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  • TMV World Team
    Here is a cool video on diphthongs I found just for the fun of it.  AFTER THE JUMP
    (You can also watch my own video about vowel modification here)

    Why are diphthongs important for singers?
    "Ok Robert, why is this important"?Well, when singing English, you will often need a command of certain diphthongs in order to reduce constriction, bridge earlier and articulate vowels when extreme singing in the head voice.
    Diphthongs are part of the answer to a very popular question I often get from my clients: "Hey Robert, I can twang in the head voice on the sirens and TVS workouts, but how do I maintain that compression and fold closure when singing songs?!" Yes, once you begin throwing consonants around and lyrics into your singing, maintaining fold closure, overtones and articulation of the text becomes more difficult.
    Learning to sing diphthongs
    For the most part in my training at TVS, we have to learn to stop singing closed vowels (oo and ee) in the belts. When you sing a closed vowel in the high chest voice and in and around the passagio, you will trigger the constrictors and get chokey. If you are ever singing high in your chest voice and it keeps getting chokey, take a close look at the vowel you're singing. Is it an "ee" or an "oo"? If so, that is likely the reason you are constricting. So how do we fix this? You learn to sing diphthongs, which starts by understanding the open vowel cousin (relationship) to the closed vowels that are choking you on the high chest voice notes.
    Singing diphthongs: How does it work?
    Let's take a quick look at it:
    "ee" - open vowel cousin = "A" "oo" - open vowel cousin = "Ah" In the belts and around the passagio:
    Sing an "ee" vowel as an "A-ee". Sing a "oo" vowel as an "Ah-oo".  Hope this helps. I look forward to hearing all of your input on this, especially from our TMV vowel guru, Maestro Fraser.
    This essay first published March 15, 2010 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
    As I began working to develop the Intrinsic Anchoring set in TVS pedagogy, something very profound began to be revealed to me. Perhaps this conclusion has been made by generations of great voice teachers through the ages, I suppose it has, but I discovered this on my own path as I often do. The big revelation was that the female singing voice is in need or benefits from larynx dampening or intrinsic anchoring, possibly more than the male voice.
    The Benefit Of Intrinsic Anchoring to Female Vocalists
    Intrinsic Anchoring is so important to producing an amazing vocal tone that I have to emphasize again that both genders must learn to engage it. However, because of the physiological differences between male and female vocal tracts, I have to admit and feel it is my duty to inform the fairer sex that without intrinsic anchoring, you run a high risk of sounding either like a choral girl or too screechy on your belts and head tones.

    A Crucial Difference Between Male- And Female Singers
    Though it is not preferred, men can sing without laryngeal dumping when belting. The resulting tone quality will sound splatty, but if that is what they chose for the moment, it is ok. This sound seems to be marginally acceptable in heavy metal, but not so much in other genres. For women, there is not choice in my view. Women simply must engage intrinsic anchoring well into their low belts, maintain through the Passaggio and into the head voice. The laryngeal dumping of the intrinsic anchoring set is the main issue here. Women need to increase the resonant space in their vocal tracts slightly more than men do, and lower in their ranges. Women, they should begin applying the intrinsic anchoring set early on into their belts, approximately around E4, but this is not a hard fast rule. It seems that women should begin intrinsic anchoring about the same time men begin bridging into their head voices.
    How Female Vocalists Can Stand Out From The Crowd
    But there is good news as well; women who learn to master intrinsic anchoring will stand out in a crowded world of screechy and windy female singing. Do you want to really capture the imagination of your audience and absolutely differentiate yourself from all others? Do you want to amaze the audience, making them remember you long after they go home? Do you want to be the talk of the town? Master intrinsic anchoring and change your phonations from being windy, choral sounds or screechy quacking, to rounded, boomy, formants that have color and depth. People will absolutely love your voice and you will be making a world-class sound that a very few women ever have the opportunity to grasp, train and enjoy.
    To learn how to stop singing with a windy choral sound or quacking like a schreeking duck, contact The Vocalist Studio. We have developed a set of specific techniques for the female singing voice that are benefitting women that cannot be found at any other schools of singing. We look forward to hearing from you.
    Photos from The Voice Foundation Symposium - 2012
     

     
     
     
     
     


