Back To Normal, Whatever That Is

I feel like the past few weeks have been unusual ones; we seemed to be on the road constantly.  I was getting nothing done.

Thank goodness that's over.  Well, until opera week. 

Anyway, I'm back to "normal".  I've been productive.  At this moment, I'm warming up my voice while typing.  Harder than you'd think. 

I have been writing a rather long story, and it's eating up my free time.  That's why no blog in a while.  Sorry. 

Public Speaking

This week was wonderful, and I will sit down and blog about the week as a whole.  For now, I wanted to write about something this week brought back.

My love for public speaking is second only to singing.  This week reminded me of my enthusiasm for communication.  There are many things I love about public speaking; it is an opportunity to perform, communicate, and react. 

I have taken two public speaking classes.  The first was a "Junior Toastmaster's", and was for high school students.  Being the over-acheiver 5th grader I was, I enrolled, more or less enthusiastic.

I made no friends.  It was embarrassing and awkward to be the youngest; no one talked to me, and I didn't branch out.  I regret this somewhat, but on the other hand, it gave me the opportunity to focus on my speaking and to be critical of the speaking, without letting personal friendships get in the way of my scrutiny.  I dropped out of that class a little later on, but only because the instruction was bad and I had already surpassed most of the high-schoolers.

I wrote all my speeches word-for-word.  I recently reread my first speech.  A little awkward, but well-organized.  If anything, this class got rid of any stage fright I had to begin with.  Which was not much.

The second class I took was a smaller, more rigorous and directed course.  It was taught by a college professor.  I loved it and thrived.  She talked about the aspects of communication, and taught me how to organize my speeches.  We spoke from notecards, not written-out speeches.  This is where my love of speaking started. 

Even after the class, I disliked impromptu speeches and preferred persuasive and informative.  Over time, I've grown to enjoy the thrill of impromptu.  I've used this skill many times, and have gotten good at it.  I still enjoy crafting and nit-picking, but impromptu speaking holds a special place in my heart.

Public speaking is performing.  It is acting.  It usually means being someone other than yourself.  I love it.

Music and public speaking are similar.  Both have to do with communication. 

Music has been called the universal language.  If you play the "Waldstein Sonata", you will play it the same anywhere in the world, and the same goes for any piece of music without words(disregarding any anti-Nazi/Wagner/ type stuff).  As a general rule, people will not be offended.  In a small sense, music is almost the universal culture. 

However, if you are promoting a product or presenting a report on a president, then your speech will change.  It must change according to the culture.  Communication is key; it is the goal of public speaking. 

You can also adapt to your audience on a smaller level.  A valuable skill of a public speaker is to gauge their audience's reaction and change their presentation accordingly.

Everything about public speaking appeals to me.  I am the first to agree to present something I believe in, and this skill has proved invaluable.  This week reminded me of this area of my life that I have let fall to the wayside.  I will be looking out for more opportunities to speak. 

Hunchtongue of Opera Wannabe and other Goings-On

Tishmeister informed me that my tongue/epiglottis problem is my 'hunchtongue of opera wannabe'.  Well said.

Today was my voice lesson.  We talked about the scoping.  Dr. SAL talked via phone to the lady who did the scoping.  She stressed to him my tongue issue.  We hadn't been pushed on this subject, but she made a big deal of it to Dr. SAL.  Mom asked if maybe it was because I was being scoped, or if it was a choir habit.  He said no, and that he couldn't believe that I was getting the sound and quality I was getting with such a debilitating habit.  Naturally, I was excited about the potential I had once getting it fixed.

He said he'd be up in my face this lesson, watching my tongue.  But it didn't last long.

My tongue did nothing abnormal during the lesson.  Nothing.  There went the hunchtongue of opera wannabe.  "You would be the weird one", said Dr. SAL.

He can't view the video for a week or two.  For now, I'm just plugging along.

We picked out the songs for my "big" vocal competition coming up.  A German, Italian, and English.  I like them all.

This Monday, I will be leaving for the state capitol for a leadership camp about government.  I can't wait!  The only downside is that my ACT should come on Monday.  THIS DRIVES ME NUTS.

