how we get the student to produce it that is
important. If the registers are not combined properly, sure, the
seamless scale can happen- but, we may in fact be smoothing over
vocal faults, thus putting a "bandaid" on a troubled technique.
We can all relate to people we know who've gone off to study with
a teacher for a few years. We then catch up with them and have a
chance to hear them in recital or an opera. We listen with anxious
anticipation, waiting to hear a brand new voice, free of technical
problems. But, we often hear the same voice, with the same
problems. It appears that for some teachers putting that bandaid on
is all they can do. If ya wanna change the oil in your car- you're
gonna get some on your hands. The student is the one who takes a
loss with the bandaid approach.
Thanks for the keen input Mike.
Take Care All,
Taylor L. Ferranti
DMA Candidate in Vocal Pedagogy
Louisiana State University
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