Vocal Pedagogy Workshop Seminar.docx

Vocal Pedagogy Workshop: Techniques of Vocal Instruction What are we trying to achieve? Helping student sing comfortably through entire range by helping them move through their bridges smoothly without change in tone or quality How? Learn to create optimal resonance space by altering vocal tract (resonator) through vowel shapes. Technique achieved through vowel/consonant combinations designed to deal with singers’ specific issues. Vocal physiology Pharynx-throat; includes hard palate, soft palate, mouth and nasal cavities Larynx-voice box; house of the vocal cords (or vocal folds) Hard palate-roof of mouth Soft palate-behind hard palate; flexible part of pharynx; raises to close off the nasal passages and lowered for nasal sounds Vocal Process Sound begins in the larynx moves through the pharynx and is amplified and modified based on vowel shape. The pharynx is highly flexible and capable of forming many different shapes (vowels). Each variation of shape will cause the voice to produce a different voice quality Changing the vocal cord tension between these two muscles varies the pitch of the voice. Pitch in the lower register is produced when the vocal folds are shorter and thicker. This action is caused by the contraction of the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscles within the vocal cords. Pitch in the upper register is produced when the vocal folds are longer and thinner. This action is caused by the contraction of the cricothyroid (CT) muscles. This muscle interaction can be troublesome as we shift through different vocal registers. Strategy: Identify most prominent vocal issues and deal with those first. Diagnosing different vocal habits: Nasality -occurs when soft palate is too low Say the word “sing” and sustain the NG. If you place your fingers on your nose you will feel a sympathetic vibration occurring there, and that pinching the nostrils stops the airflow and the sound. Remedies: -pinch nose to feel vibration; work to eliminate vibration in nasal cavities -“dumb” sounds: goh, boh, buh

-deep open breath (light bulb) -putting fingers on larynx to keep it low -after feeling difference between nasal and non nasal alternate between “dumb” vowels and nasal vowels and consonants -avoid words with “NG” or “M” Straining (Pulling Chest) -strong lower voice -overdeveloped TA, underdeveloped CT -mostly amplified through F1 (throat) -high larynx -increased volume on high notes -tend to push out too much air -voice tires easily Remedies Avoid wide vowels (AA or AH) and hard consonants (g and k). Accept weaker feeling in high range (temporarily) Move toward lightness in upper range even if it’s slightly breathy. Use less air Less plosive consonants (B and M are good) Use scale patterns with wide range, ex: descending one octave scale patterns that start in head or mid bridge and work voice downward. Use octave repeat on narrow vowels (Wee, Boo, Bay, Boh) Relax jaw and lips (don’t spread when using front vowels EE, IH, AY, EH, AA). Go to OO when this happens. Dumb sound-keeps larynx low on high notes. Move away when singer can keep larynx low without extreme sound. Repeat vowel consonant patterns instead of lyrics. Correct vowel formations-use exercises that deal with difficult parts in song to release Breathiness (Light singing) -lack of cord closure; too much F2 -voice lacks stability, strength and volume. -usually able to transition easily through bridge but don’t have full sound -typical issue of many classical or choral singers Remedies Don’t use too much air (builds up tension in vocal cords, blows them apart.) Work on low voice (from G3 to G4 for women/D3 to D4 for men) Avoid soft consonants (p, f, h). May encourage more airflow/breathiness. Avoid EE and OO vowels. Use g and n consonants. Practice speaking pitches in low (chest) voice. Use close scale patterns

Low open vowels (AA, AH) May create exaggerated ugly cackle or twangy sound to get more cord closure. Don’t let it get nasal. Opposite order of vowel work. Once low voice becomes strong, may need to work to keep them from straining in order to help transition into high voice. Flipping -Stable low voice but cords come apart when moving through bridge creating a break in voice that flips into falsetto Remedies Sing melodies on one vowel sound Avoid extreme narrow or wide vowels (EE, OO or AA, AH) and soft consonants (f, h.) Go neutral (NAY, NEU, GUH. GIH, MMM). Use cackly, squeaky voice (ugly) Use long scale patterns Use consonants similar to light voice habit (g and n) Focus on lower range feeling like speaking voice Exercise for all voices: Bubble-double resistor exercises (consistent airflow, consistent resistance) Straw exercise *Order of vowel work: EE-OO-OH-EU-UH-AY-IH-EH-AA-AH from narrow to wide vowels. Ultimate goal is being balanced in neutral vowels (EU, UH) Types of vowel sounds: Open or low vowels -Boost lower frequencies-F1 -Have a low tongue position -Good vowels for light singers or flippers Closed or high vowels -Booster higher frequencies-F2 -Have a high tongue position -Good vowels for strainers Back vowels-tongue at back of mouth Front vowels-tongue at front of mouth