The Vocal Pedagogy Workshop 2007 1 Flapping Jaws and Acoustic Laws: The Singer’s Guide to Inertive Reactance (and the Voce Chiusa)

The Vocal Pedagogy Workshop 20The Vocal Pedagogy Workshop 200707

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Flapping Jaws and Acoustic Flapping Jaws and Acoustic Laws:Laws:

The Singer’s Guide to Inertive The Singer’s Guide to Inertive Reactance (and the Reactance (and the Voce Voce

ChiusaChiusa))


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Purpose:Purpose:

To explore how specific To explore how specific manipulations of the vocal tract can manipulations of the vocal tract can help us achieve our artistic goals:help us achieve our artistic goals: Elongating and narrowing the Elongating and narrowing the

epilaryngeal tubeepilaryngeal tube Controlling the opening of the mouthControlling the opening of the mouth


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But first:But first:

Vocal Tract Acoustics Vocal Tract Acoustics ‘101’‘101’


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What is Resonance?What is Resonance?

Resonance is a reinforcement of a Resonance is a reinforcement of a natural behavior or phenomenon natural behavior or phenomenon

Acoustic resonance is an intensification Acoustic resonance is an intensification of sound by sympathetic vibration of of sound by sympathetic vibration of two or more things two or more things

Vocal tract resonance is a selective Vocal tract resonance is a selective reinforcement of a few source (larynx) reinforcement of a few source (larynx) frequencies by the vocal tract frequencies by the vocal tract


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Source-Filter TheorySource-Filter Theory


770 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000Frequency (Hz)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000Frequency (Hz)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000Frequency (Hz)

Glottal Flow Spectrum

Sound Pressure Spectrum


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So, what’s so special about So, what’s so special about singers?singers?

We have to sing LOUDER than We have to sing LOUDER than normalnormal

We have to sing HIGHER than normalWe have to sing HIGHER than normal

We have to sing BEAUTIFULLY at the We have to sing BEAUTIFULLY at the same timesame time


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Solution:Solution:

Inertive Inertive reactance!reactance!


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Thanks to:Thanks to:

Ingo TitzeIngo Titze

www.NCVS.orgwww.NCVS.org

Please visit their Please visit their website!website!


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To get the maximum boost from the vocal tract we can either:

• Resonate one or two harmonics of the source selectively (as in harmonic singing, counter-tenor singing, high coloratura, or whistle voice), or

• Resonate the entire vocal fold vibration process with a vocal tract that stores and returns energy to the glottis


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Linear Source-Filter Acoustics

Nonlinear Source-Filter Acoustics


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Inertance

- sluggishness of response of an air column provides the

feedback energy


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Long, narrow tubes have a lot Long, narrow tubes have a lot of inertance:of inertance:

How does this help us as How does this help us as singers?singers?


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Inertive reactance:

• Skews the flow pulse, • Which increases the maximum flow

declination rate (MFDR), • Which increases the vocal intensity. HOW?• More energy in the higher partials.


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Vocal Folds

Trachea

Piriform Sinus Valleculae

Leakage into Nasal Tract

Lips

Epi-Larynx Tube

Pharynx

Mouth

Vowel /a/ as in “hot” - male


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1818


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Formant Tuning in the sopranoFormant Tuning in the soprano


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Formant Tuning in the sopranoFormant Tuning in the soprano


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Singer’s FormantSinger’s Formant


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Singer’s Formant SourceSinger’s Formant Source


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Adds energy to upper Adds energy to upper partialspartials


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Inertive Reactance = (inertance) x (frequency)

• Inertive reactance measures the amount of acoustic energy stored in the vocal tract, and

• It also determines the amount of energy fed back to the glottis to help the vocal folds vibrate


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We lengthen and narrow the tube by:We lengthen and narrow the tube by:

Lowering the larynxLowering the larynx ‘ ‘Squeezing’ the laryngeal Squeezing’ the laryngeal aditus or the ‘collar of the aditus or the ‘collar of the larynx’larynx’


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Inertive reactance is high for

frequencies just below a vocal

tract resonance (formant)


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F1 F2

F1

F1 F2

F2


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Important combination:Important combination:

