Vocalizations: primal uh to oo, octave lip buzzes, the wobble, shy, getting high
Music Worked on: Seit ich ihn gesehen, Er der herrlichste von allen, Ich kann's nicht fassen nicht glauben, der Ring, Les Petites Communiantes
Take aways: My voice was still pretty worn out from Tarzan as was my body, so we mostly talked about character today. My German set is particularly hard for me because I feel like I am singing about stuff that I have limited experience with. Laurie and I spent a lot of time talking about my experiences and hers to try to find something that would help me connect. It turns out there isn't much that I can connect to within my own life, so we decided to have me take the approach of pulling from movies or books. This helped a bit, but I still struggle. It was helpful to have Laurie and Emma share there experiences cause it gave me some ideas to implement and mix with the movies to help me picture what I need to. I learned that sometimes you have to draw from multiple sources to find the emotional connection you need.
Impact on weekly practice: I need some more time with emotional connections. I need to be uber specific! I probably need to talk to people more about my pieces so that I can bounce ideas around and find the one that fits best! I am still so in my head and it is effecting my voice because I am not connecting emotionally and just letting the sound happen! I need to study the dynamics more as well to create emotional shifts.
Goals for next week: I want to have a sing through and just have Laurie critique me on my emotional commitment both in my face and dynamically.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Sarah Boucher Malde Ch. 5 Part 1
What is the key to success in resonance?
AWARENESS
What are the 9 moveable structures that affect the shape of
your resonator?
-The balance of the head over the spine
-the pharyngeal constrictors
-velum or soft palate
-mandible
-tongue
-lips
-buccinator muscles
-larynx
-aryepiglottic sphincter
Describe the vocal tract at rest.
lips are closed or slightly open, the jaw is slightly open so that there is a space between the upper and lower teeth, the tongue lies in the cradle of the jaw, the cheeks are free and long, the soft palate is suspended, the muscles of the pharynx are neither stretched nor tense, the larynx is midway between its highest and lowest point
Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all
styles of good singing?
the jaw moves freely for articulation, the tongue with lie easily in the cradle of the jaw but moves to form different vowels and consonants, the pharyngeal muscles will be released, the head will be free to move but remains balanced at the A-O Joint
Which movements are specific to classical style?
lips released and forward, the cheeks are long and free, the jaw will vary in its opening, the larynx will be lower and the soft palate higher
Which movements do non-classical singers make?
wider lateral opening of the mouth allowing the cheeks to pull back on the lips, movement of larynx soft palate and jaw will be closer to those of speech.
Keeping the head in balance does
not mean keeping it IMMOBILE.
What are the two effects of
resonance by the balance of the head?
It can move the larynx and change the curve of the throat
What happens if you allow the
back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)?
raises the larynx and shortens the vocal tract
Describe the pharyngeal
constrictors, as a whole.
three thin sheets of muscle that nestle against the front of the spine at the back of the throat and curve forward sloping down at the sides.
Describe the location of the SPC.
SPC is connected to the base of the skull right behind the opening to the nose, its sides connect to the muscles of the inner cheek.
Describe the location of the MPC.
connects to the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue, at the level of the corner of the jaw
Describe the location of the IPC.
continuous with the esophagus on the bottom and connects to the cricoid cartilage at the sides
What is the survival function of
the pharyngeal constrictors?
assist in swallowing and regurgitation
What is the job of the pharyngeal
muscles for singing?
stay out of the way!
What is the one muscles that can
open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located?
the stylopharyngeus muscle, stretches the middle of the pharynx, it originates at the styloid process on the bottom side of the skull right behind the ear and extends obliquely down and forward along the outside of the upper pharyngeal constrictor, inserting between the upper and middle pharyngeal constrictors
What should we avoid doing to try
to get louder? Why?
tensing the sides of the vocal tract, the chamber of air is the resonator NOT the hardness of the vocal tract
What are our choices if we want
more volume?
faster air flow or change the shape of the chamber of air
Describe the velum (location and
function)
valve that opens and closes the passages to the nose, located at the top of the throat above the opening of the pharynx into the mouth
Describe the movements of the
soft palate.
Neutral: allows air to flow freely through the mouth and nose
Highest: closes off the nasal cavity so that air can only move through the mouth
Lowest: closes off the mouth so that air can only move through the nose
How many muscle pairs control the
movement of the soft palate? To what are
they all attached?
There are four muscles pairs that control the movement of the soft
palate: two that lift and stretch it and two that pull it down. They are all attached to the uvular muscle.
What are the muscles called that
lift the soft palate? Describe their location.
levator veli palatini muscles, base of the skull behind the nose passing through the upper pharyngeal constrictor and insert into the top of the uvular muscle
Which muscles stretch the soft
palate from side to side? Describe their
location.
tensor veli palatini muscles, originate slightly farther forward than the base of the skull and descend to the pterygoid hamulus and turn a corner to attach to the sides of the uvular muscle
What is the secondary effect of
tensing the two muscles listed above?
increase the vertical space in the pharynx
What are the muscles that lower
the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles?
palatopharyngeus and palatoglossus muscles, your tone becomes nasal
Describe the location of these
muscles.
palatopharyngeus: connects the sides of the uvular muscle to the lower pharyngeal constrictor
palatoglossus: connect the uvular muscle to the sides of the tongue at the back.
Describe the mandible.
the jaw is horseshoe shaped when viewed from above, it is taller at the back than the front, on the posterior portion there are two condyles that connect the jaw to the skull
Describe the location of the
temporal mandibular joint.
the point where the jaw connects to the skull, right in front of your ears
What are the three most important
muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions?
Masseter and temporalis muscles: close the jaw
digastric muscles: open the jaw
Describe the location of the
masseter muscles.
originate on the underside of the cheekbones and insert into the sides of the jaw along the back
Describe the location of the
temporalis muscles.
originate in a fan shape from the sides of the skull above the ears, run obliquely inside the cheekbones and insert into the coronoid processes of the jaw
Describe the location and
function of the muscles that open the jaw.
the digastric muscles: originate at the inside of the mastoid process and run obliquely down under the tongue attaching to the front of the jaw behind the chin
geniohyoid muscles: originate at the front of the jaw behind the center of the chin, run under the tongue and insert into the front of the hyoid
mylohyoid muscles: originate from the inside of the manible, forms the floor of the mouth
How do these three pairs of
muscles move the jaw?
pulling the chin back and down toward the hyoid bone
Which are the consonants that
require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly?
[s] [z] [f] [v]
Do any consonants require the
teeth to be closed?
no
What is the jaw position for most
consonants?
neutral
Which muscles moves the jaw
forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function.
lateral and medial ptergoids: arise at eh base of the skull behind the nose, attach to the condyles of the mandible right in front of the TMJ's
Sam Meredith Malde Ch. 5
What is the key to success in resonance? awareness
What are the 9 moveable structures that affect the shape of
your resonator? the balance of your head over the spine, the pharyngeal constrictors, the soft palate, the mandible, the tongue, the lips, the buccinator muscles, the larynx, the aryepiglottic sphincter
Describe the vocal tract at rest. the lips are not pressed together, the jaw is slightly open, the tongue is in the cradle of the jaw, the cheeks are free, the soft palate is suspended, the muscles of the pharynx are neither stretched nor tense, the larynx is midway between its highest and lowest point
Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all
styles of good singing? the jaw must move freely for articulation, the must lie easily in the jaw but constantly move to form different vowels and consonants, the pharyngeal muscles will be released, the head will be free to move, but remain balanced on the A-O joint
Which movements are specific to classical style? the lips will remain released and forward and the cheeks will be long and free
Which movements do non-classical singers make? they may select a wider lateral opening of the mouth, movements of the larynx, soft palate, and jaw will be closer to those of speech
Keeping the head in balance does
not mean keeping it __immobile_______________________.
