The Naked Voice: Chapter 1
Emily Cottam
Chapter Summary: This approach to singing addresses all physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. The very act of phonation is a creative activity, from crying to speaking to singing. The human voice relies on the use of a generator (air flow), a vibrator (vocal folds), and a resonator (nasal cavity, mouth, pharynx). When singing, the vocal cords are always adducted, but air going through them forces them to open/close at differing speeds. We cannot change the shapes of some cavities, but we can change the mouth and pharynx. Resonance is always passive, which is a result of active phonation and airflow. “What happens when we sing often has little to do with what we do in singing.” When there’s a problem, don’t address the symptoms--fix the causes. It’s not the instrument, it’s the musician. “True strength and stability come from surrendering control, constantly moving forward, creating each movement, finding a groove, and flowing through it. Evaluation is the opposite of movement.”
Key Concepts: Resonance is a result, not an action. To truly free your voice and find stability, you must constantly move forward--leave evaluation to practice rooms and be free when on the stage.
Key Terms: “wholism vs. holism,” basic instincts, phonation, Bernoulli Effect, primary resonators (cavities where the air flows after the vocal folds buzz), secondary resonators (chest cavity, other sympathetic vibrators), resonance placement.
Making Connections: I really love the concept that “resonance is a result, not an action.” I too often get into the habit of trying to make things happen instead of letting it happen. Also, I tend to evaluate myself while I’m performing, and I realize that it could inhibit how thoroughly I embrace the music. I need to save that for afterward and in practice.
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