Good day, Chris. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing these exercises with me via Google Drive. I appreciate that you were kind to do that for an internet stranger. Blessings to you!
I have watched all the videos, listened to the amazing recording of Edward L. Johnson, and read all the comments from all so called voice experts trying to ridicule - or criticize, as they prefer to call it - Mr. Johnson's teaching. As I see it, there seems to be a misunderstanding. What Mr. Johnson teaches are concepts that have been around for centuries, used by the very best singers ever to bless our existence with their voices. But those concepts are primarily mental images, illusions, and not adequate descriptions of how the voice actually works, from a medical standpoint. It doesn't matter. What matter is that these illusions, these mental tricks and images actually work. Of course you can't inhale the voice - it's physically impossible. And research shows that there is no resonance whatsoever taking place in the nasal cavities - only vibrations. Etcetera. It doesn't matter. When you successfully imagine that you resonance there, and when you successfully imagine and trick yourself to feel that you are actually sucking in the voice through your lips and passing it further back to the hard palate and to the "singing bone" behind your upper molars, magic starts to happen! Suddenly you sing with ease, suddenly there are no register breaks (meaning that the different muscles involved in shaping the larynx, vocal cords, and pharynx adjust correctly), suddenly there is freedom and vocal release. I have tried practically every voice "method" out there, spending thousands of hours in search of "the Answer". This old school, scientifically questionable - and tedious! - method is the only that has brought me any closer to the singing I envision for myself. So thank you, Chris, for posting these videos, and thanks to the late Edward L. Johnson for recording them. And the recordings of his singing speaks for themselves, both with regards him being a tenor or a baritone, and with regards the viability of his teaching. He sounds almost exactly like Jussi Björling, which is as close to perfect singing one can possible get. Thanks again!
Thank you for posting these comments. I was beginning to think he was a bit mad when describing the inhalation of the voice, but I guess you need to suspend your logical thinking brain and engage the imagination if you want to try out this technique. I'm one of those singers that looks like he's making a huge effort and thinks he has to push the voice out to the audience, so anything that changes that and helps me to become a relaxed and effortless one will be worth trying. The video on having a relaxed throat is a good one too.
Excellent series to have uploaded for us all. I'm a classical singer and I teach, and yes, she's a singer with a pop sound, but one step at a time. It's not a criticism of his teaching at all, but she doesn't add anything to the videos at all. The thing to do is to take on board what he says, do his breathing exercise x 20 before breakfast, and ignore the student singing for now. Just great these have been found, and thanks for sharing them, Chris. My x 20 will start in the morning!!
She actually does add something to the video - she shows how NOT to breath in the exercises at the end, it's all from her chest. Guess she was a bit worried about her belly sticking out in that tight dress.!
Keep in mind that the young woman is a student. Edward himself had tons of projection. He was with the Metropolitan Opera. I only have one recording of him, but here is an excerpt. www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3
We have to take in consideration that she is just a student. We don't know how long she has been studying vocal technique. People jump into judgment too quickly! To develop vocal technique takes time, patience and lots of practice, mostly for those who want to sing classical styles. Some beginners have wonderful voices, ideal for opera, but that doesn't mean that a singer that has more like a pop sound naturally can't develop into a great opera singer. Just time and practice determines that. I have seen vocal students who's teachers didn't paid attention to them for not being good enough to sing opera and years later you see them singing OPERA wonderfully!
Hi Chris, thanks for uploading such LOSSLESS material for us to learn and help everyone. It would be great if you could give me the access to the materials as it says access is denied! Thanks man!
Hi Chris, these videos are incredible! I was privileged to take lessons with Brian Vollmer 14 years ago and watching these videos bring back memories. Do you have the audio recordings and booklet that Edward mentions? Thank you so much for posting these! There is so much bad information out there about singing technique, it's great to have this available for reference.
PS I have transcribed all he's said so I can read it rather than watch it. A good idea for you all to do that, and make the notes you need. Great you have those notes on the screen as well. I've got those down too.
I really wonder if his voice is tenor as the tamber of his speaking voice is definitely baritone. It would have been helpful to hear him sing something to demonstrate his "bel canto" technique. It all sounds good and logical but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. His ill sitting toupet was also a distraction.
No, it means you are causing unnecessary tension and perhaps your posture isn't right. You should not be pushing in from your back, hence arching it when it shouldn't be arched, but pushing that coin through to the back - very different.
