Practice 4/29/16

Continuing from what I said yesterday, I still have that scratchy feeling in my soft palate, but it's also spread down to my throat/trachea area. The swelling is less scratchy in my soft palate and more sore and painful when I swallow. The area around my throat is scratchy, less sore. My vocal production seems to be fine, with just a little bit of swelling, but it's not outrageous.

I'm not going to do much vocally today, but I'm going to spend a little bit of time vocalizing to test things out.

Lesson 2/26/16.

• Feel a little scratchy as I vocalize. 
• no "preparatory" gesture with the breath. Just think and sing. 
• make sure to have loose jaw/tongue on "beep" exercises. 

~20-25 minutes of warm up. 

I still feel a little scratchy when I sing, but I don't feel like I'm compensating any more than I usually do now that I'm sick. 

I'm just going to say that I'm so grateful that I got sick for my recital this year. It's helped me so much with morale and understanding that if I approach my technique in a careful/precise way, I can still vocalize. I can do hard things! 

Practice 4/28/16

So, starting last night, I got a strange burning/tickling in my soft palate (very isolated sensation), and it feels like the sensation you get when you're pre-sinus infection. The burning/swelling of my soft palate is pretty uncomfortable--it feels like a burning sensation, in which my soft palate is a little bag and it's full of mucus or something because it's all swollen. Even so, my sinuses are dry, and if anything, whenever I breathe in, I can feel the air in an abrasive way on my palate--on the "underside" of my nasopharynx. If that makes sense. It kept me up all last night. When I swallow, I can feel it. I've had this sensation before, so it's not unfamiliar.

That being said, it has little to no affect on my actual voice or singing. The swelling is isolated, but it's also away from my larynx. There's some swelling in my voice, but it's not outrageous--it's maybe just a little more than usual, but it's not full on sick yet. My roommates have had colds this last week, so that may have something to do with it. But besides my soft palate swelling, I feel fine.

I sang in Russian this morning with no warm up, and I feel fine. Like I've said in previous logs, when I'm "sick" or not feeling as well, I tend to have better technique because I'm more aware of unwanted sensation.

Even so, I'm going to take things easy today. I don't want to push anything. I've been gargling salt water and stuff to see if that'll help.

• on back vowels [a o u] be really conscious of what you're singing, and that you're not pushing down in the back of the tongue--you can use tactile feedback by placing fingers under jaw and feeling any tug there. 
• Follow Lesson 4/22/16 
• "Like this"!!! Especially with onsets from above. 

Warm up ~30 minutes. 

Practice 4/27/16

• In my most recent lesson, I think one of the most valuable things that I learned was keeping an open throat during my lip trills. I thought I was being pretty good about it before, but I learned how much better it feels if I open up even more. 
• It almost feels like I'm singing in chest voice on my higher notes when I'm lip trilling now because it feels so open. The air flow is uninterrupted, and it feels good! 
• Lesson 2/27/16 Warm up
• Whenever my vibrato decides it wants to do weird things (especially on back vowels), I think about consistent breath pressure, and that seems to help. 
• "like that" - refer to foggy bottom or lip trills. 
• think of opposites for vowels. But there should be no excursion between vowels. 
• "decrescendo" to high notes. It should feel like less, but it doesn't necessarily come out that way. 

~40 minutes warm up 

Emily C. Practice 4/26/16

The first singing I did today was my Russian stuff for class. It didn't go too badly. My Gs and As were a little shaky, but my Fs were solid and easy to sing since I didn't feel any excessive tightening there. 

Lesson 2/27/16 Follow for Warm up 

I keep singing to my left shoulder. I'm trying to stay more conscious of that. 

~20 min. warm up. Feel pretty good today. Things are coming faster than the last couple of days. 

Practice 4/25/16 and Lesson Take-Aways 4/22/16

Allergies are still pretty bad these days. I've got a pretty awesome headache as well.

• Lip trills to warm up. 
• divert breath pressure away from the glottis
• THINK the pitch before singing it. No pre-setting. 

• Follow with Lesson 2/26/16 to warm up. 

• Leson 4/22/16 for additional technique. 
• Open throat for lip trills; helps to practice consistency of breath pressure without pushing
• Don't overdo it with air; you don't need as much air as you think you need. 
• you only need your tongue to articulate consonants. You don't need your jaw (most of the time)

• ~35 minutes warm up. 