Length and width of the Length and width of the epilaryngeal tube influences the epilaryngeal tube influences the reactancereactance

Opening of the mouth tunes F1Opening of the mouth tunes F1


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Singing below the first

resonance F1

(chest register and female belt)


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Important harmonics are above F1

Important harmonics are below F1


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Males and female belters

F1 F2


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Classical females and countertenors

F1 F2


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Conclusion 1

• With a wide-open mouth (megaphone shape), a male sound or a female belt sound can be produced as long as F1 is above the second harmonic

• With a wide-open mouth (megaphone shape), a male counter-tenor sound or a female classical lyric or coloratura sound can be produced as long as F1 is above the fundamental


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Important harmonics are above F1

Important harmonics are below F1


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Singing above the first

resonance F1

(mixed register)


3737Male and female mixed register

F1 F2


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Conclusion 2

• With a small mouth opening (inverted megaphone shape), a mixed-register male or female sound can be produced as long as F2 is higher than the second harmonic

• With a small mouth opening (inverted megaphone shape), a male counter-tenor sound or a female classical lyric or coloratura sound can be produced as long as F2 is higher than the fundamental


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Overall Conclusion

• In singing, the source (larynx) can be highly interactive with the vocal tract

• Interaction is heightened if some part of the vocal tract is narrow, such as the epilarynx tube; this creates not only vocal ring, but higher overall intensity

• A semi-occluded vocal tract (at the mouth) is very friendly to a mixed register and hence is very useful for training classical singing


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Manuel Garcia II (1805-Manuel Garcia II (1805-1906) 1906)

1832 appointed to 1832 appointed to Paris ConservatoryParis Conservatory

Central figure in Central figure in 1919thth C pedagogy C pedagogy

Famous pupils:Famous pupils: BattailleBattaille StockhausenStockhausen MalibranMalibran MarchesiMarchesi LindLind


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Manuel Garcia II (1805-Manuel Garcia II (1805-1906)1906)

……the human voice is, in the largest the human voice is, in the largest sense, composed of the different sense, composed of the different registers:registers:

ChestChestFalsetto-headFalsetto-head

And two timbres:And two timbres:

Clear timbreClear timbre

Sombre timbreSombre timbre


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““When the larynx produces a tone, When the larynx produces a tone, the pharynx takes possession of it as the pharynx takes possession of it as soon as it is emitted and modifies it. soon as it is emitted and modifies it. Mémoire sur la voix humaine, Mémoire sur la voix humaine, 18401840

Clear timbreClear timbre Offers brilliance and can allow power Offers brilliance and can allow power Carried to exaggeration makes the voice Carried to exaggeration makes the voice

shrill and yelpingshrill and yelping


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““When the larynx produces a tone, When the larynx produces a tone, the pharynx takes possession of it as the pharynx takes possession of it as soon as it is emitted and modifies it. soon as it is emitted and modifies it. Mémoire sur la voix humaine, Mémoire sur la voix humaine, 18401840

Sombre timbreSombre timbre Gives the voice roundnessGives the voice roundness PenetrationPenetration Modifies the falsetto into the ‘head’ registerModifies the falsetto into the ‘head’ register


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Sombre timbreSombre timbre AKA AKA voce chiusavoce chiusa, , voix sombrée ou voix sombrée ou

couverte, couverte, closed timbreclosed timbre Timbre result of the shape of the Timbre result of the shape of the

pharynxpharynx If the larynx rises – clear timbreIf the larynx rises – clear timbre If the larynx remains low – sombre If the larynx remains low – sombre

timbretimbre


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Sombre timbreSombre timbre

Result of inertive reactanceResult of inertive reactance


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Changing TraditionsChanging Traditions

Gilbert-Louis Gilbert-Louis Duprez (1806-96)Duprez (1806-96) 1837 – Paris1837 – Paris Replaced Nourrit as Replaced Nourrit as

Arnold in Rossini’s Arnold in Rossini’s Guilliame TellGuilliame Tell

Do di pettoDo di petto Learned the Learned the

technique in Italytechnique in Italy


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New expectationsNew expectations

““After Duprez, the After Duprez, the ut de poitrineut de poitrine became a requirement for the became a requirement for the Romantic tenor high C, then or now, Romantic tenor high C, then or now, for the success or failure of tenors.” for the success or failure of tenors.” Stark: Stark: Bel Canto: A History of Vocal PedagogyBel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy


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Voix Sombrée!Voix Sombrée!

