A series of notes on a scale that have similar qualities has been described as belonging to a particular register. The quality of notes in the lowest part of the range is typically different from those of the highest part, says steven f. Austin. Manuel Garcia ascribed the different qualities to a different mechanical action within the larynx itself.
A series of notes on a scale that have similar qualities has been described as belonging to a particular register. The quality of notes in the lowest part of the range is typically different from those of the highest part, says steven f. Austin. Manuel Garcia ascribed the different qualities to a different mechanical action within the larynx itself.
A series of notes on a scale that have similar qualities has been described as belonging to a particular register. The quality of notes in the lowest part of the range is typically different from those of the highest part, says steven f. Austin. Manuel Garcia ascribed the different qualities to a different mechanical action within the larynx itself.
Stephen F Austin pr o v e n a n c e (prv-nns) a. Place of ori- gin, source. [zLat. Pro yen ire, to originate.] It commonly has been appreciated by voice teachers and singers through- out the last several hundred years that the untrained voice exhibits several different qualities of sound when the entire extent of the pitch range is con- sidered. Historically, a series of adja- cent notes on a scale that have similar qualities has been described as belong- ing to a particular register. One finds no universal agreement upon how many different registers there are or what to call them, but if there is any consensus it is that the quality of notes in the lowest part of the range is typ- ically different from those of the high- est part of the range, at least in the voice of a beginner. Manuel Garcia ascribed the different qualities to a different mechanical action within the larynx itself. By the word register we understand a series of consecutive and homogeneous Journal of Singing, November/December 2004 Volume 61, No. 2, pp. 199-203 Copyright 2004 National Association of Teachers of Singing tones going from low to high, produced by the development of the same mechan- ical principle, and whose nature differs essentially from another series of tones equally consecutive and homogenous pro- duced by another mechanical principle. All the tones belonging to the same reg- ister are consequently of the same nature, whatever may he the modification of tim- bre or of force to which one subjects them.' Even this concise description has not been universally accepted, but it con- tinues to provide a basis for discus- sion and examination of this rather complex subject. Premier singers of any age have been noted for their ability to sing with an "even scale," that is, with a uniform timbre throughout the range. Composers of opera and art song expect a singer to be able to use the extremes of the singing range, and to do this, the singer must be able to access notes that span several regis- ters. Therefore, the distinct qualities of the registers must be joined into a two to three octave range that all sound similar. This process has been called register unification. METHODS OF REGISTER UNIFICATION Several register unification methods can be found in the literature. In the twentieth century, most of them involve some sort of vowel modifica- tion or vowel migration technique. This approach perhaps would be best exemplified by the work of Berton Coffin.' Dr. Coffin developed a com- prehensive system of vowel modifi- cations as a singer traversed his or her singing range. The procedure is based on the interaction of formants (a resonance of the vocal tract) and partials (sound energy originating at the larynx). The notion is that by tun- ing formants to partials one can unify the scale by providing the ideal acoustic environment in the vocal tract. Many other proponents of this approach could be named. Covering is another common reg- ister unification device, especially for the male voice. Vowel modification is a part of this method, but covering typically involves specific changes in the vocal tract at particular points in the range. A study by Dr. Ralph Apple- man described this process using acoustic analysis and x-ray. Results suggested that in making the transi- tion into the head voice, the larynx would lower and the vestibular space would increase. Results also suggested that the vocal folds would thicken as a part of the change of posture in the lower