Vocalist.org archive


From:  Gina <classicalsinger@e...>
Gina <classicalsinger@e...>
Date:  Mon Jan 8, 2001  4:33 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] warmth in the top


Hi,
Yes, I am younger than 35. That's all I'm saying there! ha ha.
As far as dynamics go, what you have described is exactly the approach
we are using... the same quality, with my voice, but softer. Doesn't
feel like much change to me, but reads out there.
The lyric-coloratura thing...I can relate to this! I spent 2
unfortunate years at a University with a supposedly terrific teacher who
kept trying to get me to lighten up and be a lyric-coloratura. As
recent as 3 years ago, someone tried to get me to be one. At the time,
I had 2 ways of singing... all light mechanism and full voice. Now I
have learned to sing with my whole instrument throughout my whole
range. I can vocalize up to an F but I am not a coloratura of any
kind. Singing with my whole voice all the way up is not "harmful" or
"dangerous" and it is right for me.
I too can peel paint. When I am in a lesson, you can hear me out of the
closed windows, across the lawn and past the pool into the parking lot
at the end of the row of condos. There's lots of squillo here.
I'm learning to sing softly with my whole voice, without pulling back
the energy or letting the sound go back.
My teacher says when the top isn't forward, it does get a little less
beautiful but when it's forward it is beautiful. I struggle with the
concept of forward, because I _know_ scientifically you can't put the
sound anywhere and all that mumbo jumbo, but the fact remains, that when
it is placed forward, the tone has colour and you can feel it there.
Who cares what's actually happening. There comes a time when you have
to let go all of the other opinions of people, book knowledge, old
teachers, and junk and trust your own teacher. The proof is in the
pudding, and I am having success.
It's so hard to record my voice, though! Aargh! When a competition
asks for a tape, I make myself crazy!!! Can't stand it.
I trust my teacher because she's been around, sang professionally
internationally and has the toughest ears I know. I worked so long to
learn to get it right and now she says I do. I had a lot of teachers
before her and so it was hard to learn to trust and now and then the
doubt pops up again but for the most part I am dealing with it.
Sometimes I wish I weren't so analytical and could just sing without
having to _understand_ everything.

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