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  • TMV World Team
    Can you use it and not lose it? As you may know from experience, powerful singing is a style that seems plagued by its own punishment - strain, hoarseness, laryngitis, throat discomfort, loss of upper range, or a frequent need to "clear your throat." Severe cases may result in nodes (calluses on the inner rims of vocal folds) or polyps (blisters on the tops or undersides of the vocal folds), which are painful and may restrict your singing. Metal and Rock singers often have the attitude that training will make them sound too pretty. So not knowing what else to do, they bash and trash their voice resulting in canceled gigs, recording sessions or whole tours. Does singing powerfully automatically mean that you'll wreck your voice? The good news is that it's not what sounds you make, but how you make them that will save your voice! Through over 40 years of my own vocal performance, and over 30 years of vocal research and coaching others, I've found there are techniques that allow you to sing any style you want and without the bad effects. Vocal Blow-Out Vocal blow-out stems from both external and internal conditions. The main external conditions are: late hours, insufficient rest, bad nutrition, alcohol, drugs, smoky clubs, PA and monitor problems, incorrect microphone design for your voice, and competing with band volume. The key factor, however, is internal: improper use of your vocal instrument when singing powerfully. To scope this out and get a handle on it, an understanding of your instrument is necessary. Vocal Basics Vocal sound, as you may already know, is the result of the vibration of your vocal folds (often called "vocal cords" but they're not cords; they're folds and that's their actual name). The inside of your throat has two vertical tubes; one positioned in front of the other. The tube in front is for air (trachea), while the one for swallowing food (esophagus) runs behind it, more in the center of your throat. Your two vocal folds are positioned just behind your Adam's apple and lie horizontally across the inside of your trachea. They are coated with mucous membrane and come equipped with their own tuning pegs, which are connected to the back ends of the folds. The folds remain open during regular breathing. But for every sound you make, their tuning pegs automatically pivot and close the folds so they are lying rim to rim next to each other. With each sound you decide to make, the muscles of the folds prepare and adjust by stretching, thinning and shortening the length of the rim that will vibrate. Higher pitches require less air for the folds to stretch, thin out and a shorter length of them to vibrate. For low notes, the reverse is true. The principle involved is similar to fretting the strings on a guitar: a shorter length and thinner string gives faster vibrations and higher pitches; a fatter string and longer length gives slower vibrations and lower pitches. Examining the Problem To produce vocal sound, air is released from your lungs and vibrates your stretched and closed vocal folds. If you push too much air up against and through the folds, too much pressure is created. The muscles of your folds will tighten, your throat muscles tense, and your problems begin. Many singers unconsciously associate tension with big emotion and hard singing. For your sound to be big, just the opposite is needed. The louder and harder your sound, the more resonance is needed. If your throat and tongue tighten or your mouth closes, you shut down your acoustic chamber and there goes the resonance. The stress created by the push of excess air pressure and muscle tension can cause an irritation and swelling of your folds. The result is usually: hoarseness, power loss, range shrinkage, and other difficulties, including a strained and off pitch-voice. I work with several techniques that permit powerful singing while eliminating the risk of vocal blow-out. While all the techniques aren't possible to fully detail in this short article, you'll find it helpful to apply the following. Self Test Try saying the word "how." Put extra emphasis on the "H" as you do so. Now sing the word in the same way. Notice how emphasizing the "H" makes your throat feel and your voice sound. Sing the word again, and this time, as you sustain the tone, form the "W." Decide if you like this outcome. Now try singing it with minimal air on the "H" and instead, emphasizing the "O" (which will sound more like an "Ah" when you sing it). Notice the result. This should feel and sound better. Vowel sounds result from the vibration of your vocal folds. Consonants are created with an exhaled air stream and are formed by your mouth. If you emphasize consonants when you sing, it will push out too much air and tense the muscles in your throat and mouth. This makes it difficult for your voice to work well and you may find yourself tightening throat and tongue muscles in an effort to hit the note. This stress and strain will choke off your sound killing resonance, cause you to go off