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  • Kevin Richards
    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 ya. 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:
    1. a loss of access to higher notes
    2. a choking feeling when sustaining higher notes
    3. tuning problems
    4. imbalance in registration
    5. 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. Not cool.
    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 can result in the following vocal problems:
    1. flattening of pitch
    2. difficulty going into upper ranges without pushing too much breath pressure.
    3. vowel distortion, caused by tongue tension
    4. inability to sing high and softly
    5. spread or throaty tones at specific pitches
    6. breath management issues (lack of correct vocal fold approximation)
    7. vibrato problems (often a overly fast vibrato or wobbly sound)
    8. general tongue tension or retraction of the tongue
    9. inability to sing a smooth (legato) line due to abrupt changes in breath flow
    10. over darkening of the voice OR over lightening of the voice
    11. forward thrust of the jaw
    12. general over singing due to lack of resonance.
    So how do we fix all that? Stay tuned for part two.
    Until next time,
    Kevin Richards
    Vocal Fire

  • TMV World Team
    The life and unexpected death of the legendary comedian, Joan Rivers. Would she be alive today if she did not submit herself for a vocal operation?
    What a beautiful article written about the legendary Joan Rivers!
    When I came to Canada almost 35 years ago I was trying to watch as much TV as I could to learn the language. Although I didn't fully understand her humour at the time, I was impressed by comedian Joan Rivers. Joan had beautiful energy and a very animated personality, and she spoke very loudly with huge command and conviction in her voice. However, being a voice specialist, I immediately noted that she was using her voice incorrectly, as her voice was obviously coming out from the back of her neck and the very bottom of her throat.
    In all honesty, I am amazed that her voice lasted as long as it did!
    That said, it is evident that, genetically, she was a very strong woman with a very strong personality. In a general sense, no human voice could withstand such pressure applied onto the vocal box for a prolonged period of time. However, you could clearly hear in her performances in recent years that her voice was getting raspier and quite often she simply sounded hoarse.
    When that happens to a human being, especially one whose livelihood depends on his or her voice, that individual, quite often, emotionally disagrees with the situation. However, most of the time, that person intellectually understands that something has to be done about it, as there is no change without a change, so to speak. While disagreeing, however, they are trying to continuously push that voice out on the surface when, by that time, the voice has usually already been drowned deep inside in their throat.
    So by pushing it vigorously, they are, unfortunately, accomplishing the opposite result, as by drowning and straining that voice exponentially could bring it to the stage of no return. However, like you are stating in your article, people with voice challenges should notice the change sooner rather than later and first try to conquer it non-surgically by finding a qualified voice specialist who knows how to conduct the voice repair in a holistic manner.
    We live in a very fast-paced world and to accomplish something we have to move pretty fast.
    So the thoughts of people like John Rivers and even just of ordinary people are Let's do it now, and let's do it fast. She was probably thinking about her next upcoming performance and, nevertheless, wanted to sound nice, clean, and crisp. However, she did not realize that surgery is not necessarily the solution. The instrument might be tuned and fixed, but the player is still applying the wrong technique, trying to extract the sound from said instrument. If the greatest pianist of all time, Liberace, had been hammering his beautiful pink Grand Piano he would have broken it to pieces and would have no instrument to show his best piano skills.
    It takes two the instrument and the player.
    The instrument has to be sound and the player has to be adequate. The player also must be able to extract the maximum capacity of that given instrument. So in the case of the voice, the speaker or singer has to be able also to extract the maximum capacity of their voice and with no pain or strain on the vocal anatomy. I always say, work smart, not hard, and with minimum effort accomplish the maximum result. Also, work upon the design and do not play it by ear.
    That said, be professional on every level.

  • Adolph Namlik
    In recent weeks, we have been receiving a variety of Articles and Essays that are NOT related to the intent of this feature. Examples of such articles are those which promote advertisements, poetry, outside "websites", and the submission of songs. (Note : In regards to the latter, if you wish to post your songs for review, kindly register in the Forum section and posts your songs for review in the "Review and Critique" section.)
    Please.... NO political discussions !
    Kindly see the following guidelines for posting Articles and Essays :
    "Please publish articles and essays that are educational. Please do not post articles and essays that are only about advertising and promotional in nature. The The Modern Vocalist World Articles & Essays system is intended for the feature of educational content and to give you an opportunity to share your expertise or experience with the TMV community. If your educational contribution results in cross promoting your products and services, that is fine, but a direct solicitation or advertisement with no educational value to the general membership is not in the spirit of the TMV Articles and Essays system. The general rule is, educate first, then feel free to "cross-promote" your products and services, if you like, in a tactful way."
    For those who have been posting your articles which fall within our guidelines, we sincerely appreciate your dedication to our entire membership and also encourage you to continue sharing your expertise !!!
    THANK YOU....
    Respectfully,
    Adolph Namlik
    Executive Director
    The Modern Vocalist World

  • Ruth Ratliff

    Singing Hormones!

