Mouth Noises

BY STEVE CROSS & SOPHIE SCOTT

Whilst working with opera sopranos, Steve Cross discovered that they think about and describe their mouths, lungs and sound-making abilities in ways that are totally different to how he thinks about his own vocal capabilities. He asked Prof Sophie Scott about this and she explained how her work with beatboxers has shown the same thing.

From conservatoire-trained opera singers to self-taught impressionists, the ‘voice professionals’ Steve and Sophie worked with have all come to understand how their mouth produces noises and how to keep their system in great shape for performance.

At this one-off MOUTHY event, Steve and Sophie explored the incredible range of sounds the human body can create via the experiences of professionals who make those noises for a living. Featuring an opera singer, an impersonator, a voice coach and an extreme vocalist, Mouth Noises, was an interactive talk and an opportunity the audience to try out some of the featured vocal techniques.