On Mon, 10 Apr 2000, Reg Boyle wrote:
> At 11:51 AM 9\4\2000 -0400, you wrote: > >Here's my rule of thumb: > > > >If the tension is below the navel and above the thighs, it's support. If > >it's anywhere else, it's just tension. :) > > > >Karen > > Thanks Karen. I apologise if I'm wrong, but I suspect you're being naughty;) > But seriously.. doesn't that conflict with Prof Hanson's description > of the sense of retained epigastric distension and to me the more recent > addition of the side intercostal consciousness. All above the navel since > I discarded what you appear to describe, and found a new vocal horizon:) > Sure there are lots of methods based on sensory perceptions but I > never cease to be amazed at the number of performers who undertake > serious concert engagements with obviously defective techniques and > yet survive. The questions are of course, for how long, at what physical > cost and how much artistic compromise? > And should I read from the above that you have no place for > intercostal erection? A flaccid rib cage???
The question was about *tension*. Of course you don't want flaccidity in the ribcage area - the epigastral and the intercostals should feel stretched. But there's a long distance between stretched and tense. What I feel when I sing correctly is a sense of "aliveness" all through the torso, but no actual tension - rather a "flexible tautness".
Tension implies that the ribs are actually *locked*, making it impossible for the lungs to expand freely, or for the diaphragm to descend. I find it's much more productive to think in terms of optimal *posture*, and to totally relaxing all muscles - facial and intercostal - without actually collapsing (going flaccid), then *allowing* the breath to fill the vacuum, with the result that the muscles you mention do tauten as the lungs expand and the diaphragm lowers. NONE of this involves actual tension - the exact opposite is the objective, in fact. To breathe correctly I must first *release* any tensions that have accumulated while I was singing the phrase prior to the new breath.
Karen Mercedes ----- Ich singe, wie der Vogel singt, Der in den Zweigen wohnet; Das Lied, das aus der Kehle dringt, Ist Lohn, der reichlich lohnet. -- J.W. von Goethe, WILHELM MEISTER
My NEIL SHICOFF Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
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