Melocchi method explained
Below is an article by Roberto Servile, a student of Paride Venturi, providing an in-depth description of the method.
Starting a reflection on the voice requires placing oneself in a state of absolute humility, especially toward those who, in their pursuit of using it expressively in opera singing, have had to acknowledge its elusive and mysterious nature. When someone as great as Alfredo Kraus (1927–1999) declared that the voice remains a mystery, I believe that anyone approaching the subject must do so with the awareness of entering a very delicate realm.
Nonetheless, it is our duty to try to understand as much as possible. The immense advantages offered by modern techniques for observing the vocal organ, even in its functional aspects, drive us to expand our knowledge further and with increasingly clear results. Yet the voice is something that transcends the anatomical and physiological description of the organ—or rather, the organs—responsible for its production. The voice encompasses emotions and becomes a conduit for emotions: it forms within us but immediately seeks to be released. While still inside us, it is not yet what it is meant to be, what it will become. And—something we must never forget—it is never the same as what we ourselves hear at the moment of its emission.
In light of modern understanding, I believe it is necessary to reclaim an attitude toward the issue of the "voice" that carries an old-world view of craftsmanship, patience, and dedication—one that goes against the grain of a world where everything happens at accelerated speeds and tends to be consumed quickly. In this reclamation, reflecting on the significant figure of a voice pedagogue such as Maestro Arturo Melocchi becomes an especially fascinating and necessary endeavour. I leave it to others to provide information about his human qualities—impossible for me due to obvious generational reasons, as I wasn’t even born when Maestro Melocchi was still alive—and I will limit myself to discussing his method, as passed down to me by Maestro Paride Venturi, a direct student of Melocchi.
When I came into contact with this method, I was a young man who had been studying singing for just over three years, without achieving any results other than nearly losing all confidence in my abilities. At the age of eighteen, my voice was classified by the first person who undertook to train me as that of a very dark tenor, almost baritonal. Over time, understanding my vocal range seemed increasingly difficult, as my voice lost consistency, transforming into something false and hollow, to the point of being considered that of a "light" tenor. This context is fundamental for understanding why the so-called "Melocchi method" represented for me the beginning of a finally fruitful journey, one that enabled me to debut on stage in a relatively short period.
At that time, I was producing sounds with my larynx positioned too high, failing to execute the principal movement that underpins phonation in operatic singing: the lowering of the larynx, understood as the control of its position across the entire vocal range.
This movement is crucial and occurs simultaneously with the intake of breath during inhalation. Lowering the larynx contributes to three extremely important outcomes:
It increases the supralaryngeal space, thereby enlarging the volume of the initial resonance cavities.
It stabilizes the position of the larynx, reducing muscle tension and creating greater freedom and less strain.
It enhances sublaryngeal breath pressure, resulting in greater stability of airflow and improved control.
Specifically, the lowering of the larynx must occur during inhalation and then be adequately maintained at the onset of vocal emission. The corresponding lung filling is managed through the swift engagement of the costal-diaphragmatic mechanism.
The diaphragm—a large muscular partition that supports the base of the lungs and separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity, attaching to the lower thoracic ribs—contracts and lowers, enabling the lungs to fill. During this process, the diaphragm transitions from its characteristic dome shape to a nearly horizontal one. In singing, the act of inhalation is as natural as it can be, provided one avoids physiologically unjustified movements, such as pulling the stomach inward or raising the shoulders.
The major challenge, however, lies in managing the breath contained in the lungs to form sound and sustain the sung phrase. This raises the issue of identifying ideal points of support to rely on. The first and lowest point of support is the diaphragm, controlled through the costal-diaphragmatic mechanism mentioned earlier. This allows us to govern the diaphragm—a striated muscle that behaves uniquely. Unlike other striated muscles, which can be voluntarily controlled, the diaphragm behaves more like a smooth muscle, operating independently of conscious will. Once the physiological cycle of oxygenation at the alveolar level is complete, the diaphragm naturally tends, at the conclusion of the inhalation/exhalation process, to expel the air from the lungs. However, in singers, the voluntary muscles of the lower intercostal region intervene, keeping the base of the ribcage expanded and regulating diaphragmatic tension. The goal is to direct the airflow toward the second point of support, which is located at the laryngeal structure and serves the sung phrase. The second point of support, therefore, is at the laryngeal level. Here, the transformation of air energy into sound energy occurs—the miracle of sound production. At this stage, the primary sound is created. The third point of support is the highest cavity in our head. If the primary sound reaches and resonates in the uppermost cavities of our head, it will necessarily have passed through all the cavities above the larynx that are responsible for the final shaping of the singing voice in its fullness and harmonic richness.