Practice 4/22/16

I learned a valuable lesson last night: Don't be an idiot and drink lots of caffeine, especially in the form of soda. It will be a very uncomfortable evening and morning for you. Dry, phlegmy grossness. Ugh. Just don't.

• Follow with 2/26/16 Lesson.
• I also experimented with the idea that Eric Neuville mentioned yesterday with breathing, and thinking of the sternum and thinking down and out and "leaning" against the inside of the sternum. Diverting breath pressure away from the folds?
• Adding breath pressure on sustained notes won't eliminate instability! To stay released on a sustained note, just think "like that" over and over. 
• Follow with 2/27/16 Lesson. 
• Be okay with sounding bad for a bit if you want you sound to change!
• Sing on the gesture of the inhale/suspension

Warm up for about ~20 minutes. Feel great. Gotta go to the candidate meeting! 

Practice 4/21/16

Allergies are still very much a thing. Same with phlegm. But it's not too bad today.

• Yawning/cow chewing exercises for space exploration. But don't shove the jaw down for sound. 
• "Foggy bottom" -- Refer to Lesson 2/26/16 and 2/27. 
• BE LIGHT. If there's any sensation of "ceiling" on vibrato or pitch, LIGHTEN UP. Be patient. 
• Not too much excursion with vowel change; think same space, but different vowel. There shouldn't be a noticeable sensation of soft palate "movement" between forward and back vowels. 

Spent about an hour following along to the lessons and getting into a better place. I really need to be patient. Don't work for a sound. Do it for the sensation of nothing. 

Practice 4/20/15

4/20 BLAZE IT. I've been working on getting high.... in my pitch approach. (har har har)

Today, I'm feeling some tension in the back of my tongue, and I feel like my vibrato is a little stuck in my throat. Yesterday, I sang in Voice Area Recital Hour, and it was better, since I was more committed to my breath, I think. I'm making it a goal to really REALLY think about what vocalizes I'm doing and why I am doing them. I try to do that regularly, but I need to be creative with my exercises, rather than just following along to a lesson and hoping that something in there will help me.

• yawning to become familiar with the space
• open mouth chews
• Since my vibrato has been feeling a little low, I'm trying [n] sustained nasal exercises [ni ne na no nu]. 
• Plug ears for extra sensory attention. 
• Also, remember "opposite" vowels. [a] forward, [i] back, etc. 
• Light on high, don't think about vibrato. Just let it happen. 
• Plugging my ears here helped me recognize that the "impenetrable" roof on my vibrato is because I was closing up in the back. Allow the resonance space to open back, then up. At least, that's what's helping me now. 
• It's also because something from below is coming up, intruding on that space. So focus on "like that" with openness and soft molars. 
• Lean forward for deeper breath gesture. I'm feeling a little short of breath (probably because I'm hungry + allergies). 
• semi-occluded vowel exercises [u] on descending patterns. 
• be generous with air, and open up vowel to [a]
• Think unicorn horn
• Think of internal space as well. Don't close down. 
• Take your time on note to note movements. REALLY THINK of open throat and ease. Move on to 5432123454231
• Watch that you don't sing to your left shoulder. 
• The air stays consistent on every vowel/consonant. 
• [li le la lo] 5342312713531. No dramatic shifts between vowels/pitches. 
• AIR stays the same. Think of breath consistency with pitch riding on top. 
• 1358531 "may oh may I" Remember, lighter as you ascend. 
• Try bending forward as you ascend. Remember, stay LIGHT. "Like this"
• Did some wobble exercises

I've spent about 45 min. trying to find the release that I want, but it's just not coming. It's gotten better, but I haven't "settled" into that place of ease quite yet. Typically, when this happens and I give up and just go to my music, it's easier to settle in and figure out my technique. Is it breath? Is it mentality? I don't know. It still feels a little forced though, so I'll try and be more careful. 

Practice 4/19/16

I woke up with an itchy throat since one of my roommates decided they wanted to keep their window open all night. So my allergies were pretty gross. But I took Mucinex, and I'm feeling a little better. There's some airiness in my voice, and I can feel a little bit of jaw/tongue tension in my speaking voice this morning.

Lesson 4/8/16 Listen.

• Take time with your breath. I tend to think too much up, and not enough "clothes line" balance. 

I'm getting that same habit of finding the high, but not balancing it out with low anchoring, so I feel so unstable, and that my breath is non-existent. I don't know how to describe the physical sensation. It's like I'm singing with the edge of my voice, but it's coming out "misty" or diffused. 

