MORE ABOUT TONE
Posture . . . Simple exercises for focus . .. Interpretation or…technique . .. Breath control the beginner, posture in singing is vitally important. The operatic artist must naturally be able to sing in almost any position, as stage action calls for ease and graceful agility in a physical as well as vocal sense, but the student must learn correct platform posture first, before attempting acting or operatic action. Since his deep breathing demands chest and diaphragmatic expansion, the singer must hold his body in such manner that this expansion is not hindered. This means that his body must be relaxed, erect, and controlled. His feet must be firmly placed—usually one is slightly forward in advance of the other—thus permitting his weight to be easily shifted without noticeable movement. Needless to say, the toes should not be turned out nor in. This may seem unimportant, yet we have all seen singers with feet turned out in such noticeable Charlie Chaplin attitude that one’s sense of humor destroyed whatever effect the singer strove for vocally.
The singer’s shoulders should be relaxed and remain so. Breathing should not place any strain upon them. The neck must always be relaxed, and often I ask students to move their heads easily from side to side, while vocalizing, to avoid tenseness or stiffness in the neck, throat, or facial muscles. The jaw must always be relaxed and flexible. It is only natural that the beginner, trying to think of innumerable things at once, should become rigid and tense. This rigidity, whatever its cause, must be overcome from the very first.
The head should not be tilted forward or back, up or down, to any marked degree; neither should any jerkiness or exaggeration of posture be permitted. In a later chapter we will consider the arms, hands, etc., but for the beginner a relaxed poise is the vital consideration.
If the throat becomes sore or the face feels drawn and tense, the singer should realize that he is singing or speaking incorrectly. He must discover the cause and rectify it as quickly as possible. Singing for the beginner should be a mental effort; if it involves physical strain it is wrong. The correctly produced voice, whether singing or speaking, can perform for hours without bad effect; if strain is felt the method should be changed.
To become expert in placing the voice the tones must be both felt and heard, and we must learn to recognize whether the tone we make is all that it should be, or not. Since both hearing and understanding of vocal sensation grow keener the more we practice, the beginner should not feel disturbed if at first the voice seems to lack volume. We can hear ourselves least of all, and few people can co-ordinate so well that they can immediately arrive at the tonal sound and sensation they strive for.