Chiaroscuro Whisper Explanation and Demonstration

This video explains the use of the chiaroscuro whisper to improve a singer's skill in tuning their resonator (vocal tract) for best resonance balance: The resonance structure or sound transfer characteristics of the vocal tract can be revealed, demonstrated, and played with by introducing any broad spectrum noise into the vocal tract, like a vocal fry. I like to use something I call the chiaroscuro whisper. Unlike the typical, high-larynxed, high-pitched whisper, the chiaroscuro whisper uses a relatively neutral, settled larynx and a lower-pitched noise. It is done with some light expression, sufficient but minimal articulation that avoids over-articulating the vowel shapes or changes, and a strong, wide spread of spectral frequencies, so that both the lower pitched under-vowel noise and the higher pitched over-vowel noise are present and balanced in the composite sound output.
Keys to doing it include:
• As low a noise pitch as can be neutrally done for each vowel, that is, without any pulling of the tongue down or back or any yawn sensation; rather, the turbulence feels "darkly frontal" under the front palate at a convergent angle (i.e., from high at the dorsum/palate narrowing downward to upper teeth in front).
• As bright or noisy a low-pitched sound as possible, with no dull hollowing
• Sensation of the noise’s turbulence centered at the narrowing between the tongue dorsum and palatal or just inside of that location-not out in the front of the mouth
• A rather clear, well-defined second formant pitch percept per vowel
• Awareness of both over and under vowel tone color contributions (and possibly pitches) in the composite noise. The over vowel pitch, more often being the target tone color of the intended vowel, usually dominates.
• Use of sincere, light expression
• It feels simple, honest, expressive, with minimal articulation that is very easy to do
• In sum: noisy low clear pitch, easy, centralized, with light, sincere expression
• Well-formed second formant articulations tend to track this pitch sequence:
/i/=B6, /e/=A6, /ɛ/=G6, /ɑ/=D6 /ɔ/=B5, /o/=A5, /u/=G5
It is useful to compare and contrast it with high-pitched, mouthy whispering and exaggeratedly low-pitched, yawny whispering.
Chiaroscuro Whisper Use for Active Vowel Modification
• Chiaroscuro Whisper Us...
A spectrograph of a chiaroscuro whisper is here:
• Unfiltered Chiaroscuro...

[@DiangeloMatias]

Please keep doing more vídeos. This is very very helpful. Thank you, Professor.

[@geespar1]

(Came here via Sam Johnson) This is extremely helpful (not to mention brilliant), thanks very much

[@ciociosan]

Thank you, Dr. Boseman!

[@informe.politico.portugues]

Thank you very much Sir. Love your vídeo!

[@JohnFraserFindlay]

Fascinating! Thank-you.

[@FilipPivec]

Thank you Sir 🙏 for this great video.

[@musikmusik6540]

Excellent explanation, well detailed!!

[@davidGMusicChannel]

Hi Ken, I'm having trouble understanding how to apply this to practical singing. I don't really understand what doing this achieves. I also don't understand how there can be pitches within in the whisper. Are these natural pitches or are you aiming for them? Thank you.

[@AcousticVocalPedagogy]

The perception of pitch comes from the second resonance peak as radiated in the second formant. Those second formants are high enough in pitch, and specific enough in tone color that we can all target the same "pitches" per vowel. Generally, if you get the target pitches I gave in the comments below this video--in a soothing, comfortable manner--you will have tuned the resonator well for that vowel for any pitches that do not require active modificaiton (active shape changing), which is most vowels at pitches below the first format pitch of the vowel being sung. And yes, you can aim for them, as long as you get them with ease and comfort.

[@davidGMusicChannel]

@@AcousticVocalPedagogy Thank you. So it sounds like you're saying that practicing the chiaroscuro whisper at the pitches you recommended in the video details will help "tune" the vocal resonator for vowels that don't require active vowel modification, which are typically pitches below the first formant. Is that right?
I'm curious what happens to the vocal resonator when you go above the first formant and start modifying the vowel, and what role practicing the chiaroscuro whisper has in that.
Thanks again for your reply.

[@AcousticVocalPedagogy]

See this one: ua-cam.com/video/9AO8XbgImCY/v-deo.html

[@brucealanwilson4121]

I constantly use what you taught me. Whenever I sing I feel you behind me.

[@throwaway-ds6yg]

Sounds like Dracula