My God, IMO Ethal Merman had the F'UGLIEST voice ever in history! She
makes Eddie Vedder sound like Pav. ooph!
-----Original Message-----
From: Dean FH Macy [mailto:deanmacy@a...]
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2002 9:37 PM
To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vocalist] Discussion: How do you define 'head voice'?
Now that I said I am opposed to discussions I'll put in my two sense (pun
intended).
In August of 2000 Diane Clark (?) said or quoted, in part to a young singer:
"Chest" voice is almost always produced by compression. You should not feel
like
there's an "edge" to your voice. The tiring you're experiencing is a sign
that
you are squeezing the cords together, using the muscles outside your larynx.
This
is bad. You will hear a whole lot of chest singing around you, in rock, pop,
and
musical theatre and there will be a great temptation to go along with that
sound.
All I can tell you is that I have sung everything from rock, folk, jazz, and
musical theatre old and new, to opera, and the rules for healthy voice
production
don't change.
Some rock is just plain unhealthy to emulate. Hoarse screaming, breathy
singing,
chesty belting, especially in a higher range, at high volume, is extremely
destructive and will almost inevitably produce nodules (calluses on the
cords).
Just find your own way to sing, your own way to phrase and to express
yourself
musically. In almost every genre, some singers have found a way to do it
without
killing their voices. If you've ever heard a recording of Ethel Merman, she
was
supposed to be the queen of belt. Her earliest recordings, which have just
come
out again, show that she sang with no pressure, essentially all in "head,"
and it
had ring and bite because of her bright vowel choices. That's what made her
famous, not her later, more "chesty" singing. . .
Take care of your voice. You'll want to be using it for a long time.
I think lots of teenaged girls are uncomfortable in their head voices. I
know I
was. Most adolescent girls have very weak head voices - -- the chest notes
are
stronger so they're perceived as easier or more fun. The telltale sign,
though,
is that you get tired using your chest voice. If you decide to take voice
lessons
and your teacher is a good one, s/he will help you to strengthen your head
voice
and blend the two registers to be even throughout the range. That way, you
will
have the power you enjoy AND healthier stamina."
How's that for taking the easy way out. Hey, I teach it to my young students
but
putting it into words I leave for those who can. It's the doing & teaching
how
that counts.
Dean FH Macy
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"Success does not come with the gifts from God.
Success comes from the talents you develop from
the gifts He gives you." (Riker-New Generation)
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