Hi, Delia,
> > I start with easy low chest voice exercises on one note, [snip] Stay in chest > range, > > don't push for volume. > > Do you mean something like G or A below middle C or higher ? (I'm a > soprano by the way)
Below middle c.
>[snip]Sing a few of > these, > > proceeding downward past the break. > > Do you mean DCBAG, then CBAGF, then BAGFE etc. until you can't get > any further in head voice ?
Yes. Keep in head as you crescendo until you absolutely can't avoid letting the chest in.
> > When the bottom note of the 5-note scale is solid, doesn't crack or > break > > too soon into chest, START with that and go up 5 steps or an > arpeggio. Start > > at the break or just above. Then do it again, starting below the > break. > > Are you still in 'head voice' here ? or starting in chest and sort > of 'mixing upwards' (not that i really know what mixing means)
No, not exactly - you're in the gear you ended up in after the crescendo.
>I can take head voice down to about B or chest voice > up to about F. I'm really interested in understanding this exercise > properly and would appreciate a bit more explanation.
We all can move our breaks around like this. It is confusing, isn't it?! The trick is to get that b to f area to mix in a healthy, flexible way. The weakest point in most sopranos' voices is the lower head voice around the break. These exercises, among others, will help strengthen that area while allowing the chest to mix in without overpowering head. Read Steve Frasier's post from 3/4/03 quoted below for more detail and background. This is exactly what my teacher does, as well. Good luck!!
Susan
Steve Frasier wrote: While I will get to specific exercises in a minute, I want to offer my opinion as to _why_ 'blending the registers' is desirable.
Though there are many reasons, the finest summary reason I know is that the individual gains access to a greater range of expression in singing. Specifically, 1) greater dynamic range by access to both the softer and louder ends; 2) finer control of line shaping by subtle dynamic changes; 3) greater control over vowel shading: clarity, brilliance and depth; 4) better ensemble, by increased ability to combine aspects of #1, #2 and #3 when singing with others; and 4) smooth access to the full pitch range of the voice, with power, and without sudden, disruptive changes in tone quality.
To use a painting metaphor, blending the registers increases the spectrum and intensity of colors on the palate. It makes the palate larger, with places to mix what we would like. It gives us more brushes to choose from, and and allows our chosen brush to paint whatever colors we've mixed all the way to the edge of the canvas.
Now, as to exercises... My selection of specific exercises is based on the particular needs of the student voice. Generally, I like to begin by building the expressiveness of the middle voice through messa di voce exercises, slow crescendo-diminuendo patterns on individual pitches using a single vowel. The vowels chosen depend on the registration blend which is easiest for the student. If the student is a 'light, top-dominated' voice, then I use the long ah, and the short a (cat). If the student is a 'heavy, bottom-dominated' voice, then I use oo and ee.
At the passaggii, the issue I most often have to contend with is that a beginner will try to carry a coordination too far across it (in any direction), without making note-by-note small adjustments. A second issue is the presence of 'either-or' registration on a particular note, but no access to a combination. A third issue is the presence of restricting, interfering tension. A fourth is an uneven application of breath energy.
I can usually determine what is going on by 'taking inventory' through a simple set of octave arpeggios (up and down) which cross through the pitch regions of interest. If a transition is being taken too heavily, I soften the dynamic or use oo or ee. If it is being taken too lightly, then ah or a, as mentioned above. Descending 5- tone scales through the regions are very useful as well.
While there are many others, those are the ones I start with, and work out on specific problems from there.
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