--- 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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