Category Archives: Singing Instruction

Singing

Copy, copy, copy

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There I said it. Now I’ll wait for all the criticism.

Oh yes, I’ve been criticized for telling you to copy from your favourite singers. I’m constantly thinking about the pros and cons of training and listening to your teacher, versus listening and copying as many different singers as you can.

My own teaching experience shows that anyone with a sense of musicality and self-awareness can learn so much by experimenting and copying other singers. Notice I said musicality. These are the singers who notice the subtleties in someone else’ voice as well as their own. These singers are able to recognize the definite connection in their own body with the efforts that make good and healthy sounds.

Too many singers put the emphasis on their teacher only to teach them how to sing. I suggest that you get out of your comfort zone and experiment! Read everything you can about how to sing better. There is loads of information online.

But, remember these rules: If it hurts, tickles, or scratches, then your body needs to figure out what is wrong. And, more likely than not, you are simply pushing. So back-up, relax, and do it again.

This is not the answer for everyone, but it surely is for many. Self-awareness is key to self-improvement.

 

Tongue out exercises

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Love ’em, love ’em, love ’em! And you should do ’em, do ’em, do ’em!

This is no easy task but it’s a sure fire way to find out if the back of your tongue is getting in the way of mixing from chest to head voice.

So, let your tongue hang out…not forced out like you would stick out your tongue at someone, but loose and lazy with a big mouth. You will notice that your jaw will drop and your larynx will automatically stay reasonably low and stable. Ideally you want your face to resemble the start of a nasty scream or a happy yell. Your cheeks and nasal area should raise, and your upper lip will spread  wide.

Now it’s time for making noises. Don’t try to sing. Making sounds with “g” like “gug” and “goo” in your middle to high register will challenge you to work your tongue high in the back of the throat. The tongue needs to touch your soft palate to make the ‘g’ sound, and yet in order to make these sounds in a mixed voice, your soft palate has to be high enough to allow the sound to resonate into the nasal area.

You should notice yourself making interesting facial expressions as you try to figure out how to get cord closure (so your sound isn’t breathy) into you high voice.

This is twanging in a mixed voice. Twanging is a term used in Estill Voice Technique, and Robert Lunte’s Four Pillars TVS program. For those of you working on Brett Manning’s Singing Success and Mastering Mix programs these are pharyngeal sounds. And by the way, all four of these are great invaluable programs with loads of insight into great singing.

Try it and let me know what you think. Can you do it? How high can you get without your cords allowing too much air to get through?

Oh, and the best place to do these exercises is in your car on your way to and from work:) The other drivers will love it!

Good singing is when you have control

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While I was studying SLS I had some interesting experiences while actually singing songs.

Before I explain, let me say that mixed voice and balancing the voice is the best way to gain control over your abilities to do other coordinations. It’s your baseline. It’s the place where you return when you get out of whack. (And, by the way, you can access these great scales at Vocalize U. These scales are an octave and a half and if you can get through the scales comfortably, then you are indeed mixing!)

Speech level singing lessons are great for training sound and safe voice technique, but they leave the artist out of the equation.

My experience was when I was singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the key of C. The first two notes are low C to high C. You go through your first passagio at about A (ladies). My coach wanted to change my mix at high C. He wanted a headier sound on high C. I was quickly able to change it for him, but it was at that moment that I realized there must be more.

And indeed, there is.

 

Pharyngeal “throat” sounds

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What I like about both SLS and Estille voice technique is that it takes the emphasis off of breathing as the front line for good singing technique, and it lets the singer focus on other co-ordinations first, that are just as important as breath control. There are other coaches that also do this: Ken Tamplin, Robert Lunte  (The IV Pillars), Roger Love, Singing Success (Brett Manning), Eric Arseneaux and Kevin Richards (Rock the Stage).

Focusing on cord closure, pharyngeal resonance, keeping the larynx stable, and yes, breath control, can instinctively get the singer to coordinate and sing better.

Let’s talk about the back of the throat. This spot above the vocal cords is a mysterious area of the vocal tract. We know that the ability to make certain sounds gets the larynx to tilt, (which in turn stretches and thins the cords), which then can help with efficient breath control, and allow for pharyngeal resonance (twang). Twang is an important coordination for genres like rock, pop, country, and any extreme kind of singing you may want to do.

