Elizabeth T Lesson Summary 3.3.14

Warm up activities: 
fa fe fi fe fa 564534231, let the jaw hang open on each syllable and also have a smile.  This is to especially get the ee released in the jaw.  Also remember to release for each breath.

hngmn ooeeooeeooee eee 55555554321, the hngmn should have air and space to it, but it still rests high in the face. Big release from the hngmn to the oo, but stand the vowel on top of where the hngmn rests.  This will help get oo space into the ee, and get rid of the edginess in the ee that causes it to feel too heavy.  Thinking more air and more release and more sigh will help the edginess.
*Open up from oo to ee, not opening out.  
*when a sound is tight and small, it will probably hang on the low side of the pitch.  If you create a large space for the sound, you then have the freedom to place the sound on the high side of the pitch.

Things I learned from listening and from Cindy:
- I still need to vibrate every note; I think I'm doing it, but I'm not.
- I can tell that I'm dropping my jaw a lot better, but I can't do that at the expense of closing smiley top space.
- The sound is more big horizontally than it is vertically.  I want more vertical dimension.
- Pull yourself forward always with energy, never back. You are always being drawn forward by the energy.
- Don't ever decrescendo a high note unless it's going to be
- Be more generous with yourself, your air, and your sound.  Don't be careful, give more of yourself.  You think you will run out, but you won't.
- In order to have breath, you need to spend.
- It's not about lots of sound, it's about generosity.
- Suspension is not a good idea right now for me, because that results in holding back.
- Singing is the inevitable result of breathing.
- "I need to be generous with myself, because I have a lot to offer."
- No one can bring you to the party but you.
- Always push into the downbeat.  It's like a circle made with the arm.
-  It's not about fast, it's about direction.  If you don't have direction, you will sound late.
- descrescendo can happen at the same time as forward direction.  Decrescendo is a matter of mind, not a matter of energy.
- Forward direction needs to be in the sound and the body.
- Be generous, forward, and a part of what's happening!
- What are you saving your energy for if not for the performance?
- The penultimate beat pulls you into the downbeat
- Release gets you to the place where you don't have to work.  

- Listen to the text and the music when deriving meaning.

- Gratitude lights up in the brain just like happiness

Have forward direction changed my sound drastically.  I can't believe I haven't been doing this all this time.  When I'm not generous, I'm out of tune!