What are the two effects of
resonance by the balance of the head? it can move the larynx and change the curve of the throat
What happens if you allow the
back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)? the larynx will be pulled up through its connection to the hyoid bone
Describe the pharyngeal
constrictors, as a whole. they are thin sheets of muscle that nestle against the front of the spine at the back of the throat and curve forward sloping down at the sides
Describe the location of the SPC. it is attached to the base of the skull right behind the opening to the nose just in front of the A-O joint. It sides connect to the muscles of the inner cheek
Describe the location of the MPC. it is level with the corner of the jaw, the sides of the muscle connect to the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue
Describe the location of the IPC. it is continuous with the esophagus on the bottom and connects to the cricoid cartilage at the sides
What is the survival function of
the pharyngeal constrictors? to assist during swallowing and regurgitation
What is the job of the pharyngeal
muscles for singing? to stay out of the way
What is the one muscles that can
open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located? the stylopharyngeus muscle, it stretches the middle of the pharynx, it originates at the styloid process on the bottom side of the skull and extends obliquely down and forward along the outside of the upper pharyngeal constrictor, inserting between the upper and middle pharyngeal constrictors
What should we avoid doing to try
to get louder? Why? tensing the sides of the vocal tract; it makes it sound purely like the buzz of the vocal folds
What are our choices if we want
more volume? faster air flow, change the shape of the chamber of air, or both
Describe the velum (location and
function) it is a valve that opens and closes the passages to the nose; it is located at the top of the throat above the opening of the pharynx into the mouth
Describe the movements of the
soft palate. movement of the soft palate regulates nasality
How many muscle pairs control the
movement of the soft palate? To
what are they all attached? 4; the uvular muscle
What are the muscles called that
lift the soft palate? Describe
their location. leveator veli palatini muscles; they originate at the base of the skull and insert into the top of the uvular muscle
Which muscles stretch the soft
palate from side to side? Describe
their location. the tensor palatini muscles; they originate slightly farther forward on the base of the skull and descend to the pterygoid hamulus and attach to the sides of the uvular muscle
What is the secondary effect of
tensing the two muscles listed above? the vertical space of the pharynx also increases
What are the muscles that lower
the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles? the palatopharyngeus and palatoglossus muscles; engagement of these muscles makes the tone more nasal
Describe the location of these
muscles. the palatopharyngeus muscles are long, thin muscles that connect the sides of the uvular muscle to the lower pharyngeal constrictor. The palatoglossus muscles connect the uvular muscle to the sides of the tongue at the back
Describe the mandible. it is horseshoe shaped when viewed from above or below, is taller at the back than at the front, there are two rounded condyles on each side that connect the jaw to the rest of the skull, there are coronoid processes which go inside the cheek bones when the jaw is closed
Describe the location of the
temporal mandibular joint. the joints are located right in front of the ears
What are the three most important
muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions? the masseter, and temporalis muscles which close the jaw, the digastric muscles, which open the jaw
Describe the location of the
masseter muscles. they originate from the underside of the cheekbones and insert into the sides of the jaw along the back
Describe the location of the
temporalis muscles. they originate in a fan shape from the sides of the skull above the ears, run obliquely inside the cheekbones and insert into the coronoid processes of the jaw
Describe the location and
function of the muscles that open the jaw. digastric muscles originate inside the mastoid process, run through a loop attached to the hyoid vone and then run under the tongue to attach at the front of the jaw behind the chin; the geniohyoid muscles originate at the front of the jaw behind the center of the chin, run under the tongue to insert to the front of the hyoid bone; the mylohyoid muscles originate from the insides of the mandible above the digastrics and geniohyoids and meet under the middle of the tongue in a fibrous band called a raphe, which runs from the back of the chin to the hyoid bone where the backs of the mylohyoids insert; all of these muscles pull the chin back and down towards the hyoid, thus lowering the jaw
How do these three pairs of
muscles move the jaw? they pull the chin back and down toward the hyoid bone
Which are the consonants that
require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly? [s], [z], [f], [v]
Do any consonants require the
teeth to be closed? no
What is the jaw position for most
consonants? neutral
Which muscles moves the jaw forward and from side to side? Describe
their location & function the lateral and medial pterygoids; they both arise on the base of the skull behind the nose; the lateral pterygoids attach to the condyles of the mandible right in front of the TMJs; the medial pterygoids attach to the inside of the mandible at the lower back corner; these muscles bring the condyle in the TMJ forward and can assist in closing the jaw; they are helpful in chewing but not in singing
Taylee B. Taessia K. LESSON RECORD/REACTIONS 03/03/14
Me: How much singing have you done today?
T: Choir.
Me: Does he do warm-ups?
T: A little bit, but I hate his warm-ups.
Me: What about them don't you like?
T: Well, I've noticed comparing your terminology and his terminology, that the way he states things, um, conotates, err, denotes poor habits...
Me: Uh huh...
T: ...and like when we're going through solo warm-ups, he wouldn't have me do something--at particular moments of how my voice is feeling...
Me: Uh huh...
T: ...that I recognize when he's doing choir warm-ups.
Me: I see. Well...
T: My voice just never feels comfortable now when we're warming up in choir.
Me: Well I'm glad that you're recognizing at least how you feel. Um, his ideas are... ok, it's hard to try and do [warm-up] a whole choir.
T: Uh huh...
Me: I mean it's a whole different ball game.
T: Right.
Me: So, I mean I can see where that would be a difficulty, and it takes, or comes into play. But, um, ok.
Me: Ok, go ahead and flop over. (I'm not very good at explaining verbally during this chunk of the lesson--as far as it being helpful for dictating this recording. I mostly showed her what I wanted at this point. I did make sure that her knees weren't bent and that her head, neck and shoulders were released and completely hanging freely.) Ok, and wiggle your head around. And then slowly roll up. Alright, and starting at your A-O joint, find a place of balance for your head, and work your way down the body. (I'd been yawing like crazy since the beginning of our lesson, so...) Me: *yawn* Sorry, I slept like crap last night.
T: Por que?
Me: Because I went to bed late.
T: That was was poor choice.
Me: I was studying for a test. So no it wasn't a poor choice, because I did awesome Cindy! (That really was a shout out to you Cindy, during my lesson.) Ok! Well, at least I hope I did.
Me: Are you going to keep fidgeting with your hair? (She'd redone her pony tail at least 4 times since the start of the lesson.)
T: I'm sorry, I had it right here, [in a low pony-tail on her left side] and it was throwing me off balance.
Me: I thought of that, but I wasn't going to say anything, which I probably should have. (I now realize that to be stupid to have intended not to say anything. Glad she was on top of things.)
Me: Ok. I feel like your hips and your knees look really, really tight. And let your arms relax. It's making you, just, like, stiff. (She re adjusts herself) That's better, your knees are still locked... because you're leaning so far forward that in order to compensate for your balance your' having to lock your knees. So just start at your head. Find a place that your neck and head feel comfortable. And then work your way down to your lumbar, in relationship to your thorax. So, yes you should have a curve because there's one naturally there, but it shouldn't be over done and you can't have clenched butt, you want to have a hover butt. So you shouldn't feel like your butt is part of your thighs. This [I demonstrate] is too much, this [demonstration] is too much this direction as well. You need to have a place were your butt just feels like it's floating.
T: Ok.
Me: Ok.
T: Cute toes by the way.
Me: Thank you. Umm, this is looking better, but don't put your hands in your pockets. That causes you to go like this [demonstration] and slouch forward. You're just like me, you feel uncomfortable not having your arms doing something. You need to maybe take some time this week, and get used to being comfortable with yourself. Because...
T: I should bring my heels on Friday.
Me: That would be a good idea. If I had shoes relitively close to your size, I'd make you wear them. But, um, I think I'm like 3 sizes bigger than you. Like numbers, not halves. So, um, ok let's start... I just want you to pretend like you're chewing some food. Then I want you to... *yawn*... I'm sorry I'm so yawny. So keep chewing some food and then start... make sure you're actually chewing, not just moving your lips and stuff.
Me: Ok. Uh, lets start with A B C D "thee" (this vocalize starts with speaking the four letters, then decending on "thee" on a 54321.) Let's start on D Major.
Together: (*I play DM chord*) ABCD "thee".(Down half-step, and I don't do it too, just Taessia this next time)
Me:*DbM chord*
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: *CM chord* You're really heavy. I want it speech-like, but I don't want heavy. So think a little bit lighter and space between your top and bottom molars. *replay CM chord*.
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: *BM chord*
T: ABCD "thee". Could you play that a little slower?
Me: Sure! *BM again*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: I don't want you to punch every note, that's why I played it a little bit faster. I don't... the focus needs to be that the pitch is falling through your body, not necessarily hitting every single pitch because then you lock up. *BbM chord*.
Together: ABCD "thee".
Me: *AM chord*.
Together: ABCD
T: "thee"
Me: *DM chord*
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: So your ABCD that time... that was weird.
T: Yeah, that was.
Me: Just speak it. ABCD. *DM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *DbM chord* Don't think 'I'm going to sing now'. Just speak.
Together: ABCD "thee".
Me: *CM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *BM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *FM chord* now just do "thee".
T: Do you want me to "th" before the pitch?
Me: Yes. So I'll just play the top pitch, you "th" and think this pitch, and then when you start I'll follow. *FM chord, then repeatedly play C*
T: "thee"
Me: *EM chord, repeated B*
T: "thee"
Me: *EbM chord, repeated Bb*
T: "thee"
Me: Mmm...
T: I'm sorry.
Me: No it's not... don't apologize. I'm just not picking good things for you today.
