> So, can I try and help fix some voices, 'coz that's
> what I'm trained to do?!
>
> Ian
OK, I have a question & will take the opportunity to throw it out. I'm
having trouble with what I'lll call "breath coordination". I know which
muscles to breath with, that's not the problem. I can breath nice, deep
breaths using the correct muscles easily when not singing. My teacher has
observed that I indeed use the correct muscles. Problem is when I try to
coordinate my breath with singing-of course.
At the end of phrases, where I attempt to take my next breath, I sometimes
find my intercostal and upper abdominal muscles "locking" in the place that
they are when I near the end of the exhalation. It doesn't always happen.
I can't seem to put a pattern to when it occurs yet. You could also
describe it as not completely exhaling or not relaxing the muscles
completely to get back to the starting point one needs in order to be able
to take the next good inhalation. I have a tiny bit of air left in the
lungs and the muscles just seem to want to stay in that position holding
that tiny bit of air. My teacher also describes it as trying to pause/hold
the breath & breath in at the same time. The consequence--I don't take in
enough air to get through the subsequent phrase. Right now I am dealing
with it by cutting short the last note of phrases & adding a rest so that I
can have more time to force that last little bit of air out & consciously
relax the muscles again. This trick buys me more time, which works fine
right now for solo singing, but of it doesn't work well for choral
performances, and of course it is not a satisfactory long-term solution.
I'm assuming that with most muscular or tension issues, this will go away
with time and experience. (Been studying about
1 1/2 years- I also assume this common for newbies.) How do you deal with
students who have this problem? Any exercises or thoughts (visualizations
work pretty well with me, so they are welcome)?
Thanks in advance,
Sandra
|
|
|  |