     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

  • TMV World Team
    It's every singers worst nightmare.
    Can you imagine performing in front of a crowd and right at the climax of the song you know that money-note in the Chorus and your voice cracks?
    Ok, let's not go there.
    But the truth is, this is a very common source of frustration for singers. The dreaded Vocal Break. Or the part of your voice that cracks/flips/changes gears into a horribly weak and thin sound. The part of the voice where you lose connection.
    What many singers don't realize is that there are common technical mistakes that almost every singer is making that causes this sudden break/flip in the voice. When these mistakes are understood, it is the first very important step towards fixing the problem.
    Do you want to have the confidence to know that every time you get up to perform that you're going to nail those money-notes and wow your audience?
    This confidence comes from knowing what mistakes you're making and then employing the correct tactics to fix them.
    Below are what I've found in my experience as a Singer trying to overcome my vocal break and as a Vocal Coach helping countless others overcome theirs, the Top 4 mistakes that cause singers to crack and some simple tactics to overcome them.
    Mistake #1: Pulling chest voice up
    Most singers, especially those without formal singing training, approach high notes trying to push their chest voice further and further up in their range. This only causes a thickening of the vocal cords which adds pressure continually. Once the pressure is too much, the voice explodes or breaks causing the cords to thin out and therefore the resulting weaker sound.
    Tip: Whenever you start to feel yourself straining up for higher notes, STOP. Instead let your voice go where it wants to go naturally even if it initially sounds a little weak in your ears. Doing this will allow what you perceive as the weaker part of the voice to strengthen without adding constriction and closure to your throat. Remember that straining and tension will never help you sing as tense muscles absorbs your sound
    Mistake #2: Singing on the throat
    The second mistake pertains to resonance. Most singers will break dramatically because they are not placing their voice higher in the mask (behind the nose). As a result their sound does not travel forward as it should but stays stuck in the throat. This causes a dramatic crack in the voice because once again tension builds, causing constriction and limiting the voice to move freely through the vocal break
    Tip: Rather than rely on the small muscles in your throat and put pressure on them train your larger abdominal and diaphragmatic muscles and sing with support. Practice low breathing that sees the abdomen fill up like a balloon and the expansion of the ribs when inhaling. This will adequate breath support will free up your throat and allow your voice to freely move between registers
    (Check out my video on how to employ correct breathing technique to help you further)
    Mistake #3: Singing too heavily in their low-mid range
    A common habit that singers have is that in order to compensate for what they perceive as a weak high voice, they tend to belt out their low notes with gusto  all the time! This means that they are unknowingly creating a greater chasm between their low chest voice notes and their high head voice notes, accentuating and reinforcing the vocal break
    Tip: Singing lighter in the chest range so that you can even out the sound between the two vocal registers. Practice descending arpeggio scales that start from your head voice range and come down into your chest range. As you come down try to keep the sound as even as possible
    (Here's another video with a specific exercise to help you further with this one)
    Mistake #4: Singing too lightly and breathy in their high range
    The opposite problem to the above mistake is that singers sing way too lightly and breathy in their higher range. Rather than singing with a forward sounding, bell-like tone, it becomes an unsupported and somewhat weak falsetto. This of course accentuates the vocal break more because there is too much difference in the sound compared to your solid chest notes
    Tip: Strengthen your head voice and aim to develop a fully resonating bell-like sound in your upper ranges.
    (And here's a video with some exercises to help you further)
    Understanding the mistakes we make is the first step towards improvement and progress. Next time you sing and you find yourself breaking drastically ask yourself Which of these 4 mistakes am I making? then apply the Tip to overcome it. If you fail the first time, keep trying.
    The key is to diagnose your problem (i.e. understand the mistake you're making) and then remedy it by using the correct tactic to overcome it.
    What tips do you have to share with the singing community about avoiding cracks in your voice? Please share them in the comments below.
    For more helpful tips and video tutorials or to enquire about Skype/In-Person Singing Lessons with me, drop by at www.thesongbirdtree.com

