| Here's an interesting and important fact: The lips don't | | | | even a little bit, the vowel formation is limited back |
| initially form the vowels, the back of the mouth, tongue | | | | there. There must be room for the throat to shape |
| and vocal cords form the vowels. Try this; close your | | | | itself to form the vowels well. |
| mouth, leaving only enough opening to let the sound | | | | Ees. Ehs and oos cause problems because there has |
| come through. Now, sing or speak Ay -Ee- Ah- Oh- | | | | to be some closed-shaping at the top of the throat to |
| oo without using your lips at all. Try it a few times and | | | | form them. If the "throat-lips" are inhibited by a lazy |
| you will phonate all the vowels clearly (considering your | | | | throat opening, they create vowels which are pinched |
| mouth is muffling the sound) This is how ventriloquists | | | | and dull. (too closed) |
| work. | | | | It's important to understand that Oos are actually Ohs |
| Notice what is actually forming the shape of the | | | | with a little modification. They should feel much like |
| vowels, and you will discover that the work is being | | | | singing an Oh. To practice this, sing an Oh and slowly |
| done behind the lips and teeth. This doesn't mean that | | | | shape it into an Oo. Use your imagination as much as |
| the lips aren't part of the singing process , but that they | | | | physically trying to make this happen. The top of the |
| are often given too much credit. The lip-vowel | | | | throat shouldn't change much at all. You shouldn't feel it |
| formations clarify and define the vowels. but do not | | | | close as it shapes the vowel. |
| actually form the vowels. | | | | Also, we are taught early that an Oo is to be |
| Of course the lips are very important in making words | | | | phonated with a small pencil-shaped opening. This puts |
| understandable. Besides finishing the work started at | | | | too much flesh (lips) and boney things (teeth) in the |
| the back of the throat, they produce the consonants, | | | | way, muffling and dulling the sound. The lip formation |
| M, B, and P, and the front of the tongue makes the T, | | | | for an Oo should be more open (cigar size) Imagine |
| D and L. But, again, the primary formation of the | | | | the sound of the Oo bouncing off the front top of the |
| vowels is done at the back of the mouth, at the | | | | inside of the mouth. Imagine the sound of the Oo being |
| entrance to the throat. | | | | bright and energetic. Sing and Ee and slowly modify it |
| Since this all important function is being initiated at the | | | | into an Oo. Does the sound loose its brightness and |
| throat (picture a second set of "lips" at the back of | | | | energy? Keep trying this until it doesn't |
| your mouth, shaping themselves to make the vowels in | | | | Try speaking while you are yawning sometime. This is |
| much the same way the actual lips do), it is vital that | | | | the feeling you should go for when you sing. Just |
| the throat opening (the back of the tongue and the | | | | make sure that the feeling is comfortable and not |
| soft palate) be kept comfortably open (a yawny | | | | painful or stressful. |
| feeling) at all times when singing. If this area closes | | | | |