    By Ruth Ratliff, in Articles,

    INTRO
    Women all over the world are no strangers to the effects of fluctuating or declining hormones. What you may not be aware of is that those same hormones can have an effect on your voice, especially if you are a singer. This is an overlooked symptom of hormonal decline. I am a 55 year old voice teacher and performer, and through necessity, have been researching this topic to find relief from my peri-menopausal symptoms. My reason for writing this article is to share my experiences in the hope that it will inspire other singers to research other possibilities to further their vocal longevity and overall health.
    EFFECTS
    Physical Effects
    As I have read (and experienced first-hand!) fluctuating or declining hormones can cause hoarseness, breathiness, reduction in range, vocal fatigue and loss of flexibility. While some women breeze through this transition, for others it is the mother of all wake-up calls as Dr. Christiane Northrup refers to it. I started noticing in my late 40's that I was becoming pitchy, especially at the end of phrases, and had less vocal stamina. This prompted me to start voice lessons again. The lessons definitely helped, but as I entered my 50's, my voice gradually became less consistent and unreliable. "For most [menopausal] women [who come to my clinic], the No. 1 complaint is voice discomfort or fatigue -- it takes a lot more effort to talk," says Edie Hapner, MD, speech pathologist at the Emory Voice Center in Atlanta.
    Tissue dryness is a primary menopause symptom, and it can affect vocal cords. "When the vocal fold tissue dries, it takes more respiration effort to make it vibrate. That respiratory effort over time contributes to vocal fatigue - you're working harder to use your voice."
    Jean Abitbol, a leading otolaryngologist, who I saw at a NATS conference in New York a few years ago, did a study on the effects of the menstrual cycle on the voice, in partnership with his wife, Beatrice Abitbol, a gynecologist. He would take a smear test of a singer's vocal folds at different stages of the menstrual cycle. He would then send the singer down the hall to his wife who would do a cervical smear. When we put the two sets of slides together, we could not tell whether it was the vocal fold or the cervix, he said. This proved that the larynx is indeed a target organ for hormonal changes. The vocal chords are very much like the vagina - when one is dry, the other is also. See: The Aging Female Voice.
    Singing, which is a joy in my life, started to become an effort. Vocalizing was not something I looked forward to, so I wasn't putting in as much time to practice. Coupled with the other symptoms of hot flashes, insomnia and anxiety, my quality of life was greatly diminished.
    Psychological Effects
    As singers, we identify ourselves by our voices. If I have a good voice day, life is just better! The positive benefits of singing on the psyche and body are well documented. The studies of sound healing and music therapy are a testament to this. With that said, if a reduction in the way the voice responds prevents a singer from expressing themselves fully through the music, this can be frustrating and discouraging. If you are a voice professional, it can also be scary, as it may affect your ability to work.
    WHAT I FOUND OUT
    Anti-Aging Medicine
    Dr. Ronald Brown, author of the book Discovering Your True Balance With Bioidentical Hormones” states that people's hormones don't decline because they age, but people age because their hormones decline. From a biological perspective, we are finite beings, with built-in obsolescence, as it were. Mother Nature is merely doing her job by decreasing our hormonal levels! As we have made great medical strides in keeping people alive longer, quality of life has become a greater issue. This has opened the door to the relatively recent study of anti-aging medicine.
    Hormone Therapy
    There are two types of hormone therapy, HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and BHRT (bio-identical hormone therapy). The basic difference is that traditional HRT is made from pregnant mares urine and BHRT is made from yams and soybeans. It all started in the 1930's, when a chemistry professor, Russell Marker, discovered a chemical process to convert diosgenin (a plant steroid) into progesterone that is a molecular copy of the progesterone in the human body. Today, there are individual and combination therapies available, along with a variety of delivery methods, to treat hormone imbalance and deficiencies.
    There has been controversy with regard to the health risks of the use of one versus the other. I researched this for about a year before I decided to move forward with the BHRT therapy. In one article, Ken Holtorf, MD compared the effects of bioidentical and synthetic hormones. He states in his conclusion, Based on both physiological results and clinical outcomes, current evidence demonstrates that bioidentical hormones are associated with lower risks than their nonbioidentical counterparts. Until there is evidence to the contrary, current evidence dictates that bioidentical hormones are the preferred method of HRT.
    I also noted that there is a wide range of opinion between practitioners regarding the delivery system of BHRT, whether it be oral, transdermal (through the skin), inserted pellets or transmucosal. There are also different dosing protocols. Each comes with it's own advantages and disadvantages.
    MY EXPERIENCE
    I started out by making an appointment for a consultation with a compounding pharmacy. The pharmacist took a medical history, and gave me a saliva test. Based on the results of the test, she then made recommendations for a treatment plan, including the type of hormones and dosages. I was prescribed topical progesterone and Bi-est cream (a combination of estriol, estradiol and testosterone) after an appointment with a doctor who specialized in BHRT.
    After a few weeks, my hot flashes disappeared and I was sleeping through the night again. The anxiety and bouts of depression lessened and I was more calm (ask my husband!) I also noticed my voice was becoming more consistent, and it felt more flexible. My vibrato, which was turning into a wobble, regained some of it shimmer. As the weeks progressed, I started to adjust the dosing based on how I felt, with input from the compounding pharmacist.
    Of course, I am still working on fine tuning the dosing of the hormones, and have just started with a new specialist in BHRT.
    CONCLUSION
    I know that there is no "magic bullet" that will solve everything, and that this therapy comes with some side effects. I don't believe it will reverse my aging process, as some claim, just make it more comfortable! It is also a very individualized therapy, as all women do not react the same way. This has made me become a "good listener" to the signs my body gives me.
    If you decide to research this yourself, and I certainly encourage you to do that, you will find many disparate opinions on this therapy. There is so much information online - more than I am able to write about here. I will be updating this blog with my progress and will share any new information that I come across, so stay tuned!
    RESOURCES
    Dissertation and Theses of Catherine Froneberger Siarris on the agi...
    A very well written general article on one woman's experience with ...
    Another general informational site on BHRT
    Interview of Dr. Jonathan Wright by Dr. Mercola
    An article by Kent Holtorf, MD on the safety of BHRT
    And just to play devil's advocate . . .
    A site to search for a Compounding Pharmacy
    A site to search for a BHRT specialist
    Website of Dr. Barbara Hoffman (check her out on YouTube too)
    Website of Dr. John Lee, leading expert on Progesterone therapy
    Disclaimer: None of the information in this blog is meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. I am not a medical doctor and I am not suggesting any of these medications or products should be used by anyone reading this blog. I am merely stating that I use these products. Please consult your physician about using any of these products or methods.

