How can the iconic words of Brad Pitt in the film Fight Club help singing teachers address tongue tension? Read on to find out.
Have you seen Brad Pitt playing the super buff fighter Tyler Durden in Fight Club?
If you have, then you’ll remember this memorable line from the film: “The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.”
Well, when it comes to helping students with tongue tension, an issue that can impact resonance and pitch, voice researcher and singing teacher Dr Nicholas Perna has a similar approach.
On the Singing Teachers Talk podcast, Dr Perna of the University of Colorado revealed he has one rule when addressing tongue tension.
And that’s not to talk about it (in that specific way at least) at all.
Yep, you won’t hear the phrase pass Dr Perna’s lips in a lesson.
And here’s why.
“If I have somebody struggling with their tongue, my first rule is never to tell them that unless I absolutely have to,” he says.
“I would always present it as ‘we are trying to work on new tongue co-ordinations’.
“As soon as you tell a singer they’ve got tongue tension, they’re going to have tongue tension for the rest of their life.
“Whereas if you present the idea that we are trying to coordinate articulations of the tongue, that’s a whole different thing. As soon as we introduce it as ‘you have a problem, you are broken,’ they will forever be broken.”
Learn more
If you’d like to know more about tongue tension, read this blog featuring the insights of Kerrie Obert.
Extend your vocal knowledge
Want to know more about nasality in singing? Tune into the podcast where Dr Perna discusses the topic. Listen here.
