Thank you for your suggestions! You may have hit the nail on the head: I got started by singing in rock bands in high school, and after a couple of years of that I also did the jazz thing. On the one hand I got my high notes relatively early, but since then I don't feel like I've ever quite conquered the middle voice, or gotten much dynamic control. Do you think there's a connection? If so, what do I do about it?
I'm glad you mentioned that your vibrato slows when the mouth is too open...I have been noticing that myself lately. Does anybody else's voice here respond that way? My mouth is smaller then 'average,' and I've been thinking lately that maybe I've been coached into opening it more than I should. Sound feasible?
One final thing: could slight dehydration of the vocal folds or other health issues contribute to a slow vibrato and lack of dynamic control? I had an operation to correct a deviated septum and remove hyper-turbinates several years ago. I was living in Florida at the time, but since then have been attending school up north. In the drier climate I find I have to drink a large amount of water just to stay afloat. Also, what if any technical problems does acid reflux cause?
many thanks!! -John
--- In vocalist-temporary@egroups.com, John Alexander Blyth <BLYTHE@B...> wrote: <BLYTHE@B...> wrote: > If it take a little time for the vibrato to kick in there is something > being held that you should trust to... um... relax (relatively speaking). > Maybe if you keep your jaw gently mobile...? > I don't know why, but if I really drop my jaw, my vibrato rate slows in > the way you describe, and if I think of a 'darker' tone concept (and first > thing in the morning or last thing at night). > Please don't take this the wrong way, but I hope that your vibrato is > something that you *allow* to happen rather than something you make by > wiggling things. I say this because you have talked about *creating* a > sound, when to me the process is more one of *discovering* a sound. Jazz > singers in particular often resort to a manufactured vibrato (perhaps in > imitation of Sidney Bechet's soprano sax? - I had hardly heard of him until > last night's PBS broadcast - wow!). But maybe it's just a semantic thing. john > > > At 02:08 AM 1/11/01 +0000, you wrote: > >I have a hard time creating a sound that is vibrant (vibratoed) from > >the first instant. It almost always takes a fraction of a second for > >the vibrato to kick in. I've studied for three years with a very > >prominent vocal guru, and for all practical purposes he has given up > >on me in this area. I graduate soon, and I still have this problem. > > > >Related to this, my vibrato is too slow in the middle voice in > >general (F#3-B3), especially for a tenor like me. It's usually > >around 5 cycles per second, sometimes even as slow as 4.5 > >(particularly on the open [a] vowel or when I try to sing softly). > >It can be as fast as 5.4 on a VERY good day, particularly if I sing > >louder, the stars are in alignment, etc... It does get better up > >top, from high G on up. Here it usually averages about 5.5 > >cps...still not overly fast, but I would love it if I could at least > >do this consistently, throughout my range. Suggestions? > > > >-John (a nearly disgruntled tenor) ;) > > > > > >--- In vocalist-temporary@egroups.com, > >> making a healthy onset. I think (know) my attacks are too harsh. > > > > > > > > > > > > > John Blyth > Baritono robusto e lirico > Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
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