Voice Culture- The Art of Developing the Quality of Voice

This book is written on Voice-Culture for singers.

Dr. Maumita Banerjie has done extensive research under her Guide and Mentor, Voice culture Expert "Gana Samudra" Prof. S A K Durga on the scientific methods of Voice training in India and USA. Maumita, being a Hindustani classical performer herself, has included in the book valuable solutions to voice disorder and detailed analysis of the Physiological, Physics and Psychological aspects of the Voice as musical instrument.

This book aims to identify the different methods to improve the quality of voice by addressing these methods as suggestive forms.

Dr. Maumita Banerjie is a music educationist, Author, Graded Artist, Performer, Associated with many organizations related to Music, Performing Arts and Culture. She is a P.hd in Music from SNDT Mumbai University, M.Phil from Faculty of Music and Fine Arts Delhi University and M.A. from Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan.

She has a wide experience of teaching music for last 15 years to Graduate and Post Graduate students in University and college in Mumbai and Haryana. She is a graded vocalist of AIR.

Her write ups on performing arts and music publish regularly in prestigious magazines abroad and India. She is known for her interactive lecture demonstrations on various topics. Her publications on Voice Culture is an essential part of music courses in different universities and colleges and their libraries.

The Classical Music of India, has evolved over thousands of years and has become one of the most beautiful music in the world.

Voice culture is a deep relationship between Music, Sound, Cosmology and the Human voice. Over thousands of years from Vedic period, Vocal music developed and got organized into an intricate organic living system or "Raga" (Melody) and Tala" (Rhythm).124

Voice culture is a way to refine the skills through learning traditional compositions and methods of improvisation to engage in swara-sadhana" (tone culture meditation) through singing.

In singing only the correct voice projection one can present the element of rasa or the feeling expressed in the raga" . Which is evoked through the artistry of composition and improvisation according to the understanding of the artist of Raga and presentation the classical music of India, has evolved over thousands of years and has become of the Voice.

Even the hindustani instrumental classical music has developed out of the vocal styles.

Culturing the voice for absolute alignment with the shruti at all levels and on all notes traversed in the octaves and correct voice training or Swar Sadhana is a major step in Voice Culture.

Good music is created when the "Voice", produces the sound at the correct pitch, accurate frequency with good quality. "Voice" is also an instrument for a vocalist to communicate their musical ideas. "It has to be kept finely tuned. Voice is an only instrument that can be cultivated, improved and cultured, by variation of pitch, intensity and timbre (tonal quality)

In "Sangeeta Ratnakar" 'sarira" ' is a term which refers to a gifted voice without any regular practice. "Sareera" is a "natural voice". The Voice -training method turns the gifted natural instrument into an exquisite and melodious "Vadhyam" or instrument.

Voice is an only instrument that can be cultivated, improved and cultured, by variation of pitch, intensity and timbre (tonal quality).Indian Classical Music is based on spirituality. For a vocalist of Indian Classical Music "Voice" is to sing the glory of God. Any determined effort focused towards attaining perfection is called "Sadhana". A vocalist has to exercise and make the vocal cord music worthy towards attaining perfection and is called "Kantha-Sadhana". In Western Music it is called "Voice-Culture".

Indian Classical Music is always connected with spirituality, When a vocalist of Indian Classical Music sings in correct tone, the whole environment becomes spiritual and soothing. It seems to pour forth freely from the Heart spontaneously. There is no evidence of calculation, of carefully directed effort, of attention to the workings of the voice, in the tones of a perfect singer.

All the Teachers and Authorities of "Voice Culture" believe that this manner of handling the voice must be acquired by every student of singing or vocal music, in course of carefully directed study.This training in the use of Voice is the most important feature of education in "Vocal Music" or singing. Voice Culture embraces the correct management of the vocal organs. Vocal training has indeed come to be considered synonymous with training in the correct use of the Voice. Every method of instruction in singing must contain as its most important element some means for dealing with the problem of tone-production.

In Indian Classical music both Hindustani and Carnatic ,the teaching of Voice production has been purely on empirical basis so far, relying on the pernicious system of trial and error, with the result that this branch has been exposed to more charlatanism.

A proper understanding of the structure and foundation of the physiological mechanism, acoustical principles of voice emission and psychological factors of the individual help to deduce scientific facts which would guide through the tangle of confusion which has beset the art of Voice Culture.

Voice training has become imperative in the current scenario, it helps Voice flexibility and ensures Control of Breath, Uniformity in voice, Clarity in voice, Articulation, Resonance and Vocal range. Scientific and the medical aspect of voice culture is to maintain Voice hygiene and preserve the voice from voice disorder.

There is difference between musical knowledge and presenting that musical knowledge by impressive singing. In the past many musicians ignored the importance of a melodious voice, they gave importance to the knowledge of the music and the different techniques of music.

**Contents and Sample Pages**