Dear Vocalisters:
All of the discussion about using implements in the mouth or between the teeth or on the lips as well as the discussion about a dark, flat head voice or placement of the vocal tone in the head or roof of the mouth or at the teeth or in the mask etc. and, of course, the ideas of cuperto are matters of attempting to tune the vocal tract (the space from the vocal folds to the facial lips) such that the resonating space of the vocal tract is correctly adjusted to the pitch of the phonated sound. The vocal tract can be adjusted into almost any configuration of space and a few of these configurations will be he correct ones to emphasize the qualities of tone we wish to have for a given pitch. However most of the available configurations that are possible will have either little effect on the phonated tone or a negative effect.
The best method of finding the correct configuration of the vocal tract is to experiment. Began a tone on a comfortable pitch with a proper vocal onset, not a breathy onset nor an overly attacking onset, but an onset that allows the voice to be heard as the breath is used. Once tone is established, move the tongue, lips, jaw, roof of mouth, et al in a continuously changing way and notice the effect that these changing vocal tract postures have on the vocal tone. Select a tonal quality that you like and that feels rich and has projection and make a tape recording of it. Listen to it. If you like it, attempt to emulate it again until you find that vocal tract position that assists you to achieve this desired tone. If the vocal tract position you select is extremely uncomfortable or contorted, try to find the same quality with a more natural, easy vocal tract posture. In most cases this is quite easy.
In this way you are more likely to find the vocal tract resonance that is optimal for your particular vocal mechanism structure. It is a mistake to apply the postures of the vocal tract that work for one singer to another singer. Doing so creates the distortions that have been so well listed in this discussion (pulling he upper lip over the upper teeth, closing the lips (cuperto) on the tone, dropping the jaw, singing in the yawn, raising the soft palette (sp?), etc.)
Keep in mind that the well phonated tone is rich in all of the harmonics that are necessary to produce a beautiful tone. If one wants a bright tone the vocal tract is adjusted to emphasize the higher harmonics, if one want a dark tone the vocal tract is adjusted to emphasiz the lower harmonics. If one wants a rich, natural sounding, balanced tone the vocal tract is adjusted to emphasize all of the harmonics present in the phonated tone with a possible emphasis on that part of the harmonic spectrum that is desired for a particular color or word declination.
It is possible to teach a person to sing in this way and, in so doing, empowering that singer to be in complete control of his/her voice and have it produce the tonal qualities that are best for the voice and within the desires of the singer. -- Lloyd W. Hanson
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