Vocal Technique: A Guide to Classical and Contemporary Styles for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers

346 Pages·2020·13.828 MB·English

by  Julia David's and Stephen LaTour

Julia Davids & Stephen LaTour
VOCAL
TECHNIQUE
Second Edition
A guide to classical and
contemporary styles for
conductors, teachers,
and singers
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! VOCAL
TECHNIQUE
Second'Edition'
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VOCAL
TECHNIQUE
A"Guide"to"Classical"and"Contemporary"
Styles"for"Conductors,"Teachers,"and"Singers"
Second!Edition!
Julia"Davids,"D.M.A."
Stephen"LaTour,"Ph.D."
For information about this book, contact:
Waveland Press, Inc.
4180 IL Route 83, Suite 101
Long Grove, Illinois 60047-9580
[phone]
[email protected]
www.waveland.com
Illustrations and cover design by Evelyn LaTour
Copyright © 2021 by Stephen LaTour and Julia Davids
10-digit ISBN 1-4786-4022-7
1A3ll- driigghitt sIS rBeNse 9rv7e8d-.1 -N4o7 8p6a-r4t 0o2f2 t-h6is book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
Second Edition
7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Table of Contents
Second Edition Acknowledgements ------------------------------------- xi
Introduction: A guide to stylistically flexible vocal technique -----------1
Contemporary styles encompass CCM and musical theatre ..........................1
Second edition coverage .....................................................................................2
Benefits of improved vocal technique ................................................................3
Intentional use of exercises is essential to vocal development ........................4
Importance of attention to vocal technique in the choral setting ..................5
Improving communication among singers of different styles
and between voice teachers and conductors.............................................6
A note about symbols used in this book ..............................................................7
A word about terminology ....................................................................................8
Chapter 1: Posture/Alignment ---------------------------------------------9
Essentials of proper posture/body alignment .....................................................9
Important aspects of body alignment ..............................................................12
Common alignment problems ...........................................................................14
Avoid extraneous body movement ...................................................................14
Sitting posture and seat types ............................................................................16
Exercises for body alignment ..............................................................................17
Chapter 2: Breath Control -------------------------------------------------19
Phases of the breathing cycle ............................................................................19
Inhalation ..............................................................................................................19
Very brief suspension ...........................................................................................24
Exhalation ..............................................................................................................25
Additional points about exhalation ...................................................................29
Recovery ...............................................................................................................30
Timing of breathing ..............................................................................................31
Breathing in contemporary styles—limitations imposed by dancing .............31
Respiratory muscle training .................................................................................32
Breathing exercises ..............................................................................................32
Chapter 3: Initiation, Creation, and Release of Sound ------------------37
How sound is initiated and created ...................................................................37
Good hydration is critical for proper vocal fold vibration ...............................38
Components of the singer’s instrument .............................................................39
Muscles affecting pitch .......................................................................................41
Sound level and timbre affected by firmness of vocal fold closure ..............45
v
vi Vocal Technique: A Guide to Classical and Contemporary Styles
Method of initiating sound affects glottal tension ...........................................49
Coordinated onset should be used for most singing .......................................49
Some glottal onsets are useful ............................................................................50
Is belting less healthy than classical/legit vocal production? ........................51
Breathy onset is generally undesirable ..............................................................53
Onset and younger singers .................................................................................53
Release of sound ..................................................................................................54
Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises assist vocal fold vibration .......54
Onset and release exercises ...............................................................................60
Chapter 4: Resonance -----------------------------------------------------63
Superior resonance improves tonal quality and vocal efficiency .................63
Fundamental frequency and higher harmonics ..............................................64
Structure of the vocal tract .................................................................................65
Resonance and formants ...................................................................................67
Adjusting the larynx ..............................................................................................78
Adjusting the oral pharynx ..................................................................................79
Adjusting the mouth.............................................................................................81
Classical versus contemporary resonance and vocal tract shape ...............83
Good resonance helps intonation .....................................................................85
Resonance and the concepts of “chest voice” and “head voice” .............85
Resonance and “placement” ............................................................................86
Exercises for enhancing resonance ...................................................................89
Chapter 5: Vowels ---------------------------------------------------------93
Tip of the tongue should rest at the base of the lower front teeth ................93
Basic vowel production for classical/legit styles ...............................................94
Perceptions of vowels as “bright” versus “dark” ............................................100
Vowels in contemporary styles .........................................................................101
Vowel consistency for intonation and ensemble blending ..........................102
Problematic vowels ............................................................................................102
Modification of vowels for higher pitches .......................................................107
Diphthongs, triphthongs, and glides ................................................................114
Altering the tonal color of vowels ....................................................................116
A summary philosophy of vowel formation ....................................................118
Vowel exercises ..................................................................................................119
Chapter 6: Consonants --------------------------------------------------123
The articulators ...................................................................................................123
Quick, efficient consonant formation in classical singing .............................123
Consonant length is often extended in contemporary styles ......................124
Classical/legit singers should be judicious about exaggeration ..................124
Consonants requiring special consideration ..................................................125
Jaw position when singing l, k, g, t, d, m, n, ng ..............................................126
Contents vii
Think of [w] and “y” in terms of the vowels [u] and [i] ..................................127
Voiced versus unvoiced consonants ...............................................................127
Final consonants .................................................................................................131
Adding “uh” or “ah” to final consonants versus elision .................................131
Sometimes consonants should precede the beat.........................................132
Consonant exercises ..........................................................................................133
Chapter 7: Vibrato -------------------------------------------------------135
Vibrato is a natural phenomenon ....................................................................135
Desirable vibrato rate and extent ....................................................................136