pitch or miss the note entirely, run into register break and at the very least will result in vocal fatigue. The problem usually magnifies as you sing higher and louder. Vowels, worked with correctly, will relax the acoustic chamber of your throat and mouth and increase your volume through resonance. Consonants should not be shaped at the same moment as you sing the note/vowel. They will crush your sound and tighten your vocal muscles. Let the vowels take the spotlight. Putting this to Use Go through a song you find challenging, as follows: 1) First sing the melody of the song through using the vowel Ah. Pronounce it naturally, and focus on singing the same pronunciation for each pitch. With the Ah, sing the melody very smoothly, note to note. 2) Now sing the song through using the lyrics and note any changes. 3) Next, talk through the lyrics and notice the sound of each vowel. Maintaining this awareness, sing the song. Be aware that the pronunciation of many vowels, when sung, is often different than the spelling. (eg. "I" is often pronounced more like "Ah." "Say" uses more of an "Eh" than an "A" sound.) 4) If you run into any trouble spots, chances are you're pushing and closing your mouth on the consonants that begin or end the word, while simultaneously singing the vowel. 5) Sing that word or phrase again, focusing on the vowel and letting the consonant(s) take a secondary role. 6) On any melody note that you sustain, such as at the end of a phrase, notice; are you closing your mouth prematurely simultaneously ending the word, or are you letting the vowel sound sustain? Try it both ways and decide which you like better. Practicing with this new awareness may at first take some extra thought. But it soon becomes second nature, while your sound is enhanced and singing the way you want becomes easier! You will find more information and the exercises you need for powerful singing in my book and CD course: The Contemporary Vocalist. This essay first published April 22, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    In previous articles I have discussed the various aspects of success for a singer. In this tip we'll focus on the third of the three most important components of successful vocal performance. To recap, the three major elements that contribute to your success are: 1. Positive Mental Attitude 2. A Dependable Voice 3. Performance Skill Performance Skill The purpose of vocal technique is to expand your vocabulary of sound, build stamina, and achieve ease of singing while not compromising your unique qualities and style and to maintain your vocal health. Developing your performance skill is the gateway through which your voice and passion shine out to your audience. A performance is a multifaceted, multi-sensory creation. Many singers learn the songs but approach the actual performance (the show) haphazardly and just hope that it works. At the fully professional level, there is much pre-planning and development of each element of the show prior to arriving in front of an audience. Then when in the midst of your show, inspiration and creativity can flow with confidence. Practicing the performance of each of your songs after you master them vocally, is often overlooked, but is something that you need to do as part of developing your craft. Practicing how you will perform a song and the actual expression of the song as if your audience is in front of you right now helps you develop all of the song's nuances. Do this in front of a mirror or video your rehearsals to see what you look like from the audience's perspective. When you practice your songs, don't just sing them through perform them. They will come alive and when you walk onto the stage it will be with greater confidence. Success Singing is most definitely an expression of emotion, intention and concepts. The physical foundation for this is how well you have developed your vocal instrument and how well you work with it. Many have mistaken this to mean that certain styles of music are vocally harmful or that you are born to sing only one style or sound. This is false and the influence of fear and ignorance. From my research and experience as a vocal specialist, I have found something different. I find that most people singers in particular have far more potential than assumed. This includes more range, more power, more expression, more tonal possibilities - well, just more of everything. Achieving this more begins by understanding the simple facts of your instrument - how the voice really works. These facts applied become an effective approach for vocal development of increased range, stamina and freedom of expression in any style of your choice - not restriction. This translates into self-confidence as a person and a singer. You'll see that these three elements contribute to and strengthen each other. The end result is a successful singer and performer. This essay first published December 9, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    Q: I've heard that singers should not sing if they have a cold or a hoarse voice. Is this always true?
