Category Archives: Singing Instruction

Singing

The power of repetition

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All too often we make the mistake in repetition. We’re told to go home and practise. We put on the vocal CD, or we open up our piano book, and we do what we were told to…or do we?

So often the journey to improvement lies in the subleties. For instance, getting that “cry” to come out in your voice (which has a lot to do with your ability to do vocal fry in your head voice, which has a lot to do with your ability to be able to hold back your breath while making high pitch, quiet noises) takes a lot of repetition of the correct coordination in the vocal cords.

Starting with these simple, less musical exercises are well worth the effort. Repeat, repeat, repeat these sounds often and watch your scales come alive.

Does learning to play piano help you sing easier?

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It is easiest to sing when you have mastered the art of listening. Listening and mimicing sounds go hand-in-hand. In fact, that’s how we learned to talk…we copied what we heard. It is easiest if the singer has developed this art at a young age.

That’s why I always encourage my piano students to sing the rhythm or words as they learn a song. The goal, of course, is to match pitch. Later on, to match articulation and dynamics.

I don’t think we can under-estimate the value of learning a musical instrument and its’ correlation to learning to sing.

 

What’s the difference between falcetto and head voice?

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As a singer, we all seem to want to know what is the difference between head voice and falcetto. Do we really need to know exactly when it switches from one to the other?  I have had numerous singers ask me this question, so this is how I try to explain it.

The difference between head voice and falcetto can be recognized by the singer as a feeling or sensation, and a difference in effort level.

If you are in head voice, it will feel like you have good control over the volume and vibrato of your high notes. This is because the cords have the ability to hold back your breath, increasing and decreasing the amount of breath that you send through your cords as you desire. I classify this as head voice being “connected” or “mixed” with the rest of the singer’s voice. In other words, the singer would be able to descend in pitch and be able to keep the same “feeling” of vocal cord connection.

Falcetto, on the other hand, is the inability of the vocal cords to hold back enough air, that would otherwise be called head voice! Falcetto has a breathier quality by default, and feels totally different from the rest of your voice. It is hard to control the volume, and you run out of breath quickly. It usually follows a sensation of singing with control while ascending in pitch, and then being unable to maintain the same degree of control. The vocal cords suddenly feel like they “blow apart” or “let go.”

The reason it is hard to differeniate between head voice and falcetto at times, is because a singer can have a light head voice. Is light head voice the same as falcetto? IMHO, no. Falcetto will always feel like a loss of control of the higher register, and disconnected from the rest of the voice. Whereas, a light (mixed) head voice will be able to siren down and back up again, and feel the same throughout.

What is interesting is that singers like the Bee Gees, Aaron Neville and Leanne Rimes use their head voice and falcetto qualities to varying degrees in their singing all the time. Do we really need to label who is doing what?

Here’s my analysis anyway, ha ha, because I enjoy trying to “figure it out” and also hope some you readers will send me your thoughts and feedback.

The Bee Gees are using head voice (but not a mixed quality). They have a clear (although twangy), non-breathy, well established vocal musculature that they have total control of. It is disconnected from their chest register. Could this be considered falcetto? I’m sure many readers might consider their singing falcetto. In order to prove any such status, we would need to see their vocal cords in action, as well as have a pre-determined “picture” of what falcetto always looks like in the vocal cords. The entire professional vocal community would need to agree on these parameters. This hasn’t happened yet, so until the singing teachers and coaches of the world come together and agree on terminology and function, we will need to rely on other parameters. For me, it’s my ears!

Leanne Rimes, in the song “Blue,” has a yodel that some would classify as falcetto. However, she has the same quality in the low notes as the high notes. Sure, there is a defined flip, but her ability to engage her vocal cords in her head register the way she does, tells me this is definitely head voice quality, but not in a mix. It is disconnected from the chest register. In fact, that is what yodelling is. The ability to go back and forth from chest register to head register, with a flip, but with the same vocal quality in each register. One register is not breathier than the other.

Aaron Neville’s voice, is an interesting analysis. He has a beautiful mix of mostly head voice in his singing. When he flips to only head voice, he is simply releasing his chest register in the mix. Even though it has a breath-like quality, you will notice it is the same breath-like quality as his lower notes. Therefore, this is not falcetto. This is a defined flip between a mixed voice (mostly head voice) and his true head voice.

Do you have any questions about your head voice or falcetto voice? Can you tell the difference in your voice? Let me know!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I did writing it!

 

Does the “key” choice for your song really matter?

