Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 18 Summary
Chapter Summary: Decibels measure the loudness of sounds that we hear. Higher pitches have more intensity and are louder. Our ears protect us from loud sounds by dampening, this is why as singers we can not trust our own ears especially on our high notes.
Key Points:
-"Nature has given you protection against your own voice"
- If the ear is exposed to an intense sound for a long period of time, it takes a time for it to recover
-Consonants have less intensity but are produced at higher pitches
-We should never push to be loud
Key Terms:
-auditory fatigue
-diplacusis
Making Connections: Oren Brown's words of wisdom: "Don't try to hear yourself." I am guilty of relying on my hearing instead of sensation and feelings! I liked reading about how our ears protect us from sound so we really have no way of knowing what we truly sound like! This just gives me another push to be more AWARE of the physical and not rely on what I hear!
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Laura B DYV 19
Laura B
Chapter Summary: Our psychological state can have a great effect on our singing. Stress that we are unaware or aware of can activate the autonomic nervous system, negatively effecting our whole body, including the voice. We must strive to recognize our source of stress and then use problem solving skills to do all we can to work through it. As a singer, we may be sensitive about the way others perceive us and off-hand negative comments may have a great impact on us if we are still working on building our confidence. We must do all we can to keep our emotions in check and learn a way to control them. This also goes for the way that we perform our pieces. The point of making a personal emotional connection to a piece is not so that we can become a basket-case on stage but so that we can emotionally connect the audience to our music. Stage fright is common for all performers, but we should never let it get to the point where it makes us unable to perform.
Key Concept: If we are feeling psychologically unwell or troubled, we should do all we can to understand why so that we can overcome whatever is holding us back.
Key Terms: enigma, psychogenic, biofeedback
Making Connections: There has been certain times in my life that my voice has been negatively effected because of stressful situations I was going through. During that time, I just got frustrated and took it to be my own personal weakness. After reading this chapter, it gave me hope and understanding of how I can understand and face those challenges.
Chapter Summary: Our psychological state can have a great effect on our singing. Stress that we are unaware or aware of can activate the autonomic nervous system, negatively effecting our whole body, including the voice. We must strive to recognize our source of stress and then use problem solving skills to do all we can to work through it. As a singer, we may be sensitive about the way others perceive us and off-hand negative comments may have a great impact on us if we are still working on building our confidence. We must do all we can to keep our emotions in check and learn a way to control them. This also goes for the way that we perform our pieces. The point of making a personal emotional connection to a piece is not so that we can become a basket-case on stage but so that we can emotionally connect the audience to our music. Stage fright is common for all performers, but we should never let it get to the point where it makes us unable to perform.
Key Concept: If we are feeling psychologically unwell or troubled, we should do all we can to understand why so that we can overcome whatever is holding us back.
Key Terms: enigma, psychogenic, biofeedback
Making Connections: There has been certain times in my life that my voice has been negatively effected because of stressful situations I was going through. During that time, I just got frustrated and took it to be my own personal weakness. After reading this chapter, it gave me hope and understanding of how I can understand and face those challenges.
Laura B DYV 18
Laura B
Chapter Summary: Our ears perceive sound at different intensities, which are measured by decibels. When we expose of ears to high decibels, the muscles in our ears fatigue and need time to heal. When we are consistently being exposed to high decibels, our hearing sensitivity diminishes. We also perceive different frequencies (or pitch) which are measured by hertz. The higher the pitch, the more hertz it has. This enables high pitches at low intensities to be heard over lower instruments playing with more intensity. In our heads, we hear ourselves differently then others hear us. Because of this, we should strive not to listen to ourselves or would could be singing louder then necessary. Sometimes, people have trouble matching pitches in a condition called diplacusis. This could be the common cause of someone who is unable to sing on pitch. Overall, our hearing is very precious and we should do all we can to preserve it. Once it's lost, it's lost.
Key Concept: Take care of your hearing, and don't try to hear yourself
Key Terms: decibel (dB), "threshold", "threshold of pain," frequency, hertz, tensor tympani, auditory fatigue, diplacusis, beats
Making Connections: Taking care of your ears is not something that I think of very much. There is a thrill that comes in going to concerts with loud music, as well as other places with loud noises. However, this chapter has helped me realize just how important is to take care of my hearing. It is just going to deteriorate through my life and not ever get better due to the way that I treat it. I should do all I can to keep my hearing for as long as I can.
Chapter Summary: Our ears perceive sound at different intensities, which are measured by decibels. When we expose of ears to high decibels, the muscles in our ears fatigue and need time to heal. When we are consistently being exposed to high decibels, our hearing sensitivity diminishes. We also perceive different frequencies (or pitch) which are measured by hertz. The higher the pitch, the more hertz it has. This enables high pitches at low intensities to be heard over lower instruments playing with more intensity. In our heads, we hear ourselves differently then others hear us. Because of this, we should strive not to listen to ourselves or would could be singing louder then necessary. Sometimes, people have trouble matching pitches in a condition called diplacusis. This could be the common cause of someone who is unable to sing on pitch. Overall, our hearing is very precious and we should do all we can to preserve it. Once it's lost, it's lost.
Key Concept: Take care of your hearing, and don't try to hear yourself
Key Terms: decibel (dB), "threshold", "threshold of pain," frequency, hertz, tensor tympani, auditory fatigue, diplacusis, beats
Making Connections: Taking care of your ears is not something that I think of very much. There is a thrill that comes in going to concerts with loud music, as well as other places with loud noises. However, this chapter has helped me realize just how important is to take care of my hearing. It is just going to deteriorate through my life and not ever get better due to the way that I treat it. I should do all I can to keep my hearing for as long as I can.
Mariah OB 15
Mariah OB 15
Chapter Summary: Frequency in science terms is the same thing as pitch in musical terms. Intensity is the same as loudness, and wave form is the same as quality. "Any sound wave that is not regular is called noise." Humans can hear way higher than the highest note on the piano but only a little bit lower than the lowest note on the piano in comparison. A higher pitch from the same energy source will have a greater intensity than a lower pitch. "Doubling any quantity only adds three decibels."
Key Concepts: Scientists and musicians often discuss similar topics but use different terminology. Higher pitches have stronger intensities than lower pitches of the same instrument.
Key Terms: noise, "natural level" vs "habitual level," decibels, venturi effect, wave form, beat phenomenon
Making Connections: I need to focus more on creating a good high note than trying to project the sound. If it's a free sound, the note will carry easily to the audience. I also need to always make sure I am exactly on pitch for choir in particular because there are so many people who could have different frequencies.
Chapter Summary: Frequency in science terms is the same thing as pitch in musical terms. Intensity is the same as loudness, and wave form is the same as quality. "Any sound wave that is not regular is called noise." Humans can hear way higher than the highest note on the piano but only a little bit lower than the lowest note on the piano in comparison. A higher pitch from the same energy source will have a greater intensity than a lower pitch. "Doubling any quantity only adds three decibels."
Key Concepts: Scientists and musicians often discuss similar topics but use different terminology. Higher pitches have stronger intensities than lower pitches of the same instrument.
Key Terms: noise, "natural level" vs "habitual level," decibels, venturi effect, wave form, beat phenomenon
Making Connections: I need to focus more on creating a good high note than trying to project the sound. If it's a free sound, the note will carry easily to the audience. I also need to always make sure I am exactly on pitch for choir in particular because there are so many people who could have different frequencies.
Laura B DYV 17
Laura B
Chapter Summary: Singing requires thinking, and the brain controls our thinking and gives commands to the muscles. The brain is very intricate and made up of billions of cells called neurons. Neurons are the basis of the nervous system, which carries messages to the brain from the body and vice versa. Within the nervous system, some actions are voluntary, which are processed through the thinking part of the brain. Other actions are involuntary, through which functions happen of which we are not directly aware. Because of the way that messages are sent through nerve connections, the more the message is sent the more routine the task becomes. As singers, we should work towards making our technique routine in our bodies. Through our thoughts, we can promote the conscious actions of speech and singing. As we concentrate on correct technique, we can train our throats to be relaxed, free, and open.
Key Concept: "Pay attention to what your body is doing when your voice is functioning the way you want it to. Much benefit is gained by observing how your body operates and remembering what your sensations were."
Key Terms: cortex, autonomic nervous system, spinal cord, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, neuron, axons & dendrites, afferent & efferent nerve fibers, reflex arc/conditioned reflex, point of saturation, synapse, pre-phonatory inspiration, kinesthetic senses, biofeedback, endocrine system, hormones, negative feedback, Vagus/laryngeal nerve (superior branch & inferior portion), recurrent laryngeal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, facial nerve, masseter, trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, hypoglossus, sympathetic nervous system, empathetic nervous system, slow-twitch & fast-twitch motor units
Making Connections: Again, the human body is incredible! I have been taking a neuroscience class this semester, so it was great to connect what I have been learning with singing. I need to trust in my body and that it knows what its doing. I also need to concentrate more on having a free and open throat instead of just trying to hit the notes. If I concentrate on the right things, my body will do the rest.
Chapter Summary: Singing requires thinking, and the brain controls our thinking and gives commands to the muscles. The brain is very intricate and made up of billions of cells called neurons. Neurons are the basis of the nervous system, which carries messages to the brain from the body and vice versa. Within the nervous system, some actions are voluntary, which are processed through the thinking part of the brain. Other actions are involuntary, through which functions happen of which we are not directly aware. Because of the way that messages are sent through nerve connections, the more the message is sent the more routine the task becomes. As singers, we should work towards making our technique routine in our bodies. Through our thoughts, we can promote the conscious actions of speech and singing. As we concentrate on correct technique, we can train our throats to be relaxed, free, and open.
Key Concept: "Pay attention to what your body is doing when your voice is functioning the way you want it to. Much benefit is gained by observing how your body operates and remembering what your sensations were."
Key Terms: cortex, autonomic nervous system, spinal cord, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, neuron, axons & dendrites, afferent & efferent nerve fibers, reflex arc/conditioned reflex, point of saturation, synapse, pre-phonatory inspiration, kinesthetic senses, biofeedback, endocrine system, hormones, negative feedback, Vagus/laryngeal nerve (superior branch & inferior portion), recurrent laryngeal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, facial nerve, masseter, trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, hypoglossus, sympathetic nervous system, empathetic nervous system, slow-twitch & fast-twitch motor units
Making Connections: Again, the human body is incredible! I have been taking a neuroscience class this semester, so it was great to connect what I have been learning with singing. I need to trust in my body and that it knows what its doing. I also need to concentrate more on having a free and open throat instead of just trying to hit the notes. If I concentrate on the right things, my body will do the rest.
