diagnosing vocal faults

8/14/2019 Diagnosing Vocal Faults

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S

Diagnosing Vocal

FaultsChapter 1


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The Diagnostic Process

S From the moment you walk in, the doctor begins makingobservations such as:S Information from your handshakeS Your voiceS Your posture and overall appearanceS Etc.


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S Self description of symptoms


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S TestingS Temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, etc.S Areas where trouble appears frequently (eyes, ears, nose,

throat, chest, heart)


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1. Informal observation of the patient

2. Self-evaluation by the patient

3. Systematic testing by the doctor


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S Three questions about the patient:1. What are the symptoms ?2. What are the causes of these symptoms?3. What are the possible remedies ( cures )?


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Identifying Vocal Problems

S A voice teacher must be able to change the studentsvocal sound .

S Being able to change sounds implies that you know:S The nature of soundS

How musical instruments functionS The relation of the vocal instrument to the physical

processes that govern it


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S Know what good sounds areS Listen to recognized artists

S Vocal freedomS Tonal beauty

Many students do not know how they should sound


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S Tonal ideal based on the physical laws of sound and thetone quality of artist performers against which you canmeasure the sounds you are hearing


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Voice Science and Vocal Art, Part One: In searchof common ground

(article)

S Credits McKinney for showing a means of transmission of technical knowledge fromteacher to student

Helding, L. (2007). Voice science and vocal art, part one: In search of common ground. Journalof Singing - the Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, 64 (2), 141-150. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1403368?accountid=8459


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Vocal Mechanics(article)

S Examines Vocal Mechanics in more detail

Reed, C. L. (1997). Vocal mechanics. Journal of Singing -the Official Journal of the National Association of Teachersof Singing, 54 (1), 11-18. Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/1401688?accountid=8459


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S Communicate your analysis to your student in a way that he or

she will accept it and want to make the desired change.S To do this well you must have:

1. Comprehensive knowledge of the vocal mechanism and how itworks

2. Ability to express yourself in terms the student can understand3. Some of the skills of a master psychologist

S Tell a student that his tone is less than perfect without hurting hisfeelings to such an extent that inhibitory patterns are set up

S Positive termsS Be aware and respect personal feelings of each person


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Diagnosis in the TeachingStudio

S Every student taught differentlyS There are no magical formulas which solve all problems

S Systematic approach to diagnosing vocal faultsS Keep record of each student

S Problems encounteredS Corrective techniques attemptedS Results achievedS Literature assignedS MemorizationS Etc.


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1. Informal observation of the student

2. Self-evaluation by the student

3. Systematic analysis by the teacher


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1. Self-evaluation by the studentS What are your goals as a singer?S What do you hope to gain from studying with me?S What previous vocal training have you had?S Are you aware of any specific vocal problems that you

have?S What kind of songs do you most enjoy singing?


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1. Systematic analysis by the teacher

S Have your student sing while you make a systematic analysis of his voiceproduction and other pertinent factors.S Checklist can be helpful

S Can check:S VibratoS PhonationS IntonationS PostureS BreathingS SupportS ArticulationS Etc.


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S Systematic analysis by the teacher (cont.)S Bad sounds and incorrect pitches which are not heard on the

first hearing become increasingly less likely to be heard witheach subsequent hearing

S The longer you teach a student without correcting a particularvocal fault, the more inclined you are to accept it as an inborncharacteristic of that person and leave it uncorrected

After listening to the student sing, find something positive aboutthe performance to say before noting any vocal faults


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The Classification of VocalFaults

Ways to classify vocal faults

1. Relation to the essential properties or elements of amusical sound

S Faults related to pitchS Faults related to intensityS Faults related to durationS Faults related to timbreS Faults related to sonance


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2. Relation to the physical processes involved in thesinging act

S Faults related to respirationS Faults related to phonationS Faults related to resonationS Faults related to articulation


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3. Part of Vocal MechanismS Faults of the tongueS Faults of the jawS

Faults of the lipsS Faults of the soft palate


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4. Relation to Vocal TechniqueS Range extensionS RegistersS VibratoS FlexibilityS LegatoS Dynamics


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S Sub-categories of types of vocal faults:S Hypofunction

S Faults in which there is not enough activity of the mechanisminvolved

S HyperfunctionS

Faults in which there is too much activity or too much tension overuse


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A Plan of Action

Three questions about the student:1. What is wrong with the sound I am hearing? (recognize

s y m p t o m s ) 2. What is causing it to sound that way?

(determ ine c auses)

1. What am I going to do about it?(devise c ures)


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A Plan of ActionRecognizing Symptoms

S Audible CluesS Breathiness, Nasality, Vibrato, Intonation, Hoarseness, Volume levelS Elements of vocal technique such as flexibility, diction, legato, range, and

evenness of scaleS Tone quality and resonance

S Visible CluesS Postural rigidityS Collapsed chestS Tight jawS Furrowed browS Raised shouldersS Tilted headS White knucklesS Knees locked backS Shaking legsS

Heaving chest


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A Plan of Action

Determining Causes

S Knowledge of the vocal mechanism and the physics ofsoundS There are natural singers who are excellent singers who are

ignorant of how the voice works, but they are usually poorvoice teachers


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The Use of Empathy

Devise Cures

S EmpathyS Try to feel in your own vocal mechanism the actions that are taking

place in the student

S Applied knowledge and gained experience

S Accumulate as many cures as possible for each vocal fault.S Keep trying

S Be resourceful, be creative, adapt your techniques, consult otherteachers; keep searching until you find an answer.

diagnosing vocal faults

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