Vocalist.org archive


From:  Clark_Diane <DCLARK@r...>
Date:  Mon Jan 27, 2003  6:32 pm
Subject:  RE: [vocalist] Practical Singing

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
>
>
>
>




  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
22201 Re: Practical SingingMichael <chosdad@y...>chosdad Tue  1/28/2003  
22215 Re: Practical SingingLloyd W. Hansonlwh1 Tue  1/28/2003  
22224 Re: Practical Singinglestaylor2003 <LesTaylor@a...>lestaylor2003 Tue  1/28/2003  
22225 Re: Practical SingingLloyd W. Hansonlwh1 Tue  1/28/2003  
22245 Re: Practical Singinglestaylor2003 <LesTaylor@a...>lestaylor2003 Wed  1/29/2003  
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