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 17 Summary
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 17 Summary
Chapter Summary: Our brains have more control of our voices then sometimes we give them credit for. Our brain is the command center of our body. Our voice responds to mental cues and often vocal problems can be fixed just by changing our way of thinking. As we practice and fire certain brain circuits, our actions become involuntary and we don't have to think to make it happen. We need lots of concentration and a combining of both hemispheres of our brain to sing.
Key Points:
-If you don't use it you lose it!
-The voice is often responsive to other injuries
-Age has little to do with ability
Key Terms:
-Voluntary nervous system
-Involuntary nervous system
-Reflex arc or conditioned reflex
-Point of saturation
-Endocrine system
-Vagus
-Sympathetic nervous system
-Empathetic nervous system
Making Connections: I loved when Brown said " Pay attention to what your body is doing when your voice is functioning the way you want it to." This is something that I can do better! I often noticed when it feels wrong but don't take the time to think about how it feels when it is right! I want to be better at taking the time to visualize how it feels before when it is right before I even sing.
Chapter Summary: Our brains have more control of our voices then sometimes we give them credit for. Our brain is the command center of our body. Our voice responds to mental cues and often vocal problems can be fixed just by changing our way of thinking. As we practice and fire certain brain circuits, our actions become involuntary and we don't have to think to make it happen. We need lots of concentration and a combining of both hemispheres of our brain to sing.
Key Points:
-If you don't use it you lose it!
-The voice is often responsive to other injuries
-Age has little to do with ability
Key Terms:
-Voluntary nervous system
-Involuntary nervous system
-Reflex arc or conditioned reflex
-Point of saturation
-Endocrine system
-Vagus
-Sympathetic nervous system
-Empathetic nervous system
Making Connections: I loved when Brown said " Pay attention to what your body is doing when your voice is functioning the way you want it to." This is something that I can do better! I often noticed when it feels wrong but don't take the time to think about how it feels when it is right! I want to be better at taking the time to visualize how it feels before when it is right before I even sing.
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 16 Summary
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 16 Summary
Chapter Summary: A knowledge of anatomy is helpful for singers and is crucial in teaching. The larynx can be broken up into groups: the laryngeal framework, intrinsic laryngeal muscles and the extrinsic laryngeal muscles.We should strive to have freedom in all these groups to create the most free and released sound.
Key Points:
-The nine functions of the vocal folds: respiratory, valvular, fixative, protective, deglutitory, tussive, expectorative, emotional and phonatory.
-The actions of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx are directly associated with the vocal folds.
-Jaw tension pulls the larynx up
-When we change our facial expression the muscles in the pharynx change directly.
Key Terms:
Making Connections: It was really helpful to review the larynx and to read about it explained in a different way. I particularly liked reading about the extrinsic muscles that we just barely started discussing in class.
Chapter Summary: A knowledge of anatomy is helpful for singers and is crucial in teaching. The larynx can be broken up into groups: the laryngeal framework, intrinsic laryngeal muscles and the extrinsic laryngeal muscles.We should strive to have freedom in all these groups to create the most free and released sound.
Key Points:
-The nine functions of the vocal folds: respiratory, valvular, fixative, protective, deglutitory, tussive, expectorative, emotional and phonatory.
-The actions of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx are directly associated with the vocal folds.
-Jaw tension pulls the larynx up
-When we change our facial expression the muscles in the pharynx change directly.
Key Terms:
Making Connections: It was really helpful to review the larynx and to read about it explained in a different way. I particularly liked reading about the extrinsic muscles that we just barely started discussing in class.
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 15
Summary: In this chapter, Brown describes some of the physical properties of sound. Sound is energy that travels through the molecules of a medium (air, water, wood, etc.) to the receiver. For the sake of this chapter, pitch and frequency are the same thing. Human beings can hear frequencies from 16 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Higher frequencies carry better than lower pitches because they measure at a higher decibel when produced with the same amount of energy. Higher notes do not require more pressure, they do not need to be sung loudly to carry. The Bernoulli effect is a law stating that moving air molecules have lower pressure than stationary air molecules. This decrease in pressure as the air moves through the larynx causes the glottis to come together. Intensity is measured in decibels. Vowels are distinguished by their formants. Pitches are made up of the fundamental frequency and overtones.
Key Concepts: Understanding the physical properties of sound helps us understand our own vocal production. Scientists and Vocalists use slightly different terminology. Pitch and Frequency are the same thing. Intensity, decibels, and loudness describe the same thing. Higher pitches require less intensity to be heard. Resonators determine output.
Key Terms:
sine wave - the pure tone with no overtones. Tuning forks create sine waves.
Making Connections: This is all stuff we've been learning in class, but it's nice to have it all laid out simply. It's evident that Oren Brown is not a scientist, and I'm not certain that all of this information is correct. It does help to understand what we're doing when we sing though.
Key Concepts: Understanding the physical properties of sound helps us understand our own vocal production. Scientists and Vocalists use slightly different terminology. Pitch and Frequency are the same thing. Intensity, decibels, and loudness describe the same thing. Higher pitches require less intensity to be heard. Resonators determine output.
Key Terms:
sine wave - the pure tone with no overtones. Tuning forks create sine waves.
Making Connections: This is all stuff we've been learning in class, but it's nice to have it all laid out simply. It's evident that Oren Brown is not a scientist, and I'm not certain that all of this information is correct. It does help to understand what we're doing when we sing though.
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 15 Summary
Sarah Boucher OB Chapter 15 Summary
Chapter Summary: This chapter is all about the science behind sound. Brown believes it is beneficial for singers to know about the science as well as just relying on sensation and imagery. Higher frequencies have a higher decibel level making them heard over lower frequencies. The Bernoulli effect says that moving air has less pressure than stationary air. Intensity is measured in decibels and is only increased three decibels when it is doubled. The Venturi effect relates to air flowing through an opening. Resonance is the "intensification and enriching of a musical tone by supplementary vibration."
Key Points:
-Pitch is the lowness or highness of a notes determined by the ear
-High notes should not need amplification if they are produced well.
-"In learning to sing, you should simply know that there are physical laws that determine how you produce tones, create firm sound, and form vowels at different frequencies and intensities."
-If the resonator is increased, the resonance increases
Key Terms:
-Condensations
-rarifactions
-pitch
-noise
-Bernoulli effect
-Venturi Effect
Making Connections: I am not going to lie...some of this stuff was a little over my head. I am not very good at thinking scientifically so I am having trouble applying it. I know it is important to know about this stuff but I am not sure that I will utilize it much in my own singing because it confuses me! Haha, help Cindy!
Chapter Summary: This chapter is all about the science behind sound. Brown believes it is beneficial for singers to know about the science as well as just relying on sensation and imagery. Higher frequencies have a higher decibel level making them heard over lower frequencies. The Bernoulli effect says that moving air has less pressure than stationary air. Intensity is measured in decibels and is only increased three decibels when it is doubled. The Venturi effect relates to air flowing through an opening. Resonance is the "intensification and enriching of a musical tone by supplementary vibration."
Key Points:
-Pitch is the lowness or highness of a notes determined by the ear
-High notes should not need amplification if they are produced well.
-"In learning to sing, you should simply know that there are physical laws that determine how you produce tones, create firm sound, and form vowels at different frequencies and intensities."
-If the resonator is increased, the resonance increases
Key Terms:
-Condensations
-rarifactions
-pitch
-noise
-Bernoulli effect
-Venturi Effect
Making Connections: I am not going to lie...some of this stuff was a little over my head. I am not very good at thinking scientifically so I am having trouble applying it. I know it is important to know about this stuff but I am not sure that I will utilize it much in my own singing because it confuses me! Haha, help Cindy!
Laura B DYV 16
Laura B
Chapter Summary: The more we understand the anatomy of vocal production, the more prepared we will be to sing and teach singing. Each of our larynx's have variances, but whether we are male or female, we each of the same basic structures. Our vocal folds do more then help us make sound. According to Jackson and Jackson, they have a total of nine major functions. Some of these functions are very vigorous, such as the deglutitory function which shuts off the airway so that no food or liquid will enter into the lunges. Other functions help with breath regulation and sound production. The laryngeal framework and muscles is what allows the vocal folds to have such a wide range of sound frequencies and dynamics. The basic laryngeal framework is suspended from the hyoid bone, which permits elastic motion at each point of articulation. The intrinsic laryngeal muscles is what attaches to the laryngeal framework only, while the extrinsic muscles are also connected to another structure in the body. They exert numerous pulls on the hyoid bone and the other cartilages of the larynx. Both sets of muscles effect each other, so release in the extrinsic muscles is very important. In order to free both sets of muscles, we must trust in them and think desired pitches without trying to make them happen.
Key Concept: As we more fully understand laryngeal anatomy, we will be more prepared to sing and teach singing with the necessary release for a free voice.
Key Terms: vocal folds, cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilages, thyroid cartilage, hyoid bone, thyroarytenoid muscles, posterior cricoarytenoids, lateral cricoarytenoids, interarytenoids, apex, cricothyroid muscles, extrinsic laryngeal muscles, release,
Making Connections: The human body is amazing! It's incredible how every little cartilage, muscle, and ligament is individually important and interacts. I was quite proud of myself for knowing pretty much everything that was taught in this chapter. It was helpful to read a different description. It helped more solidify all the puzzle pieces.
Chapter Summary: The more we understand the anatomy of vocal production, the more prepared we will be to sing and teach singing. Each of our larynx's have variances, but whether we are male or female, we each of the same basic structures. Our vocal folds do more then help us make sound. According to Jackson and Jackson, they have a total of nine major functions. Some of these functions are very vigorous, such as the deglutitory function which shuts off the airway so that no food or liquid will enter into the lunges. Other functions help with breath regulation and sound production. The laryngeal framework and muscles is what allows the vocal folds to have such a wide range of sound frequencies and dynamics. The basic laryngeal framework is suspended from the hyoid bone, which permits elastic motion at each point of articulation. The intrinsic laryngeal muscles is what attaches to the laryngeal framework only, while the extrinsic muscles are also connected to another structure in the body. They exert numerous pulls on the hyoid bone and the other cartilages of the larynx. Both sets of muscles effect each other, so release in the extrinsic muscles is very important. In order to free both sets of muscles, we must trust in them and think desired pitches without trying to make them happen.
Key Concept: As we more fully understand laryngeal anatomy, we will be more prepared to sing and teach singing with the necessary release for a free voice.
