Dear Vocalisters:
If the /u/ vowel is combined with some form of the /i/ vowel you have an
impossible position of the tongue. The tongue must come forward with its
edges touching the back molars to obtain a good /i/ vowel. The tongue must
move back from this position to establish an /u/ vowel. The tongue cannot
be in both positions at the same time. The /u/ vowel CAN be produced with
little or no rounding of the lips if the tongue moves in the direction
mentioned above.
If one sings some form of the /i/ vowel, that is, has the tongue in the /i/
position, and rounds the lips one gets an /y/ (umlaut u) vowel. All
umlauts are combinations of front vowels (or high vowels as Titze chooses
to call them) such as /i, I, e, E/ and a rounding of the lips.
I have found that most young singers now sing the /u/ vowel as a form of the
/y/ (umlaut u) because this is the way it is sung in most forms of pop
music and country western. I taught in west Texas for 9 years and that is
the standard pronunciation of the /u/ vowel in that part of the country.
Perhaps it has migrated to most forms of pops music via country music from
the west Texas area.
Regards
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Vocal Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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