BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken

Subject: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 08 Oct 99 - 03:46 AM

Stung by Cathy and her chickens (some altos are chicken sopranos) - I decided to see whether I could improve the top range of voice. She could be right because I've found out that I can sing some nice high notes quite loud & resonantly (I've been practicing in the car where you can really howl it out). So - then I thought I could improve that range a bit by just singing some songs up there. THEN - I found out that although I have no trouble putting loads of expression etc in my alto voice, when I sing up high it just came out very plain and in a sort of 'snooty' voice & sounded REALLY naff. The point being that although I was singing exactly the same song, I just didn't do the same things with it. I had to conciously work out what I do that sounds 'right' down low & then deliberately transfer that into the high version. I NEVER have to deliberately think about how I'm singing in the alto range, probably because its so familiar. But what seems STRANGE is that the technique only happens in the one range & I'll have to re-aquire it for the higher range by practicing. I would have expected it to just automatically transfer as its all to do with changing loudness, tempo & tone and adjusting accent, & adding twiddly bits & adjusting the tune a bit - basically the singing style I was so sure of is just not transferable between the two 'voices' but is transferrable between different songs and different keys. Is there any logic to that? Surely we don't use different bits of the brain for chest voice & head voice? Or is it just that I haven't developed the same level of control & am subconciously adjusting for that? Anyone else found the same thing??? Or noticed any other odd voice phenomena???

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: sophocleese
Date: 08 Oct 99 - 08:02 AM

I have to get the kids to school, but one quick note. The higher voice has a different tone than the lower voice. There are songs I learn off of tape etc. which are easily in my range but are at the higher end of an alto's range. I pick up that quality of strain, or whatever it is, when I'm singing it and find it harder to hit notes which should be easy. I have to consciously stop myself and reassess before I can sing easily.

Subject: RE: BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: Magpie
Date: 08 Oct 99 - 09:09 AM

Yes, King Brilliant, howling in the car is a good way to practice. But I tend to get some very funny looks from other drivers! Does that ever happen to you?

Magpie

Subject: RE: BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: sophocleese
Date: 08 Oct 99 - 05:09 PM

King Brilliant. A singing teacher I once had said that the voice was like a bamboo stem. The straight bits between the joins were notes that could all be sung the same way but then you'd get a break (like the joint in bamboo) and the next few notes after that would be sung differently until you hit the next break. Part of learning to sing was learning the best way to sing each note. The higher nores will resonate more in the mask, your face, and the lower notes will resonate more in the chest. It will be different from your lower notes just as the expression in your speaking voice is different from the expression in your alto singing voice. So keep singing away in your car finding out what works where. Just be sure to stop if you do something that hurts.

Subject: RE: BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: Margo
Date: 08 Oct 99 - 08:06 PM

Kris, singing higher requires the use of your muscles in a different way.

Singing low: Vocal chords more relaxed, vibrate further apart, require more air.

Singing high: Vocal chords more taut, vibrate closer together, require less air, but under more pressure!

BIG MISTAKE: To strain in the throat to make high notes.

RIGHT WAY: Create the pressure for the high notes by using the diaphram and the muscles in the back and legs. (I squeeze my buns together for the really high ones: perhaps I go too far...) Anyway, that's what they call breath support.

BOTTOM LINE: You must get your power from the muscles below to sing the high notes, and be completely relaxed in your shoulders, neck and head.

I think most voice students will agree....my best to you!

Margarita

Subject: RE: BS: which voice Pt 2 / the chicken
From: sophocleese
Date: 09 Oct 99 - 01:14 AM

Right on Margarita. I would add, though its probably been said many times before, DON'T jab your chin at the ceiling when youwant to hit high notes. Consciously keeping your chin down will make a big difference in not straining the chords on the high notes. They will sound SO much better for it.