tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post8425988381085930717..comments2018-10-14T19:16:59.493-04:00Comments on Michael Hanko: The Art & Science of Singing: Smiles, everyone, smiles!Michael Hankohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-62811364991470412312014-04-05T08:05:04.367-04:002014-04-05T08:05:04.367-04:00Thanks for sharing your experience, Stephen. I'...Thanks for sharing your experience, Stephen. I'm glad you are on the road to better vocal coordination...something to smile about for sure!Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-75954634667107636882014-04-04T06:28:36.452-04:002014-04-04T06:28:36.452-04:00Michael, I came across your article in a search fo...Michael, I came across your article in a search for "role of facial muscles in singing" - I have been suffering for the past two years with a really troublesome voice (but one that has been getting better all the time) - all of a sudden I just could not get any resonance in the front of the face.. Recently I've become aware that a lot of the muscles in my face (around the nose and forehead areas) have been completely frozen - hard as rock. And since they started to warm thru again, and singing became easier, I realise this has been a big cause of vocal problems. I suspect the cause is related to letting the jaw go free. Without the action of this powerful muscle all the other muscles tightenend up as a result...Stephen Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00649392649827111837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-25751523623976852712010-05-19T09:39:23.884-04:002010-05-19T09:39:23.884-04:00Glad I could rekindle some funny memories for you,...Glad I could rekindle some funny memories for you, Toni! Perhaps in the future, when you want to bring about an authentic smile for singing, you can just visualize an enormous wooden penis. Let me know how this works......Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-15632209920188396252010-05-18T20:23:42.557-04:002010-05-18T20:23:42.557-04:00Michael,
Thank you for yet another fab review on ...Michael,<br /><br />Thank you for yet another fab review on bocca ridente. Great pics of you and Peter and the dogs of course.<br /><br />I still think of that wooden thing and laugh hysterically when I think of it. With you telling the story again so many years later, well, I almost died laughing.....again.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />ToniToni Schiavonehttp://yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-64293571459464125962010-05-18T05:30:14.385-04:002010-05-18T05:30:14.385-04:00David again--meant to sign in with this id before....David again--meant to sign in with this id before.<br /><br />Based on what those teachers said and my own non-scientific observations, I've come to believe that somehow engaging the upper lip--and I've seen it done in various ways--helps with inside space. <br /><br />The more I learn, the more I see what those previous teachers were trying unsuccuessfully, often badly, to say. With this point and so many others.Taminophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07398791534949522900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-1687608371504963262010-05-17T09:43:40.729-04:002010-05-17T09:43:40.729-04:00Hi David,
You hit the nail on the head: depending...Hi David,<br /><br />You hit the nail on the head: depending on *how* you employ this concept (or any other), it can help or hinder.<br /><br />I've been thinking more about "facial engagement" since I wrote this posting, and have decided that it is important to acknowledge that the engaged state that brings about (among other benefits) increased internal space is the DEFAULT state. That is, unless we interfere with our natural coordination, our facial muscles will be ideally engaged for singing.<br /><br />Of course, every one of us is interfering in some small or large way with our natural coordination, meaning that there is a good chance that facial muscles might be among those exhibiting less-than-ideal tone. There are many ways to address improving our overall coordination when this happens, but a specific manipulation of the facial muscles is highly unlikely to restore the whole-body conditions we are seeking.<br /><br />Thanks for reading my blog and for contributing your thoughts!Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-20741688722312252592010-05-17T09:01:11.587-04:002010-05-17T09:01:11.587-04:00I've been told in the past by teachers and coa...I've been told in the past by teachers and coaches that the smile-like facial engagement you describe creates beneficial inside space. One sees very successful singers--people who sing beautifully--using it. But one also sees cases where it can cause tension.Davidhttp://www.taminophile.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-6396810425778992142010-05-16T08:50:22.847-04:002010-05-16T08:50:22.847-04:00I'm glad to hear you responded that way, Nanet...I'm glad to hear you responded that way, Nanette! In recounting that story, I was going for a balance between comedy and horror and am happy that, for you at least, the scales did not tip too far in the direction of maudlin.<br /><br />If only we could always remember that what is distressing us out of our minds today will probably seem funny someday. . .sometimes we just have to wait 23 years for this shift. <br /><br />(Actually, the bad present episode was hilarious to me while it was occurring. One of the frustrating aspects of the situation was not being able to bring to it my natural campy sense of humor, since I was in uniform and in the presence of soldiers under my command. Handing a gay guy a huge erect wooden penis and denying him the opportunity of making even the teensiest innuendo? Utter cruelty!)Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1923813891001957012.post-47521850721150404332010-05-16T03:33:23.741-04:002010-05-16T03:33:23.741-04:00Okay, the dogs in their underwear made me smile, b...Okay, the dogs in their underwear made me smile, but so did the idea of your "oh my where do I look now and what do I say" expression. I guess it's just the mean part of me. lolwildcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05450091620536323997noreply@blogger.com