Key Terms: vocal folds, cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilages, thyroid cartilage, hyoid bone, thyroarytenoid muscles, posterior cricoarytenoids, lateral cricoarytenoids, interarytenoids, apex, cricothyroid muscles, extrinsic laryngeal muscles, release,
Making Connections: The human body is amazing! It's incredible how every little cartilage, muscle, and ligament is individually important and interacts. I was quite proud of myself for knowing pretty much everything that was taught in this chapter. It was helpful to read a different description. It helped more solidify all the puzzle pieces.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Emily F. OB 18
Emily F. OB 18: Hearing is a delicate sense that needs to be protected, especially for singers and voice teachers. "The action of the ear in response to sound and the mechanics of producing a sound are two distinct processes." It's important to know the difference, particularly for learning how to sing high notes. High notes just don't need to be sung as loud as lower notes because higher sounds are heard more easily. And fortunately, the body has a defense against these high sounds, the tensor tympani, which will decrease the mobility of the tympanic membrane so that sopranos can sing high notes without damaging their hearing too much. Singers should trust the sensation of a well-produced and released high note rather than the sound they think it makes. "It is better to change muscular adjustments than to use more energy to sing higher notes." Some people have difficulty hearing pitch accurately and can be diagnosed and treated, if necessary.
Key concept: Protect hearing and trust the body rather than the sound when singing.
Key terms: tensor tympani, ear muscle fatigue, diplacusis
Making connections: Understanding how pitch is heard is very freeing. I've always felt I needed to sing high notes loudly, but it's nice to know I can just trust what feels right when I sing without pushing those high notes.
I probably have way too much noise in my life. I imagine most musicians like to listen to music all the time like I do, but having constant sound going on in my car and house is probably taxing to my hearing.
I may have already written about this, but I think my husband might have diplacusis. He's always had a really hard time matching pitch, and doesn't hear differentiation in pitch, particularly in women's ranges. He also can't hear parallel harmonies. It's not anything he feels like he's missing out on, but I feel sad for him! Fortunately, I suppose, he's not a musician or invested in music other than supporting my efforts.
Key concept: Protect hearing and trust the body rather than the sound when singing.
Key terms: tensor tympani, ear muscle fatigue, diplacusis
Making connections: Understanding how pitch is heard is very freeing. I've always felt I needed to sing high notes loudly, but it's nice to know I can just trust what feels right when I sing without pushing those high notes.
I probably have way too much noise in my life. I imagine most musicians like to listen to music all the time like I do, but having constant sound going on in my car and house is probably taxing to my hearing.
I may have already written about this, but I think my husband might have diplacusis. He's always had a really hard time matching pitch, and doesn't hear differentiation in pitch, particularly in women's ranges. He also can't hear parallel harmonies. It's not anything he feels like he's missing out on, but I feel sad for him! Fortunately, I suppose, he's not a musician or invested in music other than supporting my efforts.
Emily F. OB 17
Emily F. OB 17: "Singing requires thinking." So much of what we do as singers is on a conscious level, but there is a lot of neural activity going on that we don't think about. Because we have the ability to observe what happens and how we feel, we are able to learn how to improve singing and any other skill. We know from "The Talent Code" that "muscle memory" isn't actually in the muscles but from repeated, targeted practice of a certain skill that builds myelin and increases the speed and efficiency of whatever we are doing. Brown talks about developing "pre-phonatory inspiration" and a "pre-phonatory set of the laryngeal muscles" with practice that will make singing more efficient. Concentration is required for these, as well as for a "condition of an open, free, relaxed throat". Because certain nerves are linked together, doing certain actions can affect other aspects of singing. This is why it's so important to develop a strong sense of independence in the articulators.
Key concept: Both sides of the brain and countless nerves are involved in singing. It's a complex skill.
Key terms: medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, reflex arc, conditioned reflex, pre-phonatory inspiration, pre-phonatory set of laryngeal muscles, sympathetic nervous system, empathetic nervous system, slow-twitch motor units, fast-twitch motor units
Making connections: "All of us need to learn to keep out of our own way, to develop a trust in what our minds and bodies can do." Amen. Singing is really amazing in what is required of the brain and the body!!! The idea of independent articulators is a fascinating one. I know it wasn't specifically discussed in this chapter, but I can't believe how difficult it is to train the tongue, lips, larynx and everything to work efficiently without having huge effects on everything else. I think of it because of how connected the nerves are, and it's amazing that we can sing at all because of how complex the instrument is.
Key concept: Both sides of the brain and countless nerves are involved in singing. It's a complex skill.
Key terms: medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, reflex arc, conditioned reflex, pre-phonatory inspiration, pre-phonatory set of laryngeal muscles, sympathetic nervous system, empathetic nervous system, slow-twitch motor units, fast-twitch motor units
Making connections: "All of us need to learn to keep out of our own way, to develop a trust in what our minds and bodies can do." Amen. Singing is really amazing in what is required of the brain and the body!!! The idea of independent articulators is a fascinating one. I know it wasn't specifically discussed in this chapter, but I can't believe how difficult it is to train the tongue, lips, larynx and everything to work efficiently without having huge effects on everything else. I think of it because of how connected the nerves are, and it's amazing that we can sing at all because of how complex the instrument is.
Emily F. OB 16
Emily F. OB 16: "The more you understand the anatomy and physiology of voice production, the better equipped you will be to sing or to teach singing." I agree with this statement. I already feel like I've made a lot of connections this semester to why I do what I do and how I can do better. In this chapter Brown goes over the anatomy that we've been looking at in class and talks about the functions of the vocal folds, the framework of the larynx, and the intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles.
Key concept: "The more you understand the anatomy and physiology of voice production, the better equipped you will be to sing or to teach singing."
Key terms: functions: respiratory, valvular, fixative, protective, deglutitory, tussive, expectorative, emotional, phonatory
Making connections: Being aware of what's going on in my body, particularly my larynx, has been helpful to me. Something I've been thinking about and experimenting with is subglottal pressure. It's amazing to me how often I hold my breath at my vocal folds, and how often I use glottal action when speaking. I'm trying to be kinder and gentler to my vocal folds in this regard. Also being aware of the cartilages and the rocking action used in pitch adjustment is helping me to release and just let the "wobble" happen instead of trying to keep everything the same. Understanding the rectangle/triangle picture of CT and TA in register adjustments has been beneficial to me too.
Key concept: "The more you understand the anatomy and physiology of voice production, the better equipped you will be to sing or to teach singing."
Key terms: functions: respiratory, valvular, fixative, protective, deglutitory, tussive, expectorative, emotional, phonatory
Making connections: Being aware of what's going on in my body, particularly my larynx, has been helpful to me. Something I've been thinking about and experimenting with is subglottal pressure. It's amazing to me how often I hold my breath at my vocal folds, and how often I use glottal action when speaking. I'm trying to be kinder and gentler to my vocal folds in this regard. Also being aware of the cartilages and the rocking action used in pitch adjustment is helping me to release and just let the "wobble" happen instead of trying to keep everything the same. Understanding the rectangle/triangle picture of CT and TA in register adjustments has been beneficial to me too.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Laura B MC 11/19
Laura B
Kaylee Ann Simmons: She has a very nice beautiful timbre in her voice. It's very mature. She has had great breath flow throughout her body. She has been sick, and I could tell that her chords still swollen. It seemed like she was trying to overcompensate for this by stretching her neck. Cindy helped her to find more meaning in the text she was singing by figuring out the allegory and making it personal and pertinent to her. Cindy had her project the text as she was speaking to someone 20 -25 feet away. Her biggest challenge is to free up her articulation. Once she does this, her sound will be even more glorious!
Brooke Meyers: She used beautiful vibrato on her long, held out notes. However, there was a slight sense of grittiness in her voice, and her jaw seemed very tense. Her breathing was deep and balloon-like. Cindy worked with helping her to loosen her jaw. She had Brooke feel her jaw as she spoke. When Cindy worked with dropping Brooke's loose arm to sense the release, I did recognize that did start to make the connection and seemed more released in her jaw.
Bric Slade: He did a good job with going up there and trying all of those things that Cindy had him do. On the first time singing, he used a speech-like timbre in his lower voice and his voice became more resonant and full as he got into his middle voice. He seemed very tense in the higher range and the vibrato was not consistent. Cindy had him bend over while sitting on a chair and him reach to the end of the other chair in front of him. I feel like this helped him to make a stronger connection and fluidity throughout his range, especially in the lower range. Bric needs to have a feeling of stretch throughout the rib cage and to let go of his jaw. Cindy gave him what he needs to work on these things and I'm excited to her how they will help is voice come out even more!
Sarah Boucher: She had a nice, consistent vibrato and sang with a darker timbre. On some of the long notes, I noticed that some wobbliness started to creep in. Cindy had her speak the long notes so she could connect with the speaking part of her voice. When she made the connection, an awesome brightness came into her voice. This is her authentic voice and is wonderful to listen to!
Kaylee Ann Simmons: She has a very nice beautiful timbre in her voice. It's very mature. She has had great breath flow throughout her body. She has been sick, and I could tell that her chords still swollen. It seemed like she was trying to overcompensate for this by stretching her neck. Cindy helped her to find more meaning in the text she was singing by figuring out the allegory and making it personal and pertinent to her. Cindy had her project the text as she was speaking to someone 20 -25 feet away. Her biggest challenge is to free up her articulation. Once she does this, her sound will be even more glorious!
Brooke Meyers: She used beautiful vibrato on her long, held out notes. However, there was a slight sense of grittiness in her voice, and her jaw seemed very tense. Her breathing was deep and balloon-like. Cindy worked with helping her to loosen her jaw. She had Brooke feel her jaw as she spoke. When Cindy worked with dropping Brooke's loose arm to sense the release, I did recognize that did start to make the connection and seemed more released in her jaw.
Bric Slade: He did a good job with going up there and trying all of those things that Cindy had him do. On the first time singing, he used a speech-like timbre in his lower voice and his voice became more resonant and full as he got into his middle voice. He seemed very tense in the higher range and the vibrato was not consistent. Cindy had him bend over while sitting on a chair and him reach to the end of the other chair in front of him. I feel like this helped him to make a stronger connection and fluidity throughout his range, especially in the lower range. Bric needs to have a feeling of stretch throughout the rib cage and to let go of his jaw. Cindy gave him what he needs to work on these things and I'm excited to her how they will help is voice come out even more!
Sarah Boucher: She had a nice, consistent vibrato and sang with a darker timbre. On some of the long notes, I noticed that some wobbliness started to creep in. Cindy had her speak the long notes so she could connect with the speaking part of her voice. When she made the connection, an awesome brightness came into her voice. This is her authentic voice and is wonderful to listen to!
