Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Laura Sharp" <lasharp@n...>
"Laura Sharp" <lasharp@n...>
Date:  Fri Dec 22, 2000  4:52 am
Subject:  RE: Reflux Question (E. Blades Zeller, are you there?)


Christin:

I have a question for you. Do you find yourself grinding or clenching your
teeth? Doesn't have to be all the time - maybe when you get upset or
frustrated? If you have jaw tension when you sing, you might look for jaw
tension during the rest of the day. Study yourself and how you use your jaw,
tongue, teeth, etc. Look for ways to use them more gently and easily.
Awareness is our friend (yuck, did I say that?). No, it's power! Much of the
freaky, useless things we do to try to sing better are the same freaky,
useless things we do to get through the day in control. Watch yourself, see
what you do that you needn't, and stop doing it.

Instead of focusing on the reflux (been there - done that - regretted it!)
you might try some really cool and immediately enlightening exercises from
the Feldenkrais book for singers, Singing with the Whole Self. The book was
co-written by a Vocalister, Elizabeth Blades-Zeller (sp?). There are some
exercises that I found extremely useful both in my teaching and my singing.
They sort of short-circuit the intention-driven quest for relaxation (I want
my jaw to relax, dang it!). Instead they guide you through exploration to
discover an easier, more efficient way to use your body as a singer. If
Elizabeth is out there lurking, I wonder if she'd consider sharing the
tongue-teeth exercise here and consider it marketing? If not, well you could
always buy the book! I'll dig up the URL if you're interested.

(And BTW Elizabeth, if you ever sell the book on Amazon.com, let me know and
I'll write such a glowing review online for you!)

Good luck,

Laura Sharp
Soprano
Voice Teacher
Director of Children's Music
1st Presbyterian Church
Albany, NY

-----Original Message-----
Christin wrote:
(SNIP)it becomes such an effort and as a result of trying to make the sound
come out, all my bad jaw
tension creeps back.


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