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i96 TRAINING THE SINGING VOICE |
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Brown claims that word, tone and breath are an inseparable trinity in the singer's art. [78, p. 100] Articulation provides form to the word. [Henderson 243, p. 105] "The vowels make the tone, the consonants make the sense," says Nicholson. [425, p. 95; also Clippinger 104, p. 6] "With the use of consonants, vowels become words/' [Hemery 238, p. 74] Therefore, the study of the consonants is quite as important as the study of the vowels. [Henley 259; 2^2] On the other hand, Wilson claims that "the job is not to sing through the consonants, but to get the consonants out of the way so that the vowel will have a chance to sing/' [674, p. 38] Grove also believes that "the efficacy of an acquired technique in consonants** will determine the accuracy of vowel enunciation in words. [214] That is to say, "the function of the consonant is to interrupt the vowel without doing violence to the tone." [American Academy of Teachers of Singing 10; 11]
Methods of Cultivating Diction for Singing
psychological approach
Mental imagery as a device. "Think the sound before you sing it" is a
common admonition in vocal teaching. Davies believes that by a mental process of aural visualization the inner ear always unconsciously anticipates the vocal utterance of a word. [127, p. 124] "Simply think of the vowel sound to be made," says Combs. [119, p. 12] Other opinions express
variations of the same concept. E.g.:
1. Stanley: To attack a tone, the singer must first obtain a perfectly clear mental image of the vowel sound. [576, p. 156]
2. Conkiin: To conceive a vowel mentally is all that is necessary to provide automatic adjustments of all the organs of articulation that enter into the formation of that vowel, including lips and tongue. [i2i» p. 72]
3. Wharton: The first step in perfect diction is "being able to hear
and determine quickly what the sustained sound in each word is before it is sung." [855, p. 33]
4- Benedict: Mouth shaping plans must be made before the vowel is uttered. Therefore, you must think of the vowel before you sing it, but not while you are singing it* [44]
4. Warren: **You cannot be casual with pronunciation when singing." Exact mental preparations must be made which will establish both "quality and quandty of the vowel and the consonant" before they are produced. [§37] |
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