Voice and Diction 

TH 222-02

Fall 1999

Bob Yowell

Room 108 SPA/BLDG 37

PH:523-2279

Office Hours: T/TH 11:30-12:30

Wed10:30-11:30

E-mailRobert.Yowell@nau.edu

Purpose:This course will introduce the student to the Arthur Lessac system of creating a positive vocal life.This course emphasizes voice training for those in the performing arts, media arts and helping speech arts.

Requirements:

1.Attend all classes

2.Do pre and post diagnostic tape 

3.Do learning centered activities

4.Do assigned readings from text and research for performances

5.Do assigned exercises in class

6.Do a commercial – voice over

7.Mid-term – Performance Exam

8.Final Test - Performance

Required Text:The Use and Training of the Human Voice: A Bio-Dynamic Approach to Vocal Life, Third Edition, Mayfield Publishing Company, l997

Evaluation: 

 
1.     In Class Exercises (Body/Voice Work) 10% 2.     Learning Centered Activities 5% 3.     All Reading Assignments 5% 4.     Consonants exam 5% 5.     Calls and Y-Buzz 5% 6.     Vowels 5% 7.     Commercial Voice Over 15% 8.     Attendance/Attitude 20% 9.     Mid-Term 10% 10. Final Exam – Performance 20%

Attendance:Student attendance requirement is the official NAU requirement as set out on page 55 of the NAU Undergraduate Catalogue 1997.

CLASS SCHEDULE

8/31Introduction

Review of Syllabus

9/2Begin Body Work 

Breathing

Posture

Natural Breathing Experiments

Vocal recording – on tape

9/7Energy and Relaxation 

Dynamics of Relaxation 

Facial Vocal Yawning 

Musical Yawning 

Muscle Floating 

Muscle Shaking 

Swallowing 

9/9The Consonant Orchestra 

N violin

M viola

V cello

9/14F sound effect

Z bass fiddle

S Sound effect

9/16B tympani Drumbeat

P bass Drumbeat

D tympani drumbeat

9/21T snare drum drumbeat

G tympani drumbeat 

K tom-tom drumbeat 

9/23Double Drumbeats

TH clarinet

TH sound effect

ZH Bassoon 

9/27Deadline to Drop

SH sound effect

L saxophone

9/28NG oboe

DG (dzh) Chinese cymbal 

CH crash cymbal 

9/30DZ tambourine

TS high-hat cymbal

H sound effect

1-/5R trombone

DL and TL woodblock

W flute

10/7Y French horn

10/12Tonal NRG and the Y-Buzz 

10/14Developing the Y-buzz

10/19Developing the plus Y-buzz

10/21The Origin of the Call

10/22Mid-Semester Break – No Class

10/26The Control of the Call

10/28Developing the Call and the Magic of the Yawn

11/2The Music of Vowels

11/4The Music of Vowels

11/9The Music of Staccato and Syncopation in Speech

11/11The Voice Over (commercial)

11/16The Voice Over (commercial) 

ACTF/ Glendale College/Phoenix

11/23The Voice Over (commercial) ACTF/Glendale College/Phoenix

11/25Thanksgiving Break – No Class

11/26Thanksgiving Break – No Class

11/30Voice over performance

12/2Performance

12/7Performance

12/9Performance

12/10Performance- Last Day of Scheduled Classes

12/14Final Exam – Tuesday -12:30 – 2:30

The Instructor reserves the right to change or alter this syllabus.