  • TMV World Team
    Almost every singer, speaker, actor or fellow clergy with whom I have worked, has on more than one occasion had to perform with a tired or over-used voice, some level of mucus and low energy. It seems to be part of our job description. Whether it's an audition, presentation, performance or sermon, we need to be in top vocal form. However, life's responsibilities simply don't disappear when we need to be on.
    For a myriad of reasons, our voice may be ragged and tired and our bodies may be lacking the energy needed to bring the voice up and out of our bodies with a full confident sound. So I would like to suggest some outstanding natural alternatives for proper vocal health care,  to refined sugar, caffeine, and drugs that I, for one, have been using for many years. These alternatives will energize your voice, mind, and body naturally. They work almost immediately, help to restore and remove mucus from the cords and throat and best of all, have no side effects.
    Over-used, tired throat, and vocal cords
    There are a number of herbs that can provide instant relief for the tired throat and vocal cords. These may be used in extract form (liquid) as a gargle or as a tea. I prefer to gargle because the herbs go directly into the throat and coat the muscles and vocal cords, as well as removing unwanted mucus and debris providing me with immediate relief. Teas tend to pass through the throat more quickly and contact to the affected area is not as dramatic. In addition, the herbal content in most tea bags is considerably less than that in an extract.
    Also, for general vocal health care, the heat in the throat can be an effective healing agent, thereby relaxing the inflamed area. If you do purchase these herbs as teas, drink them hot with some honey. Adding lemon can be helpful but too much citrus can dry the throat and cords, so be careful as to the amount you use. A good one time squeeze one time should suffice.
    The following herbal combination is one of the best remedies I have known. It is a combination of the herbal extracts Ginger, Cayenne, Slippery Elm, Turmeric and Sage. Each of these herbs has exceptional properties that help with swelling, inflammation and pain. This combination has also been used successfully for laryngitis and hoarseness. Each individual herb can be found at any health food store but use the non alcohol brands. The alcohol content in certain extracts is usually quite high and can dry the throat and vocal cords, not to mention affecting brain focus.
    Making a solution to gargle is very easy. Simply follow the steps below:
    Fill a cup with 2 oz. of warm water
    Add 10 drops of each extract to the water
    Mix in a half a tablespoon of honey
    Gargle three times every two hours until you have to sing or present
    Be sure to allow it to go as far down into your throat as possible
    Gargle one last time just minutes before singing. Try not to swallow the mixture. Swallowing small amounts will not harm you in any way except that it may make you a bit nauseous
    Vocal Health Care and Energy
    Without adequate energy, all of the above mentioned remedies can be of little or no value. The best form of energy we have is in the food we eat. Your nutritional decisions at times like these will determine your overall effectiveness as a performer. Do not take proper nutrition for granted. In cases like these you need the most effective and powerful fuel you can get. Below you may find some excellent foods that provide outstanding energy without creating mucus in the throat or making you feel bloated, nervous, or groggy.
    1. Gogi Berries
    Dried fruits---for example, mangos are loaded with potassium. Pineapple contains Bromelain which helps to heal inflammation.
    3. Nuts: sunflower seeds, almonds (sprouted) and pumpkin seeds
    4. Hard-boiled eggs
    5. Beans and lentils
    6. Sprouts
    7. Broccoli, asparagus, spinach
    8. Brown rice
    9. Watermelon
    10. Freshly squeezed vegetable juice
    Being a Cantor, teacher, nutritional consultant, and singer, I understand the extraordinary demands put on the Voice Professional. Our craft is a complete mental, physical, and spiritual one. We need to take care of ourselves and many times we need additional support. Getting it from the right sources is key. You have the choice to decide how you will take care of your voice. Choosing wisely and effectively will ensure a joyous and successful career.
    As always I wish you the best on your quest for Superior Vocal Health.
    Superiorvocalhealth.com

