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From: Karen Mercedes
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: TECHNIQUE: singing "ah"
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Ah, the elusive "ah".

Here are the things that help me get the placement and focus right on
"ah", and how I manage to accomplish an Italian "a" vs. a French "a"
without getting too bogged down or "throaty".


First, I "aim" the "ah" at my hard palate, upper teeth, and nose. I do
NOT allow it to wallow happily under my soft palate, where it feels so
good, but sounds so bad.

I always think very "bright" when I sing "ah", particularly the French "a"
(non-nasal).

I'm obsessive about keeping the soft palate raised and the jaw "floppy"
(loose, unhinged) WHILE keeping the mouth closed more than you might
normally do for that vowel. And I'm very careful to keep "aiming" at the
hard palate/upper teeth/nose as I sing above my upper break, when I have
to open the mouth more.

I'm careful not to "o" my lips (creating more of an "aw") at all on
"ah"...well, with the qualification that when I want to do a more
Italianate "a" I will round my lips a teensy weensy almost imperceptible
bit more than I would on a French "a".

In all cases, I make sure the tongue is happily resting flat on the bottom
of my mouth with the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth. If there's
no tongue tip/lower teeth contact, I know I'm in trouble, because the
tongue is probably pulling back, which will make it impossible to keep the
soft palate up and the jaw completely "unhinged".

I keep the breath flowing consistently with energy, and all the other
things one has to do for good technique, independent of which vowel or
consonant we're singing.

Hope this helps.

KM
=====
There is delight in singing,
tho' none hear Beside the singer.
- Walter Savage Landor
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MY WEB PAGE: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
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