This article will discuss why do opera singers sing like that.
Why do opera singers sing like that? There is a correlation between musical style and the way we sing.
Why do so many people feel that singing is difficult? Perhaps because that is not the reality of the situation.
There are three components to your voice, which are:
- Breath
- Symbolism
- Tone
We have learned that these are the most important components of any singer.
The breath controls the volume of the voice. Symbolism controls the emphasis of the voice.
Tone controls the timbre and quality of the voice. By controlling these, we can express and manipulate emotion.
Notice that the breath and symbolism come first in opera performances.
Most people sing from the throat in an attempt to control the breath. However, they are actually missing the mark by a long way.
Singing from the throat and using the breath is a two-part approach. It is best to control the breath first and then have the symbolism carry the vocal content.
The breath
The breath determines how your voice sounds. There are several ways to control the breath:
- Using a breath control technique
- Using a variety of breathing techniques
- Using dynamic techniques
Whilst you need breath control, the breath is not the be-all and end-all.
Although it can help achieve an open and beautiful sound, it does not make up for all the factors that influence the breath.
The breath can be relaxed and amplified, but it also has certain stress to it.
When we sing, we naturally enter into tension with our body, which can be very effective. However, if the body is tensed, then the breath tends to be stifled, causing vocal stress.
This can result in many issues, such as constipation, hair loss, eczema, low blood pressure, and mouth ulcers.
If you try and control your breath using throat control, you will only be concentrating on the wrong things.
By preventing the natural flow of air, you are not allowing it to move through your vocal tract. This limits your breath control technique and could cause you to make mistakes.
People who only use the breath do not realize the importance of it in the context of singing. Whilst their technique may be working well, they are missing the larger picture.
The symbols
Most singers have noticed that we employ symbolic gestures and hand movements.
This is an important part of our art and is only achieved when our audience sees our finger movements.
As the music progresses, we will be following the beat with the head, and if a pause is needed, we will raise the hand with the fingers closed.
It is only when the music has finished that the fingers are taken away.
Although these gestures are a common part of classical singing, it is important to note that not everyone believes it is right.
Often, we don’t even acknowledge them when we are singing.
That is until our audience expresses their discontent.
Many would even consider them to be “un-art,” although most classical singers do not necessarily share this view.
The hand movement is often seen as a sign of a novice, but it has many benefits.
It helps develop stability and strength, which is essential in performance, especially for the highest notes.
This prevents the voice from vibrating or straining and helps strengthen the muscles.
The hand movement has also been proven to aid concentration, as it helps block out extraneous noise. The fingertips are kept far away from the chest.
The lips
The lip is a part of the vocal tract.
Unlike the tongue, it is mainly non-muscular. It mainly controls the tone and stops the voice from becoming harsh or harsh sounding.
To help control the tone, we use the lip and the throat when singing the higher notes.
Unlike the finger, the tongue is very muscular and can vibrate. It vibrates at different frequencies and can make noises with a wide variety of pitches.
It is often seen to be the bane of singers but is incredibly important to developing the singer’s sound.
Many famous classical vocalists, such as Maria Callas, use this skill with great success, even going as far as to use it at the top of their voice.
The tongue will also help shape the sound, especially when singing at a higher octave.
The tongue must move in sync with the rest of the vocal tract, as otherwise it could get caught and result in an unusual sound.
When the vocal cords produce a sound, it takes them a couple of seconds to do so.
This is why they need to be tonally matched.
Without the aid of tone and vibration, the instrument could easily become trapped in the vocal tract, preventing it from vibrating as it should.
Therefore, it is essential to help the vocal cords vibrate using the tongue as an aid.
