body awareness alignment breath mechanism

8/13/2019 Body Awareness Alignment Breath Mechanism

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Cantabileby Katherin RundusThe Structures and Movements of Breathingby Barbara Conable

Vark-Learn.com

Name:Major:What do you hope to learn in this class?"Singing is a skill-basedactivity that must be cultivated." -RundusHow do singers improve?"It is the patterns in a singer's nervous system that change. The patterns change

because the singer's images have changed. In a sense we are scientists using ourability to experiment with different sounds." -Joan WallDesirable DifficultiesThe more difficult the task, the more neural firing of our brains is required. Diggingdeeper for complicated tasks creates a stronger neural pathway each time it isactivated.

Interesting quotes:"Do not listen to yourself sing, feel yourself sing." - Lamperti"We teach our students to hear themselves.""We alert their ears." -Richard MillerThe four modes of learning:visualanalytical


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auralkinestheticBody awareness/alignment

disciplines:Alexander TechniqueFeldenkreis-Awareness through movementYogaBody MappingThese disciplines focus on not just what to train, but how to train it. Motor LearningLearning - defined as a long term change in behavior- the effects of practice Motor - relating to muscle activity and consequent body movements

The voice is a tripartite instrumentmotor source: breath mechanismvibratory source: laryngeal mechanismresonator system: vocal tract, articulatorsThese three parts have a symbiotic relationshipWhy should we work on alignment?Awareness and alignment exercises are designed to:*release tension in the peripheral muscles*engage the core musclesWe want to "sing on the bones" so that the muscles do not overworkWilliam Conable, who was an Alexander Teacher and professor at OSU.The body map is your mental representation of your body's size, structure, andfunction.

Kinesthesiais the sixth sense, the perception of your body in motion. Singers who learn how toperceive their bodies will clearly discern movement size, position, and quality. - MaryJean Allen


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Inclusive awareness is conscious, simultaneous organized awareness of your inner andouter experience. Inclusive awareness includes kinesthesia.- MaryJean AllenSix places of balance

Six places of balance*A-O Joint*Arm structure*Thorax in relationship to lumbar spine*Hip joints


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*Knee joints*Ankle joints


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A-O joint balanceAtlas - top cervical vertebrae meetsbottom portion of skull (occiput)Atlas supports head and distributes weight to rest of spine


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Arm structureTo balance arm structure, the rest of the body must be in balance. If the thorax is

not at balance in relationship to the lumbar spine, it will be impossible to balance thearms. - MaryJean Allen


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Thoracic balance in relation tolumbar spinebetween neck and diaphragm

Hip joint balance/pelvic arch* The pelvis is designed to distribute weight of upper body to the legs


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Knee joint balanceknee- point behind and slightly belowknee capAnkle joint balance

direct relationship between a/o joint

and ankle points


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Exercises for releasing tension and body alignmentmove head side to sidenod headmassage head, jaw,neck,facial musclesspine and ribcage stretchtap clavicleswalk backward


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marching/joggingbird perchwaddling/chair-leg crosslie on floor with knees bentimaginary circles with the feet, lift toes

kinesthetic boardactivity stonesexercise ball

The Breath MechanismBreath Cycle

INSPIRATION : Outside air - higher air pressure flows toward lower air pressure inlungs- the need for oxygen is sensed, diaphragm contractsSUSPENSIONONSET OF TONE -vibrating folds turns air into toneEXPIRATIONRECOVERY

We do not have direct control over internal intercostals (exhalation) or diaphragm Lungs: depend on musculatureExternal intercostal muscles: move ribcage outward

External intercostal muscles (inspiratory muscles)

strive to retain air in lungs and oppose action of expiratory muscles (abdominal

muscles)Muscle AntagonismThe Italian school of singing called it:"La Lotta Vocale" which means the"vocal contest" or "vocal struggle"The abdominal muscles have various duties:

rectus abdominus: lowers the ribcage for exhalation, some say it aids in posturetransverse muscles: wrap around the abdominals and extend back to spine, aiding incore support for torsorelaxing these muscles aids in helping the diaphragm fully descent


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Appoggio- from the verb appoggiare, which means to leanA dynamic equilibrium between the muscles of inhalation and exhalation. Also, it refers to the balance between breathing, phonation, and resonance.It is a system that balances the muscles in the thoracic cavity and neck muscles so

that no one part upsets the whole.

A dynamic equilibrium between the muscles of inhalation and exhalation. Also, it refers to the balance between breathing, phonation, and resonance.It is a system that balances the muscles in the thoracic cavity and neck muscles sothat no one part upsets the whole.Exercises for breath managementpanting - quiet and noisyhummingsaying uhumbreathing through nosetongue and lip trillsrolling r'sBody Mapping concepts for breathing:mapping the pharyngeal muscles as part of the digestive system

pharyngeal muscles should not be used or tightened or used, as in audible inhaling -caused by contriction in the pharyngeal space.

Think cool air in the front of the mouth-cool air in the back means that you are gasping or using swallowing muscleshalf of our air comes into the part of our lungs that lie alongside our spine we limit our breathing if we think of the lungs as being forward of the spine Image of breathing into the backWe always sense more movement where there is no bonemovement of ribs and spine is more subtlebreath mechanism is supported by the spine

spine lengthens and gathers on inhalation, we do not do this consciously

body awareness alignment breath mechanism

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