  • TMV World Team
    chuy67 wrote:
    [When I think about singing from the diaphragm,] I picture support as a balloon. It is filled with air and then you can push it with your hands and air comes out. The only problem is, I can picture it, but I cannot do it. Do people really push it [the diaphragm] like a balloon?
    Also another problem I have is pressure in my throat and upper chest when trying to breathe in heavily. It can also be painful at times. Could someone please give me an explanation of this? It is driving me nuts!
    Steven Fraser wrote:
    I'll be happy to answer your questions.  There are also some resources on the main site -- articles about the location and action of the diaphragm -- that are pretty good.
    The image of support as a balloon only goes so far. Let me give you a more accurate, and hopefully, useful one by describing what is actually going on in your body as you breathe normally and then when you sing.
    Very generally, inhalation happens any time you make your chest cavity bigger, expanding it. There are a number of motions that can do this, more or less effectively.  Some work very well for athletic endeavors, and some work well for singing. Setting aside any notion of voice for a moment, here are the motions that cause air to go in the lungs, beginning with the one that almost always happens:
    The diaphragm, which forms the bottom of the chest cavity,  flexes, and flattens downward and a little forward from its relaxed, arched position. This makes the chest cavity bigger, creating a lower pressure in the lungs, and outside air gets pushed in (by the higher outside air pressure) through your mouth and/or nose. As the diaphragm descends during this motion, it presses downward and forward on your abdominal organs, pushing them downward somewhat. This is the motion you see when the diaphragm lowers: the belly expanding.  Sometime, watch a sleeping baby breathe. The motion you can see is the abdomen moving as a result of the diaphragm flexing, and then relaxing. You expand your ribs side-to-side, and lift them. This expands the chest cavity circumference.It's very likely that the diaphragm is also flexing, too, but it is less obvious. You raise your sternum (breastbone).  This expands the chest cavity height. It's very likely that the ribs expanded, and the diaphragm flexed at the same time. Exhaling happens when the effort used for any one of these motions is relaxed.The reason is that the motions store energy in the body.  This happens by:
    Expanding the belly: abdominal muscles are stretched, as are the elastic lung tissues.When the inhalation stops, the tissues which were stretched want to spring back to where they were. In a sleeping child, it's these forces that power the exhalation.When conscious, a person can add even more power to this exhalation by contracting the abdominal muscles, resulting in an inward motion. Letting the ribs come back in, somewhat helped by gravity, air is forced out. Letting the sternum down.  This one is also helped a lot by gravity. Again, forces air out. Ok, that is how basic body-breathing happens in normal life. Most of the time, we use breath motion #1, and for a sigh, maybe add #2. If we are running for our lives, we do everything we can to move the air rapidly to stay alive. We may do all three under those circumstances.
    I explained all this for a reason: breathing for singing is not about moving air rapidly for life; it's about supplying just the right amount of air for the vocal sounds you want to make.  In singing, we train the enormously powerful #1 action of breathing to be more subtle, and we lessen, or eliminate, the motions of #2 and #3 so that they do not overpower the teeny, weenie laryngeal muscles.
    In singing, the way that #2 and #3 are lessened is to make them part of the posture.If you don't move them much as you breathe in and out, they don't add unwanted or uncontrolled breath energy. It's very hard to do either thing subtly. Keeping the sternum in one place prevents gravity from powering air out of the body.  It does not necessarily have to be high: just not moving when you breathe in and out. For your information, classical singers very often adopt a high sternum chest position and leave it there all the time. It looks a bit better on stage.
    When #2 and #3 motions are stilled, breathing happens entirely by #1, the diaphragmatic action in coordination with the abdominal muscles. This is very often called belly breathing, low breathing, breathing from the diaphragm, etc. All those terms mean that only motions of the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles are involved in moving the air.This takes us back to the kind of breathing your body does when you are asleep.  The same thing as a baby does.  You have breathed this way your whole life.
    Now, what is support  It is two things:
    Maintaining some of the flex of the diaphragm during the exhale. In a normal, easy breath, the diaphragm relaxes at the end of the inhale, and the stored energy in the abdominals presses the air out by pushing the diaphragm up. Check out that sentence again.  The diaphragm is just along for the ride on the exhale. It is not powering the exhale. It moves up because the abdominals are making the abdomen smaller, and the guts are pushing up the diaphragm. Also, because the stretchy lungs are collapsing a little; this helps to pull the diaphragm up.
    Keeping the diaphragm active slows down the exhale, and reduces its force. You likely can do this almost without thinking about it deliberately. If you take in an easy, #1-style breath, and then just exhale as slowly as you can, your desire to exhale slowly will cause the diaphragm to stay active. You can even stop the exhale momentarily, just by wanting to. You have even more control than that. You can take in a 3/4 breath, and then limit your inhale/exhale motion to be from 3/4 to 1/4 full. The diaphragm responds very readily to your will in this matter.  This kind of outward breath is slow, warm and moist. Secondly, support is:
    Providing extra exhalation energy after the abdominals have released their stretch-energy. Without doing this, you cannot sing on the last half of tidal lung capacity. As an exhalation proceeds, the stored energy lessens, and the exhale force decreases. To keep the breath energy going continuously, the abdominals must also contract.
    In summary, support is the term we use to describe the bodily actions which provide long, consistent, appropriately-powered breath energy to the voice.
    Here is a very important, useful clue. One of the most common problems for singers is too-much breath energy. Remember, the body is capable of moving lots of air, very rapidly. The abdominal muscles are huge compared to the laryngeal muscles. The sensation of breath balance you get when you do the slow exhale is the right sensation for starting a sung note. If you do that, the desire to make the vocal sound upsets the balance just in favor of exhaling, and the voice gets the air it needs to make the sound you are wanting.  If you think a loud sound, a bit more air is supplied.
    A way to practice this is to take a 1/2 breath inhale, and breathe outward slowly, with your jaw dropped about 1" (check between your front teeth in a mirror) and just start some short notes in the middle of your range. See if you can keep the sense that you are still breathing out slowly, even when you are making the sound. I think you'll experience something cool: that you can make a very clear, easy, relaxed sound with little or no throat tension or pain. The more you practice it, the better you will get at it.
    This essay was first published April 22, 2010 on The Modern Vocalist Forum of 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
    Vocal Damage: Bad Vocal Habits Backfire Adapt and Embrace a New Modality of a New Vocal Behaviour
    Nowadays, a lot of singers are susceptible to a variety of vocal disorders.
    That happens because in the first place they never owned the right vocal technique, the kind which would prosper their voice to the fullest capacity possible; and at the same time it would save and protect their voice for life.
    The result Voice Disorder.
    Now the process of restoration of one's voice begins.
    A lot of those students, who were really very good students, have learned the wrong technique really well and formed it into their vocal habits.
    Not only do we have to fix their vocal instrument, so to speak, but also have to get rid of bad habits, like: dropping their jaws down, sticking their stomach out, scooping and sitting under the notes, excessively using their nasal passages, or their very throaty sounds.
    It's easier said than done, though.
    Those habits are usually deeply embedded in the person's psyche and the body muscles, which are also retaining the memory.
    Now we have to re-teach the body and the brain to feel differently, and rather than interfere with the voice, help the voice to be supported, structured, placed and projected to its aimed destination.
    The lower abdominal muscles have to be conditioned to be tucked in for the greater support of the height of the sound.
    The upper diaphragm muscles have to learn to work on the principle of an accordion, so to speak.
    The singer has to be able to access the length of the phrase coming and open the upper diaphragm muscles accordingly. (No pun intended).
    If the phrase is short, but the upper diaphragm open to the fullest, it will backfire, as the singer will not be able to close the diaphragm back in, and instead will end up working with the old air, the result of which, quite possibly, would produce hyper-ventilation, which in turn could cause shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitation, and deprivation of oxygen, altogether.
    Al those symptoms could be completely deadly to the human body, and may not only damage the voice, but could become literally fatal.
    So the wrong singing business could be more dangerous than anybody could anticipate.
    Therefore, it is a must for anybody who attempts any singing (even at the karaoke) to know what they're doing vocally.
    You will not visualize a figure-skater who attempts to jump a triple-axle without a very specific training, as this, too, could result in a great injury.
    So please do not attempt to do any vocal scapades unless you know predominantly what the result would be.
    Thus, you would be able to prevent any vocal injury occurrence.

