Voice Journal Spring 2017 Jan 31-Feb 6

Jan 31
Lesson--Abigail said it was a good one. After warming up, we worked on breath support and intonation.

On the bus on the way home, I noticed that when my back hurts, I hunch forward to ease the muscles, and then I cannot breathe from my diaphragm properly and my shoulders rise. I think that's probably what was happening during the lesson. Leaning against the wall gave my muscles some relief, since it was supporting my back. I've been having a LOT of trouble now that I go to school four long days a week instead of three short days, and my back is always tired and sore. I'll have to watch that.
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Feb 1
Warmed up on humming, 5 sliding to 1, did a couple octaves. Then did my sight-singing. Was surprised that I needed to be in D rather than G, but even though the low A was pretty gravelly growly, I just didn't have the range to sing higher than the D above middle C. Stayed in chest voice the whole time. When I was done, I sang up to the C above middle C in head voice, and then back down again to immediately start Candle on the Water. Sounded okay, was able to stay in chest voice. Sang on Pah, had a few intonation problems but managed to sustain the long Gs close to pitch, although not completely evenly. Got all the way through once and was so tight I had to stop. Meant to rehearse again after classes, but was so tired that I had to let it go and just be done for the day. Dang. Disappointed that I couldn't do more!
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Feb 2
Did my sight-singing after Aural Skills class, but was too exhausted to even attempt Candle on the Water.
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Feb 3
Utterly exhausted, just resting.
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Feb 4
One octave hum warm-up. Scale degree patterns for Aural Skills, singing in E flat today. Little Brown Jug verse by scale degrees, melody and bass line, E flat, F and C. Warmed up again, two octaves to get into head voice. Candle on the Water six times through, pah, words, da with basic chords--they sure are beautiful-and then words again.

Extremely tense, trying to get intonation right the second time through ( no rhythm).  Used the metronome at 120 (for eighth notes at 60) to get the rhythm even all other times through. Fourth time, played the chords to get the sound. Tried to sing without playing the melody but intonation and even pitch wobbled, so went back to playing melody with the chords as I sang. Fifth time through, gave up on intonation and went for melody with chord sounds. Sixth time the same, because I never want to lose the melody against unfamiliar chords in a performance again. Seventh time through lost voice on the first verse so quit.

Had to break frequently and massage forehead and neck. Still tense several minutes later; should have massaged jaw as well. I really carry my tension in my shoulders. They got tense first and are always tense anyway.

It was a good rehearsal. I worked hard and I did my best to also work smart.
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Feb 5
Wow. So tired today I can't even sing in chest voice! Guess I'll let it be. Can't handle piano practice either--my hands are shaky from exhaustion. Oy.
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Feb 6
Was able to do some piano practice and sight-singing at school. Gave out fairly quickly.

Warm-up but no song this evening. Was surprised to do fairly well on the warm-up, since it gave me quite a headache. I kept rubbing it out and it kept coming back. The more I tried to support from the bottom, the tighter my eyebrows got--but I sang in a clear voice and my throat didn't get as tight as it could have.