In a message dated 03/31/2001 2:59:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ibracamonte@y... writes: ibracamonte@y... writes:
<< Singing softly, especially in the upper voice, is one of the most difficult things to do -- it requires a voice that has been through all the basic "grunt work" of releasing tension, producing a clear and free tone, balancing the registers, and working out breath control. "
I have not found this to be true. If I remember the initial post correctly, this student, most likely, has problems with the initial adduction of the cords - balanced onset. If there is little compression, her tone will be airy no matter where she sings. However, as she sings higher her extrinsic laryngeal muscles will get more involved in the singing process, she will then need more air pressure as she ascends and the therefore the volume will most likely increase. SHe probably feels as if she has a better upper end because of this. However, in the long run, her tone will become strident, thin, and she will experience pitch problems. Mike's assessment that she needs to learn how to move through her passagi's is right on. But it all must start in the right manner. Once she has developed the proper onset in her chest voice, it will be much easier as she ascends into the upper registers. In fact, singing loudly may be much more difficult than singing softly because the muscles have not become strong enough to hold back greater subglottic pressure. Volume is merely the amount of air pressure the folds can hold back before being blown apart.I don't feel that it has much to do with support at all. If the intrinsic muscles of the larynx can't handle a large amount of pressure, it doesn't matter how much air one is able to store up in the lungs themselves. What I'm finding through my teaching and clinical observations is that many singing problems boil down to a basic issue of adduction, or prephonatory position. Once a balanced onset is achieved and is developed throughout a singers voice, many of the problems of support, pitch, tension etc., are eliminated.
Mary Beth Felker
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