And that, my dear blog readers, is the story of the hunctongue opera wannabe and other goings-on.

My Dorsal Fin

I had my scoping yesterday.  It went well.  It was Dr. Folds(my blog name for her) and two graduate students.  All very nice.

We started out with a bunch of questions, then went into this soundproof room with this ULTRA-COOL machine thing that recorded my voice and all of its range.  I was able to make my voice do the weird thing.  "Flutter", as she called it.

Then came the scoping.  I thought they were going to do it down my nose, but apparently, I was tough enough to have the thing stuck down my throat.  Dr. Folds touched my gag reflex a couple times, but I was OK.

The results?  It is very likely just a developmental thing.  I had a very little acid reflux, and have stopped eating and drinking everything good in the world  consuming things that will irritate it.  Also, my tongue base is too raised when I sing, which is flipping my epiglottis forward when it shouldn't.  Dr. SAL said he will be watching my tongue.

Oh yeah, and my vocal folds weren't particularly small.  Boo.

Mom has been calling it my dorsal fin.  Who knows where she came up with that?

Adele

I am an opera chick.  That's why I shocked myself by enjoying Adele's music.

Let's get one thing clear from the beginning.  This is NOT opera, and I cannot judge it as so.  She is not trying to use classical technique, nor should she.  I am talking about her music within the context of her style, not mine. 

Now, let's get to it.  I am not one for love songs unless it's opera or Big Band(I love Big Band).  What I do like about her lyrics is that it's not all hateful.  It's not like Taylor Swift's judging/dissing/going off on her guy type stuff.  "I wish nothing but the best for you" are Adele's words.  I think that's sweet.  I can't relate to a darn song, but I still think they're sweeter than most. 

From this point on, I will be hating on Christina Aguilera(one of the worst singers I've ever heard) and comparing her to Adele.

Same kind of style.  Belting.  Bringing chest resonance as far as one's cavities can stand and then switching to full on head voice. 

Difference # 1-  Adele is aware of her technique.  She is in touch with her voice and you can tell.  Aguilera, on the other hand, is inconsistent with how she uses her voice. 

Difference # 2-  Adele doesn't pretend that her head voice is worth a flip.  It's not, and she doesn't push it.  When she absolutely has to switch to head voice, it's soft and sweet.  Aguilera, on the other hand, does NOT know when to stop, and acts like her head voice is some kind of angelic thing.  More like our '96 Volvo spinning out.

Difference # 3-  Adele's pitch is pretty good.  Aguilera's makes me want to murder someone.  I thought I would strangle my dog before she was done with the national anthem.  It is so blantantly bad.

Difference # 4- Adele is not a slut. I appreciate this.

Difference # 5-  Adele understands the concept of saving the best for last.  Aguilera, on the other hand, never saves the good part for last.  For instance, the national anthem was so jazzed up that is made the whole thing sound bland.  Had she only funkified the last little bit, it would have made it sound much more impressive, rather than it sounding more like a Zimbabwe anthem than American.

Adele and Celtic Woman are the only non-classical groups/artists I listen to(besides my Big Band).  I rather like Adele, and hope she won't stoop to Aguilerianism.

Rolling in the deep.........

It's Complicated

Innocent Bystander: Who's your favorite singer?


Me: I have none; it's really hard to narrow it down.


Innocent Bystander: C'mon, just sum it up for me.


Me: I would rather hear Renee Fleming sing Puccini and Mozart arias, and I like her American music a lot, as well as her jazz and theater. Her German songs, particularly Strauss, rock. I love hearing Deborah Voigt sing Wagner. Natalie Dessay is always my favorite when it comes to anything and everything French, and her Mozart concert arias are unbelievable. Cecilia Bartoli and Joyce DiDonato tie for my favorite mezzo when it comes to just about everything. Placido Domingo is probably one of my two favorite tenors. I don't like his heavier repertoire as much, but it's still really good. Marcello Alvarez is my crush, and I love his voice as much as I do everything else about him. Bryn Terfel is also really cute, and has a gorgeous voice, especially for theater; he's my favorite bass-baritone.