  • TMV World Team
    A lot of people, especially with speaking voice problems, who are coming to me for my services, are absolutely sure that the only problem they have is their voice problem.
    Little do they know!
    Evidently, they don't perceive that the voice is the essential part of their anatomy and it is interconnected to their whole emotional, physical and mental being.
    Sometimes, the problem with the speaking voice could be an indication of something else happening in the physical body and their voice problem actually has been emotionally induced. Let's take, for example, spasmodic dysphonia.
    This particular voice disorder has very little to do with the nasty symptoms like uncontrollable spasms of the voice and loss of control of the vocal box, as the problem, in this instance, is not in the voice. The problem has neurological nature which was most likely induced by highly emotional stress and then it manifested in the physical body. The symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia, coupled with high blood pressure and highly emotional stress, could be the warning symptoms of the future stroke.
    If we are talking about muscle tension dysphonia, it mostly has to do with the improper conduct of one's voice. However, these people who suffer from this nasty voice disorder are usually quite highly unbalanced, hyperactive, loud and controlling. While embarking on fixing their voice, these individuals should look closely at their behavior on an everyday bases.They should reassess their communication and habitation with the people they come into contact with regularly or otherwise.
    These types of people are usually very opinionated and like to prove their point with everything they've got, so to speak. While doing that they sometimes become very loud. They actually are not noticing that they are pushing their voices to the absolute heights and limits, until they reach the point that they cannot push anymore. Now, their so called power has been taken away from them and now they feel helpless.
    So, as we see, the voice problem has very deep roots. The character of the person, the physical and emotional make-up of the person has a lot to do with why their voice injury occurs.
    Maybe, in a way, it is a blessing for those people who were on the loud side all their lives and never thought that they could, perhaps, adjust their behaviour and their lifestyle to the point of the absolute balance, so that neither the voice issue, nor any other health issues, would possess their being. And of course, there are simple cases which usually happen to singers and simply being induced by them not knowing how to conduct their speaking and singing voice. For them, once they recover their voice, the sky is the limit. Now, they acquire a proper vocal technique, which applies to speaking and singing and they are very well on their way to stardom.
    Yes, of course, their vocal injury also, understandably, plays with their mind and their emotions, but the roots of their vocal injury, usually are not as deep, as for people who just injured their speaking voice. The psychology of the voice/vocal injury for both categories has completely different roots and has to be approached somewhat differently. The main thing for both categories, of course, is to regain the full health and full balance and realize that the voice loss is just a symptom of something bigger and greater which has been happening to them for some time.
    Nevertheless, the innovative and alternative voice therapy suggests to treat the person as a whole, holistically and naturally