  • TMV World Team
    REALIZE
    REVIEW
    RELIEF
    RE-BUILD
    More and more people seem to be suffering from one or another cause of vocal damage. There are different symptoms and, of course, different causes. So the very first stage for the person with some kind of voice issue is to "Realize" that it is actually present. Something definitely changed in their voice quality, speaking and/or singing.
    In the majority of cases the voice became raspy and hoarse, flat and dull. However, some people are totally in denial of it. Nevertheless, they feel a change in their voice quality anddelivery, but they would not admit it even to themselves. Then comes the time when the sufferers start self-analysis and begin to "Review" and analyze when and how the voice started subsiding and disappearing on them.
    Next stage, they are looking for the "Relief" of their voice condition, as sometimes they have pain and discomfort in their throat, pain in their neck and shoulders, gastric acid reflux up their throat, as their voice has been drawn so low in its position that it meets gastric acid and the vocal cords could easily get burned quite significantly.
    So the latter is the main part, as the person with all the symptoms actually has to find the cause of these conditions in order to outline the best course of action on how to approach their treatment. Once the cause is established, hopefully the cure will be on its way. Now the affected person has to choose the least invasive and the most productive course of action towards their condition. Some people want a magic pill, others run to get their polyps or nodules removed quickly, but some (with most analytical minds) will do a heavy duty research, will first choose a non-surgical approach to their voice disorder.
    There is a saying, Good things come to those who wait.
    It is true, but don't wait forever, and stay in balance, as, if you are waiting too, too, long towards fixing your voice condition, it also might be too late to do it non-surgically and non-invasively. So now, after heavy duty research and studying, begin to "Re-build" your speaking and/or singing voice. Learn the right application of your voice and acquire a wholesome mechanism, so to speak, which will allow your voice to work in the fullest capacity possible, but with no pain or strain on your vocal anatomy. Utilize your facial and abdominal muscles and use them generously to produce the sound.
    In this instance, your vocal box will be released from the pressure of the sound and thus be resting most of the time preserving your vocal anatomy for your lifetime. All of the above is quite simple, but not easy at all. One of my clients exclaimed.
    Indeed!!!

