Singing for the Stars

f f i 4 F h t

I

Foreword

rT '-lhe

wide diversity of singing styles that exists in the world today demands a singing technique-a way of using your voice-that can be applied in the performance of all those styles. If a singing technique can't be applied to eaerystyle of singing, something is wrong with that technique. That's the premise we began with when Alfred Publishing Company's editors I and discussedthe development of a totally new kind of book about singinS. We wanted to do something that had never been done before-publish a book that actually taught people how to sing. But where would we find the author? There was only one PersonI knew of who could fill such a tall order-Seth Riggs, consideredby many to be the best and most successfulvoice teacherin the United States. He is certainly the busiest. No other teacher,past or present,has ever matched his phenomenal track record. His "Who's Who" of singers,actors,dancers,and entertainers students are a veritable throughout the world.* When you first meet Seth Riggs, you are overwhelmed by his dynamic personality, his flair for the outspoken, but most of all, his senseof purpose-his "mission" to clean up the messbeing made of singers' voices by voice teachersin schools,colleges,and private studios everywhere. The day I met with Seth about the possibility of putting his method in writing "Impossible,people could benefit from his work, his initial reaction was, more so you can't learn to sing from a book!" Well, I could understand his point of view. When Seth Riggs teaches,it's strictly on a one-to-onebasis. He quickly diagnosesa singers'svocal problems and then prescribesspecific exercisesto correct those problems. It's a very individual Process,one not easily adapted to the printed page. But we decidedto give it a try. Ithad to be done. I proceededto do my researchand to observehim closely over a period of severalmonths, trying to find a general or systematicapproach to something that, there was no question about it, was working miracles! The first time I sat in on a lesson,I thought I had gone to singers'heaven! Seth had his students doing incredible things with their voices-things you would have thought only those with a great natural gift could do. In the weeks that followed, "star" clientele he has most of the students I observedweren't even part of the becomeso famous for. But they soundedlike stars. Like so many others,thesesingers-young and old-had struggled un"voice teachers"to increasetheir range and successfullyfor years with other *

SeeAppendix for a listing of his clienteleon pg. 138.

vii

S/NG/NG FOR THE STARS

improve their tone quality. with Seth Riggs,however, the resultswere very different, and achievedin a very short time. You see,the Riggsmethod is application.Although he likes his studentsto understandthe basicprinciples underlyinghis method, he feelsthat just telling you how your voice *orit doesnothing to help you sing. You have to know how to get it to workt Well, finally the "impossible"had beenaccomplished.The manuscript was complete,as well as an audio tape that actually demonstrateshow to do the exercises usedin the training program. Yet, somethingwasn't right. oh, it was all there-the theory, the exercises, all the facts. But that special quality of the man you experiencebetweenthe actual momentsof instruction-his charisma,if you like-was missing. To remedythis, we includeda sectionentitled "The Author Speaks out," in which seth talks more informally about his method and responds very frankly (that is his way) to the controversialissuessurroundingthe teachingof singing in this country and abroad. I am confidentthat readersof this book will appreciateand utilize its direct, no-nonsense approachto developinga workable vocal technique-to begin Singing For The Stars.

The Editor

vl|l

Preface

"Open "Place your throatl" the tone fonn'ardl" Oi.,g from your diaphragml" "Give "Keep your it more supportl" Sound familiar? tongue downl" The language of voice teachers and choir directors abounds in such confusing and dangerous clichds. Every day, singers who never question "wisdom" of their teachers manipulate and strain their voices until one the "burned out." day they discover their voices are What most teachers never seem to understand is that you don't need to think about twenty different things every time you open your mouth. And you don't need to study singing for more than a few weeks before you begin to experiencepositive results. It doesn't matter whether you sing pop, rock, opera, or musical theatre. You should sing with a technique that allows you to just relax and concentrateon performing-which is what it's really all about, anywayright? This author has worked successfullywith hundreds of singers, actors, and dancers-top professionals-in all areas of musical performance and entertainment. And although some may not sing as well as others, all have achieved the ability to always sound confident and natural when they sing. Their secret is a technique called speech-leuelsinging, which allows you to sing with the same comfortable, easily produced voice you use, or should use, when you speak. No matter if you sing high or low, loud or soft, nothing feels different in your throat or mouth. Your tone and the words you sing always feel natural to you, and sound natural to your audience. With this book and the accompanying cassettetapes, you can now learn the same singing technique the pros use-one that will let you sing with a strong, clear, and flexible voice over a range that you never dreamed possible. But it does take patience and the ability to follow instructions carefully. Good luckl I wish you all the successin the world.

Jn,b tx

Contents

Foreword Preface

vii ix

About theAuthor Introduction How To Use This Book

11

Basr, Principles 13 How Your VoiceWorks:The Creationof VocalTone 13 V o c a lC o r dV i b r a t i o n- W h e r eY o u r V o i c eB e g i n s 1 4 B r e a t hS u p p o r t 1 6 VocalCord Adjustment 23 - W h y Y o u r V o i c el s U n i q u e 2 5 Resonance PhysicalSensations 26 W h a tT o R e m e m b e r 2 7 H o w Y o u r V o i c eW o r k sB e s t :T h e N a t u r a T l e c h n i o u eo f Speech-leye Sli n g i n g 2 8 - A FoundationFor Vocal Freedom 29 Your Speech-level Speech-leve Sli n g i n g- F e e l i n ga n d S o u n d i n gN a t u r a l 32 S i n g i n gL o w N o t e s 3 2 S i n g i n gH i g h N o t e s 3 2 The PassageAreas of Your Range 33 S i n g i n gT h r o u g ht h e P a s s a g eA r e a s 3 3 V o c a lC o r dT h i n n i n g 3 5 VocalCord Shortening 35 What to Remember 35 How To Get Your VoiceTo Work For You: The TrainingProcess 36 DevelopingCoordination-TheFirstStep 36 B u i l d i n gS t r e n g t h - A l l i n G o o dT i m e 3 7 What To Remember 37

xi

d*ttl ffis

conftdence

Exercise1 Exercise 2 Exercise 3 Exercise 4 Exercise 5 Exercise 6 7 Exercise Exercise 8 Exercise 9 E xe rcise 10 E xe rcise 11 12 E xe rcise 13 E xe rcise

40 44 46 48 52 54 58 60 62 64 66 70 72

Qart:/ Toward Speech-LevelSinging 14 E xe rcise 15 E xe rcise E xe rcise 16 17 E xe rcise 18 E xe rcise E xe rcise 19 Exercise20 Exercise 21 Exercise 22 Exercise 23 Exercise24 Exercise25 Exercise 26

xll

76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100

75

tuuJTechniqueMaintenance E xe rci se 27 E xe rci se 28 E xe rci se 29 E xe rci se 30

103

1 04 1 06 1 08 110

TheAuthor SpeaksOut

113

G e n e r aQ l uestions 113 C l a s s i f y i nV g o i c e s 11 3 R a n g eE x t e n s i o n 1 1 4 T o n eD e v e l o p m e n t 1 1 6 U s i n gM i c r o p h o n e s 1 1 7 S i n g i n gi n D i f f e r e n S t tyles 117 S i n g i n gO u t d o o r s 1 1 8 C h o o s i n ga T e a c h e r 1 1 8 E x p l o i t i nS g tudenV t oices 119 V o i c eS c i e n c e 1 1 9 Performersas Teachers 121 S i n g i n gi n C h o i r 1 2 1 Choir Directorsas VoiceTeachers 123 P o p u l a rM u s i ca n d T r a d i t i o n aTl e a c h i n g 1 2 3 S e l e c t i n gM u s i c 1 2 4 S i n g i n gi n F o r e i g nL a n g u a g e s 1 2 5 Practicing 126 S i n g i n gi n R e h e a r s a l s 1 2 8 VoiceCompetitions 129 The YoungVoice 129 T h e A g i n gV o i c e 1 3 1

xill

Hmlth and Carcof theSingefs Voire

132

YourPosture 133 BadHabits 134 UsingAlcoholandDrugs 134 Smoking 135 EatingBeforeSinging 135 YourCords 135 Shocking Volume 135 UsingExcessive OtherFactors 136 lmitation of OtherSingers 136 136 ThatDon'tWork Remedies 137 VocalRest Unnecessary Emotional Stressand Fatigue 137 Hormones 137 YourEnvironment 137

Appendix

138

Glossary

142

CassetteTapeand Compact DiscIndcx

xiv

149

Aboat theAuthor

.Ir, ,t " middle of his concert at the famous Forum in Los Angeles, superstar Stevie Wonder stopped the show to acknowledge, in front of thousands of fans, a man who has had much to do with the successand longevity of his vocal career. He wasn't referring to his manager or record producer. He was referring to Seth Riggs-his voice teacher. And, this isn't just an isolated case. Grateful stars often give credit to this man whose unconventional methods allow them to use the main vehicle for their talent-their voice-to its maximum degree of efficiency and effectiveness. Whether he has to go on location to a movie set, a concert date, or a recording studio to help a Natalie Cole, a Jeremy Irons, or a Michael JacksorySeth Riggs has helped many a star-and nervous producer---out of a jam. Recently he gave Waylon fennings a voice lessonby telephone. The country singer was in Tahoeto open a show with his wife JessieColter and his voice was ailing. It was Jennings' first contact with Riggs. However, Riggs was able to get the singer's voice in shape quickly with just a few special exercises. Seth Riggs's vocal technique and the methods he uses to teach the technique were forged and tempered by the fierce demands placed on the world's top performers, who must often perform several shows a night-night after night! A great deal of money is always at stake, so his clients' voices must be able to function easily,without strain. It is no wonder that whenever singers come to Los Angeles from other parts of the world, producers, directors and fellow performers send them to seehis master vocal technician. Seth began his careerat the age of nine as a boy-soprano singing music of Bach and Handel at the Washington National Cathedral in Washingtory D.C. His later training, however, reached into all areasof the performing arts. He studied acting with Lee Strasberg,Sandy Meisner, Bobby Lewis, and Frank Silvera and dancing with Peter Gennaro, Matt Mattox, and Luigi. He studied voice with John Charles Thomas, Robert Weede,Tito Schipa, and Keith Davis, and did repertoire coaching with Pierre Bemac, Matial Singhea Leo Thubman, Charles Wadsworth, fohn Brownlee, Hans Heintz, and Louis Graveure. He joined his first professional union, Actor's Equity, two years before completing his undergraduate degree. After that, he becamea member of all the performing unions: AFTRA, SAG, AGVA, AGMA, as well as ACRA (the Association of Canadian Radio Artists).

