When words are sung, the voice needs time to resonate effectively. This has the effect of extending the length of vowel sounds in singing, as opposed to speech. Although the making and placing of consonants is part of the singerΓÇÖs craft, creating a classical voice involves intimate and constant work with vowels.
Musical notes when sung are automatically expressed as vowels. The sound of the vowel depends upon the shape of the mouth cavity. Different shapes for different vowels are created mainly by infinitely variable positions of the tongue. Each position affects the back-pressure on the vocal folds, and therefore their frequency of vibration. Therefore, to stay in tune, it is necessary for singers to learn how to place each vowel precisely, on every note in their range. This needs appropriate pressure from the lungs for every vowel on every note, to counterbalance the back-pressure from the mouth.
Open vowels (as in car, or core) are much kinder to the singer than the tighter ones (kit, or cot), particularly on high notes. Try singing different vowels at the top or bottom of your own range. The results are fascinating, and should be handed on to every song-writer, to every librettist and composer team, and to translators into English of Italian and German operas.