pharynx.' Many practitioners of this method have a particularly noticeable change of quality at the point of transition and many practice a specific pitch on the scale at which the tone must "go over." Covering does provide access to an extended range on the top, but sometimes with a noticeable "ahoogah" quality. Register building and coordination is a third procedure for unifying reg- isters. It is based upon the notion that the tonal quality associated with a register is the direct result of a par- ticular adjustment of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. This idea derives from the register definition developed by Garcia. Since each register is the result of a particular muscular adjust- ment, it should be possible to effect a change in the strength of a register and to coordinate the muscular activ- ity into a unified scale by directed exercise. Proponents of this concept NOVEMWR/DECEMBER 2004 199 Example 1. Garcia register breaking exercise. Stephen F. Austin posit that in most voices there is an imbalance of muscular strength and coordination within the intrinsic mus- cles of the larynx and that this is the cause of the lack of uniformity throughout the scale. The teaching of Cornelius Reid is a well known exam- ple of this approach today.' When the registers have been sufficiently strengthened they can be coordinated so there is no sudden shift of domi- nance from one to the other. The result is the even scale. THE BREAKING POINT A very curious register unification device is found in many nineteenth century sources, beginning with Garcia. This was the practice of begin- fling a tone in one register and with- out stopping the air flow, allowing the tone to "flip" into an adjacent regis- ter. Register "breaking" depends upon the fact that the ranges of adjacent registers overlap and a large number of pitches can be sung with one of several laryngeal adjustments, or reg- isters. In Garcia's method these were "first studies." Addressing the female voice, Garcia writes, When the chest voice has been well estab- lished (which should be done in a few days), the student must immediately work to blend that register with the next. Sometimes nature herself has undertaken that task, but voices thus favored are rare. This necessary study nearly always dis- heartens the student, but it is up to the teacher to direct capably and to take care of the voice which has been confided to him. One will practice by passing alter- nately from one register to the other on the tones 134 -17 4 without interruption and without aspirating in that passage between registers. This succession should take place on the same breath; it should be prac- ticed seldom and performed slowly, firmly bringing out the passage, then the speed and the number of repetitions can be increased. At one time the student should begin with the chest register tone, at another with that of the falsetto. One must not be afraid of accentuating the kind of hiccup which occurs in the passage from one register to the other; only continued practice can first alleviate it, then make it disappear.' This is advised for female and tenor voices. Garcia suggests that if the bari- tone and bass want to blend the two registers, then they should do it too, but a third lower (Example i). Charles Battaille shows the influ- ence of his teacher, Garcia, when he prescribed the alternation of registers as well. In practice this returns us to the neces- sity of studying in principle the passage from one register to the other; from F4 to G 4 for women and tenors, from E4 to F4 for baritones, because between these two points the muscular tension is moderated and the falsetto register has gained enough ring for it to be used with advantage. This brings us to the following exercise: the alternating and frequent repetition of the notes F4 in chest and G4 in falsetto for tenors and for women, E4 to F4 for bari- tones, producing these two sounds with the aid of a slow and regular expiration. Such movements allow the fascicles of the thryo-arytenoid to become accustomed to being stretched and relaxed with ease, speed, and dexterity.' Here we see the scientist at work. Battaille performed extensive obser- vations using the laryngoscope and posed theories that anticipated the work of Minoru Hirano and associ- ate William Vennard, who in the 197 0s described the role of the laryn- geal muscles in registration.' Another famous nineteenth cen- tury musician, basso Luigi LaBlache (17 94 -1858), described the same exer- cise in this way: