gfire is a local artist who teaches piano and yoga in addition to a very specialized type of voice lessons (in fact, she's the only one in the Western hemisphere certified in this method). I caught up with her on Sunday with a few quick questions about her teaching practice and her work as an Austin singer-songwriter.
TI: Tell us about the "science of singing" and what makes it different from more traditional voice teaching methods.
G: The “science of singing” is based on the findings of British vocal scientist Ernest George White, who published his work, “Science and Singing,” in 1909, precisely 100 years ago. White found that the seed of vocal tone – where vocal tone originates – is based in the sinus cavities in the head, NOT in the throat as is commonly believed. White furthermore stated that the vocal cords (or vocal folds, as we like to call them) just act automatically (like the heart beats automatically, the blood flows automatically, etc.) to regulate the flow of air from the lungs to the head where the sound is produced. White was able to teach people to speak who had had their vocal cords surgically removed by learning to control the air in the head cavities.
It is important to note that studying the voice in this fashion does NOT in any way create a nasal-sounding tone. A clear, beautiful tone is the desired result, at least during the singing exercises and most of the time, during performances of songs (for you rockers out there, you can still scream and growl as always if you like!!).
TI: What made you want to explore this method?
G: I happen to be blessed with both good vocal ability AND good mathematical reasoning skills (I had a math scholarship to college). When I first began studying voice at age 14, I experimented with trying to sing higher by tightening up my throat (which makes sense if you follow the vocal cord logic, i.e. that the higher the note, the more tense the cord that produces it). I found myself unable to sing higher than an F approximately 1 1/2 octaves above middle C. Plus I was getting sore throats. My frustration with the way vocalism had been explained to me led to my search in a local library, which led me to Ernest G. White’s book, “Science and Singing.” I literally read and re-read “Science and Singing” over and over again as I learned new ways to experiment with my voice. After some months of self-training, I was able to hit Eb above high C, gaining nearly an octave of tone and realizing that I was indeed a lyric soprano, not a mezzo-soprano as I first had thought. (Note: the mezzo-soprano is a lovely voice as well, it is just lower than I instinctively felt that I should be singing). I wish I could have had a private tutor in the “Science and Singing” method, since I made some false starts along the way – that is why I get excited about teaching the “science of singing” to those pupils who really enjoy the method and get a lot out of it. I have many success stories.
TI: You're also a singer-songwriter in your own right. How would you define your style?
G: I am an “electro-acoustic” artist, which for me means I take some of my inspiration from electronic artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kate Bush, Underworld, etc. plus add in my folk, rock and blues influences such as The Carter Family, Leadbelly, Roscoe Holcomb, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, early Rolling Stones, Townes van Zandt, Hank Williams, Sandy Denny and many more. My hope is that I am forging my own unique artistic statement with my original songs.
TI: When can Austinites see you play again?
G: My next show is Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the Green Muse, 519 W. Oltorf, 78704, which is all ages and no cover. I am the coordinator for the Austin chapter of GoGirls Music and I run a monthly Austin GoGirls meet-up/show/open mic usually the 2nd Sunday of the month at Green Muse. At this particular show on Feb. 8, I shall also have my belly dancer, Nassma, performing with me. The show runs from 8-10 p.m. and I shall probably go on some time after 8:30 p.m.
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