Perhaps open the entire throat, including naso-pharynx and back of the pharynx, extending down into my sternum (as a visual). I did some jumping jacks to get re-engaged to my lower breath gesture, and that helped. 

Practice 4/18/16

Allergies and chest congestion are at it again. Voice has been feeling a little low for these past couple of days because of that, I think. Working at Old Navy with all of the dust also makes things a little worse, too.

Lesson 4/8/16, refer to Practice 4/13/16

• First thing I notice about vocalization: the phlegm feels very obstructive, as if there's a heavy weight in my chest. Secondly, my voice sounds phlegmy, like my sound is muffled. So that's weird. No pain or anything accompanies. Just dampened sound at the moment. 
• Focusing on not pushing through to make a sound. Just allow the sound to happen. 
• I thought about being more generous with my air. 
• Intermittent yawning exercises.
• Take your time! Especially when you feel like you can't breathe... And when the sound isn't exactly releasing/coming out the way you want it. Be patient. 

This obnoxious phlegm feels like it's sticking to the back of my lungs, and I feel like I should cough, but coughing hurts, so I'm not going to....

• Watch that you don't collapse in your ribcage. This helps with eliminating unnecessary breath pressure, especially with my voice being so "dampened." 
• Don't set up. Think it first. 
• Watch for precise onset. No "hiss" of air before. This includes EVERY note onset, not just the first one. 
• WHOA. So, the phlegm is definitely on my folds, and it's sticky. Still no vocal discomfort, but that's definitely what's been making my voice sound so weird. I was singing a note, and a glob of it made the pitch bend and it felt kind of funny. So that's fun. I'll be taking Mucinex as soon as I get home. 

I'll be back later tonight to practice more since I'm out of time. 

~30 min. warm up. 

Practice 4/15/16

Voice just feels a little phlegmy. Really physically tired, even though I've been trying to sleep more. Started out with some lip buzzes.

• Lesson 4/18/16 
• Also referred to practice blog on 4/11/16. 
• gentle high
• back molar space
• think opposite space for vowels. 
• Think of the back molars forming those vowels
• precise onset of air/sound
• don't preset. 
• take time with breath
• When you're switching from [a-i], it feels like the space is moving around in my skull, but not in my mouth with my tongue. 
• Remember, open throat, not just molars. 

~25 minutes warm up. 

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. 

Practice 4/11/16 + Lesson 4/8/16 Takeaways

These last couple of days I've had this constant phlegm sitting on my folds, and I always feel like I have to clear my throat since it's so mucus-y. I remember to take Mucinex today, so hopefully that will help some things. Probably allergies. Throat feels a little itchy too. Especially when I sing sometimes.

Lesson:

• "pree" 54321. Pay attention to where the [i] sits in relation to the [r]. 
• Think of timbre as you descend. 
• take your time with breath. 
• THINK what you want. No presetting. 
• Think of "opposites" for vowels. [i] has the most space in back. 
• Back molar space. 
• Keep elements of previous vowels in the next vowel so that there isn't as much of an excursion between vowels. 
• It's okay to sing the higher notes with less weight; when you add volume, don't shift positions. Allow that same released position to happen. 
• Tries [zi ze za zo zu] 123456789-9-9-9-987654321-1-1-1. 
• I was trying to do an ascending exercise, but everything felt pretty draggy, so I added buoyancy with literal "bounces" on the 1, 5, and 9 pitches, and that really helped. 

Warm up ~30 min. Feel pretty good after all that. Voice definitely feels swollen to some degree, but it's not too bad. Just a little uncomfortable. 

Practice 4/8/16

Woke up with acid reflux this morning. A little phlegmy.

• lip buzzes
• "ning" 5432123454321 + crazy face + exaggerated high cheeks
• [i] damn it!!
• each reiteration of "ning" is in the same place. "Like that." Find the good. 
• panting exercises to loosen things up.
• Thing the vowel in the consonant. 
• [li le la lo la] 53423171. THINK the vowel and the pitch. Precise consonant onset with breath.
• 53423127132435421. Allow the back to open up as you reascend. 
• The consonant is the bottom. The vowel opens like the lid on top. 
• "beep" 123454321, singing only on 1 5 1. 
• "zi ze za" 123454321234542312345678987654321. 

I feel pretty okay, but I still have moments when my tongue wants to engage, and my throat feels like it's constricting the sound. So I did that "open glottis/huge tube for a throat" and opened things up a bit while maintaining the higher "ning" and open like / and not =. 

