| Re: [vocalist-temporary] Miller's Soprano book: a part Dear Isabelle and Vocalisters;
You wrote I think my main problem with Miller's technical
approach is that he puts "imagery" as one dismissable,
small part of teaching voice, rather than a large part
of communicating technical ideas. For example, he
writes: "The goal of efficient breath-management
technique is not to try to sing on a column of breath
that starts in the region of the navel, but to allow
the exiting tracheal air to be turned into tone
through appropriate degrees of natural phonatory
resistance offered by the vibrating vocal folds."
Well, obviously you can't breathe *into* your belly or
take a deep "diaphragmic" breath, but imagery like
that has been used with success for hundreds of years.
Discounting it as unscientific doesn't help anyone learn to sing.
COMMENT: Discounting an inaccurate or impossible image does help ono learn to sing if it is replaced with a more accurate image. To use an inaccurate image requires the singer to suspend his logical mind and rely only on imagination only; to use an accurate image activates his logical mind as well as his imagination. One has only to experience the latter to realize the weakness of the former as an effective tool in teaching or learning to sing.
You also wrote: I find techniques such as the inward pulse of the lower belly for staccato exercises (like the yoga "breath of fire" expulsion of air) and the use of either "in-and-up" or "down-and-out" to be helpful, despite the fact that Miller discredits them all.
COMMENT: Most people find that the the lower abdomen ("belly") takes care of whatever needs the breath mechanism has without the having to activate it consciously. Miller's point about maintain the relatively full position at the epigastric level insures the activity participation of the diaphragm during singing and prevents it from collapsing. If this is accomplished the lover abdominal muscle systems will do its own work without a need to "make" them work.
Dropping the abdominal muscles (the down and out method) tends to pull the chest down and clearly relaxes the diaphragm (it cannot descend beyond its most tense position during the inhale unless it is relaxed so the dropping abdomen can pull it down. It is then becomes necessary to lift the chest (or maintain its upward position during the drop which is excessively difficult) and once again attempting to activate the diaphragm which is nearly impossible. The down and out method can work but it is excessively labored and unnecessary.
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011 | 
