Vocal Tuning Vocal Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'legato' mean in vocal technique?
- Singing with distinct, separated notes
- A smooth, connected style of singing without breaks between notes (Correct answer)
- Rapid repetition of a single pitch
- Singing at a very fast tempo
Correct answer: A smooth, connected style of singing without breaks between notes
Legato means singing notes in a smooth, flowing, connected manner with minimal interruption of sound between pitches.
Question 2: What is 'vocal fry' register?
- The highest register of the voice, above falsetto
- The lowest register characterized by a creaky, crackling tone produced at very low frequency (Correct answer)
- A register used exclusively in operatic singing
- A warm resonance quality in the middle range
Correct answer: The lowest register characterized by a creaky, crackling tone produced at very low frequency
Vocal fry is the lowest vocal register, produced by loose, irregular vibration of the vocal folds, creating a creaky, popping sound.
Question 3: Which technique involves deliberately sliding through pitches between two notes?
- Staccato
- Vibrato
- Glissando (portamento) (Correct answer)
- Falsetto
Correct answer: Glissando (portamento)
A glissando or portamento is a continuous slide through all pitches between two notes, used expressively in many singing styles.
Question 4: What is 'appoggio' in classical singing technique?
- A type of ornament using rapid pitch alternation
- A support system balancing breath pressure against vocal fold resistance for sustained tone (Correct answer)
- A method of singing without any vibrato
- The act of softening a note at its end
Correct answer: A support system balancing breath pressure against vocal fold resistance for sustained tone
Appoggio is an Italian term for the balanced 'leaning' support where breath pressure and laryngeal resistance are in dynamic equilibrium, enabling sustained, even tone.
Question 5: What does 'diction' refer to in vocal performance?
- The speed at which a singer breathes
- The clarity and precision of consonants and vowels in text delivery (Correct answer)
- The dynamic range between loud and soft passages
- The singer's ability to hold long notes
Correct answer: The clarity and precision of consonants and vowels in text delivery
Diction in singing refers to the clarity of pronunciation, including the shaping of vowels and articulation of consonants so the text is understood.
Question 6: In vocal technique, what is 'subglottic pressure'?
- Air pressure above the vocal folds in the vocal tract
- Air pressure built up beneath the vocal folds that drives their vibration (Correct answer)
- The tension in the neck muscles during high notes
- The pressure felt in the sinuses while resonating
Correct answer: Air pressure built up beneath the vocal folds that drives their vibration
Subglottic pressure is the air pressure that builds below the closed vocal folds, which when released drives them to vibrate and produce sound.
Question 7: What is the function of the 'hard palate' in vocal resonance?
- It directly controls the pitch of the voice
- It acts as a reflective surface that helps project and shape tone toward the front of the mouth (Correct answer)
- It is the primary location of chest resonance
- It restricts airflow to create more pressure
Correct answer: It acts as a reflective surface that helps project and shape tone toward the front of the mouth
The hard palate acts as a bony reflective surface that helps direct and project resonating sound forward through the oral cavity.
Vocal Tuning Vocal Techniques 3
What does 'legato' mean in vocal technique?