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Elongated vocal track
Allows for the lowering of formants, and lengthening of acoustical space ‐ typically used in the
approach to the second passaggi and beyond in an effort to achieve a turn and vowel focus/modification
for optimum resonance.
Diaphragm
A thin skeletal muscle that sits at the base of the chest and separates the abdomen from the
chest. It contracts and flattens, creating a vacuum effect that pulls air into the lungs. When you exhale,
the diaphragm relaxes and air is pushed out of the lungs.
Glottal
Or glottal stop/glottal plosive is a type of consonantal sound which is produced by obstructing
airflow in the vocal tract at the glottis.
Appoggio
From the Italian word “appooggiare” which means “to lean”, the main task of achieving
appoggio in singing is to engage to core, delaying the rise of the diaphragm, bringing muscular
contraction which opposes the natural recoil of the lungs and diaphragm (i.e. use of expiratory muscles
and contraction and use of lower body muscles to achieve “grounded” support)
Nasal pharynx
Also referred to as the nasopharynx is the upper part of the pharynx, connecting with the nasal
cavity about the soft palate.
Resonance
The harmonic series created by a tone and the formants that reinforce that series.
Overtones
A musical tone which is part of the harmonic series above a fundamental note, and may be
heard with it. While not a classical singing technique, certain overtones can be strengthened or sound
almost isolated to an audience. Overtones contribute to the overall perceived “quality” of a note, and it
is important to recognize as a teacher when and which overtones may be lacking, so that they can strive
to then help a student achieve freedom of sound and use of breath, resonators and vowel modification
to achieve a resonant, vibrant tone.
Larynx
Also known as the voice box, is the organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing
sound, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It houses the vocal folds and manipulates
pitch and volume.
Pharynx
Is the most important resonator for phonation by virtue of its position, size and degree of
adjustability. It is the first cavity of any size through which the product of the vocal folds passes. It is
the membrane‐lined cavity behind the nose and mouth, connecting them to the esophagus. Also
referred to as the throat.
Cricothyroid
Is a muscle which aids in phonation, tilting the thyroid forward to help tense the vocal cords. CT
dominant vocal production is associated with the act of singing in head voice, and is crucial in the
producing of serviceable tones near and above the second passaggi.
Pubic coxal bone
The hip bone is known as the coxal bone. Can refer to the pubic coxal basket, or the space to
the front and below the sacrum and coccyx, surrounded by the hip bones. It is important to know that
the pelvic floor muscles connect the coccyx to the pubic bone, which support the uterus, bladder, small
intestine, and rectum, but are also important in activation and release in relation to breath management
and resulting sound in the “P” technique (and other schools of Italianate singing).
Legato
Translated as “tied together” or meaning for musical notes to be performed “smoothly and
connected”, it is a type of articulation that teachers and students strive for, essential for both efficient
vocal production and marked artistry in classical singing.
Arytenoid
Pair of small three sided pyramid cartilages which form the dorsal (back) side of the larynx. They
anchor one end of the thyroarytenoid muscle, which when contracted draw the arytenoid cartilage
inward, which relax and shortens the vocal folds, which is crucial for vocal production of chest voice
(middle and low tessitura for men, for example).
Inhalation
Also known as inspiration, is the action of inhaling or breathing in. A necessary step prior to
phonation, though it is important to know that it is not always a conscious process; however it becomes
a conscious act when working on the art of singing.
Singer’s formant
A particular configuration of formats that creates a strong band of resonance between 2500 and
3200Hz. A formant refers to resonance peaks in the harmonic spectrum of a complex sound.
Formants in the sound of the human voice are particular important because they are essential
components of the intelligibility of speech – the distinguishability of vowel sounds can be
attributed to their first three formant frequencies.
Glottis
Is the opening between the vocal folds
Warming Up
A process of exercising the muscles involved in the phonation and inhalation prior to
performance ready or full‐voice practicing. I would be of the train of thought that warming up can
involve subvocalization, which includes both the act of thought and application directly prior to the
release of a tone. Warming up for a novice or beginning student of voice could include scales, phrases,
and arpeggiations where one seeks to tie musicianship to current vocal concepts being presented within
their teacher’s studio. Warming up as a pre‐professional or professional might include semi‐occluded
vocal tract exercises (straw phonation), or checking certain lines in full or voix mixte to see how “little”
effort may be required of a singer to approach lines with legato, resonance, and some level of artistry.
Partials
Referring to both the fundamental tone and the overtone frequencies – a desire in singing is
release the partials in a note (hindered by tension) prior to an interval leap so that the colors of the
voice match as well as a maintaining of vibrato and line. If the voice comes across as dull or flat, certain
schools of though may refer to the sound as “missing partials”, despite particular overtones being
present and contributing to a classical timbre.
Squillo
A technical term for the resonant sound of opera singers. Commonly referred to as “ring”,
“ping” or “singer’s formant”. Being able to attain squillo is what enables singers to be heard over thick
orchestrations like those of late Romantic composers like Verdi or Puccini.
Bel Canto
Lyrical, Italianate style of operatic singing which originated in the 17th and 18th century which
stresses ease, purity, and evenness of tone production paired with an agile and precise vocal technique.