The two registers of the male voice fre- quently afford unequal sounds, which would produce a very disagreeable effect, if the ability to unite them could not be attained by study. The highest tones of the chest are very strong, by the very effort which they require, while the first head- tones are very soft and often feeble. Hence it is necessary to apply one's self to strengthening the latter, and softening the former. As our organs permit us to produce the extreme sounds of one register in the next register, the best means of uniting the two kinds of sounds, is to begin by making a single sound pass from the chest-register to the head-register, and vice versa.' Carlo Bassini (1812-187 0) was one of America's most popular voice ped- agogues in the mid-nineteenth cen- tury. He recommended that after the chest and middle voices have been established they need to be united. The female voice may begin the task of joining the two registers by using first one and then the other on each of these notes: (C4 -G4 ).Take fresh breath on each sound, until the difference between the two reg- isters is perfectly well heard and under- stood; afterward, however, sing with the same breath the note twice over, first in the chest and then in the medium register but with great care to make as perceptible as possible the sort of hiccup between the 200 JOURNAL OF SINGING Provenance. ' - C1CMC. MCMCCMCMCILCM 0 Example 2. Bassini register breaking exercise. L,._ - -_-_---- I 1 _ 0 1 =_ =_;_==-==== Piano. ^ notes, that marks the passage between the two registers when fresh breath is not taken. . . Care must also be taken not to lessen the force or intensity of the chest note, in order to give the medium note all the strength of which it is capable. One of these registers is always the weaker of the two, and the greater strength lies gen- erally in the chest voice: in order to equal- ize the two, it would seem at first perhaps natural and proper to reduce the power of the stronger to a level with the weaker; but this is wrong; for experience has proved that such a proceeding would weaken the voice.' Bassini includes many exercises for both male and female voices utilizing register breaking for the unification of the registers (Example 2). I have included a number of exten- sive quotations here to make the point that this practice was broad and can not be attributed entirely to the influ- ence of Garcia alone. Many other eighteenth century pedagogues include register breaking in their books. In a fascinating dissertation on this topic, Lyle ' listed a large num- ber of pedagogues from the nine- teenth century who utilized this technique, including the renowned German baritone Julius Stockhau- sen," Heinrich Panofka,' 2 Auguste Panseron , H the American George Frederick Root,' 4 and the famous Australian Dame Nellie Melba.'5 It is difficult to find much twen- tieth century discussion concerning this practice. One notable exception is found in Richard Miller's Training Tenor Voices. In the late-teenage tenor voice, it some- times seems that all attempts to enter upper voice in vocepwna in testa (full legit- imate "head voice") are unrewarding. In such cases, the young tenor should begin with af lsetto tone on a pitch that lies a few semitones below the secondo passaggio, in the zona di passa1a.gio, and then pass from falsetto to legitimate voice on the same pitch. Miller goes on to say, Sometimes the falsetto/full exercises are equally useful above the secondo passag- gio (G4 for the lyric), and with some tenors may be extended with comfort up through Bb4 , B4 and even C5 (especially with lyric instruments). '7 Miller cautions that these exercises are not in any way meant to bring the quality of the falsetto into the full voice, but are onset exercises. He states emphatically that the benefit of begin- fling the tones in falsetto is to "avoid any tendency toward pressed mus- cular onsets" (Example 3 ) 15 CONCLUSION Register switching was a rather common practice for the unification of registers in the nineteenth century, and perhaps earlier. ' 9 From what is known about the physiology of vocal registers today, there is strong evi- dence that the register is defined by the state of contraction of the thy- roarytenoid muscle (TA), the muscle that makes up the body of the vocal fold. When a tenor begins a tone in falsetto the TA muscle is passive. When he then breaks into the head voice, or the voce corn pleta, the TA muscle is engaged, changing the shape of the vocal fold and therefore the quality of