Avoid, at first, any 'systems of breathing' (in practise and in print) that require mechanical, or methodical practising; most of them run contrary to nature. Do not pump yourself full of air when about to sing. It will not give you a longer breath, nor will the tone be stronger or carry better. If you [...]
It would be wrong to think that the ear is the only useful tool for working with the voice, but worse not to make it our primary diagnostician, constant guide and ultimate authority in the normal course of training. The voice exists primarily as sound heard by both the singer and those listening. The only [...]
It is generally recognised that healthy vocalisation demands a strong, flexible breathing system, but what tends to be overlooked is that muscular events that happen in the throat (both intrinsic and extrinsic to the larynx) influence how the breathing system itself operates. Many voices suffer from imbalance between these two main spheres of activity. Just [...]
Singers and teachers should be encouraged to experiment during the course of their work, and to savour sound for the sake of it; they must enjoy learning to ‘taste’ tone with their ears, like a discriminating winetaster who, rather than being bent on discovering his favourite red, learns to distinguish different qualities and characteristics in [...]
Why is critical and functional listening VITAL to a teacher's ability in training singing voices? Why do I think that listening, above all other skills, is the most important for the teacher of voice?Firstly, teachers of singing have to be able to extend their listening skills beyond their aesthetic. A teacher training sounds they 'prefer' are [...]