Una Barry Elevating the sternum moderately is something you must do in order to achieve the appoggio sensation associated with this school of singing. Since most Western people have bad posture in their daily lives, when they are asked to raise the sternum into the 'noble position' they are made aware of how underdeveloped their lower back musculature is at maintaining the moderately high sternum. This means a sense of 'work' or 'soreness' may be indicative of weak postural musculature and not excessive swaying of the lower back. That being said, I am taking it for granted this person knows that excessive back swaying is not something associated with great singing. Great singing of this kind requires physical work and it makes sense to feel some sort of soreness afterwards; it's better to feel sore in the lower back than in the throat, that is for damn sure.
Una Barry Well, I worked on it and still working on it. I still have that pain when I sing sometime. Bad posture, yes, I get it but that pain is, for me, not the same as pain from singing.
Phenomenal advice here. Mr. Johnson is definitely brilliant and an outstanding teacher. However, who is this woman? She’s beautiful. I love her whole 80s big hair and clothing. What can I tell you I’m a retro guy.
Hi, Chris! I would like to hear Edward singing. I tried the link below (www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3) but it did not work. Can you post again? Thank you só much!
Here is a link to his recital. It is the full-length recording. You’ll need to unzip it. drive.google.com/file/d/0BwMDmdm6wl4wdk5EcTQxbWkyWkU/view?usp=drivesdk
Well if you research, You will see that in the past bel canto was not only about resonance. Was about a good tone projection too. If it's only about resonance, it's not bel canto. Look to Pavarotti, his sound is huge, is big, this tone is clear, and stronger than the tone of many many belters.
Pedro Henrique Brinck Yes, I meant her sound is limited in projection, it doesn't flow and enchant the listener, no head voice. I don't see your point about Pavarotti, he had a perfect technique and he has nothing to do with this video and singer
Andrew Larin Keep in mind that this is a student. If you hear Ed himself sing using the technique, it doesn't sound pop-singer-ish at all.www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3
Chris Tondreau Wonderful voice he had, and you can hear the inhalation of the voice happening to avoid all the push you hear today in the opera theatre. Thanks.
Made some sense till I heard the singing exercises...Simply Chest mask and a tiny "coup de glotte"....Why call it Bel Canto when you are essentially teaching what I would regard as "Pop"exercises....Why talk about "Inhalare la Voce" when the exercises engender shallow breathing...why talk of diaphragmatic exercises when there is no connection much past the sternum and a weak one at that..?
Don't know what you are talking about. It's not shallow breathing and I don't know what you are talking about when you say connection past the sternum.
@@roberto9003 ok makes sense. But like in our indian classical most teachers advice using h before vowels cause the h sounds comes directly from the belly and later turns into the vowel only. So we can abduct the breath by closing the vocal chords. I see it this way so I see no problem but if you no better plz let me know cause I'm a biginner and doing this not sure where this gonna take me🤷🏻♂️
@@hemantrautela6764 First of all in the old italian belcanto the use of H is negative because the breathing is going to the vocal cord but without giving the complete closure, so it is dispersive and the sound is not full Is losing most of the part of the squillo and not really healthy for the vocal cord. I understand that today most of the teachers use this terrible trick but in a big opera and in the opera world the difference between a direct sound and a breathy sound is noticeable..if you don't believe in my explanation try to listen to old singers in the 190/1920 until 1950 and you will understand what I mean.
The student chosen is singing very poorly and even not in what is a healthy fashion. After all the interesting talk of Mr. Johnson, one would have expected that he choose a student who would exemplify his technique. I hope this is not it.
Good day, Chris. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing these exercises with me via Google Drive. I appreciate that you were kind to do that for an internet stranger. Blessings to you!
I have watched all the videos, listened to the amazing recording of Edward L. Johnson, and read all the comments from all so called voice experts trying to ridicule - or criticize, as they prefer to call it - Mr. Johnson's teaching. As I see it, there seems to be a misunderstanding. What Mr. Johnson teaches are concepts that have been around for centuries, used by the very best singers ever to bless our existence with their voices. But those concepts are primarily mental images, illusions, and not adequate descriptions of how the voice actually works, from a medical standpoint. It doesn't matter. What matter is that these illusions, these mental tricks and images actually work. Of course you can't inhale the voice - it's physically impossible. And research shows that there is no resonance whatsoever taking place in the nasal cavities - only vibrations. Etcetera. It doesn't matter. When you successfully imagine that you resonance there, and when you successfully imagine and trick yourself to feel that you are actually sucking in the voice through your lips and passing it further back to the hard palate and to the "singing bone" behind your upper molars, magic starts to happen! Suddenly you sing with ease, suddenly there are no register breaks (meaning that the different muscles involved in shaping the larynx, vocal cords, and pharynx adjust correctly), suddenly there is freedom and vocal release. I have tried practically every voice "method" out there, spending thousands of hours in search of "the Answer". This old school, scientifically questionable - and tedious! - method is the only that has brought me any closer to the singing I envision for myself. So thank you, Chris, for posting these videos, and thanks to the late Edward L. Johnson for recording them. And the recordings of his singing speaks for themselves, both with regards him being a tenor or a baritone, and with regards the viability of his teaching. He sounds almost exactly like Jussi Björling, which is as close to perfect singing one can possible get. Thanks again!
