Practice 4/13/16

Exhausted today. The choir event last night kind of left me pooped physically. Not quite vocally, but I didn't have the best technique last night either. Also, I think I'm recognizing that I get heartburn--I just never knew what that strange constricting/very light burning sensation was in my chest. How exciting. Allergies have also been a pain, so I feel constantly swollen/congested in my nose and chest. My jaw is also super tight from the bus ride yesterday.

Lesson 4/8/16

• Think of what you want. THINK. Focus on the good. 
• Think of opposites for vowels. [i] has most space in the back, etc. 
• Back molar space. 
• Precise onsets. 
• Think of there being an air cushion inside the cheeks as you do the [i e a o u o a e i] 543212345 exercise. Maintain molar space as well, but don't force the jaw down. Just be aware of the space. 
• Allow yourself to get lighter as you ascend. 
• I worked on some vowel ascending exercises, and my open vowels sound a little weird. The timbre seems too bright, and not rounded/dark enough. 
• I don't want to force darkness into the sound, so I'm trying to figure out how to modify the vowel to more of an [o] (for [a]) as I ascend. Think the [o] space, but sing that [a] into it. Don't make the [o]. Just thinking. Allow the [o] to permeate the upper soft palate as well. 
• yawning exercises. This softened the sound significantly. 

Spent about 25 minutes warming up. Feel much better after singing for a bit than I did before.