Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Tako Oda" <toda@m...>
"Tako Oda" <toda@m...>
Date:  Mon Apr 23, 2001  6:29 pm
Subject:  Re: Who are hautes contre/Hard vocal tone


Gina <classicalsinger@e...> wrote:
Gina <classicalsinger@e...> wrote:
> You have made me very curious. I have heard this term "hard"
before. I
> don't fully understand it. May I ask what you mean by "hard"?
Others
> on this list who use that term or can explain it? Can you describe
this
> in other words? How do you know a hard tone when you hear it?
What do
> you think would cause it? How is it corrected? Hmmmmm....

Hard is probably best described by a harmonic spectrum that has very
clear formants and lots of empty space, like open blinds. Most of the
vibration energy is localized to certain frequencies. Round tones tend
to have a smoother distribution, even in the singer's formant region.

The term "hard" probably came to be because it is often the result of
hard resonating surfaces, which emphasize specific frequencies better
than softer ones.

Tako


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