We Sing and Teach with Our Ears
You’d think this was self-evident, but that is far from the case. Why? The ears aren’t considered much today. The voice scientists among us might say that we sing with and speak with the larynx, and while this is technically or medically true, it leaves out the actual driving mechanism, one hidden from view—even more than the vocal folds in the larynx. At least we can see them on a scope.
I recently saw a photo of a prominent voice teacher on social media—a selfie. It revealed how the teacher was using their ears when the picture was snapped. What did it show? A voice teacher with a mixed-dominant auditory system. How could I tell this? From the mouth, which pointed to the left, and the left cheek, which had a lot more tonus than the right cheek. Mind you, this isn’t the first photo I’ve seen of this voice teacher with this facial configuration.
Why does this matter?
According to Tomatis, the right ear processes higher frequencies faster than the left ear. So, suppose a voice teacher is leading or processing auditory information with their left ear. In that case, they are likely not perceiving, modeling, or teaching “ring” in the voice as is necessary for professional-level singing.[1]
This teacher isn’t alone. According to Pierre Sollier, a Tomatis practitioner, one out of ten people are left-handed, two out of ten people are left-footed, three out of ten are left-eyed, and four out of ten are left-ear dominant.[2]
“The right ear dominant person is like the office computer: fast, “getting it,” responding in a split second to any command. The left-ear dominant person is more like the slower home computer. While we can replace an old computer, children and adults are irreplaceable. But we can upgrade an old computer by making the right ear the dominant one, so that they can start to process input faster and better. “ — Pierre Sollier, Listening for Wellness: An Introduction to the Tomatis Method, 2005.
So, if you are left-handed, left-eyed, and left-footed, you are probably leading your voice with your left ear. I should note that I’ve had right-handed and right-eyed students who also led with their left ear!
Complex? You bet!
The would-be voice teacher must be on their game regarding how their students use their ears (and would-be students need to know how their teachers use them). One must listen to the voice and observe how it is being used. I ask specific questions on my new client application form: I ask prospective clients if they are right or left-handed and then have them roll a piece of paper into a tube and look through it. This data gives me an idea of how they are using their ears. But it’s not everything.
Don’t get me wrong: left isn’t bad, and right isn’t good. That’s not what we’re talking about here. As it is, the ears function as a high-low frequency system in creating vocal tones.
Tomatis observed that the left ear is key in creating vocal timbre, so it is not unusual to find a young baritone or bass favoring or luxuriating in left-sided singing. If you’ve been around the block, you’ve seen this. Using the left ear makes the voice seem closer to one. Why? Lower frequencies curve in space, while higher ones move in a straight line. (Male radio announcers avail themselves of this phenomenon.) So, singers often put their hands to their left ear when distressed. I observed soloists doing this in rehearsal on the Promenade at the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center. It's very hard to get a sense of one’s voice there. But this move is self-defeating. Why? Leading with the left ear does not and cannot give the singer true vocal freedom, often resulting in a limited range, “hacking,” and physical contortions.
Many voice teachers tell their students not to listen to themselves but to feel themselves sing—which is helpful. However, I would add that feeling is listening. Feeling vocal tone is a vestibular function of the ear—this is what the semi-circular canals behind the cochlea do. The trick is knowing what the voice feels like when it sounds right.
I am giving the Awakened Ear Workshop on the morning of June 6, 2024—a month from this posting. In this workshop, the matter of the leading ear will be addressed, and exercises will be given to jump-start the right ear into leading the voice. I’ll also give participants tools to assess the auditory laterality in themselves and other singers.
I hope you will join me or send this blog to someone who needs the information. Thank you!
“The right ear processes sound faster than the left ear. When the left ear is dominant, highs are lost along the way.” —Tomatis
Sollier, Pierre. Listening for Wellness: An Introduction to the Tomatis Method, 2005, p. 105-106.