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OMGosh, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard a singer say something like, “I usually sing in the key of G,” or “I usually sing best in the key of D.” I cringe when I hear this because the singer doesn’t really understand the full extent of what they are saying. As a musician, I know that the key of G (for example) could have a melody weaving in and out of G, B, and D, and the key of D would be D, F# and A. We, the singer, can’t predict what the notes are from the key signature…therefore, how can any singer state they sing best in a certain key. We can’t even assume the root (first note) is the highest note.

Plain and simple, it’s not reasonable for any singer to assume what “key” they sing best in.

All singers should try to learn the language of music so they can truly understand the statements they are making about the keys they are singing in. It will undoubtly stop you, the singer, from making any of the above statements.

However, there are many reasons, in my opinion, why the key choice is a very important consideration for your song, and I’ll try to shed some light on them here. If you are one of those who can’t stand to hear a song sung in any other key than the original artist’s, then you are not going to appreciate my recommendations!

1. Obviously, first, you need to be able to sing the highest note and the lowest note of the song comfortably. The best way to find this out is by trying the song in a few different keys. You might be very surprised to find out that the best key for your voice is not the one you think!

2. My recommendation for the best key is to first determine where the most important part of the song is, and go from there. This is usually the chorus, but quite often there will be a bridge that requires a certain range, so you need to watch out for these sections.

3. Usually what happens is the song feels good except for a few notes or phrase. The big question is do you sacrifice the great comfort you have in the majority of the song, for the accomodation of one phrase or a few notes. Sometimes, with my students, we simply change the melody slightly to suit the voice. However, you need to keep in mind that if these few notes are the highlight of the song (such as in a build-up in a chorus), then sacrificing this melody would not be a good idea. In this case you would need to lower the key.

4. The reason you need to play around with the key choice is because the voice quality can change dramatically in the chest register, versus the head register. Also, the area in the middle of the voice is one of the trickiest areas for most singers to handle. That’s why if you move it up or down a tone, you will sometimes find yourself saying “Wow, I’m singing in a higher key, but it’s actually more comfortable!” Yes, this can be absolutely true!

5. It’s a good idea to get someone else’s opinion.

6. Make sure you are being “you” when you sing. Don’t try and imitate the original artist’s tone or inflections. Your voice is unique enough. Let it shine.

7. Learn good vocal technique so you know how to keep your cords together as you ascend into your high register. The ability to do this will allow you sing almost any song you want (in many different keys!!).

How to sing with a low larynx…

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I can still remember having trouble pronouncing the word “larynx” when I first started SLS training. Even though I had studied the voice for years, other teachers hardly ever talked about that funny little bump in the middle of my throat. Once I started studying Speech Level Singing and other modern vocal techniques, the larynx was one of the many topics I began to understand in better detail.

If your current voice teacher can’t or doesn’t explain to you why you are doing certain exercises, then there is a good chance he/she doesn’t actually know. I did exercises for years, without being told why or understanding why. Now, I always explain to my students why and what we are working on.

Keeping your larynx (your voice box which encases your vocal cords) stable and reasonably low is highly recommended when singing. It ensures a healthy and relaxed mode for the voice, especially as you sing higher.  I love this video…you can watch Brett Manning from Singing Success manipulate his larynx here with different sounds. http://www.youtube.com/user/SingingSuccess?ob=0

The yawn works wonders. I like to use woo, woo, woo on a 1 1/2 octave scale with the low larynx. The student keeps a finger on the Adam’s apple to feel the changes as the notes get higher. There are a few things to watch for as you progress from the exaggerated low larynx to a more-neutral position. This is why it’s so important to have a trained coach watch you do the exercises.

If you can relax and sing freely with a low larynx with the woo woo woo exercise, then you should notice that your jaw feels very loose (even as you get higher). It should be able to bounce (move up and down) slightly as you pronounce the word “woo”. If you feel your jaw fighting you and wanting to stay still, then you are not truly free. Lessen your volume, don’t worry about your sound, and simply say “woo” in that yawny-feeling. Keep a pouty, relaxed, mouth. Visualize the word “woo” as tall and thin. Remember, your job is not to “sound good” during the exercise. Your job is to understand and remember the feeling (assuming you are doing it correct!).

Once you can sing this with a relaxed jaw, you can then switch to goo goo goo to ensure the cords are staying connected through your bridges. Notice, the narrow oooo vowel should make the transition to your high register fairly easy. Then try switching to “go, go, go” and finally “gee, gee, gee”. Keep the same easy feeling that “woo, woo, woo” established, and go back to this if you’re having trouble. If you find these easy, then move on to “ba, ba, ba” and “na, na, na”.

