What makes a great Mix?
• No discernable break or flip
• One pleasing, consistent voice throughout range
• Appears to sing naturally and effortlessly
• Cones, Rings and Blends without fading in/out
• Total command of voice
• Uses voice artistically to enhance the emotion of lyrical line
Voice Registers
• Chest Voice WOMEN: C-F
• Chest Voice MEN: F-C
• Mix Voice WOMEN: Middle F – D
• Mix Voice MEN: A-F
• Head Voice WOMEN: High D and Up!
• Pure Head/Falsetto MEN: A and Up!
Qualities of Chest Voice
Our Lowest Notes
Rumbles in Chest
Forward Direction
Lowered Palate
Tongue a Little Raised
Speech Like Singing
Powerful
Qualities of Head Voice• Our Highest Notes
• Sensation in Forehead
• Light, Pure, Hooty
• Lifted Palate
• Tongue Flat and Out of Throat
• “Julie Child” like Singing
Qualities of the Mix Voice
• Used by All Barbershop Voice Parts
• Qualities of Both Chest and Head Voice
• Palate Moves
• Tongue Raises and Lowers
• Sensations Move Around
• White and Black Paint Smeared Together
The Perfect Mix
James Bond Martini:
• 3 measures Gin
• 1 measure Vodka
• ½ measure Kina Lillet
• Shaken, not Stirred
• Lemon Garnish
Your Perfect Mix
• Are you Ascending or Descending?
• What is the Emotional Color of those Notes?
• Do I have to Cone on that Note?
• Identify What is Going to Have to Change in your Mix
• Create Sound that is Powerful AND Effortless
Descending Exercise
• GOAL: Mix Head Voice All the Way Down
• Start on a High Note on a Pure, Tiny, Whistle Shaped OO (head voice OO is owl)
• Slowly Slide Down
• As You Enter the Break, Release Pressure and Go Even Slower
• Keep in Head Voice Until the Lowest Notes Possible (chest voice OO is roadkill)
Ascending Exercise
• GOAL: Sing Everything in Chest Without “Breaking”
• Three Notes Up and Down
• As Slow as You Need to Go to Ensure NO Break in the Voice
• Continue Up for an Octave, then Back Down
The Perfect Mix
• A Great Mix Voice is a Balance of Head and Chest at All Times
• Likewise it is a Balance of Ring and Space at all Times
• It is Always Supported with Breath
As you Ascend…
• Your Palate Will Lift
• Your Tongue will Flatten
• Sensation of Notes will Follow Curve of Head Upwards
• Add more white paint as you ascend
As you Descend…
• Your Palate will Lower
• Your Tongue will Raise Slightly
• Tones go Forward and Far Away (imagine a staircase leading out and away from you)
• Becomes Smaller in the Mouth
• Almost No Sensation in the Mouth
• Add more black paint on descent, but never pitch black
Neither Head nor Chest
• The Key to a Well Mixed Voice is that You don’t Solely Stay in Head Voice or Chest Voice
• You Mix 99% of the Time
• You Choose Head or Chest Quality to Make Bigger Emotional Impact to Lyrics
• You Don’t Give in to Your Break.
• You Exercise it Daily and Work Through It
Youtube Videos for further
exploration of the Mix Voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T4oi7vF3cM
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