Onsets · Intermediate · Musical theatre, Pop and R&B, Every style
Breathy to pressed on "ee"
Elizabeth Gerbi's "spectral" exercise: the same small phrase sung very breathy, then a little less, then balanced, then pressed. Feeling the whole range of the onset is how you find the middle.
How to do it
- Rep 1: very breathy.
- Reps 2 and 3: less air each time.
- Rep 4 balanced, rep 5 a little pressed, then back to balanced.
Remember Find the whole range, then the middle.
| Numbers | 1 2 3 2 1 |
|---|---|
| Sargam | S R G R S |
| Solfa | do re mi re do |
| Notes | G A B A G |
| Sung on | ee – – – – |
Where it comes from
More onsets
Staccato triads on "ha"
Short notes on "ha" teach the breath to start each note.
Bip, bap, bah
Twice short, then once smooth on the same arpeggio.
Balanced onset on "oo"
A balanced onset is neither breathy (air before voice) nor glottal (voice before air).
H vowel ladder: hee hay hah hoh hoo
Each note starts on H, so the air moves first and the throat cannot clamp.