I believe that having good singing technique is a professional singer’s responsibility. As one works his or her technique every day, a deeper discovery of principles is developed within the singer. Heaven is in the details. (There is no crime in re-inventing a saying!) Thus, the essence, as my teacher would constantly remind me, is discipline. Thus, the singer must carve out time in the day – every day – except for days of rest, to work on the voice!
As Richard Crittenden, Opera Director and Educator would say: do whatever your voice teacher tells you to do. He would teach the acting part – like preparing for an action, or thinking on stage.
So, whatever you have in mind as a technical aspect to work on, that is what you have in your arsenal to work on.
It is important not to think of the vocalise, but the purpose of the vocalise. That goes back to the principles. So let’s talk about the principles. Ultimately it is a coordination of all these principles which constitutes technique! Then, one can say that if a singer lacks good technique, it is because one of these elements is missing: practice, health regime, or a technical aspect.
Subglottal pressure.
Be able to sing a phrase softer, and check the technique. Anatoli speaks of whisper and resonate.
Support and release tension in tongue and throat.
Poise – posture.
Aligning vowels. i-u-i-e-i-u-e-ah