    Flu Season
    A: This is a timely question during the winter flu season. Many singers are sensibly concerned about harming their voice. A singer may find herself hoarse for just a day, a week, or chronically. Hoarseness or laryngitis is an inflammation and swelling of the vocal folds, which inhibits them from properly stretching and closing. If they can't stretch and close, they are unable to properly vibrate and produce the desired sound. Two Reasons Laryngitis can be the result of a respiratory infection such as bronchitis or the result of vocal strain from singing incorrectly. If you are hoarse due to an infection, seek appropriate medical attention and remedies like antibiotics, vitamins, etc. If you have vocal strain, then the remedy is proper warm-ups to rehabilitate your vocal muscles returning them to optimum health and vibrational capacity. A hoarse voice after singing means you need to find a good voice teacher or work with one of my self-study courses to develop your vocal muscles. To Sing or Not to Sing In less serious circumstances, there are two types of colds or throat infections. With one you can sing and with the other you should not. If you have a respiratory infection, which is in your larynx (voice box) or lungs, do not sing. However, sometimes the vocal recovery of a lower respiratory infection can take some time. To facilitate this recovery, once the infection is gone, use of specific vocal warm-up exercises will help restore your voice. If you have an infection of your upper throat or sinuses, you can sing, if you prefer that to canceling a performance. Though a sinus infection can make the back wall of your throat painful when swallowing or singing, it will not affect your voice as long as the infection is not also in your larynx. Serious There are certain symptoms, which may suggest a more serious problem. If you have a raspy voice when speaking for a prolonged period of time, a shut down of the upper range where your voice now just squeaks out, notes that were previously fine just won't come out now, pain when singing or speaking or chronic laryngitis, you should waste no time getting professional help. These are indications of possible nodes or polyps and you should consult an otolaryngologist (ear,nose and throat specialist). No one should be hoarse for more than two weeks without being examined by a competent medical specialist. A Stitch in Time Saves Nine On the lighter side, the old adage, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," is really the best approach. Do vocal warm-ups before rehearsal or performance and work with a good coach or self-study course so that you develop vocal stamina and avoid the need for a cure. This essay first published January 1, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    A performance is a multifaceted creation. Many singers will learn the songs but approach the actual performance (the show) in a haphazard way and just hope that it works. On the pro level, there is much about the actual show that is pre-planned and developed prior to arriving in front of an audience. If you haven't already, take the lead from the pros and learn how to do this yourself.
    Focus on Your Performance Objectives Contemplate the effect you want to have on your audience as a result of your songs. What is the mood, emotion and sentiment of each song you plan on performing? Aside from how you vocally sing each song, the visual performance needs to carry the message of the song as well. Does Your Group Work Collectively on Stage? Your energy from the stage to the audience is dependent not only on how well you sing each song vocally, but on how the group works together. The key word here is: Together. You need to look like an ensemble with no one player appearing to be left out. If you are performing with other singers or musicians, include in your practices how you as a group are going to work together on stage, song by song. As a frequent judge of many battle of the bands I've seen this important aspect too often omitted. Choreography can be included, but is not always necessary. However, you can plot out specific movements and staging (whether or not you're playing with other musicians) that would add to the excitement, drama or boldness of the performance of your songs. Here's an example: I began coaching a three-girl group. They had excellent energetic songs and wonderful voices. However, in performance two of them had a tendency to play off each other but rarely interacted with the third. Adding to this separatism, the third performed as though she was on stage by herself. They did not perform as a united ensemble. This reduced the quality of the show and the power of the songs on the audience. You Must Command the Space Twisting or playing with the microphone cord in your hand, hanging onto the mike stand throughout the song, continually putting your hands on your stomach (some misguided singers have been told to do this by teachers to check their support) or any other physical movements or positions that have little or nothing to do with the performance of the song itself are distracting. Your movements, including eye direction, must be deliberate. Don't let your eyes dart around without purpose as you sing. This would make you appear amateur and as though you didn't really mean what you're singing about. Practice singing a song totally engaged in the meaning of it. Make it your communication. Let your movements flow from the feeling and meaning you give each phrase of the song. If you feel self-conscious at first, just keep practicing until you are comfortable being the song and showing it. Remember: A performance works when the details of your visual and audio line up. This alliance is powerful. It makes your song believable and brings it to life. Vocal Shortcomings Will Hold You Back If you have any uncertainties about your voice: about whether or not you'll hit the note or go off pitch, you'll hold yourself back in performance. Some singers sound great but lack vocal stamina and so suffer the punishment of singing for more hours than their improperly