Emily F. SS 7: "Spontaneous combustion" is the fourth invention, and a practical tool for practicing healthy, clean onsets and releases. Efficient singing means having a fully balanced sound from the get-go, with minimum effort. The five detached [a]s exercise helps to have an onset that isn't aspirated "ha", or having a harsh glottal attack. It also helps to have a good release that is just a nice inhalation to stop the phonation.
Key concept: A healthy, balanced onset is one that is poised and has free-flowing air and is full from the start.
Key terms: spontaneity, poise, onset, attack, release, cutoff, glottal onset, aspirated onset, pressed onset
Making connections: This exercise seems too simple. I tried it without any problem and it felt great. I know that I have trouble with onsets, because I've gotten that comment on jury evaluation forms, peer critiques, and from Laurie in lessons. So even though this seems simple in practice, I must be having a hard time applying it to my songs. I guess it's like when I go to sing a song, I go to my weird "singing" place where I overwork. I think my onsets are not "poised" as Smith refers to it. I don't have immediate balance in my sound. Sometimes it's way too glottal and sometimes it's weak.
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