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Inadequate Pitch Range in the Voice

 

Many speakers do not use anything like the potential range of voice which is available to them. The tendency is to restrict the voice to a few notes and, in consequence, the delivery is monotonous and boring.

MAIN FAULTS

Habitual high or low pitch

Here the speaker uses either the high or the low notes of the voice to the exclusion of the others. The use of an unchanging high pitch is also associated with tension, particularly when speaking in a demanding public situation.

 

Repeated tunes

Equally monotonous is the voice which repeats the same intonation pattern, usually with a fall at the end of the phrase. This has the effect of apparently concluding the statement.

 

Erratic pitch levels

Where the voice shoots up and down the pitch range, without any association with the thoughts expressed.

 

Baby tunes

Artificial use of pitch changes in speech, such as is associated with adults speaking to small children. Once again there is very little association between the subject matter and the range of voice employed.

 

CORRECTION

 

1. It is important not to strain the voice to reach notes at the upper and lower extremes which are excessively difficult to make.

2. An adequate and plentiful breath supply should be established.

3. There should be a constant support for the voice from the breath during these exercises.

4. While doing the exercises attention should be paid to the position and movement of the head, as there is a tendency to raise the head and thrust the chin forward when producing the high notes, and to pull the chin towards the chest for low notes.

5. Perform the exercises at varying volumes.

 

 

EXERCISES

 

1. Hum any tune, listening to the various notes produced.

2. Continue humming the tune but stop at various points and count from 1 to 10 using the note on which you stop.

3. Sing a tune on the following vowel sounds:

 

OO OH AW AH AY EE

 

4. Sing again and stop at various points to speak the six vowels on the one note.

5. Using the vowels, speak one on a high pitch, one on a middle pitch and one on a low pitch; precede them with H:

6. Repeat exercise 5 but do it quickly so that it sounds like laughter.

7. Repeat exercise 5 but begin on the low note and travel up to the high note:

8. Speak each of the vowel sounds as if you were asking a question.

9. Repeat the vowels as if you were giving the answer to the question.

10. Combine the two. Ask the question on the vowel, then repeat it giving the answer. Do this very slowly, extending the range.

11. Speak the following taking a new, higher note for each word.

 

.

 

13. Sigh out on each of the vowels and count 1 to 5 when your voice settles on its lowest note.

14. Reverse this and run up the scale on the vowels, speaking from 1 to 5 on the highest note.

15. Repeat exercise 14 but stop at various places on the way up the scale and count from 1 to 5 on that note.



 

 

PRACTICE PIECES

 

The following passages have been written to provide opportunities for using the range of the voice extensively. For the purposes of exercise it is helpful to exaggerate slightly the range used. Remember, in addition, that variety of volume and pace help considerably to relieve the monotony of delivery.

(Contrast the general pitch level of the first part of the piece with the second part. Determine whether you think a high or low level is more appropriate.)

 

With a low moan the wind wound round the house, rattling the windows and shaking the massive oak door, until the iron bolts gave way with a resounding shudder. The sickly spectre, now quite clearly defined under the yellow moon, appeared from the forest and glided towards the house ...

meanwhile ...

in the drawing room Lady

Penelope languidly sipped a long, cool glass of lemonade while listening to the dulcet tones of the flute played by her elegant companion.

(Notice that in addition to changes of pitch the variety of pace and volume will contribute to the effectiveness of the delivery of the piece.)

The football stadium was packed with thousands of eager fans, boisterously brandishing programmes, rattles and bells - all in support of their hero, who at this moment was careering down the wing, the ball apparently stuck to his toes; past one opponent, then another and another, until, with a mighty effort, he kicked the ball into the enemy's net ... GOAL!

later ...

back in the

dressing room, with the deep satisfaction of conquerors, the men lay submerged in the warm relaxing water. The steam rose like mist around them as their aching and tense muscles thawed. Away from the noise of the crowd, with only the low murmurs of congratulations, many succumbed to sleep.

 

Graham was not in the least upset by the sight. He just stared at the wreckage and wondered what could have happened. People grow giant plants - yes. They water them, they watch them and plants grow. But this was, to say the least, a little out of the ordinary. The giant chrysanthemum which had been the subject of his every waking thought and the object of unprecedented devotion in his life (this year anyway) had withered. Withered was hardly the expression - it had grown smaller. What had been a huge golden sun in his life had now shrunk to the size of an unambitious dandelion. It wasn't dead, indeed it wasn't even dying, it was smaller. He rubbed his hand across his chest and bent towards it. He knew it was the same flower because this had rather unusual red tips to the petals. He peered at it for a while, half believing it wasn't true, and half expecting that at any moment it would rise again to its full round glorious self. But it didn't. It tiptoed on the top of the soil with all the perkiness of a five year old in a dancing display. Graham looked round, he wasn't quite sure why, maybe for help, maybe for consolation - none was there; only the irony of the sun beating down on the glass, golden rich and life-giving.

 

She sat swinging her legs on the park bench and munching her sandwiches. They were her favourites - cucumber. It was a perfect day and she gazed into the distance savouring the warmth of the sun and the sensation of the gentle breeze on her face. Her dog dashed between trees, panting madly and tearing off again in pursuit of a white butterfly. It seemed to hover in the air just long enough for the dog to catch up with it and then flickered away again, drawing the dog after it like a mad, infatuated slave. Jenny eased back on her seat and shifted her gaze over to a corner of the park where an old oak tree stood basking in the sunlight. As she stared aimlessly she thought she saw a long sallow face peer out from behind the trunk of the tree. An old face. She blinked and looked away. A moment or two later she looked again, just to satisfy herself that it was her imagination, but just at that moment the head bobbed out again. There was no question about it, there was someone behind the tree. But there was more than a face, there was a long thin neck and bony shoulders and the neck was attached to a body. After looking round once or twice the angular figure teetered out from behind the tree and stood for a while gazing into the sky. Jenny realised that the figure was an old lady wearing a long thin cloak of dark green down to her ankles. The old woman raised her arms towards the sky and with a voice like the sound of a brass gong she yelled 'Rain' into the air and then hitched up her cape, revealing what looked like blue and white football socks, and ran behind the tree again.


