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.
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