prepared vocal muscles can tolerate. This can result in feeling more reserved about really giving it your all for fear of losing it. I have spent most of my life researching how the voice works and how to work with it without compromise. I've looked for and found the most simple, factual and superior techniques that quickly help a singer -- pro or beginner -- to advance and find freedom of expression and find and maintain their own unique vocal identity. This article is an excerpt from Jeannie Deva's downloadable book on Performance Technique for Singers. For these and other vocal tips go to: www.JeannieDeva.com and sign up by clicking Vocal Tips at the bottom of the navigation bar. This essay first published July 31, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    A CASE STUDY Some years ago I was teaching a singer in a Rock band who was rather physically frail. I was working with him on developing his vocal power while eliminating tension and strain. After several weeks of lessons he had improved tremendously and his band mates were duly impressed. His range had noticeably increased, as had his vocal strength. Then, one day these advancements seemed to totally vanish. His range had reduced, as had his overall ease of singing. The power we had previously achieved had been replaced by strain. I tried a variety of my dependable remedies and each was thwarted by an unusual degree of tension and vocal stiffness the likes of which he had not had before. As a few weeks of lessons passed with the same difficulties persisting I became totally baffled. But as I intensified my observation of him and what he was doing, I began to notice that his overall physical musculature had changed. Most especially I noticed that his neck muscles were beginning to bulk up and looked particularly rigid. INVESTIGATION On a whim, I asked him if he was going to the gym. Proudly, he told me of how he had started a weight lifting routine a month earlier and that he was lifting heavy weights. Having been certified years earlier as an exercise instructor at a gym, I questioned him on his routine, the amount of weight he pumped and how he breathed when he did each exercise. Well, I needed to look no further. Here lay the reason for his vocal difficulties! He was lifting far more weight than he was able to comfortably handle, and as he did so, he held his breath, which forced his breath against his jammed shut vocal folds. This was creating such strain that the muscles of his voice were becoming increasingly stiff and strained. Additionally, his external neck muscles were becoming so tense they literally had a strangle hold on his internal throat muscles which further inhibited the functionality of his voice. THE REMEDY I had him reduce the weight to an amount that he could lift easily while maintaining normal breathing. For a month, I had him abstain from chest (bench) presses, which gave his neck and vocal muscles a chance to heal. Even after the first week of this new routine his voice began to regain some of the advances we had previously achieved before he began his extreme weight lifting program. Not all weight lifting is bad. The main point is to use only the weight you can easily lift and to never hold your breath as you move the weight continuously inhale and exhale. As your strength increases, you can increase the weight if you're after muscle bulk. If you are looking for muscle definition and strength, keep the weights light and increase your repetitions and number of sets. But, in either case, the moment you find yourself holding your breath to lift the weight, reduce the amount you're using, until you can do it while inhaling and exhaling fluidly. CARDIO IS BETTER When you breathe hard and fast your vocal folds open wider to permit more air to inhale and exhale quickly. But when you sing, the folds need to close so they can vibrate. Notice these are opposite functions and positions. Cardiovascular exercise is good for anyone and especially singers. It not only helps to keep you looking good, but by strengthening your heart, permits a slower pulse rate when moving your body around a lot on stage. If you get nervous or very excited before going on stage, regular cardio exercise will help you to not become breathless when it's time to sing. Similarly, if you move around on stage a lot or dance as part of your routine, your body needs to be accustomed to vigorous exercise. Swimming is a particularly excellent cardio exercise. It's great for the entire body and gives you lean limber muscle tone rather than tight muscle bulk. Bulky muscles tend to limit your range of motion and flexibility, and in a worse case, they can tense your vocal muscles. Frank Sinatra used to swim to strengthen the muscles used for breath support. (Reference: Frank Sinatra biography His Way by Kitty Kelly). You may not like his musical style, but Sinatra had excellent phrasing. SINGER'S SOLUTION Exercise is good for general health and body limberness, but it will not by itself develop breath support and control for a singer. For that, you need an understanding of vocal sound production and the right exercises. I have developed specific rib cage exercises that help your body breathe and regulate air naturally, precisely and automatically for singing. Once you learn and practice these exercises you will not have to think about breathing or controlling your breath when singing. You'll find them in my Contemporary Vocalist Volume 1 book and CD course. With these exercises you'll develop a level of breath control that will allow you to move on stage and not become winded or out of breath when it's time to sing. You'll be able to take faster breaths, sing longer phrases and sustain longer notes without fear of running out of air. This essay first published June 19, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

     
  • TMV World Team
    Lots of articles and books discuss warming up before gigs or rehearsals and caring for your voice during the performance. That, however, is not all there is to the process. Now comes the hard part -warming down after the gig is over.