  • TMV World Team
    When the vocal injury occurs it's definitely not a picnic for every party involved.
    If it happens to a regular person, who is not a singer at all, and not at all prepared that one day he/she wakes up and will sound with the hoarse raspy voice which is hardly resembling the voice which the sufferer originally possessed.
    Not being in agreement with that, the person starts to push all surrounding muscles like throat, neck, shoulders and chest, trying to extract some sound familiar to them.
    Unfortunately, the more they push, the less they accomplish.
    Moreover, the sounds actually gets pushed more so down and may easily get stuck at the neck, which in a short while may become an indication of what's called Muscle Tension Dysphonia.
    Now, clearly, the real vocal injury has occurred.
    Naturally, the first thought that comes to the sufferer is to get referred to ENT doctor.
    They wait for months for the appointment and finally arrive to the ENT specialist's office.
    After being examined and being diagnosed, especially with something the doctor has nothing to operate on, they are being let go with the absolute confusion and no direction how to proceed further and conquer their voice injury.
    So what is the alternative?
    The alternative is a natural and holistic practitioner who speciali...
    Some people are not at all open to that idea; others, with more understanding, are more than happy to embark on a proper voice/vocal technique supplemented with natural herbs and remedies.
    Some people truly think that the only problem they have is that their vocal anatomy is not intact, but otherwise they are fine.
    So if only they could get a hold of a magic pill, preferably prescribed by a medical doctor, they would be just fine and would continue their lifestyle speaking/singing with a wrong technique/application of the voice, speaking excessively loud, singing with the strained voice and colds, and consuming a lot of dairy, sweets, and red meat.
    Go figure!?
    We all wish that it would be that easy, but unfortunately, it's not as easy as it may seem.
    By the time the person experiences the severe symptoms, the whole body, and sometimes, the soul is also out of whack.
    So at this time the problem is quite deep and quite encompassing and thus has to be approached and treated holistically.
    By the time the person with the voice disorder finally finds an alternative help, he/she usually suffers quite a bit psychologically and emotionally.
    A lot of them are very tearful and feel like a failure; some of them are so depressed that they feel suicidal.
    No wonder though, as the voice is a great tool for communication - speaking or singing.
    Suddenly, these affected people are being deprived from their voice in the global understanding of that word.
    It actually could be quite devastating.
    So now these people not only need the work on their voice, but first of all, they would need to work on their mental balance, and their physical body balance (diet and what not), and then on the actual proper mechanics of the voice, which once employed, will save and protect the voice for life, and thus prevent the occurrence of this ever happening again.
    What price tag can you put on that?

  • TMV World Team

    Singing Lessons

    By TMV World Team, in Articles,

     Singing Lessons: Do People Still Have Any Dreams To Become Professional Artists, Or Did Their Passion Die With The Recession And The World, Which Is Becoming Completely Digital?
    Teaching here in Toronto for almost 3 and half decades, I cannot believe how the people changed with respect of their attitude, mentality, physicality and yes, dreams, which they used to have galore.
    Since 1980, we've been through quite a few recessions, but it never affected people in the way which I am witnessing right now. They used to possess a lot of passion and love for music. The majority of even just ordinary people, (not necessarily musicians), had dreams to become professional artists, experience the professional recording and then experience the huge urge and excitement to be able to cut a record deal.
    Almost on a weekly basis, the new groups, (bands) were formed.
    The school kids were positively occupied with the rehearsals with their group; and then, to perfect their craft, with private vocal and instrument lessons on the side. Yesterday, I spoke with one of my young adult students and asked him what his friends of the same age, (18 to 20 years old), had been doing with their leisure time.
    He responded that they have been searching through the websites day in and day out, trying to figure out how to make money, and then to engage, at best, in the electronic video games or, God forbid, in some negative activities. According to my student, none of his peers have any other ambitions outside of electronic engagement. The word music or singing was never even mentioned.
    How sad is that?
    I am truly missing those guys (age 16 to 25), who use to come with their guitars or base guitars with the excitement in their eyes and smile on their faces. Where did it all go and what is the problem?
    My personal opinion would be that, not only now we are going through a general recession, but also the music business is going through a huge recession and reformat. In Toronto, there is virtually no music industry present.
    Some of my clients, in the not very distant past, have gotten signed, but then were dropped off the roster of, for example, Sony, Capital and Universal records. As my clients reviled to me after the fact, that the record company let go of the majority of their staff and there were simply no music professionals left to complete my clients projects. The club owners here in Toronto have definitely lost their professional acumen and frankly, as it appears to be, their consciences as well. They never, per say, paid anything, (outside the door), to the bands for their performances, but they also never asked the bands to pay them for the privilege to play in their clubs.
    When one of my former students, who I had mentored to a beautiful singing performer, revealed that to me, I could not believe my ears. Her and her band were working so hard on writing, playing and recording music, and now they got deprived of showcasing their musical skills, as they were unable to pay upon demand for their performances to the club owners.
    It is pathetic, isn't it?
    How could people maintain their dreams and still possess their passion when they are not able to realize their desires and express their love for music and singing? So, our city, unfortunately, is becoming very commercial, very business oriented and, frankly, people in our city have become really skeptical and really cynical. All of these above described qualities are hardly corresponding with any artistic tendencies and inclinations. That explains why the city feels so grey, so depressed and with very low energy. I feel a great remorse and experience a great loss of fun, passion, and accomplishment, as in our times, those so called qualities are, evidently, not tangible and thus, unfortunately, not being accountable for anything anymore.
    What a shame!!!