Caitlin Craig OB Chapter 4 Summary
Chapter Summary: To elicit pitch freely we must think a pitch and let it happen. In free singing, it feels as if the tone is floating. It will feel like we have no control over it. This is the optimal production of sound because free phonation will respond to thought. We must trust that our VF will adjust automatically and accordingly to pitch. In phonation there are two opposing energies: the activator and the vibrator. Fuller resonance and tone occurs when the muscles are relaxed. This does not mean that singing doesn't require energy. It requires release. "The sensation should be that you almost start to sing before you finish taking a breath." By prolonging the primal sound we take our most basic sound and move it towards the realm of singing. This is carrying an involuntary response over into a voluntary action. In singing we rely on vowels to prolong phonation. "Looseness and freedom are more important than a definitive vowel color." The downward or descending motion in phonation is a primal, and can be heard clearly in speech. Because of this, descending exercises are very important for warm-ups and building technique. Ascending exercises should be saved for more experienced singers, because they understand register changes more comprehensively. Remember to let the airflow do the work.
Key Terms: elicit, frequency, activator, vibrator,
Key Concepts: Let, think, trust. Primal sound, when prolonged carries an involuntary response into a voluntary action. Feel like the most agreeable person ever born when it comes to eliciting pitch. Let the airflow do the work.
Making Connections: Eliciting pitch is something that I feel like I'm gaining more confidence in. It isn't always released enough, but I have had many successful lessons where I have established that freedom. I'm currently trying to focus on that in warm-ups, and performances. Hopefully it will become an automatic response soon.
Key Terms: elicit, frequency, activator, vibrator,
Key Concepts: Let, think, trust. Primal sound, when prolonged carries an involuntary response into a voluntary action. Feel like the most agreeable person ever born when it comes to eliciting pitch. Let the airflow do the work.
Making Connections: Eliciting pitch is something that I feel like I'm gaining more confidence in. It isn't always released enough, but I have had many successful lessons where I have established that freedom. I'm currently trying to focus on that in warm-ups, and performances. Hopefully it will become an automatic response soon.
Caitlin Craig OB Chapter 3 Summary
Chapter Summary: To sing freely one must be able to breathe freely. To breathe freely one must have good body alignment. We must learn how to be aware of our posture. A proprioceptor is a sensory receptor in the body that gives us a sense of self. We can use this to access our posture and breath. In the posture exercises I enjoyed the tip to stand on the balls of your feet. It made me feel more ready to "take off" and made my posture feel upright, yet comfortable. The diaphragm is not only a muscle for breath, but also for posture. Without proper body alignment the diaphragm is unable to move passively. When the diaphragm is lowered with the intake of air, it tends to exert a lateral pressure to help expand the ribs. It also helps to open the glottis, and lower the larynx (due to it's connection to both the pericardium sack, and the larynx).
The rib cage is expanded by the external intercostals and contracted by the internal intercostals.
Breathing through the nose is nature's own system of filtering, heating, and humidifying.
Through the Venturi effect, phonation occurs due to the vehicle of breath. "The beautiful voice is the result not of exertion of great power but rather of delicate control."
Key Terms: posture, breathing, proprioception, kinesthesia, tidal volume, complemental volume, supplemental volume, residual volume
Key Concepts: Good body alignment is essential to breathing and singing freely. Imagine breath like the swing of a pendulum. Breathing through the nose is nature's system of filtering air.
Making Connections: The breathing through the nose part in the chapter struck me as a very interesting concept. I want to try doing that as I walk to school during the winter months to see if it helps with my asthma.
The rib cage is expanded by the external intercostals and contracted by the internal intercostals.
Breathing through the nose is nature's own system of filtering, heating, and humidifying.
Through the Venturi effect, phonation occurs due to the vehicle of breath. "The beautiful voice is the result not of exertion of great power but rather of delicate control."
Key Terms: posture, breathing, proprioception, kinesthesia, tidal volume, complemental volume, supplemental volume, residual volume
Key Concepts: Good body alignment is essential to breathing and singing freely. Imagine breath like the swing of a pendulum. Breathing through the nose is nature's system of filtering air.
Making Connections: The breathing through the nose part in the chapter struck me as a very interesting concept. I want to try doing that as I walk to school during the winter months to see if it helps with my asthma.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 14
Summary: Holding auditions helps give the choral director control over the sound of the ensemble. Do music suited to your ensemble: "A strong two-part choir is better than a weak three- or four-part choir." Big voices may have trouble blending in a choir. Whatever you do, don't force singers to do things that will damage their voices, whether that be asking them to sing higher, lower, softer, or louder than they are readily able to do. Choral singing is not the kind of activity where you can ask a student to "take one for the team." Devote time to warming up at the beginning of every rehearsal. This will help preserve the singer's voices and will also improve their sound. Totally worth the time. Care should be taken when selecting repertoire for a choir of young voices. Operatic works are generally a bad idea. Have singers sit up straight during choir. Emphasize that this is for their vocal health, not just to be controlling or force them to pay attention. Also assure students that they do not need to sing out to be heard. Brown offers several useful exercises to improve blending and self-awareness. The beauty of choral singing is found in the ability to create something between several voices that cannot be accomplished through solo singing. The colors and and qualities created are unique to choral singing.
Key Concepts: Think of the individual singers, do not damage voices. Be aware! Take time to warm up. Teach the singers to be aware of the physical sensation of singing, how to sing freely, and the sound the are producing. Don't do it if you don't know what you're doing!
Making Connections: I loved this chapter! Because I love choir. And Brown does too. I really like a lot of his ideas. I agree that warm ups are extremely effective, and that training singers to be individually responsible for and aware of vocal technique will create the best possible sound. I also agree that special attention needs to be paid to individuals so that students aren't straining themselves. In that last paragraph, Brown touched on the aspect of choral music that really made me fall in love with it: that ability to create something with many voices that you cannot create alone. I think it's beautiful. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Key Concepts: Think of the individual singers, do not damage voices. Be aware! Take time to warm up. Teach the singers to be aware of the physical sensation of singing, how to sing freely, and the sound the are producing. Don't do it if you don't know what you're doing!
Making Connections: I loved this chapter! Because I love choir. And Brown does too. I really like a lot of his ideas. I agree that warm ups are extremely effective, and that training singers to be individually responsible for and aware of vocal technique will create the best possible sound. I also agree that special attention needs to be paid to individuals so that students aren't straining themselves. In that last paragraph, Brown touched on the aspect of choral music that really made me fall in love with it: that ability to create something with many voices that you cannot create alone. I think it's beautiful. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Sarah Brenay - Lesson Summary - 11/25/13
My lesson today wasn't super great. There's one in every semester!
First of all I was late because I didn't know we were doing Friday lessons on Monday. Then I wasn't prepared (same reason). Then my voice was acting funny. I think was a combination of last weeks stress and pms. Is that inappropriate information for the blog? Just tell me if I've gone to far.
So it was an emotional lesson. Even so! I came away with a new vocalizing thingy. You sing two octave arpeggios ascending and then come down on 4 2 7 5 4 2 1, all this on an [i] that stretches like taffy. It's really cool because if you don't try to sing it and let it be ugly you can get it really high! I sang a... D6? No no, D flat. But I mean that's pretty cool! I also got some great tips for Die Forelle. If I sing it on just vowels I can check and make sure I'm free. If not, I can use free-er vowels like [a] and [o] and [i]. In the lesson I used [a] below B4 and [o] above and it really helped me get things nice and light and resonant. Not too shabby!
First of all I was late because I didn't know we were doing Friday lessons on Monday. Then I wasn't prepared (same reason). Then my voice was acting funny. I think was a combination of last weeks stress and pms. Is that inappropriate information for the blog? Just tell me if I've gone to far.
So it was an emotional lesson. Even so! I came away with a new vocalizing thingy. You sing two octave arpeggios ascending and then come down on 4 2 7 5 4 2 1, all this on an [i] that stretches like taffy. It's really cool because if you don't try to sing it and let it be ugly you can get it really high! I sang a... D6? No no, D flat. But I mean that's pretty cool! I also got some great tips for Die Forelle. If I sing it on just vowels I can check and make sure I'm free. If not, I can use free-er vowels like [a] and [o] and [i]. In the lesson I used [a] below B4 and [o] above and it really helped me get things nice and light and resonant. Not too shabby!
Caitlin Craig OB Chapter 2 Summary
Chapter Summary: Finding release is essential to discovering one's voice. Releasing the voice from extraneous help is the only way to improve its potential. In order to find the essence of vocal technique we must "perform with the greatest freedom and the least effort." It is important to avoid fixative -- or stabilizing breath pressure in the lungs by pressing the vocal chords together tightly -- in everyday tasks, as it is tiring to the voice, and can cause harm over time. We want to find release and freedom in the larynx, and avoid hyperfunction (muscle tension in the larynx). We must learn to become aware of our body, and how it is feeling in order to recognize unwanted tensions that could stop us from producing sound healthily. Listen to your speaking and singing voice to detect vocal faults. Our speaking voice greatly effects our singing voice and vice versa.
Oren lists many exercises to release interfering tensions. One that I enjoyed was the one about root of the tongue tension, where you hold your tongue out with your fingers and try to phonate on a [a].
Breath is a sure indicator of release. When we are breathing easily we feel safe and calm. Other ways to relieve tension is meditation, yoga, and relaxation may also work for some.
Sometimes when we think to much about a tension it becomes magnified. We need to be able to think first, and then let when the time comes. "Since voice responds to the mental concept, you must think before you can let, and your body must be free to respond."
Key Concepts: Easy breathing is an indicator of release. We must find release in order to discover our voice's full potential. Think and then through release we are able to let things happen.
Key Terms: Release, fixative, hyperfunction.
Making Connections: The past year and a half I have tried to think about releasing interfering tensions throughout my day. I used to only think about them in my practice room, but I realized that this didn't do me any good. If I want to find true release I must find it in my every day life in order for my body to let things happen when I sing.
Oren lists many exercises to release interfering tensions. One that I enjoyed was the one about root of the tongue tension, where you hold your tongue out with your fingers and try to phonate on a [a].
Breath is a sure indicator of release. When we are breathing easily we feel safe and calm. Other ways to relieve tension is meditation, yoga, and relaxation may also work for some.
Sometimes when we think to much about a tension it becomes magnified. We need to be able to think first, and then let when the time comes. "Since voice responds to the mental concept, you must think before you can let, and your body must be free to respond."
Key Concepts: Easy breathing is an indicator of release. We must find release in order to discover our voice's full potential. Think and then through release we are able to let things happen.
