Cornelius L. Reid Project
Episodes
52 episodes
Singer I - Lesson Excerpt (6/16/07)
Comment: One can notice a marked improvement in this singer's voice in a relatively short period of time. The high notes are easier and the low notes not as heavy. Quote: Self-Regulation: the inherent ability of an organis...
Singer I - Lesson Excerpt (4/20/07)
Comment: The important thing to take away from this lesson is that there are no so-called front and back vowels in singing. All vowels are formed in the back. The use of the "oo" vowel here is interesting. Quote: Vowels ar...
Singer I - Lesson Excerpt (4/20/07)
Comment: In this lesson, one can hear a lighter, more tenor-like quality to the voice. Up to this point, this singer had sung exclusively as a baritone.Quote: Everyone has heard of tenors who have become baritones, bariton...
Singer I - Lesson Excerpt (4/17/07)
Comment: This lessons explains the real meaning of "appoggiare la voce" or the ability to "lean" on the voice. It has nothing to do with breath support as is the popular point of view. There is also a discussion of an "open" vs. a "cover...
Singer I - Lesson Excerpt (4/16/07)
Comment: The progression of this lesson is a great example of the usefulness of the falsetto in taming the chest voice. Listen to the WHOLE lesson to really understand what it means to listen functionally. Take note of the discussion abo...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (4/5/07)
Comment: This shows the culmination of study for this singer. He now has a singing voice where his tongue can move freely and the changing of vowels is easy. Quote: Connection of the five basic vowel sounds, "ah," "ay," "e...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (3/13/07)
Comment: This lesson is a great example of using the falsetto to fix the over aggressiveness of the chest voice, resulting in a fuller freer chest voice.Quote: The choice of the expression 'falsetto' to indicate the higher...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (2/8/07)
Comment: Not only has this singer smoothly crossed over the register break, but he is able to repeatedly sing the full, well resonated high note loudly and without strain. Quote: There is another side to the character of r...
Singer H - Song Excerpt (Aria) (11/1/06)
Comment: From folk to opera. This singer now has a choice.Quote: The stature of a singer is measured in technical terms by his ability to command AT WILL a wide variety of tonal coloration. This is made possible by associa...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (7/4/06)
Comment: This exercise is designed to combine the registers. The octave ee vowel has a falsetto like sound, however, there is chest voice involvement because of how smoothly the voice descends back to the tonic. In the louder ah exercise...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (4/21/05)
Comment: The voice is definitely developing. It now has power, depth, and fullness. It is a common occurrence that a student is astonished at the types of tonal qualities he is capable of making. One wonders if this student knew he could...
Singer H - Lesson Excerpt (11/1/04)
Comment: You can hear the over dominant chest voice here. Cornelius is using the oo vowel to temper the aggressiveness of the chest voice.Quote: ...the physical contour of the vocal folds is strongly influenced by certain ...
Singer H - Pre-Reid Song Excerpt (4/04)
Comment: This is a very pleasant voice with no obvious constrictions. There is some breathiness in the sound at times, but all in all, a lovely sound for the music he is singing. However, is this the limit of the voice's potential?
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (8/26/07)
Comment: This lessons shows the importance of making the head voice dominant, especially in the upper passaggio and how different vowels have different register balances.Quote: The essential factor in singing is lyricism, ...
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (4/28/07)
Comment: Establishing the chest voice on the bottom, then establishing more head voice in the middle, the result being freer high notes. Quote: In principle, a "mixed" registration is in place when within a given pitch ran...
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (3/24/07)
Comment: The role of the cricothyroids and other pedagogic gems. Quote: ...the sole function of the cricothyroid muscle system ...is to regulate the pitch, for which reason this muscle system is often referred to as ...
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (2/14/07)
Comment: Using the oo vowel to get more head voice and a functionally more efficient quality. Quote: Although the possibilities of vowel manipulation are almost endless, especially when used in conjunction with the princip...
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (10/25/06)
Comment: The chest voice on the bottom is used aggressively to help the bracing action needed from the chest voice for the high soft notes. Cornelius says, "Here, we study voice" which refers to functional listening.Quote:...
Singer G - Lesson Excerpt (7/15/06)
Comment: At a certain point the singer runs out of breath, so Cornelius changes the exercise, without even addressing the fact that the student ran out of breath. Her running out of breath had nothing to do with how she was breathing, bu...
Singer F - Coaching (7/18/07)
Comment: This excerpt shows how technique and music are intertwined. By working technically, the piece becomes not only easier for the singer, but is more musical. By not pushing on the low notes, the top notes are better. Quo...
Singer F - Lesson Excerpt (6/9/07)
Comment: Cornelius hears an improvement in the sound of a high note when the singer makes a diminuendo on it and immediately says, ""Let's investigate that."" It is then that he decides to swiftly change the exercises, obviously working ...
Singer F - Lesson Excerpt (1/18/07)
Comment: Using the ee vowel to find a better ah quality. Quote: Once the student has learned to gain control over different sounds representing vowel changes he has learned to directly control the involuntary muscular acti...
Singer F - Lesson Excerpt (7/13/06)
Comment: The voice is too "heavy." Cornelius lightens it up using la la's. The exercise induces the tongue movement at the tip to be flexible enough so as not to interfere with the sound.Quote: ...the tongue functions in a...