Twang is a word originating from Estill Voice Technique. I think it is a term all singers should be familiar with. Robert Lunte uses this term it in his program The Four Pillars.

The ability to twang (make pharyngeal sounds) is important because the fundamental frequency creates harmonics (overtones) that are perceived as volume and brightness to the listener. Now, I am not going to even pretend to explain the science behind this coordination. It is your job as a singer to “feel” for these harmonics.  Yes, you CAN feel these harmonics as they resonate, echo and buzz through your head.

One of the best sounds for twanging is a duck quack. But remember, as you get higher you must quack with thinner cords (your head voice). This can be challenging but that is the point! Can you quack like a duck in your head voice?

p.s. without getting louder than you quack in your chest voice?

More on belting

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Healthy belting requires ultimate breath control to avoid damage to the cords.

First, no pushing. Simply allow. It requires a lot of energy and effort to belt safely. This effort and energy is felt in your abdomen, pelvis, ribs and back. You should feel no tension in the throat. The throat is very open and the tongue is high in the back of the throat. This doesn’t mean you will feeling nothing in the back of the throat. But, you should have no pain, strain, tickle or cough-like feelings.

Belting high notes should be done with thin cords (although it may sound like some singers are belting in the chest voice). The volume of a good belt sound is no louder than the volume of your loud speaking voice.

Try this.

With good cord closure (compression), allow some air to escape with your high note. In other words, belt “hey” while allowing the “h” to help you let some air leak through your cords.

Keep your jaw relaxed and your mouth wide open like biting into an apple, or just like the feeling before a yawn. Again, the tongue should be high in the back of the throat with the tip sitting behind the front bottom teeth, and the soft palate is lifted.

If you feel tension at the back of your tongue then you are straining. Start again with a relaxed high tongue and open mouth and throat.

Staccato exercises in your high voice (thinning of cords) are great for stopping the breath, gaining control, and prepping to belt and sing rock.

This means your breath is drawn down deep into your lungs, and your abdominal muscles, back muscles and rib cage muscles are engaged in the effort of controlling your breath.

And don’t forget, you should always warm up and warm down with lip rolls, sirens and tongue trills.

 

Knowing your “attractor state”

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We all have habits. Some good, some bad. When it comes to singing, it’s important to understand what you already do well, versus what you don’t do so well.

In my case, I have a habit of not “yawning” enough. I don’t open the back of my throat very well. I get lazy and forget. I need to remember every time so I develop a new habit every time I sing. I also have a habit of poor posture when singing at the piano. My back isn’t straight, and tend to hunch over.

What are your habits? Which ones are good? Which ones are not so good? What are you focusing on when you sing?

Optimum breath control

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Breathing technique, for me, was learned instinctively. Let’s face it, if you want to sing long phrases with good control, you need to figure out your body (which includes your breathing) and ways to control the input and output of your breath.

Too much focus on your breath can sometimes cause you to push and tense up. Remember, everything about singing is a balancing act.

I suggest starting in a relaxed state. When you inhale (through your nose), sense the intake going all the way to your toes. Sense the rhythmic flow of your intake as your belly and groin area engage in this rhythm. Try to stay relaxed and comfortably balanced (with tall posture) with the amount of air you can intake at this effort level. In other words, find your ultimate relaxed state where you can do this exercise without being short of breath or lightheaded.

Close your eyes and relax into this buoyancy. Again, sense the rhythmic and relaxed manner in which you can breath deeply.

Going through this ritual regularly will get you in tune with your breath rhythm and cycle. Once you know you are taking the breath down in a controlled fashion, you can start to elongate the inhale and exhale process (through your nose). As you do this, visualize your abdominal muscles and upper stomach area and back muscles expanding (stretching) and contracting in rhythm with your breath. Sense the slow motion control you can manage as you engage your body in a fashion that will ultimately help you sing better.

If you are continuing to be light-headed or short of breath, then back up and focus on the point where you can manage the exercise at your effort level. Again, this is about becoming aware and in control of your body and breath. For some, it will be totally foreign because you have been shallow breathing for your entire life.

