How do I "cut back the air"?

dThomas

Hello. When I get into my upper chest areas (I am tenor) like F4 and F#4, I know I have to support more and not let too much air out because this would dry out my vocal cords/folds. But, how do I "cut back the air" as Ken says? I'm under the impression that cutting back the air is distinct from support, in the sense that they are two distinct actions that you have to consciously do while singing; am I correct? So how would I go about cutting back the air without involving extraneous neck muscles or causing strain/discomfort? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Klaus_T

i am not sure what Ken means exactly in the place you where you heard it, but i guess any technique that keeps you from using too much air would qualify as "cutting back the air". there are several ways to do this which work in combination, maybe there are some i am unaware of too, and maybe i see it in too broad a sense compared to what Ken meant, but since they are good practice and part of Ken's teachings, it won't hurt to know how to do them either way:

strong support is where it all starts, but then you have glottal compression as the other "big one" too, and i guess even the vowel modifications might be seen as regulating the air passage and negotiating the space for the air (although i am not 100% sure here if this is correct, or a misconception on my end). good cord closure also helps conserving air btw.

Ken only teaches glottal compression in VOL 3 of the course, because it can be confused for tension and closing down the throat , because they feel similar. so you are right in noticing that strain is a pitfall here. the idea is to first learn good open throat technique before attempting compression, so as to not confuse the concepts and learn something that's bad for you. i was on the course for over two years before i got to the point where i was ready to look into it (maybe some people get there quicker but i doubt anything under 1 to 1,5 years is realistic to get to that point unless you have previous knowledge). the thing is, when you get there, it's quite a leap, and i can tell that it is a very important piece of the puzzle. i am still in the early stages, on vol 3 only since january.