Vocalist.org archive


From: Tako Oda
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Speaking/Singing voice ( ranting about countertenors)
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

"Lloyd W. Hanson" wrote:
> Your suggestions that the cords get stretched lengthwise to raise
> pitch until they can no longer stretch lengthwise and must be
> stretched laterally is a most confusing statement. Can you explain a
> bit more? For example, how is lengthwise and laterally stretching
> different?

Sorry! My attempt to explain was not thorough enough.

By lengthwise stretching, I meant longitudinal tension. Kind of like
the approximating surfaces of the cords were the ropes in a game of
tug-o-war. The pulling would be more or less dorso-ventral. The rise in
pitch comes from the added taughtness of the actuator of sound, in spite
of the the slight lengthening of the actuator (which is usually
associated with a lowering of pitch).

By lateral stretching I meant the thinning action that happens when
there is tension applied to the cords from the sides. The rise in pitch
comes from reduced mass (caused by the thinning), not to mention the
shortening of the effective vibrating length of the cords which is
characteristic of register 2 (aka head voice).

I tried to avoid talk of muscles in this discussion, as the work of
muscles are always re-directed and can therefore make things confusing.
I thought that by sticking to the action of the resultant vectors it
would be easier to explain. If this is still confusing, or if I have it
wrong, then by all means please let me know. Thanks!

Tako Oda
Graduate Student in Composition
Mills College Music Department
http://www.mills.edu/PEOPLE/gr.pages/toda.public.html/music/singer.html