Here’s a neat video I recently came across. It shows the vocal folds of four singers simultaneously while performing Hear Us and Have Mercy. I’m not sure who the composer is. Beautiful piece, though, and well performing – especially considering they had a scope down their noses while singing.
There are many similar videos up on YouTube that show the vocal folds while a musician is performing, not just singers. Here’s one of an oboist who was having voice problems because she was closing her vocal cords while playing.
It would be interesting to look at brass players while performing. I would suspect that the more experienced players would have a very open voice box while playing, or at least this is what we tend to teach. That said, no one has actually looked to see if experienced brass musicians actually do this or not. What we think we do doesn’t always reflect reality.
Interesting clip. Indeed, do we brassplayers (I’m a trumpetplayer myself) play with our throats open or not? I suspect I play with mine too closed if I don’t pay attention to it. I wouln’d mind to try it with a camera.
Wouter Kluck
The Netherlands