Resonance Flashcards
What is the unique feature of the vocal apparatus?
The unique feature of the vocal apparatus is that the size and shape of the resonant system is under the conscious control of the speaker or singer (C.Culver)
What type of instrument is the voice and what determine the F0?
The voice as a wind instrument - as with most vibrators - 3 elements determine F0:
- Tension,
- Thickness
- Length.
Define the Vocal Vibrator -
Vocal Vibrator = an air- stream sound generator - periodically releases and closes off air ascending from the lungs.
What type of wind instrument is the voice like? What are the similarities?
The voice is similar to a reed instrument:
- Breath
- Vibrating Folds (like a double reed)
- Resonating Cavities.
What are the Two Principal Resonating Cavities
Two Principal Resonating Cavities:
- Pharynx (Laryngo- , Naso- & Oro- )
- Mouth
Describe how the Resonators are tunable?
Both are Tunable, i.e. Size and Shape can be Consciously Altered by singer/speaker with adjustments of Tongue, Lips, Soft Palate, and Jaw.
*Adjustments must be practiced until Automatic.
What is the Pharynx?
Pharynx: Irregularly Shaped Tube - from Back of Nose to Posterior Surface of the Base of the Cricoid.
Describe the Three Sections of the Pharynx -
- Nasopharynx - Base of skull to the Soft Palate - Palate can Close Off this Area.
* Eustachian Tube has Opening into this Area. - Oropharynx - Soft Palate to Top of Epiglottis.
- Greatest capacity for Altering its shape
- Tongue Position has Major Effect on this space and its coupling with the Mouth Cavity. - Laryngopharynx - Top of Epigottis to Base of Cricoid.
- Important with regard to Resonance as Sound Waves pass through this area first.
Describe the effect of Sympathetic Vibration -
- The chest, head, nose and sinuses are not true resonators - Yet, sympathetic vibrations in these areas can be an indicator that the Resonators are Properly Tuned.
What is the Fauces?
Fauces is the passage way between oral space and oropharynx
List some of the concepts that relate to TUNING THE RESONATORS -
“In some cases the resonators that are hopelessly out of tune may affect intonation: this explains how a singer with good ears but poor technic can sing off key.” (W Vernard)
Garcia Said “The real mouth of the singer ought to be considered the Pharynx.”
Open Throat - Most agree on the concept, but not on how to achieve it.
(Freedom of flow - Dr. Gills view)
Regardless of Methodology, Pharynx should be free of constrictive tensions.
One major cause of pharyngeal constrictions - Disuse of Extrinsic Musculature.
Where does the quality of the vowel have its origin?
The quality of the vowel has its origin in the freedom of the space behind and above the tongue and in the freedom of the tongue itself. (W.Shakespear)
What are the Three Articulatory Motions that Shape the Vocal Tract according to Zemlin?
Zemlin - Three Articulatory Motions that Shape the Vocal Tract.
- Location of Major Constriction along the length of Vocal Tract (where the hump of the tongue is).
- Degree of Constriction (space from tongue to roof of mouth and to pharyngeal wall).
- Length of Vocal Tract (Influenced by Larynx and Lip Rounding/Spreading).
Describe the Glosso-Palatine - and mention some alternate names for it.
Glosso Palatine - Anterior Pillar of the Fauces.
- Alternate Terms:
- Palato Glossal Arch
- or Palato Glossus.
Describe the Pharyngo-palatine
Pharyngo-palatine - Posterior pillar of the Fauces.
*Also known as the Pharyngo-Palatine Arch.
Describe the Levator Palatine
Levator Palatine - forms the bulk of the soft palate. Lifts the soft palate upward and backward and is important to Velo-Pharyngeal Closure.
*Located in front of Tensor Palatine
Describe the Tensor Palatine
Tensor Palatine - Contracts laterally and flattens, tenses, and slightly lowers the soft palate.
What is Velo-Pharyngeal Opening
Velo-Pharyngeal Opening? - Opening - has to do with the contact of soft palate and pharyngeal wall.
List what 3 well know pedagogues said on the subject of VPO
- Vennard says keep it closed (except in the top range… add a little twang… helps with Singers Formant Cluster.)
Coffin found Caruso kept it closed (but thought it was open) and Amato had some VPO except on {a}
Zemlin called the Fauces “The port through which the oral cavity communicates with the pharyngeal and nasal cavities.”
What were the conclusions of the studies on VPO?
CONCLUSIONS: some trained singers experience regular VPO during classical singing. Vowel height seems to influence this effect.
According to B.Doschers what are Mouth and jaw opening primarily dependent upon?
Barbera’s Summary - Mouth and jaw opening are primarily dependent upon the frequency of the sung tone and the vowel used. Larger than necessary diameters not only are superfluous but are detrimental. Adaptable, resilient mouth and jaw openings are functionally more efficient than fixed measurements.
What some important things to consider about the lips in singing?
Lennard Says - “exposure of the edges of the four upper teeth is “about right to give animation to preserve whatever good high partials have been generated in the tone.”
Raising cheeks - seems to have an effect upon the resonating space - helps obtain maximum stretch of soft palate without over-taxing the palatine arches.
Summarize some key ideas about the articulators and their relationship with resonance -
- No one perfect position of tongue, soft palate, lips or jaw.
- These articulators must shape the vocal tract to make it acoustically sensitive to the sound waves being produced by vocal folds to be more efficient.
- Adjustments should’t be effortful.
- Interdependence of articulators of the resonance tract and the phonatory and breathing mechanisms is key to attaining maximum efficiency.
Quote on inter-dependancy of the singing mechanism -
An inspection of the anatomical configuration of the vocal tract organs reveals that all the structures are networked by muscles and ligaments, suggesting that movements of the organs have an inter-dependancy with each other. The tongue articulation, for example, may apply a force to the larynx, modifying its phonatory function.
