Discussion: Vocal coaching

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Posted Anonymously	Vocal coaching Mar 10 2009, 1:19 PM EDT Hi James, I am a Drama teacher and a part - time singing coach, I've also had some experience with speech therapy. I agree with what you are saying but would approach it slightly differently in that I put more emphasis on the diaphram and abdominal muscles in my teaching. I find that my students often worry about their vocal chords / larynx and over - stress the muscles in this area when they just needed strong support from their torso. It's in the relaxation of the larynx that the best sound occurs and making sure that the resonance is focused outwards. I find lots of conflicting advice about using the voice but I'm glad to see that you place so high a value on it - I think it deserves prominence. I hope this is helpful to you, I feel very cheeky offering my thoughts in this way. It may also be very different for actors as my training is based in singing. Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you? Keyword tags: None
jamesoxley	1. RE: Vocal coaching Mar 11 2009, 5:34 PM EDT \| Post edited: Mar 11 2009, 5:35 PM EDT It would be a miracle were it possible to sing while the larynx is completely relaxed - I assume that by relaxed you mean that those muscles which are involved in phonation are not in such tension that they cease to function efficiently. As to the diaphragm, you might be interested in the notes from a previous workshop, which is at http://thefactory.wetpaint.com/page/Voice+workshop15th+May+2008 at the end of which I quote the good Dr McCoy: Biologically, the diaphragm is exclusively a muscle of inspiration. In the vast majority of people, it is entirely passive during exhalation. Its normal action is to contract for inhalation and relax during exhalation, quickly returning to its resting position. The return to resting position occurs without force and does not significantly contribute to expiratory effort. Some singers, however, seek to maintain diaphragmatic contraction during exhalation to use as a muscular antagonist in breath support. Fluoroscopic (video x-ray) studies by Richard Miller and others have shown that while some peo- ple can indeed control their diaphragms in this manner, many cannot. Regardless, it is pedagogically incorrect (and physiologically impossible) to say that the diaphragm pushes air out of the body during singing. Your Voice: An Inside View, Scott McCoy DMA, ch 8, p83 Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Posted Anonymously	2. RE: Vocal coaching Mar 13 2009, 4:33 AM EDT That's great thank you - yes I meant that my students tend to work the muscles in the larynx too hard, I find a lot of teachers do the same and tend to put emphasis on one part of the voice as apposed to the whole body e.g. posture and use of tongue and mouth which also create problems if not used properly. In terms of pushing air out - I was referring to keeping air in. You're right about the diaphram being passive in exhalation, I encourage students to support thier voice by using the back, intercostal and abdominal muscles to make sure they are not creating a too 'breathy' sound and to make sure the vocal chords are not blown apart by too much glottal pressure. What do you think? I find it very interesting to hear about the voice from the point of view of a professional on stage! Post reply Do you find this valuable?