----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Hart" <ladyamadea@h...>
To: <vocalist-temporary@egroups.com>
Sent: 26 September 2000 14:21
Subject: [vocalist-temporary] Becoming a soprano
> Hi Listers!
>
> *If you have any input on this, please don't hesitate to reply.*
>
<snip>
My teacher has also become more determined in
> keeping my sound in, what she calls, "a mezzo quality". But I have told
her
> lately that some of these mezzo sounds are in fact hurting me vocally, at
> least from the physical sensations that I am experiencing.
>
> My question is, should I really be trying to keep my voice in a mezzo
range?
> If my voice naturally feels more comfortable with the quality of a
soprano,
> then why should I be training it to sound differently? Also, could it be
> harmful for me to push my voice in a direction that does not feel
"natural"?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions or comments you have.
>
> Lisa Hart
> Stephen F. Austin State University
The problem here is the word "keeping". You should not be keeping your
voice anywhere. You should be letting it go where it wants to go. You
cannot put a quality into your voice that is not there. I don't know your
age, but you are suggesting that your voice is not yet fully mature (since
it is changing at the moment). YOu shouldn't be deciding now what you are
going to be. You should be working on a good healthy technique. There are
many advocates of many different teaching styles on this list, but I would
hope that they all produce free healthy voice at the end. If you can get to
this point, then you will be what you are! Nobody would be able to box your
voice into the wrong category if it is obviously free and open. In the same
way, you shouldn't be trying to sing with the quality of a soprano. Try not
to concentrate on the vocal quality, more on the sensation of singing. You
can do all manner of bad things when trying to imitate a sound, but you will
know when it feels right. If it hurts, don't do it! Simple as that!
Colin Reed, tenor
Newark, UK
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