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curtis-experience-blog · 6 years ago

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Voice Strength_III

It's mainly going to discuss various ways to test out your own voice strength and compare it to others'. This is what III is going to be focused on. The idea behind this is to better establish a relative appreciation or awareness of "my own voice strength." These will exercise your brain and your voice box in the process. Those that have been lost up to this point might very well find the fog of reservation lift and clear away. We'll see. Being the pioneer in this significant thing-- I'm sure after 100 years or so, it'll be written in an English with nice syntax giving it a proper, clear, and concise definition. Look forward to all that nuance we see in professional writing because Curtis simply doesn't have that capability. Exercises to build awareness section -- If you have sufficient strength of voice you will be able to mimic the frequency of another being capable of sound. We'll, for the sake of this writing, limit these beings to humans. What we're hearing for is the unique quality perceived when these user's density of energy allows for their sound waves to freely meet. (There's a word for when that effect happens. I don't know what it is. Someone with more music theory background can answer that question.) If the density of either participants' energy is too inferior, this effect will not happen. Typically, as a result of human breeding patterns, higher or lower pitch cannot be met to create this effect. Harmony, even if this means using other octaves or other, by the same standard, on the other hand, is nearly certain. When waves of sound do not become distorted so as to act as an obstacle between each unique frequency, it is guaranteed to occur. It is a question of distance, or more specifically, a question of both sources mimicing a common ground. You see, pitch does not require effort. It is achieving state. When a satisfactory state is prerequisite, effort stands in the way (provided density even allows for such an utterance to begin with), and ease is a good measure to go by, as well as time taken to achieve the desired state. ... What your generic vocal exercises attempt to facilitate. So, when you go to try to match someone else's pitch and you hear that thing, you can appreciate your own voice for having sufficient density to mimic that other's. If it doesn’t happen, your voice isn’t strong enough.

I'm not about to give an estimated timeframe; however, I will say mastery of the technique I've detailed is perhaps exactly how the voice is grown while in the womb. And by "perhaps," I mean: very unlikely. Realistically, the speed at which that all takes place is anyone's guess. It could be instantaneous through sheer unconscious instinct. It could be much more drawn out with periodic intense bursts that, again, unconscious instinct is capable of. I haven't the slightest. We probably won’t know with any degree of certainty until someone’s able to tap into the brain of a developing fetus, and be able to tell what’s going on. So, I’m going to leave that alone. -- Run while you talk or while you sing. Can you maintain a strong single note? If you can, you can appreciate your voice for having sufficient power to hold and grab and maintain. The confidence that comes with knowing one state of voice can be held is fantastic. Use that voice of yours with pride; and appreciate that that strength of voice you've inherited is indeed powerful enough to allow for some exceptional tone opportunities. Go work to become a master of tone control like that Michael Winslow fellow. If you're the type that can scale stairs and maintain anything, consider yourself on your way. Work towards that something, I say! Another of the misc. category for flaunting your gift is: be able to speak clearly with a mouthful. Strong voices will be able to create all of the fundamental shapes required for intelligible communication in the throat. The new and following generations of ventriloqists are at a great disadvantage, and; though, I don't necessarily advocate for selective breeding (for various reasons), it is certainly in the best interest of parents who wish to raise professionals in these fields to consider it. I have no business in such matters, but children raised in this way may come to be quite bitter a large majority of the time. I don't have the figures on that. Conversely, we cannot dismiss the benefits of union made by way of the attraction to power. Forgive the comparison: wild animals have been doing it for millennia, and their voices are strong. Super strong (excluding, of course, the animals man has its hands on like shih tzu and various other abominations.) Truly, man is the only animal in the animal kingdom to breed for almost any and all reasons under the sun. As such, it shouldn’t be any mystery as to why animals’ voices most all sound similar and humans’, the opposite. -- Make a note for as long as you can. Then hold another note higher than for the same time and repeat. It's tough to explain. Maybe voice instructors have a word for it; but using "attack" with each successive note will definitely grant a heightened awareness to your own voice strength. Hear for the crack or bursting sound when you initiate quickly. Most folks might have to entertain some voice exercising to make it easier or clearer. The average guy is probably capable of it; no problem. Essentially, it's like you're making the note out in front and “attacking” suddenly. Too much force isn’t needed at all. Greater strength of voice does allows this to be easier - and clearer. I guess you usually hear the phrase "projecting the voice." If you can utilize this attack with each note, hearing the crack, and can even hold with ease (you'll notice if you wait between attempts, you'll get different results), then you're a bird or, at the very least, a cougar. Now, while ignoring those persons who are cougars or birds, when getting up there and you have to yell: it's probably about time to move on. Most injuries of the larynx region, including straining, etc., are mild inconveniences. Of course it's a durable little device, but there's no reason to cause unnecessary harm.

