Without hearing you, I don't know what you're doing wrong, but I can tell
you what I did wrong for a long time as a young mezzo and hope that it might
help. I used to really constrict the back of my throat in an effort to push
the voice down into the lower part of my range and to try to get the big,
rich mezzo sound that I thought I should have. What finally worked for me
was to keep the resonance forward (what my grad school teacher used to refer
to as "going down the front staircase" - I always loved that image) and
release the muscles in the back of my throat. It was what I always thought
of as letting my vocal cords flap in the breeze. The real key to it for me
came in letting my voice sound like it wanted to sound instead of trying to
force it to sound the way I thought it should sound. Once you come to terms
with that idea, it's easier to let the voice coordinate as it should.
Lee Morgan
Mezzo-soprano
-----Original Message-----
From: arado_ge@y... [mailto: Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 8:53 AM
To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vocalist] low notes
I have a serious problems with low notes. They don't work. I'm a
mezzo but I'm currently having a really hard time singing from middle
C to just a third (A) below. I find that the notes lack texture and
depth. Years ago I used to be able to get as far down as an E below
middle C but that was in the days of excessive partying and drinking
in smoky atmospheres. Unfortunately, I can't keep up with that
lifestyle anymore!!!!
Sometimes, when I try working on these notes I get the most
disgusting sound ever!!! This sort of growling/vibrating sound
starts in the back of my throat. I think it's because my tongue is
not placed forward enough but I don't know.
Then, after working these notes my voice feels completely exhausted
and even talking is a major effort. This tells me my technique is
all wrong. Does anyone have a ny suggestsions of exercises I can
work on to try and develop this part of my range or can explain to me
what I am doing wrong.
Thanks.
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