First, I urge you not to think of resonance as a separate thing divorced from support a focus. I envision the three as a pyramid (tetrehedron) which is balanced at all times within which, the voice exists.
But, presuming stable, high quality air supply activate by the diaphram and abdominal muscles and sensation of focus in the mask, resonance is developed by creating an awareness of the soft palate and the back and the tip of the of the tongue.
Have your singers inhale and simulate the "Darth Vader" breath sound. Inhale! The only way to make this sound is to active a lifting of the soft palate. At the same time, the tip of the tongue should lie quietly cradled in the teeth. The tongue should be flat and relaxed. After your singers can
all make that sound, then have them keep that relaxed position and then to phonate AH. Be certain to keep the mouth cavity open and the jaw relaxed.
The quality of the AH should then be consistent and a pure vowel from which to work. After your choir can keep this AH consistent, then show them a styrofoam cup.
"This is a cup. What kind of cup? A coffee cup? How do you make it a water cup? Right. You put water in it. An orange juice cup? Yes, add orange juice."
Then re-present the cup and say, "this is an AH. How do you make it an O. Right, you put an O in it. etc. etc.
Now, Have I change the shape of the cup? No, But since it is made of styrofoam it is flexible but still holds it shape. If you turn it on its side, the
big part of the cup is your soft palate. It is flexible but it stays lifted on matter what vowel you put in it. The interior of the cup stays constant but flexible.
So, the tip of your tongue stays quietly between the teeth. The jaw swings down quietly on the inhale. The soft palate raises naturally and one the exhale, tone is produced and you phonate all the pure vowels. AH, EH, EE,O,U. The only thing that really moves is the tongue as the vowels change. Become aware of these consistant movements. The tongue stays relatively low on AH, EH,O,and U. The pure EE is the least resonant
but the mouth cavity still remains the same but the tongue is more arched."
Then, there are the consonants. But only a few of those (s,z,sh,tch,j,dj) require closing the mouth but do not let the consonants effect the vowels.
To further instill the sense of resonance in singing, rehearse passages on pure vowels making certain that the back spaces of the mouth cavity are open.
This is the open mouth. The two, three or, I have even seen FOUR stacked fingers inserted vertically between the teeth. This is good only for gnawing the ends of mastadon bones. It has not place in singing.
Hi Ethan--I teach high school choir. Here's a simple trick that I use with great results.
Have the singers sing the "bright vowels" (ee, eh, ah) with their cheeks slightly raised, as in just the hint of a smile. This raises the soft palate every time and gives the space that you need in the mouth to resonate. If they look like the Cheshire Cat they're overdoing it; it only takes a little. We call it being "cheeky." I just have to say "cheeky" now to get that nice, bright sound which of course should not affect the vowel shape. My women in particular sound a ton better.
