Dear Leslie and Fellow Listers:
The most common source of a colorless or hooty or choir boy sounding high tone is an incomplete phonation. If the vocal folds are not properly or completely adducted excessive air will pass through them and the edges will not oscillate sufficiently to produce a phonated tone that is rich in upper partials. This kind of phonation is most common in young boys voices when they sing in their upper range and is a natural result of the immature qualities of the unchanged voice. Usually boy choirs are encouraged to use a high rate of breath flow for their high notes because this is a quick method to obtain a secure tone that is sufficiently loud.
In any voice, be it an unchanged voice or an immature changed voice or an adult voice that is new to singing in an upper register, the vocal folds are not well coordinated nor strong enough to maintain a complete adduction or closure. For this reason it is most important that the flow of breath be not excessive for these high tones. High tones use the least breath flow of all the tones in the singing voice but they oscillate with the highest breath pressure. However, if that breath pressure is greater than can be resisted by the vocal folds the folds will simply remain slightly open and the tone will become breathy and colorless.
The best solution is to learn to better control the breath flow rate. This is done by maintaining the appoggio breath condition of a sustained inhalatory mode of singing. The natural return of the lower rib cage back to its at rest position during singing must be resisted by using the inhalation muscles so that breath flow is always carefully controlled. Although I mention it many times, the best method I have found to experience this balanced breath flow is to practice the warm, moist breath flow one uses when attempting to clean ones glasses. In the process of breathing out that small amount of warm, most breath one can notice that the inhalation mode is maintained and that the epigastric area and a bit of the area below the epigastric feels firm a and supportive.
It is not necessary to "do anything" with this epigastric and below area but only to notice that it is rather firm and active. However, it does not move substantially nor is it required of the singer to tense it, or push or pull on it. Awareness is the key. The voice will call for the breath it needs and in sufficient quantities when the breath mechanism is proper balanced. The conscious mind needs only to be conscious of what is happening; it should not attempt to make it happen.
All of these breath ideas must be present to achieve a good onset of tone. That is the reason the onset exercises are so effective. If all the elements are not properly taken of, the onset will be poor. The onset of tone is clear guide to all singers and teachers that the fundamentals of breath and phonation are working or or not working. Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA Professor of Voice, Pedagogy School of Performing Arts Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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