Category Archives: Singing Instruction

Singing

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.

Can you be “too” trained?

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In my humble opinion, yes. I’ve had teenagers and adults (mostly ladies) who have had years of previous training, come into my studio with very pretty voices.

They have perfect diction with clean smooth onsets, optimum posture and breath control. The problem: minimal chest voice and pharyngeal twang.

This is not a balanced voice to my ears. This is a classically-trained voice with a top-voice down approach through the bridges. Unfortunately, this type of training doesn’t set students up very well to sing other genres of music including opera and contemporary musical theater.

Comments or questions? Are you having trouble making the sounds you want? Do you have previous classical training?

 

 

Watch the faces of your favourite singers

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Maybe you think all that facial movement is just for show?

Careful. Don’t underestimate the value of having the ability to sing with your mouth wide open, or your cheeks lifted high.

Try it. Is it easy? It should be. You voice will feel like it’s out in front of your mouth or nose….not in your throat.

Now be careful again. Make sure you are not squeezing your sound (compressing the vocal cords together too much). You should be able to sing loud and soft in an open mouth and high cheek position with free movement of your jaw. This is the tell-tale sign to know if you are over-compressing. If your face sits back down and relaxes when you are singing soft and easy on low notes, then you are probably over-compressing your cords, and allowing your larynx to rise too high to sing high notes. Low notes and high notes should not feel any different in the facial, jaw and cheek area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nBU9VR2X5g  Check out Headley. He is a great example of a singer with freedom in the face and mouth.

You will be hard-pressed to find a famous recording artist who isn’t free in the face and mouth area. As an listener, we are instantly drawn to the raw and almost naked emotion of facial expression with singing. They go hand-in-hand. When a singer bares it all…..we are pulled in by the resonance and the bite of singing “out the face”.

Any questions or comments? Leave them below and I’ll be sure to address it.

When singers get sick……

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It’s been a tough month. I can’t really tell when one virus stopped and another one started. Needless to say, it’s been a roller coaster, and I’m still sick.

And what I mean by sick, is that I’m still coughing and I have lots of phlegm. Coughing and singing do not go hand in hand. I don’t think there is anything worse for the vocal cords.

I’m trying to do everything I can to get back to my “normal”. I’m resting extra, including not singing and not talking, I’m eating well, exercising some, and drinking lots of water. But, I know the virus has a hold on me because I’m exhausted. So tired, that I can hardly think.

My cords are swollen. I have “man voice”. Ladies, you know what I mean. That deep, froggy tone that sets in and you can’t change. I’m blowing my nose and clearing my throat constantly, especially in the morning.

But, the show must go on….correct?  Well, yes, and no. I can’t cancel my classes for weeks at a time, so I’m doing the best I can. I have cancelled a few singing bookings, but that leaves my clients in a bind to find someone else to fill my spot. So, I try not to cancel last minute to avoid letting others down.

Instead, I put one foot in front of the other, smile from ear to ear, and take on my day with careful attention. Here are a few details that help keep me going…..

I keep my throat free of tickles and dryness by sipping room temperature water continuously between songs. It’s quite embarrassing when you feel a tickle and a need to cough during a song). This is most easily avoided by paying special attention to how hard I am singing, and how well I am supporting my breath. I like to suck on Fisherman’s Friends cough drops. The menthol seems to help keep the phlegm from building up. (I think this is likely because the “candy” keeps me salivating and swallowing more frequently than I otherwise would be).

Another key ingredient to getting through my show is that I don’t sing songs that I know can cause me trouble. This is not a time to try and show off my chops. We all have songs in our repertoire that require that element of more “effort”. This effort translates into more air blowing through the vocal cords, and will definitely cause your throat to tickle and make you cough. I turn up my microphone a little bit more than usual, and let the amplification save my day!

This is a special time to enjoy the simple things about performing, and sharing music with the people I am with. This is not a time to perfect my tone, or showcase my new song. It is a great time to share the spotlight and let singers in the crowd have a chance to use the microphone. (Of course, there is the risk of spreading the virus, but that’s for another post). Involving the audience is a great way to enhance my show and save my voice at the same time.

And, hopefully I have saved it just enough to get me through to tomorrow’s show……..

How to build chest voice

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Before you start “building” your chest voice, be sure you are mixing. In other words, be sure you have a low, middle and a high voice that are working well together. This is the ideal first move in building up your voice.

If you are wanting to build “power” then you could be fooling yourself if you think building chest voice is the answer. Chest voice is your speaking voice. You can work on your chest voice simply by working on your speaking voice.

There is a small population that needs to build their chest voice, and they are mostly females. I divide this into two main categories.

1.  Ladies who have had previous voice training and sing only in their head voice to reach low notes.

2. Ladies with poor speaking habits. ie too much breath. This causes inadequate cord closure which causes inadequate onset of the sound.

It is rare to find men who don’t use their chest voice when they are speaking. I’m sure speech therapists do come across this, but I never have.

So if you think you want more chest voice, find out first what your chest voice is already like and ask a singing coach or teacher.

If you want more power in your voice with a deeper more bottom end sound, try lowering your larynx and working glottal onsets. Voila……….a beautiful deep rich tone.