In a message dated 04/14/2000 9:00:38 AM Central Daylight Time, BLYTHE@B... writes:
<< I believed, or had been led to believe that you needed a lot of abdominal tension to sing, among other fallacies - you don't, but I felt I *had* to *do* something. Singing can't be as easy as that. It can be, though. >>
I hesitate to write this, but it is really bothering me. My teacher is a big proponent of using the "abs" in singing. She tells me to actually contract my lower abdominal muscles on the exhale. Not forcefully or jerkily, but steadily. The previous teacher I had never mentioned abdominal muscles, but it works for me. I have much more available air, and 2 of my *non-smiling* NATS adjudicators (I love that word) commented that I had good breath support. I know that Dr. Hanson says there should be no conscious pulling in of these muscles. Are there 2 (or more) schools of thought here? I find Karen Mercedes' advice to begin tones below the navel most helpful, and that seems to go along with the use of the Abs.................
Comments? Leslie
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