Singing voice therapy with professional singers
Accompanying professional singers in voice therapy is both a pleasure and a challenge. However, they usually only come under pressure when problems are already visible and audible.
Professional singers often only seek help when concerts have to be canceled or recording dates postponed and the existential pressure increases. However, pressure further detunes the body instrument that most directly influences the sound of singers. Above all, the control circuit of breathing - posture - laryngeal suspension becomes confused, incorrect and compensatory tensions are the rule, which can lead to vicious circles.
The voice of 24-year-old B., a student at a jazz school, repeatedly breaks away uncontrollably in the upper range, and the pitch is associated with great effort. The specialist diagnosis: hyperfunctional dysphonia, incipient nodule formation. B. has a clear idea of sound, she wants to have a soulful, full chest voice even in the high register. She tries to achieve this by pulling up the chest register and provides too little support. First, a vocal relief program is put together so that the voice can vibrate freely with little pressure. Then we work "classically" on developing the head register sound and B. discovers that this can also be very full and direct, but with less pressure. Now it's all about mixing the different timbres in the high register, as well as improving the support technique, a singing program and vocal hygiene measures. In the second half of the therapy, the exchange with B.'s singing teacher is lively and fruitful.
In the case of 51-year-old freelance opera singer M., many factors come together: Back problems after an accident, pre-existing asthma, major weight loss in a short space of time and the onset of hormonal changes. The voice suddenly breaks completely or detonates in the middle and higher registers, the vibrato sounds flabby, sustained notes are not possible, nor is legato or piano singing. Is the voice part adequate? The speaking voice is hardly affected. Some engagements are unsatisfactory, the pressure is great. Specialist diagnosis: functional dyspho-nia/dysodia. The therapy is as varied as the causes in M.'s case. In addition to consistent fitness training to rebuild postural muscles and physical therapy work, M. works with a singing teacher and with me. Initially, the aim is to find out why her voice is breaking. In some cases, the support and voice position have to be significantly adapted to the new physical conditions.
Once the basics are working reasonably reliably again, the decision about the focus of each lesson lies more and more with M. Is it about pelvic floor involvement, edge shifting, vocal approach in the high register, vowel equalization, specific examples from the upcoming literature? We listen to tapes of engagements and exchange ideas with the vocal coach and the specialist. In the beginning we see each other frequently, but over time the intervals between the sessions become longer and are more like supervision sessions.
With professional singers - as with amateurs at a different level - it is always about the same basis: adjusting the instrument. This means the interaction of the state of tension and the cooperation of the transverse structures pelvic floor - diaphragm - vocal folds - base of tongue - soft palate, i.e. the erection and the "inner posture". In addition, there is work on the "outer posture", the torso and breathing muscles as well as the head posture, which determines the suspension of the larynx. In addition, economizing the pressure balance at the vocal cord level and optimizing the sound space (the "embouchure tube") and articulation. Strengthening self-awareness and (re)building confidence in one's own competence in dealing with the voice are central towards the end of the joint journey.
