Comments on: Down and Dirty with the Larynx http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/ Practical insight for today's emerging vocalists Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:40:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Celeste Khanna http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-1238 Celeste Khanna Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:28:13 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-1238 Hi <br>I have been hearing about singing qualities and wonder if you can shed any light on this. i am very confused by what exactly is 'cry' 'sob' 'speech' and belt and how to recognise them in singing<br>Thanks Celeste Hi
I have been hearing about singing qualities and wonder if you can shed any light on this. i am very confused by what exactly is 'cry' 'sob' 'speech' and belt and how to recognise them in singing
Thanks Celeste

]]> By: brettjlee http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-529 brettjlee Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:34:26 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-529 leontine, great article I am a little confused but will do some research and I am certain a dumb aussie like myself can be educated.<br>Loook forward to all the articles and am learning more and more about what I have taken for granted for years <br>Lots of assistance for me <br>many thanks <br>Brett J Lee leontine, great article I am a little confused but will do some research and I am certain a dumb aussie like myself can be educated.
Loook forward to all the articles and am learning more and more about what I have taken for granted for years
Lots of assistance for me
many thanks
Brett J Lee

]]> By: chrismonk http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-528 chrismonk Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:05:15 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-528 this was very well said and very easy for me to understand thank you very much i cant wait to try this out! this was very well said and very easy for me to understand thank you very much i cant wait to try this out!

]]> By: Paco http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-504 Paco Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:49:00 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-504 This exercise is very frusrating for me. I have been trying it for a year or so since reading it in Baxter's or Vendera's books. But I can´t feel any move up or down when singing: I actually feel it backwards and frontwards. I need to open wide my mouth when hitting my upper notes and this makes me sort of pulling my neck's sides outwards. I find this very confusing. ???? This exercise is very frusrating for me. I have been trying it for a year or so since reading it in Baxter's or Vendera's books. But I can´t feel any move up or down when singing: I actually feel it backwards and frontwards. I need to open wide my mouth when hitting my upper notes and this makes me sort of pulling my neck's sides outwards. I find this very confusing. ????

]]> By: Elizabeth James http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-501 Elizabeth James Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:21:48 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-501 I have never before heard this explained so clearly, either from a voice coach, or from a book. I can't wait to try out your instructions! I have never before heard this explained so clearly, either from a voice coach, or from a book. I can't wait to try out your instructions!

]]> By: Jon_Hunter http://voicecouncil.com/down-and-dirty-with-the-larynx/#comment-497 Jon_Hunter Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:46:58 +0000 http://voicecouncil.com/?p=3338#comment-497 Great advice, Leontine. Retraction is often considered a veritable panacea for vocal issues - it certainly counters the False Vocal Folds trigger to constrict when the larynx is high (e.g. when singing high, as Ashley described).<br><br>Other FVF triggers where active retraction may be helpful include loud or effortful singing, shouting, ends of phrases (i.e. end of breath), stressful/emotional situations (stage-fright!), and even very low notes.<br><br>It's worth mentioning that Retraction does alter voice quality slightly, due to the increased laryngeal space, making it 'fuller' or 'sweeter'. This resonance may not be suitable to the genre being sung (e.g. some pop, or rock) and therefore only employed when FVF constriction gets in the way of the note coming out. Or explore the degree to which you retract for greater control (rather than an on-off switch, think of it like a dial).<br><br>Either way, it's in any singer's best interest to know what both Constriction and Retraction feel like, and to have the tools to deal with any undesired effect either state of the FVFs might be contributing to.<br><br>Regarding optimal larynx height, explore sirening the melody (sirening = humming on an 'ng' sound, like at the end of the word 'sing'). Do so reasonably quietly with minimal effort and note where the larynx goes on your high notes. Any deviation from this 'optimal' height should be based on aesthetics (i.e. what you want to sound like) and, as Leontine describes, raising your larynx higher will strengthen the higher harmonics in the sound, lowering it will strengthen the lower harmonics - just like the treble/bass balance on a sound system. And only vary the larynx height as much as you can maintain stability of the note.<br><br>The flute/piccolo analogy is a good one. I'd suggest though that rather than thinking of the tube being from larynx to soft palate, instead it is from the vocal folds (larynx) up towards the soft palate then round the corner into the mouth ending at the lips. The lips can also play a significant role in treble/bass balance (i.e. resonance). Explore this yourself by sustaining a note and alternating between relaxed lips and pushed forward or pulled back (as if into a smile). You might also be able to think of singers who employ their lips in one of these ways. Often classical singers employ protruded lips to assist a 'fuller' or 'darker' sound.<br><br>Cheers, Jon Great advice, Leontine. Retraction is often considered a veritable panacea for vocal issues – it certainly counters the False Vocal Folds trigger to constrict when the larynx is high (e.g. when singing high, as Ashley described).

Other FVF triggers where active retraction may be helpful include loud or effortful singing, shouting, ends of phrases (i.e. end of breath), stressful/emotional situations (stage-fright!), and even very low notes.

It's worth mentioning that Retraction does alter voice quality slightly, due to the increased laryngeal space, making it 'fuller' or 'sweeter'. This resonance may not be suitable to the genre being sung (e.g. some pop, or rock) and therefore only employed when FVF constriction gets in the way of the note coming out. Or explore the degree to which you retract for greater control (rather than an on-off switch, think of it like a dial).

Either way, it's in any singer's best interest to know what both Constriction and Retraction feel like, and to have the tools to deal with any undesired effect either state of the FVFs might be contributing to.

Regarding optimal larynx height, explore sirening the melody (sirening = humming on an 'ng' sound, like at the end of the word 'sing'). Do so reasonably quietly with minimal effort and note where the larynx goes on your high notes. Any deviation from this 'optimal' height should be based on aesthetics (i.e. what you want to sound like) and, as Leontine describes, raising your larynx higher will strengthen the higher harmonics in the sound, lowering it will strengthen the lower harmonics – just like the treble/bass balance on a sound system. And only vary the larynx height as much as you can maintain stability of the note.

The flute/piccolo analogy is a good one. I'd suggest though that rather than thinking of the tube being from larynx to soft palate, instead it is from the vocal folds (larynx) up towards the soft palate then round the corner into the mouth ending at the lips. The lips can also play a significant role in treble/bass balance (i.e. resonance). Explore this yourself by sustaining a note and alternating between relaxed lips and pushed forward or pulled back (as if into a smile). You might also be able to think of singers who employ their lips in one of these ways. Often classical singers employ protruded lips to assist a 'fuller' or 'darker' sound.

Cheers, Jon

]]>