Vocal technique

Introduction

The vocal technical gathers a whole of knowledge (anatomical in particular) and practices having for goal to develop and preserve the voice of a Chanteur.

The vocal technique is especially taught with the lyric singers in order to fulfill the requirements which such a Article requires.

It is based in particular on a work on the breath - inspiration and expiry related to the opening of the Rib cage - and the support of the diaphragm, developed thanks to various physical exercises - training of breathing, of the body posture adequate - and vocal - singing exercises especially.

Its goal is to act on various elements in order to facilitate the emission vocale : position of the language, the larynx, opening of the jaw, the coasts, stature…

A good vocal technique allows the singer, inter alia, to extend its Tessiture, to enrich its vocal stamp, to facilitate the passage of the voice of head to the Chest voice, to emit a natural Vibrato, to have a more powerful voice and, consequently, to tire themselves less quickly vocally.

It must make it possible to the singer to have the full control of its instrument and to concentrate on more important : emotion and musical quality, too often choked per too much technicality.

In France, two diplomas recognized by the State make it possible to teach the technique vocale : CA (training certificate) and OF (diploma of State).

Precise details on the installation of voice and vocal work

It is necessary to see the voice like a instrument with whole share. Take a Cornemuse for example. This one has a reserve of air on which the musician pushes to cause an air pressure which makes vibrate the air in the body of the instrument, itself composed of a rather simple pipe. The successive position of the fingers on the instrument varying the frequency of vibration of the air in the instrument. The parallel with the voice is rather direct: the depression (and not pressure) in the lungs are created by the push of the diaphragm downwards. The lungs, fill then of air " comprimable". The diaphragm, being pressed in particular on the floating ribs can be helped by those Ci for this depression, but it is not obligatory. In downward end of the road, the diaphragm becomes inert. The oblique and transverse abdominal muscles, being based on the musculus rectus abdominis, then compress the visceral mass which pushes back the inert diaphragm. This one is used then as piston to compress the air of the lungs under the glottis and to cause the sound wave. Contrary to many generally accepted ideas due in particular to a famous book of Richard Miller (it is enough to look at the thorax of this Mister to include/understand the error), one does not sing with the action of his diaphragm. In the song, the diaphragm is " inactif". The vibrating part of our vocal apparatus is carried out by the vocal cords. Then, the sound vibration is amplified, coloured (personalized, enriched, filtered) by our resonators. These resonators are made up between-others by the sines, the shape of our palate,…, and in fine , the position of our lips. It is fundamental to notice that, for example, the sung vowel “O” obtains mainly its sound color (its base form) by the position of the language, the palate, of the luette, i.e. of the vocal apparatus interns, more than by the position of the lips which do nothing but polish the end result. It will be noticed easily that one can sing a “O” and “has” without for that moving the position of the lips too much. The difference being the way of positioning the internal vocal apparatus.

It is very rare that a person obtains a good vocal technique spontaneously, except the lucky ones having as of their birth either of a case of resonance facilitating quality stamp, or of a native tongue facilitating the good placement, or both. It is what is noted in Italy, in russophonie, in Americas and only in the south of France, which provided last century 80% of the international singers. Indeed, to pose its voice well is a completely artificial work, the purpose of which is final to give a good made vocal in the ear of the listeners, and not in the ear of the singer. An apprentice singer who listening will have evil with posing his voice well. It will have tendency to either too placing it in its throat, or too in the nose. It is impossible to be at the same time a singer and listener (but that remains valid for any musical instrument). The opening of the jaw has a very great importance to find the position which gives the most vocal facility, " to sing should nothing cost you ". That wants to say by-there if the vocal apparatus is positioned so that nothing comes to obstruct the passage of the sound vibration, the sound will be rich color and easily produced. In fact, referring to Y Sundberg, acoustics expert, the extra stamp vocalic necessary said singing formant is composed mainly of harmonics whose Wavelength is lower than 17 cm and can thus develop in the mouth. To find its position clean, it is necessary to find the opening of the jaw which places its own voice ideally, i.e. highest possible without it being in the nose (placed too high), as well as an optimal position of the luette, and language.

The Italian vocal Masters conceive the installation of voice in the following way: Aperto, Coperto . The first term means that no obstacle must obstruct the passage of the sound vibration. For example, if a singer tightens his throat, the air which passes in this narrower conduit will make vibrate its larynx. Ultimately, it is as if the air pressure were generated by its throat rather than by its diaphragm. That will have as a consequence a great vocal tiredness, little endurance, as well as potentials problems of nodules and irritation of the throat. Another actor of the " aperto ", is the luette. One needs that this one is opened thoroughly on the nasal part, which makes it possible the sound vibration to be propagated in the higher resonators, which enriches the color by the sound and gives all its stamp to the voice of a singer. The second term characterizes the natural position of the palate which creates a vault making it possible to forward the vibration to the outside.

In short, one can say that to learn with singing well is not at all obvious, and even less obvious is the task to teach this technique. It is advisable to support the teaching images or metaphors on scientific realities of the operation of the voices, which are exclusively pneumatic, undulatory and acoustic. (cf Christian GUERIN)

Note: this article could be enriched, I think by a detailed analysis of the chest voice and voice of head. Other interesting subjects would be also the differences between women and men in vocal work, as well as the particular case of vocal work for the voice of against-tenor at the man.

See too

Internal bonds

Voice
Song

External bonds

Vocalix.FR
chanteur.net
art-opera.com

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