The Effects of Feldenkrais Work on the Singer’s Voice As Documented by Spectrographic Analysis

Elizabeth Blades

In recent times, somatic awareness has become a focal point for many teachers and students of singing. Benefits of mind-body work, which have previously been dependent upon anecdotal and qualitative evidence, can now be measured and supported by the quantitative visual display available through very-accessible spectrographic-analysis programs such as Voce Vista, WinSingrad, GRAM and the like.
An initial pilot study, conducted in the summer of 2004, was described in a presentation for the Second International Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference in Denver, Colorado, October, 2004. Encouraging response to the presentation and the implications of positive kinesthetic changes as documented via spectrographic analysis has provoked further investigation in this much expanded study.

Methodology:
Twelve singers were asked to arrive fully-warmed-up and ready to sing a brief portion of an art song or aria of their choice. Real-time spectrographic analysis using Voce Vista documented every vocalization. Each singer was assigned to one of three groups with four singers per group.
Group A: Received no instructed body work. Subject sang chosen excerpt without any specific kinesthetic awareness work, other than his/her own usual warmup. Acknowledging the likelihood that nerves often play a part in compromising vocal freedom, subject sang excerpt a second time so as to “have another go”.
Group B: As with group A, subject was able to sing their excerpt twice. He/she then received “Faux Feldenkrais” work, familiar stretches and “muscle movers” commonly employed to prepare the body for singing. Subject then sang excerpt a third time.
Group C: As before, subject was given two opportunities to sing chosen excerpt. This group, however, received a 20-minute Feldenkrais

“Awareness Through Movement” lesson, after which the same excerpt was sung.

Results:
While each group reported some changes between “before” and “after”, the changes in Group C were most dramatic. Singers who received the Feldenkrais lesson responded with more extensive and specific comments regarding perceived physiological changes. Most significantly, the spectrogram documented (typically) more activity in higher partials, more consistent vibrancy and elongated breath energy than in the non-Feldenkrais groups.

Conclusion:
While this research is still in development, it holds exciting implications for expanded exploration. Future work could include a case study of one singer over a span of time with continual Feldenkrais work (chosen for that singer’s particular needs) contrasted with a singer who does not receive any Feldenkrais instruction. The Feldenkrais Method has proven to effect positive kinesthetic changes which impart improvements in vocal production; these changes are now visually and scientifically measurable through use of spectrographic analysis.

Elizabeth Blades, DMA
VOCALHEALTHWORKS
Box 172Allenspark, CO 80510
Phone:303-747-1013
ebzvocalhealth@hotmail.com
Dawnyellen1@aol.com