|
THE SINGING PROCESS: Some notes
WHY TAKE SINGING LESSONS?
|
Your practice time needs
to be sacrosanct in your household. Some of you will practice as you drive, but
that's never enough on its own. The only way to really progress is to protect
time alone in a place where you can formally practice in a distraction free
environment what is learned in lessons. You will need to reach agreements with
family and companions about this.
Here is
how to think about what is needed to give your voice the best chance to develop
into a beautiful robust instrument that you can depend on and control:
 Develop a secure breathing technique that allows you control over the sound of
your voice. Regular breathing exercises will extend and develop your ability to
tackle longer phrasing in your songs and this will add to the sense of artistry
in your interpretation of any kind of music and words.
Nurture your voice through long sustained notes
and humming. Seek the sound that releases your voice from your throat and sets
it resonating in the cavities of your head.
Focus the sound you make by singing "into the mask". Cut out the breathiness. You can put it back
for effect if you have control over this. Feel the resonating sound in your
nasal cavities, your soft palate and other cavities around your face.
Ultimately, with the higher notes, feel the sound resonating in your forehead
and the top of your head.
Stretch your voice through portamento (gliding)
exercises, scales and arpeggios, always ensuring that you have an open throat
and that you give extra diaphragmatic support for the higher notes.
Develop agility through the advanced vocalises and through singing the runs and
decorations in classical and baroque music and/or through Soul, Blues or "R and
B" type extemporisations.
Care for your voice by becoming sensitive to the way you speak. If you are training your
singing voice your speaking voice will change in tone. Take care not to abuse
your speaking voice by shouting or straining. This will set your singing voice
back. When you have practised or had a lesson speak softly for an hour or so
afterwards. If you have strained your voice or have a tense or sore throat,
don't sing. Humming with an open throat may still be OK. Not singing means you
can take the precious practise time to learn words, download music and sheet
music, organise your repertoire folder and read and research
I hope that this is helpful.
Lizzie Perring
|
|
