First of all, I am delighted to see that my good friend Les Taylor is back among us! :-)
He wrote:
> Singing is a doing, just like riding a bike is a doing. Both skills > require know-how. Trying to learn to sing by studying the physics and > anatomical function of the voice is, in my opinion, about as smart as > trying to learn to ride a bike by studying its physics and function. > We learn to control our bodies by using sensational feedback. If > we're smart, we use more than one kind of feedback to verify another. > Relying on single sense alone can fool us. I'm sure that those who > practice Alexander Technique would agree. In singing, we have three > forms of sensational feedback; visual, audial and tactile. We can use > technology to supplement them, but even with modern technology, we > still must feel, look and listen to what we are doing to make > adjustments to our actions. We must have a practical knowledge of > cause and effect in order to make productive corrections in our > singing techniques. > +++I would like to say a hearty "Amen!" to these comments. I do, of course, agree with Lloyd that many of us voice teachers (especially we old ones!) have not done as well as we might with regard to learning voice science, but even if/when we know a lot, I still think Les's point is right on the mark. Every person is different, and we each must discover through our own body sensations what is the truth of our own singing process. I also find that athletes often make the best singing students, because they already have some understanding about disciplining the body to the gradual changing of habits. Students from other disciplines who are used to reading something and having it mastered often find this slow process of acquiring body knowledge quite frustrating. > --- > Dr. Diane M. Clark, Assoc. Prof. of Music > Dept. of Music, Rhodes College > 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 > 901-843-3782; fax 843-3789 > dclark@r... http://www.rhodes.edu > > > >
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