Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
"Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Sun Apr 8, 2001  7:49 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] UH vs. AH (forward vowels and regional dialects)


Dear Isebelle and Vocalisters:

This is, of course, difficult to describe in print but from what you
have written below the sound you produce when saying "up" or "cup"
with a slight smile "in a pleasant, soothing voice" is what is
normally written in IPA as an upside dwon v, that is, the vowel in
"Shun". I tried it and that is what I get as well as my wife. The
sense of forward placement or upward feeling you sense is there but
that does not make the vowel an AH as found in "File" (Italian AH).

The "Shun" vowel is an excellent vowel for singing because it is
really akin to the schwa which is the most open throated, least
tongue obstructed vowel we can produce. It is the vowel that gives
the natural relaxed resonance of the vocal tract and an almost
consistent tube shape from the vocal folds to the lips.

Lloyd

> > experience, I am completely unable to make any form
>> of the UH vowel sound forward or upper such that it
>> will sound like the AH vowel in "File" without
>> greatly distorting my vocal tract and creating
>> strong amounts of tension. Have you learned to
>> sing with an accommodation of the vocal tract
>
>When I say the word, "cup" or "up," the vowel is
>naturally forward. It's not a schwa -- it's a
>combination of an Italian [a] and a mental image of
>the sound between my front teeth and slightly above my
>upper lip. When I talk to my friends and say the word
>"duh," it's completely different. If you say [ap]
>like an Italian (a little more relaxed with the
>corners of the mouth -- as far as you can get from
>[ae] as in cat while still pronouncing the forward
>file-like [a]), that's how I say "up" naturally.
>Doesn't that sound like "up" to you? I'm a native San
>Franciscan, if that sheds light on regional
>differences.
>
>I just tried this out on my husband. If you smile
>slightly and say the word "up" in a pleasant, soothing
>voice -- that's the forward quality. If I elongate
>the word and say "uuuuuuuuuuuuup" the vowel is
>actually [aaaaaaaaa]. But a slightly longer position;
>more relaxed in the mouth opening. It must just the
>the forward way I say "up" and "cup."
>
>I first started doing this because my teacher
>suggested that I start singing an "UH as in up" in one
>of my lessons; it worked so well to get the tone out
>of the throat that we kept it. If she had said, "sing
>the AH's like the UH as in duh," that concept would
>have gotten thrown in the trash can. So it must just
>be my [a]like way of saying UP.
>
>Isabelle B.
>
>=====
>Isabelle Bracamonte
>San Francisco, CA
>ibracamonte@y...
>
>
>
>
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--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011

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