Key Terms: Release, fixative, hyperfunction.
Making Connections: The past year and a half I have tried to think about releasing interfering tensions throughout my day. I used to only think about them in my practice room, but I realized that this didn't do me any good. If I want to find true release I must find it in my every day life in order for my body to let things happen when I sing.
Laura B DYV 15
Laura B
Chapter Summary: As singers, we must have a basic understanding of the science of sound that will allow us to enhance our singing and eliminate wasted effort and damage we can do to our voices. For example, an understanding that high pitches have higher frequencies which can be heard easily over lower frequencies can help a singer understand that they don't have to sing those high pitches loudly to be heard. Understanding the difference between loudness and intensity can help a singer to realize that by putting more "ring" in the voice will allow them to be heard without pushing the voice to be louder.
Key Concept: Learning the physics of sound can help us to focus on problems our voice may be facing.
Key Terms: sound, frequency & pitch, condensations, rarifactions, pitch, noise, Bernoulli effect, intensity & loudness, Venturi effect, wave forms, resonance, formants, sine wave, overtones, time, beat phenomenon,
Making Connections: Throughout this semester, I have been gaining a greater understanding behind the science of sound and I didn't even really realize it. Reading this chapter and learning more about frequency, resonance, and intensity helped everything to click!
Chapter Summary: As singers, we must have a basic understanding of the science of sound that will allow us to enhance our singing and eliminate wasted effort and damage we can do to our voices. For example, an understanding that high pitches have higher frequencies which can be heard easily over lower frequencies can help a singer understand that they don't have to sing those high pitches loudly to be heard. Understanding the difference between loudness and intensity can help a singer to realize that by putting more "ring" in the voice will allow them to be heard without pushing the voice to be louder.
Key Concept: Learning the physics of sound can help us to focus on problems our voice may be facing.
Key Terms: sound, frequency & pitch, condensations, rarifactions, pitch, noise, Bernoulli effect, intensity & loudness, Venturi effect, wave forms, resonance, formants, sine wave, overtones, time, beat phenomenon,
Making Connections: Throughout this semester, I have been gaining a greater understanding behind the science of sound and I didn't even really realize it. Reading this chapter and learning more about frequency, resonance, and intensity helped everything to click!
Laura B DYV 14
Laura B
Chapter Summary: There is a lot of consideration that should be put into putting a choir together. Whether the choir is a unison choir, two parts, or many parts, great music can be made through the way that each voice is treated and appreciated. Conductors should take time to warm-up the full-range voice properly at the beginning of each rehearsal. They must then work through each piece of music in a step-wise way, learning the rhythm and the pitches first before rushing into the finished product. Conductors can help their members to not compete with each other by having them plug their ears when they sing and switching up the choir's positions. When the members are not competing for being heard, the sound of the whole will be more glorious and voices will not feel strained and tired at the end of rehearsals. Choir directors must have the objective of bringing out good technique in each singer. Even if the director doesn't have the best singing voice, that person can still create a beautiful sound in the choir if they have a sensitivity and good ear for the potential of the human voice. Directors must always be conscious of intonation, or nature's scale will take over in the group. All in all, singing in a choir is a great experience for the members as well as the audience as long as sensitivity of each voice is taken into account.
Key Concept: "Selecting voices for a choir should always be done from the standpoint of doing what is best for each individual. If this is not followed, voices will not contribute their best abilities and the ensemble will not be able to produce its best results."
Key Terms: choral singing, intonation, equal temperament, just intonation
Making Connections: This was a great chapter for all of us future choir directors. I learned a lot of stuff in here that I feel will help me as I lead choirs as well as groups in music therapy. It helps me to understand more fully why choir directors do what they do when placing voices and mixing them up.
Chapter Summary: There is a lot of consideration that should be put into putting a choir together. Whether the choir is a unison choir, two parts, or many parts, great music can be made through the way that each voice is treated and appreciated. Conductors should take time to warm-up the full-range voice properly at the beginning of each rehearsal. They must then work through each piece of music in a step-wise way, learning the rhythm and the pitches first before rushing into the finished product. Conductors can help their members to not compete with each other by having them plug their ears when they sing and switching up the choir's positions. When the members are not competing for being heard, the sound of the whole will be more glorious and voices will not feel strained and tired at the end of rehearsals. Choir directors must have the objective of bringing out good technique in each singer. Even if the director doesn't have the best singing voice, that person can still create a beautiful sound in the choir if they have a sensitivity and good ear for the potential of the human voice. Directors must always be conscious of intonation, or nature's scale will take over in the group. All in all, singing in a choir is a great experience for the members as well as the audience as long as sensitivity of each voice is taken into account.
Key Concept: "Selecting voices for a choir should always be done from the standpoint of doing what is best for each individual. If this is not followed, voices will not contribute their best abilities and the ensemble will not be able to produce its best results."
Key Terms: choral singing, intonation, equal temperament, just intonation
Making Connections: This was a great chapter for all of us future choir directors. I learned a lot of stuff in here that I feel will help me as I lead choirs as well as groups in music therapy. It helps me to understand more fully why choir directors do what they do when placing voices and mixing them up.
Laura B DYV 13
Laura B
Chapter Summary: Many promising singers seem to fall off of the face of the earth. This is not because they are not talented, but they may not have had everything that it takes. To be a successful professional singer, one must not only have a great voice and technique, but they must have the affect of a performer in their poise, appearance, confidence, and stage personality. Having strong interpretive ability and musicality is also very important. The ability to work with people, be reliable, have experience, and many other qualities also go into making a professional stand out from others. One must put their whole heart and love into what they are doing, and it will make auditioning and performing more effective. When auditioning, it's important to sing songs that shows off the voice and shows us best. We must exhibit a love for what we are doing, and also have the patience and understanding that we may need to try many times before getting hired. What it all comes down to is that we perform because we love it. The love for performing will help us to have the discipline necessary to do all that it takes.
Key Concept: "Build on your greatest strengths but keep the whole picture in mind so that no weakness will keep you from the success you deserve."
Key Terms: Hyperfunction, musicianship and musicality, audition,
Making Connections: I feel that all of the principles discussed in this chapter really can be generalized to being successful at anything in life. Going through the list, I recognized some things that I need to work on personally. I've just got to work towards those things one step at a time.
Chapter Summary: Many promising singers seem to fall off of the face of the earth. This is not because they are not talented, but they may not have had everything that it takes. To be a successful professional singer, one must not only have a great voice and technique, but they must have the affect of a performer in their poise, appearance, confidence, and stage personality. Having strong interpretive ability and musicality is also very important. The ability to work with people, be reliable, have experience, and many other qualities also go into making a professional stand out from others. One must put their whole heart and love into what they are doing, and it will make auditioning and performing more effective. When auditioning, it's important to sing songs that shows off the voice and shows us best. We must exhibit a love for what we are doing, and also have the patience and understanding that we may need to try many times before getting hired. What it all comes down to is that we perform because we love it. The love for performing will help us to have the discipline necessary to do all that it takes.
Key Concept: "Build on your greatest strengths but keep the whole picture in mind so that no weakness will keep you from the success you deserve."
Key Terms: Hyperfunction, musicianship and musicality, audition,
Making Connections: I feel that all of the principles discussed in this chapter really can be generalized to being successful at anything in life. Going through the list, I recognized some things that I need to work on personally. I've just got to work towards those things one step at a time.
Laura B DYV 12
Laura B
Chapter Summary: What really makes a magical performance is the connection that the singer is able to make to the music and in turn allow the audience to make as well. In order to create this kind of experience, we begin by first interpreting the music in our preparation. We must figure out the tempo, dynamics, and so forth. We should think of why these things are the way they are. We begin to perform with emotion as we make a personal connection to the piece and then work to portray our feelings through our facial expressions and gestures. We can build confidence and show confidence as a performer as we look back on past successes and image ourselves succeeding as we sing. We express meaning and emotion through the color we put into the words we sing. Seeking to understand the composer's intent in the piece will help us to further the authenticity of our performance. As we put a program together, we should think of how each song will relate to each other and at the same time gives variety to the voice. Our performance should appeal to the modern audience which can be achieved by talking to the audience and adding surprise elements. We can seek help from our coaches in order to interpret an authentic and beautiful live performance.
Key Concept: Singing is more then good technique. It's the way you connect with the piece that enables you to move people.
Key Terms: interpretation, facial expression, color, empathy, composer's intent
Making Connections: I need to do more when it comes to interpreting the piece and preparing it for performance. I usually strive to make a personal connection with it but stop there. I need to take more time analyzing the composer's intent portrayed in the music as well as seek direction from others.
Chapter Summary: What really makes a magical performance is the connection that the singer is able to make to the music and in turn allow the audience to make as well. In order to create this kind of experience, we begin by first interpreting the music in our preparation. We must figure out the tempo, dynamics, and so forth. We should think of why these things are the way they are. We begin to perform with emotion as we make a personal connection to the piece and then work to portray our feelings through our facial expressions and gestures. We can build confidence and show confidence as a performer as we look back on past successes and image ourselves succeeding as we sing. We express meaning and emotion through the color we put into the words we sing. Seeking to understand the composer's intent in the piece will help us to further the authenticity of our performance. As we put a program together, we should think of how each song will relate to each other and at the same time gives variety to the voice. Our performance should appeal to the modern audience which can be achieved by talking to the audience and adding surprise elements. We can seek help from our coaches in order to interpret an authentic and beautiful live performance.
Key Concept: Singing is more then good technique. It's the way you connect with the piece that enables you to move people.
Key Terms: interpretation, facial expression, color, empathy, composer's intent
Making Connections: I need to do more when it comes to interpreting the piece and preparing it for performance. I usually strive to make a personal connection with it but stop there. I need to take more time analyzing the composer's intent portrayed in the music as well as seek direction from others.
