Emily C., McCoy, Ch.1

Provide the missing descriptor in the following pairs: (2-6)

• Clean – Raspy
• Dramatic – Lyric
• Loft – Twang
• Clear – Breathy
• Healthy – Damaged
• Dark – Bright
• Forward – Back
• Ringing – Conversational
• Nasal – Non-nasal
• Free – Forced
• Straight Tone – Vibrant
• Wobble – Flutter

• Define chiaroscuro. (2)
• It literally means, “light dark,” and it’s the balance between a bright, carrying tone and a dark, warm and fuller tone. Chiaroscuro is very typically found in healthy singing voices but can vary, with some voices tipped slightly more towards the brighter or darker tones. 
• How does the strength of the overtones vary in tones that are bright vs. dark? (2)
• In bright tones, the overtones tend to be stronger in higher pitches. In dark tones, the overtones tend to be stronger in lower pitches. 
• What causes twang resonance? How would you describe the sound? (2)
• A narrower vocal tract tends to cause a twangy sound, and it’s often partnered with nasality. I would describe it as bright, brass-like, and sharp (not in pitch). 
• What causes loft resonance?  (2)
• Loft resonance is caused by a relaxed and enlarged pharynx, as well as a lifted soft palate. It’s the complete opposite of twang. 
• What often causes the sound to be ‘back’ rather than forward? (2-3)
• It can be due to excessive root-of-the-tongue tension. More often than not, a “back” sound accompanies a darker tone and/or loft resonance. 
• Lyric and dramatic are indicators of both the size and the  of the voice. (3)
• color
• Synonyms for light and dramatic might be  and . (3)
• lyric and full
• What is the cause of breathiness? (3)
• When the glottis isn’t completely closed (usually as a result of poor breath support), air can escape while singing, resulting in the breathy tone.
• What is raspiness?  What causes raspiness? (3)
• Raspiness the additional, “extraneous noise” in a vocal sound. This can be caused by physiological and/or pathological voice disorders. 
• How are breathiness and raspiness different? (3)
• Breathiness is literally just the sound of extra air escaping, whereas raspiness has a gravelly and course sound. 
• What are signs of a damaged voice? (3)
• Generally speaking, a damaged voice will have a gravelly/raspy quality that is unwanted and cannot be controlled. If there is cracking/popping/unintentional sounding of two simultaneous pitches, and excessively slow/wide vibrato, this can also be an indicator of vocal damage. 
• What is nasality?  What causes nasality? (4)
• Nasality is when a tone resonates in the nasal cavity. It is caused by a relaxed soft palate that doesn’t close off the nasal cavity completely from the throat. 
• Define free singing. (4-5)
• Free singing is subjective to the singer, style of music, and the listener’s interpretation. Free tones “give the impression of ease,” and free singing allows the singer to vocalize for long periods of time before becoming fatigued. 
• Define forced singing. (5)
• Forced singing is also subjective. A forced sound can be used artistically to create the impression that the music is emotionally taxing. However, excessive forced singing can cause hoarseness and vocal fatigue. 
• Define vibrato. (5)
• Vibrato is a long-term oscillation on a sustained frequency or pitch. The speed, consistency, and pitch range of the vibrato can change depending on the singer’s level of experience, vocal health, and musical style. 
• What is the compass of a normal vibrato? (5)
• The compass of a normal vibrato is from a major second or more from top to bottom. 
• Describe the characteristics of regular vibrato. (5)
• A normal/healthy vibrato is consistent and steady. There are equal parts of pitch and loudness in perfect synchronization.
• What does pitch-dominant vibrato sound like? (5)
• It has no modulation in loudness and sounds like a perpetual slow trill. It’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact pitch being sung. 
• What does loudness-dominant vibrato sound like? (5)
• It has little or no modulation in pitch and can have a “bleating” quality. 
• What is the oscillation rate of a healthy, well-balanced vibrato? (5)
• A well-balanced vibrato will oscillate from the approximate range of 4.5 to 7 cycles per second (cps). 
• Define wobble. (5-6)
• It’s a very slow vibrato (less than 4.5 cps) that usually has a wide pitch compass, exceeding a major second from top to bottom. 
• What causes wobble? (6)
• It can be caused from prolonged periods of unhealthy voice use, bad singing technique, old age, or neurological disorders. 
• How can we avoid developing a wobble? (6)
• We can avoid developing a wobble by practicing good vocal hygiene, which includes pulmonary fitness, and daily (good) vocalization. 
• Define flutter. (6)
• Flutter is an excessively rapid vibrato that usually exceeds 7 cps with a narrow pitch compass. It can be helpful with singing coloratura by matching the rate of oscillation with the speed of pitch changes.