“Learn the rules like a pro, and then break them”

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There is a saying in dance “learn the rules like a pro, and then break them”.

It’s perfectly appropriate for singing as well.

Freedom to express yourself is directly related to the amount of control you have over your voice. With good singing technique, you have equal control of your high, middle and low registers. You are essentially creating a baseline that you should always return when warming up and vocalizing.

Does this mean you have to stay there? Absolutely not. Once balanced, the voice can explore the qualities that ring true with the style of music you want to sing.

Although good singing technique is necessary to sing all styles of music well, certain styles can require the voice to do certain unique co-ordinations, especially with vowel formation, amount of breath being released, glottal attack and twang. However, most important is knowing that you are mixing well from the top of your range to the bottom.

Get your voice balanced and then start to build the qualities you are looking for.

 

 

 

Honing your skills

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Do you ever wonder how your favorite singers on American Idol got to be so darned good? (I’m referring to the singers in the finals, of course!). How can people possibly sing like that?

Well, let me tell you one of the secrets that is not really a secret! These singers are singing every day: sometimes for hours and hours. Many of these singers have been practising their singing skills since they were a child.

Now refer to your singing history. How long have you been singing? How are you going to add more hours of singing to your bank.

One of the best ways to get more practice each week is to join a choir, a band, or  sing karaoke regularly. It sure is a lot more fun working on your skills when you are actually “performing”. The more you sing, the more you become aware of the control you can have over your breath control and larynx (your voice box in your throat).

Singing everyday will always move you forward. As long as you are focused on correct technique, you will continually see improvement in your voice.

Best “Ah-ha” moment

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One of the best “ah-ha” moments about my voice came to me the summer I had a quaint little gig in the bar area of a classy restaurant. It was a quiet room that only sat about 6 people at the bar, and had six tables in a room approximately 20′ X 20′.

I had a small speaker system that was a perfect set-up for me and my digital piano. Now, the point I’m making here is how I learned to sing better that summer.

Prior to this, I always sang in bands. Loud bands. Big bands.

This experience was revolutionary for me.

You could hear a pin drop at times. My job was to entertaining the romantic couples who were waiting for their table, or who came in after dinner for a dance or two before going home. My job was to sing my heart out without being annoying loud.

Have you ever tried to sing/belt your heart out to a Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, or Kelly Clarkson tune, without being too loud? It’s an interesting combination, and one that is the key to your success as a strong singer.

I must say I did this well, and got better at it week after week.

The effort came from deep within. Almost deep within my soul, if that makes any sense. I had to take in huge breaths to build enough pressure to create the illusion of singing loud and belting. With careful play on the microphone, I was able to add emotional intimacy to my voice on the verses (usually the lowest pitches of a song), and then build intense dynamic power by increasing the strength and breath pressure in my body for the choruses.

Yes, the choruses were a bit louder, and I would simply back of the mic just enough to create that build up of intensity that matched the intensity of singing close to the microphone in the verse.

Does any of this make sense to you?

Questions? Comments? Please let me know below.

 

It’s time to build

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So, you are mixing. You have control of your larynx (not too high, not too low), and you are accessing the edges of your cords everyday through exercise, and getting good closure throughout your range. What’s next?

Build up of the voice to the next level is not effortless. In fact, the next level happens beneath the vocal cords. It’s your breathing.

That’s it. Maybe now it’s time to step it up and take in more breath.  But be careful, this does not mean let more breath out.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

If you are mixing with good resonance and cord closure (as mentioned in paragraph #1), then it’s time to make your body work harder.

Practise taking in deep breaths that make your belly extend. Hold it there. Feel the suspended feeling? Feel the buoyance to your upper chest and body? Feel the pressure build up down yonder in your genitals and rear end? There are many visuals that can help you achieve this sensation.

1. Imagine an open umbrella where the cover moves freely, in your abdomen (the open top imitating your rib cage). Not an umbrella that collapses, but an umbrella that waves from open to a little less open in a suspended, wavy but firm, motion (this is you breathing in and out).