    It is common knowledge that singers warm up their voices. Even if you don't know exactly what to do, you know that singers usually do something. Warming down, however, is not often mentioned.
    Strangely enough, warming down is one of the key factors at maintaining your vocal health. In most instances I have found it to be the key agent to returning a damaged voice back to a state of health and strength. Most of the time - if not always - all the good work that you have done before and during the gig suffers if you don't warm down your voice. It is quite often a large contributory factor towards the state of your speaking voice the morning after the night before. Without warming down, you are at the mercy of chance the next day.
    The first two questions we have to answer are: Why does it have so much influence over the state of your voice and what can you do about it?
    When you sing for any length of time your muscles become stretched and filled with blood and oxygen. Singing is a very complex activity for the muscles of phonation that they are normally not called upon to perform. Professional singing puts demands on those muscles that are equally as demanding as the complex muscular functions a professional athlete must perform. If you consider that muscles react to vigorous activity the same way regardless of the name of the sport, then it stands to reason that they need the same kind of care when the activity is over. Runners stretch before they run. If they don't stretch after, their muscles cramp the next day.
    When singers warm up they are stretching their vocal chords - their larynx - bringing blood to the area and preparing those muscles by heating them through activity. Since you cannot see what is going on inside, you are likely to assume that it's not such a big deal. The simple phonation of one or two vocals is quite complex and intricate. Vocally warming up sends an even greater concentration of blood to the area and changes the natural state of the larynx. On top of that, a full performance extends that natural state through an extreme amount of activity. But here's the catch - when the gig is over and you are done singing, those muscles in there are in a highly charged state. Unless you do something to bring everything back to normal -or as close to normal as possible- when you fall asleep the muscles will lock in that position.
    Picture if you will, muscles aligned and in order. Now picture everything scrambled. Unless you do something to realign your voice, your muscles will stay in that cramped stage until they are worked out. Usually your voice is husky, thick and hoarse in the morning. After you have eaten, had something to drink and talked a little bit, your voice starts to come around again - later in the day it begins to feel normal. When you woke up you really couldn't talk and you may have had a lot more mucous than usual -but somehow it seems to clear up in time for the next gig.
    With this kind of routine you might pull it off in the short term, especially if you aren't performing that much, but if you actually had demands put on your voice during the day, you might not do so well. If you're successful and had to give interviews all day or if your work demands that you talk frequently during the day, your voice might not recover in time for your performance. I think you're beginning to see the picture!
    By warming down you can alleviate all this stress. Your muscles get handled when they need to be handled and the stressful cycle is broken. By working on your voice to restore it before you go to sleep, you are minimizing the problems you normally face the next day. Work to restore your muscles to their natural state and try to get your speaking voice back to normal. If the swelling is down and the muscles are relaxed before sleep, then when you wake up you'll already be ahead of yourself. At first you may find that the husky sound and hoarseness, while lessened, is still not completely gone. Give it a chance. Do this for a while and you will soon find your voice improving, even when you're not singing.
    You can do, for your warm down, anything you may have done as a warm up. Begin at approximately the same volume that you left off at and gradually work it back down to a more relaxed, normal level. You should also remember to warm down your body. Your lungs have taken an unusual amount of breath which has stretched your rib cage, so your muscles are likely to be sore. Yoga or Tai Chi is wonderful to do before you got to sleep because it is not too strenuous and, since it will probably be early in the morning, you won't wake anyone up. A hot shower or even a hot bath is a big help as it will calm your body and help to center you.
    As you do in between sets, always check your tongue. It usually gets stuck and needs to be stretched, too. Get a gauze pad or some other clean material with which to grip your tongue, gently stretch it and say "gee", "gee hee hee", "ee yah gee", "gee gee gee", etc. Anything with a hard 'G' or 'K' sound and the 'ee' vowel sound will be beneficial for the larynx. This exercise will help the larynx get thinner and assist it to close again in the center more efficiently.
