inertance & SOVT exercises
ONSET
What is onset?
Onset is a term used to describe how we start our tone. Here are some examples of how we can lead into a sung note:
- The Aspirate Onset - Leading with air, as if you're starting with an “h” sound.
- The Coordinated or Balanced Onset - A clean and smooth start, as if your sound starts in the middle of a vowel.
- The Glottal or Hard Onset - A pressurized onset through closed vocal folds - like a cough, or grunt.
- The Scrape or Vocal Fry Onset - Creaky, relaxed fry leading into tone.
- The Growl Onset - Pressurized noise/growl leading into tone.
What is happening with our vocal folds on each onset?
Aspirate Onset:
On this onset, our vocal folds start out open and air passes through them before they start to vibrate. This creates an aspirated or "H" lead-in to our sung note.
Coordinated Onset:
With this onset, our vocal folds start to vibrate right as air hits them. No air slips through and all the air is turned to tone. Breath support keeps the sub-glottal pressure to a minimum, and we let out just enough air to get our vocal folds vibrating. This onset is used almost exclusively in classical technique.
Glottal Onset:
With this onset, our vocal folds are firmly closed as air hits them. Sub-glottal pressure builds beneath the closed folds until they are forced open and start vibrating. The pressurized beginning creates a crisp, hard onset. It can sound like a grunt. It is the same action we use to cough.
On this onset, our vocal folds start out open and air passes through them before they start to vibrate. This creates an aspirated or "H" lead-in to our sung note.
Coordinated Onset:
With this onset, our vocal folds start to vibrate right as air hits them. No air slips through and all the air is turned to tone. Breath support keeps the sub-glottal pressure to a minimum, and we let out just enough air to get our vocal folds vibrating. This onset is used almost exclusively in classical technique.
Glottal Onset:
With this onset, our vocal folds are firmly closed as air hits them. Sub-glottal pressure builds beneath the closed folds until they are forced open and start vibrating. The pressurized beginning creates a crisp, hard onset. It can sound like a grunt. It is the same action we use to cough.
ONSET EXERCISES
Oo (aspirate), Oo (glottal), Oo (balanced)
- Separate each vowel with a quick “fill-up” breath.
- Feel the difference in glottal closure and air pressure on each of the different onsets.
- Aspirate = Air passes through open vocal folds before tone begins.
- Glottal = Air pressure builds up under vocal folds and pushes through folds to start sound.
- Balanced - Air flow and vocal fold closure are coordinated so air is neither wasted nor over-pressurized.
- Separate each vowel with a quick “fill-up” breath.
- This is an onset exercise to sync up the connection of the breath with the vibration of the vocal cords. You will need to be more aware of starting the vibration of the vowel at the moment the breath starts moving. Use an imaginary [h] at the beginning of each vowel to start phonating with a healthy, precise, and balanced onset (not too glottal and not aspirate). Not letting your breath support collapse at the moment you release air is essential - stay expanded, feel your support system engage to balance the beginning of the pitch.
Loo - Sing up a minor third and down a major third on a focused [u] vowel: 1 b3 7 1
*Try without a "pilot" consonant - leading with just the vowel. Try on all vowels, starting with close vowels and moving to more open vowels. Try not to lose the focus of tone and clean onset as your vowels become more open.
- The tiny [u] vowel helps the vocal cords adduct which aids in an efficient use of air (preventing either undue subglottal pressure "hyperphonation" or an airy tone "hypophonation"), and focusing pitch.
- The “L” [l] helps prevent undue subglottal pressure.
- "G" [g] helps to create good vocal fold closure.
- Make sure the G feels gentle and you stay expanded in your lungs at the onset so you don't build up pressure under the vocal folds.
- If vibrato is present in your tone, try to vibrate evenly on each pitch (i.e. don't let the turn to straight tone).
*Try without a "pilot" consonant - leading with just the vowel. Try on all vowels, starting with close vowels and moving to more open vowels. Try not to lose the focus of tone and clean onset as your vowels become more open.
- Keep in mind an efficient use of air and precise, focused pitch.
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha - Sing up and down a triad on “Ha” 2x in one breath.
Staccato: 1353135313531
Staccato: 1353135313531
- Sing on one breath using a staccato (short) “Ha”.
- Make sure that every note of the triad is given equal emphasis.
- Pay attention to your breath support - keeping your diaphragm engaged and bouncy.
- ONSET: Try with a very aspirated, short “H”. This will force you to feel your breath support engaging and keep your throat open.
- Try to reduce the "H" and find a balanced onset, still using good breath support.
- RESONANCE: Pay attention to the mouth shape - get to a good "Ah" shape ASAP and maintain for the duration of the tone. Don't let the lips or tongue shuffle or mouth collapse as you sing.
- The air should feel like it lifts / moves higher in your mouth as you sing into your upper range. Your Ah shape will stretch vertically.
Ee ee ee, Eh eh eh, Ah ah ah (531, 531, 531)
- Separate each vowel with a quick “fill-up” breath.
- Keep this light from the moment of the balanced onset through the descending triplet.