Estill Voice Training Flashcards
What is Estill voice training?
P learns to produce various configurations of vocal tract.
Views voice as instrument.
Guiding principles:
1. No aesthetic bias
2. All qualities are acceptable as long as vocal health is no jeopardised
3. Everyone has a beautiful voice
Level 1 - Figures for voice control
Level 2 - Figures combinations for six voice qualities
What is level 1?
Compulsory figures for voice control.
Teaches isolated control of individual anatomical structures within the voice production system.
What is involved for laryngeal constriction and releasing constriction?
- Constriction implies closure of false VF
- Release constriction using silent giggle
What is involved in initiation of tone?
Glottal - VF close tightly
Aspirate - Gentle /h/ onset - VF slightly apart but tense longitudinally
Smooth - TVF close and being vibrating simultaneously
What is said about the position of the larynx?
High = tone brighter, more projected (very small young child, chipmunks)
Low = tone darker, warmer, softer (opera singer)
What is involved in velar port control?
Exercises which contrast opened and closed velar port eg /ee/ –> /m/
What does Estill say about vocal range?
Involves sirening - glide up and down on /ng/.
Able to explore and extend range easily.
Sirening is a screen for vocal health
What does Estill say about tongue control?
Acoustic effect depends on position of tongue.
Low, mid, high and compresses conditions.
What does Estill say about aryepiglottic sphincter control?
Gravity can function as separate resonator.
Narrow - hold tongue in /i/ position
Triggers: cackle, whinny, bully
What is anchoring?
Using large muscles to steady body for finer control of finer muscles eg VF
Head and neck anchoring: strong feeling above soft palate, feel 2 strong pillars at side of neck.
Torso anchoring: uses larger muscles of back to disperse effort to back to facilitate optimal posture of larynx and vocal tract.
What is level 2?
Figure combinations for six voice qualities.
Vocal qualities = combination of events within vocal tract which shape vocal tract for a particular acoustic product.
Speech Sob Opera Falsetto Twang - oral and nasal Belting
What is speech?
AKA modal speech
TVCs are working.
Effort is located in the larynx.
Vocal tract structures are in mid position, feeling neutral and/or relaxed.
What is falsetto?
Associated with children’s voice.
Can be breathy or quite clear sounding.
TVCs are stiff - a minimally obstructed flow of breath, with the highest air flow rate of any quality.
Lack of effort elevates the VF plan and pulls the VFs tight.
Vocal tract structures are in mid position, feeling neutral and/or relaxed.
What is sob?
Quality is like the sobbing cry of an adult who mourns.
Low larynx and extreme effort associated with silent, suppressed sobbing.
VF bandaid - puppy dog siren sobbing.
FVF retraction
Head and neck anchoring
Low larynx
Low airflow rate
What is twang?
2 types - oral and nasal.
Ability to project voice safely.
Always sounds bright and clear.
High larynx - short vocal tract.
Aryepiglottic sphincter narrow to create resonating cavity.
Velar port open for nasalised and closed for clear twang.
Tongue high and tense.
Applications: Unilateral VF paralysis. Breathy voice. Hyperfunctional (allows P to increase volume without constriction). Hypernasality (use oral twang).
Triggers: Bully, bagpipe, witch
