Our Higher Voice
The Heart of Harmonic Singing
The perfection of harmonic vibration relaxes the body, focus the mind, and opens the heart. The twofold purpose of this workshop is 1) to teach the fundamental techniques of Natural Voice Harmonic Singing and 2) to make that sound an extension of the heart. When the Harmonic Voice is made an instrument of the heart it becomes Our Higher Voice.
- Natural Voice Harmonic Singing
When the mouth and throat are shaped into a resonating chamber for the voice, a second beautiful high whistling harmonic is produced. This is how Tibetan Buddhist monks and Mongolian throat singers both, with their low gravely sustained tone, sing two or more pitches at once. These age old sacred musical forms are the roots from which Natural Voice Harmonic Singing has grown.
By applying the fundamental techniques of these ancient vocalizations to the natural singing voice it is possible to sing a regular pitch and add a mellifluous harmonic tone above it. You will learn, through playful exploration, in group listening and singing meditations, to hear and develop your Harmonic Voice.
- Our Higher Voice
Keening and crying are a way to pass through loss and morning. Laughter and song a way to fully embrace life. These are feelings expressed as sound. Music is a universal language. No matter what language a song is in, if the singer is singing from their heart, we will know by listening what they are feeling.
The emotions that we strive for, happiness, joy, serenity, contentment, all have beneath them love. Those emotions which prevent us from living our lives fully, sadness, anger, hatred, envy, all have underlying them fear. Through breath and the sound of our Harmonic Voice, a connection is made to our heart and these deeper emotions. As our heart opens our Higher Voice emerges as a pure expression of what is held in it. By giving voice to these feelings we can let those states which grow out of love be present in our everyday lives and allow those that are based in fear to fall away.
Obstacles that prevent us from making the connection of heart and voice are cleared away through a series of heart center singing meditations. This shared experience of making a beautiful sound with others, reflects back to us what we are each moving through individually. It also focuses the group on surrendering our individual voices into one unified sound. The fruit of this single pointed action is the deep and powerful experience that, in the expression of love, our collective voice is far greater than just a collection of voices.
To discover the basic techniques and theory of the Natural Voice Harmonic Singing come join in the joyful sound of many voices singing as one and there together we will find "Our Higher Voice".
This workshop will concentrate on:
- Focusing harmonics through vowel production
- Filtering harmonics by tongue shaping and placement
- Making your voice an instrument of your heart
- Sharpening your external and internal listening
- Breath control and expansion
- Understanding the Harmonics Series
Individual Study
Baird also teaches individual students at his studio in Woodstock.
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