Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Deborah" <singsoprano2003@y...>
Date:  Mon Mar 10, 2003  10:19 am
Subject:  Re: Opening the Jaw

--- In vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com, "Lloyd W. Hanson"
<lloyd.hanson@n...> wrote:
> Dear Vocalisters:
>
> I am wondering why the concern about opening the jaw a particular
> amount for singing. There is no need for this concern. Singers
will
> naturally open the jaw as needed and that need will be determined
by
> the necessity for being heard. The degree of jaw or mouth opening
is
> determined by the size of mouth, the loft of the zygomatic arch,
the
> size of the jaw, the width of the soft and hard palate, the degree
of
> pharyngeal expansion and other less important factors. To even
> suggest that the singers should open the jaw three fingers width is
> to deny the individual differences found in each singer.
>
> It must be remembered that phonated sound is amplified by
adjustments
> of the vocal tract (that space from the vocal folds to the facial
> lips) and it is the adjustments of this primary resonating chamber
> that gives the voice its tone quality and its vocal power. In this
> regard, every singer is different. A singer with a larger buccal
> cavity (mouth cavity), especially if it possesses a high palatial
> arch, will not need to open the mouth very much. A singer with a
> wide but not very lofted palatial arch will need to open the mouth
a
> greater degree. Jessey Norman has a wide but low palatial
> arch,consequently she must open the mouth very substantially.
Renee
> Flemming, by contrast, has, evidently, a high palatial arch and
thus
> less need to produce a large mouth opening on anything but the
> highest notes. Individual differrences. It makes a choral group
> look very individual but it is the best way for singers to find
their
> own resonating equilibrium which will produce their own maximum
> resonance.
>
> In short, don't concern yourself with how much the singer opens
the
> mouth. Concern yourself with how well the singer is resonating
> his/her tone. Is the tone rich, warm, ringing. Or is it loud,
> hollow, hooty or harsh. The adjustments of the vocal tract
determine
> these qualities. And these vocal tract adjustments are individual
> based on the conformation of the individual vocal tract. All uses
of
> the vocal tract must be, by nature, flexible, adjustable, and ever
> changing. There is no given position that is best for all vocal
> tracts. In fact, there is no defined position that is correct for
> any INDIVIDUAL vocal tract. A singers resonating chamber (vocal
> tract) is one of his/her two primary voice generators (the other is
> his/her phonation). A knowledge of vocal function is primary
> --
> Lloyd W. Hanson
>
>

Hi Lloyd,

These probably seem like stupid questions I hope you will not mind me
asking them of you too much.

I agree that the amoun of opening of the jaw varies from individual
to individual and also depends on the pitch which they are singing.

What would you suggest would be a good approach with a student that
although the middle and bottom of his range has begun to free the top
is still tight. I suspect he is trying to use his jaw for support. He
seems to want to keep his jaw closed on top notes.

About F' to C'.

I have discussed with him posture, breath management etc. And what I
have said so far does not seem to contradict what amny of you
advocate.

Do you have any suggestions this would be greatly appreciated.
Particularily if I run into this proble again.

Best Wishes

Deborah




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