Dear Randy and Vocalisters:
Randy wrote:
>A balanced onset exists when the prephonatory tuning of the vocal folds is
>such that only narrow slit exists before the release of the airstream. When
>the airstream is released Bernoulli immediately sucks the folds together
>resulting in an onset that is not aspirated (where there is too much space
>between the folds) and a glottal attack (where the folds are in contact
>before the air is released). The key to this is the prephonatory tuning of
>the folds, breath management will not guarantee a balanced onset because if
>the folds are not tuned correctly a soft or hard onset will occur. Balanced
>onset is also not the answer to everything especially connecting the
>registers. Many singers can do the balanced onset exercises promoted by
>Miller and still not be able to negotiate their bridges efficiently.
COMMENT: Thanks for your excellent and more accurate definition of
the actual mechanics that must occur in the balanced onset. I would
only add that in teaching the student to initiate prephonatory tuning
of the vocal folds it is also necessary to teach or make the student
aware of breath preparation. Such breath preparation does not imply
a large intake of breath but, rather, a breath inhale similar that
used for speech but with conscious epigastric involvement.
Although I agree that special exercises are involved in helping the
student connect voice registers through their "passaggi", which you
prefer to call their "bridges", I have found that onset exercises in
these areas are extremely effective because they tend to
automatically structure the vocal mechanism into the necessary
configuration for the (so called) "blending" of the registers. This
occurs via the prephonatory tuning which you mention as necessary for
a balanced onset.
Thanks for the post. As always, your input is most rewarding.
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice and Vocal Pedagogy, Emeritus
Director of Opera-Theatre, 1987-1997
College of Fine Arts (formerly, School of Performing Arts)
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ Lloyd W. Hanson
|
|  |
