Vocalist.org archive


From:  Tako Oda <toda@m...>
Date:  Mon Jun 19, 2000  7:16 pm
Subject:  Strohbass (was pitch differences, bach and basses)


On Sun, 18 Jun 2000, Joel Figen wrote:

> At 01:40 PM 06/18/2000 -0500, nancy clasby wrote:
> >If you try strohbass, let us know what happens! :o) I read that some bass
> >voices get quite firm, strong and comfortable at singing strohbass.
>
> It sounds dangerous to me.

Dear Joel,

It is dangerous, unless you wish to specialize as a low choral bass! It
should be used sparingly if at all (per Miller's Structure of Singing).

> I lost most of my normal upper range - close to an octave - and
> extended my lower range by about a 4th. It took nearly a week to get
> back to normal.

I was mis-diagnosed as a bass originally, because I had a well-
developed strohbass register. Anyone who heard my arpeggio sample from
last week will see how ridiculous the idea is of my being a bass! As you
hint above, strohbass bass singing can become a self-fulfilling
prophecy, since it makes the upper range almost in-operable.

> I"m still a little confused by my low range, to tell the truth -
> it seems to vary quite a bit from day to day when vocalizing.
.....
> I wonder whether I might not have been using strohbass all along -

Could be... the strohbass requires a slightly pressed, manipulated
larynx so it is stressful on the voice used day in and day out. The
fatigue that could result from such stress could explain the sketchiness
of the low range, maybe? I haven't heard you, and I certainly am not a
voice teacher, but what you describe sounds a little bit like what I
did, so I'd like to share experiences...

Here is a sound file/web page of my singing strohbass. Just click on the
"wav" link on this page. I'd love to hear if you think it sounds like
the technique you use for low notes:

http://www.mills.edu/PEOPLE/gr.pages/toda.public.html/music/analysis_stroh.html

Here is last week's sound file again, to debunk the idea that I could be
a bass :)

http://www.mills.edu/PEOPLE/gr.pages/toda.public.html/music/analysis.html

-Tako



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