| From: "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...> Date: Wed Jun 28, 2000 9:42 pm Subject: Re: [vocalist-temporary] Re: Seth Riggs, Speech Level Singing,Full Resume an...
| Mary Beth and Vocalister:
I feel the need to comment here regarding the most impressive list of credits for the work of Seth Riggs. There can be no doubt of his gift to the world of singing and the many performers who have gained from his work.
I originally asked the question of his work with people in the Opera field because a few of his explanations for vocal function do not seem to equate with function as found in opera singers. This is not to say he is incorrect but only to bring forward the fact of some differences.
This has been discussed, and perhaps over discussed, on Vocalist before and primarily centers around the idea that the vocal folds dampen through medial or near medial closure to make possible the register change into high voice. There are visuals of this phenomenon via fiber optic studies but, to my knowledge, each of these was done with an untrained singer as the subject or in speaking mode. It is the belief of some that the vocal folds operate with damping only during speaking or speaking volume singing which is common when using a mike. The concept of damping is one of the major explanations used by Speech Level Singing teachers as an explanation of registration events and for the obvious success of some of their targeted exercises through the passaggio.
However, studies of trained singers of opera indicate that such damping does not occur. It would appear that the greater amplitude of oscillation of the vocal folds which occurs in the intensity of operatic singing would preclude the possibility that a portion of one vocal fold could maintain its position with the opposite portion of the other vocal fold which would be necessary to produce damping. If no damping occurs then the vocal function is different from that which occurs in Speech Level Singing registration events.
It was for this reason that I asked Beth about the opera singers that had studied extensively with Seth Riggs and how successful they had been with his techniques. The fact that names have been given was not quite what I had in mind but I perhaps did ask the question in such a way that that was a logical conclusion. Because I am interested in vocal function I seek to understand as accurately as possible the happenings that occur in the vocal mechanism in all its uses.
-- Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA Professor of Voice, Pedagogy School of Performing Arts Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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