Me: You're already going into 'sing' body position. Shake it out, re-balance yourself. Umm...*EM chord with the octave E above (for an arpeggio vocalize)* No... *DM chord with octave D* "Who's new blue shoes?" (on 8531). And I don't want you to 'sing' it at all. Just say it. *DM chord with octave D*
Together: "Who's new blue shoes"
Me: *DbM full chord*
T: "Who's new blue shoes"
Me: *CM*
T: "Wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Think buoyant though. So speak it, but speak it in like a... bouncy kind of way. *BbM again*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: oh, try that one again. *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Your 'who' needs more speech-like. (I demonstrate what I heard her do, then what I wanted) *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Try it again. *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Try it again. *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: You're going into a little more 'singy'. (Demonstrates the wanted behavior) *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Good! Umm, uh, let's... uh... So I want you to imagine that you are about to take a drink of water. (I do it with her. This is to get her to release her jaw in the down and back sort of way.) Feel how your jaw is. Now come up and let your jaw be in that same spot. So when people say that your jaw needs to open more, it doesn't mean (demonstrates). Because if you watch, that (my jaw) had to go forward. Our jaw works as it comes back and down. So maybe just rest your hand right here on your jaw, just like this. Just let the weight of your hand rest on your jaw. Let's pretend you're an old man snoring. Lay your head back and pretend you're asleep with your mouth open. Now bring your head up. Ok, so the trick is, not the trick, the goal is to have this nice released jaw and also have the energy so that the tone can focus out your forehead.
T: Ok.
Me: So you need to still have energy in your cheek bones, like Betty Boop.
T: Ok
Me: So she has the jaw back, but there is still the energy right in here. Ok?
T: Yup
Me: Let's try humming, on the tone of indecision, and then "thee" on 8531. *CM full chord, with repeated C5 playing (the octave up C)*
T: "mmm.....thee"
Me: But don't breath in between the two things. *CM chord, with repeated top note*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: *BM*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: *BbM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *AM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *DM* (with the jump she tried to make her "mmm" jump as well) No, don't make pitch, just think like you're not sure. "HMMM?"
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *DbM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *CM*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: I feel like I see your larynx go jump up to find that note. So, let's just try the "Who's new blue shoes" again. *DM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: You're too 'singy'. (Demonstration of how she did it) You're going straight to the vibrato, which vibrato is not a bad thing, that's not what I'm saying. But you're thinking 'sing' mode. *DbM*
Together: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: But with your body not crooked. *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *EbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Oh, try that one again. *EbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Ok. Um do you have it memorized? (Referring to her song)
T: Um, close.
Me: Did you work on it since yesterday?
T: Yes, but I just get really confused with like spitting out the words with the tempo because as soon as I get off tempo then I just get lost. You know what I mean?
Me: Maybe, guess we'll see.
T: Like it's out the door as soon as I don't say it write.
Me: Oh, ok. Go ahead and grab mom, and we'll have her come play.
Me: Let's just try and see how much you know. Let's just see how well you do.
Me: Alright Tage, before we start singing this, what is this song about?
T: I am a gypsy, and I like to have fun, and I think boys are ridiculous, I like flirting with them.
Me: ...ok. Ok, let's go with that. Give that to me, cheater! (she tried to sneak her music for the sing through)
T: (Singing: "Chi Vuol la Zingarella" from the opera "I Zingari in Fiera" by Paisiello.)
She made it through the first sentance in the song before she freaked.
T: You are making me nervous!
Me: Why? Because I'm looking down at a piece of music?
T: I don't know... because I feel like you're judging my Italian.
Me: Don't think about Italian, we can work on Italian. Just think... yeah (calming gesture), I am not out to get you, neither are the judges. If anything, they are willing you to do a good job.
T: *singing* (She made it to the second verse this time) Can we start over?
Me: This is a new spot. You've come to a rest position [in the song]. It's good that you recognize that you're not in a good place right now (referring to her state of being while singing), cause you're not.
T: No.
Me: So, take a second, re-set yourself. Obviously you can't do this in a performance, but you can to some degree because that's what fermattas are great for. (There is a fematta over the rest that precedes her new verse.) A new start over. So re-align yourself, because you're doing crazy things with your hips. You're doing this (demonstrate), and when your hips are jutting forward, can't really do a low breath, can you? Cause there's not anywhere really for it to go.
T: Right.
Me: Find a good place where you're comfortable with yourself. If you're not comfortable with yourself, they're not going to be comfortable with you. (judges, audience, anyone really...) K? Ready?
T: *singing* (she got to the cadence and it was different than the first verse.)
Me: Stop. What are the notes there? (my mom played them.) Ok go from [the spot a few measures before this ending]. That's an 'A' that you end on, and what's the next note that you sing?
T: A.
Me: Right!
Together: *singing cadence with correct notes slowly*.
Me: Great, let's try it again from the [2nd verse].
T: Um, is it always this fast?
Me: You can take it a little bit slower.
T: Cause, we haven't practiced it this fast...
Me: Well, you set the tempo, mom just follows you.
T: Ok.
Me: Ready? (I counted in the measure at a slower tempo)
T: *singing* (messed up words and that same cadence.) Sorry, my pages got all mixed up.
Me: It's fine, just start from the same place again.
T: *singing* (was a little shaky on the cadence again, but it was mostly there)
Me: ...better keep going... (I told her this right after the cadence, and then helped her sing the next part so that my talking wouldn't throw her off.)
T: *singing* (another mess up on the ryhthm/notes)
Me: Hold on a sec mom. Ok, let's just me and you sing through this, with out mom, for a sec.
T: Ok
Me: So from page 27, at the 'Chi vuol'.
Together: *sang through 2nd verse, and then had the piano keep going with just her on the 3rd*
T: *singing* (I had to help her a tiny bit on the ending).
Me: Alright...
T: Ugh... I'm sorry!
Me: The biggest problem I fear right now, is that you don't have a good sense of pulse in your body. So, notes and rhythms aside, until you can feel the pulse, the underlying pulse, you're speeding up. You're trying to speed things up, because you see 32nd notes, and in your head you're like 'BAAHHH'!
T: Mmm hmm
Me: So, you need (demonstrates a pulse/bouyant sound in the opening phrase). Until you can feel that pulse, it's going to turn into mush when you're trying to do the notes. So let's go from top of 28.
T: *singing* (she messed up some of the same spots again, so I sang them with her until she got back to a spot she knew in the 3rd verse. At the end of the song, she struggled with how to pronounce the Italian on the written rhythms.)
Me: Ok...
T: I sound like a little girl...
Me: Ok, let's just go to the top of 28 again, with out acc., and I just want you to pulse [with your body], but like squat pulse. You're still doing the hip thing (hips jutting out/forward)
T: OK.
Me: It's like your go-to when you're nervous. You clench your butt and that makes your hips go forward.
T: Oh I'm not a butt clench-er, I just push my hips forward.
Me: Oh. Well something is causing it them to go forward. Which then you have to start wringing yourself out to get any air out. (I then spoke the words in rhythm with her doing a squat pulse.) So, besides the pulse thing, I think your biggest enemy in what you're doing right now, is you're not taking advantage of your rests. Because you have giant places for breaths. You don't need to hold the note longer than what the music tells you to do, because it's not a 'show off, I'm awesome' moment. On ritards, on more elaborate phrases, yeah, that would be appropriate. But this is more of a 'get to those places' point. Ok, let's start here (pointed at music).
Together we pulsed out the beat using little squats, and then spoke the text in rhythm.
Me: Ok right there you need to give mom a better indication of how you want to ritard that. So go from the third system. (still with out piano, worked on that cadence ritard).
T: *singing*
During her singing I would give her little instructions like, "You're in 'sing' mode!", and "Speak it!" I had her to it all the way to the end without the piano. Again she struggled with the Italian on the end. So I had her back up a few systems and try that part again with out piano. I sang it with her to make sure she did it right. Then We went back to the beginning, and I had the piano join us again. During the intro, I instructed Taessia to stand in the way she would if she were performing.
Me: Stand as if you are performing. You can use the music still, since I know you won't be able to do it with out, but I need you to feel the pulse internally. If you don't feel it, mom won't be able to pick it up and it makes it very difficult for her to follow you. So wiggle your hips out... Actually, I want you to do hula hips while you're singing. Get into the position you would stand in for singing, and then I want you to pretend like you have a hula hoop on the whole time you're singing. Yeah?
T: Ok
Me: If you want to do a figure eight so that you get different directions, go for it. Ok? Alright, go ahead mom.
T: *singing* (WOW! Her timbre suddenly focused and her pitch was a LOT more centered!!)
I stupidly didn't mention to her how awesome she sounded once she released her hips. If she forgot to move them (because she got to a part she didn't know very well), I would remind her, and the sound would again improve. At one point, we stopped so that we could work on the mellismas from the first verse, then continued on with the song. Still I would remind her to do the hips by just saying "hips!" when she started getting tight. She was finally starting to get into the pulse a little bit this time through the song, so even when she was a little shaky on the notes or rhythms I still encouraged her to keep going because I didn't want her to practice stopping each time she made a mistake, but rather how to jump back into it and find the pulse again. SHE STILL BOTCHED THE ENDING WORDS!!! (even listening back to the recording, I wanted to bop her on the head! Let the record show that I didn't though). I should have made her go back and do it correctly over and over, so that she could mylinate the right way to do it. I didn't though, so that's my mistake.
