Vocalist.org archive
From:  "Sarah Daughtrey-Huff" <Diva1tenor@c...>
Date:  Sat May 27, 2000  3:41 pm
Subject:  Re: Tongue Tension


--- In vocalist-temporary@egroups.com, "Rachel Hughes" <>
wrote:
when I sing (and often when I speak) there's a lot
> of tension in my tongue. Specifically, when I watch myself in the
mirror
> singing "ah", I notice a "caving" in at the center of the tongue.
When I'm
> able to loosen it, the improvement in tone is stunning, but I can't
seem to
> do this consistently.
>
> Does anyone have any advice on what might help

Rachel -

I really used to have a problem with this, too!! My teacher
suggested a couple of things: one is to do some exercises before you
start warming up by sticking your tongue out and down as far as it
will go several times. This really seems to relax the muscles in the
back of the tongue and stretch them out - as well as making you aware
of holding tension there. The other thing that I do is make sure
that my tongue is resting lightly against the back of my lower front
teeth - try doing exercises that take you from ee to oh, making sure
that you keep your tongue in the same place. She has me do quick
triplets up the octave (i.e. 123,234,345,etc. or do,re,mi; re,mi,fa;
mi,fa,so, etc.) Hope that makes sense! Try to move from ee to ah on
single tones as well, keeping the tongue in the same place.

Hope this is helpful!!

Sarah



  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
1924 Re: Tongue Tension Melanie   Sat  5/27/2000   4 KB
1928 Re: Tongue Tension Sarah Daughtrey-Huff   Sat  5/27/2000   2 KB

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