Voice Lessons

Instructor: Rebecca Harris

Vocal Technique

Proper vocal placement:

On most instruments, one can show another person how to play. With singing, it is a little different. You have to hear and feel to get proper placement. Proper placement will help you to sing much longer without tiring so quickly.

Correct Position:

Sound should be concentrated in the mask of the face (Think of a rhino horn)

Wrong Position:

Sound is down on vocal chords. This pinches the sound.

· Throw neck back so nose is facing ceiling

· Speak a little about anything

· Should feel the sound on the vocal chords. It will be rather pinched feeling and sounding.

Achieving Correct Position:

· Put head all the way down – chin on chest

· Speak a little about anything

· Should feel

o Sound in the mask of the face

o Almost buzzy feeling in nose (right below eyes)

Proper Body Position:

Relax:

Make sure body is not tight.

Drop shoulders, and move back slightly

Loosen jaw

Mouth:

Open Mouth wide

Avoid closed mouth singing

Head:

Tilt head slightly down (helps open air passages)

Hands:

Hold hands to the side. Keep relaxed

May hold hands in front or back of you, but keep relaxed.

Tongue:

Tuck tongue behind bottom teeth.

Let tongue rest there

*Make sure that you pay attention to annunciation. This is key to being understood when you sing.

Pattern for Playing the Vocal Instrument

· The Breath breaths (fills) you from the outside.

· The diaphragm then will descend and you feel the stomach expand.

· The lungs will swell and the glottis will open—you will feel like you’re almost yawning.

· You’ll also feel oxygen when you’re ready to sing.

· Then you place the voice on the breath which is the blowing principle.

· The chords start to vibrate. The vibration which becomes sound, goes up the back of the throat, through the top of the head, into the forehead, then into the mask and then across the roof of the mouth and against the teeth.

· You feel the tip of the tongue touching the bottom teeth forming the vowel upon the tongue inside the mouth and then you feel the famous string of pearls which is the striking and binding of tone at one and the same time. That means that you feel the pitch changing at the same time you feel the vibration continuous.