Hello, vocalisters!
Isabelle wrote, in reponse to my questions:
<<<1) Regardless of what your ENT says, the fact that
there are ANY nodules, even small ones, still on your
cords makes me very nervous. Can you find a
singer-friendly ENT and get a second opinion (by
calling a local opera house for a recommendation, or
scheduling a visit while you're on vacation in a big
city, or something)? Small nodules should be a huge
cause for concern, I would think, and may very well be
affecting your range.>>>
My nodules were diagnosed 10 years ago by the ENT who treated many of the
singers in Louisville, KY. He prescribed 10 days of prednisone and three
days complete vocal rest to reduce the swelling. Then he determined that
there was no need for surgery since the scar tissue on my vocal folds would
be larger than the nodes themselves. He did, however, say that he thought
my speaking voice was too low.
The primary cause of the nodules was thought to be my job--teaching band
(marching, concert, and jazz bands) and chorus (four classes each day). Too
much singing, yelling (Ouch!), and talking in one day. So I quit doing
that, and had no more swelling.
When I moved here (Charleston, SC) I went to the singer-friendly ENT
recommended by many professional singers, and he concurred with my first
ENT's diagnosis concerning surgery. He did, however, say that he thought my
speaking voice was too high :)
Doctors out there, are there any alternatives for treatment of nodules
besides surgery and vocal rest? What are the common prescriptions and
remedies (if any)? I assumed (and you know what kind of trouble that gets a
person into) that surgery, vocal rest, and steroids were the only options,
other than getting rid of whatever caused the nodules in the first place.
<<<2) I have found that it's a common experience for sopranos to
short-change their high notes because of a certain type of technique that
teaches a big, fat, full, rich middle voice -- at the expense of the top.
The concept of the (mature) voice as an hourglass is helpful for me -- the
passaggio MUST remain small and narrow for the top notes to be able to
blossom...>>>
Ladies and gentlemen, I think this could be the answer. Isabelle gets the
gold star for the day! I do have a big, fat, rich middle voice that (of
course) I can't carry very high. I constantly tell my voice students that
they can't carry a lot of vocal weight up high, but I have neglected to
listen to my own advice.
<<<Are you studying with a teacher now? In a way, you can choose either
direction -- keep the fullness of the voice and find a teacher to beef up
your lower range -- go the mezzo route -- or find a teacher who teaches the
hour-glass theory and spend some time re-tooling your range (thinning and
narrowing it out,
for a while) to get your top notes back. The second option is a LOT more
work (it's hard, hard work to take a too-open voice and focus it up), but if
you are truly a soprano, it's probably the best choice.>>>
I was studying with someone recently whose voice was very similar to mine,
except she has the high notes. I just felt that she was trying to make me
into her own image a little too much, so I'm looking for a new teacher.
<<<Maybe you could take a "tour" of the singing teachers in your area,
taking a lesson from each of them and asking for their advice and
analysis?>>>
I really like this idea!
<<<Or do that thing Tako did, and put up clips of yourself doing a bunch of
things on a web page. I'm trying to figure out how to do that myself -- I
think it would be a huge leap in Vocalist diagnostics!>>>
I really like this idea, too. If only I had all the bells and whistles on
my computer so I could do it. Even if I had all the bells and whistles, I
probably wouldn't know what to do with them :)
Elizabeth wrote:
<<<I'm probably the wrong person to comment, as I'm
a) not conservatory trained
and
b) a big honkin' mezzo (according to my current teacher).
However, my teacher in Philadelphia insisted that improving my chest voice
would provide a solid foundation (so to speak) for the top of my range. I've
got about four notes up there that I can credit to her.>>>
Thanks, Elizabeth. I think your opinions are perfectly valid. I do find
that improving my chest voice has made some of my high notes feel freer, so
you could be right.
If I decide to go with one of Isabelle's suggestions, I could be giving you
a run for your money as a big honkin' mezzo :)
Cathy Ardrey
big honkin soprano
perhaps too big midrange)
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