April 2025
Tight Jaw?
The English language is primarily Germanic-based and uses a consonant-vowel-consonant format for words, unlike, for example, Italian, which uses a consonant-vowel construction. The first of these requires only short bursts of air, while the second requires steady air flow and is, thus, more conducive to singing. Another problem in English related to this is a tight jaw and tongue tension. This constriction prevents easy phonation, as well. Here are a few things you can do to help release your jaw:
1) Massage the muscles between your back teeth.
2) Stretch by moving the jaw side-to-side and then back (NOT forward...we already do that too much!)
3) Make fish-pop sounds.
4) Say "Fat-la-la" with a really loose jaw.