Types of Voice Training 2

The Relationship Between Voice Training, Singing Instruction and Advanced Vocal Training

These three concepts are closely related and interdependent, which is why they are sometimes confused in music education.

Voice training is a planned, structured process of interaction that develops the behaviours individuals need to use their voices in speech and singing in accordance with their anatomy and physiology. It follows predetermined principles and methods towards defined goals.

Voice training is used in every type and at every level of music education and includes speech training, singing instruction and advanced vocal training. Advanced vocal training aims to develop the ability to sing works written specifically for vocal study and operatic arias with artistry and technical mastery. Singing instruction develops the vocal and musical behaviours needed to sing songs of every type and level correctly, effectively and beautifully. Singing instruction is the foundation of advanced vocal training.

Singing instruction is mainly offered in institutions providing general or amateur music education, while advanced vocal training is generally taught in institutions specialising in professional music education.

In summary, these are specialised, interdisciplinary fields: voice training develops correct, effective and beautiful voice use in both speech and song; singing instruction applies the behaviours acquired through voice training to songs of every kind; and advanced vocal training develops singing beyond that level while building vocal strength and endurance.

Aims, Principles and Methods of Advanced Vocal Training

The overall aim of advanced vocal training, in keeping with the relevant sciences, is to enable individuals to use their voices correctly and effectively in speech and singing, in the way best suited to their anatomy and physiology. It also develops articulation and diction habits appropriate to the phonetic characteristics of the language they speak.

The principles of advanced vocal training are:

* Regulate subglottal pressure carefully through steady breathing.

* Voice use should remain consistent with natural voice production.

* Understand vocal registers well and use them appropriately.

* Do not force the voice beyond its anatomical capabilities.

* Articulation should follow the requirements of the language.

* Sing “as if speaking”.

* Meet the demands of the music.

* At every stage, from basic to advanced vocal training, practice should meet the professional requirements of education and teaching.

Vocal-training methods share basic elements, principles and aims, yet differ according to the language and musical characteristics of each country, giving rise to schools, approaches and styles. For example, the technique known as the Italian school is adapted differently in England and France to suit their languages and music, producing terms such as “English style” and “French school”.

According to the findings:

1. Recognised singing schools around the world share correct, advanced technique shaped by the sound structure of the language.

2. A language-appropriate method should be developed by establishing compatibility between its sound structure and vocal technique.

3. The sound structure of Turkish as spoken in Turkey was considered largely suitable for vocal training.

4. Despite this finding, other explanations, such as technical deficiencies, should be investigated for the loss of intelligibility when Turkish songs are sung in vocal training.

5. Turkish as spoken in Turkey was considered suitable for vocal training at various levels in terms of articulation and diction.

6. The Turkish alphabet was found to represent the sounds of Turkish to a very large extent and comprehensively.

7. There was a direct relationship between the rules for producing sounds in Turkish and those for producing the singing voice.

8. The focus of articulation did not change between speaking and singing; care and attention in both would preserve the intelligibility of the language.

In addition:

* People in positions that could serve as public role models in Turkey did not speak exemplary Turkish.

* Almost no sector of society gave language the care it required.

* Alongside the musical knowledge needed in practice, vocal teachers and practitioners had insufficient knowledge of linguistics, vocal physiology and anatomy, and the scientific disciplines underpinning this training.

* Turkey’s level in training music and vocal educators lagged behind the level it had reached in science and technology.

* Language was neglected because correct voice use was generally treated as the main goal of vocal training.

* Vocal techniques adopted in Turkey without examining their compatibility with the language had created a problem that was only beginning to receive attention.

Not all findings concerning voice training, advanced vocal training and singing instruction are presented here, given the overall focus of this article.

The following recommendations were made on the basis of these findings:

1. To address problems in vocal training in Turkey, remember that it is interdisciplinary and connected with several sciences. Work collaboratively with a team of specialists from the relevant fields.

2. As in countries that successfully teach singing through methods suited to their own languages, the theory and practice of vocal training should be developed through scientifically grounded work.

3. Place greater emphasis on contemporary methods instead of the imitation-based approach traditionally used in vocal teaching.

4. Applied research already taking place in some major cities should be expanded as far as possible through experimental voice studies in voice laboratories, in collaboration with voice and speech specialists.

5. Vocal teachers and practitioners should first be informed and convinced of the need for this work.

6. Develop a vocal method suited to Turkish through teamwork among qualified specialists from the fields mentioned above.

7. To this end, align the phonetic characteristics of Turkish with advanced vocal methods to create a language-appropriate approach.

Zeynep Fuçucuoğlu
Rekor Sanat – Singing Teacher