Give these a try and let me know what you think. How does it feel to you? Can you sing through your songs any easier after vocalizing with a low larynx?

 

Betty Buckley takes on American Idol

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Did you hear about Betty Buckley’s recent rant about Randy Jackson of American Idol? She states on twitter, “I just have to say this: I am sick & tired of Randy Jackson bashing what they think is Broadway singing!” You can read her full commentary here http://broadwayworld.com/article/Twitter-Watch-Betty-Buckley-Sick-Tired-of-Broadway-Critique-on-AMERICAN-IDOL-20120202_page1.

Way to go Betty! There is no doubt she is correct when she states that American Idol is continually sending signals to the young kids of America that a Broadway voice is inferior. I’ve noticed this for years. Simon Cowell has done this continuously.

IMHO, the show producers do need to nip this in the bud, and I truly hope Betty Buckley’s rant will change some of this type of dialog. The judges simply need to leave the word “Broadway” or “trained voice” out of the sentence. We all know, for a fact, that the reason the singer isn’t making it through, isn’t because they are trained or not-trained, Broadway or not Broadway. It’s because the singer doesn’t have the sound quality or “package” these judges are looking for….period. There have been many trained singers make it in the recording industry. Adam Lambert, himself, was accused of having a “Broadway” voice while on AI. Lucky for him, he was so fabulous it didn’t matter, and he went on to win anyway.

Indeed, there is a difference between a Broadway voice and an American Idol voice. Let’s face it, there are great singers in both. Is one better than the other? Well, that’s for you to decide. As for me, “absolutely not! They can both be down-right fabulous!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Singing Isn’t Rocket Science….

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Learning to sing better isn’t rocket science. However, difficulty can arise when a singer wants to sound like someone else.

You know what I mean. Singers may want to sound like Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, Christine Aguilera, Steven Perry, Barbra Streisand….the list goes on. We all have our favourite voices that we try to emulate.

All the above voices are different in genre, style, texture and range. Let’s face it, no two voices are alike. That’s the beauty of being an unique singer! It’s not wrong to try and copy other voices, and in fact, I think it is an integral part of growing and exploring your voice. However, your voice is unique to you, and your instrument will not sound like anyone else’s on the planet.

I suggest you change your thoughts to your preferred style and genre of voice instead of a specific singer.

When looking for a voice teacher, make sure that teacher can sing the same style of music you want to sing. Classical singing technique will typically only teach you how to sing classical and opera music. Good vocal technique to sing Broadway is sometimes hard to find. You need a teacher who understands how to belt correctly (in a strong chest mix without strain) so that the voice can be free to sing notes that are loud and very high.

And guess what? If you can find a teacher who can teach you a strong “safe” Broadway belt, then you have probably found a teacher who can teach you country and pop and jazz too. Rock singing can be a challenge, so if you are a rock singer then be absolutely sure you have a teacher who knows what they are doing! This genre of singing can be extremely dangerous on the vocal cords.

Questions or comments? Leave me a message.

 

VocalizeU

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I vocalized with my new app today driving into church. Have you tried the VocalizeU app yet!? It’s fabulous and FREE!

Singers, you may be thinking…wow, that’s all I need, the VocalizeU app, and I’ll get all the exercises I need to learn how to sing better! Right?

No, that’s wrong. Here lies the problem. Singers, you must realize this. It’s not the exercises in themselves that lead to a better singing voice; it’s HOW YOU DO the exercises!

You see, we all have unique bodies, unique vocal cords, an unique larynx, etc. (do I need to go on?) Therefore, every single voice has it’s own “issues” or “habits” that need to be addressed (including mine!) Therefore, without seeing a professional vocal coach who can assess what is actually going on with your voice, how can you, as a singer, possibly know if you are exercising properly in order to get the desired results? For all you know, you are merely reinforcing the issue that you actually want to change!

Don’t get me wrong. I am a huge fan of this app for singers! I’m also a fan of many vocal coaching sites that give free tips and exercises, such as Brett Manning’s Singing Success TV, Dave Brooks Vocal Coaching (great for country singers), and Eric Arseneaux’s Approach (great for R&B and pop). These are just to name a few.

Singers, soak it all up. There is a lot of information out there. You just need to learn how to sort through it. But first, get to know your voice by seeing a voice professional. Find out what your teacher thinks about these sites. Ask questions and try to figure out if you are on the “same page.” Without a coach’s input, you may simply be going through the motions, and not actually taking the correct steps to a better singing voice.