Practice 4/7/16

Still feeling like the root of my tongue is just really heavy, my larynx is jumping all over the place. 

• Started out with lion breaths. Sigh-like, un-directed pitch gestures. Don't focus on pitch for now. Just make some sound. 
• I looked back on some of my old notes in my notebook, and I found some things that I liked.
• Soft back molars and upper soft palate edges 
• smile on the inside/diagonal smile
• "top jaw" rests on pitch
• upper lip flabby
• Wobble exercises. 
• Be generous with your airflow

I feel like I can't find the balance between enough closure in my folds and too much pressing. Frankly pretty frustrated. But I'm also very tired again, so my patience level isn't very high. 

• ****"ning ning" 54321 with very scrunched up face, high cheekbones. Do crazy faces to loosen up.
• this helped a lot. Something lifted in the back, and my larynx doesn't feel like death on my closed vowels. 
• Feel like you can do crazy face, even when you're not doing it. 

Practice 4/6/16

Woke up feeling pretty good vocally. Physically exhausted, though. Didn't fall asleep until 3:30 because I was just so restless.

I also feel like my vibrato has been rather "beat-y," and the range of it is a bit too large. I'm also wondering if I'm doing too much "under singing" when I'm by myself, and then when I perform, I push too hard for things. I'm struggling to find the balance between singing too much and singing too little, and as a result, I can't figure out my vibrato. It just gets so distracting in terms of sensation and pitch. Also, on closed vowels, I'm getting frequent glottal scrape, and that's also pretty annoying.

• Don't push your chin down! You tilt your head down too much. Keep upper teeth parallel to floor. A-O joint release. 
• Back molar space! This helped a lot. 
• [i] damn it!!! Think it, don't make it. 
• Watch for evenness of breath, from beginning to the end. (Don't force out the last of your breath. Just think inhale gesture as your breath is being used.) 

Pretty frustrated. That glottal scrape keeps coming in, and I don't feel very patient right now to go a good job. So I'm going to take a small break. 

• Did some plugging ears. Recorded myself for feedback. 
• The back wall of the pharynx doesn't exist. The sound is free to go wherever it wants. 
• Watch that your sound "disappears" before moving to the next note, rather than punching the start of a note. 
• "fish gill" jaw. 

Practice 4/5/16

Today, I woke up with some feeling of "rawness" or "overused edginess" on my voice. It feels a little gravelly/grainy when I vocalize. If that makes sense, so it's a little disconcerting. I just feel like either the dryness of the air or my allergies (or both) have been really affecting my voice. To be completely honest, I'm a little scared to vocalize too much for fear of hurting myself. So I think I'm going to try and take things a little more slowly this week. I just get so excited to work on my music that I think I get ahead of myself.

I still have that sensation of "horizontal squeeze" that I mentioned in my most recent voice lesson, and I've been trying to think of the clothes-line release imagery.

• precise onset/offset of sound. Don't push for space, resonance, or fullness of sound. 
• ****watch for that weird whisper of air that comes out before the tone. 
• "like that." Focus on the good (I've been forgetting to do this recently). 
• "beep" 54321 exercises. 
• I'm noticing some extraneous noise in my voice when I sing, even at a lower level. Not quite sure whether it's swelling or not. It sounds/feels a little grainy. Which worries me a little. It's not like my speaking voice has that gravel sound, though. 
• Therefore, I tried to think more speak with pitch, than singing. 
• Still had some of that "forced airiness" habit creeping back into my voice (which I think is probably the main root of my problem), so I did some humming exercises and nasal work. 
• Worked on maintaining the tone clarity while keeping the throat/pharynx/nasopharynx as released as I perceived it to be before. If that also makes sense. 
• simplify the sound--eliminate vibrato for now. I think the whisper sense comes in when I try to add vibrato. 
• THIS feels much better. Less of that gravel--feels less abrasive. 
• "nam nem nim nom num" Find focus. When opening for vowel, don't dramatically move resonance. Stay in the same general area. Focused. Vowel is a change in the air around you. Don't force the articulators to move to that vowel. Just let it be a thought. 
• Unicorn horn. Thread the needle. 
• Strangely enough, the higher I go, the easier it is to find that focus. 

Question: Cindy, when you feel that gravelly sensation (different from, say, swelling or mucus), should I be concerned about callusing? It's easier to get that glottal scrape sensation in this state as well.