Lesson 1 – What is the Vocal Bridge
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/163832795″][vc_empty_space][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_tta_tabs style=”outline” color=”black” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section title=”Topic 1″ tab_id=”wiavb”][vc_column_text]
What is a Vocal Bridge
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]When we sing, air from our lungs activates the vocal cords which creates sound waves that resonates or vibrates in the spaces in our body. We feel the low notes vibrating in our chest and the high notes vibrating in our heads.
The bridge in the Voice is the place where the vibration or resonance of the low notes in the chest begins to move into your head as the pitch goes higher. The resonance begins to split and move into your head.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”691″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Now you have resonance or vibration in both your head and chest. When the resonance starts to split this is the beginning of the bridge in the voice. Sometimes it’s called “the middle”. Music educators call it the passaggio. It’s a passageway.
In addition to the vibration or resonance shifting up into the head, the vocal cords also want to go through an adjustment. There is a type of handoff from one portion of the muscle and cartilage of the cord structure to another that needs to occur.
We feel both resonance shifting and cords adjusting and we don’t know what to do about that feeling. So we tighten up, or sing louder forcing our voice higher, or we let go completely into falsetto, or we crack or break or we lighten our voice so much it sounds weak.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Topic 2″ tab_id=”wiii”][vc_column_text]
Why is the Bridge Important?
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This shift in resonance and associated vocal cord adjustment must happen in every voice smoothly, easily and comfortably or the above problems occur.
If we are successful, the bridge eventually leads us into our head voices. While we are in the bridge we have a blend of chest and head voice which can continue as we sing higher. This allows us to go higher and higher with beauty, confidence and power.
The bridge is important because it’s the passageway to our head voices and allows a freedom and release which is exciting and inspiring to sing and to hear.
The bridge is important because if you can sing easily up and down through the bridge your voice develops power, beauty, consistency and allows you to sing confidently anywhere throughout your range.
And it leads into the other bridges in your voice. Yes there is more than 1 bridge. But the first bridge is the most important and that’s why we’re focusing on it now![/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Topic 3″ tab_id=”1457675187902-2ea2cdf3-a075″][vc_column_text]
Where is the first bridge in our voices?
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]For a small population of true basso voices (very few) the first bridge begins at the a just below middle c and goes upward; a, b-flat, b, c, c#.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”692″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_border”][vc_column_text]For the vast majority of men including those of you who’ve considered yourselves basses, as well as baritone and tenor voices, the first bridge begins at the e just above middle c; e,f, f#.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”693″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_border”][vc_column_text]For the small population of true female contraltos (very few) the first bridge begins at the e just above middle c; e,f, f#.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”689″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_border”][vc_column_text]For the vast majority of women (altos/sopranos) the first bridge begins at the a above middle c and goes upward; a, b-flat, b, c, c#.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”695″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_border”][vc_column_text]As mentioned there are more bridges above these. However, if you are not successful at the First Bridge, you won’t succeed at the other bridges either.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tabs][vc_column_text]PDF’s
Split Resonance at the First Bridge
Soprano’s First Bridge[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_column_text]
MP3
Download Instructions: 1. Right-Click MP3 Link 2. Click “Save Link As” 3. Click “Save”[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Download Lesson 1″ i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-cloud-download” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.powertosing.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2FSing-Higher-Mod.1.4-6.mp3||” add_icon=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]