Vocalist.org archive


From:  Reg Boyle <bandb@n...>
Date:  Sat Jul 8, 2000  6:36 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] vocal problems


At 10:46 AM 07-07-00 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 07/07/2000 6:21:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>broadwayboy81@h... writes:
>
>> My problem is that
>> i cant seem to get the focus up into my nasal area while singing (at
least
>> not easily), therefore my throat is being strained, causeins my
singinging
>> to sometimes be painful. I went to the docotr and he said it did not
>sound

Hi,
From my experience there are several things that can cause this
problem. The first is trying to make too loud a sound when you're not
ready for it. Try aiming for a softer and brighter tone.

Another is jaw tension. You may recall that about a year ago I
mentioned having found that the merest sensation of moving the jaw
backwards at the hinge as I breathe or sing, appeared to give an
improvement in tone: well, my teacher discovered the other day at a
lesson, that when I opened my jaw, the hinge tended to bulge just in
front of the ear.
When I now open the jaw concentrating on NOT having
that bulge, (finger touch) it's a whole new life experience and it
also is the exact feeling I observed a year ago.
How does that sit with your experience Karena?
Now I know what it was, and why it gave the results it did.
I think this relieves the tension from being transferred into the root
of the tongue and adjacent areas. Singing like that for too long can
be very tiring and vocally abusive.

A secondary effect of this mode of opening the jaw, is to lower
the larynx, not something I ever TRY to do.

Gentle 'support'. My sensation of support is the gentlest inward
feeling on the 'lower side' of the _slightly distended area_ just below
the ribs, that was caused by the all round breath.

To me light singing, lightly supported, beats focusing that can
lead to some pretty coarse tone if it's not recognised early enough.
The brighter tone substitutes for the focus except that it carries
through to the lower notes as well.

When I manage to stay within these bounds and not let words
rather than vowels become my goal, vocal range low or high is never
a problem. Just my thoughts based on my observations:)

Regards Reg.





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