Vocal Production and Breathing Techniques

Study Notes

Breathing is essential for singing.
The diaphragm is the main muscle used in breathing.
It contracts during inhalation, flattening and expanding the chest cavity, creating a vacuum that pulls air into the lungs.
During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, returning to its dome shape, forcing air out of the lungs.
Airflow from the lungs vibrates the vocal folds, producing sound.

Proper posture is crucial for good vocal projection.
Feet should be slightly apart, legs straight but knees slightly bent (not locked), spine relaxed and aligned, abdomen flat, chest comfortably forward, shoulders down and back, and head facing straight forward.

Vocal dynamics focus on controlling singing loudness, using vowels, phrases, and emotions.
Breath control from the diaphragm is vital for dynamic control.
Dynamics, derived from the Greek word "dynamo" meaning "power," refers to the loudness or softness of sounds in music.

Tone quality refers to the color or character of a sound.
Pitch, intensity, and strength contribute to tone.
In singing, vocal tone describes the quality of your voice.
Good vocal tone is characterized by resonance, richness, ease of production, effortlessness, and a balance of bright and dark tones.
It avoids becoming overly breathy, nasal, strained, or operatic sounding.

Power Source: Breath/Airflow
Phonation (Vibration Source/Vocal folds): Vibrating vocal folds create sound waves, allowing pitch control.
Resonator (Vocal Tract - Throat, Mouth, Nose): The shape of the vocal tract influences the quality of sound (bright, dark, warm, nasal, brassy, etc.).
Articulators (Tongue, Lips): Form sounds to differentiate words (vowels & consonants).

Diction in singing refers to clear and precise pronunciation.
It involves vowels, consonants, phrasing, and tone.
Poor diction can be caused by issues with mouth shape, tongue placement, breath control, strong accents/dialects, poor microphone technique, and poor sound mixing.

Proper diction ensures audience comprehension of lyrics and the message of a song.
It enhances a singer's credibility and aids in conveying the emotion behind the lyrics.
Proper diction encompasses clear articulation, effective phrasing, and appropriate stress and intonation.

Vowels are shaped by the tongue, lips, and nose.
Each vowel has a unique formant (characteristic sound) that helps listeners identify it.
Main vowel sounds used in singing include: Ah (Apple), Eh (Air), Ay (Sky), Oh (Orange), Ee (Bee), and Oo (Room).

A cappella: Singing without instrumental accompaniment
Staccato: Short and detached notes
Legato: Smoothly connected notes
Accidentals: Symbols that alter the pitch of a note
SATB: Abbreviation for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass vocal parts
Cantata: A choral work with solo voices and instrumental accompaniment, usually orchestral.
Clef: Symbols at the end of a stave indicating the pitch of notes.
Crescendo: (Italian for 'growing') Gradually getting louder
Da Capo: (Italian for 'from the beginning') An instruction to repeat a section from the beginning.
Articulation: How individual notes are played; the musical equivalent of pronunciation.