  • TMV World Team
    If you are suffering from a complete voice loss, then, unfortunately, we will not be able to help. In order to recover the voice, we need some kind of a sound production. I was amazed when one person, after quite intensive correspondence with me via e-mails, finally called me and could not produce anything but a whisper. When I asked him what he was diagnosed with, he, to my surprise, responded with whispers that the Doctors could not find anything wrong with him.
    I was literally shocked with that reply. But, unfortunately, could not offer him any viable help, as no sound was present at all. Then, in my office, another man unexpectedly walked in, who actually had the sound, but there was nothing but mooing, so to speak. Apparently, he recently undergone a cancer of thyroid operation and he ended up with both vocal cords paralysed. Naturally, I told him the truth that vocal paralysis on both vocal cords is non treatable. Believe it or not, he looked at me with absolute surprise, disbelief and disappointment!
    Go figure!
    I am not sure what he expected me to say.
    There are a lot of things I could do non-surgically, but some things are not possible to concur even with the best abilities of the Voice Repair specialist, or any other therapist for that matter. If you remember the story of Movie Actor Christopher Reeves who fell down from the horse and ended up with quadriplegia.
    No doubts, he was surrounded by the best doctors and definitely had no lack of money to hire any help he needed; but, evidently, nobody could help him.
    The best they could do is to keep him positive and reasonably comfortable. Conversely, after the initial shock from both parties, my prospective client and my own, I advised him that I could improve the quality of his life and no doubts his confidence, by making him pronounce and announce his words somewhat clearer and to be more understood. I told him, in a nutshell, how I will go about it, and that my method is completely natural, holistic and alternative to any medical interventions.
    I told him that I will restructure his voice in a different set of muscles and take it away from the vocal box to the place where his sound will become more amplified and less strained. I explained to him how that wholesome mechanism, which I will instill into his psyche, will allow his voice to work in the fullest capacity possible and to the best of its ability.
    He left and the next day wrote to me an e-mail where he expressed that he could not understand how his voice will work outside of his vocal cords. In his e-mail he expressed that he is hoping that one day his voice will come back fully. On that note, I told him that I wished him all the best. It is sad, but true.
    That person, as many others, had absolutely no check with reality. I am sure that if any medical professionals could put Christopher Reeve back on the horse and make him a Superman again, they would. So take it from there. It's always good to have a hope, but it has to be realistic.
    And now, yet another case study:
    The person comes in with, so to speak, stage 4 of Muscle Tension Dysphonia disorder. I am sure everybody knows that, when somebody is diagnosed, for example, with stage 4 cancer, (God forbid), it pretty much means that, most likely, that person will not make it. I have to admit that, when I've heard that young woman's voice over the phone, even I got shaky. She sounded, the least to say, horrible. I offered her just a 10 hour exploratory session to open it all up and see if anything could be done. To everybody's surprise, she was responding very well to the instruction and natural herbs, which I had provided for her sessions. Her mom, who was present in the room, said that it was fascinating to watch this transformation.
    I was asked right away if I could offer more hours while they were residing here in Toronto for 5 days. I said yes and increased her course to 16 hours. Then they left and I did not have much feedback on the post-course events. Incidentally, on one of the weekends, my husband and I ended up in their neck of the woods. We met up and I was very pleased to hear my former student's voice which was very much so improved, but of course, was not fully back. The protocol for any voice disorder, especially of this severity, is a minimum of 30 to 40 hours of instruction and natural/holistic treatment. My former student now switched back her phone which she gave up talking on for the last year, until the completion of my Voice Repair course.
    I think, by itself, it was a great victory.
    However, to my huge disappointment, my former voice repair client still was not satisfied and kept repeating that she will only give me a reference when her voice will return fully. She only engaged, at best, on half of the protocol required. Yet, instead of acknowledging the huge victory, (at least 80% of improvement), she was stubbornly repeating over and over how her voice has not come back fully/
    My response was that the gratitude and positive outlook on things would probably help her to recover her voice that much sooner. I am not sure, however, that I succeeded in my persuasion, unfortunately.
    And lastly, the very positive outcome of my American client who recently came to my studio for only 4 days and also for only 10 hours to fix her cyst on her throat and learn how to sing professionally.
    Not even half an hour to her first session with me, she inquired if I could give her more hours while she is here in town. I was able to accommodate 5 extra hours and complete the course with absolute success, however, with her understanding that she would need more hours and more treatment to be employed to achieve true and final success.
    Therefore, she arranged me, now coming to her, to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and conduct yet another 20 hours of instruction and treatment. Thank God for her normalcy and understanding that the screws, so to speak, still have to be tightened and a new pattern of the application of her speaking and singing voice has to be totally established.
    So to conclude; the normalcy and balance of the person with some kind of a voice disorder, voice loss, or whatnot, has to be present first of all. The voice repair client should outline the realistic goal and enjoy getting there.