When in doubt, do this exercise when you are tired and lying down in bed. Notice your belly and relaxed state your body is in before you fall asleep. Try to capture this slow motion buoyant and relaxed feeling deep within your body. Then try to match your stomach, abdominal and back muscles with the rhythmic flow of your breath.

Hope this has helped you sense how your entire body should be involved in good singing. I don’t talk about breathing too much because if your vocal cords (onset) are not in good shape, then your breathing efforts simply get in the way. However, once you are mixing and getting good cord closure, your breath control is your ticket to control with volume, better tone, flexibility, endurance, stamina…..get the picture?

 

Bridging and Connecting

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All singers really want to bridge and connect. For those of you studying speech level singing, bridging and connecting is simply another way of describing mixing.

No matter what method you are studying, this concept is universal. A singer who isn`t bridging and connecting is either yodeling (flipping), pulling chest, or singing in falcetto.

Attack of the mask

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For those of you studying speech level singing, this term may make no sense. As a singer, you owe it to yourself to explore other methods and insights to be the best singer you can possibly be.

Attack of the mask is the same concept that all coaches are aiming for with their students…cord closure, breath control, and tone.

Let’s face it. Although the lingo and paths may differ, all methods are trying to do the same thing. And, that is pave the way for you to improve your singing voice.

I actually like the concept of “attack of the mask” (Vocal Release Program by Eric Frey) for some singers. I have also had results with “above the pencil” (Zen of Screaming by Melissa Cross) with some students as well.  Whatever concepts get you to thin out your vocal cords and control your onset so you are singing in your head voice are good options. There is also “covering” (The Vocalist Studio by Robert Lunte). If it works for you, that’s great!!

 

Great ladies of voice

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Why do we love Adele’s voice so much? Or Whitney Houston, Celine Dion or Christine Aguilera? Sure, it’s because they exude so much drama and passion when they sing, but how do they do that?

The ability to portray what you are feeling in a technically correct way is really what we are talking about here.  Once your voice is mixing and you are accessing your head voice with ease every time you open your mouth, then is the time to challenge yourself vocally with dynamics and different vocal textures.

These singers all display a wide variety of vocal textures and color, and a lot is due to their ability to change from thick cords to thin cords throughout their entire register. (Well, let’s just hope Adele is training to do more of this, so she doesn’t cause damage again to her cords on her next tour).

These singers can easily “back up” their voice to the “fry” level,  as well as, safely belt hard and strong. Their vocal cords are resilient and can withstand a huge amount of breath pressure.

IMHO, it’s only Christine who at times belts purposely without mixing. This is that dull yelling/groaning sound she makes in the back of her throat when she’s not allowing the resonance to go into the “mask” (in other words her head voice). But get this, Christine is no amateur. This lady chooses to do this coordination (pull chest). She knows her voice well. Christine can do cartwheels through her first passagio when she wants. In one phrase she’ll sing with thick cords and pull her sound as high as she can in the back of her throat. Then, in the next phrase, she’ll thin out her cords and soar easily through her first bridge and even up through her second!  Christine has her vocal ability mastered. Just listen to her speech. I detect no rasp or fry damage….just clean, crisp cords that haven’t thickened too much over the years from extreme use. She knows her voice is big business, and she takes care of it well.

Adele has very thick cords (a naturally big and loud voice) and I don’t think she had ever really learned the importance of thinning them out regularly to allow for flexibility and endurance while singing so hard on the road. Everyone knows about the vocal problems she has had.  Hopefully she will still be able to amaze her audiences with her huge voice, and stay away from vocal damage on her next tour.

Whitney’s voice was superb in her day. The problem was, of course, her lifestyle choices and simple lack of attention to details to maintain a  healthy voice over the years. Her ability to thin out the cords deteriorated. What was once an easy soar through her entire range, became a huge challenge because the cords were no longer able to master this co-ordination. This is not unlike maintaining good physical technique and stamina to achieve a long list of physical abilities. For example, playing the piano, ballet dancing, perfecting your golf swing. The list goes on.

I admire Celine Dion. This woman is in total control of her vocal destiny. She is known for not talking before shows, mastering warm-ups, cancelling shows when she knows she is not healthy. Here is a singer who pays close attention to her technique and abilities on any given day.

I hope this post has inspired you to continue your journey to sing better every day. Keep learning and keep addressing your vocal issues, so you become the best singer you can be!