I had woken up this morning with a few more thoughts on this piece, but they've since gone on their own way. I tend to not write things down, for better or for worse. If they ever happen to come back, I'll jot them down in a later thing. Additionally, there'll most likely be a piece dedicated to the effects and findings following when someone has reversed the process of voice strength building. Honestly, this is something I really don't want to do. It makes me feel very vulnerable thinking about it. Yet, for the purpose of guiding those taking on the technique I've described in previous installments, there is some sense of duty; especially when giving reason to not attempt to do so yourself is ample justification. I have great empathy for someone who's, in effect, "lost their voice," however that has come to be. And while that is so true, it may be years before I properly organize my thoughts on this matter. Experience points: 3/10

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curtis-experience-blog · 6 years ago

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Voice Strength_next

Over the course of the past however much time, I've been trying my best to think of things I thought about way back when. You know, mind you: this was over seven years ago when all this came to happen. I've been able to remember a couple key things. I'll go over them in a sort of as-they-come-to-me way; and they'll all be described as best I can. And that's about all I can do. Here we go! 1. I mentioned about the way my voice began to feel in the weeks leading up to my breakthrough. To describe that further would be to identify a sort of-- well, you know how in many references to voice behavior, the idea of chest rumbling is noted? That was, more or less, happening to me. I'm uncertain if what I was experiencing was anything like the rumbling another person with a strong voice feels while actually singing (if indeed that is when they feel it). Personally, I'd only come across this sensation during my experimenting with my own voice; of course, referring to the practicing/exercises talked about in that other paper there. Supposing you're experiencing this sensation while performing the exercises I've written about: perhaps that is an indicator of having met one or more of the criteria needed to greatly accelerate voice growth in "short spurts," if you will. I can't very much go greater into detail as the word "rumbling" being used as an adjective here is about as good as we're going to get. If "rumbling" isn't adequate then-- sure... How about, simply, that there was some action going on in the upper chest area. The best I can do to explain this phenomenon is to say: it's like the waves of growth have become volatile in a way because of their own weight. Something like that. I should also point out: Specifically, this was happening during long single note humming, roughly about my natural speaking pitch at the time. And while I'd like to move on to the next point, there is the feeling I'd like to underline, as mentioned firmly in my previous writing, I was not exerting such great force as in yelling or anything of that nature. It was concentrated bursts of utteration, aimed to be as exact as the last. You could say it was like a form of exercise in perfectionism. "Make each feel the exact same as the last." That was the experiment; and that was the great mystery: that each following the last seemed somewhat different. Of note, the acceptance that it was only by waiting some modest time between utterations, apparent exactness could be both felt and, you could say, predicted. This brought on the theory behind it all being some orb of energy that needed to be manipulated, allowed to grow, settle, etc. It was during this period that I began to go back and forth between this sort of thing and quick successive glottal stops that employed some use of the voice at the same time. Yes, I did find myself falling quite securely into the role of the perfectionist, both in activity and in thought; which is maybe why I am quite certain it will take a very special person who has significant patience, diligence, and persistence to see any hint of there being truth behind what I'm writing about here. To that, if it wasn't apparent before, I'll reiterate in a way: "How we have ancient texts - and I mean ancient texts - the internet compounding the accesibility of knowledge, etc.-- neither the world nor I are in any hurry to expect change to take place." I feel the change is up to those after us who come to read and speak, and do all that fun stuff. 2. Voice instructors and all those learned folks are saying speak from the gut. Project the voice from the stomach! Well, truth be told, I never wrapped my head around this concept. Why? Because the voice didn't feel strongest if I tried "projecting" it from my gut/abdomen area. It was very evident that pushing out from the throat area could make my voice project farther. You know, but it's hard to pinpoint the exact area. In truth, voice strength, I'm sure, plays a major role in where one finds the greatest leverage. Though, this has very little bearing on actual singing or preparations for singing. It's just the natural way of things (and natural consequence of things) as a result of the evolution of that place where sound comes out. These things all prepare the energy of the voice in completely different ways. Now, there are so many things you will experience, if you take on a confident assertiveness with the use of your voice. So, keep in mind: days (into indefinity) of strangeness is expected. Let these moments be reminders that your device is a natural product... ... ... What I mean to say is: most everything I had done was using force (or leverage) from the throat area. 3. A third point will say that there is so, so very little effort placed into these exercises. If it isn’t easy, years of other various vocal exercises may be necessary to gain sufficient voice energy. These include plain singing, which I recommend. There is some great need for concentration, and so much of a knowing and feeling over brute force and that. You will feel the changes in your voice from one concentrated utteration to the next. If they feel dissimilar in any way, especially when first beginning with quick successive bursts, you are probably on the road I set out on. It is by right of birth that most singers can use their voices the way they do. Skill has absolutely nothing to do with 70% of the music written out there. Point and fact: singing for a singer is easy. There are, of course, aspects of a singer's life that make singing "hard." Endurance, being at the forefront, because of live performances, for instance (a necessity to have accumulated sufficient voice energy to sustain some stability of pitch ability over long periods). Also, there is the stress of the knowing many or few or however many notes cannot be met (a consequence of the density/stage/state of the waves of growth). This list is extensive; and I'll forgo explaining why those expressions like, "he belted it out," or, "he sang from the top of his lungs," make me want to bury my head in the sand. Those singers knew they could hit the note(s). It wasn't hard for them. Why we have so much amazing music out there is because of the inherited affinity for making the voice sound nice. Yes, some can learn to do new things, but pretty well all actual ability is inherited. To put the above half-ways rant (i'm sorry) into perspective: If you're having difficulty meeting notes, it's the result of either insufficient voice energy or the inability to hear a note and then produce it. The whole idea of there being baritones and sopranos and all that is just something we are able to observe because of the great disparity between voice energies of different families and peoples, etc. You want to prove me wrong? Go and put two people with identical voice strengths into the same room and hear them out. I'll bet you find something curious about it. Of course, I can't help but wonder if each individual's voice energy has its own structure, even if the waves do fundamentally follow the same pattern during growth... However, that's even more impossible to prove one way or the other in today's level of science and technology. 4. This item has to do with the placement of stress, or where you focus leverage. During my experimenting, I found it best not to try to hold stress at various angles. These things are things you will have to figure out for yourself as I don't remember the exact sensations and which angles caused each, save a couple. And, sadly, even for the couple I remember, it's terribly difficult to really explain with my limited vocabulary. I'll try to do this much anyway. These following points, here under "4," can perhaps be better understood with this in mind: The full depth and scope of the possibilities of "true" experimentation is limited, first, by one's assumptions, and, second, by one's ignorance. By this, I mean that it was my intent to, essentially, forget how to speak - how I use my voice - to test everything imaginable. When an instructor says to push from the gut, etc., etc.-- this is exactly what I mean when I say placing stress. "What happens if I try to speak by "pretending" the vocal folds are flipped this way or that way, or if they are much farther behind my throat?" a) Grabbing from too far down and attempting to raise it creates a tearing sensation under the bellybutton. b) When following a wave of growth forward and down instead of putting in a concentrated effort to stay at that level will often cause great irritation to the vocal folds, and cause to have to cough. (Whatever it is that actually experiences the scratching/irritation in the larynx is for someone else that knows to specify.) I, at one point there, had them all pinned down. Which locations to avoid placing stress, weird angles; the whole lot. Seeing as how none of this is possible for me any longer, I can't go ahead and try to re-learn it all. Sorry about that. I would like to be able to offer more insight for those that end up stumbling along. This'll have to suffice. 5. This fifth and final point will be more of an attempt to explain how pitch is felt (or handled) in voice energy between those of varying strengths. These are snapshots, of course. Each "individual" state will not be covered; plainly, because that would mean putting into words happenings as they take place in a form where a natural infinite exists. It is absurd to even contemplate. - Singers of significant strength of energy will feel their ability to change pitch from in front, and the level, if you will, will not change too dramatically, if at all. Pitch is felt like the rungs on a ladder, except as if each is within the other. Falsetto will feel below because only the sensation of the frequency of the pitch is recognizable. The knowing of ability to use high and low notes is set. Wailing, as they call it, or screaming is easy. - Those whose voices are weaker than the above will pass states lasting a decade or so. If it lasts longer, then you might say their voice is stronger than the previous. Whether this is true is anyone's guess. The density of the waves of growth should allow for some reasonable endurance. When child states are passed, certainly full range is compromised for a time. - Persons who have weaker voices than the above will typically not have a large range of pitch. Higher notes may simply sound whiny or "off," lower notes will be much more comfortable. The bass within these notes is fairly enduring. - Then, weaker still, higher notes can be very difficult, if at all possible. a barely two octave range is probably the bracket here. Falsetto is weak and may be very tiring. The slight changes in range is felt daily. Rather than sensing pitch being easily adjusted like rungs, higher notes, or even mid-range notes will feel like a wall that you scale up or down. This isn't exhaustive. Sensations felt between states and the corresponding position of the waves of growth easily bleed into each other (because that is how it works). One rule to follow would be: States and their effect on the texture/sound/quality of the voice lasts longer as the density of voice energy grows larger. Simply, if you have some great voice strength, you are an elephant that will go your entire life being able to do everything you could do since you were born. No exceptions. Compared to a mastery of the manipulation of tone, which indeed takes much skill and practice, every aspect of voice strength and its inherent energy cannot be stopped or unlearned; reversed, yes. Well, that is about all I can think of presently. I wish good experiences come to those that take on the methodologies and such here. Remember to be extremely patient. Give yourself weeks, if not, months of time to soak in what you learn during these exercises. If I felt some overwhelming level of confusion in my years of uncertainty, then I hope someone reading this can have something to work with. Instead of having to guess and wonder and be conflicted by preconceptions of what the voice does and how it is used, you can move forward at some alarming rate, taking in the foundation of a newly discovered phenomenon. Get into the headspace necessary to focus and practice intent. When intent can be felt and observed in the voice energy that you command, come to know its then limitations through practice and experience.