2. Imagine holding up one of those plastic, floating, swimming devices around your mid to upper abdomen.  Keep in mind that you must still breath in and out, and keep this sensation of holding up the floating device. Feel the relaxed nature of the rest of your entire body as your abdomen and ribs are expanded while you breath. Notice as you take in the air, the device will tighten a bit around your upper abdomen. The abdomen will naturally fall in a little as you expel some air, but the sensation of holding up the device remains at all times. If this is totally uncomfortable or you feel lightheaded, then take in less air, and engage in these sensations and visualizations using less air.

3. As you expel air while breathing, engage in the pressure feeling of bearing down and build up that happens below your belly button. Control this feeling, learn to love this feeling, get familiar to this feeling; this is your breath support. Once you tap into the sensation of pressure build up in the lower abdominal area, genital and butt area, simply experience it while breathing. Remind yourself that this is your new way of breathing. This is the sensation that you will carry with you all day long while you continue to practise your new way of breathing.

You can use these sensations every minute of every day to help with your voice. You will notice your speaking voice will “pop” with ease when speaking. You will notice the rest of your body (your arms, legs, neck, head, jaw) simply relax into this unique, natural body effort that comes from deep within.

This way of breathing will help you in all facets of your life. You will feel more energy and more alive. Try to find that balance where you can manage these sensations throughout your entire day; not just when you’re singing.

Questions? Comments? I look forward to answering any questions.

Pain and fatigue

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Let’s be clear, if it tickles, scratches or hurts then you are doing something wrong.

Fatigue, on the other hand, is a sign of growth (assuming the fatigue is in the correct place). If you want to sing better, you need to teach yourself the details necessary to achieve your fullest potential. And, you will get tired. Ah, but be careful. Is your effort in the correct place? This is where a teacher to guide you can speed up your progress significantly.

Self awareness is key here. You are in charge of your body and voice. You are the driver. We, the teachers, are simply the navigators. We don’t know how hard you are working and where your effort is. We only have our ears to signal us as to what you are likely doing. You, on the other hand, have your body, your mind, and your throat to steer you in the right direction.

Here are some variables to keep in mind.

1. How much air are you taking in before you sing a phrase?
2. How much air are you letting out on the first opening (onset) of a phrase, and continuing to let out throughout the phrase?
3. How much cord closure are you getting? Too much will cause over-compression and a squeezing loud sound. This is usually not pleasant to listen to. Too little closure and you will not have the ability to bridge or control details like dynamics and resonance.
4. How much thinning of the vocal cord edges are you getting? This is where some of the real action is, and it’s so detailed, it needs an entire book. (And it’s in direct relation to your breath intake/out-take and cord closure noted in #1, #2, and #3.
5. How high is your larynx? Careful attention to the up and down movements of your larynx will help guide you. Knowing when your larynx is going too high when singing high notes will help you stay on the right track.
6. How much resonance are you achieving? Optimal resonance will give you and your audience goosebumps! When you find the “zone” for balancing your voice with the frequency you are singing, your voice will pop. Your voice will feel huge. The key here is maintaining that balance of resonance and harmonic overtones throughout your entire range. Great resonance can only be achieved when the above are in good working order.
7. How much are your vocal cords stretching? The ability to stretch will create twang, which will increase resonance and a whole other gamut of great things you can do with your voice.
8. How open is your throat and mouth? What is your tongue doing?

Although singing isn’t rocket science, we were each born with a unique instrument inside our throat. This makes every person’s path to improvement different. What works for me, might not work for you. But, knowing the details to look for can put you in the driver’s seat.

Questions? Comments? Please leave them below.

The rock singer’s voice

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Singing rock music is extreme. If you are going to do it, you had better do it well. This means you need to be fully aware of what is going on inside your throat and body.