the tone. The pedagogical principle is that the TA will engage at a level that is appropriate for the pitch and intensity and will trans- form the falsetto into the legitimate head voice. This is an alternative to approaching the top always from below, where the tendency is to bring up excess activity of the lower mech- anism and delay or prevent the free- dom required to attain the operatic head voice. In the female voice the pedagogical notion is that by switch- ing from chest to middle voice, the appropriate activity of the TA will carry over into the middle voice and eventually alleviate the hole in the middle voice. I have used this process with both male and female voices for a number of years. For women it can be very useful in helping them find and estab- lish their low mechanism. They begin in a very light, breathy mechanism (I call it falsetto) on /a/ at E4 or F4 and then they drop a fifth below, letting it "break" into the chest voice. The low voice then can be strengthened and appropriately integrated into the rest of the instrument. This process has been helpful for a number of tenors whose range is too short due to excessive weight in the high voice. I have them sing descending intervals of a fifth or a third beginning at D4 . The initial tone is in falsetto. They then descend with a loud "hiccup" into the coordinated register on the pitch below. Transpose up by half steps so that the lower note is taken through the passaqgio area. If they NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2004 2 0 1 Stephen F. Austin keep the vowel quality stable, a trans- formation of the registration will occur with a little practice and nurturing. I also have them repeat a pitch (per- haps F4 to B4 ) three times, the first two in a strong, supported falsetto. The third time I tell them to sing it in "something that isn't falsetto," but feels a lot like it. I use the term mezzo faLso (from Anthony Frisell2 0 ) for this transitional quality. Given a little time and patience, the mezzo falso will be able to take on more weight from the low mechanism and bloom into the full operatic head voice. This also can be done without interruption of the tone as recommended by our nine- teenth century sources. The process of register breaking can be a bit disconcerting to the stu- dent at first, and might raise the eye- brows of folks walking by your studio door. But I would encourage you to go to some of the original sources iden- tified here and read a little more detail about how to do it, and then try it. This method is "tried and true," a technique with "provenance" for uni- fying registers and building a beau- tiful voice that is even from top to bottom. NOTES 1. Manuel Garcia II, Memoire on the Human Voice. Found in Donald V. Paschke, A Complete Treatise on the Art of Singin.g: Part One (New York: Da Capo Press, 1984), xli. 2 . Dr. Coffin's primary works in this area are Sounds ofSinging (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1987) and Overtones of Be! Canto (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1980 ). 3. Ralph Appleman, "Radiological find- ings in the Study of Vocal Registers," ed. John Large, Vocal Registers in Singing (The Hague: Moujton, 1973), 59-92 . Mr. Reid's singular contribution to this approach is presented in several important texts including: Be! Canto, The Free Voice (New York: Coleman Press, 1965), Psyche and Soma (New York: Joseph Patelson Music House, 1975), and An Essay on the Nature of Singing (Huntsville, TX: Recital Publi- cations, 1992 ). S. Manuel Garcia, Complete Treatise On the Art of Singing, Part 1, translated and edited by Donald Paschke (New York: Da Capo Press, 1984), 50 -51. Originally published as Nouveau Trait Sommairesurl Art du Chant (Genve: Minkoff diteur, 1847). 6. Charles Battaille, Physiology as Applied to the Study of the Vocal Mechanism, in Richard Joiner, tr. and ed., Pioneer in Vocal Science and the Teaching of Singing (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1998), 178. Originally pub- lished as Dc la physiologic applique a 1 'tude tic la mechanisme vocal (Paris: Victor Masson and Sons, 1863). Charles Battaille (182 2 -1872 ) was a leading bass in France, a physician, and voice researcher. Through the use of laryngeal elec- tromyography, Hirano and his asso- ciates suggested that it is the activity of the thyroarytenoid muscle that determines the vocal register. M. Hirano, W. Vennard, and J. Ohala, "Regulation of Register, Pitch and Intensity of Voice," Folio Phoniatrica 2 2 (1970 ): 1-2 0 . 