The big mouth

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Susan McAllister-Bee

So why do all your American Idol favorites sing with huge mouths?

Answer: Because the big mouth is directly related to the freedom associated with making sounds found in contemporary styles such as rock, pop, gospel, jazz, musical theatre, country, and even opera!

The ability to get great cord closure (to sing high notes with thin and stretched cords), and resonate in the oropharynx (back of the throat and out through the mouth), is what we are talking about here. This means the soft palate is high enough (which it needs to be), and the jaw and tongue are relaxed enough (which they need to be), and the throat is open enough (which it needs to be), to allow the sound to project off the uvula and soft palate area. This creates great oral resonance (oral twang). With the right amount of breath support, this sensation is very freeing and very BUZZY. You will feel the buzzy vibrations on your upper teeth, the hard palate, in the nose, and even out the top of your head! But be careful. Make sure you are not just making head resonance. It needs to come out the front of your mouth! This is mixed voice (middle voice) in high gear, and the safest way to belt out your notes! This is what gives great singers the illusion that they are singing in the chest voice, when in fact, they are mixing like crazy (split resonance).

This is not easy to do, and it’s not as simple as described above. The actual critical playing card is your ability to control and manage your breathing.

Give it try. What do you think? Allow the voice to come out the mouth with the freedom of resonance in the head. Stick three fingers between your teeth to keep your jaw and tongue from gripping. I know it’s hard to form the consonants in your words…so just sing the vowels. If you can perfect this to a sound you like, you are well on your way!

Where are you going to find your voice teacher?

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Susan McAllister-Bee

As I have said many times before…I’m glad I didn’t take voice lessons as a teenager!

Why? Because I would have gone to the old lady down the street who directs the church choir….that’s why! There were no other options where I grew up.

And watch out. There are still many more choir-like teachers in your city than teachers of what-I-like-to-call 21st Century Singing teachers.

So, where should you take voice lessons?

First, you need to do your research. Watch out for university trained classical singing teachers if you want to sing R&B or country or pop or rock. This is not an ideal situation. Now that being said, there are some classically trained teachers who do understand a commercially viable sound in chest voice and mix…….but I believe they are few and far between.

Remember, your goal isn’t to blend in with all the other singers……….your goal is to stand out among the other singers!

Check out Dave Brooks

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Susan McAllister-Bee

I highly recommend Dave Brooks from Nashville for singing tips. Check him out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE_yUawJdBU&feature=relmfu

Notice his emphasis on the “sob” and the “whine” to get cord closure. This can’t be stressed enough for commercial “contemporary” style music like country, rock, gospel, pop, and even opera…….yes opera. This coordination will get the cords closed on the attack and keep the larynx “neutral”.

I love his sound at 2:0e minutes. Because he has started with a mid to low larynx, he is achieving a beautiful mix with reasonably thick folds at his 2nd break (A above middle C). This is a coordination used by great country singers as well as opera singers! Note: If he started with a slightly higher larynx, he could still bridge into his 2nd break with a more pop-like or rock sound….. a little thinner with some bite…..again, another fabulous coordination used by singers.

The Middle Voice

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Susan McAllister-Bee

Oh, the controversy! Is there such a thing as the middle voice? Some would argue there is only chest voice and head voice, and a passagio (sometimes called a bridge or a break), separating the two. The chest and head voice get their name from where the voice resonates in the body. If you put your hand on your chest and speak, you can feel the vibrations on your hand. This is your chest voice. If you leave your chest voice (which some people have a lot of trouble doing!) and go to a high free-sounding place (try the sound woo – woo), then you have found your head voice. Like I said, some people have trouble finding their head voice. Usually, this is men.

I, frankly, love the term middle voice. Since I like to sing music genres such as rock, pop, and country, the middle voice is where all the action is! For women this is around middle C to high C, and for men this is around G below middle C to G above middle C. You will notice that almost all commercial music falls into this area (and more).

The middle voice is where you “get in the mix”! Again, there is much controversy over this term.

Mixing simply is a term used when a singer has the ability to keep their vocal cords properly adducted as they ascend and descend through their bridges. If you can do this properly, then you will notice a shift in resonance as the sound moves upward from your throat and mouth area into your face and head. Once you have ascended in pitch, it will actually feel like you are singing in your head, but not in a light falcetto airy mode. If you have kept the cords together well, and have allowed the resonance to shift accordingly as you ascended, then you have achieved a good mix. You should feel no strain in the throat whatsoever.

I’m very passionate about singers figuring out their mix. Once a singer learns the “feeling” and “coordination” necessary to be in a good mix, then they can work on building strength, endurance and enhancing tone.

Visit me at www.soundcloud.com for vocal exercises to help you “get in the mix”!