Day 2

Day 2, same as Day 1.

I thought I would share with you some of the details that I pay attention to while I’m vocalizing.

#1   I keep the volume the same throughout. The challenge is bringing out the volume of my low notes, while not pushing for my high notes.

#2   I remind myself the FIRST note after an intake of air is the most important. If the first note doesn’t get good closure, the notes that follow certainly will not.

#3   I check my jaw for tension by occasionally allowing an up and down movement (almost bouncy).

#4   I make sure my larynx is  “neutral” and free. How do I know? I put my finger on it. I’m careful not to confuse the sensation of tilting with the sensation of rising too high. Rising too high will cause a straining or choking feeling in my throat.

#5  I incorporate exercises with a slight  “dopey” sound to maintain a sense of low larynx.

#6 I incorporate tongue-out exercises. I’m careful to note the “tug-of-war” sensation between a “neutral” larynx and the tongue hanging out.  I consider the volume of my mix where I can bridge successfully, while staying relaxed and in control of my voice.

#7  I always engage my rib cage and upper stomach to ensure my breath intake and output is balanced.

#8 I pay attention to the edge of my vocal cords. I listen and feel for a crisp, clean glottal attack with a beautiful warm vowel to follow. I manage this with careful attention to my volume, as well as incorporating the “cry” at the onset of the first note following a breath intake.

#9    I allow myself to run out of breath. This engages my body and instinctively helps me engage my rib cage and back muscles as I catch my next quick intake of air. I’m careful not to tense up my neck, throat or shoulders. I am aware of the sensation of my body rhythmically being involved with my breathing. This is a huge part of my control.

#10  I only start to increase my overall volume when I have everything in good control.

How about you? How did your day go?

 

 

 

The belt zone

Ladies, your belt zone is around B flat, B, high C, and high D. This is the area where we usually start pushing and tensing to make the sound more “powerful”.

One of the best things you can do as a singer is pay attention to consistency and tone of your voice. All the notes (below and above your passagio around A above middle C), should “feel” the same. They should resonate the same. You should not feel any undue strain in your throat.

What I mean by this is simply allow the sound to remain the same. Do not try and make the high notes more powerful or “more” than they need to be. They may appear breathy at first. That’s OK.

They simply need to stay connected.

Once connected, your power will come from focus that happens far below the vocal cords….deep within the body……the energy exhibited when holding back breath and creating a balanced pressure above and below the vocal cords.

Check out this head voice exercise to gain strength and power for belting.

oooo dynamic breath control exercise

More on belting

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.

 

Let’s talk Justin Bieber’s voice

I can’t diss this young man. After all, he grew up in my province of Ontario!

My concern is the care and development of his voice, now that his voice is changing. I heard him on The Voice recently, and I wasn’t all that impressed. The middle voice didn’t sound “easy” and effortless, and he was reaching for his high notes.

I do believe he has the potential, but I’m not sure that he is getting the vocal support he needs at this stage in his career. He needs to be vocalizing everyday through his entire register. Otherwise, vocally he will be out of shape, and he will suffer by having to reach and strain for his high notes…in other words… his larynx will rise. If his larynx is rising then he will likely face troubles such as hoarseness and laryngitis.  In the studio, miracles can be done…..so that doesn’t count. He will sound great in the studio. Live performance is the only indicator that will tell us whether Bieber is mixing well enough when he sings.

Time will tell……….

Online Singing Products

What bothers me most about online “how to sing” products is the fact that every singer has a different problem standing in the way of the voice improving. Ideally, a singer needs to know what that problem is so they can focus on the right coordinations. Usually, a singer has more than one issue to work on, but again the correct exercises and doing them correctly is the key to quick improvement.

Let’s face it….why would you go to the gym and do squats if your thighs were already big and strong. Balance is the key, and the path to getting balance in the voice isn’t always straight-forward.

I’ve started to post some exercises for different voice types and issues at www.soundcloud.com. If you have any questions about the exercises or your voice, why not drop me a line.