· ........................................................................ EXPLORING THE WHYS OF INTONATION PROBLEMS by Barbara M. Doscher HETHER IT BE SOLO cannot function cooperatively. The reader, the voice tires and intonation or group singing, cer­ downward tilt creates tension in the suffers. For the solo singer, the cure tainly one of the most neck muscles. Since the larynx is is simple: Do not sing until you common and at the same muscularly suspended in the throat, know the music well enough not to time most noticeable of any constriction in these muscles has tire your voice. all vocal defects is faulty an effect on the function of the vocal intonation. To the trained folds and can be heard in the sound. Young singers too often take a ear, the problem is Again, the most common intonation new song or role to the piano, immediately apparent. What is not result is flatting. (See "Heads Up!" in and, without any knowledge of so clear is the cause of the it, begin to use and problem. Most of us are all waste the voice in a too familiar with the preliminary [study] infamous adjudication sheets that could be equally on which the "I" word has well accomplished on a been repeated under several mechanical instrument. technical categories, They chop and hack at generally with the their voices, but not in admonition to use more any effort at vocal breath support. Alas, bad accomplishment, intonation is not such a merely for the purpose simple matter; there are a of memorizing. It is multitude of reasons why the only when the words problem occurs, some of and music are firmly them related to breathing engraved on my mind and some not. that I use my voice on them.! Easy-to-fix Causes For the choral conductor, First of all, let us consider the situation is more those factors which are easy complex because of the to regulate but sometimes individualistic nature of each overlooked. Is the rehearsal voice and even of the room or performance hall musical background of each too hot? If so, flatting often singer. Sectional rehearsals occurs. provide a partial solution. Is the music held too low? Even more helpful, of If so, the head and chin are course, is a choral group in forced down, and the extrinsic the June 1984 Choral Journal for which the participants come to laryngeal muscles (strap muscles) more detailed information on the rehearsal with the notes and rhythms strap muscles.) learned. A utopian situation? If the singer does not know the Perhaps, but certainly within the Doscher is Professor of Music and Chair realm of possibility for a small, select of the voice faculty at the University of music, his or her mental concept of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. She is the pitches is tentative; the collegiate group. The best of all also "author of The Functional Unity of the connection between the brain and possible worlds for either solo or Singing Voice, published by Scarecrow the vocal folds is therefore uncertain. choral singer is a keyboard Press. Unless the singer is an excellent sight background extensive enough to November 1991 Page 25 provide adequate sight reading skills. Even if one is singing with correct and half art. If anything is technique, fatigue sets in after an going to go, it's going to be Fatigue Factors hour of continuous singing, and those muscles in the throat, makes its presence known first in the because the singer has We all know from experience that respiratory muscles. After another 30 demanded more than nature fatigue can produce tension. There is minutes, fatigue may so reduce gave. 3 no single more important prep­ respiratory efficiency that tension aration for any athlete before a will move to the muscles of the neck The same warning is voiced by the "performance" than sufficient rest. and larynx. At this stage, whether it late Berton Coffin, one of America's Singers are athletes as well as artists, be a rehearsal for an opera or a premier voice teachers and the and rest for the singer involves more musical, or a choral rehearsal, the author of several books on the than sleep. As for any athlete who singer needs at least one day of vocal technique of singing. relies primarily on one set of rest. If performance follows the muscles, practice periods must be The wayward conductor will carefully monitored to attain not be able to return to the maximum technical development singer the voice which he has without the negative effects of taken, regardless of any price overtiring. Conductors and music Together with an uneven paid, nor can his singing theater directors with little or no vibrato, faulty intonation teacher, nor his throat doctor. understanding of vocal anatomy and Nor can the singer restore his the functional interdependence of the is the most unmistakable own voice if he has given it singing voice may require singers to indication that the vocal away.4 rehearse for long hours. Such demands are difficult for mature, instrument is out of What do such dire predictions experienced professional singers and balance. have to do with "tuning" the singing almost impossible for the young voice? Together with an uneven singer without incurring extreme vibrato, faulty intonation is the most vocal fatigue. (Any singer under 25 unmistakable indication that the years of age should be considered a vocal instrument is out of balance. It "young singer.") Choral conductors rehearsal almost immediately, seems only logical, then, to alter who promote all-day workshops or performance excitement may those conditions which may foster an two-hour rehearsals just prior to a generate a thrilling sound, but the unhealthy vocal climate, particularly performance are just as guilty of price may be too high for many of if they are products of rehearsal exploiting their singers. the singers. In a recent interview in practices. After all, the reasons for Opera News, Marilyn Horne spoke poor intonation that we have The practice of singing three or bluntly about these dangers. experienced thus far are relatively four hours a day will ruin the simple to correct compared with most robust organ; three half What one usually finds is that technical faults found in the hours a day at long intervals the voice has been overworked, instrument itself. ought to be the maximum of and basically the muscles of the study, and should give throat are what go. It's like any flexibility without risk of athletic thing. As rve said for Maturation Considerations fatigue. 2 years, singing is half athletic Before considering breathing and resonation difficulties affecting intonation, it is only evenhanded to admit that there are conditions for which there are no immediate solutions. A fully mature voice no Raise Funds Marketing Fresh Florida Citrus longer encounters these conditions, but the maturing voice does. Most Make over $6000.00 from a single sale. We're the voices under 30 years of age are still originator of fundraising citrus sales. Call or write today! maturing. 1-800-766-7633 If the voice is growing in size or changing tessitura, unsatisfactory intonation around c1 for males and ,,+,§MIX.)§M:rij;4:iDlj' GROVES) c2 for females is common. In both P.O. Box 1088 cases the lower passaggio area seems Vero Beach, FL 32961 to be most vulnerable to fluctuating intonation, either flatting or sharping, depending upon the vowels affected. Page 26 CHORAL JOURNAL Another common problem is a particular choral group capable of The simplest explanation for a temporary loss of control of pitch singing it needs a shorter than usual breathy tone, of course, is clavicular when a young singer is learning to rehearsal time. or upper chest breathing. Without "let go" or relinquish an overly­ exception, all who deal with the controlled or pressurized sound. A The Breathing Cause singing voice condemn this practice. change of breath flow coordinated The singer has almost no control with resonance tract shaping creates "To maintain a tonicity of all over air emission. The resulting tone a change in the overall muscular muscles, without rigidity, is an may be breathy, lacking in vitality, response. The balance of the entire absolute necessity." Thus spoke and under pitch, but it also may be instrument consequently is uncertain. Giovanni Battista Lamperti, one of small, tight, and vibratoless. The In both of the above cases, breath­ the great vocal pedagogues of the ends of phrases are almost always resonance coordination and change 19th century.5 The concept sounds flat because there is neither energy of tessitura and! or size, it is not easy simple, but as any serious athlete nor air left. to predict how long the imbalance will attest, it is difficult to Few singers other than absolute will linger before muscular mat­ beginners breath clavicularly. uration and a readjustment of Paradoxical as it may seem, breathing factors produces an even breathiness of tone and the faulty scale. Patience and understanding intonation which accompanies it is are needed, particularly since most Mmcular-skeletal balance not always caused by inadequate singers may not be aware of the is crucial to efficient me "support" by the abdominal muscles faulty intonation. It is a technical of expiration. (See "Breathing: The matter, not a case of poor hearing, of breath. It does no good Motor of the Singing Voice" in the and sometimes a lightening of the March 1987 Choral Journal for a tone and the addition of more top to inhale as much air as detailed description of the physiology mechanism (often called "head possible if exhalation is of breathing.) The opposite problem voice") will help the singer over this seems to be much more prevalent.