At 12:29 PM 8/26/01 +0000, you wrote:
>Subject: Strohbass--was Fach this Vocal Identity Crisis!
>
>At 06:45 PM 8/24/01 -0000, Tako Oda wrote:
> >When I started out, I aggresively trained my low range, not realizing
> >that the low notes were not really mine, but just a very strong
> >strohbass. Wasted several years doing that! Turns out I don't have
> >much of a legitimate low range at all, but instead have an extended
> >upper range.
>
>Dear Tako and Listmates,
>
>Please tell me what "strohbass" means. My German dictionary defines "stroh"
>as straw. My music dictionary defines "strohfidel" as xylophone [as the
>pitchboards were originally suspended on straw ropes]. Is the strohbass a
>baritone "suspended by ropes" :-) ?
That certainly evokes a humorous image ;-) I *think* I know what Tako is
talking about...in fact there are several techniques I've used (as a rank
amateur, mind) at various times to hit low pitches. When a bass line
descends to the very bottom of my range at forte dynamic (e.g. Verdi Req.
"Rex Tremendae"), I will often consciously narrow or "sharpen" my chest
voice to a very bright buzzy timbre with lots of overtones to project it
through. I can also make sort of an intermittent "creaky" sound below my
lowest chest tones by setting up for a glottal attack and then forcing air
through very lightly. Finally, I can roughly approximate "profundo" tones
in the A1-C2 range by opening my throat and relaxing the cords, then
forcing more air. It's kind of a rumbly wheeze that irritates my larynx if
I do it much. Neither of these latter two methods is anything close to
"strong", though--the only time they're useful is in pianissimo
cadences. I'm betting one of these qualifies as "strohbass".
Adam
indeterminate baritone?
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