I’d be please to answer any questions, or recommend a good coach in your area. Leave me a comment!

The big belt – the Christine Aguilera voice

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The body is an unique instrument and these are unique times.

The voice can make soft, loud, breathy, scratchy, raspy, whiney, yelly, low, screechy, shouty, deep, high, thick, shallow…..sounds. That’s right. We can make almost any sound we want. There’s no right or wrong. Only safe.

Think of a ventriliquist. He can make some amazing sounds and we don’t even see his lips move.

Think of a cartoon character…Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fud, Scooby Doo. Can you make any of these sounds?

Think of an impressionist who can sound like your favourite celebrity. What a well-respected talent to have!

The voice is an amazing instrument, and some people can do amazing things with it!

I truly believe the naturally-gifted singer is the one who can copy with great accuracy and feeling. The one who learns to take risks so they can grow and evolve on their own. I also believe the naturally-talented singer is the one who learns all about their own instrument. The singer who is “self-aware” and totally intune with their mind and body.

Christine Aguilera is one of those. She follows her instincts when she sings, and you can hear it in her performance. She learned to copy her favourite singers when she was young. She is passionate and a risk-taker. She sings how she wants and her fans love it. She has learned how to make her unique sound that no other singer can match. I can’t think of another singer who sings as “hard” as she does in her chest register. (Well, actually, that’s not true…I can think of a few….)

Here is my take on what’s going on. When I hear Christine’s voice, I feel “her pain”. No, I don’t mean her passion for the song, (although I get that). I mean I feel and hear the vocal constriction and effort in her sound quality. You don’t hear it on recordings so much, but you do hear it in live performance…raw, sing-it-from-your-heart-now live performance. Oh, how we as an audience love to hear a singer “let it all hang out”; expose absolutely everything they have to give us in a song. We welcome that energy and passion and commitment.

However, years of bearing her soul have taken a toll on Christine’s voice.  I believe her days of Lady Marmalade are soon over if she doesn’t achieve better vocal technique. In order for Christine to continue with a successful career she will need to find a new way to entice her fans. With some knowledge and direction, Christine’s voice can be more seductive and more sultry than it ever was. And, we her fans are ready for it!

Here’s my advise to Christine (and every other singer out there!)

1) A daily guided selection of octave-and-a-half exercises starting from A below middle C and ascending. These would include lip rolls, tongue trills, light hums (sirens), goos and nays. These are just a few important combinations. Easy does it. Do them everyday, often.

2) Seeing a master vocal coach regularly to learn how to mix the voice and stay “in the mix”. In other words, Christine needs to learn how to access her head register even when she is belting. Learning the `mixed`approach of a careful balance of the two registers will keep Christine`s voice safer and healthier for years to come.  And, as most of you know, she is already working with one of the best vocal coaches in the world, Seth Riggs.

3) Breathing exercises to take excessive weight off the vocal cords are important. And, of course, a daily regimen of eating healthy, staying hydrated and gettings loads of rest.

It will be interesting to hear Christine’s next album. Will her voice still stretch the boundaries of what vocal experts consider safe? I think it’s highly likely she will still continue to wow us with her deep, thick, sultry vocal cords. However, only Christine will know what her throat and voice feels like at the end of the day. Only Christine will know if she is going to be able to duplicate those superhuman sounds again tomorrow.

 

Taking It Easy….

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OK, so I haven’t literally “been on the road” with a band. Most nights I was actually able to crawl into my own bed around 3 or 4 am. I had worked tirelessly for years at three and four-night weekend gigs, most of them requiring significant travelling before and after…anywhere from 1/2 hour to two hours each way. When I was younger I didn’t think about how taxing this lifestyle was on my body. I was having fun….doing what I love. I had the best job in the world.

However, as the years went by I began to notice the effects these gigs were having on my voice. I was growing more aware of the trouble I was having singing my “big” songs at the end of the night, and I noticed my throat was often sore. When I had a cold I would sing anyway, and almost welcome the hoarseness because it gave me a husky sound that I couldn’t otherwise accomplish. I would wake up in the morning with severe broken-up sound quality due to “pushing” through the hoarseness the previous night.

It took almost ten years to realize that my voice had gone downhill. Songs that once came easy with “big” notes were now a constant concern as to whether I could “push” them out.

My life changed when I started studying my voice…..and got a nice “little” house gig in a lounge. These two changes complimented each other nicely. My voice has since grown “bigger” than it ever was.

There is no more ideal way to learn how to sing better than to simply know about your instrument…how it works, how to take care of it, and how to exercise it so it will last you a lifetime!