Caitlin Craig Malde Chapter 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? 1) the balance of the head over the spine, 2) the pharyngeal constrictors, which are the muscles at the back of the throat, 3) the velum or soft palate, which is suspended between the throat and the nasal passages, 4) the mandible or jaw along with the muscles that move it, 5) the tongue, 6) the lips, 7) the buccinator muscles that form the inside of the cheek, 8) the larynx along with the muscles that move it, and 9) the areyepiglottic sphincter, which is the opening of the larynx into the lower part of the throat.

Describe the vocal tract at rest. When the vocal tract is at rest the lips can be either closed or slightly open to allow air through the mouth. If closed, they are not pressed together. The jaw is slightly openso that there is a small space between the upper and lower teeth. The tongue lies in the cradle of the jaw, touching the bottom teeth al the way around. The cheeks are free and long. The soft palate is suspended in such a way that air may move freely through the nose or mouth. The muscles if the pharynx are neither stretched nor tensed, but nestle easily against the vertebrae of the neck. 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 will move freely for articulation. The tongue will lie easily on the cradle of the jaw but will be moving constantly to form different vowels and consonants. The pharyngeal muscles will be released. The head will be free to move but will remain in balance at the a-o joint. 

Which movements are specific to classical style? Classical singers will keep the lips released and forward and the cheeks long and free. They may also have more variation in the opening of the jaw than singers of other styles. The larynx will be lower and the soft palate higher in classical singing than in most other styles.  

Which movements do non-classical singers make? Non-classical singers might choose a wider lateral opening of the mouth allowing the cheeks to pull back on the lips. This is especially true in belting but is used in jazz and most other popular singing styles as well. In these styles the movements of the larynx, soft palate, and jaw will be closer to those of speech. These choices will result in the speech-like vowels so essential to popular styles. In jazz, skillful singers manipulate the movement of the larynx and the soft palate for color effects. Resonance is every bit as important in popular styles as it is in classical singing, even when artificial amplification is used. 

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)? If you allow the back of the head to pull back and down, tilting the chin up, the larynx will be pulled up through its connection to the hyoid bone. This not only makes it impossible for the intrinsic muscles of the larynx to move easily, it also shortens the vocal tract by raising the larynx. The back of the throat conforms to the curve of the cervical spine. As the head moves, the curves of the cervical spine changes, causing changes in the shape of the throat and thus the resonance. 

Describe the pharyngeal constrictors, as a whole. The pharyngeal constrictors are the muscles that surround and define the space of the throat. These are 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. The superior pharyngeal constrictor is connected to the base of the skull right behind the opening to the nose, just in front of the a-o joint. It's sides connect to the muscles of the inner cheek, the buccinators, which in turn connect to the lips. 

Describe the location of the MPC. The middle pharyngeal constrictor is at the level of the corner of the jaw. The sides of the middle pharyngeal constrictor connect to the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue. 

Describe the location of the IPC. The lower or inferior pharyngeal constrictor 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. When we swallow, the pharyngeal constrictors engage in sequence from top to bottom to push food or liquid down into the digestive tract. When one vomits, they engage in reverse order.

What is the job of the pharyngeal muscles for singing? Stay out of the way! Sing with an "open" throat. To achieve this the pharyngeal constrictors must release.

What is the one muscles that can open the throat slightly? How does it do this? Where is it located? The stylopharyngeus can help stretch 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, where it joins with their fibers. When it contracts, the stylopharyngeus pulls out and back on the middle of the pharyngeal constrictor stretching it slightly. 

What should we avoid doing to try to get louder?  Why? Some singers think that tensing the sides of the vocal tract will result in more volume because sound waves bounce off harder surfaces with more strength. It is true that sound waves reflect better off of hard surfaces. However, this is not desirable in singing as the function of the resonator is to emphasize some parts of the sound wave and deemphasize others. Without this filtering function, our singing would just sound like the buzz created by the vf's, only louder. 