From this final point, we derive a crucial concept: the height of the sound, which must be maintained throughout the entire vocal range. It is important not to fall into the error of thinking this is a characteristic exclusive to high notes. While high notes are indeed composed of frequencies primarily generated in the upper resonators, it is essential that the vocal technique consistently takes this fundamental factor into account: the phonatory position must remain one. Only in this way can vocal range achieve homogeneity. Otherwise, discrepancies between registers emerge, creating steps that are unpleasant to the ear. A low larynx, wide throat, and high sound position are the hallmarks of the Melocchi method.
The primary exercise passed on to me involves vocalizing on what is considered the least suitable vowel for singing: "u." It is true that this is the most challenging of vowels, being the least resonant. However, when used correctly, it encourages the lowering of the larynx and the proper widening of the pharyngeal cavities. This facilitates the “rotation” of the primary sound within the oral cavity, strengthening the harmonics that give the impression of a full and rich tone. Additionally, by keeping the soft palate high, it promotes vibratory sensations that, through bone conduction, propagate to the facial and cranial cavities. The exercise on the vowel "u" is precisely that—an exercise, and it must remain so. It is a tool to achieve the described results and should be employed whenever one notices a positional shift in singing, such as a raised larynx or a narrowed pharynx. The latter is particularly dangerous, as it compromises breath support, which must remain as free as possible, with no constrictions or muscular tension in the pharyngeal walls. Such tensions can lead to open or "pushed" sounds, poor resonance management in the supraglottic tract, and increased adductive force on the vocal cords, resulting in a noticeable sense of constriction. When vocalizing on the "u," the guidance of a teacher is crucial. The teacher ensures that the exercise is performed correctly, as improper execution can lead to significant issues. In general, one must not confuse the low position of the larynx with the position of the sound, which, as I have emphasized, must always remain high. The intention is not to artificially darken the timbre but to maintain proper resonance and tonal quality.
Transitioning from the exercise on the vowel "u" to other vowels involves refining pronunciation and focusing the sound. For example, the vowel "i," which I believe ranks next in difficulty after "u," is the most localized and clear vowel, providing the greatest anteriority and sound projection. However, it also has a tendency to constrict the pharyngeal cavity and raise the larynx if the breath support is not stable. The "i" becomes a sonically interesting and impactful vowel only when the internal positions are firmly established.When emitted with proper support, the "i" can also greatly aid in perfecting and discovering the height of the sound, as it is highly beneficial for the emission of other vowels. With proper lowering of the larynx and solid support, it is possible to position the "i" correctly, avoiding any dangers and exploiting the sonic advantages of this vowel. Its anteriority and height should then be maintained when transitioning to the vowels "e," "a," and "o." The aim is to seek brightness, projection, and height—qualities that define the timbre of the "i."In practice, one should never attempt to darken the pronunciation of these vowels at the outset, as this risks lowering the position of the sound. The correct vocal color will naturally arise from the innate structure of the phonatory apparatus, including the resonance cavities. Voices will be brighter or darker depending on their physiological structure, not due to any artificial vocal manipulation.
Accounts of the Melocchi method reveal that it is based on precise anatomical and physiological knowledge—concepts largely unknown to 19th-century singers, who may have indirectly inspired its teaching. The method emphasizes the idea of "verticalization of sound," aligning with the vertical anatomical and physiological structure responsible for producing and supporting the air column. This air column physically rests on the diaphragm and projects vertically upwards, engaging all the cavities it encounters and causing them to resonate. This vertical motion imparts an expansive force that radiates outward into the external space and ultimately reaches the listener's ear. The result depends on the correct vertical use of the structures and cavities responsible for shaping the profound mystery we call "voice."
Ready to take your singing to the next level?