LaeKin Burgess McKinney ch. 9

Rewrite in your own words the 5 identifying characteristics of consonants.

1.     they are restricted speech sounds

2.     contain conspicuous noise due to restriction

3.     not as sonorous as vowels

4.     define the borders of a unit of sound

5.     function to separate vocal tone into recognizable units that communicate meaning.

How are consonants divided into two primary groups. Voiced and unvoiced consonants.

Describe the 3 movement categories for consonants.

Continuants- are sounds that can be sustained as long as the breath lasts

Glide- vowel sound that functions as a consonant starts as one vowel then glides to the vowel that follows it as in you, will what and hue.

Stop- consonants which bring the flow of air to a halt. Also called plosive.

Describe the 2 other systems used for classifying consonants. 1. The way the sound is produced for example, fricative, plosive, nasals, aspirate and affricate.

2. by the place or articulatory position which forms it.  Example: bilabial, labiodental, alveolar, velar, glottal.

Rewrite in your own words the 5 identifying characteristics of vowels.

1.     unrestricted speech sound

2.     continuants (can be sustained throughout the breath)

3.     normally voiced

4.     building material of vocal tone, the vowel carries the tone

5.     molded by the articulators and have a definite shape and form

Which articulator is of primary importance in the making of vowel sounds?  Why?

The tongue. It determines the relationship between oral cavity and pharynx therefore effects formants and resonance. It is the primary differentiator of the vowels.

Describe how vowels are grouped.

Front, back, central; Tense and lax; stressed and unstressed; cardinal and Latin or singer vowels.

What are the four levels of stress? Primary, secondary, tertiary, weak.

What are the 5 Singer’s Vowels? i-e-a-o-u

What is a phoneme? A phoneme is a family of sounds in a given language. Of two sounds cannot be interchanged without changing the meaning of a word, they are phonemes.

What is an allophone? If sounds can be interchanged without changing the meaning of the word, they are allophones (cousins to the phoneme).

Which articulators are under the direct control of the singer. Lips, lower jaw, tongue.

Which articulators must be trained indirectly? Soft palate, glottis, epiglottis, larynx

What are the 2 basic principles which contribute to the effective use of the articulators? 1. All movements of the articulators should be quick, precise, and positive ending in a position which is free of unnecessary tension. 2. In singing, articulatory movements must be exaggerated, if words are to be understood.

What does McKinney suggest imagining as a first step? Imagine all your articulatory movements are taking place just in front of your mouth with everything moving very crisply and precisely but without tension.

What are suggestions that are made for use/position of lips? Free from tension, ready to move, try to feel as if lips are slightly off the teeth. Don’t do anything artificial. Movement should be quick and precise.

What suggestions are made for your lower (yikes) jaw?  Practice the beginning of a yawn to free the jaw from tension.  Practice saying or singing yah yah yah while opening the mouth freely with a down and back motion of the lower jaw. Jaw should not be pushed forward should drop down first, then swing back. Relax!

What suggestions are made for your tongue? Have a resting place to return to as a point of reference. Should not be pulled back . The tip should rest lightly on the gum ridge with the body of the tongue making the needed adjustments for a vowel.

Why is tongue considered most important articulator? Because it is involved in all the vowel and consonant sounds.

Define/describe consonants in general. A consonant is a subordinate sound which is used with a vowel to form a syllable.

Why does McKinney suggest firm consonants? 1. Consonants are subordinate to vowels in sonority and do not carry as well. 2. Firm consonants help the singer to establish and maintain good, solid tone production on the vowel.

Define vowels.  Vowels are voiced, unrestricted speech sounds which are capable of being sustained and are the basis of vocal tone.

What is the function of vowels?  to carry the vocal tone

What is the function of consonants? to break up the tone into distinct, comprehensible units.

What is the problem that inexperienced singers have with vowels?  inability to maintain the steady states of vowel posture.

How are the concepts of vowel purity and phonemic identity different?  A singer will do a vowel differently depending on the range of the voice that it is in. Because of this phonemic identity is more accurate in describing the desire for a singer's vowels to maintain the integrity of their basic identity.  An [i] has to maintain it's [i] identity for example, even if it is modified.

What are the problems that occur when singers insist on singing “pure” vowels in the upper voice?  loss of quality , tight phonation, elevated larynx, and vocal strain.

What are the different approaches to vowel migration or vowel modification? 1. Some feel  that you should make more room as pitch ascends so the vowel can modify while thinking the vowel. 2. Others encourage migration of the vowel by thinking the vowel to which you are modifying example, if you are singing an [i] vowel up high you should think [I] 3. Others feel that since all vowels migrate toward the center all vowels should be colored with ah or uh.

What is the critical factor in all systems of vowel migration/modification?  To retain enough phonemic identity for the word to be recognized.

In studying professional female singers, upon what is jaw opening dependent? Upon pitch rather than upon vowel.