What are our choices if we want more volume? It is essential to remember that the chamber of air is the resonator, not the surfaces of the vocal tract. If we want more volume, we can use faster air flow, change the shape of the chamber of air to make the resonance stronger or both.

Describe the velum (location and function) The velum is also known as the soft palate. It acts as 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. The uvula hangs from its back edge. 

Describe the movements of the soft palate. When the soft palate is in neutral position, it allows air to flow freely through the mouth and nose. When it is at its highest, it closes off the mouth so that air can only move through the nose. The movement of the soft palate regulates the nasality of a singer's tone, so it is important to map it well. 

How many muscle pairs control the movement of the soft palate?  To what are they all attached? There are four muscle pairs that control the movement of the soft palate; two that lift and stretch it and two that pull it down. All four muscle pairs attach to the uvular muscle, which forms the body of the soft palate. 

What are the muscles called that lift the soft palate?  Describe their location. The levator veli palatini muscles lift the soft palate. They 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. The tensor veli palatini muscles stretch the soft palate from side to side. They originate slightly farther forward on the base of the skull, from there they descend to the pterygoid hamulus, that projects from the skull behind the nasal cavity, 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? When they are engaged they will increase the 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 the palatoglossus muscles. The more you engage these muscles, the more nasal your tone becomes. 

Describe the location of these muscles.The palatopharyngeus muscles connect the sides of the uvular muscle to the lower pharyngeal constrictor. Palatoglossus muscles connect the uvular muscle to the sides of the tongue at the back. 

Describe the mandible. The mandible is also known as the jaw is formed by a single bone. The jaw is horseshoe shaped when looked at from above or below. It is taller at the back then at the front At the top of the posterior portion of the jaw, there are two rounded condyles, one on each side, which connect the jaw to the rest of the skull with joints just in front of the ears. Forward of these condyles, between them and the back molars are the coronoid processes, which go inside the cheekbones when the jaw is closed. Some people think the one of the jaw extends under the tongue. 

Describe the location of the temporal mandibular joint. The TMJ is where the jaw connects to the skull. Everyone has two TMJ, one on each side. Misusing the joint puts stress on the catrilage, sometimes resulting in the painful condition known as TMJ syndrome or disorder. The TMJ's are located right in front of the ears. 

What are the three most important muscles that move the jaw? What are their functions?
1. The masseter-- close the jaw, included in the process of chewing.
2. The temporalis muscles-- close the jaw, included in the process of chewing. 
3. The digastric muscles--open the jaw.

Describe the location of the masseter muscles. 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. 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. When temporalis and masseter muscles are engaged, they bring the teeth together for chewing. They are not engaged in singing except for the formation of a few consonants. For singing, they must be released and flexible. 

How do these three pairs of muscles move the jaw? When temporalis and masseter muscles are engaged, they bring the teeth together for chewing. They are not engaged in singing except for the formation of a few consonants. For singing, they must be released and flexible. To open the jaw beyond its resting position, you must engage the muscles below it. The most important of these are the digastric muscles. These muscles originate at the inside of the mastoid process, the bony hump on the skull right behind the ears. From there, they run obliquely down, passing through a fibrous loop attached to the hyoid bone, and then run under the tongue to attach at the front of the jaw behind the chin. 

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? There is no consonant that requires the teeth to be together. 

What is the jaw position for most consonants? Neutral. Simply releasing the muscles that open the jaw is all that is necessary to bring the jaw to a neutral position. 

Which muscles moves the jaw forward and from side to side? Describe their location & function. The lateral and medial pterygoids. Both of these muscle pairs arise at the base of the skull behind the nose. The later pterygoids attach to the condyles of the mandible right in front of the TMJ's. The medial pterygoids attach to the inside of the mandible at the lower back corner. The lateral pterygoids can assist in opening the jaw by bringing the condyle forward in the TMJ. If they engage fully, they jut the jaw forward. The medial pterygoids can assist in closing the jaw. When the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles engage on one side, they move the jaw to the opposite side. These movements are helpful in chewing, but have no place in singing.