Towards then end of the song, there is an ascending phrase that has 32nd notes that build up to the F. She didn't have enough of the "teacher, pick me" feeling during that phrase. So I told her to imagine her body getting taller through that whole line. I also mentioned that I didn't want her to pull her back to get taller, just lean forward onto her tippy-toes. I then demonstrated it for her, adding a flop-over on the P4 leap up to the F. I told her to do the tippy-toes thing and add the flop.
Me: The energy shouldn't come from you pushing more air out, the energy should come from a feeling in your stomach. ( I then gave her the "teacher, pick me" scenario.) That feeling is what I want you to imagine. Pushing more air out is not going to make that happen. It's that energy and the thought, working together, that will make that pitch. Ok?
T: Ok.
Me: Do it again, and this time I want you to raise your hands in the air and do the teacher thing. Ok?
T: *singing*
Me: Oh, you tend to suck your tongue back to hit that top note, so you need a visual reminder that is opposite to that. (Told her to point with her hand forward, and flop her head over a little).
T: *singing*
Me: Blow out all your air. Right before you took this giant breath (demonstration), and raised your shoulders. So blow out all your air. Now take a comfortable breath (demonstrated the phrase with that breath). K? Loose shoulders
T: *singing* (still sounded WAY pushed)
Me: Sing it as quietly as you possibly can.
T: *singing*
Me: Ok, try this again. But this time, I want you to imagine that you're in a library, but you just found out some juicy gossip, and you're dying to tell somebody, but you've got to be quiet because your in the library. (Demonstration) K?
T: *singing*
Me: ...Ehh...
T: It was better...
Me: Well, the thing that I wanted to change, and wanted to accomplish with that happened, but then you did other weird things. So, you're pressing so hard, right now, with your breath (demonstration of her sound). I liked when I had you do the quiet thing, that you didn't try to... air vomit... "AHH I have to get it all out right now!"
Me: Let's go back a little bit and don't use your music. I'll help you if you botch it.
T: *singing*
Me: Try, no not try... I would like you to be less heavy on "Chi". What does that mean?
T: I have no idea.
Me: Who. What do you think is the most important word in this phrase: "Who wants the gypsy girl"?
T: Wants.
Me: Right. (I then demonstrated what I heard her do, and then I demonstrated what I would like)
T: *singing*
We talked about the end ritard. She had added rhythms in an attempt to slow down, and I explained that you slow it down by stretching out the written rhythm, not adding more.
Me: This is getting better!
The rest of the lesson I helped pick out some small rhythms differences between the verses.
Me: This has improved immensely, especially in the last hour. I mostly worked on ways to maybe solidify the words in your head. Hopefully next time, we can maybe focus more on attitude.
T: Choir.
Me: Does he do warm-ups?
T: A little bit, but I hate his warm-ups.
Me: What about them don't you like?
T: Well, I've noticed comparing your terminology and his terminology, that the way he states things, um, conotates, err, denotes poor habits...
Me: Uh huh...
T: ...and like when we're going through solo warm-ups, he wouldn't have me do something--at particular moments of how my voice is feeling...
Me: Uh huh...
T: ...that I recognize when he's doing choir warm-ups.
Me: I see. Well...
T: My voice just never feels comfortable now when we're warming up in choir.
Me: Well I'm glad that you're recognizing at least how you feel. Um, his ideas are... ok, it's hard to try and do [warm-up] a whole choir.
T: Uh huh...
Me: I mean it's a whole different ball game.
T: Right.
Me: So, I mean I can see where that would be a difficulty, and it takes, or comes into play. But, um, ok.
Me: Ok, go ahead and flop over. (I'm not very good at explaining verbally during this chunk of the lesson--as far as it being helpful for dictating this recording. I mostly showed her what I wanted at this point. I did make sure that her knees weren't bent and that her head, neck and shoulders were released and completely hanging freely.) Ok, and wiggle your head around. And then slowly roll up. Alright, and starting at your A-O joint, find a place of balance for your head, and work your way down the body. (I'd been yawing like crazy since the beginning of our lesson, so...) Me: *yawn* Sorry, I slept like crap last night.
T: Por que?
Me: Because I went to bed late.
T: That was was poor choice.
Me: I was studying for a test. So no it wasn't a poor choice, because I did awesome Cindy! (That really was a shout out to you Cindy, during my lesson.) Ok! Well, at least I hope I did.
Me: Are you going to keep fidgeting with your hair? (She'd redone her pony tail at least 4 times since the start of the lesson.)
T: I'm sorry, I had it right here, [in a low pony-tail on her left side] and it was throwing me off balance.
Me: I thought of that, but I wasn't going to say anything, which I probably should have. (I now realize that to be stupid to have intended not to say anything. Glad she was on top of things.)
Me: Ok. I feel like your hips and your knees look really, really tight. And let your arms relax. It's making you, just, like, stiff. (She re adjusts herself) That's better, your knees are still locked... because you're leaning so far forward that in order to compensate for your balance your' having to lock your knees. So just start at your head. Find a place that your neck and head feel comfortable. And then work your way down to your lumbar, in relationship to your thorax. So, yes you should have a curve because there's one naturally there, but it shouldn't be over done and you can't have clenched butt, you want to have a hover butt. So you shouldn't feel like your butt is part of your thighs. This [I demonstrate] is too much, this [demonstration] is too much this direction as well. You need to have a place were your butt just feels like it's floating.
T: Ok.
Me: Ok.
T: Cute toes by the way.
Me: Thank you. Umm, this is looking better, but don't put your hands in your pockets. That causes you to go like this [demonstration] and slouch forward. You're just like me, you feel uncomfortable not having your arms doing something. You need to maybe take some time this week, and get used to being comfortable with yourself. Because...
T: I should bring my heels on Friday.
Me: That would be a good idea. If I had shoes relitively close to your size, I'd make you wear them. But, um, I think I'm like 3 sizes bigger than you. Like numbers, not halves. So, um, ok let's start... I just want you to pretend like you're chewing some food. Then I want you to... *yawn*... I'm sorry I'm so yawny. So keep chewing some food and then start... make sure you're actually chewing, not just moving your lips and stuff.
Me: Ok. Uh, lets start with A B C D "thee" (this vocalize starts with speaking the four letters, then decending on "thee" on a 54321.) Let's start on D Major.
Together: (*I play DM chord*) ABCD "thee".(Down half-step, and I don't do it too, just Taessia this next time)
Me:*DbM chord*
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: *CM chord* You're really heavy. I want it speech-like, but I don't want heavy. So think a little bit lighter and space between your top and bottom molars. *replay CM chord*.
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: *BM chord*
T: ABCD "thee". Could you play that a little slower?
Me: Sure! *BM again*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: I don't want you to punch every note, that's why I played it a little bit faster. I don't... the focus needs to be that the pitch is falling through your body, not necessarily hitting every single pitch because then you lock up. *BbM chord*.
Together: ABCD "thee".
Me: *AM chord*.
Together: ABCD
T: "thee"
Me: *DM chord*
T: ABCD "thee"
Me: So your ABCD that time... that was weird.
T: Yeah, that was.
Me: Just speak it. ABCD. *DM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *DbM chord* Don't think 'I'm going to sing now'. Just speak.
Together: ABCD "thee".
Me: *CM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *BM chord*
T: ABCD "thee".
Me: *FM chord* now just do "thee".
T: Do you want me to "th" before the pitch?
Me: Yes. So I'll just play the top pitch, you "th" and think this pitch, and then when you start I'll follow. *FM chord, then repeatedly play C*
T: "thee"
Me: *EM chord, repeated B*
T: "thee"
Me: *EbM chord, repeated Bb*
T: "thee"
Me: Mmm...
T: I'm sorry.
Me: No it's not... don't apologize. I'm just not picking good things for you today.
Me: You're already going into 'sing' body position. Shake it out, re-balance yourself. Umm...*EM chord with the octave E above (for an arpeggio vocalize)* No... *DM chord with octave D* "Who's new blue shoes?" (on 8531). And I don't want you to 'sing' it at all. Just say it. *DM chord with octave D*
Together: "Who's new blue shoes"
Me: *DbM full chord*
T: "Who's new blue shoes"
Me: *CM*
T: "Wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Think buoyant though. So speak it, but speak it in like a... bouncy kind of way. *BbM again*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: oh, try that one again. *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Your 'who' needs more speech-like. (I demonstrate what I heard her do, then what I wanted) *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Try it again. *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Try it again. *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: You're going into a little more 'singy'. (Demonstrates the wanted behavior) *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *AbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Good! Umm, uh, let's... uh... So I want you to imagine that you are about to take a drink of water. (I do it with her. This is to get her to release her jaw in the down and back sort of way.) Feel how your jaw is. Now come up and let your jaw be in that same spot. So when people say that your jaw needs to open more, it doesn't mean (demonstrates). Because if you watch, that (my jaw) had to go forward. Our jaw works as it comes back and down. So maybe just rest your hand right here on your jaw, just like this. Just let the weight of your hand rest on your jaw. Let's pretend you're an old man snoring. Lay your head back and pretend you're asleep with your mouth open. Now bring your head up. Ok, so the trick is, not the trick, the goal is to have this nice released jaw and also have the energy so that the tone can focus out your forehead.
