by Michael Mayer | Jan 29, 2009 | Coup de Glotte, Perfect Attack
Perhaps the most important component of the whole singing act is the start of the vibration of the vocal folds. The vibration of the vocal folds (or cords or bands or lips) is the source or the sound we produce. It causes disruptions in the air pressure inside the...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 28, 2009 | Brownlee, Florez, Jussi, Villazon
I caught the Associated Press review in the local paper of Rolando Villazon’s return to the Met. I am sorry to say I am not surprised about his difficulties. I have only heard him on video and recordings but I have always thought he over-sang. The way he thrusts...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 21, 2009 | Metropolitan Opera Auditions
I attended the local regional round of the Met Opera National Council auditions on Saturday. My first observation was there was only one District winner from Minnesota. That is rare. Usually there are several from the Minnesota district because of the Twin Cities...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
It has been nearly a year since I posted on my blog. I am ending my hiatus and plan on getting back to regular posts. We had our first child in June, a daughter, and that has taken me away from doing much work. We now have regular child care so I can get back to work....
by Michael Mayer | Feb 11, 2008 | Uncategorized
People often wonder what is meant by the Swedish/Italian School that we talk about. First, when we speak of schools of singing we mean a school of thought. An approach to the training of the voice that is associated with the practices of a certain group. For the most...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 22, 2008 | breath
I have many people come to me either in person or over the Internet with some problem or other and tell me that their last teacher told them they needed to remedy the issue with more breath. This advice has tended to be the solution to every vocal problem for many...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 6, 2008 | Uncategorized
I would like to get your opinion and perhaps enroll in some vocal lessons. I do mostly rock and roll music (middle aged hobbyist guitar player) and would describe myself as being ‘almost’ able to sing. I can often produce vocals that are non-offensive, but...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 5, 2008 | High Notes, Range, Whistle Register
Hi, I’m studying classical singing in a conservatory of music for only less than 2 years and am a soprano (I’m not yet sure which type). When I vocalize, I usually go up to A and sometimes B below the high C. But the thing is, I can also reach the whistle...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 4, 2008 | Uncategorized
Dear Mr Michael Mayer I have just read your article on Emotions. (http://www.vocalwisdom.com/emotions.htm) I agree with most of it, especially the notion of total response and the necessary condition of joy & freedom. Splitting the Human in Body, Mind &...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 3, 2008 | Jaw, Posture
Hello Michael, In one of David Jones’ articles he mentions the importance of the lips and jaw curling backwards after the pronunciation of every consonant. This according to him helps the larynx to remain in its rightful place. How does one do this? I have just...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 2, 2008 | Allan Lindquest, Gillis Bratt, Swedish/Italian School, Weekly Wisdom
“The hook-up between technique and the singing personality is developed by inducing a spirit of buoyancy and an elevated, inspired mental attitude, even in voice-building exercises and scales. Attitudes such as prayer, praise, joy, and pleading are induced at...
by Michael Mayer | Jan 1, 2008 | Articles, Jussi, Natural Singing, Singing
A conference With Jussi Björling Internationally Distinguished Tenor. Leading Tenor of the Metropolitan Opera Secured expressly for The Etude by Myles Fellowes (October, 1940, Vol LVIII, No. 10, p. 655) Each year new groups of young people find that they have voices...
by Michael Mayer | Dec 30, 2007 | Articles, Posture
Posture Setting up the structure of our instrument By Michael J. Mayer In this installment of the Fundamentals of Singing series I would like to address the topic of posture. Not limiting this concept to just the posture of the body, we will apply it to each aspect of...
by Michael Mayer | Dec 12, 2007 | Articles, Coup de Glotte, Manuel Garcia, Perfect Attack, Phonation
This is the Appendix from the book A Guide to Good Singing and Speech by Julian Gardiner. It explains the meaning behind this often confused concept in the most complete manner that I have found. The book is out of print so I am copying it in its entirety. It should...
by Michael Mayer | Dec 8, 2007 | Free Production, Function, Louis Bachner, Weekly Wisdom
“The only way to overcome vocal difficulties is to free the production – the response in physical functioning of the singing instrument to the demand for tone. This free functioning of the singing instrument produces the free tone as an effect. We condition the living...
