What Every Singer Should Know Part 7

=Exhale= by blowing slowly through the closed lips, very much as though you were blowing on embers to make them burn. In doing this, you will find that your finger tips will almost meet in front. (See Figure 2.)

Keep your hands in the same position and =inhale= through the nose. You will notice a large s.p.a.ce in front between your hands. (See Figure 3.)

Keeping your hands in the same position, repeat this exercise five times; then drop your arms to your sides, relax and rest a few moments, repeating this exercise several times until it comes easy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: five images of the rib-cage doing breath exercises.]

Go before an open window every morning, place your hands as in figure 4, inhale through the nose, (don't raise the shoulders) see that the expansion is as great under the left hand as under the right hand (as in figure 5) while holding the breath count 5 (aloud) then exhale while holding the hands in same position, repeat this exercise 5 times in succession. A positive cure for all forms of nervousness.]

Be sure when =inhaling= you do not use enough muscular exertion to take enough breath to cause lifting of the shoulders, which is decidedly wrong.

Place your hands as in the first position, exhale, then inhale and, while you keep the ribs extended against your hands, which is done by holding the breath and by muscular tension, speak the sentence, "This is a beautiful day," then exhale, inhale again, holding the breath while you repeat the sentence. Repeat this several times, then drop your arms to the sides and rest.

It is better at the beginning to take =too little= breath than to take =too much=. Most beginners take too much breath, which makes it impossible to control it. Until you understand control of the breath, it is better to only take enough to extend your ribs against your hand as far as they will go =without discomfort=.

Don't let anyone tell you that "diaphragmatic," "intercostal" or "abdominal" breathing =alone= is the only safe course; perfect breathing is a =combination= of these and more.

By practicing the above exercises you will find in a short time all the organs that nature intended to be used for breathing will be in play.

The reason the beginner is instructed to place the hands on the ribs is to work from the =central= point, and as the student progresses, by continuation of the exercises it will be found that the costal, intercostal, dorsal, diaphragmatic and abdominal muscles are all doing their share.

Place your hands as in the first position. =Exhale--inhale.= Sustain the syllable "saw" on an easy medium tone. As you attack the tone do not let the ribs collapse, but as you sustain it, let the ribs very slowly collapse under the palm of your hands. Try to resist so as to not let too much breath escape. Don't let your chest collapse any more than is absolutely necessary. The lower the tones you sing the =less= resistance you need, while the higher tones you sing the =more= resistance you need.

In order to sustain a high tone, =draw in= slightly under the ribs, leaving the chest extended. Singing the tone, now takes the place of the =exhaling= exercise.

[Ill.u.s.tration: musical notation, saw ...saw ...saw ...]

The word "saw," besides giving you the vowel "a," also gives you the correct sound of the Italian "ah" and what the "ah" should be in singing.

The average beginner sings too much on the tone color of "a" as in =hat=, which, as you ascend the scale, would finally land the tone in the region of the back of your neck.

In learning to sing the "ah" or Italian "a," always use words like "saw," "raw," "law," "paw," "daw," "gnaw," sustaining the tone.

THE VOWELS

a e i o u

p.r.o.nounced: a as a in saw

e as a in fate

i as ee in meet

o as o in note

u as oo in moon

Example--

[Ill.u.s.tration: musical notation demonstrating p.r.o.nounciation a a ee o oo]

In ascending the scale, you should cover the tone. To cover the tone simply put a little more "o" in your "ah," so that by the time you are up near your high limit tone you should almost be singing "so," "lo,"

"dough." This enables you to find your head tone. It will not be "low"

or "dough" but a good "ah." If you do =not gradually curve the "ah" into an "o"= toward your high tones, you will find them turning into the "a"

as in hat.

In producing head tones there are two valuable exercises I would suggest.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE VOWELS, images of faces p.r.o.nouncing the vowels:

a as a in saw. e as a in fate.

i as ee in meet.

o as o in note. u as oo in moon.]

Positions of the mouth in p.r.o.nouncing the vowels.] Drop your jaw as in singing "saw"; leave the jaw dropped singing "saw," but curving your lips into an "o." You will find an "oh" with fine head resonance and an open relaxed throat.

Example--

[Ill.u.s.tration: musical notation, a o a o a o a o a o a o a o a o a o]

Sing this exercise in all the keys within your range.

Some find their head tones first by humming through the nose, while to some this suggestion would be of no value.

If you have a break or any trouble going from your high to low tones, practice the exercise from the high tone down instead of from the low tone up.

Example--

[Ill.u.s.tration: musical notation,

o a o a o a

saw saw saw ]

If you have trouble rolling your "r's", which is absolutely necessary, practice the following words in two syllables, not, however, dropping the tone.

Example--

Tree as tau-ree.

Trust as tau-rust.

True as tau-rue

Breeze as b-reeze.