If your goal is to sound a certain way, or to sound like somebody else, then you may very well be in trouble. Most rock singers you admire have been singing for years and years and years. That’s why we love their voices. They have that vintage-sounding tone even in their speaking voice. Check your speaking voice; do you have a brassy component left over from years of blowing hard through your vocal cords. Probably not. And most teachers would say, that’s a good thing!

Singing extreme music like rock will require you to challenge yourself to be extreme. Are you sure you are ready? Are all your ducks lined up? The key here is being extreme in all the right places.

1. Do you have one continuous, seamless voice from the bottom of your range to the top of your range? (mixing)
2. Are you are total control of your increases and decreases in volume? Can you go from loud to soft back to loud in one long breath? (cord closure)
3. Can you do all the sounds I’ve listed in some of my posts? (ie hung-gee, the sirens, nay, nay, nay) (resonance)

If the previous exercises bog you down, then you are not ready for more. These need to be as easy as speaking.

Next step: Go out and do it! That’s right. Go get a gig and do it for free. Sing, sing, sing, and then go sing some more. Follow all the guidelines about warm-ups and cool-downs, but sing everyday, as long as you can. Pay attention, be careful. Get in tune with your voice and body.

When you can sing for 4 hours continuously without going hoarse, you are ready to step up your game.

Any comments or questions. Please leave them here.

Rock singing and Twang

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This is a match made in heaven.

If you have twang in your speaking voice, hooray for you! Check for this: Can you imitate cartoon or comedy characters in your high/mixed voice? (This cannot be breathy). It should be loud and whiney with a brassy, bright sound. Can you make a nasty, witchy sound, or nyae-ae-ae like a horse (make it usually whiney). Now, check yourself. Did this happen effortlessly in your mixed voice, or are you trying really hard and getting stuck in your chest voice? Trying too hard will only get you in trouble. You must practise this the correct way and build from there. This is the nay-nay-nay exercises in SLS.

Twang is a great quality to have for any genre of singing. It means you have a tilted cartilage and are able to narrow your Aryepiglottic Sphincter. I know, it’s a big word….but it’s important! The physiology is very complex within the larynx. Just know that the ability to narrow the AES is key to “the illusion of power” in rock singing.

Twang is easier to produce in higher frequencies than it is in lower frequencies. The sensation of making twang originates high up in the back of the throat. Rock singers who can twang usually have no issues with bridging or “mixing”. Just think Steven Tyler, Ken Tamplin, Jamie Vendera or Robert Lunte; these singers all have great twang.

How did they get such great twang?

1. Great breath control.
2. Great bridging.
3. Great cord closure.
3. Optimum effort in all the correct places.
4. No fear.

Questions? Comments? I look forward to you leaving them here.

Thick folds are the hardest to bridge….

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If you have thick vocal cords, you are both blessed and cursed. Let me explain.

Thick folds create big sounds. Sounds like Adele, Rhianna, Serena Ryder, Whitney. It’s a bit of a different story for the male voice, but for ladies, the thick sound is all over the radio. (Compare thick to the sound of thin cords of Brittany Spears).

The downside is thick folds can be more difficult to bridge, especially in the untrained singer. If you have been singing throughout your entire range for years, then hallelujah, you are probably working it well.

Thick folds are a result of many different factors. It can be generic: You know, the girls in grade school with the “man-voice”. It can be caused from years of allergies, or coughing, speech habits, or years of over-singing in bands. It isn’t good or bad, it just is.

Questions, comments? Leave them here. Thanks.

More on rock singing…..

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My last post told you of the set-up in the voice box that is ideal for singing rock music. So what differentiates a good rock singer from being just-OK?

The answer is control! Most amateurs are squeezing out their sound in an attempt to sound “big”. When a singer is in control of all the fine details of the sounds he is making, the listener will be engulfed by how “large” the sound is when the “effort” is in the correct place.

Thyroid Tilting

The ability to tilt the thyroid cartilage will give the listener the illusion of “chest voice power”. Tilting will help the singer to bridge to their head voice with pharyngeal and mouth resonance. To achieve ideal conditions and optimum resonance in the head voice, the cords need to stretch (lengthen) and thin.