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curtis-experience-blog · 6 years ago

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In Come the Stretchers

before we begin--

Putting aside the grammar (which I’ll tackle-- re-editing it all at some later date (to be decided)), I did forget to add the italics I had to the last text. I’m going to go make those changes now. Enjoy slanted words in any re-reads.

I, personally, feel that stretching is something each and every one of us should do on a daily basis. It isn't difficult. I wonder how anyone can go their lives without thinking about it. They're your muscles! Stretch them! They love to be used! "How do you actually stretch though, Curtis? I have this chart for 30+ different ones, and my heart is head over heels in love with that one woman using the treadmill. What am I to do with myself?" I'm going to answer these questions and more because it is from my experience that I've had to learn how to bring back my body from some level of debilitation that isn't easy to address in full. So, we're going to skip that part and get straight to what I prescribe and why after some more talking. They don't teach you how important stretching is in school, especially in ways that kids will comprehend. For instance, you go to gym class, and then sometimes stretching is given some attention. It all depends on the activities planned for the day. (This assumption might not accurate because I don't remember gym class, but the disappointment is there.) One glaring issue is: when we all go stretching, we hold the positions for-- what? 15 seconds? And there are the kids that complain at 10 seconds and those that change before all the others. Therefore I blame the kids. That is no where near long enough! A stretch should go on for one minute minimum up to 30 or so. I'm not blaming the teachers or the school board or the guy in the big chair or any of those people responsible for training athletes, etc. Realistically, typically our bodies move when it's time, and the ramifications of injury or what I call "muscle deformation" don't affect those in the early game. And the balance of money and time is always taking precedence over the enhancement of the next generation. Though, putting all this cynicism and pessimism aside, it will be attempted herein to shed some light on the importance of stretching through Curtis' eyes. The very root of our muscles is somewhere to the lower right of the back. This point is where the beginnings of muscle formation begin. As we age, there is gravity, stress, injury, and neglect that pull them together towards this point. These things take control of our bodies, and can be forgiven to an extent. Yet, as blunt as it sounds, one or more of these things will eventualy come to you. This happens to everyone. From your head to your feet, the compession of the body is inevitable. Let's try to stave it off, why don't we? Ignorance is nothing new when it comes to human intelligence and progress. Truth is: there aren't very many people on this planet that actually care about muscles. And we all know those people are crazy; that all happen to live fluidly and with ease. For those that want to break free of age, gravity, stress, and neglect, I have some good news: There are two stretches (three and/or four for those that want to push it to the limit) that will greatly help. How one begins depends wholly on who you are: Whether you've been injured, are afflicted by the symptoms of severe muscle deformation from age or neglect-- stress contributes some incredible amount, and so does one's constitution. At least, for those affected by the above, a stretching regimen will have to be personalized for you. Sadly, in today's day, the only people that seem to understand this (though most likely not with the same reasoning) are in the minority. So, let's break this down. I'm going to put the stretches at the very bottom because that's a nice place for them. We'll begin with how stress, gravity, and age play their hand in this. Stress Stress stems from worry. When we worry or fear, at least, from a survivalist perspective, we are trying to perservere - to stay alive. Instinctually, the unconscious reaction to fear, of being killed, for instance, is to become as small as possible (among other things that aren't relevant here). So then many are, when stressed, tightening up their muscles in one way or another to become smaller. You might say the stress in humans is quite different from the stress felt by animals in the "wild." Rather than knowing you can run away, humans have worked themselves into a reality where running away isn't an option. Rather than feeling stress over a relatively short period of time, man is sustaining his feelings of stress day-in, day-out. Anyone can guess how this affects us on the physiological level. In muscle talk: this is bad. Generally, we're allowed those two days off to unwind. Still, one's occupation is not the be-all, end-all; particularly when there are myriad avenues worry leverages its priority amongst everything else. Gravity and Age and a teaspoon of Neglect These two and 1/2 items are, more or less, the same thing. We feel gravity unceasingly and we age unceasingly. Neglect just takes advantage of the two and takes our muscles along for the ride. Besides that, there's not a whole to cover here. You do, however, have to admire astronauts that've made it to space; for they know the absence of gravity. Do astronauts stretch? Let us ponder on that notion. Basically, the longer we go neglecting our muscles, the more they knot up, tense up, and become a hinderance on the body. Think of muscles as having their own memories. When they aren't reminded of the things that are important, that memory goes off lodging itself somewhere deep in the recesses of its brain. You might think it's pretty darn handy to be able to feel the things that they once remembered. Kind of a tongue-in-cheek speculation when the ways muscles tell us they're is a bad state are usually through pinched nerves and pain, etc. But if you want them to go back to the way they were, then you'll have to slowly have them remember by actively stretching. I insist that a little bit of stretching can do absolute wonders for those who's muscles have been the victim of age and neglect and all this other nasty stuff. Injury, cause for individualizing How injury takes root in our muscles is as diverse as the number of injuries we can pass onto them. Luckily muscles pretty well always end up looking the same way after enough time passes (when nothing's done about it). Old injuries from your childhood can surely be felt by an experienced masseur or masseuse. (Don't blush. I know you can.) Unless you were brought up under a rock and plan to continue living under a rock, you'll experience one or more injuries. What you can do about it is: something. And this is where you have quite a few options. You can go see a chiropractor, massage therapist, your GP, fitness instructor, physiotherapist, read up on the interwebs, and more. Don't be lazy - is what I'm trying to say. However, while I do encourage someone who's afflicted by one thing or another to do something, I do very much prescribe to the belief that your thing may not be what one professional or another can address. You might need the help of someone else. Additionally, I strongly believe that exercising to prevent an injury from recurring is also common sense. It'll save you money. It'll save you the inconvenience. It'll make your body happy. I did touch on constitution earlier. There are indeed some folks out there that have been dealt a hand that can be described as unfortunate in one vein or another. As with what I'd written earlier: a personalized regimen is surely the only way to treat your body as everyone is different from the other. This takes time and experimentation, and above all, the determination to find an answer. When all else fails, there is [almost] always a solution. I'd like to reiterate: For some people, the only way to treat their body is something they must learn for themselves through self-discovery. There are times when a professional can only share their understanding of how things work. 90% of the time this is definitely foolproof. Folks that make up the other 10% are probably some of the most frustrated. I was among them. When I say deformation - Is it a word? A deforming of muscles is apparent. I call it deforming. People that've studied and know all the proper words likely call it the receding of muscles.