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RICHARD MILLER-The-Structure-of-Singing-171-260 - 9-9

The document discusses vowel modification in singing and how it relates to vocal health. It describes how vowels should naturally modify as pitch increases to maintain resonance. Too much or too little modification can be detrimental, and teachers must take care not to excessively 'close' or 'cover' vowels. Proper vowel modification provides advantages and should feel natural rather than drawing attention to itself.

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Cristina Marian
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181 views1 page

RICHARD MILLER-The-Structure-of-Singing-171-260 - 9-9

The document discusses vowel modification in singing and how it relates to vocal health. It describes how vowels should naturally modify as pitch increases to maintain resonance. Too much or too little modification can be detrimental, and teachers must take care not to excessively 'close' or 'cover' vowels. Proper vowel modification provides advantages and should feel natural rather than drawing attention to itself.

Uploaded by

Cristina Marian
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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158 The Structure of Singing

power will very nearly accomplish this vowel adjustment. Indeed,


natural modification of the vowel will inevitably result in the mount­
ing scale in response to this subtle modification of the chambers of
the resonator tube, with any specific conscious mechanical change
at the level of the larynx unnecessary. (Of course, laryngeal config­
uration willchange with vowel definition. Additional muscular action
isnot a conscious goal).
This principle of arrotondamento is especially important, of
course, in voce acuta, with |c i|modifying toward [o];[e]toward [e];[e]
toward [a];[o]toward [o];[o]toward (u];and [u]toward [u].However,
in the methodology of the historic Italian School, itisnot suggested
that allvowels modify to the schwa (which does not “officially”exist
in the Italian language), or to some other designated phoneme at a
specified pitch below the secondo passaggio, nor even in those
pitches that lie above i l That suggestion, however, is made in some
other schools ol singing (Miller, 1977, pp. 137-141).
Exercises in vowel modification can be useful only so long as the
singer (along with Ihe teacher) has a concept of well-balanced,
resonant sound, based on what actually happens when the vocal
trad llIn tunc u nli l.uyngeal vowel definition while maintaining the
presence ol the g in g e r 's formant.
Vowel modification may well be the most subtle of alltechnical
aspects in the teaching of singing. Perhaps because most singers in
the early phases of study tend to err on the side of open singing
without siilIh ient modification of the vowel, itisa pedagogical prob­
lem not to "close" the voice excessively.
Open singing (lack of modification of vowels) in the upper voice
is detrimental to vocal health. However, itis often overlooked that
carrying the weight of the heavy mechanism into upper-middle or
upper voice (under the assumption that such action modifies the
vowel) isat least potentially as disastrous. Brodnitz warns against the
hazards of excessive "covering”:"Covering has to be used with great
care, because in its extreme form itishard on voices” (1953, p. 83).
He states that the danger in heavy covering lies "in the greater ten­
sion of the outer laryngeal muscles as well as of the inner ones, both
of which tense the cords.” When too much modification is expe­
rienced by the singer in the mounting scale, the reverse process of
neutralization may be necessary: The vowel [u] tends toward [u], [o]
toward [o], etc. Never should any form of vowel modification draw
attention to itself("Watch me ‘ cover’this one!”)
.
In achieving proper modification of the vowels (aggiustamento),
distinct advantages are to be gained by alternating neighboring vow­

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