  • TMV World Team
    Fake it until you make it.
    Standard show biz advice. And salesman advice, too.
    And it applies to singing. Recently, a friend and fellow member in the forum was experimenting with what he called a "fake" sound in his voice and the result was more appropriate than what his "natural" sound was. Not because his natural sound is "bad," just different. And he had an insight that has also worked for me. He then realized that his "natural" sound is also "fake." And what led to this insight was that for a while, living in a different region, he had picked up and was able to "fake" the accent of that region, as well. Which, of course, meant his "natural" accent was also fake.
    And to paraphrase and honor the wisdom of fellow forum member, Jens, the entirety of the voice is made up. And most voices really do have quite a similar range, differing by a few notes at the bottom or top, although I think true bassos are rare and special. Operatically, a fach covers 2 octaves. Outside of opera, many voices can cover an average of 3 octaves and this tends to match the dynamic range of most human voices.
    Especially in popular music forms, where amplification is d' rigeur. This allows singers to go into parts of the range that would normally not be heard of an orchestra in a regular performance hall situation.
    So, I reviewed my ability to "fake" it. I can do several accents of English outside of the predominately southern accent I have. For I was born in California and lived there until I was 10 years old and we moved to Texas. And I have been in Texas for the past 40 years and it has had some affect on my accent. Yet, I can do a british accent, scottish, irish. Once in a blue moon, I can "fake" a little bit of New Zealander accent. Accents, like singing, are all vowel use and cadence.
    And of my own accent, people that were born and raised in Texas can tell that I was not born here, regardless of having been in this state longer than they have been alive. The two average questions are: You're not from Texas, are you? and; Where are you from? And I will get those questions more often because my use of cleaner vowels in singing is filtering into how I speak.
    A common greeting for me is "Howdy." But I pronounce it as h-ah-dee. When the natural texan accent is to have a dipthong of h - ah - oo - dee.
    So, I suggest, especially if you are enamored of a style of singing, to absolutely continue faking it. As long as it is not hurting your voice and you are on pitch, it is all "fair." Even opera singing is "fake." And before someone gets offended by that, I would like to point out that most opera singers do not get to the main roles and premieres in their careers until after at least 10 years of coaches telling them what sound to make, which is usually different than the sound they came in with.
    So, you can fake opera, blues, metal, country, jazz, whatever fakery appeals to you. The first step is to allow yourself to fake it, which is mental. Which means that you must either call all of it fake or none of it fake. There is no middle ground. Either it is all fake or nothing is fake. And that is also mental.

  • TMV World Team
    As summer arrives, singers begin to worry about vocal health as summer is the season when most artists have most bookings. "Will I be able to manage all the upcoming shows without vocal fatigue?" The health of your voice is a serious matter: Your voice is a musical instrument that requires very special care, technical skills and constant practice.
    Unlike guitar strings, vocal cords can't break! Thus, they cannot be replaced. A good reason to take care of them! Vocal cords are muscles that need to be treated like any other muscle. Have you ever seen an athlete practice a sport without warming up? Without regular training or technique? Without muscle relaxation or a coach? Well, consider yourself a vocal athlete! The stage is your pitch. And like all athletes, you may get tired at times...
     
     
    A lot of physical, physiological, acoustical, and psychological factors can cause vocal fatigue. Among the most common symptoms are: changes in timbre, a deeper voice when talking, difficulties to reach high notes, quacks, cracks, unexpected pitch shifting (yodeling), hoarse, husky or breathy voice, soar throat or the sensation of lumps in your throat, partial or full aphonia...
     
