Chiaroscuro Whisper Explanation and Demonstration

This video explains the use of the chiaroscuro whisper to improve a singer's skill in tuning their resonator (vocal tract) for best resonance balance: The resonance structure or sound transfer characteristics of the vocal tract can be revealed, demonstrated, and played with by introducing any broad spectrum noise into the vocal tract, like a vocal fry. I like to use something I call the chiaroscuro whisper. Unlike the typical, high-larynxed, high-pitched whisper, the chiaroscuro whisper uses a relatively neutral, settled larynx and a lower-pitched noise. It is done with some light expression, sufficient but minimal articulation that avoids over-articulating the vowel shapes or changes, and a strong, wide spread of spectral frequencies, so that both the lower pitched under-vowel noise and the higher pitched over-vowel noise are present and balanced in the composite sound output.

Keys to doing it include:
• As low a noise pitch as can be neutrally done for each vowel, that is, without any pulling of the tongue down or back or any yawn sensation; rather, the turbulence feels "darkly frontal" under the front palate at a convergent angle (i.e., from high at the dorsum/palate narrowing downward to upper teeth in front).
• As bright or noisy a low-pitched sound as possible, with no dull hollowing
• Sensation of the noise’s turbulence centered at the narrowing between the tongue dorsum and palatal or just inside of that location—not out in the front of the mouth
• A rather clear, well-defined second formant pitch percept per vowel
• Awareness of both over and under vowel tone color contributions (and possibly pitches) in the composite noise. The over vowel pitch, more often being the target tone color of the intended vowel, usually dominates.
• Use of sincere, light expression
• It feels simple, honest, expressive, with minimal articulation that is very easy to do
• In sum: noisy low clear pitch, easy, centralized, with light, sincere expression
• Well-formed second formant articulations tend to track this pitch sequence:
/i/=B6, /e/=A6, /ɛ/=G6, /ɑ/=D6 /ɔ/=B5, /o/=A5, /u/=G5

It is useful to compare and contrast it with high-pitched, mouthy whispering and exaggeratedly low-pitched, yawny whispering.

Chiaroscuro Whisper Use for Active Vowel Modification
   • Chiaroscuro Whisper Use for Active Vo...  

A spectrograph of a chiaroscuro whisper is here:
   • Unfiltered Chiaroscuro Whisper, by Ke...