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From:  "Steve Fraser" <Steve.Fraser@j...>
Date:  Thu Mar 6, 2003  8:27 pm
Subject:  Working for Deep Rich Quality, was Re: Contraltos


Jodie & Listers:

I think of tone quality development as a discovery process, that is,
not that we work toward a 'Bright' or 'Deep' one per se, but rather
that we work to discover and use the _free_ and unrestricted tone
quality, whatever that might be for us.

What are some audible and visible indicators of a 'free' voice? I
think that four things uniquely distinguish it:

Ringing, clear vowels over all pitch ranges
Ready access to all pitches without strain
Ability to crescendo and decrescendo smoothly at will
Flexibility

While these are easy for me to type, they are challenging to
accomplish. Many aspects of mental concept, physical development and
coordinated muscle action must be made right to achieve them. They
must also become so automatic that you can freely focus your
attention on the core of the singer's art: the communication of the
words, thoughts and emotions in music.

Best Regards,

Steven Fraser
















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