    If you carry on singing while having some of these symptoms, it can quickly lead to an injury or, unless you visit a laryngologist (voice specialist), other pathologies in the long run. Letting your voice rest can be a temporary solution. However, if your problems are caused by a bad singing technique and you don't visit a laryngologist and a singing teacher, they will keep on coming back again and again.
     
    Reasons for Voice Fatigue (a non-exhaustive list)
     
            Breath, vibration and resonance?
     
    Singing is a complex system that results from the combination of three stages: breath, vibration and resonance. An experienced singer combines all three stages harmoniously. When the breathing/vibration/resonance mix is not optimal, the larynx will compensate with intrinsic and/or extrinsic rigidness, hindering a good performance. In case you don't remember, the larynx is an organ that connects the pharynx with the trachea and hosts the vocal cords. Its role is to transform air into sound. Thus, any additional rigidness is to be avoided.
            Wrong or unsuitable singing technique
     
    Some lucky people can sing intuitively without any singing lessons, but only a few have a good natural singing technique. For most singers, training their voice with a singing teacher or a voice coach is a must, regardless of their musicianship and music style. Good skills are crucial to keep your voice healthy, to sing without rigidness across the whole vocal register, to keep a well-balanced timbre, to be able to sing for hours without experiencing fatigue.
     
    Lack of sleep
     
    The only time when vocal cords fully rest is during sleep – when they decongest and regenerate. We recommend eight hours of sleep per day. But we are aware that long rests are hard to combine with life on the road. Specially when you have late shows and need to travel to the next gig location. Take a nap in the afternoon but avoid sleeping before live gigs. It could take the vocal cords more time to fully recover than the time you have before going up on stage.
     
    Physical fatigue
     
    When your body feels tired, your muscles have no energy, including your abdominal muscles and vocal cords. In this condition, it's difficult to sing consistently.
    The singer must sing dynamically and powerfully! Some of my students have realized that singing demands as much energy as doing sport. Thus, it is crucial to be physically fit. You know the saying: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Be watchful during rehearsals and live gigs. Don't slacken your dynamism. Your body must be in good shape. The slightest carelessness might prove fatal to your voice.
     
    Song key
     
    Sing within your own range, in other words, the notes you can sing easily. Do not confuse this with the vocal register, which includes all notes you can produce with your voice. Don't strive to sing in a key that doesn't match your range because it could be very dangerous to your voice. Singing should be as comfortable as possible. If uncomfortable, tell the musicians you are playing with and transpose the song key. Otherwise, choose a replacement song before going on tour to avoid having to change singer's while on tour!
     
    More me
     
    "I can't hear myself! Can you push me to the front of the mix? Otherwise, I'll have to strain my voice and damage it!"
    We have all heard or said this to the monitor engineer at least once. But what happens really? It is very important to have a good sound on the stage, which means you need to take time to make a good soundcheck in order for all musicians and singers feel comfortable and find their position within the band. A singer that cannot listen to his own voice will tend to strain it or shout to be able to hear himself. This is called vocal dysfunction.
     
    To avoid this, don't hesitate to use in-ear monitors, which provide a clearly better monitoring comfort while protecting your ears by filling up your auditory canal and attenuating external noise up to 18 or 25 dB. In-ear monitors might seem expensive but your ears and your voice have no price: trust me!
     
    Visit an ENT specialist to have an audiogram done. That way, you can check if your monitoring discomfort isn't directly related to some sort of hearing impairment.
     
    Vocal Illness
     
    Some ENT disorders like tonsillitis (tonsils), pharyngitis (pharynx), rhinopharyngitis (nasal cavity and pharynx), laryngitis (larynx) or sinusitis (sinus) can lead to aphonia or dysphonia. Say what? Dysphonia refers to difficulties to speak or produce a sound, regardless of the origin of the injury. The voice sounds too low or too high, husky or hoarse and, in some cases, it can even disappear completely (this last symptom is called aphonia).
     
    The origin of vocal cord disorders can be infections (bacterial or viral), inflammations (voice straining, for example), traumas , or they can be the result of stranger factors (diaphragm paralysis, vocal cords polyp…). Some ENT inflammations can also be caused by the gastroesophagus reflux disease, meaning abnormal reflux of stomach acid to the esophagus, which damages the esophagus and larynx mucosa.
     
    Among risk factors, we can mention alcohol, too copious meals, meals right before going to sleep, obesity, acid food, dressings, sparkling drinks, tobacco, etc. In these cases, we recommend you to give your voice a rest and to follow an adequate medical treatment. Some hygienic and dietetic rules are indispensable to maintain the quality of your voice. Singing with an inflammation will automatically increase the dysphonia.
     
            Is honey good for your voice?

