Singers and teachers have already responded, but seeing as it's me, so
shall I:
Quiet singing: quiet singing shouldn't be inaudible, but should convey an
illusion or sense of quiet right to the back walls of an auditorium. It's
not the same as quiet speech, which is only meant for someone right next to
one. It is also different for the choral singer than for the soloist, since
a large group of whisperers will be audible where one is not - so this
really only applies to the unamplified soloist. The only way that sense of
quiet can be conveyed (while still being rather loud) is with a very
focused, resonant sound. Louder singing can still be like that, but with
the increased breath pressure and flow, there may be a wider vibrato, and
perhaps some other factors - perhaps more experienced performers of an
analytical bent might step in here with a fuller description?
Air passes more quickly in loud than in soft singing. The ideal is not to
have a breathy sound at any point - in classical singing at least. In this
case more air passes, because the glottis is open wider for longer, not
because of its speed.
I wasn't joking (even although I believe I was being humorous!) - if you
want to be heard it has to be a real sound, with the singer's formant still
present and nice efficient resonance of the specific vowel that you're
singing.
Add, lastly: despite having been a choir singer for almost 20 years, a
soloist for 5 and an occasionally prolix Vocalister for 3 (?) I still feel
like a newbie. john
At 04:50 AM 2/10/01 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi. I just wanted to get some clarification on something John B.
>posted a while back, which I have been pondering...
>
><<1. Dynamics should be partly an increase in breath flow but also very
>much a progressive change of resonance (I wish I could underline
>that).>>
>
>Do you mean in order to sing softly the air passes more quickly through
>the glottis- as in a slightly 'breathier' production? How does the
>resonance change? Is there a change of laryngeal position or vowel as
>well?
>
><< 2. quiet should be focussed and fairly bright; louder should be
>focused and fairly bright (the only difference is in the spelling of
>'focused' :o) )>>
>
>Forgive me...that's just a joke, right? Or is there something I'm
>missing? (No fair teasing the newbies :)
>
>thanks!
>
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John Blyth
Baritono robusto e lirico
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
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