T: Ok.
Me: So you need to still have energy in your cheek bones, like Betty Boop.
T: Ok
Me: So she has the jaw back, but there is still the energy right in here. Ok?
T: Yup
Me: Let's try humming, on the tone of indecision, and then "thee" on 8531. *CM full chord, with repeated C5 playing (the octave up C)*
T: "mmm.....thee"
Me: But don't breath in between the two things. *CM chord, with repeated top note*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: *BM*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: *BbM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *AM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *DM* (with the jump she tried to make her "mmm" jump as well) No, don't make pitch, just think like you're not sure. "HMMM?"
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *DbM*
Together: "mmm, thee"
Me: *CM*
T: "mmm, thee"
Me: I feel like I see your larynx go jump up to find that note. So, let's just try the "Who's new blue shoes" again. *DM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: You're too 'singy'. (Demonstration of how she did it) You're going straight to the vibrato, which vibrato is not a bad thing, that's not what I'm saying. But you're thinking 'sing' mode. *DbM*
Together: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: But with your body not crooked. *BM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *BbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *EbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Oh, try that one again. *EbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *DbM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: *CM*
T: "wnbs"
Me: Ok. Um do you have it memorized? (Referring to her song)
T: Um, close.
Me: Did you work on it since yesterday?
T: Yes, but I just get really confused with like spitting out the words with the tempo because as soon as I get off tempo then I just get lost. You know what I mean?
Me: Maybe, guess we'll see.
T: Like it's out the door as soon as I don't say it write.
Me: Oh, ok. Go ahead and grab mom, and we'll have her come play.
Me: Let's just try and see how much you know. Let's just see how well you do.
Me: Alright Tage, before we start singing this, what is this song about?
T: I am a gypsy, and I like to have fun, and I think boys are ridiculous, I like flirting with them.
Me: ...ok. Ok, let's go with that. Give that to me, cheater! (she tried to sneak her music for the sing through)
T: (Singing: "Chi Vuol la Zingarella" from the opera "I Zingari in Fiera" by Paisiello.)
She made it through the first sentance in the song before she freaked.
T: You are making me nervous!
Me: Why? Because I'm looking down at a piece of music?
T: I don't know... because I feel like you're judging my Italian.
Me: Don't think about Italian, we can work on Italian. Just think... yeah (calming gesture), I am not out to get you, neither are the judges. If anything, they are willing you to do a good job.
T: *singing* (She made it to the second verse this time) Can we start over?
Me: This is a new spot. You've come to a rest position [in the song]. It's good that you recognize that you're not in a good place right now (referring to her state of being while singing), cause you're not.
T: No.
Me: So, take a second, re-set yourself. Obviously you can't do this in a performance, but you can to some degree because that's what fermattas are great for. (There is a fematta over the rest that precedes her new verse.) A new start over. So re-align yourself, because you're doing crazy things with your hips. You're doing this (demonstrate), and when your hips are jutting forward, can't really do a low breath, can you? Cause there's not anywhere really for it to go.
T: Right.
Me: Find a good place where you're comfortable with yourself. If you're not comfortable with yourself, they're not going to be comfortable with you. (judges, audience, anyone really...) K? Ready?
T: *singing* (she got to the cadence and it was different than the first verse.)
Me: Stop. What are the notes there? (my mom played them.) Ok go from [the spot a few measures before this ending]. That's an 'A' that you end on, and what's the next note that you sing?
T: A.
Me: Right!
Together: *singing cadence with correct notes slowly*.
Me: Great, let's try it again from the [2nd verse].
T: Um, is it always this fast?
Me: You can take it a little bit slower.
T: Cause, we haven't practiced it this fast...
Me: Well, you set the tempo, mom just follows you.
T: Ok.
Me: Ready? (I counted in the measure at a slower tempo)
T: *singing* (messed up words and that same cadence.) Sorry, my pages got all mixed up.
Me: It's fine, just start from the same place again.
T: *singing* (was a little shaky on the cadence again, but it was mostly there)
Me: ...better keep going... (I told her this right after the cadence, and then helped her sing the next part so that my talking wouldn't throw her off.)
T: *singing* (another mess up on the ryhthm/notes)
Me: Hold on a sec mom. Ok, let's just me and you sing through this, with out mom, for a sec.
T: Ok
Me: So from page 27, at the 'Chi vuol'.
Together: *sang through 2nd verse, and then had the piano keep going with just her on the 3rd*
T: *singing* (I had to help her a tiny bit on the ending).
Me: Alright...
T: Ugh... I'm sorry!
Me: The biggest problem I fear right now, is that you don't have a good sense of pulse in your body. So, notes and rhythms aside, until you can feel the pulse, the underlying pulse, you're speeding up. You're trying to speed things up, because you see 32nd notes, and in your head you're like 'BAAHHH'!
T: Mmm hmm
Me: So, you need (demonstrates a pulse/bouyant sound in the opening phrase). Until you can feel that pulse, it's going to turn into mush when you're trying to do the notes. So let's go from top of 28.
T: *singing* (she messed up some of the same spots again, so I sang them with her until she got back to a spot she knew in the 3rd verse. At the end of the song, she struggled with how to pronounce the Italian on the written rhythms.)
Me: Ok...
T: I sound like a little girl...
Me: Ok, let's just go to the top of 28 again, with out acc., and I just want you to pulse [with your body], but like squat pulse. You're still doing the hip thing (hips jutting out/forward)
T: OK.
Me: It's like your go-to when you're nervous. You clench your butt and that makes your hips go forward.
T: Oh I'm not a butt clench-er, I just push my hips forward.
Me: Oh. Well something is causing it them to go forward. Which then you have to start wringing yourself out to get any air out. (I then spoke the words in rhythm with her doing a squat pulse.) So, besides the pulse thing, I think your biggest enemy in what you're doing right now, is you're not taking advantage of your rests. Because you have giant places for breaths. You don't need to hold the note longer than what the music tells you to do, because it's not a 'show off, I'm awesome' moment. On ritards, on more elaborate phrases, yeah, that would be appropriate. But this is more of a 'get to those places' point. Ok, let's start here (pointed at music).
Together we pulsed out the beat using little squats, and then spoke the text in rhythm.
Me: Ok right there you need to give mom a better indication of how you want to ritard that. So go from the third system. (still with out piano, worked on that cadence ritard).
T: *singing*
During her singing I would give her little instructions like, "You're in 'sing' mode!", and "Speak it!" I had her to it all the way to the end without the piano. Again she struggled with the Italian on the end. So I had her back up a few systems and try that part again with out piano. I sang it with her to make sure she did it right. Then We went back to the beginning, and I had the piano join us again. During the intro, I instructed Taessia to stand in the way she would if she were performing.
Me: Stand as if you are performing. You can use the music still, since I know you won't be able to do it with out, but I need you to feel the pulse internally. If you don't feel it, mom won't be able to pick it up and it makes it very difficult for her to follow you. So wiggle your hips out... Actually, I want you to do hula hips while you're singing. Get into the position you would stand in for singing, and then I want you to pretend like you have a hula hoop on the whole time you're singing. Yeah?
T: Ok
Me: If you want to do a figure eight so that you get different directions, go for it. Ok? Alright, go ahead mom.
T: *singing* (WOW! Her timbre suddenly focused and her pitch was a LOT more centered!!)
I stupidly didn't mention to her how awesome she sounded once she released her hips. If she forgot to move them (because she got to a part she didn't know very well), I would remind her, and the sound would again improve. At one point, we stopped so that we could work on the mellismas from the first verse, then continued on with the song. Still I would remind her to do the hips by just saying "hips!" when she started getting tight. She was finally starting to get into the pulse a little bit this time through the song, so even when she was a little shaky on the notes or rhythms I still encouraged her to keep going because I didn't want her to practice stopping each time she made a mistake, but rather how to jump back into it and find the pulse again. SHE STILL BOTCHED THE ENDING WORDS!!! (even listening back to the recording, I wanted to bop her on the head! Let the record show that I didn't though). I should have made her go back and do it correctly over and over, so that she could mylinate the right way to do it. I didn't though, so that's my mistake.
