In a message dated 10/20/00 7:19:11 PM Central Daylight Time, kjensen@c... writes: kjensen@c... writes:
<< The vowel line is also influenced by efforts by the singer to "track" the singer's formant and keep the "ping" there on each note no matter what vowel is required. In Sündberg's research on acoustics of the singing voice he explores how the "Singer's Formant"(around 2800 Hz.) is achieved, by changing the shape of the vocal tract. Sopranos: clustering the 3rd, 4th and 5th formant, and more jaw opening on high notes. All other voice types: widening the pharynx so that it is 6 times wider than the opening to the laryngeal port. (supporting research by Ingo Titze) >>
I teach vowel modification extensively. However, it does not need to occur below the first bridge in the voice and up high actually helps to make the voice a little more understandable by refocusing formants so that are more in line with what they are in speech during the chest register. Miller would agree with that.
The problem I have is the modification of the bottom that serves to create a color but doesn't serve a real purpose in creating the singers formant. There are singers who sing without this distortion on the bottom and have huge careers in opera (Pavarotti, Upshaw, etc.), so it is possible. This modification does serve a purpose though by adding a certain code to the voice. A code which points out to the listener, "Hey, I'm an opera singer... I share a certain set of socioeconomic, aesthetic values with the listener that serves to separate us from others."
Randy Buescher
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