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Apr 3 07 1:05 PM

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Hi everyone. I purchased SS about a year ago, but have recently started doing the exercises diligently. I've been doing them every day for the last couple of months and have since noticed a huge difference in my voice. Due to bad singing habits my voice had been shot for the last 3 years, and am so grateful to this program for the improvement I have seen.

I do have a few questions that I wish some of you could answer. I am learning about my mix voice and I feel like it is coming along very well, but there a some things that I'm a little confused about.

1. What is the difference between constriction and compression? I hear a lot of you talk about these two things, but am not sure how it's supposed to feel.

2. How do any of these two things relate to the digastric muscles or the outer muscles of the larynx?

3. Is it possible to overwork the vocal cords/folds? I assume that since there are muscles that shouldn't be active in the singing process and some that should, the muscles that should be active could feel sore from the workout. How would this feel?

These are questions I am asking because I feel like my voice is a bit tired and I do feel a little soreness in my throat, but not sore in the area under the chin (I haven't been tensing up in this area at all.) However, I do feel a little tense where the neck meets my body, right in the middle of the throat.

Could someone please clarify?

Thank you so much,
Melissa
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#1 [url]

Apr 3 07 1:49 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

1) Constriction is tightening the throat, larnyx, etc. It's not what you want (unless you're adding the minimal for the sound) generally speaking. It isn't exactly healthy either. Compression is just the force that holds the folds together. Overcompressing is using too much. Being properly adducted automatically compresses correctly.

2) If you use muscles that you shouldn't, you'll end up constricted. If you don't coordinate the ones you should use properly,then you'll be constricted. Compression, in the sense of NORMAL compression, is fine, nothing wrong with it. You need it.

3) Umm.... overwork? You mean like lifting weights and you do it too much? Well, if you work the folds, then they'll get tired, just like anything else. It's going to feel like you just ran a mile in four minutes and you're tired. Same thing.

-Joshie

____________


The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.

Angels are among us; when you find them, cherish their presence everyday.

Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. ~ anonymous

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#2 [url]

Apr 3 07 1:55 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

Okay, so compression is not actually something I need to try to do, it would just happen naturally if I am using the correct muscles, correct?

And yeah, that's exactly what I meant when you overwork your vocal cords. When you overwork physically, like weight lifting, your muscles would feel sore, i.e., when you start doing too much too quickly. I just wanted to know what the different was between feeling vocal fatigue or tension from too much constriction.

Does that make sense?

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#3 [url]

Apr 3 07 2:09 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

You got it.

And, as far as the difference, it's simple. Does it hurt? or is it just tired? That's the difference really.

-Joshie

____________


The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.

Angels are among us; when you find them, cherish their presence everyday.

Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. ~ anonymous

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#4 [url]

Apr 3 07 2:20 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

I have a quick question about adduction... this is actually the control of the air pressure, correct? Does this happen somewhere in the throat/larynx, or is it controlled by the muscles in your abs (the muscles Cuno describes as being in your love handles used to give support)?

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#5 [url]

Apr 3 07 2:26 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

If you're folds are apart, like for breathing normally, they are abducted. When they come together, they are adducted. That's all that is. You're referring to support.

-Joshie

____________


The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.

Angels are among us; when you find them, cherish their presence everyday.

Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. ~ anonymous

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#6 [url]

Apr 3 07 2:38 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

Got it!

Thank you so much for your quick response.

My throat isn't actually hurting right now, it does feel really tired though, so I guess it must be vocal fatigue. I'll have to take a break for a while to give it rest.

Maybe when I get my mic working, I can post a clip and you can let me know if I'm doing everything correctly.

Thanks again for all your help.

Melissa

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#7 [url]

Apr 3 07 2:43 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

Adduction and compression are more or less the same. Compression happens when your cords adduct, or come together. Without adduction, you can't have compression.

Josh is correct that you must draw a distinction between just being tired and actually doing something incorrectly. If it hurts, then you've done something wrong. If you're tired, then you're fine. However, DO NOT continue singing if the muscles get tired. Then you would experience what's called vocal overuse, and that causes the same kind of problems that singing with constriction causes. When you feel in your body that you've had enough, stop and take a break. Don't force yourself to keep going.

Adduction happens in your larynx. You DO partially control the air pressure by your support, and partially by your adduction. The two have to coordinate together for fine-tuned control. You can have good support but bad adduction, and you would not have control over the air pressure; you could have good adduction and bad support, and still not have control over the air pressure. You need BOTH. I will say that if you have good adduction, you stand a somewhat better chance of supporting correctly.

_____________________________________________________
We have eyes, but cannot see; ears, but cannot hear.

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#8 [url]

Apr 3 07 3:51 PM

Re: Constriction vs. Compression

Great! Thanks for your explanation, Cuno. I appreciate your comments. I will just give my voice a rest for a while and try again later.

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