Towards then end of the song, there is an ascending phrase that has 32nd notes that build up to the F. She didn't have enough of the "teacher, pick me" feeling during that phrase. So I told her to imagine her body getting taller through that whole line. I also mentioned that I didn't want her to pull her back to get taller, just lean forward onto her tippy-toes. I then demonstrated it for her, adding a flop-over on the P4 leap up to the F. I told her to do the tippy-toes thing and add the flop.
Me: The energy shouldn't come from you pushing more air out, the energy should come from a feeling in your stomach. ( I then gave her the "teacher, pick me" scenario.) That feeling is what I want you to imagine. Pushing more air out is not going to make that happen. It's that energy and the thought, working together, that will make that pitch. Ok?
T: Ok.
Me: Do it again, and this time I want you to raise your hands in the air and do the teacher thing. Ok?
T: *singing*
Me: Oh, you tend to suck your tongue back to hit that top note, so you need a visual reminder that is opposite to that. (Told her to point with her hand forward, and flop her head over a little).
T: *singing*
Me: Blow out all your air. Right before you took this giant breath (demonstration), and raised your shoulders. So blow out all your air. Now take a comfortable breath (demonstrated the phrase with that breath). K? Loose shoulders
T: *singing* (still sounded WAY pushed)
Me: Sing it as quietly as you possibly can.
T: *singing*
Me: Ok, try this again. But this time, I want you to imagine that you're in a library, but you just found out some juicy gossip, and you're dying to tell somebody, but you've got to be quiet because your in the library. (Demonstration) K?
T: *singing*
Me: ...Ehh...
T: It was better...
Me: Well, the thing that I wanted to change, and wanted to accomplish with that happened, but then you did other weird things. So, you're pressing so hard, right now, with your breath (demonstration of her sound). I liked when I had you do the quiet thing, that you didn't try to... air vomit... "AHH I have to get it all out right now!"
Me: Let's go back a little bit and don't use your music. I'll help you if you botch it.
T: *singing*
Me: Try, no not try... I would like you to be less heavy on "Chi". What does that mean?
T: I have no idea.
Me: Who. What do you think is the most important word in this phrase: "Who wants the gypsy girl"?
T: Wants.
Me: Right. (I then demonstrated what I heard her do, and then I demonstrated what I would like)
T: *singing*
We talked about the end ritard. She had added rhythms in an attempt to slow down, and I explained that you slow it down by stretching out the written rhythm, not adding more.
Me: This is getting better!
The rest of the lesson I helped pick out some small rhythms differences between the verses.
Me: This has improved immensely, especially in the last hour. I mostly worked on ways to maybe solidify the words in your head. Hopefully next time, we can maybe focus more on attitude.
Emily F. Malde 5 part 1
Emily F. Malde 5 part 1
What is the key to success in resonance? awareness
What are the 9 moveable structures that affect the shape of
your resonator? balance of head over spine, pharyngeal constrictors, velum/soft palate, mandible/jaw, tongue, lips, buccinators muscles in cheek, larynx, aryepiglottic sphincter
Describe the vocal tract at rest. lips can be closed or slightly open, teeth slightly apart, tongue resting and touching bottom teeth all the way around, free and long cheeks, soft palate suspended so that air can move through nose or mouth, pharyngeal muscles easily nestled against vertebrae, larynx midway between highest and lowest points
Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all
styles of good singing? free moving jaw, free tongue, released pharyngeal muscles, balanced A-O joint that is free to move
Which movements are specific to classical style? lips released and forward, cheeks long and free, more variation in jaw opening, lower larynx, higher soft palate
Which movements do non-classical singers make? wider lateral opening of lips, more speech-like movement of larynx, soft palate, jaw
Keeping the head in balance does
not mean keeping it immobile.
What are the two effects of
resonance by the balance of the head? moving the larynx (shortening the vocal tract), change curve of throat
What happens if you allow the
back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)? larynx will be pulled up and vocal tract will be shortened
Describe the pharyngeal
constrictors, as a whole. three thin sheets of muscle nestled against the front of the spine at the back of the throat and curve forward sloping down at sides
Describe the location of the SPC. connected to base of skull, right behind nose, right in front of A-O joint, sides connect to cheek muscles, which connect to lips
Describe the location of the MPC. at the level of the corner of the jaw, connected to hyoid bone at base of tongue
Describe the location of the IPC. connected to cricoid cartilage
What is the survival function of
the pharyngeal constrictors? assisting swallowing and vomiting
What is the job of the pharyngeal
muscles for singing? NOTHING
What is the one muscle that can
open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located? stylopharyngeus can help stretch middle of pharynx by pulling out on the middle pharyngeal constrictor, located behind ear extending down and forward along outside of SPC, inserting between SPC and MPC
What should we avoid doing to try
to get louder? Why? tensing the sides of the vocal tract, because the surface of the vocal tract isn't the resonator, the chamber of air is
What are our choices if we want
more volume? use faster air flow, change shape of air chamber
Describe the velum (location and
function) valve that opens and closes passages to the nose, located at top of throat above opening of pharynx to mouth
Describe the movements of the
soft palate. moves up and down to regulate nasality
How many muscle pairs control the
movement of the soft palate? To what are
they all attached? 4, to the uvular muscle
What are the muscles called that
lift the soft palate? Describe their location. levator veli palatini originate at base of skull behind nose, pass through SPC, insert at top of uvular muscle
Which muscles stretch the soft
palate from side to side? Describe their
location. tensor veli palatini originate farther forward on base of skull, descend to pterygoid hamulus, a bony horn that projects from skull behind nasal cavity, turns to attach to sides of uvular muscle
What is the secondary effect of
tensing the two muscles listed above? increase vertical space of pharynx
What are the muscles that lower
the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles? palatopharyngeus, palatoglossus, making a more nasal tone quality
Describe the location of these
muscles. connect sides of uvular muscle to IPC
Describe the mandible. jaw bone, shaped like a horseshoe, taller in back than in front, has two condyles that connect the jaw to skull with joints just in front of ears
Describe the location of the
temporal mandibular joint. right in front of the ears
What are the three most important
muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions? masseter--to bring teeth together for chewing, temporalis muscle--to bring teeth together for chewing, digastric muscles--to open jaw
Describe the location of the
masseter muscles. originate on underside of cheekbone, insert into sides of jaw at back
Describe the location of the
temporalis muscles. originate in fan shape from sides of skull above ears, run obliquely inside cheekbones, inserting into coronoid processes of jaw
Describe the location and
function of the muscles that open the jaw. digastric muscles originate at inside of mastoid process, run obliquely down, pass through fibrous loop attached to hyoid bone, run under tongue to attach at front of jaw behind chin; geniohyoid originate at front of jaw behind chin, run under tongue, insert into hyoid bone; mylohyoid originate from inside mandible above digastrics and geniohyoid, meeting in a fibrous band called a raphe, and the mylohyoid forms the floor of the mouth
How do these three pairs of
muscles move the jaw? pull the chin back and down toward hyoid bone
Which are the consonants that
require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly? [s] [z] [v] [f]
Do any consonants require the
teeth to be closed? no
What is the jaw position for most
consonants? neutral
Which muscles moves the jaw
forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function. lateral and medial pterygoids--originate at base of skull behind nose, insert at condyles of mandible and inside of mandible at lower back corner, respectively; assist in chewing but not singing
LaeKin Burgess Austin M. Lesson Plan #2 with Cindy 3/31
I still feel like Austin has a lot of pharyngeal constriction. We've discovered that [u] is the vowel he likes the most. Overall I think Austin tries to swallow his sound a lot. Because of this, I've been trying to get his sound to come forward. Doing 5-4-3-2-1 on a forward nasally [na] has been somewhat successful but I'm afraid he has constriction in his throat. I'll probably try this again today just to test it again. We've also worked a lot with register adjustment since with Austin it seems like it is either all or nothing so I'm trying to get him to blend the registers a little more which I'll probably do with an descending octave on [thu] where the falsetto voice is used at the top and we slowly blend into modal voice at the bottom. Overall, I would just like to get Austin to relax but I haven't really gotten him to realize he is tense yet. I'll have him move around some more while he is singing and try different neck positions as he sings.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Sarah Brenay - Malde - Ch. 5 (part 1)
What is the key to success in resonance? Awareness.
What are the 9 movable structures that affect the shape of your resonator? The balance of the head over the spine, the pharyngeal constrictors, the soft palate, the jaw, the tongue, the lips, the muscles of the cheek, the larynx, and the aryepiglottic sphincter.
Describe the vocal tract at rest. The lips are closed gently or open, the jaw is released and the teeth are not touching, the tongue is laying in the cradle of the jaw touching the lower teeth all the way around, the cheeks are free and long, the soft palate is suspended, the muscles of the pharynx are relaxed against the vertebrae of the neck, and the larynx is midway between it's highest and lowest point.
Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all styles of good singing? The jaw is released and free to move, the tongue lies easily in the cradle of the jaw and moves freely to form vowels, the pharyngeal muscles are released, and the head is in balance on the A-O joint.