** Those suffering from severe muscle deformation definitely need their own plan. It's extremely time consuming bringing back your muscles from such recession. You'll go months with very little sign of improvement; and there's no way around the laws of cause of and effect. For instance, aftereffects of stretching in persons with severe muscle deformation may experience dizziness or have a difficult time catching their balance. One's equilibrium is a sensitive thing. The most you or I can do is be confident in knowing that the stretch is good for us and, whether we like it or not, the effects of stretching on a body that has been neglected for so long will go through some very dramatic changes. This has to do with nerves, the pressure on them (from knots), and the brain in its attempt to deal with it all; to get you to a feeling of normalcy despite all the muck going around under the surface. Though, before you go blaming anything, think about how long you've been alive and compare that to how much time you spend on maintaining your body. Most people don't even consider that their muscles require maintanence. Like USB ports: plug it in and go. (Some unclear, not very relevant techno-simile for saying when waking, consciousness is injected into reality.) They do! They really should be! From the time you're born you're given what can arguably be considered a perfect body. (Folks that weren't born with muscles will have to forgive my assertion.) Gradually the tissue of the muscles begin to retreat. If we use another personalification, they no longer know they need to move this way or that way. When, for however many years, a muscle is used only to contract, its learned range of motion is decidedly changed. Scar tissue, by way of nature, builds and builds forming new knots which push old ones deeper; and the cycle continues in this way. Usually I use the term muscle deformation in the context of muscles with noticably or severely inhibited range of motion, but in reality, there are so many things we cannot see with the naked eye. The area in focus will be affected by lots of groovy stuff. For those persons, such as the elderly and/or severely afflicted so, taking up stretching can be incredibly frustrating. What can appear so easy to others like those depicted in stretching illustrations is not easy. In fact, some of those stretches are quite literally detrimental to one's betterment. Do these people go to their GP for advice? Do they go to a physiotherapist for clarification? Do they get the advice they need to help themselves? I assume most don't do anything. It is confusing, misleading. The stretches make you sore and hurt. These people accept their bodies aren't like they once were, and that's it. That's all there is to it. So, the big question is "Why?" For starters: Why do these stretches hurt? - It's because of gravity. For those stretches that have the person stand: that's too much weight! It's, plainly, too much stress on the joints. The protection and support that muscles provide is absent. The joints are held too firmy by what's underneath.* - It's because of injury. When a muscle is torn (in anaerobic excercise too) and/or strained, it is forced to compensate for the space, building more tissue there. This creates knots. Knots, and the scar tissue in them, hold the healthy muscle back. It hurts because the fibres are stretching to make healthy bonds again. Now, what will be described below should be consumed with the implicit theme. To be more direct, be aware! Talk, deliberate, criticize, and do so as to feel more comfortable with one idea or another. It doesn't matter if it came from here or some place else. As long as it encourages you to care more about your muscles. At the very least, the stretches I have to offer come with various considerations. From my experience, I've put together a rough sketch of what can be contemplated and tried; that, I hope, is helpful. Stretch Points - Hold a stretch for 1/5/15/30 minute(s) or more. How long one holds a stretch depends on two things: 1) The nature of the injury/injuries and 2) How the stretch makes you feel. The latter may not present itself until the next day. - Warming up in one way or another will help, but for some, this is not an option. Don't think too much about it. After 5 minutes or so of a light stretch, the area will naturally warm up. How long this takes depends on the person. Just means one has to be more patient. - Listening to music may help to stay patient. - Never quickly assume a position. - Do not force a stretch beyond what is moderately comfortable. - Unexpected sensations from stretches described below include, but are not limited to, tingling, pain behind the right ear, pressure behind the eyes, tightness in the forehead. - Depending on how and where a knot forms, one or more sensations will manifest when stretching. These feelings will change over time. The rule of thumb being: the worse off the muscles, the more dramatic the changes in the body. Stretching stretches #1: Simple neck stretch - Let head hang forward to where it is comfortable. Lace hands behind the head, applying force back into them with the neck. Use counter pressure with your arms, gradually increasing strain to a comfortable level over the course of the first minute or so. - Sitting position is recommended. Be comfortable. - Allow head to raise some as well before applying pressure. Be comfortable. Benefits and cautions: Someone who has limited range of motion of the head, looking left to right, will find this stretch very good. Someone with a plain stiff neck, also, will benefit greatly from repeated use of this stretch. May cure headaches. Note: Please be thoughtful if you are a person with whiplash. Even if you are gentle, you may experience soreness and/or stiffness. Expect discomfort. Through experimentation users will have to learn what is too much strain. #2: Simple back-with-legs-up stretch - Lay on back with legs up against a wall. - Do not force your butt firmly against the wall if it is not bearable. - Using one's bed is a convenient apparatus to stretch on before going to sleep. Be comfortable. - Pair this stretch with the simple neck stretch above for added effect. - Users can alternate between legs stretched out and bent at the knee. Benefits and cautions: May cure any number of pinched nerves in the back and/or neck. Note: Persons unable to scoot closely to the wall: please do not be discouraged! Everyone starts somewhere!

