Lesson Take-Aways 1/25/16

exaggerated [pri pri pri] 54321

• activated cheek bones, and higher internal space
• don't get lazy with the space/energy as you descend in pitch. 

internal space should always be greater than what you're doing with your mouth..

You can have loose cheeks, but not low cheeks.

Have "interesting person" eyes

"many" 132435465768798..... Soft palate flexibility

"pegs" jaw hanging concept. 

Practice 1/22/16

Don't punt as you go up - allow float up; as easy as if no vibrato.

simple sound

don't be afraid of upper teeth.

• [u a u]: sucky cheeks, then simply open mouth and open up. Allow jaw to softly remain in place. No jamming down
• Imagine pitch location much higher than intended note.
• For sustained lines, think "soft! softer! softest!" So jaw/throat/tongue doesn't harden/stiffen.

Practice 1/21/15

I may or may not have gotten a little too excited and oversang today. But I learned some interesting things.

• Place extra emphasis on being soft in the jaw. I noticed I have a tendency to jam the jaw back/down when I'm trying for long cheeks. 
• Flexible tongue and jaw. Don't get "stuck in a sound." 
• Watch for A-O joint flexibility. I have a tendency to jam my head down as well. 
• "fish gill" jaw that has string attached to the back "hinges" going up. (I don't know exactly what I'm trying to write, but I understand it in my head, and it helps me from simply jamming my jaw down, which I think contributes a lot to my stiff vibrato). 

I've been having a serious case of "emotional constipation" (thank you, Tarzan), and I think I really need to take some time to let that stress go, because I think, at this point, it's starting to affect my singing. More than that, it's terribly distracting, especially when I feel that my shoulders have been tight all day by the end of the night. 

Lesson Take-Aways 1/20/16

long cheeks

tongue in almost vertical slope

NO tongue engagement as you get higher in pitch

As pitch rises, allow there to be a subtle change in space, but don't alter the tongue or harden the jaw.

soft lips, mouth, cheeks, jaw

As you rise, don't bring up the bottom; let there be an internal slope that increases.

You have permission to be confident in yourself. 

Practice 1/15/16

I started out the day with some pretty intense acid reflux (and last night as well).

My speaking voice feels good, but singing has a gravelly feel. It's a little disconcerting, so I tried to be more "speech-like" in my singing.

• [li le la lo]: speak first, then sing. 
• notice how smoothly transfer between chest/mix/head in speech. Gentle/smooth airflow
• released jaw when singing too!
• Listened to 7/10/14 lesson...
• release upper lip
• lean head down on piano so lips can hang
• pay attention to molar space, jaw back/released
• lots of larynx jumping??? It's weird.
• remedy with tracheal tug, open glottis...
• With "nasal" technique from Venecia:
• release back molars/cathedral, but don't sing into the back. Allow the space to reside there, but don't swallow the sound. 

I don't know if I'm being paranoid, but I'm getting a feeling that I'm pre-nodular right now. Almost every way I sing feels "gravelly" or rough as far as sensation goes. It's very uncomfortable.... 

Practice 1/14/16

Started out the day with a really edgy feeling voice--everything sort of feels abrasive whenever there is any focus in my voice.

• "ng-a ng-e": single pinpoint of sound
• Pay attention to sensation at the start of sound initiation (which I'm assuming shouldn't be there)
• [si se sa so su]
• open glottis before sound production 
• Each pitch is unaffected by the pitches around it. Watch out for pitch drag. 
• Think [i] before every vowel
• consonants up to pitch
• I experimented with "apple in mouth," but instead, I visualized something softer, like a roll of bread that I didn't want to squish. This helped me to soften my mouth and jaw areas, I think. 
• Whole body resonator, especially on low pitches
• Approach from above (esp. on high pitches)

Master Class with Venecia:

• plug nose, sing nasal vowel, and switch between nasal and not. 
• cheek bones above/in front of "lower jaw."

Question:

What are some exercises to eliminate edginess? I've been experiencing glottal scrape lately, and it's been rather frustrating trying to figure out how to fix it. It's even more frustrating when I feel like I'm singing just fine, but then I suddenly glottal scrap mid-pitch. At this point, I think I may be compensating in a weird way to avoid that uncomfortable sensation....

Take-Aways 1/11/16 and Practice 1/13/16

[ng-a ng-e]: Literally open up, with "pull/release of uvula," not tongue depression.

All sound has a single pinpoint destination, regardless of vowel

"yawning" 123234etc. 

• released face/articulators while maintaining space

Edginess/brittle? soften edginess

• open glottis/pharynx
• take time on breath
• allow soft palate to float upwards! Everything is soft

Sing at the top of pitch opening. Not above, but just beneath top (imagine making circle with your arms and the pitch is just below your hands)

Make sure consonants will have back of tongue up and released, even when tip of tongue is up at the same time (i.e. n, l, s, etc.)

sing notes like a xylophone--precise and each unaffected by the notes around it.