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Keeping an open throat

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forgivendays

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I read the section on it and still can't get it. I can raise the uvula only while looking at a mirror. I can't see my throat while practicing so I don't know if I'm doing it right. When I try to do the yawn thing my larynx drops which shouldn't happen. How do I fix this and have an open throat all the time?

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I read the section on it and still can't get it. I can raise the uvula only while looking at a mirror. I can't see my throat while practicing so I don't know if I'm doing it right. When I try to do the yawn thing my larynx drops which shouldn't happen. How do I fix this and have an open throat all the time?

your larynx will drop a little on a yawn. what are you trying to accomplish?

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An open throat.

I need to know how to make sure it's open (uvula rising) while singing at all times. And when I try to open up my throat my larynx drops. I don't think it should drop because if most professional singers are singing with an open throat then why is their larynx not dropped?

Am I over thinking this?

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Anyone?

I've been reading Katrin Sadolin's book and it doesn't really go into detail on how to achieve an open throat. Just familiar feelings and sensations. Also when just doing sustain exhales or "sssss" without any notes, my throat burns a little bit afterwards so I really need to fix this problem. I'm pretty sure I'm using correct support.

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From my perspective, you may be overthinking. But what is important is what you are physically feeling. If you are singing with no undue strain and notes have the timbre and volume and pitch you want them to have, then continue with that.

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An open throat.

I need to know how to make sure it's open (uvula rising) while singing at all times. And when I try to open up my throat my larynx drops. I don't think it should drop because if most professional singers are singing with an open throat then why is their larynx not dropped?

Am I over thinking this?

Morid: While there is often an habitual relationship between a dropping larynx and a rising palate, they are independent motions. The high palate (which closes the velopharyngeal port (VP for short) at the top/back of the throat) can be learned independent of the larynx position. When desiring to learn the high palate, IMO, using the lowering of the larynx to accomplish it just complicates matters.

The palate rises reflexively, automatically shutting the VP, under many actions that can help you learn the feeling of the high palate, to the point that you can do it whenever you want to. Especially useful is the fact that the palate goes up and closes the VP automatically for a good number of consonants, both voiced and unvoiced. Here is a list of some that very often occur in English words:

unvoiced p, and voiced b

unvoiced th, and voiced th (as in thee)

unvoiced f, and voiced v

unvoiced s, and voiced z

unvoiced sh, and voiced je

unvoiced t, and voiced d

Also, any vowel performed with the lips almost completely shut, so that the cheeks bulge out a bit, will have a high soft palate.

Whenever any of these sounds is performed, the palate goes up and shuts the VP. For some of the sounds, the sustained voiced consonants V, Z, j, and th can be extended, and then changed slowly into vowel sounds. With this approach, the sensation of the high palate can be carried over into the sound of the following vowel. Once you get the principle, you will be able to create your own vocalizes to suit your needs.

The principle is to alternate the consonants that cause high palate with vowel sounds. Short consonants and long, voiced ones can be alternated at your discretion.

A simple one would be

pah, pay, pee, poh, poo

Vah, vay, vee, voh, voo

Zih, Zeh, Zah (as in at), Zoh, Zoo

dih, deh, day (as in at), Doh, doo

I am sure you get the idea.

Sentences can be easily constructed, and put on scale and arpeggio patterns to do the same thing.

For example sustaining the consonants you can say the following three sentences:

See the vision of the Zoo. (sung on a single note, to the scale do-re-mi-fa-sol, or any other melody you want)

Visit the southern states

dozens of people sieze the opportunity

Some words and sentences have nasal consonants in them. N, M and ng are the most commonly used in English. They can be combined carefully with consonants that have the high palate, so that the sensations of high and low palate can be put side-by-side, juxtaposed.

As an example of this, these nonsense-syllable patterns can be sung on any descending 5-note scale, can cause the palate to go up and down in alternation:

Ving-ay, Zing-ah, sing-oh, Shim-ee, thin-Zoo

Sing each two syllables (make-up word) on a note, slowly, and then the next on another note.

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