The Bass Voice and Vocal Tract Setup

[benny82]

So I still have problems with the upper part of my full voice and recently I stumbled on this article:

http://www.voiceteacher.com/bass_voice.html

The section 'registration problems defined' pretty much exactly describes the problem I currently have, which is in the G4/A4-area.

So the article basically states that basses need an excessive amount of "narrowing" and "rounding" to overcome that area.

I tried to incorporate the tips he gives in the article but the problem for me seems to be that starting at about G#4 I can't get the "rounding", but I can get the "narrowing".

I I understand the article correctly, the "rounding" is basically done by increasing space in the pharynx and lifting the soft palate. However, at pretty much G4 I am already in a position where I have to give "maximum space" in the pharynx, using both, the horizontal increase (lifting the cheeks) and the vertical increase (dropping the jaw).

So on notes above that I can't "round" anymore (in full voice), seemingly because the size of my vocal tract just doesn't allow for it. The sound changes to something similar to the "witches cackle"-excercise that basically trains isolated compression.

I made a new version of Silent Lucidity (this time using medium mass as opposed to my recent light mass trial), and especially on the high note (A4) you can hear what I'm talking about.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/69231116/silent_test_xx.mp3

So is there something like an additional trick to get more space in the pharynx (besides jaw dropping and cheek lifting)?

[Felipe Carvalho]

From the start the placement is all weird, its no wonder its not working. Its nasal, sounds like Silent Lucidity covered by the Ramones .

Wont work, you are trying to lift too much. Build a lower, oral placement based on support, and THEN you lift.

[benny82]

From the start the placement is all weird, its no wonder its not working. Its nasal, sounds like Silent Lucidity covered by the Ramones .

Wont work, you are trying to lift too much. Build a lower, oral placement based on support, and THEN you lift.

I think I understand, so I am basically narrowing too much and therefore can't round that much?

[Felipe Carvalho]

benny its like this...

You have support, forward placement, and covering, it all reliefs stress.

If you hang to just one, it gets exagerated, and you will reach a limit of efficiency.

You need to combine them all, so that no one gets evident. If you work on the low section of the song first, and make it very defined and relaxed, I assure you that the rest will follow. But you must keep in mind that what you need there is vowel definition, oral placement, and comfort. If you get any but of stress in there, the higher section will suffer.

[benny82]

benny its like this...

You have support, forward placement, and covering, it all reliefs stress.

If you hang to just one, it gets exagerated, and you will reach a limit of efficiency.

You need to combine them all, so that no one gets evident. If you work on the low section of the song first, and make it very defined and relaxed, I assure you that the rest will follow. But you must keep in mind that what you need there is vowel definition, oral placement, and comfort. If you get any but of stress in there, the higher section will suffer.

Yes, still haven't found the sweet spot. My 'weird' placement most of the time have to do with exaggerating one concept ;)

[Felipe Carvalho]

Exactly, and because of that, the rest of the voice kinda gets in a comfortable relaxed setup based on that placement, which does relief some tension, instead of acting in ballance with just a small bit of it. So when you reach the limit where it can work like that, you simply have no "ground", no support. Or the voice collapses back.

I always say, one vowel, defined and ballanced, is worth much more than 5 octaves of unballanced phonation.

After you have ballance, then you can make some choices and be confident that your voice will not simply lock in a state, but rather shift towards it and immediately go back to its center.

BTW, heard something in this sample that I didnt before, you have a very cool distinct tonal quality, I dont care if its baritonal or whatever, but its nice. Your choice of working towards it is, in my opinion, dead on. The more natural you sound, the more killer it will be.

[benny82]

BTW, heard something in this sample that I didnt before, you have a very cool distinct tonal quality, I dont care if its baritonal or whatever, but its nice. Your choice of working towards it is, in my opinion, dead on. The more natural you sound, the more killer it will be.

Thanks. Yeah, that is another of my major problem, always having a big tendency to mimic other singers, instead of just letting my voice do what it does naturally.