The puppy dog whimper is a good indicator (if you are doing it correctly) as to whether you are tilting well. The cords must stay together as you practise! Too much air will blow the cords apart too much. You should feel this “whimper-like cry” behind your upper teeth or behind the nose. Some describe it as starting at the back of the throat and carrying through the head voice area. Pay attention to making it as buzzy and light as you can. This means you are working the inner edges of the cords. The ability to do this without flipping (cords blowing apart) above your first passagio is very difficult. Master the delicateness of this and you will see your control improve instantly. (Alter your volume to find the balance where you can maintain this sound). Start small and light and achieve control of the detail).

To help keep your cords thin, add a “cry” to the onset of your sound. This moves the larynx up slightly, so be careful to know that you are tilting as well. The “whimper” and the “cry” in your head voice will set you up nicely for thyroid tilt and cord thinning.

Do you have any questions? Please let me know. More later on another very important component of the voice when singing rock……TWANG!!

So you want to be a rock singer?

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The following conditions are present for singing rock music.

Rock singing is high intensity. Rock singing requires optimum effort to avoid laryngeal constriction. Optimum effort means singing feels as easy as speaking in the throat. Breathing is high effort – breath control exercises are recommended.

Avoid constriction of the false vocal cords by thinking a “happy smile” inside your throat. Add the sensation of a sob or moan.  Stop any exercising if your throat tickles, scratches or makes you cough.

Vocal cords – Usually glottal, aspirate, and thick to stiff – say “uh-oh” on different pitches to experience glottal onset. (Engage the muscle at the top of your stomach, and middle of your ribs – to help with breath control).

Aspirate means air. Most rock singers sing with variations of an aspirate voice. This means that some breath is escaping. The folds are relatively short, and thick, similar to speech voice, and stiffen when stretched for high pitches.

The thyroid cartilage is tilted – say “meow” or whimper like a puppy dog. Practice this at the same volume in your low voice and high voice. Feel the “sweetness” added to your sound.

The cricoid cartilage and the thyroid cartilage are connected by a joint, that allows the two cartilages to rotate relative to each other creating an open space. (This is an over-simplied way of describing what actually goes on between the two sets of cartilage).  Try to find the small space between the thyroid and cricoid cartilage by putting your finger on your thyroid notch (your Adam’s apple). Now slide down slightly, just below the bump. This is the space. Tilting the thyroid cartilage when you “meow” or whimper may feel like the larynx is trying to rise. However, this sensation is likely the thyroid cartilage trying to tilt (which stretches the vocal cords).

The cricoid cartilage is engaged – when a singer is belting and/or shouting. This is high intensity voice production and has the potential to injure the voice. I suggest practising “happy” shouty singing with optimum breath control and thyroid tilt to get the cords to stretch. (Check your puppy dog whimper on all pitches and then do a happy shout and maintain that pitch for a duration). Remember, if it tickles, scratches or hurts, you are doing it wrong and should stop.

The larynx – this is the entire voice box. In general, rock singing requires the larynx to mid to high. However, if the larynx goes too high, the singer is unable to bridge to their head voice.

The tongue/jaw/mouth/soft palate – Rock singers typically have wide open mouths with the tongue raised in the back of the mouth, with the tip meeting nice with the back of the bottom teeth. The soft palate is high. (You can get this open big feeling by pretending to bite into a big apple, and allowing your tongue to hang out over your bottom lip).

Here is an exercise that is essential for rock singers.

Men: Hung-gee over your first passagio   [flowplayer src=’http://www.askhimin.com/bluepixeldesign/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/male-hung-gee.flv’]

Ladies: Hung-gee over your first passagio   [flowplayer src=’http://www.askhimin.com/bluepixeldesign/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ladies-hung-gee-0.flv’]

Please let me know if you have any questions. Feel free to leave me a comment.