June, 1840 – Diday and Pétrequin reported June, 1840 – Diday and Pétrequin reported to the Académie des Sciences on the to the Académie des Sciences on the subject of timbre and laryngeal position as subject of timbre and laryngeal position as related to Duprez’s related to Duprez’s do di pettodo di petto.. Voix sombrée ou couverte Voix sombrée ou couverte (dark and covered)(dark and covered)

November, 1840 – Garcia presented his November, 1840 – Garcia presented his theories to the academytheories to the academy Garcia claimed to have been teaching the Garcia claimed to have been teaching the

lowered laryngeal posture and ‘covered tone’ lowered laryngeal posture and ‘covered tone’ since 1832.since 1832.


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Used for register unificationUsed for register unification Female chest/middle voiceFemale chest/middle voice Male high voice “Male high voice “do di pettodo di petto””

Long history of teaching this method Long history of teaching this method since Garciasince Garcia


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Attention to the laryngeal posture is Attention to the laryngeal posture is controversialcontroversial

Vowel color can be utilized: [o], [u] Vowel color can be utilized: [o], [u] without mention of the larynxwithout mention of the larynx

Source of much of the controversy Source of much of the controversy throughout historythroughout history


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Voce ChiusaVoce Chiusa

‘‘Comfortably low’ larynx elongates Comfortably low’ larynx elongates vocal tract - increases inertive vocal tract - increases inertive reactancereactance

‘‘Squeezing the collar of the larynx’ Squeezing the collar of the larynx’ narrows the tube - increases inertive narrows the tube - increases inertive reactancereactance

Paying attention to mouth opening Paying attention to mouth opening appropriately tunes F1 to achieve the appropriately tunes F1 to achieve the aesthetic expectationaesthetic expectation


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Singing with the megaphone shape helps

produce high pitches in

chest register (or belt voice) for Fo < 530 Hz

(C5)


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Singing with the megaphone shape

also helps produce high pitches in

classical female and counter-tenor

style for

F0 > 530 Hz


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Males and female belters

F1 F2


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Aesthetics Summary:Aesthetics Summary:

Wide open mouth openingWide open mouth opening Popular styles: belt (male and female), pop Popular styles: belt (male and female), pop

styles, etc.styles, etc. Classical styles: Soprano in her high voice – Classical styles: Soprano in her high voice –

formant tracking, counter-tenorformant tracking, counter-tenor Narrow mouth openingNarrow mouth opening

Popular styles: Country & Western, Popular styles: Country & Western, flageoletflageolet

Classical styles: mixed registers – female Classical styles: mixed registers – female middle, male high voice middle, male high voice


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Pavarotti & The Italian Pavarotti & The Italian TenorTenor

Decca Record Co. Limited, London.Decca Record Co. Limited, London.

‘‘O Colombina’O Colombina’

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)


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Leontyne PriceLeontyne PriceThe Complete Bell Telephone Hour Performances. The Complete Bell Telephone Hour Performances.

Video Artists International Video Artists International

D’amor sull’ali roseeD’amor sull’ali rosee

Il Trovatore (Verdi)Il Trovatore (Verdi)


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Lauritz MelchiorLauritz MelchiorBel Canto: The Tenors of the 78 EraBel Canto: The Tenors of the 78 Era

KulturKultur

““Morgenlich leuchtend” Morgenlich leuchtend”

Die Meistersinger (Wagner) Die Meistersinger (Wagner)


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Giuseppe di StefanoGiuseppe di Stefano

““Tu che a Dio spiegasti l’ali”Tu che a Dio spiegasti l’ali”

Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)(Donizetti)


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Documents

The Vocal Pedagogy Workshop 2007 1 Flapping Jaws and Acoustic Laws: The Singer’s Guide to Inertive Reactance (and the Voce Chiusa)