--- In vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com, "Lloyd W. Hanson"
<lloyd.hanson@n...> wrote excellent points about the position of the
jaw in singing.
Lloyd and Listers:
The one factor I would like to mention about jaw position is its
correlation with the size and shape of the mouth opening, which
directly affect the efficiency of the acoustic coupling of the buccal
cavity to the outside air. While I agree that there is no 'correct'
jaw position which should be used for all vowels, at all dynamic
levels, on all pitches, there is likely to be one that is optimal
(that is, the most sound for the least effort) for a given vowel, at
a given volume, at a given pitch.
That much having been said, as a matter of studio practice, I have
found it beneficial to teach students the direct acoustical effects
of mouth position changes. The exercise I use is straightforward: I
have the student sing 'Uh' while smiling with their teeth lightly
touching. Most think the sound is 'funny' and that it tickles a
little. Then, I have them drop the front of the jaw slowly and listen
to the change in the sound. WIth a little practice, most notice that
their voice sounds more clear when their mouth is comfortably relaxed
open about 1 thumb width, or just a little less. Relaxed in that
location, they can do all the consonants quite readily, and can both
open more and close more as is required to fine-tune the resonance
profile.
To my way of thinking, arbitrary 'deep' drops of the jaw are most
often used (IMO, unadvisedly) when trying to increase the projection
power of the voice, or to 'deepen' or 'darken' the resonance. The
danger is introducing unnecessary tension. IMO, there are many other
places to look first when beginning that quest, and most of them are
unseen by the audience.
Best Regards,
Steven Fraser
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