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The Messa di Voce onset (M&R) is the best onset to train the ability to truly

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command and control the musculature and respiration of the singing voice. The
M&R onset is mostly about coordination. Training this onset will introduce
the student of vocal training to all the muscles needed to sing great inside of all

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registers, in particular, inside of the head voice (M2). The M&R onset is not as
much of a strength builder, as much as it is an onset designed for precision
muscle memory and building motor control.

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“Messa di Voce” is Italian for “placing the voice” or carefully working a
coordinated movement. Here is the formal definition of “Messa di Voice”.
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“Messa di voce (Italian, “placing of voice”) is a musical technique

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that involves a gradual crescendo and diminuendo while T
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sustaining a single pitch. That is, a note is sung at a quiet volume,

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gradually and smoothly made louder until it reaches a high
volume, then similarly made quiet again.”

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What this definition is saying is, traditionally Messa di Voce is an onset whereby
a steady and even stream of respiration is increased to amplify the voice and
then carefully, with precision care, respiration is decreased evenly. This smooth

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movement of voice amplification brought on by precision control of respiration

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with vocal fold compression builds the ability to command and control the

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phonation, as far as respiration and glottal compression in concerned. When
dealing with ascending and descending respiration levels in this way, it

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h useful.

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represents the more traditional definition of a Messa di Voce and it is very

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However, the definition of the TVS Messa di Voce onset is slightly different. The

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TVS Messa di Voce onset includes careful control of respiration and

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compression, but adds to that, a training work flow that focuses more on
the musculature movements needed for connectivity in the head voice. If

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di Voce onset, it would read as follows.
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we change the above definition to account for the changes in the TVS Messa

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work flow designed to teach the singer command and control of o
“Messa di voce is a specialized TVS onset that involves a training

all the components required for a high performance onset. That is,

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a note is sung with a 4-5 step work flow that first engages
resonant placement, respiration, isolated vocal fold compression
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and anchoring of the intrinsic musculature for singing (larynx,
tongue, embouchure, etc…).”

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Below is a table that helps clarify the two different kinds of Messa di Voce
onsets. Note, that both approaches for Messa di Voce are helpful, however, the

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TVS version has the advantage of helping students to really feel the
musculature for strong head voice singing.

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Two Kinds of M&R Onsets
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Th TRADITIONAL MESSA DI VOCE

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TVS MESSA DI VOCE ONSET
ONSET

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(RESPIRATION + MUSCULATURE ORIENTED)
(RESPIRATION ORIENTED)

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RESPIRATION X VOCAL
PLACEMENT X RESPIRATION X VOCAL FOLD COMPRESSION X

INTRINSIC ANCHORING (LARYNX DAMPENING, TONGUE

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FOLD COMPRESSION =

PRECISION RESPIRATION
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LEVERAGING) X TUNING TO A SINGING VOWEL = PRECISION

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COMMAND & CONTROL OF ALL THE COMPONENTS IN THE

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ONSET PACKAGE, SPECIFICALLY THE INTRINSIC MUSCULATURE

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OF THE HEAD VOICE.

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The M&R Onset Table

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MUSCULATURE & COORDINATION TROUBLE-SHOOTS THESE USED IN USED IN

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ONSET
BENEFITS PROBLEMS TRAINING SINGING

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PRACTICE IF YOU WANT TO

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LEARN TO ISOLATE VOCAL

h COORDINATES THE INTRINSIC

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FOLD COMPRESSION WITHOUT

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ENGAGING THE
MUSCULATURE NEEDED TO HAVE A

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CONNECTED PHONATION IN THE HEAD
CONSTRICTORS IN THE HEAD

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VOICE.
VOICE, INCLUDING VOCAL FOLD

MESSA a
COMPRESSION, LARYNX DAMPENING

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(ANCHORING), RESPIRATION AND
CORRECTS THE INABILITY TO

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COORDINATE VOCAL FOLD
DI FORMANT TUNING.
COMPRESSION, LARYNX

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YES NO

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VOCE

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DAMPENING (ANCHORING) AND
BALANCES VOCAL FOLD COMPRESSION

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FORMANT TUNING IN THE

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WITH RESPIRATORY PRESSURE FOR

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HEAD VOICE.

