SLS TERMINOLOGY

This is the list of terminology that accompanies the Speech Level Singing Technique.

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Adam's Apple - common term for the thyroid cartilage; the part of the larnyx which protrudes from the front of the neck.

Break or Disconnect - any sudden change, interruption, or shift in tone usually from chest to falsetto, falsetto to chest, and sometimes from chest to head voice i.e. in yodeling, and some R&B styles. However, many breaks are accidental or are used to hide the singer's lack of ability to connect vocal registers.

Bridge or Passage Area - commonly referred to as the "break," this is the first place in your range where you start to blend registers. The common first bridges are:
      Bass: A/Bb/B3 (below middle C)
      Baritone: C#/D/D#4 (above middle C)
      Tenor/Alto: E/F/F#4 (above middle C)
      Mezzo Soprano: G/G#/A4
      Soprano: A/Bb/B4

Delineation - the approach to singing notes in a seperated manner withut singing staccato, especially in trills.

Epiglottis - the leaf-like cartilage that separates the functioning of your esophagus from the functioning of your trachea.

Larnyx - commonly known as the voice box; the organ at the top of the wind pipe or trachea.The vocal cords and their corresponding muscles are found inside the larnyx. The muscles used for swallowing are found outside the larnyx.

Licks, Trills, and Runs - scales or parts of scales sung dynamically.

Legato - long, smooth, connected notes.

Nasal/Head Cavity - resonating area in the upper half of your head.

Resonance - the amplification of sound in the cavities of the mouth and head. Since everyone is unique in their anatomical design, the resonance is unique as well.

Slides - singing from note to note stylistically, without any delineation; most common in blue and country music.

Soft Palate - the soft fleshy back part of the roof of your mouth. This can be felt by placing the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, which is the hard palate, and then roll your tongue backwards. This is your soft palate.

Staccato - short, disconnected notes.

Style - a personalized approach or mannerism to singing or ay other human activity.

Timbre - a person's particular coval colour or tone quality.

Timing - a particular approach to rhythmic singing.

Vibrato - a natural oscillation or pitch variant that is the result of the dynamic balancing of airflow and vocal cord approximation. Vibrato is not hereditary. It is simply a sign of a healthy voice.

Vocal Cords - two muscular folds located inside the larnyx. Like air escaping through a balloon while someone is pinching the opening, the vocal cords vibrate as air passes by them, creating sound.

Vocal Register - a grouping of adjacent notes made with the same coordination:
      Chest Voice - This voice resonates primarily in the chest. Marked by a rich, deep, brassy timbre, this is the register with which we normally speak. The vocal cords are vibrating across their entire length.
Example: <URL:stuff/Beyond%20-%20Anytime%20You%20Need%20a%20Friend.mp3>

      Head Voice - This voice resonates primarily in the head. It is the highest part of your natural range, sometimes producing a softer, hooty sound. The vocal cords zip up about 2/3 of their length, leaving 1/3 free to vibrate. They also thin out slightly, much like in the falsetto coordination. This is the voice we associate with opera and classical music. Imagine Aunt B (Andy Griffith) talking.

      Falsetto - This is the lightest of all vocal coordinations. It tends to be airy and lacks volume and depth of sound. This is the "fake" voice that you hear men, and some women, "flip" into. It's associated with a break, mostly. The vowels will NOT remain pure in a falsetto. Though the cords vibrate across their entire length, they thin and break slightly apart, leaking air.

      Vocal Fry - This uncommon register, is the sound used by basses to reach the lowest possible notes. The vocal cords slow WAAAAAAAAY down to where you can almost hear every single vibration. The vocal cords vibrate across their entire length. Some Country singers use this to get a sudden, and effective low note. Imagine Elmer Fudd talking.

      Whistle Register - Another uncommon register found primarily in the female voice, the vocal cords zip up almost their entire length leaving just a small opening free to vibrate. Be careful, it's an incredibly thin, and short, piece of the cord.

      Middle/Mixed Register - This is the emphasis of SLS. A blend of head and chest registers referred to in this tech as "The Mix." During singing, it sounds like a raised Chest, so it essentially makes the voice sound like ONE, HUGE, BREAKFREE voice. This is essential for connected Chest with Head to give the illusion of one voice, and allows for tone consistency. During, the "Mix," the cords shorten, like in Head and Whistle, but the compression goes deeper into the cords. The amount of cord, and thickness of cord, used can vary. This allows for a lot of tone colours.
Example: <URL:stuff/Beyond%20-%20The%20Prayer.mp3>


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Beyond Tenor's Music Page
*Beyond Tenor's Aural Page
*Beyond Tenor's Music Definitions
*Beyond Tenor's Vocal Page
**Vocal Techniques
***Vocal Tech: Classical
***Vocal Tech: SLS
****SLS Terms
***Vocal Tech: Constriction-Free
**Vocal Styles
**Vocal Fach
**Vocal Anatomy