Seminar in Vocal Pedagogy

Resonance

As if registration were not a large enough issue, Vennard attributes even more print space to the concept of resonance. (In fact, he practically apologizes in the first sentence of this chapter for the incompletion of the previous one!) It seems almost pointless to spend this much time if one of his first comments is correct: "If you feel that you are manufacturing the tone in [the voice-box], you are feeling something that is wrong" (Vennard, 80). His attention is justified, however, in that while it is a relatively simple matter to understand resonance, it is not necessarily easy, and there are so many wrong ways to make oneself aware of it. The issue bears inspection.

It is apparent that even superficial changes in the resonators produce changes in the quality of the voice (the "vibrator," in Vennard's terminology), and the preponderance of the resonators are outside conscious control. We can, however, learn to shape the cavities above the larynx; simultaneously this trains the vocal cords unconsciously. He provides two theories for how this resonance affects, either positively or negatively, vocal tone. The first was put forth by Hermann Helmholtz, the founder of the modern science of acoustics, who argued that the vocal cords created a tone on a specific pitch, with specific volume, complex timbre, and potential for beauty; as it passes through the larynx and mouth, various cavities and shapes accentuate some partials over others. Various additional sources differ over whether these "modifiers" simply absorb less attractive overtones or also accentuate the more attractive ones. The second, proposed by E. W. Scripture, holds that the vocal cords are of little more consequence than the reeds of a woodwind instrument, and that any adjustments in pitch, quality, strength, and beauty are all functions of adjustments made in the buccopharyngeal cavity. Vennard does not care for this reasoning, arguing that in reed instruments the "reed [vibrates] in tune with the pipe, whereas the frequency or pitch of a vocal tone is determined by the vibrator, and usually only the timbre is modified by the resonators." He does, however, assert that while each theory seems to be incompatible with the other, they are now perceived to be "principles [that] probably operate simultaneously" (82). Thus,

[the] quality of the vocal tone will be a product of the original glottal sound, minus those overtones which were discouraged by the resonance cavities, plus the augmentation of overtones that were encouraged, plus possible inharmonic frequencies which were generated simply by virtue of the fact that the air in certain cavities was set in motion.

Vennard establishes the column of air as the "vocal resonator," not a sounding board as with a stringed instrument, and any cavity or texture in the vocal tract is a secondary resonator. This yields an instrument that is very complex and highly variable; it may vibrate in one or in part(s). They create three types of vibrators: the primary vibrator (the voice), the secondary vibrator (the "resonator," or the column of air), and the waste vibrations that do occur but do not contribute to the sound (such as those felt in the bone structures of the chest and the nasal bones).

After several paragraphs discussing the size, shape, combinations, compositions, and surface characteristics of the resonators and their walls, Vennard gives a brief survey on using different parts of the body as resonators. He discusses the problem of relying as resonators on the trachea and bronchi (for scientific reasons, "the larynx normally dominates the air in the vocal cavities" more so than the surfaces of the trachea and bronchi in order to compensate for an unavoidable "sputter" in the range of a hard cylinder [86-88]) and the nose and sinuses (the lack of ability to control the size of the chamber, plus the overtones that are augmented and those suppressed invariably form a "honky" nasal twang as a result of soft palate control [93-96]). He allows for the possibility of usefulness in the ventricles as resonators, but no serious studies place much stock in this notion (though they do show changes in size and shape depending on where in the scale the voice is sounding); it seems it is more of an indicator of vocal effort than effect. The resonators he does assert as practical are the larynx, of course, where Vennard's mystical "2800" frequency occurs as a result of using the full voice (89-90); the pharynx, which he cites Garcia as having referred to as "the real mouth of the singer," and has the first and most dramatic effect on tone quality by virtue of its proximity to the larynx (92-93); and the mouth, which shapes the tone into words, but within the context of the unabated tone (that is, the tongue, for example, can get in the way of the tone and produce a "swallowed" or "throaty" sound) (93).

