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From:  "lestaylor2003 <LesTaylor@a...
Date:  Fri Jan 31, 2003  3:24 pm
Subject:  Re: two threads

Jean Marie: In learning to sing, we are dealing with the nervous
system. That deals with sensation. How it feels is one of the best
roadmaps we have, and it conveys an enormous amount of information!
If that was not the case, why would so many singers find Feldenkreis
and Alexander techniques so useful?
***********************************
While I think I agree with what you're trying to say, I believe also
that Alexander and Feldenkreis try to open our awareness to the
possibility that we can be deluded by our sensations and that the
possibility of delusion increases, the fewer sensations we use to
verify the others.

We cannot control what we cannot perceive. Every lesson I've taken
and given seems to reinforce the truth of that idea. For example, I
have noticed that lots of people "scoop" up to the correct pitch when
they start to sing. When I point it out to them, many are surprised,
not having a clue that they're doing it. When they hear it played
back on a tape, you can actually see the lightbulb come on! Once
they "get it", they will often get very excited and tell me about
other singers they notice doing it (some of them very well known
too).

Note: I insist on a good clean onset to the right pitch during
lessons and caution that consistent scooping can lead to flat singing
but if the performer's stylistic choice is to scoop, that's their
business and they're going to do it anyway as soon as they walk out
the door. I've given them my best expert advice in good faith and
it's not my business to impose my tastes on them unless they request
that I do.

The point is, a single kind of perception, without verification from
others can fool us. There are three kinds of sensation we can use
(visual, audial and tactile) and we should use as many as possible as
often as we can. Alexander's mirror was a wonderful thing.
***********************************
Jean Marie: The problem is in the describing of these sensations.
Everyone will describe them in different ways. One of the challeges
for teachers is "cracking the code" - figuring out how the students
describes things, and what ideas would help them.
***********************************
Absolutely! It's about communications isn't it? And communicatons can
only take place when the message is clearly delivered AND received.
Accuracy and agreement on meaning are paramount. It just makes sense
to me that the less nebulous the terms are, the more likely they will
be understood.

And what do we do when there simply are no words? Some things teach
the body without the need of words; lip trills - unvoiced and voiced,
sirens, sighs, onsets etc. There are lots of very specific exercises
that teach people what to do that don't require a whole lot of
explanation. Sometimes too much talking creates too much of the kind
of self-consciousness that inhibits performance anyway.
Regards,
Les






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