VOICE CLASSIFICATION

Procedure: (psychological technique based on speech) If a male teacher and a male student: Ask student to say his name without raising his voice. Approximate the pitch of the student's voice by repeating his name on the same pitch, or by humming. Match student's speaking pitch with same pitch on the piano. If a male teacher and a female student: Follow the same procedure as above. Match actual pitch of the singer's voice (female), which is actually an octave higher in his voice, with the piano.

If a female teacher and a male student: Match actual pitch of the singer's voice (male), which is actually an octave lower in her voice, with the piano. Matching student's actual pitch is helpful in determining pitch to match with the piano. Note: A scientific approach to voice classification by Raoul Husson, a French scientist, has recently been presented through the bulletin of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, May issue, 1957.

This approach is based on a measurement of the minimum time value required in thousandths of a second, to stimulate action of the recurrent laryngeal nerve by a con¬stant electrical current. The measurement is made by placing a cathode electrode in back of and below the ear on either side of the head. The cathode electrode completes an electrical circuit which stimulates the recurrent nerve through connective musculature. The circuit is connected with a chronaximeter, which measures the minimum necessary to stimulate the recurrent nerve.

According to the Husson theory, these time values (chron-axies) reveal the type of voice, the lowest voices requiring the longest minimum time values, ranging to the highest voices requiring the shortest. The Husson theory presents approximately 29 classifications of voices, compared to the acoustical approach which covers about 14. The scientific approach requires no hearing of either the speaking or singing voice, whereas the acoustical approach is based entirely on hearing.

Efforts have been made to classify voices according to the length of the vocal cords short cords for high voices and long cords for low voices; also according to body type the long angular type for low voices, and the short or rotund for high voices. These classifications have been thought to apply to both men and women. Husson does not believe that any such correlations exist. POSTURE Lesson Plan No. 2 Subject: Posture Standing or Sitting Explanation: Posture has been defined as the relative arrangement of the different parts of the body.w The generally accepted idea of a good standing or sitting posture a proper alignment of the different parts of the body - is that it is conducive to good singing. Good posture also should reflect physical well-being and mental alertness.

A proper alignment allows the midsection to expand between the breast bone and the waistline for deep breathing and controlled exhalation; gives the larynx freedom to maintain a flexible middle position for an unhindered emission of tone; permits the head to move without constricting the larynx; and allows the lips, tongue, and jaw to move (flexibly) in enunciation, articulation, and pronunciation.