1

S/NG/NGFORTHESTAHS

on He spent ten years in New York City' For three years he performed Opera' City York New Broadway, and for six seasonshe was a guest artist with the greatest that his Yet, in the midst of pursuing his own singing career,he discovered him, singers with lessons few a taking After talent lay in his ability to help others. could they than consistently and were able to use their voices^*or" "g'nfitely usinganyconventionalapproach.Tnrsencouragedhimtotaketeachingmore seriously. so wellrarty in his new career/seth's successwith his students became to convince He tried him. wiih study to known that many singers left their teachers success. without but other teache* oith" merits of his teaching method, were frowned on by Nonconventional methods, no matter how well they worked, Associationof the teachingesiablishment. He was kicked out of the National he taught' Rejectedby Teachersof singing and lost positions at the collegeswhere he has establishedthe the establishment, Riggs heaied west to Los Angeles, where most versatile school of vocal technique of our time' and music with $330in his pocket, and.a rented truck carrying his motorcycle Ann-Margret (sent to scores,he arrived ln l.e. His first show business client was "belting" too hard-while singing and dancing in him by Allan carr), who had been St{ley iut V"gut. Next, Bob Fosseand Gwen Verdon hired him to prepare New York by in retained also was He Charity. Sweet movie the for voice Maclalne's and Hal Prince to Richard Rogers,Alan Jay Lerner, Jules styne, David Merrick results grew, so did teach their irincipal ,ir,!"rr. And, as his reputation for getting to recommend a his list of star clientele. br"gory Peck once asked Frank Sinatra seth Riggs' Mr' see to him sent good voice teacher for his son Anthony-sinatra to study with Geoffrey sinatra also suggestedto Roger Moore that he send his son voice teacher' Seth. Mr. Rlggi is considered the entertainment world's top recording, and screen, stage, the for known But, altlh'oughSeth Riggs is best won over a half of a have students television p"rroriuliti"s he il"orks with, his other last ten the over million dollars in prizes, grants, scholarships,and fellowships Winners, Chicago's years. These u*urd, inclide four NationaiMetropolitan Opera Awards, Young Musicians wcN, Rockefeller Foundation Grants, the Frank sinatra opera Award, and National Foundation Awards, salzburg Mozart Festival Award, have successful Fulbright and Rotary Scholar:shipsto Europe' Se1tr1opera -pupils Staatsoper, La careerJsinging in lf4unich, Hamturg, Frankfurt, Saltzberg,Vienna, Europe' Scala,CovJntbarden and other mafor opera houses throughout voice technique international two In the summer of 1982,Mr. Riggs replaced was in charge of he where teachersat the Banff Centre near Lake Lolise in Canada, Government' He was also vocal technique for 33 opera singers for the canadian His diversity of studentsasked to work with 20 yon"s uJott from stratford' singersofpop,oPera,andmusicaltheater,aswellasactorsanddancershis technique' con"stantlyr"uffir*r the universality and practicality of of He draws over 1000new voice students Per year without advertising' pop and theatre musical of mixture these,40 percent are opera, and 60 percent a I to a 75-seatrecital hall students. He teachesirom his privite studio, which converts with a 20-foot stage.

2

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

He lecturesand conductsMaster Classeson vocal techniqueat collegesand universities throughout the United Statesand Canada. He also has assistedsome of the country's foremost doctors who specializein organic and functional disorders of the voice in vocal therapy (the elimination of vocal nodules,polyps, and various conditions of fibrosis). Consider a man who believeshis best credits include being kicked out of a national singing associationand severalcollegemusic facultiesfor encouraging pop and musical theatreteachingon an equal footing with opera,and you have seth Riggs. In the pragmatic world of show business,where time is money,seth Riggs,whose studentshave won 90 Grammy awards,is the man professionalsturn to for results. Seth Riggs

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* # 'lx=' ^*,* ai'lata

Kathleen Riggs

EaelynHalus Associate VocalInstructor LosAngeles lohn Fluker Gospel StyleInstructor LosAngeles WendyWarshaw Associate VocalInstructor LosAngeles

3

Introduction

hat do Michael Jacksonand BernadettePetershave in common? They, and many other music professionals and celebritiesin the entertainmentfield, have endorsedthe author'smethod of vocal training as a key to their vocal success. Here. thesecelebritiestell how this method helned them use their voicesmost effectivelyand survive the vocal stresses of live performancesand long recordingsessions.

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SING/NG FOR THE SIAFS

nyittg rlor.utr ttocnltrncksbt'ttt,t,r,rl 12 A.M. orrcday tutd4 A.M. thc rttxt, crutkill vour uoice. Sinct beginnittguocal strLdrlruith Seth Rrrggs, I trcter losemq ability to sirtgnt nt:lrly any luxrr. I'ttr a ytinnist,sttd uheu it cotncsto sittgittu, I't't olrm.rls l,rt:rrct'lrncnSnrrl.Ncrrctlnl I'uL' Iesrnednbout taking high pitthes irt n cttnnecttti "lrcud" "chest" cottrLiiuntion,l don't lnue to prill ttoicclikt l hsuein the 1tast.lt's n ottcsltlirectittrt I'zteneeded,bcciltseit lttLysn longcr sttstttirtittg Irnlllr for rrrrt,'oicc. lnmes Ingranr Rccording Arti st, Shryer l.,.rs 11l11t'1t'.

t t ; t n I L ' r! r / r ' l l r ' r { .tl1i l t Ll tll t i p r 'i1t tt t t u s l n , qt t t t i r t ' r r t r r l i ut,'?r r r n i s1. t t : , , 1l ,1t, q c tn t . v s t l ift tl r o t t l , l t /, r t l i r r ql r r r i r i , Ittttrnttcltnntl ltelting too,hard.Sethtnught me t0 u-ctt my lrcnrluoiccftr tnkc tlrcstmitt orL,rttl t't'omptiling irrl' "up." [tottttrtt rtul?e I can stry ft'eshr nou,,tt,ithltetter qualityand more corrtrol,ruithin a singlip|rfarrnruryi, , it i | i i l g r r/ , r i i ,cqr l , t n , ( { ' r n cl ot ttlr r . L ' l i n tH o l m e s Sirtqer I-r.s,4rrfr'/t's

xer lhe years,l ltauestudid on aud ot'futith -ooice tenclrcrsin the LLS.and Europt. Llmlttrto CsticLt,riy engineer,hnrlspoke n to rne tthoutScthRry.gs,I ttegnrrto luL)rkrLtith lfun. For tltc first time in rnq aocal " Iift , I Lliscttttered my countctat{headt)oice." I hegttnlo sirrq lt'rror,lriq/l Cs q!1lttt. ttttd The neutpower,rcnge md confrol zLlas fiftr(t.zitlg.Thnnky ou, 5 i l l t .f t t r. U t r t !nri i i r l a i l c eo r rH o m b r e S o l o . lulio lgtesias .(inlrr ltl,t,lritl

6

INTHODUCTION

tostudywithSethwhenI was14yearsold. began andsuened altthe"breaks'" octaues roday,y;;:';::;:i,3r',,1t

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d singing.RecentlyI hadthepleasureof playingthe title rolein a BBC lactiinilmeMikado and thnt the rol.eof Tnyo in Fiddler. roles,but he explains arenotexactlybreaking-into-singing thatthese In anycase,Ihauea aocal mmtionit until theyhadbeencompleted. 't'or of singingnow,whichwasbroughtaboutby a decentknowledge thank Riggs this training I Seth aoice works singing. t'or for

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIAFS

hen I write s song,I needa uocalrangettnd corrtrol

teatingsr:!;',:!,it'-;i:iH:::h7:,'L:i::'***' Sofar, therelnue beenno uocallimitationsfor mein my work. Withlhispnrtinilarapproach to singing,I canadaptmy aoiceto sirrgGod'spraises in a Gospel style,singa romantic

I;:H;;ri::i;';iif xltfX;!o:f;::::,::;:'urn(candAand Deniece Williams

?::ii:;:i,:''"' Ircnhebelieues in your uocalabilityheis relentless in makingsureyou neucrbackawayfromyourt'ull potmtial-instilling cont'idence is lhetruc giftof a great teacher.Becsuse of SethRiggs,I'm meeting any uocal challenge I'ueeuerwarttedto-relaxcdandhauingsomuchfun.

