Chapter Summary: "Getting High" has so many connotations, one he doesn't mention involves drug abuse but we won't delve into that here. Literally getting to a high register in our voice involves his wholistic approach and philosophy, that is that getting high is about stretching and reaching for our fullest potential, pushing beyond what is comfortable and easy as much as it is about singing high C's. This requires again that we achieve a good chiaroscuro balance. The sound will always be balanced, but the sensation we experience is that the ratio of phonation to airflow will shift as we move through the range. Like we discussed earlier, the sensation of chiaro/speaking is greater in the lower range than in the higher range and vice versa for oscuro/airflow. The sensation of the sigh is greater in the higher register. The shift should be as seamless and natural as automatic transmission on a Lexus is the analogy he uses and one the I would like to use.
Key Concept: Shifting from low to high in the voice isn't a matter of shifting between two gears on a manual transmission, but is the equivalent of hundreds of small shifts that alter the balance between chiaro and oscuro.
Key Terms: Primo passagio vs Secondo passagio
Messa di voce
Making Connections: The exercise we did in vocal pedagogy where I sang falsetto and tried to blend down into my lower register without cracking or breaking reminds be of what he talks about with male voices and their passagio(s). It's not about how high you get but HOW you get high. That mantra is something I need to incorporate into my own singing. I'm happy sometimes if I can just squeeze out certain notes but I need to be more particular about how I get there and how it feels.
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