Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Peter Louis van Dijk" <plvdijk@i...>
Date:  Sat Jun 3, 2000  3:31 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] female falsetto (was: countertenors etc.)



Isabelle wrote:

> A strong and healthy chest voice will strengthen the
> head voice -- I don't know why, but it works. I
> generally do these exercises once a week:

I was taught this approach by my grandmother, who learnt very similar
exercises to those you describe from a certain Dr Albrecht Thausing in
Hamburg +/- 1925. He actually called these exercises "Voice Strengthening
Exercises" or "Stimmkraftübungen", and also found these exercises very
helpful in the cure of asthma and bronchitis and also stuttering and vocal
cord paralysis.He also taught something which I call a GROWL.(an extended
throat-clearing type of sound.)Many Americans with vocal problems came to
him at the time, and I am trying to establish some kind of a link into the
present day.

Would your teacher be able to trace back from where she learnt these
exercises? Are there any present day books that you would recommend, or are
these exercises just handed down to the next generation by word of mouth?
Most singers shy away from the use of chest voice, that's why your comments
caught my attention! I had almost given up hope....

What is your lowest starting note? Mine is G3.
The order of exercises that I was taught is:
1) One note per breath on"hö" From G3 to F4 (in chest)
2) Octaves 1-8 with 1 in chest and 8 in head. No higher than F4(chest) to
F5(head)(I prefer to call it "mixed")(hö-hü)
3) Octaves 1-87654321 with 1 in chest, 8 in mixed and bring the mixed down.
A good register blender.Also no higher than the bottom note F4 octave F5.

Just how high should one be able to hum? Some of my students can hum all the
notes which they can sing, others can't go higher in a hum than A5 but can
carry on to C6 in an open voice.

Many thanks,

Regards
Susi
CT RSA


>
> 1. Three-note scale (12321) on a very forward "ih"
> position, with fish-lips (or trumpet-flare lips). The
> sensation is very forward and buzzing, through the
> front teeth. When moving from note to note, my throat
> doesn't feel like it's singing higher, but like the
> notes simply buzz more for the next pitch. Very
> little sensation in the larynx, lots of sensation in
> the teeth and cheekbones.
>
> 2. Same scale (12321) on the most forward, bright "ah"
> I can manage. Some days I have to resort to aaae as
> in cat, some days to a very forward, upper-lip "uh".
> If you find that thinking "bright" gives you
> "squashed," relax any jaw/neck tension and the sound
> will gets its natural depth and darkness.
>
> 3. Octaves, 181, with 1 in chest, 8 in head, and 1 in
> chest. Ah -- ee -- ah (or, a-i-a for you IPAers). It
> sounds remarkably like a donkey's bray. I don't take
> this higher than an E4. I keep the chest note forward
> and buzzing, and the head note high (by that I mean
> that I feel the sensation higher in my head, with
> resonance from upper partials I guess) and free. It
> is an actual flip, like a yodel, and be very careful
> that you are truly flipping into a free (but supported
> and strong) head tone, and not dragging the chest
> voice up at all.
>
> They strengthen the voice and keep it healthy. Also,
> if I am having trouble doing the third exercise, it is
> a sign that my voice is not in perfect working order
> and I should either rest or do some gentle exercises
> to line up the position again. Like falsetto "ooooh"s
> high in the register (like [su] on a 123454321 scale),
> and octave hums as high as I can go (mm-MM-mm), it is
> a good diagnostic tool to make sure your voice is
> still healthy and moving in the right direction.
>
> Isabelle B.
>
> =====
> Isabelle Bracamonte
> San Francisco, CA
> ibracamonte@y...
>
>
>
>
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