In a message dated 12/5/2002 9:09:04 PM Central Standard Time,
bandb@n... writes:
> OK, if Randy is in the field of throat problems, that is
> a different one to teaching singing and I guess it is to be
> expected that one so involved would slant his interest toward
> the theory of singing, but the big overriding fact is that one
> teaches himself to sing with the assistance of the singing
> teacher. If one is not prepared to sing and adapt in his own
> attempts to arrive at a useful technique, he is destined to
> operate in some sterile vocal environment obtained under
> the auspices of his teacher. A dead end.
>
Hmm, about 25% of my work is that of vocal rehab (I am degreed in slp), the
rest is with singers. If you are under the conception that my lessons are
just a sterile thesis about vocal production, think again. However, the in
depth knowledge of how the different parts of the singing mechanism work and
relate to each other greatly improves one's ability to diagnose what is out
of whack with a singer. Without this knowledge a teacher is usually left
with such cliched responses as,"give it more support." Miller has a
wonderful essay on that in "On the Art of Singing." He talks about a
teacher's futile attempt to correct nasality through various images,
placement techniques ... which don't work. In a last ditch attempt the
teacher then works on "support." Is the problem fixed? Of course not. A
better understanding of vocal mechanics by the teacher would allow them to
know that the issue is a dropped velum for which they would then
systematically attack to correct the behavior.
A lot of teachers focus on support because much of it is externally
observable, as is posture. However these are not always the issues and a
fine tuned mind creates a fine tuned ear. An ear which can accurately
diagnose the issue at hand and may involve part of the process which is not
externally observable but nonetheless correctable if one knows how.
Randy Buescher
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