Richard Fredricks, Voice Teacher in Los Angeles | Voice Lessons Los Angeles, Vocal Coach Los Angeles, Singing Lessons Los Angeles, Singing Lessons Los Angeles

November 2009

Absence of Excessive Tension

Whenever you have a task that requires lifting of something larger than a book, pushing against something, lifting weights, jumping out of the way of a car, getting out of a chair … or maybe even doing a flying dismount from a roping pony … which can task every muscle in your body (even the one in your head, if you should be unfortunate enough to land on it.). There are several ways to approach these tasks but, the common denominator is always found in the preparation … if you desire a predictable result. The jumping outta the way of the car is instinctive … as is the energy used in singing a leading role in a three hour opera by Verdi … but only after you have taken the time and effort to program the support, over a few years to train the mind and muscles to respond instantaneously, with full flexible support. I hasten to say that, over a number of years, I have taught people the technique to do exact that, in just a few weeks … but it takes time to balance the equation of all the elements involved, i.e. flexible breath-pressure supporting a tongue--the arch of which--knows exactly how high and how far forward it must be, to sing each of the pure vowels, palate high, etcetera … without rigidly tightening the support mechanism or the mouth/throat. I sing with a fully open throat with a flexible long mouth, top lip down and narrow … and the tongue does the rest, focusing the tone, assisting the high notes … (Go to my Audio/Video pages and watch me do exactly what I have just said. There is no difference between my Spring is Here on the Tonight Show and my aria from Manon, Live from Lincoln Center in terms of how much I use.) If you are of a mind to see the big stuff, go to my Rigoletto scenes and watch the duets to see how much singing this role, in a three thousand seat theater, over a sixty piece orchestra--no mikes--requires in the area of strength and endurance. And … while watching … remember that I “pop and rest” before every phrase, letting the air come in all by itself, for every phrase, which takes virtually no effort, while allowing me to purge the body of accumulated tension … which then allows me to make all of that noise and sing all them high notes. There is plenty of strong, flexible breath-pressure on demand … but also and Absence of Excessive Tension.

P. S. I used to work cows for my brother-in-law Dee Burgess, at his ranch in Utah … where I learned to rope and do a flying dismount, to tie the three legs of the calf. When I sang the comprimario role of Sonora in Fanciulla del West, with the Franco Corelli, at the San Francisco Opera, I came flying onstage, at the end of the third act, on one of the Wells Fargo palomino quarter horses … and did a flying dismount to sing, on cue, “Ola, ola …” The audience gasped and … that became the biggest talking point of the season. All of the other horses were walked-on with a handler … It was a gas … for all four performances in S. F. and four in L. A. They were still talking about it when I went up to the Bohemian Club, last year.

OCTOBER 09 - YOUR OTHER BEST FRIEND - YOUR MIRROR

SEPTEMBER 09 - EVERYONE CAN SING!

AUGUST 09 - LATENT HERNIAS AND OTHER SUPPORT PROBLEMS