Vennard places great stock in the notion that the pharynx must be opened, a condition he refers to as the large throat. Especially at higher notes, where the tendency of the throat is to constrict when higher notes are approached, the pharynx must be made to retain the same position assumed instinctively at inhalation (100). (This is analogous to Christy's concept of suspension, a doctrine to which Miller adheres.) He further asserts that free tone is only generated in the low larynx; while the voice cannot be truly "relaxed," it may be helpful to think this way to make use of another "very descriptive misnomer, head tone" (103). As the hyoid bone rises and pulls thyroid to it--which itself begins to drag the cricoid closer--the vocal cords are stretched up instead of forward. The art is in letting the larynx stay down (as opposed to pressing it down); this happens by reflex when inhaling, yawning, or swallowing.

In discussing the function of the tongue, Vennard supports a groove down the length of it, keeping a low position in the mouth. The raised tongue seems to pull the hyoid bone up with it, and he has already connected an elevated hyoid to laryngeal position. Vennard also urges caution in the "consistency" of the tongue, as a tense tongue will create a "tinny" sound in the vocal tone. A necessary "cohort" with the tongue must be the elevated soft palate; Vennard refers to it as "arched" (113). He encourages pulling it up and back almost against the velum to minimize nasal twang.

After obligatory discussions on looseness of the jaw and positions for lips and teeth, Vennard begins talking about resonance in more "pedagogical" terms. He argues for but two requirements, however they are produced: it must have ring (which he thinks is determined by "2800," a function of some resonator which adds brilliance to the tone), and lower partials must be added by space in the pharynx to balance the tone.

Basic biology is hard to argue with, and Miller does not differ much from Vennard on the matter. He does, however, have "somewhat against" the pedagogical concept of open throat, especially in its typical dependence on the yawn as a point of reference for the vocal apparatus. He argues that instead of imagining a yawn (which, when full-blown, produces anything but an open throat), to "breathe as though inhaling deeply the fragrance of a rose" (60).

Why assume the need for the yawn in singing when the open throat can be accomplished in singing by the same means as in other heightened situations in life? The yawn is an action that belongs to the tired, to the bored, an attitude of the weary spirit and the body. (60)

The yawn creates tension, and it is not difficult to observe. This is all a big misunderstanding; in the historic Italian school, open throat sensations are

essential, but sensation need not be chiefly felt in either the laryngopharynx or the oropharynx. The position of the tongue does not alter, the jaw does not hang, the larynx is not radically depressed, and the velum is not rigidly raised.

While some singers do wrongly believe that a wide pharynx, depressed (low) larynx and elevated velum (in other words, a yawn) are "near the optimum for singing," most admit that some modification is necessary. The problem Miller has with this is that any hint of a real yawn introduces tensions that have nothing to do with vocal freedom. It really does not matter to him that some people (often because of cultural aesthetics) prefer the "yawn quality" in singing; if it hinders freedom ("functional efficiency in singing"), it is not beautiful.

With respect to handling the velum, Miller states that even in the most ideal situation, velopharyngeal closure may not be as "closed" as most experts think. The shape of the pharyngeal cavity is an individual matter, and to what extent the velum can occlude during phonation seems to vary accordingly. This may serve to support theories for "the open nasal port" held in some pedagogies. Whatever the case, it seems impractical to determine oneself to "seal the nose off" just to avoid any chance of nasality, since it seems not only impossible in many cases, but actually useful when dealing with matters of vocal placement. Resonance seems to be related to adjustments made in the type of aperture created in the velopharyngeal area, as this allows the entire resonator tube to function (68). However this manifests itself in the student's voice, the teacher is advised to be prepared to supply "objective technical language to communicate" the desired effect, based on a solid understanding of resonance (61).

Finally, Miller also differs somewhat in the prime resonance factor: the acoustic spectrum ought to be conceived as a range from about 2500Hz in male voices to as much as 4000Hz for sopranos, not just "2800" plus or minus a hundred Hz. Any singing that produces these results will be perceived as "resonant," regardless of the vowel (54).