Ugh, where did you find his recordings?
Milan Perišić .
Edward Johnson was my uncle fond memories of seeing him sing with Hamilton opera. I still have my programme from Madame butterfly signed by the cast.
Oh what did you have to say that he is dead now I'm down
Thank you for posting these comments. I was beginning to think he was a bit mad when describing the inhalation of the voice, but I guess you need to suspend your logical thinking brain and engage the imagination if you want to try out this technique. I'm one of those singers that looks like he's making a huge effort and thinks he has to push the voice out to the audience, so anything that changes that and helps me to become a relaxed and effortless one will be worth trying. The video on having a relaxed throat is a good one too.
pls keep these videos available!! they are irreplaceable
But is not a Caruso method)
Excellent series to have uploaded for us all. I'm a classical singer and I teach, and yes, she's a singer with a pop sound, but one step at a time. It's not a criticism of his teaching at all, but she doesn't add anything to the videos at all. The thing to do is to take on board what he says, do his breathing exercise x 20 before breakfast, and ignore the student singing for now. Just great these have been found, and thanks for sharing them, Chris. My x 20 will start in the morning!!
She actually does add something to the video - she shows how NOT to breath in the exercises at the end, it's all from her chest. Guess she was a bit worried about her belly sticking out in that tight dress.!
Thank you for this great course, I've learned a great deal! God Bless
Thank you for sharing all this material!
Keep in mind that the young woman is a student. Edward himself had tons of projection. He was with the Metropolitan Opera.
I only have one recording of him, but here is an excerpt.
www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3
We have to take in consideration that she is just a student. We don't know how long she has been studying vocal technique. People jump into judgment too quickly! To develop vocal technique takes time, patience and lots of practice, mostly for those who want to sing classical styles. Some beginners have wonderful voices, ideal for opera, but that doesn't mean that a singer that has more like a pop sound naturally can't develop into a great opera singer. Just time and practice determines that. I have seen vocal students who's teachers didn't paid attention to them for not being good enough to sing opera and years later you see them singing OPERA wonderfully!
can you reload this clip?
Hi Chris, thanks for uploading such LOSSLESS material for us to learn and help everyone. It would be great if you could give me the access to the materials as it says access is denied! Thanks man!
Hi Chris, these videos are incredible! I was privileged to take lessons with Brian Vollmer 14 years ago and watching these videos bring back memories. Do you have the audio recordings and booklet that Edward mentions? Thank you so much for posting these! There is so much bad information out there about singing technique, it's great to have this available for reference.
Oh no. I love it. Thank you so much ❤❤❤❤
Is the course and audio tape referred to still available anywhere please?
PS I have transcribed all he's said so I can read it rather than watch it. A good idea for you all to do that, and make the notes you need. Great you have those notes on the screen as well. I've got those down too.
Una Barry So glad these are of help to you. Ed would be happy, I'm sure.
:-)
would you mind posting making those notes available for others to print out?
There used to be a comment on here linking to the exercises, but now I don't see it. Would you please repost?
Chris Tondreau Are those exercises on the link from lesson 7 the same as the exercises here?
Who is this guy?
I really wonder if his voice is tenor as the tamber of his speaking voice is definitely baritone. It would have been helpful to hear him sing something to demonstrate his "bel canto" technique. It all sounds good and logical but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. His ill sitting toupet was also a distraction.
Please anyone, is it normal to have back ache when you do the breath exercise? I have pain in my lower back even after the exercise.
It means you are breathing correctly. Keep doing it.
No, it means you are causing unnecessary tension and perhaps your posture isn't right. You should not be pushing in from your back, hence arching it when it shouldn't be arched, but pushing that coin through to the back - very different.
