the voice of a

performer
 Mind
Body
Imagination
Spirit
 SIMPLE KEYS

OBSERVE AND BE
OBSERVED
 2

AWARENESS
 3

KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT

5 basic parts of your instrument
Motivator
Power source
Vibrator
Resonator
Articulator
THE BIOMECHANICS OF
VOICE
5 BASIC PARTS OF SINGING

POSTURE
BREATHING
VOCAL PRODUCTION
RESONANCE
ARTICULATION
 1

PHYSICAL ALIGNMENT
& BALANCE
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF
PROPER POSTURE?
WHAT SHOULD BE THE
PROPER POSTURE FOR
SINGING?
POSTURE or PHYSICAL ALIGNMENT
BALANCE
EASE OF MOVEMENT
SENSE OF WELL BEING
HEALTH
ENERGY
EASE OF BREATHING
EFFICIENT VOICE PRODUCTION
IMPROVES VOCAL PRODUCTION
POSTURE IS DYNAMIC
 RELAXED BODY
= NEUTRAL SPINE
EFFICIENT PHYSICAL
BALANCE
A line dropped from the top of the
head will fall through the ear, the
point of the shoulder (where the
clavicle touches the acromion of
the scapula), the highest point of
the pelvis, just behind the knee
cap and just in front of the ankle.

(-ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE)
 Establishing Efficient Alignment &
Improving Your Posture
1. Feet are fully on the floor
2. Feet apart, the same width as your shoulders
3. Crown of your head is growing upward
4. Unlock knees
5. Balance your weight evenly on both foot
McClowsky relaxation
technique
Stretch back and
shoulders
 2

BREATHING
 CLAVICULAR BREATHING
ABDOMINAL BREATHING
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
*LOW BACK BREATHING
-Lungs
-Diaphragm
-Intercostal Muscles, Internal intercostal muscles,
External intercostal muscles
-Abdominal Muscles
-Lower back muscles: Psoas major, Quadratus lumborum
WHAT IS SUPPORT?
two main schools of breath:
1 "supporting" the breath by compressing the abdomen
during phonation (i.e., on the exhalation)

2 relaxing the abdominal muscles as much as possible

during inhalation and phonation, allowing the diaphragm
to work on the inhalation, and riding its relaxation on the
outgoing breath (i.e., during phonation).
 VIBRATOR
(VOCAL FOLDS)
 3

VIBRATOR
hyroarytenoid
dominant (low
notes)

cricothyroid
dominant (high
notes)
PITCH
ONSET
COORDINATION OF
PHONATION
 4

RESONATOR
Resonator is every
space above the vocal
folds where sound
resonates

shape of the voice tract

can define the voice
quality. It is where
adjustments are made.
RESONANCE IS THE
AMPLIFICATION AND
REINFORCEMENT OF SOUND
BAD SPEECH HABITS CAN
MAKE SINGING DIFFICULT
THE ULTIMATE QUALITY OF ANY
SOUND IS THE RESULT OF
COMBINATION OF THE SHAPE OF
THE PHARYNX (THROAT), GENERAL
VOCAL AND WHOLE BODY
COORDINATION, AND IMAGINATION.
ON PLACEMENT
THREE COMMON PLACEMENTS OR VOICE:
CHEST, HEAD, WHISTLE.

HEAD RESONANCE AND CHEST RESONANCE (OR VOICE)

RE LATES TO ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF VOCAL
QUALITIES.
PLACEMENT:

THE HEAD AND CHEST ARE NOT HOLLOW. SO IT IS

INCORRECT TO REFER TO HEAD RESONANCE AND
CHEST RESONANCE BECAUSE ONLY HOLLOW AREAS
SHOULD BE THE RESONATORS.
THE SOFT PALATE
THE SOFT PALATE MUST BE RAISED TO
PREVENT EXTRA AIR FROM ESCAPING
THROUGH (AND CREATING UNWANTED
NASAL SOUND).
 5

ARTICULATORS
WHAT ARE THE ARTICULATORS?
MOVABLE: TONGUE, LIPS, SOFT PALATE

IMMOVABLE: TEETH, HARD PALATE

ARTICULATORS
HELP THE SINGER BE UNDERSTOOD
DELIVERS THE MESSAGE
CREATES VOWELS AND CONSONANTS
EXERCISES FOR RESONATORS &
ARTICULATORS
McClowsky Technique
DICTION PART 2 CONSONANTS