#3: Simple wrist stretch - Use a countertop or other comfortably accessible surface edge to rest fingertips of both hands on. Fingertips facing up. - Slowly lean into wrists over the course a minute or so. - Adjust strain during stretch as needed. - This stretch can be done almost anywhere by placing your hands on your hips. Bear in mind: stretch should be held for at least 2 minutes as about the minimum. Benefits and cautions: Reduces forearm stiffness. May cure Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Q&A Q: How often do I do these stretches? A: That’s something, I feel, that should be left to the individual and how their body reacts. Q: I had a broken neck/wrist/back. How long should I hold these stretches for? A: That is, again, something you'll have to learn for yourself. I don't know what your physiotherapist says. Perhaps they've already made a plan for you. Q: Of all the professionals out there, who do you think is the best? A: That all depends on what's going on with your body, yea? Maybe a chiropractor is a good idea. Maybe a massage therapist is a good idea. Who knows? One thing I do know is: it's important to try things and find out which of them works. That being said, especially with stretching, you have to make an effort to see results. Someone who tries stretching once, then says it didn't work, may as well have never bothered to in the first place. Q: Can I trust these direction and what you have to say? A: There is risk in everything. I can tell you what's worked for me and some of those that I know. That's about it though. If you're skeptical, as I wrote earlier, consult learned professionals. Q: Is there a chance things will get worse if I stretch?

