Secrets of Singing: Vocal Technique (Republished)

Secrets of Singing: Vocal Technique (Republished) Category: School, College, Greek
by Maria Freeman

RESONANCE AND SINGING IN THE MASK
Singing in the mask is the most important concept of resonance and projection. When you sing in the mask, the voice fachs on its own. When the voice has the freedom to cascade up and down the scale in the mask, it will project. Rosa Ponsell categorized the mask as the forehead area around the nose, eyes, and cheekbones.

CHIAROSCURO
An italian term used by artists, chiaroscuro is the light and dark shading and highlighting a painter uses on a canvas. The natural voice has its own coloring and shading in every note. Allowing the voice to 'be' and by not brightening or darkening or modifying the sound, allows each note to express its own light and dark coloring. The voice creates its own chiaroscuro based on position of the vocal cords and the vowel. Chiaroscuro is the color of the instrument on every note.

SPINNING THE BREATH
The spin of the breath should match the weight of one's voice. If one has a big voice then the breath takes a slower spin because the cords are thicker. If one has a lighter voice then the breath takes a faster spin because the vocal cords are thinner. Those with big voices need not push the breath. Allowing the breath to complement the big lush voilet sound comfortably in the cupo, is a good feeling. Lighter voices can find the cupo also.

FINDING THE CUPO
The cupo or cupola http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vZW4ud2lraXBlZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpL0N1cG9sYQ== is the fleshy part right behind the hard pallet at the center of the roof of the mouth. It is also referred to as the soft pallet but that really does not describe its meaning or its function here. It all sounds very much like imagery but the cupo is the dome of a cathedral where the sound goes up straight and reverberates. In singing the cupo is the fleshy part at the top of the mouth where the sound reverberates through the crown of the head. But finding that place is the same concept as finding that spot in a church where you are experiencing that live sound that goes up into the vault. Singing in the cupo is finding the vault in top of the roof of the mouth. There's the hard pallet, the soft pallet and the cupo which is higher than the soft pallet. It also is the spot where the high notes go. The truth is that regardless of how it sounds, when you first start utilizing the cupo you must sing in the upper register. Many singers never utilize the cupo and so it is closed down. One must vocalize in the cupo to so call "clean the cobwebs out of the attic." When I first started working with my teacher on accessing the cupo, it sounded a mess. I had never utilized the area before and I was cracking all over the place. She said..'.let it be. You have never worked this area and we are now cleaning out the cobwebs. You are now waking up the cupo.' After a couple of months, the facility started to sound like real notes Cs Ds, Es, Fs.

Disclaimer: One must continually refind the cupo using"memory sensation." This I learned from a famous New York voice teacher and is only my interpretation of the study of accessing and finding the cupo.

VOCALIZING
Vocalization is the main thing that helps the voice warm up. You should have your chosen vocalises to take you through warm up paces. One must be careful not to over vocalise as you do not want to strip the vocal cords of its sheen before a performance. Oftentimes, the voice will take longer to warm up if you are not well rested or are experiencing the onset of a cold. This is why it is so important to get more rest than you think you need, and more nutrition than you will need. The body can burn up to 1000 calories singing opera, depending on the role. The stress encountered during an operatic performance demands much peace in other areas of your life.

MANAGING THE TONGUE
The tongue is a gigantic muscle that sits in the center of your mouth. The tongue is very helpful in singing: it is the basis for all vowels and consonants. The tongue is very important in singing. One of the ways it is important also, is that it supports THE CUPO on the high notes. The tongue arches Pg 24 of Opera Singing by William Murry Thompson 1. and widens and lifts THE CUPO. Although this does sound like technique, this cheoreagraphy happens very naturally if you let it 'happen' and not be afraid of it. The mouth naturally wants to open larger and get wider during high notes. Allowing the tongue to arch and support THE CUPO causes the breath to spin around the top of the head, giving top notes lots of space. While the top notes are beautiful and free...make sure your accompanist doesn't get in 'the spirit' and start leading the music. When you are working with THE CUPO you are working with luxurious top sounds that need space, breath, and time. Allow the tongue to stretch out, be free and arch...also as per Pg. 23 of Opera Singing, "resulting in a 'S' shape rather than a simple curl with the mass forward. See Figure 2."

VOWELS
Of course we have to deal with vowels as the are the basis of our singing. A,E,I, O, U. All vowels should be vocalized on the open vowel. Only when you get into the various languages should you consider modification and that only applies to everything above A4.

JOURNALING
Journaling is practical for life and singing purposes. One must keep a journal to spot good habits and erraticate bad habits. A journal helps you prepare before singing so that you will know what you need to do before each performance. Keeping track of your various spaces when practicing, helps you prepare for the next performance. Rest, sleep, and eating the right foods help the body stay healthy which is the instrument of the voice. The less stress one has in their lives the better the singing. Avoid all stressful events and people at all times for healthy singing experiences.