8. Luigi LaBlache, LaBlache's Complete Method of Singing (Cincinnati: John Church Co., nd.), 6. 9. Carlo Bassini, Art of Singing (New York: C. H. Ditson, 1884), 11. 10 . John Christopher Lyle, "Register- switching as a Pedagogical Device for Register Unification of the Singing Voice: An Historical Analysis" (Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Oregon, 1995). Julius Stockhausen, A Method of Singing, tr. Sophie Lowe (London: Novello, 1884). Originally published as Julius Stockhausens Gesa ngs-meth- ode (Leipzig: Peters, 1884). 12 . Heinrich Panofka, The Art of Singing (New York: G. Schirmer, 190 0 ). 13. Auguste Panseron, Method of Vocali- zation for Soprano and Tenor (New York: G. Schirmer, 1898). 14. George Frederick Root, Introductory Lessons in Voice Culture and in the Principles of Execution (Philadelphia: Theodore Presser, 190 1). 15. Nellie Melba, The Melba Method (Melbourne: Chappell and Co. Ltd., 192 6). 16. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices (New York: Schirmer Books, 1993), 60 -61. 17. Ibid., 63. 18. Ibid. 19. Lyle makes a very interesting case that this practice was common in the nineteenth century among many teachers because it was common prac- tice in the eighteenth century as well. 2 0 . Anthony Frisell, The Tenor Voice (Boston: Bruce Humphries, 1964), Stephen F Austin, MM, PhD, is a singer, voice teacher, and a trained scientist. He received a masters degree in vocal perform- ance with the late Dr.John Large at the Uni- versity of North Texas, and a PhD in Voice Science at the University of Iowa with Dr. Ingo Titze. Dr. Austin's dissertation was titled "The Effect of Sub-glottal Resonance 1 r r r i false Itowice piena Example 3. Miller register breaking exercise. 202 JOURNAL OF SINGING M a r c h 1 , 2 0 0 5 O per a and r eci t al per f or m i I ndi v i du al m ent or i ng D i ct i on and v ocal i nt er pr et a' C ar eer dev el opm ent O per a and r eci t al coach i ng B ody m ov em ent and per f or A p p l i c a t i o n D e a d l i n e : V o c a l A r t s a n d O p e r a T h e a t e r S c h o o l Jo h a n n a M e i e r a n d d i s t i n gui s h e d In t e r n a t i o n a l fa c ul t y Jun e 1 2 2 5 , 2 0 0 5 Fo r t h e C ar eer -O r i ent ed O per a St u dent This program of study includes: Black Hills IS I.M M E R IN S T IT U T E p - Arts R e que s t a p p l i c a t i o n o r fur t h e r i n fo r m a t i o n : ( 60 5 ) 642 - 642 0 o r h o l l yd o wn i n g@bh s u. e d u B l ack H i l l s St at e U ni v er s i t y 1 2 0 0 U ni v er s i t y , U ni t 9 0 0 3 Spear f i s h , SD 5 7 7 8 3 -9 0 0 3 www.bhsu.edu/arb/ Pr o ve n a n c e \ 11),arwll / tie VcaI Iolth. Iiii and other researchis published in the Jour- nal of Voice. Dr. A ustin recent!jj joined the f aculty of the University of NorthTexas, where he is asso- ciate prof rssor of voice and voice pedagogy. He is associated withthe Texas Center f or Music and Medicine, a joint ef f ort between the college and the UNT HealthScience Center in Fort Worth. The center provides a unique opportunity f or collaboration among musicians, physicians, researchers, psychologists, educators, and biomedical engineers. Prior tohis UNT appointment he served as associate prof essor of voice and area coordinator f or the Vocal A rts Divi- sion at LSU. Dr. A ustin has presented recitals, lectures, and workshops across this country and in A ustralia and Europe. He is regularly f ra- tured on the f aculty of the A nnual Sympo- sium. Careof theProf essional Voicesponsored by The Voice Foundation. He has made pre- sentations tonational conventions of the National A ssociation of Teachers of Singing (NA TS), theA rnerican Speechand Hearing A ssociation (A SHA ), and the Music Teach- ers National A ssociation (MTNA ). He has been a f eatured guest lecturer at the sum- mer and mid-winter workshops sponsored b,yNA TS. Dr. A ustin has been a regular con- tributing author toAustralian Voice, the journal of the A ustralian National A ssoci- ation of Teachers of Singing, and he serves NA Thas the chair of the Voice Science A dvi- sory Committee and as a member of the edi- torial board f or the Journal of Singing. He alsoisa member of the Scientif ic A dvisory Committee of The Voice Foundation. Dr. A ustin is a successf ul studioteacher withstudents singing in the opera houses of Germany and the United States. 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Information: www cosa-academy. corn Email: InfoCosa@aol.com Susan Owen-Leinert, P.O.Box 917, Salisbury NC 28145 -917 NOVEMBER/1)ECEMBER 2004203