Innocent Bystander: Oh, OK.

Speaking of which, did you see Joyce DiDonato win a GRAMMY??? First opera singer to ever perform there. She sung the final aria from "La Cerenentola". Remember, the opera I blogged about a few days ago? I didn't mention it, but that is one of my favorite mezzo arias. It's so glamorous. Watch her here:

Colouratura?

I like science, especially vocal-related science.  I've always wondered how long my vocal folds are, so I could wishfully(and perhaps misguidedly) attempt to categorize my voice type.  My vocal folds have been the source of some puzzlement and frustration, so I will get that opportunity.

Blogging has been a good stress reliever.  Singing is my other stress reliever, but when I'm stressed about singing, well, I need another outlet for a few days.

I'm not so much stressed as a little scared.  Here's the deal.  For the past six months, my voice has been weirding out on me.  Dr. Singalot calls it "kernoodling".  While holding the duration of a note, my voice will fade in and out really quickly.  It's not all the time, and it's been less lately, but it has persisted for a long time.  We put it off time and time again, but we're really going to have me scoped this time.

They shove a camera up my nose and down my thoat.  Cool.  Honestly, I'm excited to see how long my vocal folds(or, vocal cords, as more generally known) are- the smaller the folds, usually, the higher one can sing.  I bet they're pretty dang small.  Colouraturas have the highest tessitura(range), as a general rule. I doubt I'm one of them, but still, I do want to see how long the folds are.  There is little science in determining one's voice type, but I can dream.   Personally, I prefer full lyric soprano repertoire.

Ahem.  Back to the problem.

Before they would schedule me, I had to go to a ENT.  He couldn't see anything wrong, and said I was in "perfect health".  Whatever that means.  I do have a healthy voice.  I'm not scared about the procedure at all, just what we might find.  Perhaps it's acid reflux; maybe it's mutation chink.  We'll see. Dr. Singalot will be there to watch the video.  I'm scheduled for it on Wednesday.  I can't wait.  I am eager, just a little scared.

Maybe I'll turn out to be a colouratura.   

Concone

Within a couple weeks of starting voice lessons, Dr. Singalot  told us to buy a vocal exercise book, called "Concone".  It's thirty different exercises of increasing difficulty.  There's everything from scales to trills to just plain weird intervals.

I love concone. 

It is a challenge, and one that I see myself improve upon on a weekly basis.  The first one he ever gave me scared me to death.  At that point, I still had the issue of my vocal break, and this very slow, simple scale seemed like a mountain I'd never climb.  Now, it's more like an anthill.

I know that someday, I will look back on ones I find difficult now and laugh, but there is nothing like seeing yourself improve so quickly.  

I never said it was painless.

There have been days of frustration.  Plenty of them.  I thought I'd never be able to do a fast scale.  Tonight, though, I had very little problem with it.

Another thing Concone has fostered is my high notes.  Part of my high notes are due to my awareness of technique, but I owe a great deal of my high notes to Concone.  Within the past couple weeks, high notes(up to about a high C) have felt like they are in my normal range.  Before, they were strained and felt very different from my middle range.  Now, it's like I don't even realize I'm singing high.  It's an awesome feeling.

Singing is a physically rewarding process.  The open, relaxed feeling in my throat is more pleasurable than any other thing I could possibly be doing.  Sounds crazy, but it's true. 

More than anything, Concone has made me believe in myself.  Had Dr. Singalot babied me and not challenged me, I would not be encouraged(he who aims at nothing will always it it), but to be able to look back and see how far I've come is incredible.

I remember Renee Fleming writing in her book, "The Inner Voice", about how, as a daughter of two voice teachers, she understood the importance of note by note practice.  Building technique.  Tedious, perhaps(not my case), but necessary.  No one wakes up as Mimi at the Met singing a perfect high C.  No one.

I love Concone.

