Jaw / tongue release while sustaining

Why this matters

Per Estill body-use, jaw and tongue tension distort vowels and pitch above the passaggio. A locked jaw caps your range; a retracted tongue muddies every vowel. Releasing both is what lets the larynx work freely.

What you should be able to do

Two contrasted runs show stable vowel ID and no extra pitch jitter > 20¢.

Estimated focus time: 0.75h

How to practice this with your voice today

1. Sing 'ya-ya-ya' at a conversational pitch — no straining for high notes yet.
2. Watch in a mirror: the jaw should drop freely on each 'ya', like it's hinged loosely.
3. Keep the tongue forward — the tip should rest just behind the lower teeth, not pulled back.
4. Do 8 reps slowly, then 8 reps faster (about 2 per second).
5. Switch to 'na-na-na' and notice if the tongue tip stays rooted while the jaw still drops.