Emily F. McKinney 11

Emily F. McKinney 11:

What are the area of vocal technique that are most strongly dependent on the student’s ability to coordinate various functions? 1-extending range to maximum potential, 2-developing consistent vocal quality throughout the range, 3-developing flexibility and agility, 4-achieving balanced vibrato

What are the 5 purposes McKinney gives for vocal exercise? 1-warming up voice, 2-extending range, 3-lining up the voice, 4-acquiring vocal technique, 5-correcting vocal faults

What are his recommendations for range for the warm-up part of vocal exercise? start in most comfortable part of range, avoid singing high notes until voice is more responsive, begin with exercises of limited range

Summarize the recommended sequence of events for warming up. 1-bending and stretching body, 2-tension-releasing exercises of neck, shoulders, throat, 3-descending 5-note patterns, sequencing downward, then upward, 4-arpeggios that start low in the range and move up

What is the key to good vocalization? finding exercises that work for the student--each vocalize should serve a purpose

What is the first step in coordinating the voice so that you may start to work on range extension? establish good vocal habits in the most comfortable range

What are the three factors which significantly affect the ability to sing higher or lower? 1-energy, 2-space, 3-depth

               

As you sing from the bottom to the top of your voice there should be a continuum of carefully graduated changes  in the amount of energy, space, and depth.

What is meant by the energy factor? as you sing higher, more energy is required

What is meant by the space factor? as you sing higher, more space is required

What are the 2 sources of more space? mouth opening and internal back of mouth space

What is the depth factor? as you sing higher, more depth is required

What is meant by lining up the voice? ability to maintain consistent tone quality

What approaches can one use to unify the voice? through vowels, registers, resonance, and coordination of energy, space, and depth

What is horizontal vowel alignment? keeping the tongue in a neutral position so that it is free and ready to move to form any vowel

What is vertical vowel alignment? aligning a vowel throughout the range, and singing through a random sequence of vowels

How do we maintain the vowels’ phonemic identities and still produce them without noticeable change of quality? starting from a place of neutrality and not moving too far from that place for any given vowel

What are the two aspects of vertical alignment of the voice? aligning a vowel throughout the range, and singing through a random sequence of vowels

McKinney lists yet another aspect of vertical alignment.  What is it? the ability to sing wide intervals without distracting changes to the tone quality

What are the ‘secrets’ to the ability to sing high notes/ 1-make legato connection from low to high notes, 2-crescendo on low note into high note, 3- think of high note as requiring more depth, space, and energy

What are the ‘secrets’ to negotiate large leaps down into the lower voice? relaxation of effort, have a brighter feeling in the low notes, connect the high to the low note, don't reach down for the low note

What are the 3 majors types of exercises that use falsetto? 1-dump and float, 2-starting in loud falsetto, transitioning to modal voice, 3-starting low in modal voice, leaping up into strong falsetto 

The resonance system in adjusted in some way for every different vowel and every different pitch.

McKinney state that many voices encounter a problem area somewhere between C4-G4.  What are the 4 explanations for the problem for males and the 2 for women? for men: 1-resonant frequency of tracheal tree creates acoustical impedance, 2-area coincides with first formant, 3-the area of vowel modification for men, 4-the area of transition to falsetto; for women: 1-resonant frequency of tracheal tree, 2-area of first formant

What is cover? tone quality of mellow, rich, round and darkened, made by longer and wider pharyngeal cavity

What is open? unpleasant spread, yell-like quality connected with raised larynx and constricted pharynx

What are the steps to eliminating problems in the lower transition area in the female voice? do 5-note descending patterns throughout the difficult part of the range, with not too much breath pressure, keeping focus in the sound; do ascending octave sirens over the range, with a descending 5-note pattern on a consistent vowel sound

What is vibrato? pulsation of pitch with synchronous pulsations of loudness

What are the parameters of good vibrato? a rate not too fast or too slow, a difference in pitch not too wide or too narrow, an intensity difference not too big

What are the 2 main causes of vibrato problems? excessive tension in larynx, unbalanced breath support

What are the 2 causes of bleat? pulling in abs, grabbing and releasing of vocal folds

What is primary cause of straight tone? laryngeal tension

What are the main causes of wobble? lack of physical exercise, lack of vocal exercise