Which movements are specific to classical style? The lips are released and forward and the cheeks are long and free, the larynx is lower and the soft palate is higher. Vowels are modified.
Which movements do non-classical singers make? A wider lateral opening in the mouth causing the lips to spread. The movements of the larynx, soft palate, and jaw will be closer to those of speech.
Keeping the head in balance does not mean keeping it immobile.
What are the two effects of resonance by the balance of the head? It can move the larynx and alter the curve of the throat.
What happens if you allow the back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)? The larynx raises, shortening the vocal tract and inhibiting the laryngeal muscles.
Describe the pharyngeal constrictors, as a whole. Three thin sheets of muscles that nestle against the front of the spine and slope down the sides of the throat.
Describe the location of the SPC. connects to the base of the skull, right in front of the A-O joint, and comes down to connect to the sides of the cheeks.
Describe the location of the MPC. It is at the level of the corner of the jaw, the sides connect to the hyoid bone.
Describe the location of the IPC. It is continuous with the esophagus, and the sides connect to the cricoid cartilage.
What is the survival function of the pharyngeal constrictors? They constrict to aid in swallowing or vomiting.
What is the job of the pharyngeal muscles for singing? To stay out of the way!
What is the one muscles that can open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located? The stylopharyngeus, It stretches the middle of the pharynx. It originates at the styloid process and extends down along the outside of the upper pharyngeal constrictor, and inserts between the middle and lower pharyngeal muscles.
What should we avoid doing to try to get louder? Why? Tense the sides of the vocal tract. Because it creates a nasty buzzy sound. The air column is the resonator, not the vocal tract.
What are our choices if we want more volume? We can use faster air flow or change the shape of the chamber of air (by changing the shape of the vocal tract.
Describe the velum (location and function) It opens and closes the passages to the nose. It is located at the top of the throat above the opening into the mouth. The uvula hangs from it's back edge.
Describe the movements of the soft palate. When it is elevated, it closes off the nasal passageway. When it lowers it closes off the oral cavity! When it is relaxed, both passages are open.
How many muscle pairs control the movement of the soft palate? To what are they all attached? Two muscles raise it and two muscles lower it - all attach to the uvular muscle.
What are the muscles called that lift the soft palate? Describe their location. Levator palatini muscles, originate at the base of the skull behind the nose, pass through the upper pharyngeal constrictor, and insert into the top of the uvular muscle.
Which muscles stretch the soft palate from side to side? Describe their location. Tensor veli palatini. They insert slightly farther forward from the base of the skull and then connect to a horn behind the nasal cavity and then attach to the sides of the uvular muscle.
What is the secondary effect of tensing the two muscles listed above?
What are the muscles that lower the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles? The palatopharyngeus muscles and the palatoglossus muscles. Engaging them creates a more nasal tone.
Describe the location of these muscles. They insert into the uvular muscle and then down to the lower pharyngeal constrictor.
Describe the mandible. It is a horse shoe shaped bone that slopes upward at the ends.
Describe the location of the temporal mandibular joint. Right in front of the ears.
What are the three most important muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions? The masseter and the temporalis muscles close the jaw and the digastric muscles open the jaw.
Describe the location of the masseter muscles. The origin is on the underside of the cheek bones. The muscle goes down and slightly back to connect along the outer edge of the jaw line.
Describe the location of the temporalis muscles. This muscle originates in a fan shape across the sides of the skull above the ears, goes under the cheekbones, and inserts on the coronoid process of the jaw.
Describe the location and function of the muscles that open the jaw. The digastric muscle originates from the mastiod process at the base of the skull, goes down to the hyoid, and then swings back up to connect to the inside of the jaw, right in the middle. The geniohyoid muscle runs from the jaw to the hyoid bone. The mylohyoid muscle inserts behind the chin as well, but higher up than the digastric and geniohyoid. It fans outwards and connects all around the jaw and then to the hyoid bone - thus forming the floor of the mouth.
How do these three pairs of muscles move the jaw? They pull it back and down toward the hyoid when the hyoid is anchored by the muscles below.
Which are the consonants that require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly? [s] [z] [f] [v]
Do any consonants require the teeth to be closed? No
What is the jaw position for most consonants? Released. Neutral. The masseter and temporalis muscles simply let go.
Which muscles moves the jaw forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function. The lateral and medial pterygoids. They attach from the base of the skull behind the nose to the jaw. The medial pterygoids attach to the inside of the madible at the lower back corner. The lateral pterygoids attach to the condyles of the mandible.
What are the 9 movable structures that affect the shape of your resonator? The balance of the head over the spine, the pharyngeal constrictors, the soft palate, the jaw, the tongue, the lips, the muscles of the cheek, the larynx, and the aryepiglottic sphincter.
Describe the vocal tract at rest. The lips are closed gently or open, the jaw is released and the teeth are not touching, the tongue is laying in the cradle of the jaw touching the lower teeth all the way around, the cheeks are free and long, the soft palate is suspended, the muscles of the pharynx are relaxed against the vertebrae of the neck, and the larynx is midway between it's highest and lowest point.
Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all styles of good singing? The jaw is released and free to move, the tongue lies easily in the cradle of the jaw and moves freely to form vowels, the pharyngeal muscles are released, and the head is in balance on the A-O joint.
Which movements are specific to classical style? The lips are released and forward and the cheeks are long and free, the larynx is lower and the soft palate is higher. Vowels are modified.
Which movements do non-classical singers make? A wider lateral opening in the mouth causing the lips to spread. The movements of the larynx, soft palate, and jaw will be closer to those of speech.
Keeping the head in balance does not mean keeping it immobile.
What are the two effects of resonance by the balance of the head? It can move the larynx and alter the curve of the throat.
What happens if you allow the back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)? The larynx raises, shortening the vocal tract and inhibiting the laryngeal muscles.
Describe the pharyngeal constrictors, as a whole. Three thin sheets of muscles that nestle against the front of the spine and slope down the sides of the throat.
Describe the location of the SPC. connects to the base of the skull, right in front of the A-O joint, and comes down to connect to the sides of the cheeks.
Describe the location of the MPC. It is at the level of the corner of the jaw, the sides connect to the hyoid bone.
Describe the location of the IPC. It is continuous with the esophagus, and the sides connect to the cricoid cartilage.
What is the survival function of the pharyngeal constrictors? They constrict to aid in swallowing or vomiting.
What is the job of the pharyngeal muscles for singing? To stay out of the way!
What is the one muscles that can open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located? The stylopharyngeus, It stretches the middle of the pharynx. It originates at the styloid process and extends down along the outside of the upper pharyngeal constrictor, and inserts between the middle and lower pharyngeal muscles.
What should we avoid doing to try to get louder? Why? Tense the sides of the vocal tract. Because it creates a nasty buzzy sound. The air column is the resonator, not the vocal tract.
What are our choices if we want more volume? We can use faster air flow or change the shape of the chamber of air (by changing the shape of the vocal tract.
Describe the velum (location and function) It opens and closes the passages to the nose. It is located at the top of the throat above the opening into the mouth. The uvula hangs from it's back edge.
Describe the movements of the soft palate. When it is elevated, it closes off the nasal passageway. When it lowers it closes off the oral cavity! When it is relaxed, both passages are open.
How many muscle pairs control the movement of the soft palate? To what are they all attached? Two muscles raise it and two muscles lower it - all attach to the uvular muscle.
What are the muscles called that lift the soft palate? Describe their location. Levator palatini muscles, originate at the base of the skull behind the nose, pass through the upper pharyngeal constrictor, and insert into the top of the uvular muscle.
Which muscles stretch the soft palate from side to side? Describe their location. Tensor veli palatini. They insert slightly farther forward from the base of the skull and then connect to a horn behind the nasal cavity and then attach to the sides of the uvular muscle.
What is the secondary effect of tensing the two muscles listed above?
What are the muscles that lower the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles? The palatopharyngeus muscles and the palatoglossus muscles. Engaging them creates a more nasal tone.
Describe the location of these muscles. They insert into the uvular muscle and then down to the lower pharyngeal constrictor.
Describe the mandible. It is a horse shoe shaped bone that slopes upward at the ends.
Describe the location of the temporal mandibular joint. Right in front of the ears.
What are the three most important muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions? The masseter and the temporalis muscles close the jaw and the digastric muscles open the jaw.
Describe the location of the masseter muscles. The origin is on the underside of the cheek bones. The muscle goes down and slightly back to connect along the outer edge of the jaw line.
Describe the location of the temporalis muscles. This muscle originates in a fan shape across the sides of the skull above the ears, goes under the cheekbones, and inserts on the coronoid process of the jaw.
