1/29/14 - Emma Wright
Lesson Overview
After planning our next lesson we did some stretching while discussing how Emma's practicing went since our last lesson. She was telling me that her pieces were going well, but that she wanted to try "She's Like the Swallow" in a lower key. Which is fine, because I happen to have it in a lower key! Then we did some warming up for about 15 minutes, which went really well. I feel like she's coming along! I wasn't planning on talking to her about vocal adduction, but she asked questions so I explained that improper adduction can cause a breathy tone. I warned her that pushing to create focus is extremely unhealthy. I hope that my dire warnings don't scare her away from trying new things! Yikes I didn't think about that... Anyway then we sang "Amazing Grace."
Vocalizes
We started with some sighs and stretches, which is how I've been starting every single lesson. I just love doing it myself! I asked her if she could start higher without pushing and she did! Her voice is getting more clarity up there. I'm excited about that! I think this exercise is good for her.
Then we did an [u] sound sliding up and down an octave. We started on B flat 3 sliding up to B flat 4, and then went down to A flat 3. I jumped up to D4-D5 and descended again. I had her tip her head back and let her jaw release, which allowed much more sound to come out and freed her up quite a bit. She said that it felt much better, and I asked her to expand on that. She said that she felt like more sound was coming out and it "just felt better." I'm not completely convinced. I worry that she may have been doing something funky to compensate for her jaw movement, but I couldn't or hear anything this time so I'll have to keep a sharp eye out.
After that we did some [ni ne na no nu]. First speaking, then elongating, then projecting, then elevating. We sang it on the 13531 pattern again which is also clearing up and gaining more focus. I noticed that she was keeping more space in her mouth! She was actually applying what we talked about in the previous warm up! What a great student! I showed her how to do the warm up without closing her mouth at all, but told her not to strain herself because she was already making so much progress with her jaw release and I didn't want her to push it.
Lastly, we did Brown's warm up for hypofunction. Descending staccato scale [bi di bi di bi]. This worked great! There was so much more immediacy and clarity in her tone! I started pretty low, just D major. Then descended to B flat. I went back up to E flat Major and this time decided to add the jand flick. In Brown's book he directed the student to flick their forearm and hand as though they were shaking off water. I thought it sounded like a crutch and was reluctant to try it, but thought I might as well experiment. It worked REALLY well. She said that she thought it sounded very different! I asked her how it felt different and she said it sounded stronger and easier. I was so pleased with the result! We kept doing that exercise for a while, switching consonants to [go do go do go] and [ki ti ki ti ki]. We went as high as G major, but I am honestly afraid to go higher with her.
Repertoire work
We started with Amazing Grace.
At first her tone was very breathy, suddenly cutting into an edgy chest tone on notes below E4. My first idea was to connect her singing to speech. We spoke the text naturally, then in rhythm, then elevated it. At first the effect was very good! I asked Emma what felt different and she had a hard time articulating what she felt. She said it sounded more natural and more connected. It sounded much better to me! But the effect faded quickly.
Next I tried to help her with breathing. Her posture is really excellent! And her rib cage expands outward incredibly well! She said she learned the breathing technique from a video about singing rock safely. Who knew? The problem was that she collapsed at the onset. Her breathing was too fast and gaspy and then expelled to quickly. I tried really hard to address the rib collapse situation but nothing I said made sense to Emma. We stood next to each other in front of the mirror, inhaled, and then exhaled on a [s]. Her ribs collapsed more slowly, but something still wasn't working. She said "the body needs to collapse a little bit though, doesn't it?" And I really wasn't sure. I said, "ideally, eventually, no! But I'm still working on it." I had her lie down on the floor and feel the way her breath entered and exited her body. I did it too and unfortunately felt my ribs moving on exhale. So My whole concept of collapse was negated. Now I'm confused!!! We did discover that the MOST movement occurs below the diaphragm. But I'm not sure how to use or explain this information. I gave up on the collapsing vain because I started feeling so uncertain. So I tried to help her intake air more slowly. That helped a lot! We would sing a phrase, then pause for a nice slow breath, then sing again. She made it through her phrases with much more grace and with a fuller tone. I was pleased with that, but frustrated that I couldn't explain the supported singing.
Reaction
I feel like some really good things happened in this lesson! The [bi di bi di bi] warm up worked wonders. The slow breaths were very helpful. And Emma is so smart and hard working that things are starting to click for her. I also feel frustrated because I didn't explain the breathing well. I still wish I could think on my feet during warm ups faster. Lots of work to do!
Ideas for next time
I need to come up with some safe warm ups to take her voice higher. I think she's really afraid to sing high and I need to help her see that she can! I'm just afraid to do it wrong.
If I do the [u] slide up and down the octave again I will need to change the vowels to [a] at the bottom and [u] at the top.
I need to figure out how to help her with breath. I realize now that a good visualization is spreading both arms to the side as you inhale to simulate the expansion of the ribs, sides, and back. I'll need to figure it all out before our next lesson.
I moved away from the speak to sing exercise. It worked so well at first, and then when it started to get airy again I should have gone back and had her start the speak to sing process again.
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