    Food never touches the vocal cords directly (unless you choke on something). Thus, there is no relation between honey and voice. Besides its antiseptic action, it simply allows you to soothe your irritated THROAT.         Watch out for some factors leading to voice loss:
     
    Air conditioning: this cool, dry air dehydrates your larynx preventing your vocal cords from vibrating naturally. A scarf around your neck will attenuate too harsh temperature variations. Always prefer shadowed places to air conditioned environments. Weather conditions: harsh temperature and humidity variations. Loud environment = intelligibility problem. When lost in background noises, the voice can't reach too far. Inevitably, you'll tend to speak louder or scream to be heard, which results in an inappropriate vocal use! A real danger for your voice. You'd better find a more silent room to chat or speak over the phone. Allergies: observed symptoms : cough, discharge, sneeze, throat clearing, itchy or crying eyes, husky voice, a frog in the throat...  
    Remedies: antihistamines soothe the symptoms but dry your mucosa. We recommend a nasal spray treatment. And don't forget to drink a lot of water.
     
    Some Tips and Precautions
     
    - Prepare your voice before singing.
    We don't mean "warming up your voice" but preparing the actual action of singing. Warm-up exercises for your body, breath and voice allow you to sensitize any particular muscle, check that your breathing is reliable and that the sound comes out freely. Which exercises do you recommend? Only a singing teacher can help you and suggest exercises that match your personal needs. One exercise can be good for a singer but harmful for another one.
     
    Eat wholesome food. Keep in good physical condition. Sleep at least eight hours per day. Avoid meals just before performances. Avoid sparkling drinks. Avoid alcohol and tobacco. Hydrate yourself! Drink, drink, drink... water, of course, and without moderation.  
    Conclusion
     
     Always listen to your voice and your body... Take the smallest signs of fatigue seriously. Don't bury your head in the sand while waiting for your voice to come back. That's a common mistake among singers who are afraid to face reality.
     
    If your singing technique leaves a lot to be desired, you need help! Unless you settle for the perpetual state of losing your voice and waiting for it to come back again... until it doesn't!
     
    And don't think these recommendations apply only to beginners. Even experienced singers need to check if their singing is still consistent. Within this context, a periodic visit to a qualified singing teacher is enough to control if your singing technique is fairly good so you can start a tour with one less worry.
     
    Also think about visiting a audiologist or ENT specialist every two years. This medical check is painless and it will help reassure you about the health of your vocal cords. And you'll get a free pic of them. :-)
     
    I wish you all successful live gigs!
     
    Stéphanie DUMOUCH, voice coach and "Voice Therapist." (France)
    www.stephaniedumouch.com
    www.myspace.com/stephaniedumouch

  • TMV World Team
    Are you looking to make it big in music? I suspect you might be or you have dreams of artistic aspirations to satisfy some never-ending burning thirst for expression that won't leave you be. I'm right there with you. Matter of fact, I have some great news one of my songs I co-wrote with my artist Rainsford (Rainey Qualley who I worked with for several years) and my friend Jeff McErlain, is coming out in theaters this Memorial Day, Mighty Fine. It's called Silver Lining and it runs over the credits! Yeah, it's a big deal over here in Cari Cole land (happy dance) these accomplishments are much-celebrated cherished actually. I don't take them for granted. I feel fortunate, but then again, I made my own luck. The truth is, luck doesn't just waltz in the door, it's the fruit of real labor, otherwise it doesn't really stick.
    There's one thing I have learned for sure, and it's how to build a brand. I probably would have been good at marketing if I didn't go into music (or I would have been a great naturopath that's a whole nother blog.) As my coach says (yes I have one, wouldn't be without one), marketing is energy and it's how you express that energy that either draws people to you or pushes them away. I talk a lot about that and much more about building a brand in my Fast Forward to Fame Program & Blueprint , which basically teaches music artists who are just releasing a record or getting ready to, how to build an Artist-based Business & Career in the new online business model.
    Here’s 3 of many tips from that program:
    Your LIST (email list) is the most important thing over and above any social media numbers period. You need systems in place. Email automation and VA Assistance (and if you don't know what that is you need to take the Fast Forward program.) A regular newsletter that goes out every 2 weeks no matter what that's about THEM (not you.) Same day, same time every 2 weeks. Consistent marketing brings consistent results. Be interesting and engage others. OK you can have one section at the bottom about you and your music but that's it! One photo plastered across all platforms, social media and across all of your pages (ONE really great shot not two, not three ONE.) Mindset is probably the most important asset you have. A crummy mindset gets crummy results. There's some really cool things coming up in the next several weeks around here so if you're not already on the list you should opt-in at www.caricole.com
    Love you guys!!!
    Cari

     


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