Practice 9/11/17

Lesson 2/7/17 x2

Middle voice is worst. Tension of tongue around larynx is sore. Feels like a veil is on my sound.
In my attempt to figure out what I could possibly be doing, I read over old practice blogs. I had tagged some of the more recent ones with conditions that I was feeling (Tongue Tension, Breathing, etc.), and I decided to read over my blog for 2/7 and 2/8/17. This helped so much; it helped me to find what worked for me in the past. Super grateful that I have these to look back on.

• "hmmm" hum through nose really helped to release tongue. 
• Do not MAKE sound. 
• Feel like the hum is between the eyes. Think more "nose sound," rather than singing through nose. 
• Chewy. 
• Really pay attention to the things Cindy has to say here. I didn't write everything down in this blog, because everything was very helpful. 

After about an hour, I figured out some sort of release that allowed me to sing without feeling like I was trapped in my own body/throat. The tension was so bad that I thought something must be wrong, but it was just tension. I have to reestablish that feeling of release in my body now, because it (sadly) feels a little foreign since it's been so long. 

Practice 9/10/17

Lesson 7/2/16

earplugs

• Think "sob", but watch (internal) frown. (Helps breath)
• [u i, o e] in same space for vowels. 
• Don't be "careful"
• sing before you finish inhalation 
• ("ya ya" --> "(a)yaya")
• Don't move too early to consonant. 

Gave up about an hour in. Tongue is almost sore from being so tight. I'll come back to it with a fresh mind tomorrow. I have been trying so many different ideas, but I think I just need to mix things up and surprise myself at this point. I know I'm overthinking something, but I'm not sure what. But I KNOW it has to do with my tongue. I'm trying too hard to make a physical thing happen, which I know is something I shouldn't be doing. I just need to convince my body to trust me. 

Practice 9/8/17

Lesson 7/18/16

The throat/pharynx below the jaw is REALLY tight. Almost feels like beginnings of vocal tension dys. again.

• Try imagining the root of the tongue isn't connected to anything: There's not any constriction of space surrounding the tongue. 
• Low voice/middle has been the worst. Really tight. Tongue tension has been really bad. Feels like a curtain over the voice (which sounds alarming, but I'm pretty sure it's just really bad tongue tension.....). Feels like everything is stuck in the throat.