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henthe" tracks"archot,sweetening and balance still to consider, andrelease datespending,thcreis precious little timeto accommodate an srtist'suocalindisposition. lt has beenmy experience thatmyriadproblems suchas

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knowing,practicalaocaltechnique. SethRiggshas an uncsnnyabilityto prepare uocalists sothatthere is little timelostto theusualuocalproblems.His assistance duringtheMichaelJackson 1988World TourhaskeptMichaeltunedup likea Ferrari. QuincyJones

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\-..17 inging iazz means a great many syncopated rhythms and a uide range of pitches. Ozserthe years I'd pirUia up some bai oocal habits u:hich began to cause uocal strain and fatigue. ln other words, I'd "trash" my ooice. By helping me take pressureoff mV chest range and getting into my head begunto Seth Riggscontributed a relaxation and, ultimately, a better longeuity for my caleer. coordination, Al Jarreau Recording Artist, Singer Los Angeles "utobble" eth was my 74th poice teacher.I came to him uith a minor third. and neuer singing aboue a high F. After a couple months, I was taell into my head uoice, and Seth suggestedthat I go into the Metropolitan Opera auditions. (Actuallv, he bet me $700 I could utin it.) I uas a pop singer and hadn't sung in In fiue more months (seuenin aII), I uent into the'72 foreignlanRuag,es. 'Metipolitin iuditions. I came in second in the N.Y. finals, the only male finalist (There u.tere2,000 applicants.)I sang operain Belgium, France,Germany. that Vear. Italy and lreland for seueral years. I enioyed singing opera, the big sounds, extended ranles and precisecontrol, but I returned to my first loue-musical theatre. Seth is an old time BeI Canto feacher,perhaps the first to extend Bel Canto into pop and musical comedy styles. I knou his uocal approach works. Thomas McKinney Baritone New York City P.S. There hatre been three more of your studenfswho haue been National Metropolitan winners sincemy uitt in 1972. They are all singing in maior housesin Europe.

s a ilntfoft.r., tlou usttnllylmuenrt idenof ttou,you d Itkey(tttrtnusi( strng.I like lltt, . sntSC.r to cotntnunicalc lhe textu,ithss bcntrtiftrl a t,ocnlsortndas possibfu.Hou,cuer,if t ocat p,roble ms grt in tlrc wn.ry, tlrctt'fcctit,tnestcan bc d$troyL,don tnany leuals. !,uenlwnqsttriovrd Sallr Riggs's.singers, becttuse they singeierrly'iri tnntry kt'ysiuith ptttwerarrdcontroi. Ttir., I trit,c thc "preserrce,, freedomto t'ind the best t'or tlte text, the aoice,aild the chnrt. Msrain Hamlisch Cornposer, Pianist NezuYork Cittl

'ke all y.oungsingers,Iwantto getmy uoict'togtthcrtt,itltrtsmtrch strength,qualityandcontralnsI catr.It scents to tnethnttlrcreis alwcysso:ne,neru style,neu soundor newdirectiortin poTuilttr nrusic.I'd like to bcrearlq hnppers.workirrg tpirhsrtltis itritdir4q a uocnr for rchntcut'r caordination whichprepares meto meetall thtsechnllengt:s.

{(onn2 Ac I rcss.Composc r, Si n cer, Dnrrct'r -Los " - Anqeles ' -o--'"

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netter.3tutg bet'orc, uty ttoiceis aslazuass bass,['d nettertried "higtrcr ranges."I bagana t'ilnt whtret\rc scriyttcalletion trrycharacter io siir.g. , I figuredthevruoultlprobchlydubmy uoice.ThestuLlio sentmeto stilr. Nit ortlydil IuittLlt4tsiri{ur{'ffiy 07r1sottqs,btrl wealnrt,s! tlidn song front LeonnrdBernsfuiris Mass.I knozunou,haztr to gtt fromntydeeprmtgeintothe highutithnochunge in quality, In skort,I'tn not neru(n$aboti singing tltrytw)re,

Whoopi Goldberg Come,lintt,Actrcsi LosAngeles

]tttr yL'nrs o.qotu(nt,'dt'ri 0 r,oict'conch lo nssist Sltirlcrl MncLnitre to gttlrcruocnl cltopsirrslnpttfor tttafilursweetcharity. BohFossi nrrdGrcrttve'rl,rott rccommcrrdnl Srl/rRiggsfrrtlrcTtrpjy;1. Wrlr I nrriueditt LosAngtlcslo ssllfieuocalktlls Shirlcy, I dccidd fhntshautnsshleto usen*icJteaer keysttitedtlrcailian of thechar{lcier for in thescene.Thatnernt shecotid singin seuercl Llit'ferent keys.I nlwnysnppreciated the qunlitytcorkthaf SltirltvntrtlSctltpttl itrtul,rop,trti'prrcltrrri,rruoicalr,t tl'rcroltof Ctnrity Cy Coleman Crrnrpost'r, Pimrist Nrw YorkCitrl

II

How To UseThisBook

C(lnlike the starswhoseendorsements appearat the front of this book, you may not be able to arrange for a personal lesson with the author. But this book and accompanying tapes can be the next best thing to it. Here are some guidelines and suggestionsto help you get the most out of this training program. 1. Is this book meant only for those studying a certain kind of music, such as classical music or popular music? No. This book teachesa vocal technique based on speech-levelsinging. Speech-level singing is a way of using your voice that allows you to sing freely and clearly anywhere in your range, with all your words clearly understood. Since you are not learning what to sing but rather how to sing, you can apply this technique to any type of music. 2. Can anyone learn this technique?, or do you need prior singing experience or musical training? This book has been designed to be used by singers at any level-from ner to advanced.

begin-

3. Can I study this book without a teacher? Yes. You can study either with or without a teacher. You can probably progress more easily and faster if you can find a teacher familiar with this method of teaching to guide you. Otherwise, you should be able to study successfully on your own by following the instructions in this book and on the accompanying cassettetapes. But you should pay special attention to the precautions advised. 4. What are the precautions advised in learning this technique? As valuable as the exercisesin this book are for training your voice, any exercise can be overworked or misused to where it will do you more harm than good. You don't develop your voice by pushing it to its limit. You develop it by gradually conditioning it to work efficiently with a balanced coordination. When doing the exercises,please follow along with the material in the book and the accompanying tapes as my students and I demonstrate how each of

11

S/NG/NGFOR THESTAFS

the exercises shouldbe done. It is important that you do eachexercise correctlybeforeyou proceedto the next. 5. Do I need to study the "Basic Principles" before starting the practical exercises? That's really up to you. If you are working with a teacher,you should follow your teacher'srecommendations. However, if you are working on your own, the "BasicPrinciples"sectionwill help you better understand how your voice works and how this method of voice training works. You will then be able to progressmore quickly. Don't worry about memorizingevery detail. When you feel you understand As you do the exercises, the material,go on to the exercises. if you find an instruction unclear or have difficulty carrying it out, go back and study more closelythe text or illustration that applies.A glossaryhas beenprovided at the end of the book to make it easierto locatedefinitionsof unfamiliar words. 5. Are there any guidelinesfor doing the practical exercises? Theseare suppliedon the tapesand in the accompanyingtext. If you have personalquestionsabout your training or career,or how to take the best care of your voice, you may find some answersin the two sections "Health at the end of the book-"The Author SpeaksOut" and and Care of the Singer'sVoice."

first metSethin thelate40safter WorldWar lI, whenI wastrying to learnto singat thePeabody in Baltimore,Maryland,and Conseraatory studyingundertheGI bill. "passagio" I neaergot the right. I hada gooduoicebut gettingthroughthe "bridge" consistently wasalwaysa problem. In my late60s,afteryearsot'frustration,I traaeledto LosAngelesand beganto studywith Seth.My passaggi arenoTtrintactand,at 72yearsof age, my aoiceis assteadyasa rockthroughoutmy rangefrom bass-baritone low E to the tenor high A. In my confusion, a major career was neaer aaailable to flat me,but I'aeaccomplished my lit'e's dream,that is,to learnto singeasily , confidentlyandconsistentlythroughoutmy operaticrepetoire.Thankyor.r, Seth. Gaspari Vecchione Bqltimore,MD

12

BasicPrinciples

Before you begin your training program, we should first go over somebasic principlesabout how your voice works, how it works best, and then finally, how you will get it to work for you.

How Your Voice Works: The Creation of Vocal Tone There are two factors involved in making vocal tone-aocal and resonance.

cord uibration

1. Vocal cord vibration Theair you exhale from your lungs workswith your vocalcords to createan initial tone.

Vocalcords

2. Resonance That tone is then modifiedand as it

travelsthrough the spaces above your vocalcordsbefore Ieavingyour

Exhaledair

Let's examinethesefactors more closelv.

13

S/NG/NG FOR THE STARS

Vocal cord vibrationwhere your voice begins

Locatedat the top of your windpipe (trachea-pronouncedtr6y-key-uh) is a group of cartilages,ligaments,and musclesthat functionsas a single unit. This unit known commonly as your voicebox,is your larynx (pronounced16las in cat] -rinks). Insideyour larynx, attachedfrom front to back, are the main musclesof your larynx-your vocal cords.

The location of your vocal cords

Larynx Topview

Vocalcords (openfor breathing)

Trachea (windpipe)

Esophagus (passageway to yourstomach) Epiglottis

Vocalcords (insidelarynx) Trachea (windpipe-

passageway to yourlungs)

Larynx Side view

14

Larynx Frontview

8AS/C PRINCIPLES

If your vocal cords are closed (or almost closed) at the same time you exhale, air'pressure builds up below them.

cordsclosed vEw

Vocal Cords Trachea

When the air pressurebecomestoo great for your vocal cords to hold back, the cords are blown apart. The suddenreleaseof air pushesthe air moleculesabove your cords together and.oututard, creatinga wave of compressedair molecules-a sound u)alJe. cordsopen

Waveof compressed air

Once the air pressureis released,your vocal cords spring back to their closed(or almost closed)position.

15

lr

S/NG/NGFOR THESTAFS

As your vocal cords come back together again and again, they are blown apart again and again-creating a seriesof sound u)Aoes'which is picked up by the listener'sear. This processis called ztibration.