Una Barry Elevating the sternum moderately is something you must do in order to achieve the appoggio sensation associated with this school of singing. Since most Western people have bad posture in their daily lives, when they are asked to raise the sternum into the 'noble position' they are made aware of how underdeveloped their lower back musculature is at maintaining the moderately high sternum. This means a sense of 'work' or 'soreness' may be indicative of weak postural musculature and not excessive swaying of the lower back. That being said, I am taking it for granted this person knows that excessive back swaying is not something associated with great singing. Great singing of this kind requires physical work and it makes sense to feel some sort of soreness afterwards; it's better to feel sore in the lower back than in the throat, that is for damn sure.
darklord220
Thanks.
Una Barry
Well, I worked on it and still working on it. I still have that pain when I sing sometime. Bad posture, yes, I get it but that pain is, for me, not the same as pain from singing.
Phenomenal advice here. Mr. Johnson is definitely brilliant and an outstanding teacher. However, who is this woman? She’s beautiful. I love her whole 80s big hair and clothing. What can I tell you I’m a retro guy.
Thank you so much!
Who's the student?
Hi Chris!
Do you have the audio recordings and booklet that Edward mentions?
Give me the weekend and I'll see if I can get them posted here.
Actually, the excercises were already posted below. Here is the link:
drive.google.com/file/d/0BwMDmdm6wl4wT2VBeG1rQlZXeTg/view
@@ChrisTondreau,
Thank you so much! Do you also have the booklet that Edward mentions?
Hi, Chris!
I would like to hear Edward singing. I tried the link below (www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3) but it did not work. Can you post again? Thank you só much!
Here is a link to his recital. It is the full-length recording. You’ll need to unzip it.
drive.google.com/file/d/0BwMDmdm6wl4wdk5EcTQxbWkyWkU/view?usp=drivesdk
Hello! Are these all the exercises in the audio that he was talking about?
it doesn't sound belcanto, it's pop-singerish
Well if you research, You will see that in the past bel canto was not only about resonance. Was about a good tone projection too. If it's only about resonance, it's not bel canto. Look to Pavarotti, his sound is huge, is big, this tone is clear, and stronger than the tone of many many belters.
Pedro Henrique Brinck Yes, I meant her sound is limited in projection, it doesn't flow and enchant the listener, no head voice. I don't see your point about Pavarotti, he had a perfect technique and he has nothing to do with this video and singer
Andrew Larin Keep in mind that this is a student. If you hear Ed himself sing using the technique, it doesn't sound pop-singer-ish at all.www.now-here-this.com/Edward.mp3
Chris Tondreau yes, he sounds good
Chris Tondreau Wonderful voice he had, and you can hear the inhalation of the voice happening to avoid all the push you hear today in the opera theatre. Thanks.
drive.google.com/file/d/0BwMDmdm6wl4wT2VBeG1rQlZXeTg/view?usp=docslist_api
Thank you.
Made some sense till I heard the singing exercises...Simply Chest mask and a tiny "coup de glotte"....Why call it Bel Canto when you are essentially teaching what I would regard as "Pop"exercises....Why talk about "Inhalare la Voce" when the exercises engender shallow breathing...why talk of diaphragmatic exercises when there is no connection much past the sternum and a weak one at that..?
Don't know what you are talking about. It's not shallow breathing and I don't know what you are talking about when you say connection past the sternum.
She's using head resonance dumbass
You have no idea what you are saying
@@richgonzales8468wrong, it's nasal singing
This is the generation of teachers that ruined opera
The "h"before singing, it is not healthy for the voice
What do you mean by that?
@@hemantrautela6764 i mean that too Much air thought the vocal cord Is not the good way to fonate and sing
@@roberto9003 ok makes sense. But like in our indian classical most teachers advice using h before vowels cause the h sounds comes directly from the belly and later turns into the vowel only. So we can abduct the breath by closing the vocal chords. I see it this way so I see no problem but if you no better plz let me know cause I'm a biginner and doing this not sure where this gonna take me🤷🏻♂️
Know* Don't mind my english
@@hemantrautela6764 First of all in the old italian belcanto the use of H is negative because the breathing is going to the vocal cord but without giving the complete closure, so it is dispersive and the sound is not full Is losing most of the part of the squillo and not really healthy for the vocal cord. I understand that today most of the teachers use this terrible trick but in a big opera and in the opera world the difference between a direct sound and a breathy sound is noticeable..if you don't believe in my explanation try to listen to old singers in the 190/1920 until 1950 and you will understand what I mean.
The student chosen is singing very poorly and even not in what is a healthy fashion. After all the interesting talk of Mr. Johnson, one would have expected that he choose a student who would exemplify his technique. I hope this is not it.
He was teaching someone to sing. What did you expect in her voice?