A: Yes. The body and brain is incredibly complex. It's up to you to learn what a good pain is and what a bad pain is to make progress. The knots in our muscles are almost like a game of Whac-A-Mole. As knots work their way out of our bodies, new ones spring up. How these new knots affect our nervous system all depends on where they are, how big they are, etc... There is no world where stretching is bad for you. The sensations may be alarming; there may be good days and bad days. What you go through all depends on what you've done with your body.

Q: Can stretching replace visits to a chiropractor or the like? A: Maybe. Probably. The potential is there. Along with all my other wacky ideas, I do strongly feel that stretching will definitely strengthen the bonds in our bodies, making it more durable against the troubles these professionals practice to remedy. * Someone familiar with anatomy or learned professional can explain better

** Probably

4.92/10 Experience points

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curtis-experience-blog · 6 years ago

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Experience article #1

Before we begin --

Something among the many nothings I often think of is how a good number of advances in that or the other thing come about after such and such has long left the living. Is this true? I have no idea, and I don't have the ambition to find out if it's true. There are plenty of fun things to recite to ourselves, and as a result of propaganda, bias, and/or censorship, etc., we end up with various levels of comprehension, ignorance, and acceptance. I think how I want. Folks that want to do the same should go about that choice. You take all that stuff you're subjected to and figure out how it makes sense to you. Can I make sense of 2+2 and find an answer to the equation? Yes, on a good day. That concept is fairly certain, at least, for most things that I care to comprehend or show interest in. I'd like to underline: I don't go out of my way to spread misinformation. There are things like fact and opinion, and that's fantastic. The latter: funnily interpreted. Conversely, facts tend to stay the same. Then that's the purpose of the scientific method and all those learned people that seek the "Truth": to go and prove, whether out of curiosity or demand, that this, that, or the other thing make that thing do this thing, and the other things represented there do another thing, etc.

This paper's tone is heavily influenced by the writings of alchemists. This is gold before its purity has been restored; one half of natural gold. This is a passionate attempt to explain what exists without the means and devices and circumstances to extract any more of the Truth from within. So, there validity of happenings may be scrutinized. That is something that is unavoidable; however, a person who has lost their arm knows that their arm is no longer attached to their body. A portait of a blind person is drawn. A person inspecting it might not conclude they cannot see. Similarly, most organisms on this planet eat because they feel hunger. Parallels of these kinds present themselves everywhere. Specifically of the focus of this paper: it is something felt, not seen, and like hunger, there is no device to measure its sensation.*

All we can do is make use of the ~70 years we spend here. While the intent is to bring attention to a phenomenon that exists in nature, I can fully appreciate Their decision to ignore or dispel what is described below. There surely will be ramifications and much frustration felt in many groups when/if technology advances (if need be). On the bright side, there is no one out there that forces you to remember this stuff yet. I'm talking to you, Music Professors/Learned Professionals. Of course, there is always the reality that nothing spectacular happens from here on out. Either way, I'm not holding my breath. This thing can just sit here collecting dust, if that's the way it goes. What matters to me is that I took the time to write this out. Folks can take it or leave it as it is. Just know that Curtis experienced, documented, and offered his mentation on the matter. Need a name? Let's call it "pseudo-vocal science" for now.

Understanding the Full Potential of the Voice

Understanding the full potential of the voice takes years to uncover. In this paper it will be attempted to both bring awareness to one's own voice and describe the complex, yet, simple theory of voice strength. Everything here is taken for granted as there are no research, documented experiences, or data available - period - to argue the finer points. Take what is written here as the understandings drawn from the shell of an idea from one person; no more, no less. There will be included some ideas for voice exercises to play with, though, the main focus herein is to contemplate a mysterious phenomenon that resides in each of our very bodies.

It's called the Theory of Voice Strength. Each individual is born with their own unique voice, and additionally, there is an inherited strength-- voice strength (or voice energy) as well. It's uncertain whether the vocal chords themselves are the reason for the uniqueness of the sound of a person's voice or if it is result of the composition of their voice energy. It may very well be a combination of the two. It isn't too often you hear two voices that sound the same like those from younger twins, for instance. Previous generations typically have stronger voices because it was a necessity to have a strong voice to be heard across greater distances. In today's modern age, there are many reasons why humans don't require strong voices any longer, save for various industrial settings; a person is immersed in a noisy environment, and a fisherman comes to mind too. Instead of relying on our voices like the rest of the animal kingdom does, we have many technological devices to make our communications require much less effort, taking away any burden on our voices.

