Sam Meredith OB Ch. 5 Summary

Sam
Chapter 5 Summary-There are several dangerous habits that are prevalent among voice teachers and voice students with regards to vocal range and register. In many cases the human voice is capable of a much wider pitch range than one may think. So, it is important that we explore our full potential before confining ourselves to one specific category. To do this we must first realize that our voice is unique. Then we must explore the possibilities using a sound understanding of different vocal registers. There are many different ways that people classify different registers, but for our purposes we will number them. Register 1 is the lowest register that is used only in speaking and is often referred to using terms such as 'vocal fry'. Register 2 is the low register that is used for speaking and singing and is often referred to as chest voice. Register 3 is used mainly for singing and is often called head voice or falsetto. Register 4 is the high, coloratura register that is available to some women and children. For all singers it is important to develop easy register adjustment between register 2 and register 3. We can do this by practicing vocalizes that bridge the gap between these two registers. This means starting in the falsetto-like register 3 and sliding down to register 2 or (once register 3 has been more fully discovered) singing a descending octave scale starting in register 3 and going into register 2. Once there is a balance between these two registers the range of the singer will extend. Discovering the higher register 4 is much like discovering and conditioning register 3, but it should be done with greater caution. All singing should feel tension-free, so we should always avoid a feeling of pushing ourselves to make it up to a high note. With consistent vocal exercise under the direction of a competent voice teacher, we can find out what our true tessitura is and enjoy singing in our own natural voice.
Key Concept-We need to fully explore our potential before we completely put ourselves into the category of a certain voice type. We must test our abilities in a healthy way that allows us to bridge the gap between different registers and discover what our natural voice type is
Key Terms-Register, Register Adjustment, Break, Seamless Scale,  Tessitura
Making Connections-I think I probably have a bigger range than I give myself credit for. I probably just need to do some of these exercises to extend my range and find more consistency in my timbre throughout the whole range of my voice. I also need more patience and need to realize that extending my range is going to take some time.