Singing and posture–see Categories, About, Launch 4-2014

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Well, I don’t know much about the thyroid, but my understanding is that it is a very well protected part of the throat.  I wasn’t even aware it could be tilted or felt.    Do they mean, tilt the larynx so that it feels like tilting the thyroid?

Here’s a video of a healthy neck-throat. Notice that it is convex in alignment!

So, in order to “tilt the thyroid”, it helps to get the neck-throat in convex alignment to start out with. Most people tilt head forward, and, as can be seen, there’s less larynx to “tilt” if one’s head (and chest) are already tilted forward (kyphosis).

This is actually a fairly difficult process, involving much with posture.

http://www.youtube.com/feed/UCzKDD95_A5rLsYbw6O9sEuw    Tennelli also has some videos on larynx use in appoggio.   Tennelli somewhere says that if the diaphragm isn’t used properly, manipulations with the thyroid won’t work properly.

Well, I don’t know if this helps, but good luck!

>>>  I’ve heard of “tilting the thyroid” many, mnay times. I just… have no idea how to do it. Can somebody help me, or at least give me some advice? I have quite literally no idea what I’m doing- and my new vocal teacher, a baritone, isn’t much help either. I’ve tried crying, sobbing and whimpering my way past a G4- but it never works- I just slip right into falsetto.

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So I’ve been thinking about ways to get in more practice during the day, even at times I am not able to sing. My goal is super healthy, strain free singing, and I’ve had most success achieving (or getting close to this) when I focus on those yawny breaths. So my thought is to apply this kind of breath to every day speaking. Obviously, it will be a difficult transition at first, and people might think I’m a weirdo for pausing to take those breaths in speech. Ha, they might even just think I’m just a very a pensive person. Regardless, this is something I am going to experiment with over the next little while. I’ll update this thread with my thoughts as I have them.

>>>

Seth,

Innovative thinking on this. I had considered this option as well, but eventually decided against it. First, the nose does warm and help clean the air, so regular yawning intake isn’t healthy.   Second, it does look strange.   Third, one has to add pauses in conversation.

There are lots of things that can be done regularly, and these all basically involve posture.  Deep diaphragm breathing.   This is relatively easy, if you can keep the ribs uplifted.  If you can, deep diaphragm breathing will help attain easier power.

Incidentally, yawning breathing is useful for adding larynx drop while singing, but you may want to ask why singers can’t do this without the yawning breath, naturally.  In another word, why is yawning breath even needed, particularly if deep diaphragm breathing is already developed?

Larynx drop involves first a very good posture.   Afterwards it’s a lot easier and can be volitionally controlled.  Yawning breath can still help a bit more.  You can read about larynx drop in Alan Green’s book, and eventually, I’ll write about larynx drop and posture in http://www.VocalPosture.com.

Improve your posture regularly and your singing will naturally improve, and you’ll look great at the same time!