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From:  "Cynthia Donnell" <csdonnell@m...>
"Cynthia Donnell" <csdonnell@m...>
Date:  Tue Oct 31, 2000  9:24 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] fake accents help


Mike and list,
I often have my private students and my English diction class experiment
with British accents as a way to clarify vowel colors. I myself used to
"think British" when singing in the lower part of my range (I'm a mezzo).
The general response to this exercise is that students say that the
tone/vowel sits higher and more forward.

In French diction I have the students experiment with a "cartoon French
accent" a bit like Pepe le Pew or some such. I make them speak to each
other or read passages with fish lips and try to "sound French." They soon
understand the forwardness of the language and the need for mobility of the
lips. It's a good icebreaker if nothing else.

Trying to "sound French" or "sound British" is, in my experience, a very
useful tool. It allows the student to identify some of the adjustments they
need to make to sing the language well.
Cindy Donnell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i was experimenting with a fake cockney accent while singing today and
noticed (not for the first time) that singing up around F above middle C was
easier. snip
an application for classical singing would be to use fake accents when
singing in foreign languages rather than trying to do it for 'real'.


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