But, now let's examinevocal cord vibration as it relatesto the more d"tn".di^s.eq.rit"-et tt of ln" singer'svoice. To do this, we must consider breathsu/poi and pocal cord adiustment. Breath support Normally, your respiratory system-which you use to send air to your v .ordr-opetates automatically,without any'consciouseffort. Its primary function'is to supply your body with the life substance,oxygen, and eliminate the waste product, carbon dioxide. Inhalation beginswhen too much carbon dioxide builds up inside body.

16

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or 21ftrlecrsl had tlrcgrcnt oprportunityto plny the lettLlrolc iruEvita nt the Aktin T l t , n ! l t t t B r a n L l t L , nFur.i l a i : t t t t tt l t l u ' t t r o s t t l t : r t n t r l i ttr,ta c n rl o l t si r r n r , ' l c r t tr r t r r s i t '!ol tlt n l t r . Thueis itospokantlialLtgrrc htt tlrcrcore 2'f ' lttnts "bclted ofhnrtlsinging;incltttling n high middle," 'hl,tck,qos;,r'l" : r l t i t l rt i d t . l t i g l ri t t l on i t t u t r r l .I l i ; *citiniq,but yttttt"ouldnunihilttteryourztoice unlcss youkttoiuztlmt tioil re doirrg. SetltRrggsgrnrerte t h tl , ' t l t n i q t rnr r r dy t r c o r t nt l t i l i l v t o . q r r i Jttt t v s c l I tocnlhlLtrtdgrwrd cgninstztttctrl nbuseand t'atigue. Duin Alltty 4 ,/ ; . ' s - , 5 i r r { , ' r ' \ r ' t t 'Y r r r kC i i t T

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\

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIABS

lnhalation:Normal 1. Signal Your brain signals your breathing musclesthat your body needsoxygen.

Brain

2. Action Your diaphragm -your main breathing muscle -descends (flattens), enlarging your chestcavity at the bottom, while your rib muscles lift your ribcage, enlarging your chest cavity at the sides.This crebtesa vacuum inside your chestcavity.

Signal from brain

3. Result Air fills your lungs, as the outsideair rushesin to fill the vacuum.

Exhalationbeginsas soon as inhalation has taken place.

18

8AS/C PRINCIPLES

Exhalation: Normal 1.Signal Yourbrain signals yourbreathing muscles that your bodyneedsto get ridof carbon dioxide. 2. Action Yourdiaphragm andrib muscles relax.The diaphragmreturns to itsup positionand yourribcagecomes down.This allows yourlungs to shrinkback. 3. Result Air is squeezedout ofyour lungs.

Brain

Signal from brain

I -l

J

In singing and speaking, however, you can regulate inhalation, as long as it doesn't interfere with your body's requirements for life support.

19

S/NG/NGFORTHESIABS

lnhalatlon:Slnging 1. Signal Your brain signals your breathing musclesthat you need a suPPlYof air to make sound. 2. Action Sameas normal inhalation, except you regulafehow much air you need and at what rate you will take it ih. Be sure your chest "comfortremains ably high" (see p.132) and that your abdominal (stomach)muscles are relaxed to let your diaphragm descendeasilY, without any resistance.

vrG5t Chestshouldbe "comfortably high'l

RibMuscles i

qiu"g*-l

3. Result Air fills your lungs.

You can also regulate exhalation.

20

BAS/CPRINCIPLES

Exhalation:Singing 1. Singing Yourbrain signals yourbreathing that you muscles needto send air to yourvocal cords. 2. Action Not the same as normalexhalation. To be able to regulatethe amountof air you sendto your vocal cords,you must be ableto control yourrate of exhalation,Your rib muscles, therefore, continueto keep yourribcage (thus yourlungs) expanded,while your abdominalmuscles takeover control. Yourabdominal push your muscles diaphragm(in a stateof flexible tension)up steadily andslowly against yourlungs.

Brain Air

Signal from brain

ryil

RibMusclesI

-J

Diaphragm

3. Result Air is releasedto yourvocal cords as needed.

21

Balanceeguars Support

Breathingfor singing is a very relaxed process.When we say you can regulateit, we only mean you allout it to happenso that inhalation and exhalation are done in a way that best suitsyour musicalneeds.You do not have to uork at breathingcorrectly, unlessyou have poor postureor a tendencyto raiseyour chestand shouldersand take shallow breaths.Nor do you needto do any specialexercisesto strengthenyour breathingmuscles. Your diaphragm(pronounceddie-uh-fram),rib muscles,and abdominal musclesare already strong enoughfor your needsas a singer. If you maintain good posturewhen you sing, and are carefulnot to let your chest "collapse" as you exhale,your diaphragm is able to move freely and be regulatedby your abdominal musclesautomatically. There is no need to consciouslyexert tension in those muscles.If you try to directly control your breathing muscleswhen you sing, the extra tension in your body will only causeyour vocal cords to overtense-to jam up. V'ery little air is required to produce a good tone. Even for a loud tone, the amount of air you use need only be enough to support the vibration of your vocal cords-no more, no less-so that your tone is produced without any effort or strain. Justas trying to control your breathingmuscles directly will causeyour vocal cords to jam up, so will using too much air. That's because,when you sing, your cords are instinctivelycommittedto holding back (or at leasttrying to hold back) any amount of air you send their way. And, the more air you sendthem, the tighter your cords have to get to hold it back. You know you have proper breath support when there is a balance betweenair and muscle.There will be a mutual and simultaneouscoordination of the proper amount of air with the proper adjustmentof your vocal cords. Imbalanceequals Effort and Stlain Air

22

8AS/C PRINCIPLES

Vocal cord adiustment As your exhaledair reachesyour vocal cords, your vocal cords, assistedby the other musclesof your larynx, adiust with your breath flow to createthe pitch and intensity of your tone. When we talk about the action of your vocal cords, we are actually talking about the combined efforts of all the musclesin your larynx that influencetheir activity. musclesof larynx

Larynx Muscles

Larynx (voicebox) Larynx Muscles Trachea (windpipe)

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIARS

Pitch (lrequencyof vibratlon) Definition

Pitch is the frequency of completedvibration cyclesin a given tone. It is measuredin hertz (cyclesper second).The human ear has a rangeof 20 to 20,000hertz.

How pitch applies to your

Pitch is determinedby how often, or how frequently, your vocal cords vibrate (open and close),which is determinedby the tensionin your cords. The more tensionthere is in your vocal cords, the more quickly they will return to their closedposition once they are blown apart. The greater the frequencyof vibration, the higher the pitch. When we talk about vocal cord tension,however, we don't meanthe type of tensionthat resultsin vocal cord strain. They are two different things. Vocal cord tension,which you shouldn'tfeel if you are singingcorrectly, is createdby the interactionof the muscleswithin your larynx as they help your vocal cords balanceagainstthe air pressurefrom your lungs. The kind of tensionthat can lead to vocal cord strain, on the other hand, is createdwhen you use the musclesoutside your larynx to pull on and tighten around your larynx to control the pitch and intensity of your tone.

voice

lntensity(force oI vibration) Definition

Intensity is the force of each sound wave on the ear. It is measuredin units of loudnesscalled decibels.The relative degreesof loudnessare called dynamics.

How intensity applies to your voice

Intensity is determinedby the force of the air releasedby your vocal cords, which is determinedby how long your vocal cords can hold back the mounting air pressurebefore they finally blow open. The louder the tone, the more air pressureand vocal cord resistanceis neededto produce that tone. In softer tones,your vocal cords (offeringlessresistance)open sooner and stay open longer in eachvibration. In louder tones,your vocal cords (offering more resistance)take longer to blow open but then closeagain almost immediately. You don't necessarilyneed more air when you sing loudly than when you sing softly-just more air pressure.Becauseyour vocal cords stay closed unused.Air pressure,therefore,has longer in louder tones,little air escapes point where, when it finally doesblow your a chanceto build up to the vocal cords open, the force of the air released(and thus the soundwave)is much greater. Pitch also affectsloudnessbecausethe ear is more sensitiveto higher frequencies.

24

8AS/C PRINCIPLES

Although your vocal cords continually adjust to meet the pitch and dynamic (the degreeof intensity or loudness)requirementsfor each note you sing, we simply refer to all vocal cord adjustmentsin terms of the physicil sensationsthey produce in the singer. Youl- chestooice, or chestrigiiter, refersto the lowest tonesin your range,while your headuoice, or-head register, refers to the highest ones. The part of your range where qualities of both head and chest overlap is called your middle uoice, or middli register. Yet, the sensationsyou feel are not the result of vocal cord vibrationlthey are the result of resonance.

Resonancewhyyour voiceis unique

Between the time your tone leaves your vocal cords and the time it exits your mouth, it goes through a process of transformation. The interconnected spacesabove your larynx-including the surface condition of the walls which define those spaces-reinforce and augment sound waves of certain frequencies, while damping or even eliminating others. This process is called resonance.

Yottrresonance

Soft palate Resonancesoaces (wheretone is

transformed)

Vocalcords (wheretone begins) Trachea

25

SING/NG FOR THE SIAFS

Physical sensations A by-product of resonanceactivity, as we have already mentioned, is the creation of physical sensationsin the singer. Low tones feel like they are in your throat and mouth and, at times, can even be felt in your chest-thus the term chestuoice. As you sing higher, your voice (if you are singingcorrectly) feelslike it leavesyour throat and mouth and goesmore and more behind your soft palateuntil, finally, it feelslike it goesout the back of your head-thus the term headaoice. But the physicalsensationsyou experiencehave nothing to do with what the listeneractually hears.What thesesensationscan do, however,is help guide you in the correctand consistentuse of your voice. There will be more about this in the training program itself. Physicalsensations ol the singer's voice MiddleVoice A blendof chestand lt's headsensations. in themiddle. HeadVoice Highesttonesfeellike theytravelout the backof yourhead.

