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From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
"Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Tue Apr 10, 2001  8:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] question on soprano's enunciation


Dear Vocalisters:

It is not possible for female voices to produce all of the vowels
when singing above the treble staff (about G4 or higher) because some
of the sonic information needed by the listeners ear to identify
these vowels is missing from tones sung at these frequencies. The
quality of the sung tone makes no difference because the missing
sonic information that is needed has a frequency that is lower than
the pitch being sung. It is not possible for any singer to produce
partials below the fundamental frequency of the sung pitch.

Only the vowels /i/, /I/, /e/, /E/, and /ae/ have their second
formant at or above G4 and for this reason it is possible to create a
semblance of these vowels above G4. The vowels /u/ and /o/ do not
have formants above G4 and are not available on pitches of that
frequency or above but they may be simulated by use of forms of the
/a/ vowel such as the sheltered AH (written in IPA as an upside down
/v/).

In addition to this lack of the needed first vowel formants on
pitches at G4 and above and the loss of vowel identification as a
result, the vocal tract itself is not naturally tuned to the
fundamental of pitches this high and it must be adjusted in a special
way in order to be re-tuned to the pitches at G4 and above. This
special re-adjustment is achieved by opening the mouth. As the mouth
is opened the vocal tract natural tuning is raised and can be
adjusted to match the higher pitches that are sung. This is the
reason that all female singers have the urge to open the mouth for
high notes. The urge is natural and correct.

If mouth opening is not progressively increased as the pitch rises
above G4, the fundamental of the sung pitch will not be emphasized,
that is, acoustically enhanced. If the mouth is closed slightly as
the pitch rises above G4 the vocal tract will resonate one of the
upper partials of the fundamental and the tone will have a small,
Minnie Mouse quality because the fundamental is being de-emphasized
and its upper partials are being emphasized. Sometimes this is a
chosen tone quality such as the singing of the typical operatta
soprano with he extremely light, slightly squeeky quality.

For what it is worth.



--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011


  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
11048 Re: question on soprano's enunciation Jennifer   Wed  4/11/2001   2 KB
11069 opening the mouth, was: question on soprano's enu John Alexander Blyth   Thu  4/12/2001   3 KB
11082 Re: opening the mouth, was: question on soprano's Lloyd W. Hanson   Thu  4/12/2001   3 KB
11168 Re: opening the mouth, was: question on soprano's John Alexander Blyth   Mon  4/16/2001   3 KB

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