We always talk about a voice sound “thready” or “breathy.”  I had a break-through moment last night, while working in my soprano sectional, about a new image.  Carrie Taylor had already been talking to the choir about the space in the back of the throat, and creating the support before they use the breath to sing and that’s how you get the sound to spin.  So I called it a thread.

When you’re building a piece of thread, you want all the fibers to be tightly spun together, so you have a strong strand without any lump or thin spots, and with all the fibers tucked in snugly.  The breath is your carded, unspun wool, hanging out in your basket waiting to be added.  Your diaphragm and vocal folds are your hands, guiding and preparing the wool to go through the spinning wheel, which is why you need such open space in your throat and mouth — that is a big ol’ piece of wood!  When you’re not supporting your sound, and it comes out breathy, or “thready,” you’re starting to get a ton of loose fibers, and your string isn’t as useable.  It isn’t strong.

“That’s SUCH a good analogy!” I heard, from one the sopranos behind me.

Thank goodness!

With that in mind, we ran through the line again.  There was a marked difference in the quality of sound those girls produced, one even their peers could hear!  Every time I reminded them of the thread, thereafter, I could see them thinking about their bodies, how they were using their breath, and what it felt like that time their friend suddenly said, “That sounded SO much better.”

Day one of McNair music retreat down, 1.5 to go!