Article #2
– FAQ – Can You Help Me Achieve a BIGGER
SOUND??!!
Part 2 of 5
The key to making your voice heard is the same thing
that makes your sound uniquely your own - your resonators.
You can't change their shape and size but you can learn
to make use of all the space you have been given. More
sound does not mean that you work harder at singing.
In fact, I believe that the opposite is true. You can
maximize your sound if you involve fewer muscles and
more air. Resonance is a phenomenon that responds to
air rather than muscles. The relaxation of the instrument
and the sensation of openness will do more for enhancing
your sound than any muscular involvement. The brain
directs the sound and the air carries it through the
path to your resonating areas.
The resonating spaces are: the space above your larynx
to the back of your mouth, the back of your mouth, your
mouth and the sinus cavities and nasal passages. Most
people think of the mouth and laryngeal area as the
vocal tract. Within that same space there are inhibitors
to the sound, things that either take up space or alter
the size and shape of the tract. Those would be the
muscles of articulation and the muscles that cause the
throat to open or constrict: the tongue, lips, soft
palate and yawning muscles. Enhancing resonance is allowing
those areas to stay relaxed and open, moving only when
absolutely necessary.
Exploring your own ability to resonate can be one of
the most gratifying and enjoyable experiences in vocal
development. It can also be one of the most frustrating.
There are sensations of resonance that tell you some
of the areas have been activated. You can also look
in the mirror and check whether your jaw is relaxed
and your tongue is in a neutral position (lying on the
bottom of your mouth with the tip touching the back
of your bottom teeth.) When it's right, when you are
singing correctly and fully resonated in the "ring"
spot, there is very little physical sensation. In fact,
my personal experience was - I didn't think it could
be right because I wasn't working hard enough!
By the laws of physics, low pitches resonate in the
space from the top of the larynx to the back of the
mouth, mid range pitches in the mouth and back of the
mouth. High pitches are left to resonate in the masque
(nasal passages and sinus cavities). It is my belief
that these areas should remain open at all times allowing
the sound to use all resonators regardless of the pitch,
therefore allowing high pitches to have depth and low
pitches to have ping.
While it is possible to enhance your sound by your
own private exploration of your resonating spaces, it
is more efficient to work with a coach or teacher. Exploring
on you own can be fun but a guided tour is much more
informative.
Remember:
1. Relax and let it happen.
2. Muscles don't resonate, space does.
3. When you are singing resonantly, you hear less sound
inside your head.
4. Persistence pays off.
<><>
By:
Darlene Rogers
|
