The Tomatis Method at the Service of Musicians, Singers and Actors

Alfred Tomatis arrived, thanks to his research with professional singers and musicians, at bringing to light the essential link that exists between the capacity to perceive sounds and the possibility of emitting them vocally or on an instrument.

He demonstrated, indeed, that every modification of a person's listening, by means of a headset fitted with filters, immediately produces a modification of the spoken, sung or instrumental emission (the Tomatis effect, Laboratories of Physiology of the Sorbonne, Paris, 1957).

Thanks to these discoveries, Alfred Tomatis perfected an apparatus called the Electronic Ear, which makes it possible to exercise the muscles of the middle ear in order to broaden and refine the sonic perceptions, and, by counter-reaction, the emission of a vocal or instrumental sound.

Many are the musicians, singers and actors who have made use of the Tomatis method.

The results have been well documented, and numerous schools of music in Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany use the Electronic Ear to improve the performance of their pupils and to facilitate, by accelerating, their progress.

The Tomatis method permits this "osmosis" of ear-body-vocal expression.

The Tomatis method acts in equal measure upon:

  • The quality of timbre, of rhythm, of intonation;
  • The memorisation of works and their engramming;
  • The taking of consciousness of the body-instrument;
  • Posture, the respiratory rhythm, vocalic articulation, vocal intensity produced without effort;
  • Creative potential.

The Tomatis listening training unfolds as follows:

  • A listening test, followed by an interview with a consultant trained in the method, which will make it possible to establish a programming specific to the listening curve. A programme of education of listening, with the Electronic Ear; a cycle of sessions of 30 hours with the Electronic Ear, in order to train the musculature of the middle ear in a lasting manner.
  • A test and an end-of-session interview, to take stock of the results of the sessions.
  • A second programme of education of listening, at a distance of about 4-8 weeks later, according to the needs and the wishes of each person, in the form of:
    • Sessions with the instrument under the Electronic Ear;
    • Singing sessions under the Electronic Ear;
    • Recitation or memorisation of texts under the Electronic Ear.
  • A possible third programme of sessions, if necessary, to work on specific vocal, postural or score-related problems.

As a complement to the sessions with the Electronic Ear, the pupil may take part, if he wishes, in:

  • An Audio-Vocal Course, spoken voice–sung voice, which provides for intensive work on:
    • The emission of quality sounds, spoken or sung (produced without fatigue and effort)
    • The control of respiration
    • The control of a good posture
    • Articulation and its application to spoken or sung texts
    • Elocution, fluidity

The Audio-Vocal Course lasts three days.


Bibliography to learn more about the Tomatis method applied to the spoken voice, the sung voice and the instrument: