Usos y medidas de gestión - Estudio paisajístico del valle del Río Ungría. Junio 2020

5 ZONIFICACIÓN

5.4 Usos y medidas de gestión

In SLS pedagogy, consonants are referred to in terms of interruption of airflow. Hard consonants greatly reduce or stop the airflow; softer consonants create less reduction of airflow, and aspirated consonants allow more airflow. In other words, consonants 1) stop airflow, 2) reduce airflow, or 3) allow more airflow.

CONSONANTS TOOL

Hard (most cord adduction and greatest interruption of airflow) G, B, D

Hard/Plosive (hard consonant, air explodes on hard palate or lips) K, T, P

[t"] = cheek [d# ] = judge

Phonated (sound continues during the consonant/ moderate interruption of airflow) N, M

[!] = sing [#] or [ñ] = onion

["] = thee Z, V [#] = rouge

Glide (less interruption of airflow) W, Y

Aspirate (no phonation/least airflow interruption/allows more airflow)

" = think, [" ] = she, S, F, [hw] (why), H

*Consonants are listed here from hardest (most cord adduction) to softest (least cord adduction)

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This chart indicates the correct IPA for both consonants and vowels.

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SCALES

Scales should be learned on the piano in every key. They are usually played in ascending or descending half-step increments from the chosen starting pitch. A reference sheet is given in Chapter 13; you may wish to copy it and keep it on your piano for reference. You will also want to copy the Toolbox, which has the SLS scales along with vowels and consonants for tool combinations.

The starting pitches given in the exercise examples are only approximate. Listen closely to your students for evidence of reaching for notes that are too high or low, and adapt the starting pitches to the needs of the individual. For example, basses will generally start exercises lower than tenors.

The starting pitch may vary based on the student’s age and level of achievement. Don’t force the student to start on a pitch that is so low or so high that he or she is “reaching” for the pitch.

The student’s Tends To’s and your objectives will also affect starting pitch. For example, if the student tends to pull chest and your objective is to trick them into finding release through the first bridge, you would start the scale on a pitch that will ensure that the highest note is above the first bridge. However, for students whose Tends To is no chest you may want start the scale lower in order to build and reinforce the areas the student is weakest in.

The Five-Tone [a] Scale is used to diagnose a student’s Tends To’s. The 5-Tone [ae] Scale builds strength in the chest voice. Octave Down scales are used to provide “connected release”

for students who tend to pull chest. The Long Scale is used to trick the student into releasing through the bridge, and to build connection between the registers. Octave Repeater Scales are used to increase comfort and skill and to build strength. The Broken Arpeggio Scale should only be used when the student is mixing (imperfectly) to build tone, flexibility and balance.

Starting pitches are also affected by whether your objective is to “trick” the student into experiencing a new coordination, or whether your objective is to “reinforce” and strengthen the new behavior. The same tool combination might be used for both objectives, but the starting pitch might vary based on your chosen objective.

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Teachers are not required to be highly trained pianists; however, they are expected to play every scale in all keys with enough facility to allow complete attention to be placed on the student. The instructor who struggles with playing the scales or who cannot successfully demonstrate the vocal exercises will not be effective. Consult a good piano teacher if you need help with the SLS scales. You are expected to be able to play the scales without looking at the keyboard and without errors, while focusing full attention on the student.

Teachers who cannot play well enough to place complete attention on the student while playing the scales in all keys will not pass Level 1 Certification.

Middle C on the piano is known as C4, the C one octave below that is C3, and the C one octave above is C5, etc.

“Students should practice at mezzo forte (medium loud) at the most.

However, you must never forget WHY you practice exercises; you do so to set up the correct balance between your exhaled air and your vocal cords, allowing you to sing at a speech level, and to then have your neuromuscular system live with that balance. You should only sing as loudly as you are able to maintain your balance with a steady, normal vibrato. The intensity or loudness of that tone will come once the muscular coordination to produce pitches freely is established.” – Seth Riggs

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Objective: Reveal student’s Tends To’s (used with the [a] vowel) Objective: Discover and strengthen chest voice (used with the [ae] vowel)

Starting pitch: Female G3- A3, Male C3- D3

Objective: Connect, release, strengthen, balance Starting pitch: Female G3-A3, Male C3

Objective: Vocal cord adduction, connect, balance Starting pitch: Female G3-A3, Male C3

The first measure is a spoken, edgy “mmm” with a rising inflection.

May be sung: All staccato; Gallop (as shown); or Triplets

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Objective: Connect, strengthen, balance

Starting pitch: Female C#4, Male F#3 if student’s Tends To is pulling chest.

For a student whose Tends To is no chest, start lower to build and reinforce where they are weak.

Objective: Connect, strengthen, balance

Starting pitch: Female C#4, Male F#3 if student’s Tends To is pulling chest

For a student whose Tends To is no chest, start lower to build and reinforce where they are weak.

Objective: Connect, strengthen, balance

Starting pitch: Female C#4, Male F#3 if student’s Tends To is pulling chest

For a student whose Tends To is no chest, start lower to build and reinforce where they are weak.

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Objective: Release and balance Starting pitch: Female C#5, Male F#4

Objective: Release, balance and strengthens Starting pitch: Female C#5, Male F#4

Objective: Connect, strengthen, balance, flexibility, tone building Starting pitch: Female C#4, Male G3 (tricking) or Female G3 (reinforcing)

This scale is used for students who are primarily mixing

Objective: Connect, strengthen, balance Starting pitch: Female D5, Male G4 This scale is used to strengthen the first bridge

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VOICE TOOLS

The final set of SLS Tools is comprised of Voice Tools. These tools include both the instructor’s voice, and tools such as the Lip Trill, Tongue Trill, etc., that do not fit into the three previous categories (Vowels, Consonants, and Scales), but are used to address student’s Tends To’s.

The instructor’s voice may be used to:

1. Describe (give information). Use this tool appropriately; remember it is more effective to give the student the experience of good vocal production.

2. Demonstrate (model good vocal production by example).

3. Direct (give an action command).

Since the instructor uses his or her voice to demonstrate, he or she therefore is expected to be consistently studying and practicing. Testing for level advancement will include an evaluation of the teacher’s vocal technique.

The vocal study requirements for certification purposes are a minimum only. Every instructor should be studying consistently with a Level 2 or higher SLS teacher in addition to the IMT lessons required to maintain certification.

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Additional Voice Tools include:

•

Lip Trill, Tongue Trill

•

Squeaky door, Edgy mmm

•

Pharyngeal Sounds

•

Imposed Larynx Sounds (Hooty, Woofy, Dumb, Scooby Doo)

•

^Cry

•

^Press

These are all considered to be temporary tools which assist in tricking the student into experiencing the desired result. These tools may be discontinued as soon as the desired result is achieved.

Lip Trill / Tongue Trill

The Lip Trill and Tongue Trill tools balance the airflow with exactly the right amount of resistance, creating the optimum condition to allow the singer to progress through the bridges of the voice with ease.

Students who perform the Lip Trill and Tongue Trill with little effort are unlikely to grip with the outer muscles. It is difficult to do Lip or Tongue Trills when there is muscular tension in the throat, or when the lips are too tense. When Lip and Tongue Trills are done correctly, the singer is using the appropriate amount of air and resistance. It is important that the student pushes the fingertips in toward the teeth and that the weight of the skin is picked up around the lips, so that the muscles remain relaxed. The “bubble”

sound should be loose and relaxed. The face, neck and lips should be very relaxed, and the vibrational speed of the lips should be slow.

This exercise teaches the student to relax while negotiating through the bridges and into the upper register and to maintain a connected tone from the bottom of the voice to the top of the voice. As the pitch ascends, the singer should feel a sense of the resonance transferring to the area behind the soft palate;

the sound in the lower notes will feel like it is going directly out of the mouth.

For a “triple resister”, close the lips over a Tongue Trill. The “UH” vowel in combination with these exercises will help to maintain a low, stable larynx.

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Friendly Compression Tools

Edgy mmm, Squeaky Door

These tools create “friendly compression” in the vocal cords, enabling them to moderately adduct without the necessity of vowel and consonant formation. The Edgy mmm is a more refined version of the squeaky door, with less of the “vocal fry” effect. This sound is effective when combined with the Cord Adduction exercises to encourage appropriate vocal cord adduction.

Not a traditional “hum”, which begins with an aspirated “H” sound, the SLS “Edgy mmm” tends to create an easy cord adduction and smooth transition through the bridges. The squeaky door requires slightly more cord compression than the Edgy mmm with slightly more “vocal fry”.

Put your index finger or your thumb under your chin and press it up into the mylohyoid muscle (underneath the chin) to become aware of any downward pressure from the tongue.

Temporary Pharyngeal Sounds

The pharyngeal sounds are unfinished sounds and are sometimes described as “nasty”, “bratty”, or

“witchy” extreme sounds. These sounds are discontinued when they are no longer necessary, as your student progresses toward a speech level production. They will thin out the vocal cords and help them stay adducted without muscular strain through the bridges, but they also raise the larynx, so the student should be moved toward “normal” or Speech Level vocal production as soon as possible. If the student begins to “fall out”, you can then return to the temporary exercise.

Examples: N[ae], N[ei] “bratty”, “witchy”

Temporary Imposed Larynx Sounds

These unfinished sounds are sometimes described as “hooty” or “dumb” exercises. They create a low and relaxed larynx by using the muscles below the larynx to pull it down, resulting in a sound which is somewhat imposed. This is a temporary measure and should be discontinued when the need to counteract a raised larynx is no longer present. Move the student toward Speech Level vocal production as soon as possible and only return to these exercises if he or she is not able to maintain cord closure and a low, stable larynx.