Chest Voice Lowesttones feel like they travel out of your mouln.

26

BAS/C PRINCIPLES

Vocal cord vibration determinesthe initial quality of your tone, but resonancedeterminesthe final quality-the quality that makesyour voice sound different from anyone else's.That differenceis due mainly to the unique sizeand shapeof your own resonancesystem. perconhas a voice

Both vocal cord vibration and resonanceshould work independently. Yet, problemswith one always affect the ability of the other to do its job. Fortunately,theseproblemscan be avoidedwith good singingtechnique.

The two factors involved in creatingvocal tone are: 1. Vocal cord tsibration.The air you exhalefrom your lungs works with your vocal cords to createthe pitch and intensifyof your initial tone. Breathing for singing is a very relaxed processin which very little air is requiredto producea good tone. 2. Resonance.The initial tone is modified and amplified as it travels through the spacesabove your vocal cords before leaving your mouth. Each person has a different resonancesystemthat makes his Or her own voice unique. Physicalsensations,which are a by-product of resonance activity, can help guide you in the correctand consistentuse of your voice.

27

S/NG/NGFOR THE SIAFS

How Your Voice Works Best: The Natural Technique of Speech-LevelSinging Most singers use excessivemuscular effort when they sing. Muscles the body normally uses to chew and swallow food, as well as open the throat wider when it needs to get oxygen into the lungs quickly, are used to manipulate the larynx-forcing it up or down. This is done to accomplish a difficult "improve" pitch, increase intensity, or the quality of one's tone. We call these muscles the outer muscles, becausethey are located outside the larynx.

q:

Wrong: Reaching for highnotes

Right: Speechlevel

Whenever you use your outer muscles to control your voice in any way, however, you prevent the free vibration of your vocal cords inside your larynx, and alter the relationship (and the over-all condition) of the resonance spacesabove your larynx. The result is a labored and unbalanced sound. Only when your larynx is in a relaxed, stable position can your vocal cords adjust easily with your breath flow, to create the pitch and intensity of your initial tone. And, only when your larynx is in a relaxed, stable position will your final tone contain a balance of top, middle, and bottom harmonic qualities-like a good stereo system-so you never sound "splatty" "muddy" on high ones. on low notes or Yet, there's another important reason why your larynx must be kept free of outer-muscle interference. Many of these muscles are involved in the production of speech sounds, and their interference in the tone-making process inevitably disrupts the word-making process as well. It's hard to form vowels and make consonants when the muscles controlling the movement of your tongue and jaw, for instance, are also trying to control your tone. Hence, voice production using the muscles outside your larynx is a hopelessbattle in which both your tone and your words become the casualties.

28

BASICPRINCIPLES

Yourspeech levela foundation for vocalfreedom

Generally, when you speak in a quiet, comfortable manner, your outer muscles do not interfere with the functioning of your larynx. That's because tone is not your primary concern-communication is. Therefore, your larynx is allowed to rest in a relatively stable, or what we call a speech-leuel, position. This is the ideal vocal condition or posture with which to sing.

If you can learn to initiate and maintain your tone with this comfortable speech-leuelposture when you sing, you can sing with the same easily produced voice you use-or should be using- when you speak. Nothing will feel any different in your throat or mouth. Both your tone and words will feel natural and sound natural. "sing like you But be carefull Speech-levelsinging doesn't mean speakt"

29

S/NG/NGFOR THE SIAFS

Singing High Tones production RIGHT:Speech-level

Larynxstays relaxedat speechlevel.

"full." Result:Toneis "bright"and Wordssoundclearandare easyto produce. WRONG:Larynxforcedup. Larynxis forced up. Swallowing muscresmay also be squeezing arounoyour throatand rarynx.

and"brittle." Result:Toneis "strident" andaredifficultto produce. Wordssounddistorted

30

8AS/C PRINCIPLES

SingingLow Tones production RIGHT:Speech-level

Larynxstays relaxedat speechlevel.

love I "fqll." is "bright"and

you-

Result:Tone Wordssoundclear and are easyto produce. WRONG: Larynxforceddown.

Larynxis forced down.Muscles may also be squeezrng arounoyour throatand

rarynx.

tove

you-

Result:Toneis "dark"and "throaty." andaredifficultto produce. Wordssounddistorted

31

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIARS

When you talk, you only use a limited pitch and dynamic range of tones, so it doesn't require a great deal of cord tension to create those tones. In order to meet your needsfor the higher pitch and greater dynamic levels often required in singing, howevef;,your vocal cords must be able to achieve greater degreesof tension. Increasedcord tension is what brings your cords back together more quickly each time they are blown apart, when you need to sing a higher tone. Increasedcord tension is what enablesyour cords to hold back that extra bit of air pressurebefore they finally blow open, when you needto sing a louder tone. If your vocal cords and the other musclesin your larynx are unable to provide the requiredtensionthemselves,you can be sure that your outer muscleswill volunteer their help. But, that's the kind of help you don't wantt Any outer muscleparticipation in the vibration processwill only causeyou vocal problemsby pulling you off your speechlevel.

Speech-level singing-feeling and sounding natural

You should be able to sing through your entire range-from the lowest notes of your chestvoice, up through the highestnotes of your head voice-in a smooth, even, or what we call connectedmanner, and still maintain a relaxed speechlevelposture. Singing low notes The lower part of your range is never a problem as long as you are careful not to pressdown with your larynx in an effort to scrapethe bottom of your range to get your lowest notes, or do anything in your throat or would mouth that alters your speech-levelposture. An exampleof the latter "creating more space"in your throat or mouth, to achievea "deep, rich, be resonant"quality. To begin with, the lowest note in your rangeshould be the lousestnote you can sing easily while still maintaining your speech-levelposture. As far as the resonancequality of your voice, it should be whatever resultsnaturally from that samespeech-levelposture. You should never try to make yout voice resonant.You should never try to make it do anything. Singing high notes It doesn't take a genius to know that a singer'sbiggestproblem, at least from a vocal standpoint,is singinghigh notes.Therefore,we will be most concernedabout extendingyour range upward. As you free your upper range, your lower range will also increasebecause,when your outer muscles are relaxedin the vibration process,they allow your larynx, thus your vocal cords, to relax as well.

32

BAS/CPRINCIPLES

The passageareasof your range As you sing higher into your range,,you quickly encounterareaswhere muscularand/or resonanceactivity make it difficult to negotiatesmooth transitions betweenvocal cord adjustments.Most singersknow theseareas all too well. They are placeswhere the voice iams up, suddenly shifts in quality, or even breaks-things that can discouragesomeonefrom ever exploring the full potential of his/her voice. We, however, refer to theseareasas passageareas.That's because, when you approach them the right way, they becomepassageways between zphereyou are comingfrom and whereyou want to go in your aocal range. Singing through the passageareas Your first passageareais the most critical. It's where your outer muscles(if they haven't done so already) are most likely to enter into the adiustment process.When they do, they pull on and tighten around the outside of your larynx in an effort to stretch your vocal cords to get the necessarytension for the pitch or dynamic level you require. But, as we have said, stretching your cords in this manner causesyour entire singing mechanism-tone and words-to jam upl Fortunately,there is a better and much easierway to stretch your vocal cordi to achievethe necessarytensionswithout disrupting your tone-making processor your word-making process. The key is to do lessin order to do more. To be specific, the higher you sing, the lessair you should use.When you reducethe amount of air you sendto your vocal cords, you make it possiblefor the musclesinside your larynx to stretch your vocal cords by themselves.Your outer muscles are lesslikely to interferebecausethere isn't as much air to hold back.* Your outer musclesuill interferein the aibration processuhenezteryou use more air than your oocal cords and the other musclesinsideyour larynx are able to handle.

*You

"Intensity" don't need a lot of air to sing loudly (see on page 24).

33

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIAFS

The PassageArcas: Women

-Rppro*itut" I

Performance {

Ranges

t

The Passage Areas:Men

.nppro"imate I Performance {

Ranses

Tenor-i

,--f-i---l-

Baritone Bass-----.

- t i

t

*These.are approximate ranges. There are individuals whose ranges extend beyond, but they are exceptions.

BAS/CPRINCIPLES

Vocal cord thinning When your vocal cords are stretched, they begin to thin. And the thinner your cords get, the less cord "weight" there is for your exhaled air to move. When the thinning takes place at your speechlevel, however, your cords are able to thin without disrupting your tone or words. Vocal cord shortening Then, something very interesting takes place when your vocal cords reach the point where they can't thin (be stretched) any farther-the vibrating "shorten." length of your cords begins to Let me explain why and how it happens. Your vocal cords never open all at once and then close all at once when they vibrate. Even in your lowest tones, your vocal cords open frorn front to back and close from back to front. That's because they are more flexible the closer they get to where they attach to the inside front of your larynx (where your Adam's apple is), and air breaks through that point first. If you continue to use less and less air past the point where your cords have thinned as far as possible, the back ends of your cords stay together, with less and less of the front part opening and closing. This also means, however, that they open and close much faster, increasing the frequency of vibration which continues to raise the pitch of your tone. If, like the initial thinning, this shortening can take place at your speech level, you can continue to sing easily through the rest of your passageareas with your tone and word production intact. You will be able to extend your range far beyond what most singers can only dream about. As your vocal cords begin to thin and shorten automatically when you sing, you become less aware of your passageareas. Eventually you come to think of your chest, middle, and head voices as a single uoice-connected in the way it's produced and connected in qualityl "natural" Speech-levelsinging is a technique in which your voice is: '1,. Produced tuithout effort. When you don't allow the muscles outside your larynx-your outer muscles-to interfere with your tone-making process, your vocal cords are able to more easily balance with your breath flow. Also, when you free your tone-making process, you free your wordmaking process as well, letting you produce all your words easily and clearly. 2. Balanced in quality. A relaxed and stable larynx results in a stable resonance system in which your voice always contains an appropriate balance of top, middle, and bottom harmonic qualities, no matter where in your range you sing.

