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Acting in Plays, Singing/low notes
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Question
Hi, I am a low mezzo soprano female who sings classical and musical theater repertoire. A strength of mine is that I can sing pretty low (down to an f comfortably), which gives me an edge when auditioning for choirs. However I cannot pull off singing an f on a solo because I sound very masculine while singing it. I am used to hearing women sing low (and sound feminine and sultry) so I know that i am not simply thinking i sound masculine because the note is low.I am wondering if you could offer any insight as to what i am doing wrong.
Thank you for your time,
Anna
Hello, Anna –
Great question. Thank you.
If you are doing something “wrong”, then it is about underestimating the power and effect of your Low F on a paying audience and the local critics as they experience your vocal prowess in a professional situation. You need to get out more! The other element that is “wrong” – or rather, MISGUIDED – is your fear of the natural talents you have been given by labeling them as “masculine”. What are you afraid of?
All my contraltos sing to Bass C. They have to. That's what professional contraltos do. My incredibly strong mezzo-sopranos, and alto/belters sing to at least Low E-flat. None of them sound “masculine” – whatever that means. And none of them diminish their “femininity” – whatever that means – by opening up their body and exalting their particular Woman’s Voice.
No one will ever confuse the lower register and vocal timbre (the nature of the “sound”) of a powerful contralto or mezzo-soprano or even the lowest notes of a dramatic soprano such as Maria Callas with the sound of a man’s voice or – for lack of a better description – the force of male sexuality or social or spiritual energy.
You let your voice BE and BECOME. Don't listen to those who would have you become ANONYMOUS.
If your concerns are about balancing the strength of your upper register with that of your middle and lower register, then my best advice is to come work with me.
I am a professional singing teacher and vocal coach in San Francisco. When you want to book an appointment, contact me through Craig's List. This week’s connection is:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/lss/1459202161.html
I am also the Editor and Publisher of SanFranciscoSentinel.com. All my articles and interviews about the Performing Arts provide a link to my personal e-mail.
Download Carmen Milagro’s BlogTalkRadio and her recent interview with Seán Martinfield. It’s all about singing and the 2009/10 San Francisco Opera Season:
Women and Legends Who Really Rock, 9/11/2009
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STRAVINSKY’S SOLDIER’S TALE – At the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=48470
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Best regards,
Seán Martinfield
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Answers by Expert:
Sean Martinfield
Expertise
I am a professional vocal coach in San Francisco. In addition to answers from a previous web site (Askme.com - where my "tag" was "VocalCoach") I have published over 2000 responses related to vocal training - particularly as it relates to Musical Theatre and Opera. I have 24 years of experience as Personal Trainer to singers and actors in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sang professionally for 20 years and know what it means to live the life of a musician. I can determine your voice category, i.e., Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Alto Belter, etc., and how to broaden and strengthen your range. Need an audition song for a Broadway Musical? I will give you suggestions that are appropriate to your vocal category and to requirements specified in the audition notice. I have also created a vocal methodology, "The Belter`s Method". It will enable those in Musical Theatre to practice more efficiently because it focuses on the demands of professional performers as well as to those auditioning for school and community productions, and as University and Conservatory performing arts majors. If what you want is a better voice and more control over your career moves and choices, contact me. Also, as the Editor of SanFranciscoSentinel.com, it is my privilege to review productions at the San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, as well as Broadway National Tours booked into San Francisco's Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theatres. I also review works by A.C.T (the American Conservatory Theatre) and Magic Theatre. I cover select films, tributes and retrospects, and various international film festivals – particulary those booked into The City's opulent Castro Theatre – including the LGBT Frameline Festival, International Film Festival, Silent Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival, etc. For private vocal instruction, I can be contacted through SanFranciscoSentinel.com. Look under: Seán Martinfield, Sentinel Editor and Publisher.
Experience
As a vocal coach, I work primarily with singers and actors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. My students range from absolute beginners to working professionals, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The vast majority of my clients come to me through recommendation. I know how to identify any singer's vocal category, i.e., soprano, tenor, alto, baritone, etc. I know how to muscle-up every singer's vocal range and to expand it beyond conventional definitions. I have developed a vocal methodology for those who want to know how to belt, THE BELTER'S METHOD. As a singer who spent half of his career doing Bel Canto, I know that classical or Italian methodologies do not work in Standard American music. Bel Canto cannot be "adapted" to meet the needs of contemporary American music, including the demands of the Musical Theatre.
There are a number of major components to my work as a vocal coach. The first is to identify the client's vocal category and to strengthen and maximize the vocal range accordingly. Then it's about teaching a reliable vocal workout that will enable the client to gain better control of their musicianship. That includes scale work to expand the vocal range and to improve placement, breath control, and diction. Then we work on material for the audition portfolio, the immediate job or assignment, a recording session, etc. My task to is to better equip singers and actors who are hoping to or relying upon their performance skills and vocal endurance to maintain a career in the Performing Arts. My clients regularly appear in cabarets and musical productions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some have worked in New York and gone on National Tours. For more information, Contact me at: Broadwaybelters@yahoo.com
Education/Credentials
San Francisco State University – BA in Theatre Arts; graduate work in Theatre, Philosophy, and Comparative Reiligion.
Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley – Graduate work in Ethics
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