Examples: w[!]f, m[!]m, g[!]g, g[!]d, g[i], w[i] performed Hooty or Dumb (like Skooby-Doo)

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Cry

When using the cry (the feeling of crying into the sound) the body is engaged and the vocal cords approximate. This can also be compared to the “whimper” sound a puppy makes. The cry can be used with all sounds, including the temporary imposed larynx sounds to discourage outer-muscle activation. It can be used with the other sounds to encourage the vocal cords to adduct appropriately.

Press

Press refers to the ability of the vocal cords to resist air pressure from below. As the student advances, he will gain more ability to lean or press. This does not refer to pressing the abdomen or body – it refers only to the resisting capability of the vocal cords. The resisting capability of the cords depends on their horizontal closure ability over a vertical rising pressure of air while maintaining a consistent tone, pure vowel, correct pitch, even vibrato, ease of vocal production, and release through the bridges. Students will want to press in order to have a variety of dynamics, to demonstrate various vocal styles, and to create greater intensity. Generally, a student should have a good balance in the voice before attempting to press (sometimes called “lean”). However, a student who is too careful or hesitant and is not singing with enough energy to create stability will need to be more aggressive and press more in order to get the resistance required for stability. If the student begins to squeeze, stop the press and regain vocal balance before attempting it again.

* Rather than describing these sounds, the instructor should demonstrate using his own voice.

On the following page you will find the SLS Toolbox. Copy the toolbox to put on your piano.

Please limit scales to those included in the toolbox, and use vowel and consonant tool combinations logically based on the Tends To’s of the student.

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5-Tone [a] Diagnostic Evaluator: Reveals Tends To’s, bridges 5-Tone [ae]: Discovers and strengthens the chest

1.5 Octave Long Scale: Balances registration, encourages release and coordination through bridges.

Cord Adduction: Measure 1, spoken edgy “mmm” with rising inflection. Sung: All staccato; Gallop (as shown); or Triplets.

Creates appropriate vocal cord adduction

Octave Repeater: Builds strength in the mix

Octave Repeater with Sustain: Increases coordination and strength

Octave Up with Sustain and Vowel Change: Connects, strengthens, balances

Octave Down/Octave Down 3x: Releases and balances

Octave Down with Sustain: Releases, balances, strengthens

5-Tone Descending: Connects, strengthens, balances

Broken Arpeggio: Flexibility, registration balance and tone building

Vowels are narrowed in the bridge and in the approach to the bridge Hardest

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The Six Steps of Successful SLS Instruction have been designed to provide teachers with a plan for creating effective instruction, for reflecting on the efficacy of their instruction, and for adapting instruction as needed to meet students’ needs. The steps are followed sequentially and are repeated cyclically throughout the lesson.

Seth Riggs and teachers who have been teaching SLS for many years cycle through these steps instantaneously and automatically; many teachers with less experience may have the same general concept, but might, for example, tend to forget Step 2 - they often apply tool combinations without a clear objective in mind, or neglect Step 5, which involves an assessment of how well the tool combination has worked to remedy the Tends To of the student. Awareness of this logical thought process and reflection regarding how well the process is followed in the lesson will quickly increase the teacher’s skill levels.

You should make a copy of the Six Steps chart to keep on your piano for quick reference;

however, this information is meant primarily for use before the lesson (for planning) and after the lesson (for reflection). Your attention should be on the student during the lesson. Record lessons you have taught for later reflection to see how well you were able to follow the Six Steps.

Being cognizant of logical lesson flow as presented in the Six Steps to Successful SLS Instruction and then reflecting on the choices made during the lesson by reviewing a recorded lesson, will increase teacher focus and will result in greater student success. Self-assessment is a vital step to increasing the instructor’s skill level. In reviewing a recorded lesson, consider the following:

What logic did you use to make each choice? Would another choice have been a better one?

Why?

Reflection is essential to improvement – habits and less than effective methods can only be changed if the instructor becomes conscious of them. Look objectively at the lessons you are teaching and see if you can improve on the tool choices you are using.

In addition to The Six Steps of Successful SLS Instruction charts included here, you should use the logic charts included in this manual for greater improvement in your logical thinking and tool choices. To prepare for testing and to increase your skill level as a teacher, practice writing lesson plans (found in Chapter 13) using your favorite tools to address each of the four Tends To’s.

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When testing for level advancement, be prepared to discuss the student’s Tends To’s, the logic behind your tool choices, and your objectives with the examiner. The flow of a testing lesson, and of every lesson, should be determined by logic.

To prepare for level testing, copy the following charts and use them to design appropriate lesson plans.

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ADAPT

In document Estudio paisajístico del valle del Río Ungría. Junio 2020 (página 46-49)