Welcome to the list, Lea Ann. There's a lot of us mature beginners here.
Take it from someone who was BORN with a big voice (according to my
parents!), that rich mellow sound comes with its own set of challenges. I
usually compare it to walking a very large dog.
Speak to your teacher about your concerns. If you're just starting your
studies, it may be that you have a light, flexible voice rather than a big
mellow one. And don't let doing a "Mickey Mouse" voice throw you. My
teacher has me quacking like a duck! :-D
I am of the opinion that the one hard-and-fast rule of singing is: If it
hurts, you're NOT doing it right! I usually practice about 30 minutes at a
time, 15 on exercises and 15 for material. If you're trying to learn arias
etc. and feel you need more practice time, try just reading through it,
picking it out on a keyboard, mentally noting what you want to do in each
phrase and/or where the hard parts are.
Good luck.
Elizabeth Finkler
Sunnyvale, California
mightymezzo@h...
mightymezzo@h...
http://home.earthlink.net/~mightymezzo
"Ist auf deinem Psalter,
Vater der Liebe, ein Ton
Seinem Ohre vernehmlich,
So erquicke sein Herz!"
--J.W. von Goethe
>From: "Lea Ann" <LeaAnn@k...>
>From: "Lea Ann" <LeaAnn@k...>
. I am 31...a late starter (I have had voice before) taking opera
privately...and I find that I am having a great deal of trouble with head
tone. I am a mezzo...and I am doing all the beginners arias...Se tu m'ami
and Caro mio ben etc....I am so frustrated because my head tone doesn't
sound rich and lovely it sounds cold and shrill and strained....I know rich
head tone is possible...I mean just listen to Cecilia bartoli do Caro Mio
Ben...it's rich and lovely...my head tone is horrible and to be honest I am
not even sure I have head tone most of the time...last night after a
marathon practice my speaking voice was just all over the place..cracking
and hoarse...and I know that cannot be good. I do not seem to be able to
really make the change back to chest tone...everything seems to break down
when I go from a C back down to an A. the notes just come undone.
>
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