Describe the location and function of the muscles that open the jaw. The digastric muscle originates from the mastiod process at the base of the skull, goes down to the hyoid, and then swings back up to connect to the inside of the jaw, right in the middle. The geniohyoid muscle runs from the jaw to the hyoid bone. The mylohyoid muscle inserts behind the chin as well, but higher up than the digastric and geniohyoid. It fans outwards and connects all around the jaw and then to the hyoid bone - thus forming the floor of the mouth.
How do these three pairs of muscles move the jaw? They pull it back and down toward the hyoid when the hyoid is anchored by the muscles below.
Which are the consonants that require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly? [s] [z] [f] [v]
Do any consonants require the teeth to be closed? No
What is the jaw position for most consonants? Released. Neutral. The masseter and temporalis muscles simply let go.
Which muscles moves the jaw forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function. The lateral and medial pterygoids. They attach from the base of the skull behind the nose to the jaw. The medial pterygoids attach to the inside of the madible at the lower back corner. The lateral pterygoids attach to the condyles of the mandible.
Emliy C., Malde, Ch. 5, Part 1 (Pgs. 125-145)
Emliy C., Malde, Ch. 5, Part 1 (Pgs. 125-145)
- What is the key to success in resonance?
- Awareness
- What are the 9 moveable structures that affect the shape of your resonator?
- Balance of the head over the spine
- pharyngeal constrictors (back of throat muscles)
- velum/soft palate
- mandible/jaw
- tongue
- lips
- buccinator muscles (cheek insides)
- larynx and the muscles that move it
- aryepiglottic sphincter (opening of larynx into lower part of throat)
- Describe the vocal tract at rest.
- Lips closed or slightly open. Jaw slightly open so small space between teeth. Tongue lies in cradle of jaw, touching bottom teeth all the way around. Cheeks free/long. Soft palate suspended so air can move through nose or mouth. Muscles of pharynx nestle easily against neck vertebrae. Larynx mid between highest/lowest point.
- Which movements of the vocal tract are essential to all styles of good singing?
- Free jaw movement for articulation. Tongue lie easily in jaw cradle but moving constantly for new vowels/consonants. Pharyngeal muscles released. Free head movement, but balance at Atlanto-Occipital joint.
- Which movements are specific to classical style?
- Lips released/forward, cheeks long/free; more variation in jaw opening. Larynx is lower and soft palate higher.
- Which movements do non-classical singers make?
- Wider lateral opening of mouth so cheeks pull back on lips. Larynx, soft palate, jaw will be closer to speech. Jazz: manipulate larynx movement and soft palate for color effects.
- Keeping the head in balance does not mean keeping it _________________________.
- immobile.
- What are the two effects of resonance by the balance of the head?
- Can move larynx and change curve of throat.
- What happens if you allow the back of the head to pull back and down (Chin up)?
- Larynx will be pulled up through connection to hyoid bone.
- Describe the pharyngeal constrictors, as a whole.
- The muscles that surround the pharynx; three thin sheets of muscle that nestle against front of spine and back of throat and curve forward sloping down at the sides. Horseshoe-like in shape with opening at larynx.
- Describe the location of the SPC.
- Superior pharyngeal constrictor: connected to base of skull behind nose opening, just in front of A-O joint. Sides connect to muscles of inner cheek/buccinators, which connect to lips.
- Describe the location of the MPC.
- Middle “ “: Level of the corner of the jaw. Sides connect to hyoid bone at base of tongue.
- Describe the location of the IPC.
- Inferior “ “: Continuous with esophagus on bottom and connect to the cricoid cartilage at sides.
- What is the survival function of the pharyngeal constrictors?
- Assist in swallowing and regurgitation. Swallow: top to bottom. Vomit: bottom to top engage.
- What is the job of the pharyngeal muscles for singing?
- Stay out of the way!
- What is the one muscles that can open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located?
- Stylopharyngeus can help stretch middle of pharynx. Originates at styloid process on bottom of skull behind ear. Extends obliquely down and forward along outside of SPC, inserting between upper/middle pharyngeal constrictors. Contracting: pulls out and back on MPC, stretching it slightly.
- What should we avoid doing to try to get louder? Why?
- Don’t tense sides of the vocal tract. Hardening the surface doesn’t increase resonance; it’s the chamber of air that is the resonator, not the surfaces of the vocal tract.
- What are our choices if we want more volume?
- Use faster air flow, and/or change shape of chamber of air to make resonance stronger.
- Describe the velum (location and function)
- Valve that opens/closes passages to nose. At top of throat above opening of pharynx into mouth. Uvula hangs from back edge.
- Describe the movements of the soft palate.
- Neutral: air flow freely through nose/mouth. Highest: closes off nasal cavity. Lowest: closes off mouth cavity.
- How many muscle pairs control the movement of the soft palate? To what are they all attached?
- Four. two lift/stretch it and two pull it down. All attach to uvular muscle, forming body of soft palate.
- What are the muscles called that lift the soft palate? Describe their location.
- Levator veli palatini muscles. Originate at base of skull behind nose, pass through SPC, insert into top of uvular muscle.
- Which muscles stretch the soft palate from side to side? Describe their location.
- tensor veli palatini muscles. Palate stretchers originate slightly farther forward on skull. Then they descend to pterygoid hamulus, a bony horn that projects from skull behind nasal cavity, and turn to attach to sides of uvular muscle.
- What is the secondary effect of tensing the two muscles listed above?
- Also increases vertical space of the pharynx.
- What are the muscles that lower the soft palate? What is the effect of engaging these muscles?
- The palatopharyngeus and palatoglossus muscles. The sound becomes more nasal.
- Describe the location of these muscles.
- Palatopharyngeus connects to the sides of uvular muscle to lower pharyngeal constrictor, pulling soft palate down. Palatoglossus connect to uvular muscle to sides of tongue at back, pulling palate down/forward.
- Describe the mandible.
- Single bone, horseshoes shaped, taller at back than front. At top of posterior portion, there are two rounded condyles, one on each side, connect jaw to skull with joints just in front of ears. In front of these are coronoid processes, inside cheekbones when jaw is closed.
- Describe the location of the temporal mandibular joint.
- The joint where jaw connects to skull. TMJ. In front of ears.
- What are the three most important muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions?
- masseter and temporalis muscles close the jaw. Digastric muscles open the jaw wide.
- Describe the location of the masseter muscles.
- Originate on underside of cheekbones and insert into sides of jaw along back.
- Describe the location of the temporalis muscles.
- Originate in a fan shape from the sides of skull above the ears, run obliquely inside cheekbones, and insert into coronoid processes of jaw.
- Describe the location and function of the muscles that open the jaw.
- Engage the muscles below the jaw to open it beyond resting. Most important is digastric, originating inside mastoid process (bony hump on skull right behind ears). Run obliquely down, passing through fibrous loop attached to hyoid, then run under tongue to attach at jaw front behind chin. Make wide open V when viewed from side.
- Geniohyoid and mylohyoid muscles. Geniohyoid: originate at jaw front behind chin center. Then run under tongue to insert into front of hyoid. Mylohyoid: originate from mandible inside above digastrics and geniohyoids. Ribers meet under middle of tongue in raphe (fibrous band). Runs from back of chin to hyoid, where mylohyoids back insert. Forms floor of mouth.
- How do these three pairs of muscles move the jaw?
- Lower the jaw by pulling chin back/down towards hyoid.
- Which are the consonants that require the masseter and temporalis to contract slightly?
- [s, z, f, v]
- Do any consonants require the teeth to be closed?
- Nope.
- What is the jaw position for most consonants?
- Neutral position; natural elasticity of masseter/temporalis muscles will close jaw sufficiently.
- Which muscles moves the jaw forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function.
- The lateral and medial pterygoids. Both muscle pairs arise on skull base behind nose.
- Lateral: attach to condyles of mandible in front of TMJs. Assist in opening jaw by brining condyle forward in TMJ. Fully engaged, jaw juts forward.
- Medial: attach to inside of mandible at lower back corner. Help close jaw.
- When Medial and lateral engage on one side, move jaw to the opposite side.
Sarah Brenay - Emma Wright - Lesson Plan 3/30/14
Emma Emma Emma....
We have addressed posture and breathing in depth. Now that those aspects are coming along, it's time to start addressing the constriction of the vocal tract. I think I'll start with the jaw, because you really can't release anything else if the jaw is tense. So. First I'm going to have her read something for me so I can see if there is a lot of jaw constriction in her speech. I'm going to have her massage her jaw/cheek area and then have her lie down on the inflatable ball. This will tip her head back but still support it, and stretch her jaw into a very open position. I want her to experiment singing in that position. We'll do some warm ups from there, very light easy ones, with the goal being release - not sound production. Then she can stand and we'll talk about the happy idiot face. We'll do some experimenting trying to speak without closing our jaws. Then we'll go to one of her pieces and see what we can apply there.
Next lesson we'll do tongue or larynx I think, and we'll just keep rotating through these basics. That's the plan!
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