Style implications for vibrato .............................................................................139
Solving vibrato problems ...................................................................................140
Modifying vibrato ...............................................................................................145
Vibrato in choral singing ....................................................................................147
Vibrato in early music ........................................................................................150
Vibrato exercises ................................................................................................154
Chapter 8: Negotiation of the Vocal Registers ------------------------157
What are vocal registers? .................................................................................157
Two main (modal) registers ...............................................................................158
Middle register (mixed voice) ...........................................................................160
Children’s registers .............................................................................................161
Differences in chest and head voice use in classical and
contemporary styles ......................................................................................162
Modern singers most likely to struggle with the upper register .....................164
Transitions between registers (passaggi) .........................................................164
Negotiating the register transitions ..................................................................167
Special registers ..................................................................................................170
Register exercises ...............................................................................................173
Chapter 9: Voice Classification and Improving Range ---------------177
Distribution and classification of voice types ..................................................177
Tessitura versus range ........................................................................................180
Classification of voices in contemporary styles ..............................................181
Singing higher pitches........................................................................................182
Accessing lower pitches for female singers ....................................................184
Handling leaps in pitch ......................................................................................185
Exercises to increase range ..............................................................................186
Chapter 10: Improving Intonation --------------------------------------189
Causes of poor intonation ................................................................................189
Repertoire-specific intonation issues ................................................................192
Extraneous factors affecting intonation ..........................................................194
Concluding thoughts about intonation ..........................................................196
Exercises to improve intonation ........................................................................196
viii Vocal Technique: A Guide to Classical and Contemporary Styles
Chapter 11: Legato, Staccato, Accents, Melismas/Riffs,
Dynamic Control, and Special Vocal Effects -----------------------199
Legato involves vowel-to-vowel continuity ....................................................199
Staccato..............................................................................................................202
Accents ...............................................................................................................203
Vocal ornaments and embellishments ............................................................203
Dynamic control .................................................................................................206
Special vocal effects .........................................................................................208
Exercises for legato, staccato, accents, melismas, and dynamics .............209
Chapter 12: Improving Choral Blend -----------------------------------213
Blend philosophies..............................................................................................213
Choral sound ......................................................................................................214
Keys to a blended sound ..................................................................................214
The role of timbre in blending ...........................................................................218
Voice positioning ................................................................................................219
Concluding thoughts on blend ........................................................................222
Chapter 13: Changing Voices ------------------------------------------223
Overview of voice change during childhood and puberty .........................223
Voices are changing at younger ages ...........................................................224
Vocal development in adolescent males ......................................................227
Vocal development in adolescent females ...................................................229
Part assignment during vocal change ............................................................232
Vocal technique issues in child and adolescent voices ...............................233
Vocal exercise issues specific to adolescents ................................................237
Transgender singers ............................................................................................238
Aging voices .......................................................................................................241
Chapter 14: Reducing Tension ------------------------------------------245
Larynx and neck/pharynx tension ....................................................................245
Jaw tension .........................................................................................................247
Tongue tension ...................................................................................................249
Tongue groove—is it a sign of tension? ...........................................................251
Lip tension ...........................................................................................................252
Shoulders .............................................................................................................252
Legs ......................................................................................................................253
Concluding thoughts on tension ......................................................................253
Exercises to reduce tension ...............................................................................254
Chapter 15: Guarding Singers’ Vocal Health --------------------------257
Hydration .............................................................................................................258
Vocal stamina and fatigue ...............................................................................260
Stress, anxiety, and vocal health ......................................................................261
Contents ix
Meal consumption prior to singing ...................................................................262
Mucus ..................................................................................................................262
Gastric reflux .......................................................................................................263
Singing and the common cold ........................................................................264
Medications with the potential to cause vocal fold bleeding .....................267
Hormonal factors affecting the voice .............................................................268
Additional medication considerations ............................................................271
If surgery is contemplated .................................................................................271
Vocal health concerns of professional singers ...............................................274
Vocal health of amateur singers ......................................................................275
Choral conductor’s role in maintaining vocal health ...................................276
Chapter 16: A Productive Warm-Up ------------------------------------281
Why are warm-ups important? .........................................................................281
Specific benefits of a thoughtful warm-up sequence ...................................282
Warm-up sequence ...........................................................................................283
Sample warm-up sequences ............................................................................286
Vocal cool-down ...............................................................................................287
Compendium of suggested exercises for warm-up ......................................288
Appendix: IPA Symbols for Important Vowels and Consonants ------297
References ---------------------------------------------------------------299
Index ----------------------------------------------------------------------323