The Birth of the Billy Goat

My long-time readers(all three) will have noticed some changes to my blog, including the address.  I got a little bored with the same look and name.  I decided to rename it “Life as a Billy Goat”, as a take on my nickname.  My favorite nickname at that.  This blog post is the story of my nickname(and an explanation of why I’m always writing ‘Mehhhh’ on FaceBook).

My dear Tishmeister and I had just begun our journey of wasting each others time on a regular basis(Augustish), and I mentioned that I had begun to notice some vibrato in my singing.  Our family and vibrato have a complicated relationship.

My mother is picky about the singers she listens to.  She likes small-range, minimum vibrato.   I grew up w ith the mindset that vibrato is something to be feared.  Vibrato is what society considers opera singers different from “normal” singers.  This is not true, but still contains some truth.  Opera singers have vibrato.  It is natural.  Unfortunately, it can sometimes border on a “wobble”.  Wobbles are bad.  No one wants to listen to a wobble.  I have a deathly fear of wobbles.

So, here I am, barely 14 and hearing vibrato.  This vibrato actually turned out to be something else, but that is immaterial in this story.

I mention to Tishmeister this vibrato, and the fear of becoming a becoming a “billy goat” singer.  She apparently thought this was hilarious and a great blog nickname that she’d been looking for.  Thus, Billy Goat was born. 

I do have vibrato now, but it is healthy and natural.  I still love being called Billy Goat. 

Mehhhhh. 

Comic Operas

"The Barber of Seville" is one of the more well-known operas in the general public, like "La Boheme" or "Porgy and Bess"(technically an operetta, but it still counts).  "Barber" is a comic opera written by Rossini.  Its technical term is "opera buffo".  That was free. 

I thought maybe I was just being an uncultured snob at the time, but I did not like "Barber".  Not at all.  Recently, I added "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella) to the Netflix  queue.  It is also an opera buffo written  by Rossini.

The first time I watched it, I disliked it, but not terribly.  This was the night before the ACT, so obviously, I was too preoccupied to make an accurate judgement.  I watched it again, this time finding it amusing and fun to listen to.  The rapid-fire diction is insane.  The story is basically that of Cinderella, sans the godmotherfairypersonthing.  But it still lacked any depth.

The reason I love opera is its passion.  Its pure, unabated passion.  The characters pouring their hearts out through song.  I would rather cry than laugh with an opera.

I would listen to "La  Cenerentola" again, but it did not move me.  I love operas like "La Boheme", "Tosca", and "Aida"; the ones with heartbreak, death, lust, love, and patriotism.  Passion.  I have no objection to laughing(who wouldn't at least smile at Musetta's Waltz or Tosca's wild suspicions?) but I would rather be moved than entertained.

There lies the primary difference between buffo and non-buffo(technical, huh?) operas.  Passion.

Singers(most musicians, for that matter) are either crazy or passionate.  Why else would we spend hours to produce a sound?  Think about it.  We spend time making noise.  Noise that doesn't make substantial amount of money.   That we might even lose money on.  And yet, we keep on doing it, because we love it.  This love is undefinable, but is either craziness or passion.  Maye both.

I would watch another opera buffo, but I need my deeper Puccini and Verdi to really keep me going.

Addiction and the "In-Crowd"

Some of this, I have probably revealed in my previous blogs about the ACT.  Fret not.

Today, I took my fifth ACT.  I thought it went very well- I need a 30.  We shall see.  I like standardized tests.  I guess it's because it is cold,  hard numbers.  It's the one thing in my life that no one has an opinion in.  I think I aced the Reading and English(as usual, Grammar Nazi had no problems with it) and I think Math and Science went better than ever before.  ACT has become an addiction; it's something I almost(almost, not quite) look forward to.

Also, since the last time I blogged, I have joined another choir.  Dr.  SAL said that I was good  enough to join.  It's a local women's group.  Cool .  :)  Its blog name is the "In-Crowd".  Makes me smile.  I really, really enjoy it.  It's challenging me; especially the stuff with swing.  I sing like a white girl, and count like one too.