Sam Meredith Lesson Summary 11/25
I was well warmed up for my lesson today, but I feel like I would have been more prepared if I had practiced more over the weekend. First we did some vocalizes. We did a new one where I sang a 5 tone scale on the word 'ning'. It was hard keeping consistent space throughout the exercise, so Cindy told me that I should feel like the inner space is stretching throughout the duration of the exercise. It improved in that aspect, but once it did there were some other problems we noticed. My neck was tensing up and my tongue was retracting. Next we sang the words 'no never no' on a descending arpeggio. This helped me insert some emotion into the vocalize and also have a more speech-like quality in my tone. After that we sang the words 'may oh may I'. We started on scale degree five, went to one, then went back to five and descended down a five-tone scale. Next we did the same vocalize I did last week where I had to practice making the transition to my upper register gradually rather than making the change suddenly. After that we focused on my repertoire. We started with 'si tra i ceppi'. I feel like I have made a lot of improvements on this song, but there are still some things I need to fix. My entrance at the beginning of the piece, for example, still feels colored and is sometimes under pitch. This week I want to speak that line before i sing it in practice and also do some exercises to pitch my consonants better. I also need to release the tension in my neck, tongue, and jaw. At some points these things were keeping my timbre from having the spin that it needs to. Breathing was another problem I had. It was a problem today with all my pieces and not just this one. I was taking a lot of really gaspy sounding breaths. I need to focus on making my breaths silent, low, and inconspicuous. I'll have to do some good breath exercises this week. Next we worked on 'beau soir'. I'm still struggling a little bit keeping the tempo up, so Cindy made the accompaniment move really quickly. That way I really had to be on the ball to make sure that the vowels were all right on the beat. I was still have a little trouble with constriction on the ascending, climactic phrase near the end. I think to fix this I'm going to turn this line into a vocalize this week and practice it using the [i] and [e] vowels so that I can make the transition between registers smooth and released. Finally, we worked on 'wohl denk ich oft'. The problem I had with this piece was that all of the awkward jumps seemed really awkward and there wasn't enough of a legato feeling. I think when I practice this song this week I'm going to play the top note of each phrase while I sing just so I keep a more connected quality in my timbre and avoid rough-sounding changes from note to note. I also want to add more dynamic contrast into my longer notes.
Emily C.: Joint Practice, 11/25/13
Emily C.: Joint Practice, 11/25/13
For today’s session, we worked on mastering the rhythms in one of Brooke’s german pieces since she was a little shaky on it during voice recital hour last week. We clapped out the rhythms first, then spoke the rhythms with the claps, and then sang the rhythm, and then added the accompaniment (which turned out to be the hardest part). We made sure she was familiar with the auditory cues before she came in and got used to the “feel” of when she enters. I recommended practicing without using the voice and just clapping out the rhythms or saying the words on a primal sound so as not to wear out the voice. For me, we basically went over all three of my pieces and made sure that they were going okay. Brooke warned me to make sure I don’t get lazy on my ich-lauts on my german pieces and to stay relaxed when juries comes around.
Emily F. OB 15
Emily F. OB 15: Understanding the mechanics of sound can aid in the good production of vocal sound. For example, "If the notes are well produced, high tones need no amplification." This is important to know! If the frequency (pitch) is high, it will have more intensity (loudness) and requires less energy force than a lower pitch to get the same dB. So, singers needn't push or feel like they're singing as loud on higher notes.
Key concept: "...the science of sound can enhance and facilitate the process [of vocal production]."
Key terms: sound, frequency, pitch, intensity, loudness, wave form, quality, time, hertz, condensations, rarifications, natural level, habitual level, decibels, Bernoulli effect, Venturi effect, fundamental frequency, overtones, sine wave, resonance
Making connections: So in church choir yesterday I was singing soprano and had to sustain a G for a while. I was trying to use the best, easiest technique I could, so I was trying to let my voice just float. I also thought about how higher pitches "carry" easier, so that took the pressure off of me having to sing that G so loudly. I'm the only soprano in my ward choir who can sing these notes, so the pressure is on me to carry the group. It's nice to know that I don't have to work so hard for those high notes.
Key concept: "...the science of sound can enhance and facilitate the process [of vocal production]."
Key terms: sound, frequency, pitch, intensity, loudness, wave form, quality, time, hertz, condensations, rarifications, natural level, habitual level, decibels, Bernoulli effect, Venturi effect, fundamental frequency, overtones, sine wave, resonance
Making connections: So in church choir yesterday I was singing soprano and had to sustain a G for a while. I was trying to use the best, easiest technique I could, so I was trying to let my voice just float. I also thought about how higher pitches "carry" easier, so that took the pressure off of me having to sing that G so loudly. I'm the only soprano in my ward choir who can sing these notes, so the pressure is on me to carry the group. It's nice to know that I don't have to work so hard for those high notes.
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 13
Summary: It takes a specific set of skills to succeed as a performing artist. It take maturity and discipline. Many talented singers never make it because they lack one of those two things. And many singers who you would never think could make it succeed through hard work. Talent isn't everything. Brown gives a list of attributes of successful singers compiled by Joseph Lippman. It includes: Vocal ability, technique, gumption, interpretive ability, musicianship and musicality, physical appearance, stage personality, people skills, basic repertoire, dependability, experience, passion, physical and emotional health, good management and publicity, and timing. Singers also need to learn how to audition. The best attitude is to show your love for singing with confidence and share the meaning of your music with the audience without worrying about outcome. Never take music into an audition that you don't want to sing. Training is never finished, keep seeking ways to improve.
Key concepts: Of all the hopeful students who study the voice, only those with discipline, maturity, and a voice will make it.
Making Connections: I like Oren Brown. He's very gentle, but very practical too. It's true that the majority of those who study voice will not have a successful career in singing. And that's OK! The way I see it, I love the path I'm on right now. And if I stop loving what I'm doing, then I change direction. And that's OK too. Oren's tips for auditions and his list of skills were really helpful.
Key concepts: Of all the hopeful students who study the voice, only those with discipline, maturity, and a voice will make it.
Making Connections: I like Oren Brown. He's very gentle, but very practical too. It's true that the majority of those who study voice will not have a successful career in singing. And that's OK! The way I see it, I love the path I'm on right now. And if I stop loving what I'm doing, then I change direction. And that's OK too. Oren's tips for auditions and his list of skills were really helpful.
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 12
Summary: "Your voice knows how to sing... better than you do." (I love that.) In order to express with your voice you need to train it to respond to what you are thinking and feeling. This takes a lot of training and a lot of trial and error. Interpreting music involves making musical decisions about dynamics, tempo, diction, ling, tone color, pitch, and articulation. When we are "sensitive to the music and the meaning of the words," these decisions will be instinctive to us. In order to convey emotion in a piece, we need to relate it to our own experiences. Although we may not have an experience exactly like the one we are conveying, we can approximate it by thinking about similar experiences we have had. Oren Brown uses the example of a singer who has never had children singing a lullaby and thinking about baby sitting. It's not the same, but it's close. Scientific studies have shown that facial expression changes the tone of your voice. Audiences listen with their eyes as much as their ears, and so we must convey meaning physically as well as vocally. The composer's intent is also an important consideration in selecting repertoire and in performing selections. A study of the composer's background helps us decipher their meaning. When planning a program, consider thematic relationships between cycles. Selections should complement each other. Creating a connection to the audience is achieved by speaking to them (concert notes) and ensuring that they can understand you.
Key Concepts: To perform requires physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and vocal investment. Special attention should be paid to the text. We need to relate to the song on a personal level. Singers must also be actors.
Making Connections: I really love all this stuff about connecting with the text. I think I definitely need to work on that this week. I already know that speaking the text while learning it has helped me enormously! I'm excited to keep working on it. I'm glad that I'm at the point in my pieces (for better or for worse) when I can focus solely on intent. That's the missing piece for my selections right now. This chapter had great tips! I also like the part about connecting with the audience. I think that when performers address the audience it 1) makes them more personable, 2) breaks down that wall between the performer and the audience, 3) helps the performer calm down, and 4) helps the audience understand and become a part of the performance.
Key Concepts: To perform requires physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and vocal investment. Special attention should be paid to the text. We need to relate to the song on a personal level. Singers must also be actors.
Making Connections: I really love all this stuff about connecting with the text. I think I definitely need to work on that this week. I already know that speaking the text while learning it has helped me enormously! I'm excited to keep working on it. I'm glad that I'm at the point in my pieces (for better or for worse) when I can focus solely on intent. That's the missing piece for my selections right now. This chapter had great tips! I also like the part about connecting with the audience. I think that when performers address the audience it 1) makes them more personable, 2) breaks down that wall between the performer and the audience, 3) helps the performer calm down, and 4) helps the audience understand and become a part of the performance.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Mariah Lesson Summary 11/21
Mariah Lesson Summary 11/21
I could have been more prepared for this lesson by choosing an order that I want my songs to be in for my jury. I also could have been more careful with my voice this past week and practiced more lightly because of all the choir rehearsals.
We started by talking about the mock juries Laurie is going to have at her house on December 6th and I signed up for a time. We did a lot of light warm ups since my voice was a little sore and I bounced on the ball to loosen up. Laurie had me do a descending scale on mm nice and easy and the sssigh exercise for quite a while and changed vowels. She had me lean over and take a noisy vacuum breath, do a primal uh and pant to help me with the "mi mi mi" exercise. She also advised to put the m right before the beat which really helped me with this exercise. We talked about juries and what I need to work on. I need to be confident about my high notes and really work to add more meaning to the pieces. We talked about an order a bit. I think I'm going to do "This Little Rose" first, then "Clair de Lune," "D'un Genio," and "Music for a While." We went on to working on "This Little Rose" and I did some poetic speaking. Then I added more dramatic inflection and projection. I worked on shaping the phrases more with dynamics and tempo and where to take pauses. For "Clair de Lune," I need to have more of an [a] instead of ah sound for masques and calme and a few other words. I need more of an [i] for paysage. Laurie also helped me with timing for some entrances. Laurie likes it when a singer has one foot slightly in front of the other to help have more stability so I need to practice that. On the phrases going into the high notes, I need to have a more lifted, internal space and connection. I need to have more line in "D'un Genio" and apply the meaning to my voice.
I got self-conscious a lot working on the meanings for "This Little Rose" and "Clair de Lune." Part of it was that I didn't want to share what I was thinking about and part of it was that I didn't have a specific enough story in my head. So I need to work on being more vulnerable and having a specific image and story for each song.
For my next lesson, I want to have an order and have all of my dynamics and meanings well rehearsed. I want to be confident and vulnerable and really specific for each song.
New Vocalizes
shoo on pitch descending
i e ah arpeggio wobble
holli lolli polli pop with snort
I could have been more prepared for this lesson by choosing an order that I want my songs to be in for my jury. I also could have been more careful with my voice this past week and practiced more lightly because of all the choir rehearsals.
