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From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
"Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Wed Feb 14, 2001  9:20 pm
Subject:  The /u/ vowel


Dear Vocalisters:

It is a good idea to have as much knowledge about the tongue position
for each vowel as is possible. Because we cannot see the position of
the tongue for most vowels and the tongue positions we can see gives
an incomplete picture of the position of the tongue, it is important
to consult accurate drawings of the tongue positions which have been
made from x-rays or MRI images. These images will go a long way
toward removing the myths that we all have about how we use our
tongues as we create our different vowel sounds.

It is possible to have some rudimentary knowledge of tongue position
by comparing these positions as we move from vowel to vowel. If one
speaks or sings /a/ (ah) and then /i/ (ee), it is discovered that the
middle portion of the tongue must move forward and upward until the
sides of the tongue touches the upper back molars for the /i/ vowel.
During both /a/ and /i/ the tip of the tongue rests behind or touches
the lower front teeth.

If one speaks or sings and /i/ vowel and then goes to an /u/ vowel it
will be noticed that the tongue moves back and the middle portion of
the tongue no longer touches the upper back molars. That portion of
the tongue has moved backward as has the rest of the tongue. For
most people the tip of the tongue must also move backward slightly
away from the lower front teeth.

Many singers maintain a substantial space in the pharyngeal area
(back of the mouth) while singing the /a/ vowel but reduce this space
when singing the /i/ vowel. The forward movement of the tongue
necessary for the /i/ vowel induces this change of pharyngeal space.
If, however, the singer become aware that the /i/ vowel has greater
space behind the tongue, because the tongue has moved forward and
upward into the front area of the mouth, and attempts to sense the
sound in this behind-the-tongue area, he/she will discover the space
that creates the first formant for the /i/ vowel and which gives the
/i/ vowel its potential dark color to match the bright color produces
by the tongues moving forward. In short, the /i/ vowel creates a
large space behind the tongue in the pharyngeal area (if the singer
does not collapse the area when producing the vowel) and a very small
space in front of the tongue in the forward portion of the mouth.
These two spaces resonate the two formants for the /i/ vowel; one
very high (small front space) and one very low (large back space).

The /u/ vowel tongue position creates two similar sized spaces
because the tongue has moved back slightly from the /i/ position
which enlarges the front mouth space and reduces the back pharyngeal
space. These somewhat similar spaces create the two formants for the
/u/ vowel which are both rather low in the frequency spectrum and
both close together in comparison to the wide separation of the two
formants for the /i/ vowel. This knowledge makes it possible for the
singer to eventually feel the formant position for the /u/ vowel and
remove the tendency many singers have of trying to create
contradictory tongue/mouth positions for this vowel.

Lip rounding on any vowel will effects the degree and amount of high
frequencies that are allowed through the vocal tract. The rounding
lips tends to dampen the high frequencies and give any vowel a less
brilliant quality. Lip rounding becomes a special problem for the
/u/ vowel because many consider lip position as the primary source of
the production of this vowel. As is noted above, it is primarily the
tongue position that creates the basis for the /u/ vowel. Lip
rounding will change the color of this vowel as needed and desired by
the singer. Too much lip rounding will give the /u/ vowel a dull,
hooty quality. A smiled lip position for the /u/ vowel will give it
a strong degree of brilliance. The singer must decide what degree of
brightness is desired for the /u/ vowel and this is often determined
by the setting and the frequency of the pitch on which the vowel must
be sung.

Male voices often find the /u/ vowel difficult in their passaggio
area, especially the upper portion of their passaggio. This is
because the /u/ vowel (and also the /i/ vowel) tends to trigger the
head voice to appear at a lower frequency of pitch than the /a/
vowel. The head voice in the developing singer is often not
especially strong near the lower end of this register and the singer,
consequently, feels hampered by the /u/ vowel which tends to enlist
the head voice in this, its weaker region. However, the use of /u/
or /i/ in this passaggio area will tend to strengthen the head voice
in its lower reaches and, eventually will provide the ring and
strength desired. The use of the /u/ and /i/ and also the /o/ and
/e/ is one of the finest methods of conquering the difficulties of
the passaggio area in male voices.

--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011


thomas8@t...
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9515 Re: The /u/ vowel thomas8@t...   Thu  2/15/2001   2 KB

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