In a message dated 7/19/2002 7:18:18 AM Pacific Daylight Time, lloyd.hanson@n... writes:
> Vowel selection and "vowel purity" have always been a major concern in > traditional voice teaching, not so much because such "purity" is needed for > language understanding, but rather because such vowel concerns provide the > purity of tone which is the hallmark of all great voices and such vowel > concerns develop a voice that is more efficient and more capable of meeting > the demands required in the performance of classic vocal music." > >
Wouldn't it be a short stretch to also assume, that the choice of vowels would either dampen or enhance certain formants. When we use vowels that encourage a certain range of formants we are allowing the acoustical properties of that sound to provide the illusion of amplification, without having to overdrive the vocal folds with excess air. Basically, if my guess is right, more bang for the buck. Also, if a certain set of vowels encourage a more efficient vibratory pattern in the vocal folds, we are not forced to work as hard to produce a sound, thus minimizing the fatiguing, or injurious, aspects of singing. In a sense, this sounds like what car engineers work to produce. They want an engine that gets the best fuel economy, while still producing as much horsepower as possible. Therefore, at the rudimentary level, all singing styles come down to vocalizing a combination of sounds, learning what vowels and consonants maximize the efficiency of the vocal folds would be relevent in all situations. Different styles demand stronger emphasis in different areas, but using the voice efficiently may enable the singer to make these stylistic choices in a less injurious manner. In conclusion, teaching from this base of knowledge helps to eliminate the age-old argument of what style is best or worse for the singer. (implying that one might teach vocal technique in a different manner for different styles) If we teach technique based on current knowledge of how the voice works most efficiently, style then is added on top of the technique and becomes an educated choice of expression.
Just my two cents worth, Mary Beth Felker SLS associate
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