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Weird questions are put to all teachers; one of those put to me strikes me as amusing. I was asked if a long tongue was a handicap in the pronunciation of vowels. In all my experience I have never heard of a singer with a tongue long enough to interfere with his singing. Even an [...]
Remember that a jaw that shakes does not mean a jaw that is relaxed. Instead, it is a sure indication that there is extraordinary tenseness at the back of the jaw, and in many cases a stiffened pulling back of the tongue. Complete relaxation is the only cure for such a habit. Other forms of [...]
When a teacher, endeavoring to impress the importance of tone focus and head resonance on a student repeats the words "head tone" time and time again, some students feel that head torte is all that interests the teacher and often ask, "Can there be too much head tone in a voice?" Every tone must have [...]
A vocal lesson should last from twenty to forty minutes. An hour of steady vocalizing tends to tire the average student and the last minutes accomplish nothing. The teacher also is under a constant strain, and an over-long lesson sometimes does more harm than good. If, however, the lesson is divided into two periods, one [...]
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words upon a subject which is seldom mentioned but which, I am convinced, has much to do with any student’s success or failure as any of his personal qualities or defects. This is the attitude of his parents or financial sponsors toward his training. If a [...]
Remember that the singer’s mouth and lips must always be mobile and relaxed, so that they can adjust themselves to the change called for in the pronunciation of words. Correct tone placement, however, must go on, regardless of the change of the shape of the mouth or lips, as the tone is formed behind the [...]
There are no simple voice teaching rules that will conquer all difficulties. A multitude of personal qualities enter into any type of teaching or study. A teacher must love to teach, and he must have the aptitude to inspire his students with a genuine love of song. It is true that a mediocre voice [...]