    If you begin this process as you are getting off the stage by gently saying 'gee' etc., you can increase your warm down period. Do some chewing and swallowing and make a humming sound as you chew with your mouth closed. This can be done while you are packing up or in the car on the way home. If you prefer you can warm up in bits and pieces and save most of the work for when you get home. Just make sure you do this before you go to sleep -that is what is crucial. Once you are asleep it is too late. Of course if you miss one night, don't worry. Tomorrow is another day. You've survived this long, so one more day isn't going to kill you. But, the sooner you start the better. I know rock singers don't expect to be able to talk the next morning, but I also know that it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, your voice and your career will last much longer once you have made this a part of your regular vocal routine.
    Extracted from Kevin's e-book "Drop the Weight (and get a stronger voice in return)", this essay was first published February 24, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    I was asked on my Youtube channel by a subscriber about how he could be more confident when performing in front of people. I thought it would make a great newsletter subject... so here goes.
    Confidence is something anyone can acquire. It just comes with self-knowledge and self- awareness. If you know who you are - good and bad - you can become a confident performer.
    I was a very withdrawn, shy kid. Very introverted. If you had known me back then, you would have never figured I was the sort that would end up teaching dozens of people in a seminar class for singing. Public speaking? OMG! Are you kidding me? I would have rather drank bleach than speak in front of people I knew... let alone a room full of strangers.
    There's an old showbiz saying "Sincerity - if you can fake that you've got it made". Though confusing, its point is well made. Some of the greatest performers look exactly the same, night after night, show after show. How? Because even if they feel like crap, are hung over, have a cold or are just plain fed up - "the show must go on". They've learned how to "fake it".
    Now, you don't want to be a phony, but we're all human and we have our "bad days". If you can set it aside and "put on a happy face" and fake your sincerity well, the audience never knows the difference. I've done shows where I was arguing with a band member five minutes before we went onstage. But we were both professional enough to set it aside, smile and put on a good show for the people who paid money to see us. We continued the argument after the show.
    As I found myself becoming the singer in my post high school bands, I realized I had an avenue to become someone else on stage. I became "him" - that guy other people see on stage, not necessarily the guy I am at home with friends and family. Little by little, that confident guy I was on stage crept into who I am offstage.
    Back in his "Beatle days" John Lennon used to throw up before their performances he was so nervous. So you're not alone if you get nervous before a show - you're in good company.
    Building confidence just takes stepping outside of yourself for a while. Imagine being someone else and you'll find it easier to get through performing in front of people. But make it "somewhat" genuine. Don't be an obvious fake - people can spot a fake right away. Be who you wished you could be - a confident, in your face performer.
    Before you know it - you are that person.
    This essay was first published November 27, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    I get asked a lot on my YouTube channel about how to sing without your larynx shooting up really high behind your chin. This can be challenging to any singer - beginner or advanced. We naturally raise our larynx when we speak and swallow so it can easily carry over into our singing - unfortunately it's doesn't help our singing at all. A slight raise of the larynx is necessary for some vocal effects like twanging the epiglottal tunnel but in general it's unhealthy for singing.
    So what can we do to help us disconnect from raising the larynx when we sing? Try this exercise on for size.
    Imitate the face of an ape or monkey saying "oo, oo, oo" - your jaw should be low and the lips outstretched uniformly to form a small, round opening. (yes -you will look silly) With an "OO" sound, start in your middle range and slide down gently to your lowest note in one continuous sound. It should sound like an old air raid siren winding down. The slide down should be slow and as even as possible. Slip into an "AH" sound at the very bottom each time you do it. Gradually raise the pitch you start on step by step. Continue to let the "OO" sound drop and turn into the "AH" as you reach your lowest note. Continue raising the start pitch until you start singing in falsetto and the "OO" slides through your break area. IMPORTANT: Don't make any changes in how you physically do the notes or change your volume to get through the break area. Keep the exercises as deep as possible by keeping your jaw low and the lips puckered forward. Your lips may tremble a bit as a result of the tension you are opposing, but that's ok. Let it happen. What's Going On
    The "monkey face" is not used for singing those vowel sounds, but for disconnecting the muscles that lift the larynx. The "lifter muscles" as they are called, are part of the chain of swallowing and when they are stretched the larynx is given some freedom. The slide down in pitch helps coordinate the muscles used for making pitch - but nothing else. It's common to have some falling off of the notes at first because the larynx isn't used to acting by itself. That's ok. Let it happen. It gets better the more you do this exercise.