35

S/NG/NGFOR THESIABS

How to Get Your Voice to Work for

The Training Process

Training your voice, as you may have guessed, means learning to

and strengthenthe musclesin your larynx so you can sing with speechJevel posture over a wide pitch and dynamic range. Coordination and strength most easily developed by doing special exercises.You don't control your

voice directly by working on or thinking about breath support, vocal cord adjustments,or resonance.Thesethings are all by-productsof speech-level singing.They happenautomaticallywhen you condition your larynx not to move, by relaxingyour outer musclesand by allowing your vocal cordsto thin and then shorten for higher notes to insure that your outer muscles relaxed. As you do the exercisesin the training program following this section, you will memorize the physical sensationsyou experiencein your voice as you do each exercisecorrectly. Everything else will take care of itself.

Developing coordination-the first step

Coordination of your voice at your speech level must be developed before you can begin to build strength in your voice. As you do the exercises, don't feel you have to sing them loudly. That's not important. If you try to sing too loudly (using too much air) too soon, your outer muscles will give up their pulling and tightening reflexes. Have patience. You must first eliminate any outer muscle activity that interferes with your tone. This will free your tone and, consequently, free your ability to produce words easily and clearly. Your body's neuromuscular system, however, has been programmed by years of poor singing habits to activate every muscle it can to help you control your voice. It will attempt to resist any changes in muscular coordination you try to make. For a while you may feel tension in the muscles under your jaw, in your neck, in the back of your mouth, and in your soft "wrong" palate. These tensions are caused when the muscles (your outer "right" muscles (the muscles muscles) are reluctant to give up control to the producing your tone. of larynx) in Never work around these tensions by doing things like changing the

position of your tongueand jaw, raisingyour soft palate, making more spacein your throat, or changingthe pronunciationof your words. You only createother tensions.Justfollow the instructionsin the training program and do the exercises.Once you have successfullyreprogrammed your neuromuscularsystemto acceptyour voice'sfunctioning at your speech level, these tensions will disappear. You will then be able to sing release,a condition in which your voice works without your having to f about it, or'do anything to it.

36

hauehadthepleasure ot'associating with Mr. SethRiggsfor thepast20 years.Sethis oneof themostoutstanding teachers of aoicein thezaorld today,teachingthe majority of thepop singersthat areamongthe woild's most famous,as well as tainnersot'theMetropolitanOperaAuditions in New York City. His understandingof the natural deuelopment ot'the singing aoiceis much neededtoday,with all the inept teachersthat arehelpingto bring about thedeclineof the OperaticVoice. His book,Singing for the Stars, is oneof the mostoutstandingtreatiseson aoiceproductionaaailabletoday. I wasa memberof theMetropolitan Operafor 14 yearsas oneof their Ieadingtenorsandfor the last 28 yearshaaeseruedasArtist Teacherat SouthernMethodistUniaersitain Dallas,Texas.I haoestudiedaoiceusith someof thegreatestteachersoi thepast including Frank La Forge,Renato Bellini, EdnaForsytheand DeIIaHayward. TheyaII stressedthnt "singing and speakinglspeaking and singing" is oneot'the mostimportantfunctions of the gifted singer. This is discussedthroughoutSethRiggs'sbook. Sincemy tenure at SouthernMethodist Unioersity,zuehaaehadsomeof the mostoutstanding teachersin the world giaing Master Classesin aoiceincluding LiIy Pons, Eaelyn Lear,I eromeHines, RamonV inay and, of course,SethRiggs. Mr. Riggs'sbookis usedby many of our studentsand teacherszaithoutstanding results,and I can only giae thehighestpraisefor Mr. Seth Riggs.) ) ThomasHayward Tenor Professorof Voiceand Opera Dallas

Buildingstrength Don't be concerned about building a strong voice right away. The ability to -all in good time increase the loudness of your tone will come by itself, after the coordination of your vocal muscles has been established. Once the "crutch" of depending on your outer muscles to help keep your vocal cords balanced with your breath flow is gone, your vocal cords will develop their own independent strength. Little by little, your vocal cords will be able to hold back more and more air in the vibration process, eventually providing you all the dynamic (loudness) flexibility you'll need. In the meantime-or at any time, for that matter-you should sing only as loudly as you are able to stay on your speech level, with a clear, connected, and easily produced tone throughout your entire range.

Voice training: 'J-. Deuelops coordination. The first step in training your voice how to function at your speech level, is to condition your vocal cords to adjust with your breath flow without interference from your outer muscles. This frees your tone and, consequently, your ability to produce words easily and clearly. 2. Builds strength. Once you have conditioned your outer muscles not to participate in the production of your tone, your vocal cords gradually develop their own independent strength. This allows you to sing louder "outside" without your vocal cords needing any muscular assistance.

37

PracticalExercises Caution Pleasefollow along with the material in the book and the accompanying cassettetapes as my students and I demonstrate how each of the exercises should be done. It is important that you do each exercisecorrectly before you proceed to the next. As valuable as the exercisesin this book are for training your voice, any exercisecan be overworked or misused to where it will do you more harm than good. You don't develop your voice by pushing it to its limit. You develop it by gradually conditioning it to work efficiently with a balanced coordination. IMPORTANT: You must stop doing any exercise whenever you begin to lose your speechlevelposture, lose your connection from chest to head voice, or feel any strain or effort in production. Do not continue the exercisesif you feel your voice is being damaged even slightly. Seea doctor before proceeding. It'is not necessaryto go as high as the piano. The exercisesin this book will work best if you are relaxed-mentally as well as physically. Singers who have not yet achieved confidence in their instrument will often develop a nervous tension-a fear of failing to make a good sound. It is this fear, however, that sets up even more tension throughout your body, which in turn exerts more tension (the wrong kind of tension) in and around your larynx, which makes you more tense, and so on, creating a vicious cycle of fear and anxiety. There are ways to minimize this and other tensions. As you practice the exercisesbe sure you: 1. Maintain good physical posture. Stand comfortably so you don't place stress on any part of your body. For example, don't slouch or lean on one leg. Seepage 132. 2 . Practice in as quiet an environment as possible. Try to eliminate any surrounding noise.

3 . Keep a positive mental attitude. These exercisesreally work. If you follow instructions, you will accomplish your goal. 4. Stay relaxed. Induce relaxation, if necessary,by deep breathing, and by doing any stretching or other exercisesthat promote blood circulation and eliminate nervous tensisn. We have used a variety of different voices to demonstrate the exercises.Our purpose in using them is not to give you vocal models to copy but rather to demonstratehow each exerciseshould be practiced.

38

Building Confidence 1rI ou will

begin your voice training by developing the confidence that it is possible to increaseyour vocal range to its full potential and to sing from the bottom to the top of your range without your voice jamming up, shifting in quality, or breaking. Some of the exercisesare designed to directly bypass your neuromuscular reflexes--they won't work unlessyour outer musclesare completely relaxed. some, on the other hand, are designedto deliberately activate certain musclesin order to deactivateothers, or to demonstratean important concept. Just keep in mind that ail the exercisesin this first part of the training program are only temporary devices to help you begin the process of freeing your voice and keeping it connected through your passageareas. They may sound somewhat peculiar to you, but that's part of what makes them work. You can rest assuredthat how you sing theseexercisesdoes not represent the way you will sound by the end of the training program.

5rr

-

-J

39

S/NG/NG FOR THE SIABS

Exercise1. Instructions: listen to tape

Placeyour fingertipson your cheeksso that you pick up the weight of yo.r, ,ki., frorr, ar.,ut d your lips. Feelwhere your teeth come together.You push the skin in that far. This keepsthe musclesrelaxed so you don't feel you have to use a lot of air to move them' "UH" sound, (listento tape),Iet your lips "bubble"as Then, using an looselyand as evenly as they can as you sing the exercise' i.et the air do ihe work. Justrelax your lips as well as the rest of your face and throat muscles.The slower you can control the vibration speedof your lips, the better. Don't worry too much about pitch accuracyat first. The relaxation and freedomof your lips, as well as the maintenanceof a connectedtone, are what's most imPortant. "disconnecting"suddenly into a Try to do the entire exercisewithout lighter production. (Listento tape,) In Exerciset and in all your exercises,you must get used to the your transferenceof resonancesensation.In the lower part of your range, higtrer, you sing as while, your mouth, tone will appear to go straight out of behind more and go more into your h"ud t'oicl, yorrrlor," will appear to waves from your vocal cords iound the you are feel palate. Whai Vorrr'r"ft activating thoseresonancespaces'

Notes:

40

PARTONE:BUILDINGCONFIDENCE

( L i pr o l l )

Approximatestarting pitch:

T-rar

T"tio'

Soprano

ar

= Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomolished

41

S/NG/NGFOR THESIARS

ExerciseSuggestions(L-4) If you use too much air or anticipate the higher notes in Exercises1 th 4, your outer muscles will activate thus stopping the movement of your and tongue. When this happens, bend forward as you approach the top notes of the problem exercise, returning to your standing position at its pletion. Your concern about singing the higher notes will be lessened the oncoming floor will make you think you're going "down" instead of " You can use this bending technique whenever you find yourself "tightening" "reaching" for notes.

l/)\

+' / t

42

\

ee L

f

akid. I thinklwasa tenor.I eaenflirtedwith usedtosingwhenlwas theideaofsingingfor a liaing,butI couldneverfind anylneto helpme

get into my high aoiceproperly. Acting taokoaerand,lo and behold,lgot into a part whereI had to sing. Theproducerscalledin Seth,and,t'irst lesson,Iwaswell into my headaoiceand "passaggio," "transition," through the beganto learnhow to makethe t'rommy "where going" I'm It is deaeloping,but I know still chestinto theheadaoice. whenI sing. Thsnkuou Seth.) ) Armand Assante Actor LosAngeles

Problem note(s)sung at thisooint.

