Voice Lesson #21

Really great lesson, yesterday. Not only was there great information, as usual, and much learning, but we had some good laughs, too. I enjoy everything about my lessons, including the good clean fun, we often have. We did work on AH's, OH's, and OOH's...oh, and of course the EE's. I've been struggling with tongue position on all of these vowels, so we discussed that to some length. I learned a great deal yesterday, now it's just putting it into practice. We also started a new song, by John Jacob Niles. He wrote some really beautiful songs...simple, yet complex. I'm excited about working on this one and others, in the future. We're using his "Low Voice" book, to work on moving the breath and vowel shapes and tongue position, while I work on finding out about my TMJ. My teacher wants to aggravate it as little as possible. I found too, with some exercises that my problem is more moving the breath, rather than the vowels themselves, which is good. I am still though, struggling with a high larynx, which we've determined is most likely caused by tongue tension. And also my diction needs work. I need to learn to exaggerate my diction. Right now I struggle with it because it doesn't "feel" natural..but the goal is for it to become second nature..and it IS getting better, I just have a long way to go. Learning classical voice is like be a Christian and running my race for God. There will be victories and failures, but I will be running that race until I reach the finish line. And the race takes endurance, patience, and discipline...so does classical voice. I will get there, though..I just may not be at the head of the pack, and that's OK, because I am IN the race. As long as you're not in the race, you can never win. Praise Jesus for the races in this life!! Thank you, Lord! Go get in the race!!