16. The Singing Position

(c) To ascertain the true singing position, or that adjustment of the vocal mechanism which will yield what we term a “good note,” it is advisable to first sound the vowel “ah” in the speaking voice. This should be done with firmness and decision of utterance, not very loudly, but upon what seems to be a rather deep, reverberant sound. (You may not know until you try how closely related to each other the singing and speaking voice are.)

17. This action will be found to press the larynx down to a slightly lower position in the throat than it ordinarily occupies. The deeper the speaking sound the lower the position will be. Observe the nature of the sound thus uttered, and see that it be easy to sustain, musical, and pure.

—Hermann Klein, Hidden in Plain Sight: The Hermann Klein Phono-Vocal Method Based upon the Famous School of Manuel Garcia, p 13.

From god’s mouth to your ears. What do we see here? The teaching of Manuel Garcia via his student Hermann Klein.

Apropos my previous post—that being a handful of essential techniques—I have students find their position for singing in every lesson. Sopranos speak around D above middle C. No, it’s not an out-and-out chest voice. That would be stupid. What did teachers of the old school want to hear? The sound made between the collarbone and the face. They called this “middle voice.” 

And did you catch this? Deep resonant tone results in movement of the larynx. Not the other way around. Therein lies the difference between the old and modern schools of singing.