43

S/NG/NGFOR THESIABS

Exercise2 Instructions: listen to tape

"[JH" sound as you Let your tongue lightly flutter as you make the same made in Exercise1. The notes are the same. (Iisten to tape). Remember, the object is to keep the tone connected as you sing into your head voice.

lVotes.'

44

PARTONE:BUILDINGCONFIDENCE

( T o n g u et r i l l )

Approximatestarting pitch: -rTfia)

io'

F

Soprano

o Alto

Tenor

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

45

S/NG/NGFORTHESTARS

Exercise3 Ingtructions: listcn to tepe

46

the The instructions for Exercise3 are the same as for Exercisel-only your morc range area of wider a covering are larger, skips between the notes notcs the because quickly. Exercise L gave you a running start, so to speak, were closer together. In Exercise3 the interfering outer muscles must let go even more. Your cords must be free enough to adjust to the wider skips. Don't slide from one note to the next. EaChnote should be done clearly and cleanly. (Listen to tape.) Sornetimesit helps, whenever you sing from one note to another note higher in pitch, to approach the second note as if you were going to ie that sing the same pitch as or lozner than the one you are corning from. This helps to keep you from reaching.

ee

singingwhenI utasll yearsold. Besides first beganto study "head"coordination, Sethtrickedmeinto my "chest"and connecting

T L

nn extremelyhigh area,zohich,as we continuedto work, beganto join into the rest of rny aocalrange. I signedwith my t'irst major labelat age11. From that earlyage,I alwnysaocalizedand performedoaer3'lz octaaes.Thesedays,when singershauebegunto usestratospherichigh notes,I'ae neoerhad to fear exiemely lout io extremelyhigh notes. Tiank you Seth. ) ) ShaniceWilson Singer LosAngeles

r L

{., t' *

(Liproll)

l.

r I i,

Approximatestarting pitch:

4_ T--U

T-to

a

Soprano

t

U

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practice log: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

47

S/NG/NGFOR THESIAFS

Exercise4 Instructions: listen to tape

The instructions for Exercise4 are the same as for Exercise2. Again, only the notes and rhythms are different.

lVotes;

48

PARTONE:BUILDINGCONFIDENCE

)

(Tonguetrill)

Approximatestarting Pitch: t-

4

L

zr-

TFr--

a1A--

T

i

-

du

Soprano

_ o

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practice log: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

49

S/NGINGFOR THESTAAS

ExerciseSuggestions(5, 6) Once you can do the lip rolls and tongue trills with little effort, it will indicate that you aren't gripping your larynx with your outer muscles(it's hard to roll your lips or trill your tonguewhen the musclescontrolling them are aleo trlnng to control your larynx to make pitch). It will also indicate that your cords are thinning and their vibrating length is "shortening"as you sing higher, and that you are using just the right amount of air to support their vibration. The lip rolls and tongue trills, however, rely on the closing of your lips and tongue to lrclp counteract any excessair pressureyou may be using. Therefore, coordination of air and rnusclecan't yet be said to be taking place solely at the cord level. Developingthe coordinationthat allows your cords to thin and shortenat your speechlevel (usingjust the musclesof your larynx to do the work) takestime. Unfortunately,your motivation can run out beforeyou get to that point. So, beforeyou go any farther in the program, it's important that you get to expertencethe concept of cord thinning and shortening at the cord level-even if it meansactivatinga few unwantedouter musclesto do itl We will do this in Exereises 5 through 1-L.You must quickly abandontheseexercisesas soon as they seruetheir purpose! Exercises5 and 5 are called high larynx exercises.They use the muscles above your larynx to pull it up. A raised larynx will stretch, and thus thin your vocal cords, making it possiblefor them to go into the shortenedcondition necessaryto sing high pitches.But again, you are only using these musclestemporarily, iust to demonstratea concept.You don't want to use this teehniquewhen you sing. This is not yet speech-leveltone production.

50

S/NG/NGFORTHESTAFS

Exercise5 Instructions: listen to tape

"nay nay" sound into your nose. It will be nasal enoughwith Don't iam the "n" sound. the exaggerationof the Also, be careful not to reach up in chestvoice.

l\lofes.'

52

Q Q (rr,

Riggsteachesa technique that doesn't detract from the basic qulitv of the actors' spokm sowtd. Actors Studio West b most appreciatioe of hb Wl classes,and lack of intimidation for actors uhm approaching the act of singing,) / Rltt Muk Rydell/Mutht Landu/Morth Actors Studio West Los Angeles

Approxlmatestartlngpltch:

-at i , _ _ f,e

aJf;e

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practlcelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

53

\

S/NG/NGFORTHESIARS

Exercise6 Instructions: listen to tape

The instructions for Exercise6 are the sameas for ExerciseS-the notes and rhythms are different.

IUotes.'

54

PARTONE:BUILDING CONFIDENCE

nay nay nay nay nay nay nay nay nay nay nay nay

Approxlmatestartlngpltch:

+I - =(

E

t

i

Soprano

=u Tenor

Practlce log: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

55

S/NG/NGFOR THESIAFS

ExerciseSuggestions(7-lT) Lout-larynx exercises(Exercises7 through 11) use the muscles below your larynx to pull it down. They also get your cords to thin and shorten. Yet, they do it with your larynx in a low position. It's lower than actual speech lerrel, but it's closer to speechJevelposture than the high-larynx coordination. As you sing into your head voice, the feeling of thinning and shortening-if the exerciies are done correctly-is similar to the high-larynx thinniig and shortening. That is, you will experiencea connected production of tone from chest into head voice. Yet, it's different enough so that you have to work through the connection all over again. Your cords will still thin and shorten as you sing higher, but this time without any assistancefrom the high-laryni muscles. In fact, the low-larynx exercisesactually help deactivate your tendency to use your highJarynx muscles. Just remember, if you operuse either the high-larynx or the low-larynx exercises,there is the danger that you will lock into one or the other of those extreme vocal postures, producing all your pitches off your speech levell So again, once you get yourself through the passageareas with a connected tone, you should discontinue Exercises5 through 11. ExercisesL through 4, however, can continue to be used. They make good warm-up exercises.

56

, w

57

S/NG/NGFOR THESIAFS

Exercise7 Instructions: listen to tape

As you do 7-a through 7-e, put a little "cry" in your voice-but don't overdo it. (lrsf en to tape.) This little cry slightly imposes your larynx down by activating the low larynx muscles, and deactivating the high larynx muscles. "imposition" But this is only temporary. You want to cancel the tendency of your larynx to rise as you sing higher-the opposite of what you did in Exercises5 and 6. "imposition" You will discard this low larynx by the time you get to Part Two of the program, because you neper want to force your larynx down when you sing, just as you never want to force it up. When you do 7-a, make sure your soft palate stays very relaxed, with the sound going behind it more and more as you sing higher. And, make "Mum" sure you continue to say as you sing higher. Don't go to "Mam"-that would mean your larynx is starting to come up. In Exercise7-b through 7-e, don't take the exerciseas high as you did "G" "K" with 7-a. The sound (7-b through 7-d) and the sound (7-e) are "Mum" much more difficult to sing than the sound because of the motion of your tongue. Only take them as high as is comfortable.

l\lotes.'

58

utantedto takethis momentto thankyou t'or helpingmy dreambecsme a reality. Throughyour wonderfultechniqueand teachingI wnsableto

builda firm foundationuponwhicht0grour. dit'ficultyin Thankyoufor beingtherefor mewhenI wasexperiencing certainpassages of music.Afterall, Aida ls noutalkin thepark. AlthoughI wassome3,000milesau)ay , youcalledor I calledand'wewere " problems ." Then,on the ableto soluewhatseemed to meto be enormous phone,you reminded meof thingsyouoncetaughtmebutI hadforgotten. problems" wereno mlre. those"enormous Suddenly You'reagem.)) asAida PriscillaBaskeruille Aida-M et ropolitan Opera Fung@1991. Drawingby Selene Usedby Permission

( a )m u m (b) guh (c) so (d) gee (e) koo

mum guh go gee koo

Piscilln Baskeruille Soprnno New York City

mum, etc. guh, etc. go, etc. gee,etc. koo, etc.

Approximate

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

59

S/NG/NGFOR THE SIARS

Exercise8 Instructions: listen to tape

The instructions for Exercise8 are the same as they were for exercise7only the notes and rhythms are different.

l\lotes:

60

PARTONE:BUILDINGCONFIDENCE

(a) mummummum,etc. (b) guh guh guh,etc. (c) go go go, etc. (d) gee gee gee,etc. (e) koo koo koo, etc.

startingpitch: Approximate

_0_

0 t--

a-r--

a

-l-

J U

v

l

Soprano

U

Tenor

Bass )

Practice log: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

61

S/NG/NGFOR THE SIAFS

Exercise9 Instructions: listen to tape

62

As before, use a slightly imposedlarynx as you do the exercise. "hootier" or more "hollow" soundingyou The higher you go, the should get to keep from grabbing.Don't worry if your tone soundsbreathy or weak on the higher pitches.Iust try to stay connectedfrom the beginning of the exerciseto the end of it. Even though you are imposingyour larynx down slightly, you must sing eachvowel with the samepronunciationyou would useif you were "Oh" sound incorrectly, it will speakingit. For example,if you do the "splat" as you take it higher. You've got to keep your larynx slightly imposedto keep it from raising. (Listento tape.)You may want to think of "Oh" through "Oo" lips. singing As you get into the upper part of your range,let your jaw drop just slightly to give the sound more space-but don't grab with it.

la

'a'f,a , + p

or 2/z years I had the great opportunity to play the role of Eaita on broadtoay... Seth Riggsgaue me the technique and personal ability to L guide myself oocally and guard against oocal abuse and fatigue') )

Derin Altay Actress,Singer New York City

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Oo oh Uh Ee Ah

Approximatestarting pitch:

a,

't'

-:'T YFT--

-^?FTi

u

Soprano

ar

=

Alto

Tenor

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

63

S/NG/NGFOR THESTAFS

Excrdgc 10 krbucdm: lletca to tapc

Thc instructions for Exercise10 are the same as they were for Exercise9only the notee and rhythms are differmt.

