Sticking your neck out (literally)

Posted byDeborah Wai KapohePosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cell phones are not Bel Canto friendly! Photo taken from osteopath.net.nz. Link below.

The attitude of the pupil, in singing, should be as natural and easy as possible.

Mathilde Marchesi, Bel Canto: A theoretical & practical vocal method. Dover Publications, Inc., New York.

The image above says it all.

Here are two audio examples to demonstrate the importance of the neck position for singing.

Example one demonstrates a note that is distorted by sticking my neck out. I begin the note in a noble posture. I then stick my neck out as if I am looking at my iPhone. I then resume the noble posture. I repeat this. Listen to the sound deteriorate. I change nothing except my neck position!

Sticking neck out (twice) to demonstrate the effect on the sound.

Example two demonstrates scales to a top C. As the scale went higher I adjusted my neck position to enable more length in the back of my neck. (I trained myself to lengthen my neck by grabbing my pigtail and pulling it upwards. Good luck with using this training method in today’s world).

Importance of neck position for high notes.
Oskar Guttman’s book is referred to by Lilli Lehmann in her book ‘How to Sing’. Guttman’s book is a fabulous 19th century manual for singers and actors on posture and breathing.

Here is a link to a previous post of mine for more information about this diagram above. I use Oskar Guttmann’s exercises every day for about six minutes before I vocalise. His 19th Century book is freely available on the internet. https://deborahwaikapohe.com/2020/03/22/oskar-guttmanns-breathing-exercises/

As an aside, here is a post from osteopath.net.nz to assist if the phone has got the better of your neck position. https://www.osteopath.net.nz/blog/text-neck-how-looking-down-at-your-mobile-phone-can-strain-your-neck/

Published by Deborah Wai Kapohe

I am a professional classical singer with strong crossover ability. I have been in the music business since my graduation from University in 1994. In addition to singing, I have been trained to a high level in classical guitar and brass. My guitar playing enables me to self accompany; I perform professionally as a self-accompanied singer. My brass playing facilitates my playing of Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori instruments). I have begun to focus on my YouTube channel now that my studio is full. I have called this channel 'The Complete Singer' because I am not only a singer, but also a teacher and singer-songwriter; I write songs professionally as well as for relaxation. I believe that old fashioned singing techniques, developed over hundreds of years in Italy, should form the foundation of good singing. I practice exercises daily from books written by Garcia, Marchesi and Melba. In addition to these exercises, I add modern singing exercises. Therefore, this forms the basis of my teaching.

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