Further information & tips on dealing with recognising & remedying vocal inconsistences & difficulties during this week.
1. If a student of singing has difficulty recognising differences in pitch, then aural training to correct this has to be the first step.
2. In order to correct poor tuning, make sure that the larynx is moving freely in the throat & that the breath support system is energised.
3. A Bleat is a fast, unpleasant vibrato which is produced when the singer attempts to control the airflow with the True Vocal Folds
4. Bleat occurs when Vocal Folds adduct too tightly. Airflow in singing should be controlled by the breath support system, not by the larynx!
5. Singers must learn to control gear changes by controlling the relative thickness of vocal folds & the position of the larynx in the throat.
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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Week 14: Vocal Inconsistences & Difficulties
Dealing with recognising & remedying vocal inconsistences & difficulties this week. An experienced diagnostic ear is essential in teaching
1. Muscular action controls the breath support system, movement of the larynx, engages the resonators & alters the shape of the pharynx & mouth.
2. If muscles are working properly, the voice will emerge as desired, but imbalanced muscular actions will adversely affect the emerging sound.
3. Collapsed Posture is a misalignment of the spine. When present, the breath support system & anchoring systems for the larynx won't work well.
4. The Larynx cannot function properly if the back of the neck is collapsed & the jaw is protruding. Alignment of the spine is crucial here.
5. Tone deafness is a very rare condition. Singing in tune is a function of correct breath support & position of the larynx in the throat.
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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
1. Muscular action controls the breath support system, movement of the larynx, engages the resonators & alters the shape of the pharynx & mouth.
2. If muscles are working properly, the voice will emerge as desired, but imbalanced muscular actions will adversely affect the emerging sound.
3. Collapsed Posture is a misalignment of the spine. When present, the breath support system & anchoring systems for the larynx won't work well.
4. The Larynx cannot function properly if the back of the neck is collapsed & the jaw is protruding. Alignment of the spine is crucial here.
5. Tone deafness is a very rare condition. Singing in tune is a function of correct breath support & position of the larynx in the throat.
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 3 May 2015
Week 13: Resonance
Dealing with Resonance this week. The tone of a note, whether bright, dark, sweet or harsh, rounded or thin is created by the Resonators.
1. The Resonators are: Pharynx divided into 3 parts, Mouth, Nose & Head Sinuses, Upper Chest & Aryepiglottic Sphincter which is your Twanger!
2. The initial sound made by the vocal folds is no more than a quack, but it is the Resonators which convert this pitched quack into singing.
3. Our main & most important Resonator is our Pharynx (Throat) divided into Laryngo-pharynx, Oro-pharynx & Naso-pharynx. The Mouth is secondary.
4. By raising & lowering the Larynx we lengthen or shorten the Pharynx which affects the Vocal Tone in a similar way to Woodwind Instruments.
5. Singing demands control of the resonators to produce the tone required, whether beautiful or not! Well informed exercises are a MUST!
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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
1. The Resonators are: Pharynx divided into 3 parts, Mouth, Nose & Head Sinuses, Upper Chest & Aryepiglottic Sphincter which is your Twanger!
2. The initial sound made by the vocal folds is no more than a quack, but it is the Resonators which convert this pitched quack into singing.
3. Our main & most important Resonator is our Pharynx (Throat) divided into Laryngo-pharynx, Oro-pharynx & Naso-pharynx. The Mouth is secondary.
4. By raising & lowering the Larynx we lengthen or shorten the Pharynx which affects the Vocal Tone in a similar way to Woodwind Instruments.
5. Singing demands control of the resonators to produce the tone required, whether beautiful or not! Well informed exercises are a MUST!
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Week 12: The Myth of Head & Chest Voices
Dealing with the Myth & HUGE confusion concerning Head & Chest Voices this week. This is misleading/misguided nonsense from Teachers!
1. For years, many Teachers have confused their students by referring to Head & Chest as 'Voices', creating lasting problems for many Singers.
2. We do NOT have a Head Voice & a Chest Voice! We have ONE Voice & it's called a Larynx, together with a resonating system.
3. What ALL Singers & their Teachers should be referring to is Head RESONANCE & Chest RESONANCE! And we need to maintain a balance of both.
4. I hear too many female voices which are in 'bits'! Most commonly a stronger lower range disappearing into thin & airy above the transition!
5. STOP talking Head & Chest VOICES & use well-informed exercises to blend the resonances throughout the voice to create ONE balanced Voice!
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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
1. For years, many Teachers have confused their students by referring to Head & Chest as 'Voices', creating lasting problems for many Singers.
2. We do NOT have a Head Voice & a Chest Voice! We have ONE Voice & it's called a Larynx, together with a resonating system.
3. What ALL Singers & their Teachers should be referring to is Head RESONANCE & Chest RESONANCE! And we need to maintain a balance of both.
