Music Tip Monday #6 - Vowel Shaping

Vowel Shaping

The 5 cardinal (Italian) vowels used in singing classical and music theatre legit styles

Whether you are a solo singer, teacher, chorister or choir director, it is useful to practise correct vowel shaping for the style you are singing.

Today we look at the more classical shaping used in classical vocal music as well as legit music theatre styles.

1. i (think the vowel in ‘bee’): tip of the tongue rests gently on the back of the lower front teeth; the sides of the body of the tongue are higher and touching the upper back molars. This vowel has a bright, forward sound quality. The lips remain relaxed – not spread.

2. e (think the vowel in ‘egg’): tip of the tongue rests gently on the back of the lower front teeth; the sides of the body of the tongue are still high and resting on the upper back molars, though very slightly more relaxed away from the teeth than in the i vowel. This vowel has a bright, forward sound quality. The lips remain relaxed.

3. a (think the vowel in ‘bar’): tip of the tongue rests gently on the back of the lower front teeth; the tongue body relaxes gently down into the floor of the mouth (never press or push the tongue down). The soft palate rises, giving this vowel a rounded, spacious sound quality in classical and legit singing. The lips remain relaxed.

4. o (think the vowel in ‘lot’): the tip of the tongue moves very slightly away from the back of the lower front teeth and the lips pout forward, shaping the vowel.

5. u (think the vowel in ‘look’): the tip of the tongue very slightly away from touching the back of the lower front teeth and the lips pout forward into a pucker to shape the vowel.

Music Tip Monday #3 - Twang

Last Monday we talked about simple ways by which music classroom teachers can look after their own vocal health and resilience.

An additional technique to learn for that purpose is twang.

Twang is useful for teachers because it increases vocal volume and projection without an increase in effort level – important in the classroom or in a choir rehearsal.

In essence, twang is a bright, clear (spoken or sung) sound quality produced by lowering the epiglottis slightly to narrow the aryepiglottic sphincter.  

Twang is not nasality.

Twang can  - but does not have to – include nasal resonance.

In simple practical ways, twang can be found and practised in your car on the way to school via these speech cues:

1. Make the sound of a hungry cat  - ‘miaow!’

2. Imitate the light, high and forward placed sound of a duck quacking.

3. Make the sound of a young sheep bleating – ‘meh!’

4. Imitate a baby’s cry

5. Imitate the young bright sound of a playground taunt – usually starting on the falling minor 3rd  - doh lah, re doh lah,  - ‘nyeah nyeah nyeah nyeah nyeah!’

6. Sing some vowels on ‘sing –ee, sing-ah’  with emphasis on the ng as you move into the twang sound.

Remember- always keep the sound light, bright and forward in placement and use minimal vocal effort.

Happy twanging!

Music Tip Monday #2 - World Voice Day

It’s World Voice Day tomorrow Tuesday 15th April and so it seems appropriate today to talk about voice care for music teachers.

Last Monday’s tips about straw phonation would be a good starting point.

Here are some more ideas:

1. Use non-verbal cues to get the students’ attention when they are working in groups – for example, establish a routine of clapping a short rhythmic pattern (which the students then clap back to you) when you want their attention. Vary the patterns from lesson to lesson to reinforce rhythmic concepts as well.

2. Avoid aggressive and  / or habitual throat clearing  - it can cause vocal fatigue.

3. Focus your speaking voice forward  - straw phonation helps establish this.

4. Drink water before you feel thirsty.

5. When you need to talk over loud background noise, use the vocal technique of twang to increase your projection without placing stress on your throat. We will look at twang next Monday.

Let us know if you have voice care tips to share!