Mixology

1. Mixology Head Voice, Chest Voice and the Mix Nikki Blackmer, Faculty

2. 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

3. 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!

4. Qualities of Chest Voice Our Lowest Notes Rumbles in Chest Forward Direction Lowered Palate Tongue a Little Raised Speech Like Singing Powerful

5. Sensation of Low Notes

6. 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

7. Sensation of High Notes

8. 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

9. Sensation of All Notes

10. The Perfect Mix James Bond Martini: • 3 measures Gin • 1 measure Vodka • ½ measure Kina Lillet • Shaken, not Stirred • Lemon Garnish

11. 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

12. 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)

13. 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

14. 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 isAlwaysSupported with Breath

15. The Mix in Action

16. 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

17. 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

18. Visual Reminder

19. 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

20. Tags

21. Tags

22. Youtube Videos for further exploration of the Mix Voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T4oi7vF3cM