Comments on: Dynamics for Singers 101: What do forte and piano REALLY mean to the voice? http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/ Lyric Mezzo-Soprano Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:48:57 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-213 Rachel Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:48:57 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-213 Thanks Theresa - Definitely the voice can be trained to sing at quiet and loud volumes, but if the singer *thinks* of these as soft & loud, the instrument is more likely to change to an inefficient production. The result is a change in dynamic, but the mental process has to be in terms of a change of dynamic energy. Because the voice is part of the automatic nervous system (the larynx is the last line of defense for foreign objects getting into the lungs), we don't have direct control over it. We can only make it do what we want through indirect (often mental) means. A good analogy is that we can't *tell* the pupils or our eyes to dilate, but we know what we have do to get them to do that. So, in singing we identify *what* we have to do (sing quietly or loudly) and the method through which we produce that result (thinking in terms of dynamic change rather than change in pressure through the vocal folds). Does this make sense? Thanks for your encouragement!! Happy Singing, Rachel Thanks Theresa – Definitely the voice can be trained to sing at quiet and loud volumes, but if the singer *thinks* of these as soft & loud, the instrument is more likely to change to an inefficient production. The result is a change in dynamic, but the mental process has to be in terms of a change of dynamic energy. Because the voice is part of the automatic nervous system (the larynx is the last line of defense for foreign objects getting into the lungs), we don’t have direct control over it. We can only make it do what we want through indirect (often mental) means. A good analogy is that we can’t *tell* the pupils or our eyes to dilate, but we know what we have do to get them to do that. So, in singing we identify *what* we have to do (sing quietly or loudly) and the method through which we produce that result (thinking in terms of dynamic change rather than change in pressure through the vocal folds). Does this make sense? Thanks for your encouragement!!
Happy Singing,
Rachel

]]> By: Free printable music worksheets http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Free printable music worksheets Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:36:04 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-212 Nice post, I think it is very hard to control the voice at the extremes, very soft and very loud. However, I think with the right practice with the right piece of music, the voice can be trained to sing at these difficult volumes. Good post! -Theresa Nice post, I think it is very hard to control the voice at the extremes, very soft and very loud. However, I think with the right practice with the right piece of music, the voice can be trained to sing at these difficult volumes. Good post!

-Theresa

]]> By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Rachel Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:29:25 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-125 Thanks Gretchen!! :-) Thanks Gretchen!! :-)

]]> By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Rachel Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:27:52 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-124 Ian & Robert - Thanks so much for your comments! This is something I've been thinking a lot about, and since I teach a large number of younger/beginning singers, I've developed language to talk about the voice in a way that's strongly pedagogically based, but is, hopefully, accessible to a wide audience. Spread the word! I'm also trying to post much more frequently - one of my New Year's Resolutions. So, more to come! Ian & Robert –
Thanks so much for your comments! This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about, and since I teach a large number of younger/beginning singers, I’ve developed language to talk about the voice in a way that’s strongly pedagogically based, but is, hopefully, accessible to a wide audience. Spread the word! I’m also trying to post much more frequently – one of my New Year’s Resolutions. So, more to come!

]]> By: Gretchen Saathoff http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Gretchen Saathoff Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:32:33 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-123 Excellent considerations, Rachel! Excellent considerations, Rachel!

]]> By: Tweets that mention Rachel Velarde, Lyric Mezzo-Soprano » Dynamics for Singers 101: What do forte and piano REALLY mean to the voice? -- Topsy.com http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Tweets that mention Rachel Velarde, Lyric Mezzo-Soprano » Dynamics for Singers 101: What do forte and piano REALLY mean to the voice? -- Topsy.com Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:10:11 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-122 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by chopin_slut, Rachel Day Velarde. Rachel Day Velarde said: Please comment on my new blog post: "Dynamics for Singers 101" http://bit.ly/90aa9P Thanks!! [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by chopin_slut, Rachel Day Velarde. Rachel Day Velarde said: Please comment on my new blog post: "Dynamics for Singers 101" http://bit.ly/90aa9P Thanks!! [...]

]]> By: robert phillips http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-121 robert phillips Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:08:28 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-121 Excellent! All musicians should read. Especially pianists. Understanding the dynamics and physiology of voice helps those of us who play percussion instruments. %%robert aka @chopin_slut Excellent! All musicians should read. Especially pianists. Understanding the dynamics and physiology of voice helps those of us who play percussion instruments.

%%robert aka @chopin_slut

]]> By: Ian http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/17/dynamics-for-singers-101-what-do-forte-and-piano-really-mean-to-the-voice/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Ian Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:27:45 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/?p=521#comment-120 Hi Rachel, I totally agree that if we focus on volume then the effect is overblowing or under-energization. I love some of your images to counter this tendency, especially the difference between a group conversation vs a private conversation. What is helpful to me is to contrast "dynamic" with its antonym "static". A voice can be static whether it's loud or soft. By focusing on the dynamic movement from loud to soft a singer can spend less time statically in any extreme. In this vein, the dynamic markings are just averages for a given section. After all, there is still some give and take even within a section called "forte". It has to remain dynamic and changing. Hi Rachel,

I totally agree that if we focus on volume then the effect is overblowing or under-energization. I love some of your images to counter this tendency, especially the difference between a group conversation vs a private conversation.

What is helpful to me is to contrast “dynamic” with its antonym “static”. A voice can be static whether it’s loud or soft. By focusing on the dynamic movement from loud to soft a singer can spend less time statically in any extreme.

In this vein, the dynamic markings are just averages for a given section. After all, there is still some give and take even within a section called “forte”. It has to remain dynamic and changing.

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