We started by talking about the mock juries Laurie is going to have at her house on December 6th and I signed up for a time. We did a lot of light warm ups since my voice was a little sore and I bounced on the ball to loosen up. Laurie had me do a descending scale on mm nice and easy and the sssigh exercise for quite a while and changed vowels. She had me lean over and take a noisy vacuum breath, do a primal uh and pant to help me with the "mi mi mi" exercise. She also advised to put the m right before the beat which really helped me with this exercise. We talked about juries and what I need to work on. I need to be confident about my high notes and really work to add more meaning to the pieces. We talked about an order a bit. I think I'm going to do "This Little Rose" first, then "Clair de Lune," "D'un Genio," and "Music for a While." We went on to working on "This Little Rose" and I did some poetic speaking. Then I added more dramatic inflection and projection. I worked on shaping the phrases more with dynamics and tempo and where to take pauses. For "Clair de Lune," I need to have more of an [a] instead of ah sound for masques and calme and a few other words. I need more of an [i] for paysage. Laurie also helped me with timing for some entrances. Laurie likes it when a singer has one foot slightly in front of the other to help have more stability so I need to practice that. On the phrases going into the high notes, I need to have a more lifted, internal space and connection. I need to have more line in "D'un Genio" and apply the meaning to my voice.
I got self-conscious a lot working on the meanings for "This Little Rose" and "Clair de Lune." Part of it was that I didn't want to share what I was thinking about and part of it was that I didn't have a specific enough story in my head. So I need to work on being more vulnerable and having a specific image and story for each song.
For my next lesson, I want to have an order and have all of my dynamics and meanings well rehearsed. I want to be confident and vulnerable and really specific for each song.
New Vocalizes
shoo on pitch descending
i e ah arpeggio wobble
holli lolli polli pop with snort
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 21
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 21
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: Teachers should always be aware of how what they say can be misinterpreted. Each student is unique and learns in a different way. Don’t expect the same sound to come out of every student. “If you do not know the potential and the limits of the human voice, how can you tell how much or how little to expect from a student?” Teachers need to be well trained and have a sensitive ear--much of what is happening while singing cannot be seen, but heard. Oren Brown states that “the ideal for healthy, efficient phonation might be represented by 51% airflow and 49% glottal resistance.” The voice needs time to grow and develop; it’s just another muscle that needs strengthening and conditioning. Know the singing history of your student (past teachers, vocal problems, habits, etc.), their goals for the future in singing, and what sort of environment they live in. Try several types of music with them, and become familiar with their speech habits. Become aware of their practicing habits, and advise your students to rely on sensation, not sound, use mirrors/recording devices, and be a teacher to themselves when the teacher isn’t around. Group lessons are a great way to have students learn from each other, and they’re more economical. For those with vocal problems, frequent and short lessons may be better than one long lesson per week. Good teachers love what they do--they empathize with their students, genuinely care for them, and love helping others reach their higher potential.
Key Concepts: Teachers of singing need to resourceful, inventive, flexible, knowledgeable, communicative, and have a genuine love for what they do.
Making Connections: From my limited amount of experience with music teachers, I can honestly say that whether or not a teacher loves what they do has a measurable effect on how well their students progress and learn. If they are truly passionate about what they do, they are willing to try new approaches with a student that is struggling, and they more freely empathize and create genuine relationships with their students.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 20
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 20
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: Functional vocal disorders can be from hyperfunction and hypofunction. Many voice problems come from not singing, but from speech. Hyperfunctional conditions: singing too loudly, overusing the voice, too much breath effort, straining for high notes, squeezing for low notes, shoulder tension, rigid posture, high breathing, too low breathing, neck tension, articulation muscle tension, facial muscles distortion, carrying chest voice too high, overuse of voice in speech, bad speech habits, imitation of “poor voice models,” pressing young voices, singing difficult music before technically ready. Hypofunctional conditions (these are less frequent than hyperfunction): not enough breath to finish normal phrases, tone lacks carrying power, audible breathy quality, notes die in middle of the range, really breathy high notes and low notes, loss of air in consonants, and psychological factors (emotional distress/melancholy leading to breathy quality in the voice). When treating the voice from disorders, it’s important to fix the causes, not just the symptoms, or else they will return. Treatment should be unique to the individual and should be followed with the utmost care if the individual wishes to recover faster. When considering surgery for a vocal fold disorder, it’s important to be aware of the potential consequences and the necessary voice therapy following the surgery. Try to keep yourself in a humidified environment and stay hydrated. Women’s menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause can have an affect on vocal quality, so one should be aware of how their body responds in these situations so as not to develop compensatory habits. Don’t smoke or drink. It’s dumb for a singer. Be aware of the effects of prescription drugs on the voice. Know what you’re allergic to and how you can avoid/cope with them.
Key Concepts: Functional vocal disorders should be addressed with the utmost care to prevent further damage and encourage early healing. The source of the problem should always be addressed, not just the symptoms. Sometimes, vocal problems can be prevented simply by adjusting our environment.
Key Terms: functional disorders, hypo/hyperfunction, (chronic) laryngitis, edema, polyps, nodules, dysphonia plicae ventricularis, contact ulcers/granuloma, myasthenia larynis, cord paralysis, ruptured cords, nasal resonance vs nasality,
Making Connections: I tend to lean towards being hyperfunctional in my singing, and after studying with Brianna, I’ve really learned a lot. I’m really grateful for the chance to study with her because she has had experience with many of the problems I used to (and still) deal with sometimes, so she knows exactly how to identify and help me fix the problems.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 19
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 19
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: “Without courage, the spirit suffers, and so, usually, does the singing.” Our only competition is with ourselves. Stress has an enormous influence on our physical condition. Around 80% of severe illnesses can begin during a time of extreme stress. Take the time to identify the source. Biofeedback can be an effective means to create awareness of your body and what you can do to “control” undesirable responses. Not all throat doctors are the best for professional singers; when going through vocal trouble, it’s important to keep a level head, relax, and trust your healthy singing technique if you must keep singing. As a singer, our job is to “create the illusion of emotion so that the audience can cry [not you]” because this has an effect on our ability to sing. Sometimes, what we perceive as stage fright is the culmination of several physical responses on stress with the parasympathetic nervous system.
Key Concepts: Stress can have a massive influence on your body and ability to sing. It’s important to be aware of why you’re stressed and ways to relax.
Key Terms: enigmas, psychogenic, stress
Making Connections: For me, stress has a very strong influence on my singing ability because if I’m really stress out, my acid reflux comes back. When I’m relaxed and content (or when I manage to handle my stress well), my acid reflux goes away. I’m finding that as a music major, it’s really important that I learn how to cope with stress in a healthy way, because if I don’t, I suffer for it.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 18
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 18
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: The threshold of hearing is at 0 dB, and the threshold of pain (safety) is 120 dB. Lowest sound that can be heard as pitch is from 16-20 Hz, and highest is 16,000-20,000 Hz. It takes more energy to create an audible low than high note. Hearing once lost is never recovered. There is a muscle in your ear that protects your ears from the sound of your own voice; that’s why you should strain to make louder sounds. Train yourself to be aware of the sensation of singing, not the sound. If exposed to a higher volume of sound over a long period of time, you can become “accustomed” to that sound, and in order to perceive something as loud, it must become even louder than before. When singing, try bringing intensity of consonants to the level of the vowels. “It’s better to change muscular adjustments than to use more energy to sing higher notes.” Start pitches from the top, don’t push up to them. Let the listeners “come to you.” Diplacusis is when the two ears of an individual register the same pitch differently, and can be connected to allergies and Meniere’s syndome. It really goes without saying--take care of your hearing.
Key Concepts: Understanding how hearing works for both the singer and audience can help make a performance even more successful; being sensitive to how we naturally perceive our own sound and how an audience reacts to our singing can result in a balanced performance. Take care of your hearing.
Key Terms: tensor tympani, auditory fatigue, overamplification, diplacusis
Making Connections: One thing that I struggle with in practicing is that I tend to focus a lot on what I sound like. Recently, I’ve been trying to focus on how it feels when I’m singing rather than what I sound like, and as a result, I leave practice with a less tired voice than before.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 17
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 17
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: Our nervous system is extremely complex; it carries messages from the brain to the rest of our body through chemical or stimulatory response. There is the voluntary and involuntary nervous system. The medulla oblongata, connected to the spinal cord, is used for natural processes (breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.). The hypothalamus is the emotional center. Axons send messages, dendrites receive. The afferent nerve fiber sends messages to the brain, and efferent nerve fibers send them out from the brain. If an action is performed enough, it becomes a conditioned reflex, or automatic. The point of saturation is when you achieve your greatest efficiency with nerve stimulation. “Proprioceptive nerve fibers conduct afferent sensations from muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints the brain.” Superior branch: CT muscles. Inferior portion: PCA, LCA, TA, and IA, and it has branches to the stomach/heart. Recurrent laryngeal nerve: into the chest area. Glossopharyngeal nerve: links to vagus nerve and medulla. Mucous membrane of pharynx, pillars of fauces, back part of tongue, and stylopharyngeus muscles. Facial nerve: from medulla/stylohyoid, the face, lower lip, chin. Vth: teeth, tongue, chewing muscles, pons. XIth: from medulla/cervical part of spine, works with trapezeus and sternocleidomastoid muscles, neck/shoulders. XIIth: work with extrinsic muscles, tongue motions in articulation. Every muscle action is opposed by an antagonistic action.
Key Concepts: Everything we do is controlled by our brain. Our nerves are all interconnected, so it’s important to understand that if one nerve is activated/stimulated/damaged, it has an effect on several other nerves.
Key Terms: medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, axons, dendrites, afferent nerve fiber, efferent nerve fiber, reflex arc/conditioned reflex, point of saturation, proprioception, synapse, pre-phonatory inspiration, kinesthetic senses, biofeedback, hormones, endocrine system, Vagus (aka laryngeal nerve), superior branch, inferior portion, recurrent laryngeal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, facial nerve, slow twitch, fast twitch, sympathetic and empathetic nervous systems
Making Connections: When I read this chapter, I realized exactly how interconnected our entire body is, especially when we sing. Now, when my teacher asks me to do something unusual to get a different result, I’ll know exactly why.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 16
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 16
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: The vocal folds, according to Jackson and Jackson, have nine basic functions: respiratory, valvular (control affecting positive/negative pressure in lungs), fixative (stabilize thorax for arm movement), protective (prevents foreign things to enter lungs), diglutitory (no food/water enter lungs), tussive (cough to repels foreign bodies from larynx), expectorative (clearing throat), emotional (creative/reflexive sounds), phonatory (communication). The larynx has four basic structures: cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilages, thyroid cartilage, and the hyoid bone. (There is also the epiglottis, two connuculate and two cuneiform cartilages.) The intrinsic laryngeal muscles are as follows: TA muscles (vocal folds) with the epithelium (mucous lining). They shorten and thicken and can be stretched. The PCA separates the vocal folds. The LCA adduct the vocal folds, and in extreme action can carry entire arytenoids forward for whispers. The IA close the posterior opening between the arytenoids. The CT muscles have pars recta (draws thyroid and cricoid cartilages together) and pars obliqua (pulls on inferior horns of thyroid cartilage in a gliding motion). The CT, according to Brown, are the “singer’s muscles.” The extrinsic laryngeal muscles are: the sternohyoid muscles (lowers hyoid bone/stabilizes larynx in loud singing); sternothyroid muscles (draw larynx down on inspiration/stabilize larynx); omohyoid muscles (lower/draw back hyoid bone/larynx); thyrohyoid muscles (decreases distance between the thyroid cartilage/hyoid bone. It contributes to unnecessary tension); digastric (raises hyoid bone or lower the jaw; it can pull your larynx up); stylohyoid (draw hyoid bone up/back); geniohyoid (elevates hyoid bone/draw it forward); genioglossus (draw hyoid bone forward/protrude tongue, tongue tension); hyglossus (can cause tension in larynx positioning); mylohyoid (stiff jaw).