Evolution is the observable change in organisms [usually] over long periods of time. As far as the observable change in human voices' power is concerned, it is more than apparent if one listens to older recordings. Now, maybe it isn't fair, but the disparity of voice strength between humans and those of animals in the "wild" is unmistakable. Without firsthand experience, it is hard to assert all tribes people surely have much stronger voices than your average city-going citizen. When there is not a necessity for biology to be loud, it simply stops putting in the effort. How else does one explain why change occurs in organisms than by surmising one thing or another was needed due to conditions in its environment; one thing or another was not needed because of the toll and demand on its parents' bodies versus quick, reliable maturation. Humans are quickly losing their voices!

It is understood that our vocal folds grow as we age, thus, changing the deepness of its timbre. Voice strength is no different. From the time we are born to the time we are without life, the growth of this energy is constantly building from the force exerted on it: the desire or striving to be heard. Something that each one of us is familiar with is the wanting to sound "better." In what calibre this behavior manifests is purely a personalized matter. Parents, teachers, peers, those hard at hearing, coworkers-- "They need to hear," or "I want to be heard by," might ring true. These are the basic thoughts, at least, that drive our voices to extend out; and evolution has designed a tested and true device to do just that. Like the heart that which forever cycles the blood in our bodies, voice energy is always moving and compounding on itself by demand. In fact, sleep time may be the only time when it is not. It can only be speculated as to how the energy of the voice behaves during an unconscious period. Perhaps it does indeed accelerate, encouraged to do so from the nature of the dreams we have. So, then from this natural growth to what all this looks like.

The first three images are of (from left to right):The essentially spherical nature of voice energy and two images depicting one of the more common patterns that voice energy makes.

The two pairs of images on the far right are of (from top to bottom): Force exerted outward from below the jaw and the corresponding place an airy sensation is felt in the larynx to its right, leading to a great increase of voice energy, and its opposite counterpart, leading to a great decrease in voice energy.

You are not seeing anything, really. The energy of the voice is obviously not seen but felt. It can be thought of as a large orb around the throat area in its entirety. When put into motion by force, the effects of its energy rotating or growing may be perceived in a limited way. "Waves of growth" is what the behavior of the patterns of the voice energy is called. Above there is illustrated a single fragment of a single piece of a common pattern that voice energy adheres to. It is impossible to record how complex the waves of growth are, and it will likely not ever be possible to properly document how they begin. The most anyone can do is feel them when and how they are felt. Plainly speaking, waves of growth are only perceivable when significant force is placed on the energy of the voice. This 'force' is not to be mistaken as yelling. Rather, it is usually, though not limited to, being felt from the intentional use of voice for a sustained period. One such way is to try to create a moderately high pitch and hold the note very firmly. A sort of pressure in the chest may present amidst any number of other sensations, and even noticeable aftereffects on the whole sound of the user's voice is possible. Examples are enhanced vocal fry, changes to resonance, more difficulty or ease to project the voice out. In any case, expect change when subjecting the voice to strenuous activity. Singers are probably the most aware of the changes in their voice because of certain waves of growth that directly affect the accessibility of their "established" vocal range. It should be noted: When any trait in quality of voice appears during or after any exercising, it is solely the fault of the waves of growth and the state that they've reached.

There is perhaps some truth to 'warming' up the vocal folds; however, states of the voice are things that are ever present and immensely affect one's performance. Make note of how it is impossible to maintain the way your voice sounds at the time you wake up. That is a state. It is surmised that when one comes out of unconsciousness, they are subjected to a state vocal energy settles to. The sound your voice makes at this time is as if it were completely relaxed before transforming, readying itself for use. There are times when vocal fry is harsher or more easily accessed. That is a state. Just the same: after one has exercised or has spoken loudly for a time. These are all states that the voice goes through. It is continually added onto and built and transformed since the very materialization of his/her vocal folds.** It is both necessary and can be very frustrating, especially for a singer, for the states of the voice can only be manipulated so much. Remember: the states of this energy are formed inside the whole "orb" of a person's voice energy. The bigger the orb, the more densely packed the waves of growth are, leading to much longerlasting states. Vocal exercises are proven to work because the force transforms the state into one that is more appropriate for pitch ascent and descent. Beyond this, it is ignorant of wants because it is a natural construct - built to last, and not particularly for the purpose of maintaining a wide vocal range indefinitely. Once the overall orb of voice energy has been sufficiently packed so densely by the waves of growth, its state must change. For music appreciators, this happening is most often witnessed in the recordings of groups where the lead singer makes use of a gradually decreasing vocal range over the span of their career.

In the illustration above there is reference to airy sensations felt in the larynx region when a technique is used to force voice energy to accelerate its growth. The sensation itself is airy, though, it is also so condensed to feel sharp as it rises up. It is not pain. It, also, is not felt in the actual tissue of the larynx but to the left or to its right. To explain this behavior, one may need to fully comprehend the true shapes of the waves of growth in their most rudimentary stages. Until technology has developed to the point where it can measure voice strength and more, we can only guess at the hidden equation that makes it all work. Keep in mind: the one technique known to experience this for one's self comes with significant weight. While it is possible to very quickly "grow" the voice, the potential to weaken it is apparent too. All that can be told of this technique will be available in the following section of this paper.

We've now explored all the new relevant information for the theory of voice strength. Complete technological reliance may not cause biology to do away completely with our voices. The voice, in all probability, will likely merely become the next appendix; worst case scenario. Surely, when the people of human civilization find more confidence in their voices through understanding and the knowledge that this golden age can bring, they will make even the animal kingdom envious. From then on, expect voices as strong and stronger than the vehicles they operate. This is one prospective future mankind has. Although there is so much to learn, the fundamentals of communication is inspired by, first, discovery, and then change.

