Vocal training and conditioning should always be age-appropriate, dependent on where the body is within progressive and constant changes. Singers in their “Senior Years” benefit from “mindful” concepts and strategies that efficiently coordinate support and vocal vibration. Semi-occlusion exercises cleverly offer resistance to air flow, and are particularly helpful. Singing VVV is an easy way to experience how semi-occlusion exercises encourage proper support muscle coordination and the positive consequences in vocal cord vibrations. To become familiar with the action of support muscles while sitting, lean forward and say a long VVV. Crescendo. You feel the engagement of the muscles in the lower abdomen where the body is bent. Repeat VVV. Crescendo and notice that you can feel muscles engage against the seat of the chair. Then sit up and dig your knuckles into your sides. Say VVV. Crescendo to feel oblique muscles engage. Lean back firmly against your chair. Say VVV, Crescendo to feel your back muscles engage. Now you are aware of muscles of support that contribute to moving air so our vocal cords vibrate. Next stand and sing exercises or vocal phrases on VVV for 30 seconds. Repeat it using a vowel or the text. You should notice an improvement in your singing. The body seems to remember just enough so that singing feels more resonant and vocally efficient. Such positive self-feedback via vocal sensations and action of the support muscles is something to revisit regularly.
(Make plans now to attend your 2016 ACDA Divisional Conference!)
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