Vocal Tuning Vocal Techniques 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'mixed voice' in singing?
- Alternating between two different songs simultaneously
- A blend of chest and head voice resonance used in the middle range (Correct answer)
- Singing entirely in falsetto with chest resonance added
- A technique used only by countertenors
Correct answer: A blend of chest and head voice resonance used in the middle range
Mixed voice blends characteristics of both chest and head registers, allowing singers to navigate the middle range with evenness and power.
Question 2: Which muscle is most directly responsible for lengthening the vocal folds to raise pitch?
- Thyroarytenoid muscle
- Cricothyroid muscle (Correct answer)
- Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle
- Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle
Correct answer: Cricothyroid muscle
The cricothyroid muscle tilts the thyroid cartilage forward, stretching and lengthening the vocal folds, which increases their vibration frequency and raises pitch.
Question 3: What does 'registration' mean in vocal pedagogy?
- Signing up for a vocal class
- The way the voice is categorized into distinct series of tones produced by different laryngeal configurations (Correct answer)
- Registering the pitch of a note with a tuner
- Listing one's vocal range on a resume
Correct answer: The way the voice is categorized into distinct series of tones produced by different laryngeal configurations
Vocal registration refers to the distinct series of pitches within each register (chest, mixed, head, falsetto) produced by different modes of vocal fold vibration.
Question 4: What is 'nasality' as a vocal problem?
- Excessive resonance in the chest cavity
- Too much sound traveling through the nasal cavity, creating a pinched, thin tone quality (Correct answer)
- Using too little airflow when singing high notes
- Singing with the mouth too widely open
Correct answer: Too much sound traveling through the nasal cavity, creating a pinched, thin tone quality
Nasality occurs when too much sound resonates in the nasal cavity due to an overly elevated soft palate or hypernasality, creating a thin, pinched tone.
Question 5: What vocal exercise is a 'lip trill' or 'lip bubble' primarily used for?
- Strengthening the jaw muscles for diction
- Releasing tension, coordinating breath and phonation, and warming up the voice gently (Correct answer)
- Training the falsetto register exclusively
- Building extreme chest voice power
Correct answer: Releasing tension, coordinating breath and phonation, and warming up the voice gently
Lip trills relax the face and jaw, encourage consistent airflow, coordinate breath with phonation, and reduce laryngeal tension during warm-up.
Question 6: What does 'intonation' refer to in singing?
- The emotional intention behind a sung phrase
- The accuracy of pitch — whether a singer is in tune with the intended notes (Correct answer)
- The speed of vibrato in a sustained note
- The articulation of consonants in rapid passages
Correct answer: The accuracy of pitch — whether a singer is in tune with the intended notes
Intonation refers to the precision of pitch accuracy in singing — whether the singer hits pitches flat, sharp, or perfectly in tune.
Question 7: What is 'sostenuto' as a vocal instruction?
- Sing very fast and with detached notes
- Sustain the notes smoothly and with full duration (Correct answer)
- Begin softly and gradually increase to full volume
- Use vibrato on every note
Correct answer: Sustain the notes smoothly and with full duration
Sostenuto instructs the singer to sustain notes for their full value with smooth, uninterrupted tone, similar to legato but emphasizing duration.
Vocal Tuning Vocal Techniques 4
What is 'mixed voice' in singing?