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Rebecca Fromherz, OBSVAC Student Coordinator: On a Personal Note
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Welcome
to the
Otto
B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Center
Otto B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Laboratory Home
How were you introduced to the OBSVAC lab?
I first heard about OBSVAC when I went to a workshop given by Richard Miller in Oregon at Linfield College, and I was fascinated by how he uses acoustics to teach voice. When I found out I was accepted to Oberlin, I was excited to be a part of the conservatory and I knew I would be involved in OBSVAC. I immediately went up to the lab during my first few days here and for a year and a half I observed the lab assistants as a sort of gopher. I did everything from dusting the machines to filing papers, but all the time observing how the machines work. I became an assistant in the lab the second semester of my sophomore year.
What did you have to learn to become an assistant in the lab?
I was excited to find out how much there is to learn about the voice, but when I realized how much I didn't know about acoustics, I registered for a physics course my freshman year. It was a musical acoustics class, very elementary in its principles, but it solidified my basic understanding of acoustics. I learned about wave forms, the nature of sound and how it travels, the psychology of sound (its affect on us), and I learned about the formants in a classically trained singers voice. I knew what a formant looked like, but I didn't know what it was. Formants are areas of acoustic strength and I learned that when certain formants are present and balanced, it makes a beautiful sound.
What do you think is the most valuable function of OBSVAC?
All of the instruments work together to provide an awareness of the voice that is different from that acquired in a teacher's studio. Singers learn in three ways: by feeling, hearing and seeing. We can hear and listen to our teachers, and feel the sensations of singing correctly, but one thing singers cannot do is see their instrument on a daily basis. Through acoustic analysis, we can have a visual representation of our voice. The K5500 Spectrograph provides immediate feedback, which is valuable because you can hear your voice and see yourself on the screen at the same time. We are also lucky to have doctors from Cleveland who perform laryngoscopies for students. It is exciting to be involved with the work and to know about the equipment here.
Have you seen improvement in the singers who come here?
Definitely. Invariably the students who visit the lab regularly are the ones who make the most rapid progress. Also, if the singer is a visual learner, the lab can be a powerful and valuable tool for learning to sing. The sessions only complement the teacher's feedback. Learning to sing is a continuing process and what we do helps people in the process.
What do you think of the argument that the OBSVAC Lab is an attempt to "qualify art"?
We often compare singing to architecture. In architecture, just as in singing, you must have a foundation, you must have walls and you must have a ceiling to keep the walls from falling in. Even if an architect is born with a natural gift for architecture, she still doesn't know everything about building and must study as much as she can to build safe and beautiful structures. The more you know, the easier it is to fix problems that come up. An important part of singing is learning how to fix your own problems and prevent the "storms" that will knock over the building. To be a great singer or a voice teacher, you must have a solid understanding of the structure of the voice, the breathing apparatus and how to find the right formants to create a consistent, beautiful sound. Just as in architecture, the more technical knowledge one has, the more beautiful and secure the finished product will be.
Is the work of Leonardo da Vinci science, or art, or both? We build the bridge between art and science here. Some people fear the machinery will make art static, but if anything, it allows for greater artistry. The more solid the technical foundation of a singer's skill, the more artistic expression is possible.
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