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T t T
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The Wind & Release onset (W&R) is the most advantageous onset for

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releasing constriction and improving respiration support. As I work through
these onsets myself, and with my students, I have discovered the wind &
release onset fixes more problems, more often, than any other onset (probably

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because it simultaneously releases constriction while engaging the
respiratory system). Because great respiratory support is so important to

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singing, the wind & release onset will be one of the more commonly used
onsets, in both your training and singing. The Wind & Release onset is included

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in the “coordination and tuning” onset group.

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The wind & release onset begins with an open glottis. It is windy in the tenth of

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T
a second when a singer begins their onset. The benefits of the wind & release

T onset are numerous…

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The Benefits of The Wind & Release Onset
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IT RELEASES CONSTRICTION AROUND THE PASSAGGIO AND HELPS THE VOICE LEARN HOW TO

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MAKE SOUND ON HIGHER FREQUENCIES WITHOUT CONSTRICTING OR PUSHING.

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IT HELPS SINGERS FEEL A HEAD PLACEMENT OR THE UPPER REGISTERS. ESPECIALLY HELPFUL

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STARTING POINT TO BEGIN YOUR HEAD VOICE DEVELOPMENT.
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FOR BEGINNERS WHO HAVE NEVER FELT THEIR HEAD VOICES BEFORE. IT OFFERS A GOOD, CLEAN

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T t t
THIS IS THE PRIMARY ONSET TO OPTIMIZE YOUR RESPIRATION IN SINGING, IN PARTICULAR, TO

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ENGAGE GOOD BERNOULLI FOLD CLOSURE OF THE VOCAL FOLDS, WHICH IS LESS FATIGUING AND

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MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS FOR CLOSING THE VOCAL FOLDS WHEN SINGING.

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ANOTHER PROBLEM THE WIND & RELEASE ONSET SOLVES IS THE EXCESSIVE COMPRESSION THAT

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ALL SINGERS EXPERIENCE FROM TIME TO TIME AS THEY SING HIGHER IN FREQUENCY.

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T t T
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THE HIGHER YOU PHONATE IN FREQUENCY, THE MORE THE BODY WANTS TO SQUEEZE THE

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“TWANGER”, IF THE REQUIRED RESPIRATORY SUPPORT IS NOT COUNTER BALANCED, THE

RESULTING SOUND COLOR WILL MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A CHOKING DUCK!

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Without balanced respiration and the activation of Bernoulli fold closure, the voice will

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squeeze and you will sound like a choking duck!

e w The W&R Onset Table

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Th MUSCULATURE & COORDINATION

S TROUBLE-SHOOTS THESE USED IN USED IN

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ONSET
BENEFITS PROBLEMS TRAINING SINGING

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WIND &

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IS THE PRIMARY ONSET TO ENGAGE

GREAT BERNOULLI VOCAL FOLD

GUARANTEES RELEASE OF

CONSTRICTION!
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RELEASE

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CLOSURE WHICH IS MORE EFFICIENT

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AND LESS FATIGUING.

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ORIENTS THE SINGER TO

THE HEAD VOICE BY

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 h S t h
T t T
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WIND & RELEASE COORDINATES THE RELAXING OR OPENING THE

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ABILITY TO LET GO OF THE SQUEEZING GLOTTIS.

AND SUPPORT WITH BETTER

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RESPIRATION.

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AMPLIFIES A VOICE THAT IS

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TOO QUIET, TIMID OR

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GREAT FOR BALANCING THE CONTACT UNDER-SUPPORTED.

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ENERGY BETWEEN VOCAL FOLD

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PRESSURE.
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T t S T
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Acoustic Mode Onsets That Use W&R

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Practice individual notes from your low voice through your Passaggio. For men,

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it is a good idea to begin using wind & release onsets approximately around F4
and above. Women should begin at approximately G4 and above. However, the

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final judgment as to when to use the Wind & Release Onset should always be a
personal decision, based on how your voice is feeling. The preferred training

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vowel ia an Edging vowel. “Eh” is preferred. Notice that the Wind & Release
Onset begins with aspirate consonant, /h/.

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ACOUSTIC MODE ONSET

Th S S
EDGING

is t “HEH”

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EDGING l “HAT” (“CAT”)

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V EDGING

V “HEE”

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Th Th Th
 h S t h
T t T
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NEUTRAL “HAH”

V i o “HAW”

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NEUTRAL

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NARROWED

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Th CURBING

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“HUH”

T
CURBING

is t “HOE”

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CURBING l “HOU”

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NARROWED

V o Additional Training Notes

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USE THE WIND & RELEASE ONSET WHEN YOUR VOICE BEGINS TO CONSTRICT AND PUSH. IT IS

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A GOOD IDEA TO TRANSITION TO THE WIND & RELEASE ONSET WHEN YOU ARE TRAINING THE

Th QUACK & RELEASE ONSET, ASCENDING CHROMATICALLY, APPROXIMATELY AROUND THE

PASSAGGIO.
S S
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THE WIND & RELEASE ONSET IS A GREAT CHOICE TO EXPERIENCE A “WIN”. IF YOU ARE

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STRUGGLING, TRY A WIND & RELEASE ONSET. THE MOMENTUM OF THE RESPIRATION WILL

ENGAGE BERNOULLI PHYSICS, AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE VOCAL FOLD CLOSURE AS WELL AS

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A REALIGNMENT OF YOUR VOICE.

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Th Th Th
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T t T
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WHEN TRAINING THE WIND & RELEASE ONSET MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAGE THE

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EMBOUCHURE IN THE INSTANT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOU RELEASE INTO YOUR TRAINING OR

SINGING VOWEL. HAVE THE EMBOUCHURE ALREADY CONFIGURED BEFORE YOU “BLOW”. DO

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NOT TRY TO ALIGN YOUR EMBOUCHURE AFTER YOU ARE ALREADY RELEASED INTO YOUR

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TRAINING AND SINGING VOWEL.

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T t T
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T t t
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V o V o
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