I also get to accompany one piece.  This is an awesome opportunity, considering I will one day probably make the majority of my money accompanying.  Singing makes little to no money- coaching, and accompanying, on the other hand, is significantly more stable. 

Anyway, I'm really liking accompanying.  Really liking it.  :)

And that is an update on my life.  :)

Shoes

I am not a shoe-freak.  In fact, I had two pairs of wearable shoes for wintertime.  Two.  Tennis-shoes and black dress shoes.  In the summer, I have a lot; my winter wardrobe is limited.

To be fair, I have several high heels that I could theoretically wear to church.  The only problem is that they were probably more in style in the 1980s than now. 

I've been wearing my black flats to church every week.  It does not bother me.  Nor does the fact that I wear the same shoes to the "big city"  for lessons and such every.  single.  week.

Mom must have gotten tired of it, because she went out and bought me three pairs of shoes.  One are the exact black pair I own and love(she was afraid I'd wear them out), one were some knock-off tom type things(which I dislike, and younger sister is probably getting), and some OH SO CUTE black and white flats.  She also bought me some nice sweater tops.  I tell you, that woman is good at shopping for me.

I now own more than two pair of shoes for winter.  I own four(so what if one is a duplicate).  Be proud. 

Give Me Some Horns

Yesterday, I looked in the mirror.  I thought my butt had gotten smaller, when I realized that my thighs had just gotten bigger.  Dang.

I'm currently 121.5  pounds.  This is down from a few days ago.  However, it is still six pounds heavier than at the beginning of December.  I want to get down to 115 again.  I did not grow two feet in December.

I don't usually announce to the world that I'm on a diet; mainly because "diet" in my estimation should be a lifestyle change.  Also, some people are made to be heavier.  I am not one of those people, but I would never want someone with a bigger frame to be hurt.

Yet, there's another part of me that just doesn't care anymore.  Oh dear, just get me some horns and I'll be looking like your stereotypical opera singer.

I'm a little afraid losing 6 pounds will do something to my singing.  My voice has been rather fabulous(for me, anyways) lately.  Dr. SAL once said something about how weight affects your support.  Maybe if I take it slowly enough, I can adjust.  I know six pounds doesn't seem like a lot, but it is.

I also wonder if that's why I've had more vibrato lately.  A woman in our church used to have this SUPER bad wobble.  Her vibrato jumped octaves, and probably cycled about one per second.  It's gotten better since she lost weight.  Not wonderful, but a little better, I think.

Sigh.  Just give me some horns.

I Am a Music Snob

Yes, my dear readers; it is true.  I am a music snob.

I have not always been this way.  Heck- when I was 10 years old, I listened to stuff that was "in".  High School Crap Musical type stuff.  It is true.  Nowadays, I feel that if I give my seal of approval to anything less than Netrebko, I am somehow marring my musical integrity. It makes it hard to enjoy anything.

When you are passionate about a particular activity, you become more sensitive to it in your every day life.  In my case, singing has become something I am constantly judging in the world around me.  While this makes "normal" people singing something to simply be endured, it makes true artistry a rare, but overwhelming treat.

This concept of sensitivity is why I like the occasional football game.  I know nothing about football.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Nothing.  For that reason, I am never critiquing the performance, and I never feel like I could do that.  I couldn't in a million years. There is nothing to remind me of my own weak areas(because they are all weak and I couldn't care less) and no way for me to see the players' weaknesses.

I am constantly playing the vocal coach for singers I hear in movies, sitcoms, and on the radio.  A few nights ago, I watched the new Disney movie, "Tangled".  I loved it; Disney music is still as wonderful as ever.  It is not classical, and the main character's singer used chest resonance as high as an A above middle C.  That being said, it was tasteful.  Her head resonance had a beautiful tone to it.  I also think that she adjusted her break so that she was not getting an awful Christina Aguilera type sound, but a rather even registers all the way.  I enjoyed it.  She had a nice vibrato, and also used her voice to portray her character. 

I got all this from one song. This is a much more generous and nice commentary than usual. Most people do not make these assessments.  I do; it is a part of me, and always will be. 

I am a music snob.