Key Concepts: “Freedom of motion is key to free phonation.” Extrinsic muscles must be in a state of release for free singing. Each voice is unique, and the environments that we are raised in can also influence our sound. Understanding the different parts of the voice can help us to understand the limits and potential of our voice. The structures involved in singing is supremely complex, and because of this, we cannot make sound happen, but we must trust and let.
Key Terms: Vocal fold functions, Larynx anatomy, intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles
Making Connections: First off, I’m proud of myself for knowing almost all of the structures he listed in this chapter, excluding the extrinsic laryngeal muscles. I have found that learning the anatomy of the voice has been helping me to understand what happens exactly during good singing.
Emily C.: DYV, Ch. 15
Discover Your Voice: Chapter 15
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: Higher notes are naturally louder, so in singing, high notes don’t need amplification. The Bernoulli Effect states that the movement of air (between the vocal folds) creates a natural suction effect; moving air has less pressure than stationary air. Intensity is also known as volume/loudness, measured in decibels. “When two equal tone sources are added together, the intensity level is only increased by three dBs.” The Venturi Effect states that pressure (in a singer’s case, subglottic pressure) automatically increases when the opening becomes smaller when something is flowing through it. The higher the mass of the resonator, the amount of resonance increases. Frequencies of pitch are altered by the shapes of the containers they pass through. Pitches have fundamental frequencies and overtones (excluding sine waves, or pure tones). Resonance is “the intensification/enriching of a musical tone by supplementary vibration.” The beat phenomenon is when two frequencies are only just slightly different, creating a small “wobble” when sound waves clash.
Key Concepts: Becoming familiar with the physics involved in singing can be beneficial; if the voice isn’t generating sound in a way that’s healthy, you can return to basic science concepts to find the source of the problem. It also helps with understanding what you can do to be a more efficient singer.
Key Terms: frequency/pitch, condensations, rarifactions, noise, “natural” vs. “habitual” levels, Bernoulli Effect, “threshold of pain,” Venturi Effect, sine wave, “beat phenomenon.”
Making Connections: I personally found this chapter fascinating because it made me realize that there are so many things that I could be doing to sing more efficiently--something about knowing exactly what’s going on when you’re singing correctly gives me the idea that I can decide when I use better technique (that was confusing, but it made sense in my head).
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 11
Summary: The way we practice is as important as how much we practice. Phonating daily is very important in maintaining vocal prowess. Practicing involves relaxing the mind and body, establishing alignment, thinking and allowing the air to create pitch, warming up, doing vocalizes, and learning repertoire. Practice should be divided into several short periods throughout the day rather than lumped into one session. Brown gives details about more efficient approaches to learning pieces. They should be learned before they are sung, and special attention should be paid to the text. Brown also states that in performance you should "never break concentration by listening to yourself or thinking back about what you just did."
Key Concepts: Practice is essential and can be done more efficiently. The whole body is involved with singing and so the whole body must be conditioned and released just like the voice.
Making Connections: I liked OB's tips for practice. Much of it is similar to what Cindy has already told us all. I really like the idea of paying more attention to the text of a piece. I think that I could improve in this area! I plan on speaking it more than I sing it this week. I also like the line that says "Trust your inner sense no matter what anyone tells you." Although I think that it should have its limits. No matter how much you sense internally that bangs are your thing, it doesn't make bangs your thing.
Key Concepts: Practice is essential and can be done more efficiently. The whole body is involved with singing and so the whole body must be conditioned and released just like the voice.
Making Connections: I liked OB's tips for practice. Much of it is similar to what Cindy has already told us all. I really like the idea of paying more attention to the text of a piece. I think that I could improve in this area! I plan on speaking it more than I sing it this week. I also like the line that says "Trust your inner sense no matter what anyone tells you." Although I think that it should have its limits. No matter how much you sense internally that bangs are your thing, it doesn't make bangs your thing.
Sarah Brenay - OB - Ch. 10
Summary: An understanding of the physiological and sensational aspects of articulation help singers create un-entangled, expressive, speech like singing. What we perceive as vowels are actually the suppression or enhancement of particular overtones caused by the resonant space created by the pharynx, mouth, and tongue. There are close vowels, which Brown refers to as "tongue vowels" and open vowels which he calls "lip vowels. Brown includes a series of exercises to help singers attain free, natural vowel formation. He describes the formation of correct dipthongs using the anology of a pig and its tail, the pig being the initial vowel and the tail being the second vowel. Consonants require extensive study as well. Consonant create back pressure which lowers pitch, and singers must be aware of this effect to create legato line uninterrupted by pitch deviation. Vowel sounds must fall on the beat, and therefore initial consonants must come before the beat. As pitch goes up, vowels sometimes need to be modified. To open the mouth properly involves the motion of the jaw and head.
Key Concepts: Proper articulation for singing is not the same as for speech. Vowels must be formed with the primal sound in order to resonate properly. Consonants must be articulated with more vigor. Achieving proper articulation takes a great deal of practice, but allows us to convey meaning and intent to our audience.
Key Terms:
Voiced Consonants - incorporate a simultaneous sound from the larynx and can be sustained
Unvoiced Consonants - do not have the sustaining properties of vowels
Vowel Formant - the composite of concentrations of energy at particular frequencies
Phonemes - single units of language represented by IPA symbols
Making Connections: This chapter cleared up a lot of questions I had about articulation and vowel formation. I found it very helpful. I have always loved the pig and tail analogy, it makes so much sense! Connecting my singing to speech has helped me free my articulators A LOT! Thank you Cindy!
Key Concepts: Proper articulation for singing is not the same as for speech. Vowels must be formed with the primal sound in order to resonate properly. Consonants must be articulated with more vigor. Achieving proper articulation takes a great deal of practice, but allows us to convey meaning and intent to our audience.
Key Terms:
Voiced Consonants - incorporate a simultaneous sound from the larynx and can be sustained
Unvoiced Consonants - do not have the sustaining properties of vowels
Vowel Formant - the composite of concentrations of energy at particular frequencies
Phonemes - single units of language represented by IPA symbols
Making Connections: This chapter cleared up a lot of questions I had about articulation and vowel formation. I found it very helpful. I have always loved the pig and tail analogy, it makes so much sense! Connecting my singing to speech has helped me free my articulators A LOT! Thank you Cindy!
Elizabeth Tait OB Ch.12 Summary
Summary: Once a singer has a solid foundation of technique, it's time to create true art. The characteristics that create an artist-level performance are: time, tempo, dynamics, pitch, line, diction, tone color, emotion, and meaning. If your technique is up to snuff, you can have the ability to alter these characteristics to your liking. In addition to these technical aspects, you must emotionally connect with your piece. "If the song or the character you are to portray is foreign to you, you will have difficulty giving an interpretation." In opera, acting is as important as singing. In infusing your performance with emotion and character, your voice will take on the appropriate colors. While creating this artistic performance, always be true to yourself. That can mean changing keys when necessary, choosing your program according to your current vocal ability, and not imitating other artists.
Key Terms:
color
Key Concepts: Bring the music to life with your own experiences and personality. Make music, damn it.
Making Connections: I wish that I had the time and flexibility to choose my program as the artists in this chapter did. That would be so nice.
Key Terms:
color
Key Concepts: Bring the music to life with your own experiences and personality. Make music, damn it.
Making Connections: I wish that I had the time and flexibility to choose my program as the artists in this chapter did. That would be so nice.
Elizabeth Tait OB Ch. 11 Summary
Summary: A daily routine of vocalization is essential to making progress and keeping a healthy voice throughout your life. Since your body is different everyday, your voice will feel differently everday. Therefore it is important to start afresh with vocalization every morning, don't rely on what happened the night before. There are certain principles that should be a part of every day's practice:
1. Study Rhythm
2. Study Intervals
3. Sing on neutral syllable like "la"
4. Read as a poem
5. Words in rhythm
6. Sing words on pitches, no dynamics
7. Study expression markings
8. Make it a work of art!
Mental preparation is the key to prepared singing.
Key Terms:
Key Concepts: The practice that seems to yield greater end results is practice that involves more mental activity than vocal activity.
Making Connections: I have been wanting a good reference for practice habits and ideas for a while, and this is it! Sometimes I get stuck in the practice room, and referring to this chapter will be very helpful.
loosening the body
body alignment
think sound, and let sound happen
gently warm the voice with automatic pitch
split up practice into small segments
focus on filling in weak areas, not practicing strengths
Oren then gives his step-by-step process to learn music:1. Study Rhythm
2. Study Intervals
3. Sing on neutral syllable like "la"
4. Read as a poem
5. Words in rhythm
6. Sing words on pitches, no dynamics
7. Study expression markings
8. Make it a work of art!
Mental preparation is the key to prepared singing.
Key Terms:
Key Concepts: The practice that seems to yield greater end results is practice that involves more mental activity than vocal activity.
Making Connections: I have been wanting a good reference for practice habits and ideas for a while, and this is it! Sometimes I get stuck in the practice room, and referring to this chapter will be very helpful.
Shalayna G. DYV 14
Chapter Summary: Choral directors need to learn and
understand the voice.
There is much preparation that needs to go into selecting
voices for a choir and how they should be used. In addition vocal care is
imperative to rehearsals such as, proper warm ups and breaks in between
singing. Knowing the level of your singers takes time. Directors need to know
their singers capabilities and work accordingly.
Key Concept: Beautiful choral singer takes sincere patience
and care.
Key terms: none
Connection: These chapters made me reflect on the choral directors
I have worked with over my very few years. I can now differentiate the ones
that actually care about their singer and what they do.
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