SOMBRE TIMBRE
I like this translation of the original French because the word “SOMBRE” includes an emotional connotation. Garcia is clear about the use of this sober timbre. In his “Hints” he abandoned the emotional connotation of “Somber” for his own English label: Dark Timbre. He did not change his advice for singers concerning its use.
This Garcinian label covers many individual capabilities of the human vocal apparatus. A terribly incomplete list of the ways this timbre is applied by singers to their voices is as follows:
- Pulling the larynx down below the position an individual singer has established as the normal position he/she uses for initiating/holding a tone.
- Lowering the soft palate below the position an individual singer has established as the normal position he/she uses for initiating/holding a tone.
- Increasing the inner circumference of the flexible portion of the pharynx to a larger measure than that which an individual singer has established as the normal circumference he/she uses for initiating/holding a tone. (This measure is a really hard thing to pin down because of the many different flexible portions of this part of the vocal apparatus.)(I am tempted to just call it caliber, except the gun control freaks might get offended.)
- Adjusting the opening of the mouth to any shape or size smaller than that which an individual singer has established as the normal position he/she uses for initiating/holding a tone. I’ve found Garcia discussing this mouth thing in relation to vowel differences, and soft singing. The inference I make is that there is always a darkness increase being discussed.