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THE PURPOSE OF DISENGAGING THE

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CONSTRICTORS AND REMOVING THE

‘QUACKY’ SOUND COLOR OF TOO MUCH

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TEACHES THE SINGER HOW TO

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VOCAL FOLD COMPRESSION IN SINGING.
PRODUCE A FULL SPECTRUM

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OF SOUND, NOT JUST

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FALSETTO, IN THE HEAD

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VOICE.

o c Training M&R Onsets

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With messa di voce, the singer starts in pure falsetto vocal mode in the head
voice, blowing windy hot air, and nothing more. Then, out of the vaporous

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humidity of Falsetto vocal mode, the singer slowly engages the intrinsic
anchoring set work flow: leveraging the tongue against the back of the bottom
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teeth, compressing of the vocal folds (twang), shaping of the embouchure,

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tuning of the formant and, finally, dampening the larynx. The Messa di Voce
onset is part of the “coordination and formant tuning” group of onsets. Messa di
Voce is also one of two onsets that do not appear in singing due to the fact that

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the Messa di Voce and the Contract & Release onsets both rely solely on their
training work flows.

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In essence, the Messa di Voce is primarily a head voice onset that starts

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with nothing, but ends with everything you need for a high performance

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phonation in your head voice. This is accomplished through a slow,
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controlled, uninterrupted shaping and formation of the intrinsic anchoring set.

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Thus, the messa di voce onset is mainly about building coordination for, and

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managing the work flow of, the intrinsic anchoring set. The Messa di Voce onset
is characterized by the following unique training work flow.

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The M&R Onset Training Work Flow

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1. ESTABLISH PLACEMENT a
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1.1. OPEN GLOTTIS POSITION

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(FALSETTO VOCAL MODE)

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2. ENGAGE ISOLATED COMPRESSION

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(QUACK VOCAL MODE)

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3. SHAPE EMBOUCHURE FOR THE TRAINING VOWEL

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3.1. TONGUE FORWARD, TONGUE LEVERAGING BEHIND BACK OF BOTTOM TEETH OR STEEPER INTO

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THE LINGUAL VESTIBULE

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4. DAMPEN (ANCHOR) THE LARYNX & TUNE YOUR FORMANT

(SINGING VOWEL)

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5. MAINTAIN THE TRAINING VOWEL

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5.1. Ɛ /EH, AE/A (“CAT”), Ʌ /UH, :A/AH, ETC..

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A MESSA DI VOCE ONSET CAN BE EXECUTED ANYWHERE IN THE VOICE. HOWEVER IT IS PRIMARILY

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USED ON NOTES ABOVE THE PASSAGGIO TO DEVELOP THE HEAD VOICE. PRACTICE ANY MESSA DI

VOCE ONSET ON ANY NOTE IN YOUR HEAD VOICE. FOR MEN, THIS WILL BE TYPICALLY ABOVE E4,

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AND FOR WOMEN, TYPICALLY ABOVE A4.

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THE MESSA DI VOCE ONSET REQUIRES CLOSE THE SPECIFIC TRAINING WORK FLOW. THE INTRINSIC

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ANCHORING WORK FLOW BECOMES THE TRAINING ROUTINE FOR THE MESSA DI VOCE ONSET. YOU

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CANNOT HAVE A TVS MESSA DI VOCE ONSET WITHOUT A SLOW AND CONTROLLED WORK FLOW,

h RESPIRATION AND VOLUME LEVEL.

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UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO DO A MORE WINDY, SMOOTH TRADITIONAL KIND THAT ONLY FOCUSES ON

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THE MESSA DI VOCE BENEFITS FROM AN OPEN GLOTTIS POSITION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

WORK FLOW. NOTE THAT THE OPEN GLOTTIS POSITION WAS ALSO A MAJOR POINT IN THE
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PREVIOUS W&R ONSET. REGARDLESS IF YOU DO A W&R ONSET OR THE SLOWER PRECISION

MOVEMENTS OF THE MESSA DI VOCE ONSET, THEY ARE BOTH LARGELY INFLUENCED BY THEa
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EASE OF RESONANT PLACEMENT.

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BENEFITS OF AN OPEN GLOTTAL POSITION, NAMELY, THE RELAXATION OF CONSTRICTORS AND

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Th Th Th
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Messa di Voce, a singular note that ascends, grows, contracts, crescendos followed by the
reverse for the purpose of building great command and control of the voice.

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