Technique and some theory

So, basically, the theory behind why this works is that as with the states talked about earlier, a particular state is required from the energy of the voice to allow it to "skip." There is no way to actually know how strong one's voice must be before this technique is possible to perform. All I know is that it took about seven years of singing before the question of what might be possible came to mind. I specify how long it was because it is known that a certain voice strength is needed. Whether it was possible at an earlier time is completely up in the air; though, I am skeptical to believe I could have done it much sooner, given the way my voice had begun to behave in months preceding success. So, yes, there are a couple prerequisites. Among the words I use as terminology, "critical mass" seems to work well with labeling the moment when rapidly accelerating the growth of the voice can be done.

To go about readying your voice you'll need to practice glottal stops while making an uh. I recommend listening to music, uttering to the beat or however it works well for you. Do this for upwards of two hours. Though I have no evidence to support the claim, I do believe it does take some time for the state to come about. You think about how long it takes to "warm up" in vocal exercises to advance the energy so much. An hour may be the minimal time invested. All that is up in the air. Keep in mind: the purpose of these grunts, if you will, isn't to do them haphazardly. You must be trying to make each uniform and the same in every way. You must pay close attention to how it feels when you're doing this too. If they feel different from one to the next, I suspect that is an indicator that the voice isn't strong enough. Furthermore, the purpose of the glottal stops is to have a place to focus on and compare. My vocal experimentation had been going on for about a month with the grunting. Additionally, I found it very helpful to hear the singing of my favourite singers as I was doing this. It served as the catalyst for my epiphany: to try to push the sound of the glottal stop out. It was from hearing the "impact," for lack of a better word, during their singing that made me wonder if the answer was so simple. It was, honestly, the next day after the thought came to mind that I tried to do this and succeeded. It pretty well just feels like your voice skips out from your mouth, along with the sharp, airy type feeling rising up the right side of the larynx.

I want to go over how I think you avoid weakening your voice too. Essentially, you just talk (and/or sing) like normal. Don't let the waves of growth or abrupt change of states make you think you need to change anything in the focus of your speech. I found they really confused me when I was feeling them. For instance, there seemed to be a sort of sweet spot that you reach just a little ways up to during the technique. Of course, I'm not talking about pitch. That led me to try to speak that way; to try to achieve that same spot during regular speech. The best advice I can give is: don't do that. Talk regularly and save the change in focus for when you're out exercising, if you do this at all.

You know, I'll admit, I do have the worry that there will be those that are successful, and then succumb to weakening their voices. Whether it's on purpose or accident, it really doesn't matter. The bottom line is: the effects are permanent; or they'd may as well be seen that way. The rapid development of voice energy you experienced while you were in the womb is not possible once you're out and about. You can expect to never be able to recover the power you once had. So, don't fool around. This technique is basically like taking nature in your hands and modifying it at will. It's not something to take lightly.

Q & A

Q: I've been yelling like you said and nothing is happening. What am I doing wrong?

A: There is no yelling involved in any of this. People have been yelling with all their hearts for centuries. Don't expect anything miraculous to happen doing that.

Q: What does all this mean?

A: This paper explains why some people are naturally louder than others (not just loud personalities), why many people that try to sing, can't, and by extension, why voices change the way they do as we age.

Q: Can anyone do this?

A: I don't know. Probably.

Q: Are you sure you're not just the only person in the world with this ability to make your voice louder?

A: While that's a cute thought, I do have the suspicion that someone somewhere has accidentally done it.

Q: Why are you posting this on Tumblr instead of to a peer-review what'cha-ma-call-it place?

A: Because this is part of my thoughts and experience program. Besides, would you take a submission like this completely unscientific, completely lacking data and evidence with bad grammar paper as anything more than some crazy shenanigans?

A: Please don't answer a question with another question.

Q: Is this meant to be serious?

A: Yes. It was my intent to write out what I've come to understand (as rationally as possible) after experiencing what I have with voice experimentation.

Q: How does this affect me?

A: Think about it like driving a car. You don't know how the car works, but it drives around just the same. ut if you want to be able to understand how the car works, you'll read about it.

Q: Do you believe in ghosts?

A: Kind of, I guess. I don't really care. If they exist, then that's good for them.

Q: What are your thoughts on measuring voice strength?

A: I have a couple ideas. My first idea was using burps, as ridiculous as that sounds. The issue being that no burp is the same as another. Not to mention you can push a burp out with the abdomen. The second idea is vocalizing while inhaling. There's only so much anyone can do to force air in and vocalize at the same time, so it's fairly sure to give okay results. The disparity in voice strengths might be noticeable for someone hearing for it. Under these circumstances it is unmistakable.

Q: If this picks up and lots of singers begin to take advantage of this, what do you think would happen?

A: Well, that would be up to them. There might be those that want to have voices stronger than a jet engine. Others might be satisfied with just not needing a mic any more. I can't help but wonder what it feels like to have a voice (as modest as it sounds) as strong as an elephant or other large animal. I'm sure it feels unreal, especially when the strength of a regular voice feels pretty cool by itself.

*There may be a device to measure the sensation of hunger

** Probably

9.9 experience out of 10 experience points.

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