    The goal of this exercise is to achieve a very slow and smooth slide down through the break area without a flip in the voice or any extra effort. This helps promote depth in your singing and control of the pitch without using any external muscles that just aren't needed.
    Once you become comfortable with exercise, add a return slide back up to your starting pitch and that "OO" sound. This not only helps disconnect the lifting muscles but also aids in breath support. If you run out of air before you get back to the top - go back and do some more breathing exercises.
    This essay was first published October 24, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    Many teachers use the term "vocal weight", but without a clear definition the student is often left confused about this concept or aspect of the voice. So what the heck is "vocal weight" exactly and how does it affect singing?
    Well, I'll tell you. Vocal weight is defined as "too much thicker vocal fold mass used too high in pitch often involving taking one register higher than it is designed to function in pitch" Very technical sounding isn't it? But what the heck does all that mean?
    In order to achieve "balance" in your registers you're going to have to get rid of that weight as you go higher in pitch. My goal in this post is to define the problems associated with too much vocal weight and offer healthy and corrective solutions, so that you don't struggle in the higher ranges. Sounds like fun right?
    Now don't get me wrong, vocal weight doesn't always have to be negative. Lower voiced singers need to learn to add vocal weight when moving down toward the middle register in order to gain a fullness of tone in that range of their voice. That being said, they still have to drop it as they move higher. Taking too much vocal weight higher in pitch is never healthy for the voice.
    The results of excessive vocal weight are many and can include:
    a loss of access to higher notes a choking feeling when sustaining higher notes tuning problems imbalance in registration a general lack of vocal freedom All of these issues are common complaints of many singers I encounter while teaching and the solutions can be multi-faceted, requiring the use of several problem-solving skills. Dragging vocal weight upward is usually due to a lack or improper employment of head voice as the singer moves up in pitch. It's like dragging an anchor into your upper range.
    Healthy negotiation of the registers is a result of employing the finer or thinner edges of the folds in combination with an open pharyngeal or "acoustic" space. Whew - that was a mouthful. It gets less technical as I go on - I promise!
    How do you know if you are dragging that anchor? You'll know when the registers are out of balance because your voice feels tense, either from overly light (disconnected) technique or the overly heavy approach (depressed larynx).
    Using too much vocal weight can result in the following vocal problems:
    flattening of pitch difficulty going into upper ranges without pushing too much breath pressure. vowel distortion, caused by tongue tension inability to sing high and softly spread or throaty tones at specific pitches breath management issues (lack of correct vocal fold approximation) vibrato problems (often a overly fast vibrato or wobbly sound) general tongue tension or retraction of the tongue inability to sing a smooth (legato) line due to abrupt changes in breath flow over darkening of the voice or over lightening of the voice forward thrust of the jaw general over singing due to lack of resonance So how do we fix all that? Stay tuned for part two.
    This essay first published December 22, 2008 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    'Elo Kiddies, in part one of "what is vocal weight?" I defined what exactly it is and the ways it can affect your voice in a VERY unhealthy way.
    Ok (tap tap), what to do, what to do?
    Fear not, there are some exercises you can do to lighten the load as you go up into those higher registers.
    EXERCISES: The following exercises are designed to assist in releasing vocal weight by accessing the thin edge function of the vocal cord for proper development and production of the head voice or light mechanism and avoiding a basic laryngeal attack.
    The GRUNT!
    What the heck is "the grunt" you may ask? Visualize a caveman who has no spoken language. He grunts to communicate. The pitch isn't important, what is important is that when you grunt you engage the lower back muscles abruptly. Place your hands on your waist and grunt. When you feel a sudden outward movement of your waistline around the back you're doing it right.
    Before attempting the yodels described below perform the grunt repeatedly in any range that has felt thick/heavy or overly thin and colorless and try to employ it as a regular function of breathing.
    Exercise #1 - Yodeling within one register: Work slowly at first on this approach, using the "OH" vowel. First use a simple interval (whole step, major 3rd) and deliberately yodel from the lower note to the upper note without changing registers. Use this exercise anywhere that the voice has felt thick/heavy or overly thin/colorless.
