| From: "Virginija Bruozis Muliolis" <virginia@m...> Date: Sat Jan 5, 2002 11:11 pm Subject: [vocalist] Raised larynx, Crowded throat
| Hey there, Vocalisters- Guys and gals- I'm stumped!! I need your help and insights regarding a student that is showing great potential but has run into vocal technique problems that are frustrating to say the least, and I just can't seem to break through to her and am running out of suggestions....
We've been working for a couple of months now- she's come back to singing after several years of a break (she'd done a little community musical theatre, etc..), and has resumed singing in her church choir. She's making steady progress and has expressed a desire to prepare something to sing solo in church - however, there is a major hurdle that we just can't seem to jump- no matter how great the run up!!
She's definitely a lyric (lovely silvery quality) but everytime she gets up there in her range (from around E to A flat) she seems to slam down on the back of her tongue, and her larynx looks like it's going to pop out in between her eyes (ouch!) producing a strangled, shrill sound and subsequently gets fatigued easily. Major problem.... Somewhere down the line she figured that by making more space in the back of her throat, she got a "bigger" sound. To her mind and ears- bigger=better. Heh-heh,- I was able to prove to her that her logic was pure "doo-doo" with the use of my handy-dandy tape recorder (which very rarely lies(!) it sounded pretty bad!), and explained to her the destructive nature of such an unproductive vocal habit, and the reason why it was curtailing her range and beauty of voice.
Alas- I've worked with her trying every trick that I know, and nothing seems to stick - a relaxed tongue position, etc... and vocalizing on the "vvvvvv" and "ng" sounds, which seem to help, but as soon as she starts singing regular stuff, she gets into such trouble the rest of the lesson ends up with her frustrated and in tears. it just doesn't seem to make sense to her.
Forgive me for rambling on, but I'd really appreciate ANY suggestions- (perhaps someone has run across this problem with another student)- as to what other ideas could help her not slam down on her tongue in the high register, and other helpful exercises re: preventing the larynx riding up when ascending in the high voice........
Thanks much
Virginia
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