Isabelle's post made me wonder about another issue. From a singer's standpoint, is it okay to be muscular- at least in the abdominal area? I've heard that getting a washboard stomach would make the diaphragm less inclined to work well. Is this true? I know it isn't good to carry a large stomach, but is it equally as bad to have a sculpted stomach?
--- Isabelle Bracamonte <ibracamonte@y...> wrote: > > I've found that singers generally have three methods > of support -- "in and up," "down and out," or > "appoggio" as defined by Dr. Hanson (since, like > "bel > canto," most teachers call their method appoggio, > whatever it happens to be). > > It seems to me, just from talking to people and > reading, that more women use "in and up" and more > men > use "down and out," and that the appoggio technique > is > spread evenly across the board. I have heard > fabulous > singers who do all three -- some started out with > appoggio but found it too "still," or found the > inhalation feeling carried too much tension, and > improved tremendously by applying abdominal support > one way or another. Some get into the habit of > abusing the first two ways in rigorous, punchy ways, > and so find freedom when they switch to the > appoggio. > > How to define them? From my own experience and > experimentation, I feel like "in and up" involves > pulling the lower abs in, then breathing down low > and > expanding the ribs and back out in all directions, > then singing -- keeping the abs firm and pulled in > (almost like you're wringing a towel) and (this is > the > hard part) keeping the ribs expanded as you sing. I > feel like "down and out" is when you breath deeply > (relaxed), belly expands with breath, and then you > feel a steady push outward of the lower abs as you > sing. I feel like the appoggio method is about > taking > a moderately-full breath, then concentrating on the > stillness of the position (not moving the muscles > either in or out), and feeling like you're sucking > the > air back in, as you sing. It does feel remarkably > like a soft, moist breath. > > I personally, at this stage in my development, find > the appoggio method works best in my middle range, > and > the "in and up" method gives me the needed breath > pressure in forte top notes. > > Maybe as I develop more, I will switch around. But > good singers use all three approaches (and I'm sure > there are combinations and other ideas), so I > wouldn't > say that one is definitive and the others will serve > you less. > > Isabelle B. > > ===== > Isabelle Bracamonte > San Francisco, CA > ibracamonte@y... > > > > > __________________________________________________ >
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