    Exercise # 2 - Yodeling between registers: Yodel a full octave between low chest voice and middle register, using an "AH" sound on the lower pitch and an "OOO" sound on the upper pitch. Yodel between registers quickly, keeping the pharynx or open acoustical space stable. When forming the "OOO" sound, make sure that only the lips adjust (the throat space stay primarily the same and the root of the tongue stays wide and does not bunch). Next go into the head voice and sing a descending rounded "E" vowel with a rounded mouth opening. Stop just before you hit chest voice.
    Exercise #3 - The Use of a Vowel Sequence to Drop Vocal Weight: The following arpeggio is designed to drop vocal weight through specific vowel sequencing. Think "light and wide" in the back of your throat. NO STRAINING! 1....3....5.....8....10....8....5....3....1 A...E....I....O....U....O....A...E....I
    Exercise #4 - AH-E-AY: sweep through these sounds on a triplet making the "E" sound extremely short. The "E" should also be produced with a quick "flip" or movement of the tongue.
    Exercise #5 - LAY-LA: alternate between these sounds on 5 tone scales. Again, the tongue should flip freely and quickly. Perform in all registers. Try alternating between YA sounds and LAY-LA's and matching the physicality.
    Exercise #6 - VOLEY (pronounced "VO-LAY"): perform this word alternating syllables on a basic 5 tone scale ("VO-LAY-VO-LAY-VO-LAY-VO-LAY-VO") Pronounce the changing phonetic clearly and distinctly with free and rapid movement of the tongue.
    Wow, now that was informative but sounds awfully confusing right? Nah! Read through it again taking each exercise by itself, one at a time. Do them SLOWLY until you get the gist of the exercise. If you're one of those that just read all that and thought "sounds simple enough", now, now, now my quick thinking friend, they may seem like simple exercises in theory, but they can be tricky to perform correctly. The simple mental picture you want to have is light and free. Nothing should feel heavy, strained or choked. If it does, YOU'VE GOT AN ANCHOR. DROP IT with these exercises!
    If anyone needs the triplet, three-note or five-note scales referenced above, just message me and I'll email you an MP3, so you know what the scale should sound like.
    This essay first published December 27, 2008 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.

  • TMV World Team
    Oh my goodness - so this is it! Maybe your first singing lesson? Don't worry it is not as scary as it seems. Singing is a fantastic form of expression and there is no reason to feel nervous. So first thing's first ...
    It is highly important you feel safe within the teaching space.
    SAFE SPACE
    It is important to recognise that the four walls within which you learn and rehearse are your 'safe space'. Make yourself aware of the layout of the space straight away.
    Your teacher is there to help and assist you to overcome any nerves and get the very best out of your voice. This means allowing yourself to make mistakes. Progress can only be achieved when you are willing to take your voice beyond where it has been before. Remember: Sometimes you have to let go of some of the good and go through sounding average in order to achieve something great.
    Many singers have not had this creative, safe space when growing up. How many children, when enjoying their own singing, have heard those immortal words from their parents, 'Shut up!' Many people grow up with this continual response to their singing only ever to feel safe when they are singing on their own, where no one can hear or comment.
    WATER
    It is important to drink lots of water before singing and also to have some on hand in your singing session. The water needs to be at room temperature, as having it too cold can cool your vocal folds and throat.
    Your vocal folds are the last thing to receive water so drink as much as you can. Physicians recommend 2 litres / 8 glasses of water per day. When drinking water in a singing session, try to sip it, as it can create wind, or bubbles in your throat. Water is the biggest part of mucus, the slimy substance that's in your eyes, nose, throat, and many other parts of your body that you can't see, like your stomach. Sometimes when you have a cold and your nose is running everywhere, you might wish you had never even heard of mucus. But the truth is, you need it to keep things lubricated and running right in your body. The same goes for saliva. It is made mostly of water, and it keep things lubricated in your mouth and down into your digestive system. So drink as much water as you can!
    This advice has been taken from Vocaltutors Teacher Guide This essay first published June 30, 2009 on The Modern Vocalist.com the Internet's #1 community for vocal professionals, voice health practitioners and pro-audio companies worldwide since November 2008.



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