by Michael Mayer | Dec 1, 2007 | Articles
EmotionsThe Well from which Flows the Spring of SongIt is generally accepted that the Human Being consists of three parts, the Mind, Body, and Emotion. Often, Emotion is referred to as the spirit, soul, or heart. For the purpose of this article these terms will be...
by Michael Mayer | Nov 8, 2007 | Allan Lindquest, Lamperti, Weekly Wisdom
The famous Italian master, Lamperti, made a most interesting observation. He said, “Don’t sing until you’d die if you didn’t.” The development of this desire to sing for the sheer joy of singing is the primal motivating factor and should be encouraged by teacher and...
by Michael Mayer | Oct 10, 2007 | Articles
This publication was written by the great tenor Jussi Björling’s father, who taught Jussi and his brothers when they were children. Much of the pamphlet addresses the care and upbringing of children, which I have omitted. The rest is included verbatim. David Björling...
by Michael Mayer | Sep 30, 2007 | Articles
The Fundamentals of Singing –The Causes of the Effects We SeekByMichael J. MayerAs I observe the current state of singing, I notice that there is a lack of agreement among voice teachers regarding cause and effect in singing. Much of teaching is concerned with...
by Michael Mayer | Sep 20, 2007 | Allan Lindquest, High Notes, Mental-Physical Relation
Mike wrote: . . . my impression was that the problem was not basically physical but mental. I understood that and I think you’re right Mike. I call it “high anxiety”. ;-) I find that I have to distract my attention by “doing something” in...
by Michael Mayer | Sep 8, 2007 | breath, Jussi, Larynx, Phonation, Support
Michael, Thank you for your very interesting comments about phonation. I’ve never heard it discussed before. I studied voice for four years in my twenties, but neither of my teachers mentioned it. They concentrated on breath. Your judgment about Jussi’s...
by Michael Mayer | Aug 25, 2007 | Falsetto, Voice Teacher
I used to sing when I was younger (18 and under) and always thought I would pursue music. However after getting married I left it all behind. I had always been told that I have a very pleasant and soothing voice over the years. I missed music but lost interest in it...
by Michael Mayer | Aug 16, 2007 | Forcing, Mucous
Ok… I am an 18 year old professional stage actor who usually works in musicals. I am a great singer, but for some reason, my voice pretty much can only do a high song once a show. I can push it out once and then my throat will no longer hit the notes,making a...
by Michael Mayer | Aug 8, 2007 | Q&A, Range, Singing
Hi, I am 19 and I have been taking singing lessons for two years from 16 to 18 and then, sadly, had to stop. I have a range of three octaves and a bit going from Db below middle C to around top E. I can sing with a powerful tone and vibrato through most of my soprano...
by Michael Mayer | Jul 15, 2007 | Falsetto
I am a 23 yr old male singer, and I have found that over the past few years I have gradually lost the ability to sing in falsetto. I started having singing lessons when I was 18, and it was decided that my voice was in the baritone-tenor range. Even though singing...
by Michael Mayer | Jul 8, 2007 | Falsetto
I am a female chorus teacher and have a difficult time explaining to my male students how to sing falsetto. What is the best way to “explain” to them how to sing in falsetto? Thanks...
by Michael Mayer | Jun 10, 2007 | Vibrato
Hello, I am an aspiring singer and I was wondering about the vibrato. I know that you must have the proper training in order to develop it, but I was wondering why small children have it and I don’t? For instance, The Jackson Five’s lead singer, Michael...
by Michael Mayer | Jun 10, 2007 | Allan Lindquest
BASED UPON A PSYCHO-PHYSICAL MENTAL STATE OF CALMNESS, REPOSE, PATIENCE AND CONFIDENCE, AND MOTIVATED BY THE URGE TO SING, THE TRAINING OF THE VOICE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CORPORAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WHICH MUST BE TRAINED INTO CORRECT FORM AND FUNCTIONING GUIDED BY...
by Michael Mayer | Jun 9, 2007 | Legato
Dear Michael, I believe that you are providing an excellent service to singers. A choral director at my church is struggling with something she calls “scooping” and as one of her singers I’d like an explanation of what she means. Is there a more...
by Michael Mayer | Jun 8, 2007 | Fach, Support, Tension
Dear Mr. Mayer, I am a Vocal Performance Major, I’ve had a couple of teachers recently and each are different the first taught a mixture of techniques some from Lindquist and the second teacher basically focuses on no tension at all in the face , jaw, body etc....