Illotcc:

)

64

CONFIDENCE PARTANE:tsUILDtNG

(a) Oo (b) oh (c) Uh

(oEe (e) Ah

Approxlmatestarthg pltch:

+ i l i l o o

o

a

Soprano

o

o Tenor

Bass

Practlcelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

65

S'NG'NGFOR THESIAFS

Exercise11 lnstrucdons: listen to tape

Still keep your tone a little breathy, as before. The obiect of the larger skips between the notes is to increaseyour ability to releasethe tone. You have to let go of the pressure of one pitch so your cords can re-tune to the next one. But, don't releaseso much that you disconnect into falsetto. You must continue to connect your chest voice into your head voice. (Lbten to tape.l

IYoles.'

00

e C

'zte "belter" beena aII my life. I didn't eaenthink I hada headuoice. f WhenSethconnectedmy middleaoice,I wasableto drop the wearof 20 L yearsof hard singing. ) ) Carcl Burnett Actress,Singer Hautaii

!

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Oo oh Uh Ee Ah

)

Approxlmatestartlngpltch:

Soprano

Tenor

Bass

Practlcelog: Datestarted Dateaccomplished

67

FORTHESrABS S/A/G/NG

ExerciseSuggestions "muscled Occasionally,an individual'svoice is so up" that it is very difficult to get the cords to thin and shorten enough to achievea connected sound from chest into head voice. When the exercisesprescribedso far fail to accomplishthe task, you may have to start with the "disconnected"condition of cord vibration, usually calledfalsetto.If you have alreadyachieved 12 and L3, and proceed a connectionin your tone, you may skip Exercises to Part Two. The disconnectedfalsettovoice, like the connectedhead voice, lets you experiencethe freedom of singing in the higher part of your range without strain. But, unlike your head voice, falsettocannot blend with your chest "disconnected").This, and the fact that it is impossible uoice (thus the term to increaseintensity past a certainpoint, makesfalsettoimpracticalto use, except for occasional special vocal effects. Falsetto, however, is easier for untrained voice to sing. Becauseof this, it can be useful in leading you into the preferred connected condition of head voice.

Equalintensity capability Chest

----t'"1"1'ntensity

capability -->

Same resonanceareasactivated

68

Head(connected)

(disconnec Farsetto

S/NG/NGFOR THESIABS

Exercise12 Instructions: listen to tape

Start with a falsetto sound. As you come down into your chest voice, try to make the transition as smooth as possible. Come down gently so you don't "fall" into it. Then try to bring in your chest voice more firmly each time you do the exercise.You want to replace your falsetto production, wh,ich can't blend, with head voice (which can). As you do the exercise, don't panic when you feel the chest voice come in. Come in lightly, till you feel it start to take-don't grab it in (listen to tape), and don't fall into it (listen to tape). "Gee" sound, be careful. It's not as easy When you do L2-b, with the "Wee" to start it as high as the sound becauseof the activity of the tongue. Remember, you may feel you are making your falsetto stronger-but you're not. Falsetto production merely gets you to relax in the higher part of your range so you can work on your head voice.

Notes.'

70

e' o t n

ago,MCA Recordssuggested I work with Seth Riggsin order to \ ometime "gospel get my chops"in shape.In the middleof our work, alongcomesthe lJ role of Charity ln Sweet Charity t'or the LosAngelesand New York reaiaals. "belter," "get "high Charity wasa but now I can't wnit to dotan" with that gospel"soundand style. Seth'stechniquemakesit easy.) ) DebbieAllen Director,Actress,Singer LosAngeles

(a) Wee wee (b) Gee gee

Wee Gee

wee gee

wee gee

wee gee

wee, etc. gee,etc.

Approximatestarting pitch:

-i---sl--

+

trTr-u

a

Soprano

) Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomolished

71

S/NG/NGFOR THESTAFS

Exercise1.3 Instructions: listen to tape

You will now start in chest voice, go into your head voice and then back into chest voice. "Gee" sound in 13-b as high as you do the And, again, don't take the "Wee" sound in 13-a.

Note:

Once you can make a smooth transition from head to chest and chest to head voice, you may want to try Exercises5 through 11 again.

72

PARTONE:BUILDINGCONFIDENCE

(a) Wee wee wee, etc. (b) Gee gee gee,etc.

Approximatestarting pitch:

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Practicelog: Datestarted Dateaccomolished

73

hen I was 13 yearsold, Quincy lonessuggestedI work with Seth "boy whileI mademy change soprano"to my adult aoice. t'rom Mostpeopleadaisedmeagiinst siudying uoiie duing this dilt'ficultperiod. Sethnot only knewhow to balancemy unruly uoicebut, whenI cameout on theolhersideat 75 yearsold, my uoicewaseasyand eaenlytogether.What usedto be,theboysopranourasnow a man'sconnected headaoicewith no strain. Thankyou Seth. T.E.V.l.N, Campbell Singer LosAngeles

o!d..Weco_nnected my uoiceup ye.ars ftrst cameto-Sethwhen.I.w.as-19 to an E flat aboaetenorhigh C, with nofalsetto.Oaertheyears,as I pursueda singingcareer,I usea lot ofi'throatgraael"t'or"et'fect. It ,began"to beganto hurt thequalityof my aoice,so Sethgaae me an alternatiue " cdrdination and i'm bick'inti aotalhealth.

lohnnyGill Singer LosAngeles

"chest" 'ae into the beensingingsinceI wasa child. Always,the "head" uoicewasa stickyproblem. I now hauea t'irm graspon the "connection" in my middle.I canleaninto a gospel,R&8, stylingwith much "pure chestbelling"morepower,and knowingthat I won't getcaughtin what a relief.

Marilyn Singer LosAngeles

'ue

alwayssung a kind of baritone-tenlrrange. At'teryearsof in all kindsof conditions,lt'oundI washauingto work harderto producethehigherpitches.Now that I'ue begunto usemore" heqdaoice,"I sing purer aowelson thehigherpitcheswithout strain. My new aocal techniquekeepsmet'resherand giuesme moreendurance.Workingwith Seth madethe two-show-a-nightengagement in LasVegasa pleasureinsteadofa fatiguingjob.

Geoffrey Singer,Produce.*, LosAngeles

TowardSpeech-Level Singing tjo fur, you have done exercisesthat let you experiencesinging with a connected tone over a wide range of pitches, without much concern about the overall quality of that tone or the way in which you achievedit. Each exercise served as a mechanical assist, that permitted your vocal cords to maintain a connection through your passageareas and, in so doing, became a psychological assistbecauseit gave you confidence that you could accomplish that connection. We will now proceed with exercisesthat condition your voice to work only at your speech level. This means from this point on we will only use exercisesthat bypass your neuromuscular reflexes completely. We will "edge" basically use what we call an unfinished or sound. This sound needs very little air and cord to work. Like the exercisesused in Part One, the "edge" exerciseswill assistyou in maintaining a connectedtone through your passageareas-but this time, in a way that directly leads you into singing with a speech-levelposture. Your larynx won't raise or lower very much as your vocal cords make their adjustments, so you will experiencea blending of resonancequalities. Also, your vocal cords will begin to relax, allowing you to sing even your lowest notes more easily.

-

t --

75

S/NG/NGFOR THESTAFS

ExerciseL4 Instructions: listen to tape

This is the first time in your program you are going to be doing an exercise that gives you the feeling of where speechJevel sound is made. Starting in chest voice, just below your break area, make a sound (with your lips closed) like a squeaky door hinge and inflect into your head voice. (Listen to tape.) Be careful not to break into falsetto; you have to keep it connected. (Listen to tape.)

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ike mostnatural singers,I had no knowledgeof how to getfrom my f "break," "false" or changein without a noticeable chestinto my J-/ quality. As a pianisi I had no troublesetting the key to hidemy pribtem. When I ioined Prince,the decisionof keysrnasno longerup to me. Princehnd worked with Sethand hadsent SheilqE theretoo,soI wassent to him also. Halleluiah! "break" mendedquickly,but my style hasbecomemuch better Not only was the which to riff .) ) notes with I had more because Rosie Gaines Singer LosAngeles

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Exercise1.5 Instructions: listen to tape

"edge" Using the samesqueaky door or sound you made in ExerciseL4, start lower in the scale. This time add a little "whimper" or "cry" to the sound to help keep the cords connected-but don't overdo it. You don't want to overcompressthe air so usejust enoughto keep the connectionas you sing higher. (Listento tape.) More doesn'tmeanbetter in this instance. The stopping and starting of the tone keepsre-establishingyour tone at speechlevel so that you don't get off that level as you go through the exercise. Once you can maintain a connection all the way through Exercise15, go on to Exercise1,6.At this time you may want to start monitoring any speechmuscle activity by feeling the musclesunder your jaw. Thesemuscles should always be soft, with no tensionwhatsoeveroccurringwhen you do the exercise.*If there is any musculartension,listen to the tape again to see if you have followed the instructionscorrectly.

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