In a message dated 02/26/2001 7:45:08 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Greypins@a... writes:
Greypins@a... writes:
<< describes the following differences
between operatic singing and belting: operatic singing exhibits a low
larynx, belting a high larynx, operatic uses a tilted thyroid, belting a
tilted cricoid (both tilted downward according to the text yet, the
illustrations appear to tilt the thyroid down for opera and up for belting),
low breath for opera and a clavicular breath for belting. >>
Hi List,
I decided to retrain a few years ago when I was very frustrated with my
inability to use my voice in a way that crossed styles. I have been trained
"classically" extensively and it didn't allow me to produce the sounds for
theatre and gospel music that I really loved. I also was becoming very
frustrated in my teaching because I was forcing my students to learn how to
use their instrument via a classical style. What I'm trying to express is
that the style (classical) become the technique, and that was not working
well.
I have always believed that the voice is an instrument and that there
should be a way to learn to use it apart from a style. Style is what is
added, whether it be opera, theatre, jazz, after one has learned the proper
technique for the instrument.
Out of my frustration I began searching for those that held similar
beliefs and ran across SLS. At last someone was allowing singers to express
themselves in whatever genre they wanted, but was giving them the tools to
maintain a healthy production at the same time.
I write all this, because the above posting is very disturbing to me. I
still strongly believe that the fundamentals of the voice should be applied
across the board to any style of music. Adjusting cartileges, larynxes,
pharyngeal space, port closure etc., will only distract the singer from the
lyric of the song, and frankly, in my opinion cause them damage and injury in
the long run.
Although not the "be all-end all" of vocal technique, I think SLS has
done a good job of striking the balance between allowing singers freedom of
stylistic expression while still encouraging a healthy production.
In my experience with my current students, a belted sound does not
exhibit all of the above hyperfunctional behaviors that Jo Estill's studies
seem to advocate. There are slight adjustments made to accomodate each style,
but by and large the mechanism remains stable and the technique the same.
A little long winded.........but some of these "research studies" are
very scary to me.
Mary Beth Felker
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