4. I hear too many female voices which are in 'bits'! Most commonly a stronger lower range disappearing into thin & airy above the transition!
5. STOP talking Head & Chest VOICES & use well-informed exercises to blend the resonances throughout the voice to create ONE balanced Voice!
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 19 April 2015
Week 11: More Warming-up
More advice for Warming-up a Voice this week. Every Vocal Exercise you do should be directly transferable into your Singing Repertoire.
1. Musical Theatre Singers: Your Vocal Warm-up should contain exercises which develop/practice ALL voice qualities to be used in the repertoire.
2. Develop exercises which exclusively exercise ALL vowels; they are what we Sing & belong to the notes we are Singing! They should be equal!
3. Settle your comfortable Optimum Speech Pitch by experimenting with the rise & fall of the Larynx whilst speaking at different Pitches.
4. Your Speech Core should be constant in Singing. This should resonate across your clavicles/collarbones & has nothing to do with Pitch!
5. Adding Twang Resonance to many exercises aids negotiating the middle transition. It also thins the sound if you've a tendency to drive!
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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
1. Musical Theatre Singers: Your Vocal Warm-up should contain exercises which develop/practice ALL voice qualities to be used in the repertoire.
2. Develop exercises which exclusively exercise ALL vowels; they are what we Sing & belong to the notes we are Singing! They should be equal!
3. Settle your comfortable Optimum Speech Pitch by experimenting with the rise & fall of the Larynx whilst speaking at different Pitches.
4. Your Speech Core should be constant in Singing. This should resonate across your clavicles/collarbones & has nothing to do with Pitch!
5. Adding Twang Resonance to many exercises aids negotiating the middle transition. It also thins the sound if you've a tendency to drive!
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Week 10: Warming-up
Tips this week deal with the important aspects of Warming-up a Voice. An actual reason for doing an exercise should always be understood!
A warm-up routine should be viewed as a ‘wake-up’ call for the muscles that are used in singing, preparing the muscular systems for work.
1st: Silently Laugh for 10 seconds, maintaining a loose jaw & tongue to build Retraction of False Vocal Folds, counteracting Constriction.
2nd: Use well informed physical exercises to isolate & build the muscles of BREATHING & SUPPORT, as well as the neck Sternocleidomastoids.
3rd: Use well informed silent & vocal exercises which isolate & exercise the rise, fall & tilts of the Larynx, & include Sirening.
Continue with well informed vocal exercises building Range, evenness of Tone, Transition weaknesses, & varied Voice Qualities re Repertoire.
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
A warm-up routine should be viewed as a ‘wake-up’ call for the muscles that are used in singing, preparing the muscular systems for work.
1st: Silently Laugh for 10 seconds, maintaining a loose jaw & tongue to build Retraction of False Vocal Folds, counteracting Constriction.
2nd: Use well informed physical exercises to isolate & build the muscles of BREATHING & SUPPORT, as well as the neck Sternocleidomastoids.
3rd: Use well informed silent & vocal exercises which isolate & exercise the rise, fall & tilts of the Larynx, & include Sirening.
Continue with well informed vocal exercises building Range, evenness of Tone, Transition weaknesses, & varied Voice Qualities re Repertoire.
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
Sunday, 5 April 2015
Week 9: Sirening
Dealing with the benefits of 'Sirening' & how to 'Siren' correctly this week. I hear too much poor quality, counter-productive 'Sirening'.
1. Sirening: Place your tongue tip forwards & high at back off the Larynx, form an 'NG' & slide downwards & upwards throughout range QUIETLY!
2. Sirening MUST NOT be driven with too much air-pressure. Keep the volume as small & even as possible.Larynx needs to tilt thru the transition.
3. Sirening equalises the Tension of the True Vocal Folds. Regular exercising of your Siren can extend both the upper & lower range. #singing
4. Sirening shows us the Natural Rise & Fall of the Larynx & indicates the state/condition of the True Vocal Folds on a daily basis. #singing
5. Sirening is an effective, gentle warm-up exercise for the Vocal Folds. Contrary to opinion, it is NOT sufficient as a complete vocal warm-up.
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
1. Sirening: Place your tongue tip forwards & high at back off the Larynx, form an 'NG' & slide downwards & upwards throughout range QUIETLY!
2. Sirening MUST NOT be driven with too much air-pressure. Keep the volume as small & even as possible.Larynx needs to tilt thru the transition.
3. Sirening equalises the Tension of the True Vocal Folds. Regular exercising of your Siren can extend both the upper & lower range. #singing
4. Sirening shows us the Natural Rise & Fall of the Larynx & indicates the state/condition of the True Vocal Folds on a daily basis. #singing
5. Sirening is an effective, gentle warm-up exercise for the Vocal Folds. Contrary to opinion, it is NOT sufficient as a complete vocal warm-up.
Follow us at Facebook and Twitter!
- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London
Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com
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