So what is a closed throat? I assume this is a shrill sound? I think it was Garcia who noted that the least tolerable sound is incomplete glottal closure in clear timber (not chest voice, larynx up), I have found this to be true as well. While producing a tone with complete glottal closure, I have to put a lot of thought and effort into producing a shrill sound, and even then, it isn’t close to the shrillness I could produce before I could do complete glottal closure (chest voice) on that pitch. Especially with the pharyngeal voice. It is quite shrill with incomplete glottal closure. So my theory is that if we take care of the (healthy) glottal closure, the throat should take care of itself.

I think it was also Garcia who mentioned that the voice should be brightened first (shrill) and then rounded. This would suggest that Garcia didn’t really advise a lowered larynx, especially in the bottom part of the range. I find my lower range to be quite colourful even in very clear timber, and quite loud. Anthony Frisell quotes Witherspoon on this as well (annoyingly without a source), in that the lower range “low larynx” is incorrect and should be practised with the “a” in cat and hat. I have found this to be very helpful in getting the larynx up and producing some brilliance in those tones.