Faulty Tone

 

Tone is the term used to define the quality of voice employed by a speaker. It is difficult to predict what quality of voice is the most desirable, since the matter is highly subjective, and will, to a large extent, depend upon the individual speaker's requirements within any given environment. It is much more easy to describe certain qualities which are either harmful to the voice or generally considered unpleasing.

 

Pharyngeal or 'plummy' tone

The speaker generally places the voice in the lower register and accompanies this with an undue tension on the back of the tongue. The chin may be pulled in towards the chest with a minimal movement of the jaw.

 

Correction

1. Exercises to establish relaxed and controlled breathing.

2. Adjustment of the position of the head. Ensure that the chin is lifted and the head balanced on top of the shoulders - not in advance of them.

3. The opening of the jaw, particularly on the vowel sounds.

4. Exercises for the flexibility and relaxation of the back of the tongue.

5. Exercises for pitch range, particularly a fluent use of the higher and middle notes of the voice.

6. Exercises for the balanced use of the resonators. (See p. 36.)

 

Strident or 'hard' tone

 

The speaker tends to use the upper notes in the voice and to produce excess tension in the muscular walls of the throat. The chin is often thrust forwards and upwards. The sound appears high, hard and thin.

 


Correction

 

1. Exercises to establish relaxed controlled breathing.

2. Adjustment of the position of the head. The underside of the chin should not be visible.

3. Vowel sounds 'yawned' out slowly and smoothly.

4. Exercises for pitch range, particularly a fluent use of the notes in the middle and lower registers.

5. Exercises for the balanced use of the resonators. (See p. 36.)

 

Nasal tone

There are two kinds of nasality:

 

1. Excessive nasal resonance. In which the soft palate, which normally forms a trap door between the throat and nose cavities, is wholly or partially lowered allowing the sound to pass down the nose continuously.

2. Insufficient nasal resonance. In which either the nasal passages are blocked, due to some physical cause, or the soft palate is held permanently in the raised position, preventing the passage of sound into the nose. This produces the 'cold in the nose' quality of voice.

The two kinds of nasality are referred to as Positive and Negative Nasality, respectively.

 

Correction

1. Exercises for the flexibility of the soft palate (see p. 73).

2. Exercises for the balanced use of the resonators (see p. 36).

Positive Nasality:

1. 'Yawning' sounds.

2. Retain the yawning sensation while speaking the sounds:

3. Precede each of the vowels with M N or NG feeling the arching of the soft palate, into the yawning feeling, on the vowels.

4. Speak the following, ensuring that there is no change in the quality of the vowel:

 

BOO MOO DOO NOO GOO NGOO
BOH MOH DOH NOH GOH NGOH
BAW MAW DAW NAW GAW NGAW
BAH MAH DAH NAH GAH NGAH
BAY MAY DAY NAY GAY NGAY
BEE MEE DEE NEE GEE NGEE

 

Negative Nasality:

1. Check that there is no structural reason why sound may not pass down the nose. This can be done simply by holding a finger against each nostril in turn and blowing down the other.

2. Hold the nose gently, but firmly, between the fingers and hum. Feel the sound passing positively down the partially constricted nasal passages.

3. Sing a simple tune on MOO, still slightly constricting the nose with the fingers, and sustain the sensation of the sound passing down the nasal passages.

4. Speak the following, ensuring that there is a clear distinction between the pairs of words. They can only be defined by making a clear M and N sound as opposed to B and D

 

It helps to make a long, sustained M and N, to begin with. As ability increases the length of the M and N sounds can be gradually decreased.

 

Husky tone

It should be noted that this may well be a strong indication of a structural defect in the vocal mechanism. Initially it is important to rest the voice, for approximately three days. After this period of silence, when the voice is not used at all, if the voice is still very husky, medical advice should be taken. Huskiness is often the precursor of loss of voice and the only valid treatment is rest. If the huskiness is spasmodic it may be due to strain resulting from excessive tension in the muscles of the throat and shallow breathing.

 

Correction

1. Exercises to establish relaxed, deep breathing (see p. 21).

2. Gently make the following sounds on a whisper, sustaining each one. Feel the arching of the back of the throat, as if yawning:

3. Intone the vowels, quietly.

4. At all times avoid shouting. Develop the habit of speaking very quietly, until the basic quality of the voice is established.

5. General exercises for the balanced use of the resonators.

 

Breathy tone

This is due to an incomplete closure of the vocal cords during the formation of the sound, allowing air to escape between the cords. It is often the result of an inadequate breathing method where, for example, the ribs collapse very quickly and more breath is released than is needed to produce sound. It is a voice quality most often associated with Clavicular Breathing.

 

Correction

1. A good deal of time should be spent on establishing an adequate breathing method.

2. For short periods during exercise, the voice should be used quite loudly. Practice can include reading a passage from a newspaper or book, gradually decreasing the volume. As soon as the breathy quality is heard the volume should be slightly increased and then diminished again as the sound is established. It is important to avoid tension in the throat while practising.

3. Exercises for the balanced use of the resonators.

 


Date: 2015-12-24; view: 817


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