The Magic of Bel Canto Singing
As I’ve been teaching these methods, more and more clarity has emerged about why the Master Bel Canto teachers of the early 1800’s held profound understanding of vocal mechanics. Manuel Garcia, first and foremost, was a scientist. He developed the laryngoscope, studying singers from all over Europe, mapping out the physiology of the vocal instrument. The mechanics of singing that he developed to help singers gain strength and control survives today through a lineage of teachers. We are called Direct-Line Scholars and specifically, my lineage is referred to as Garcia-Marchesi Bel Canto. This lineage began with Manuel and his student, Matilde Marchesi. You will find vocalise books of her profound work in your local bookstore.
In our modern classical approaches, Air Flow mechanics circle around the idea of diaphragmatic engagement, a pressurizing of the vocal folds from below. This often produces too much air pressure for the average contemporary singer and often results in vocal fatigue, constriction issues, challenging transitional areas and difficulty with high and even sometimes low notes. This overpressurized breath issue also contributes to the potential for more serious vocal health issues, like vocal nodules.
After many years of analyzing the mechanics of Bel Canto that were organically put into my body over a four year period by my Master Bel Canto teacher, Edward Sayegh, I’ve come to realize that a singer in the early 1800s was feeling something very different in their body. From my perspective, there is one word is generally missing from our overall vocal production understanding. That word is “compressione” or compression. In Italy, to this day, even though singing techniques have changed over 200 years, this piece of the puzzle remains. What if the whole game changes when we are asked to gently hold air back versus pressing or moving air through the vocal folds.
A candle flame method was taught to singers like Luciano Pavarotti, Mario Lanza and Enrico Caruso. This is where a candle was lit and held 2-3” away from the mouth. The singer was then given an instruction. Most of us would think that direction would be to avoid blowing out the flame, but in truth, it was to not bend or move the flame at all. This should make us scratch our heads a bit! For most of us, one good thrust of sound would take that flame out in a second.
What I’ve come to understand in my body is that when we gently suspend our air, instead of thrusting, pushing, pressing or letting it go, magical things happen. We suddenly become optimal, acoustic, resonating instruments able to make sound with absolutely no force at all.
Although a very tiny amount of air stimulation may be needed by the vocal folds to produce sound, it is practically imperceptible in my Bel Canto body. This is where we begin to understand the importance of sub-glottal air pressure below the folds sustaining our sound. This in reality is so gentle within me, that it feels like no pressure or air movement at all.
In Bel Canto we essentially become containers of sound, designed to amplify, expand, ring and resonate, all within the inner chambers of our body. I acknowledge that it takes a little mind-bending to begin to understand how any of this is possible, and then, of course, a little stability practice. But, once felt, this free access to your own beautiful voice and magical headspace, is literally just a thought away and can keep your voice youthful and healthy for a life time, just ask Tony Bennett!
