Dear Vocalisters:
There have been many, many e-mails between those reading books on the SLS
approach to singing and the certified teachers of SLS on this list. The
posts are interesting but in the process of exposing everyone to the
difficulties and successes of attempting the SLS techniques from the
descriptions in the books, those creating these post are exposing
themselves to, as it were, public scrutiny and possible criticism.
For example, why try to do the bubble or lip trill or raspberry if it is
difficult when there are many other devices that will accomplish the same
thing and might be much more easily achieved, such as the "open mouthed
hum" ( a la Coffin) , the "puffed lips hum", singing into a straw (as is
used in Finland) , etc.
Substantial research has shown, (a la Titze etc.), that all of the above
techniques maintain a constant air flow past the vocal folds, that the
upper portion of the vocal folds are the only part that is in oscillation,
and that the technique is used primarily to remove unnecessary medial
tension on the vocal folds and to better couple the vocal tract resonating
space to the oscillation of the vocal folds. These are not techniques
unique only to SLS nor was SLS the first to document these techniques,
research them, and use them consistently.
I encourage the exploration that these e-mail posts document. I only want
to acknowledge that such posts are placing into the public arena what is
often a more personal practice between the student and his/her teacher. We
should all enter in to assist these explorations.
Regards
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Vocal Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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