  • TMV World Team
    The Royans Professional Vocal School, (a.k.a, The Royans School For The Musical Performing Arts), has been in existence for over 30 years now. We opened it on February 15th, 1984 as The Children's School Of Music. But then, several years later, it suddenly turned into the Adult School of Music with only a few children on our roaster. In 1987, it, literally, turned into an adult Rock School. We had a galore of rock bands, consisting of guitar, bass guitar and drum players. All of them desperately wanted to learn how to sing, as singing is truly a good asset for a band musician to have, and it also makes them much more marketable for that matter.
    Now we had Big Children in our roster, so to speak. And truly, when I was pulling out those voices that were often stuck in novice, (and not so novice) singers throats, necks and shoulders, the little boy or girl would practically appear in front of my very eyes, figuratively speaking, of course. Interestingly enough, some of them could not walk and chew the gum at the same time, and thus were experiencing difficulties with taking the instructions. I could always rightfully guess if, in their childhood, they were actually taking any classes like Ballet, Gymnastics, Figure Skating, etc. Those who did, were by far more coordinated, more focused, and could connect the mental visualization with their motor skills.
    The Vocal Science Technique requires the integration and synergy between mental, physical, emotional and vocal components. All of our speech and singing exercises are coupled with certain moves, which help with the alignment between the subconscious mind, conscious mind, physical body and the voice as an aimed outcome. If the child, or now the adult for that matter, have been accustomed to think and act simultaneously and already have had a good prerequisite with respect of connecting their thoughts, (with the speed of a bullet, nevertheless), with their physical movements, independently of their vocal abilities; they would be ahead of those who have not been trained with extra curriculum, and thus would not be able to follow the instructions with the same flying colors.
    The moral of it is:
    Give your child all possible opportunities to develop their mental and physical abilities to the max.
    Singing lessons in Toronto, or anywhere for that matter, and at any age would be the perfect tool to achieve the above.
    Keep them busy, keep them safe and keep them out of trouble.
    They will thank you when they enter adulthood.

  • Adolph Namlik
    The Modern Vocalist World would like to congratulate the following members who have been selected for the weekly SPOTLIGHT VIDEO !!! We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation for your dedication, commitment, and continued support of TMV.
    The Modern Vocalist World would like to encourage the entire membership of the Social Media site, as well as the members of the Forum to submit YOUR videos. We would also appreciate your comments and input on the Spotlight videos as well as the many other videos on the site. To locate the the additional videos, please click on "View All" in the right hand pane below the Featured videos.
    Please note: The Spotlight Videos listed (below), were published from May 4, 2010 until the present date. Any member who was Spotlighted prior to that date, and wishes to be included in this list can contact me and I will happily add YOUR video.
    Due to the 10,000 character limit of this article, it was necessary to create a second article, "The Modern Vocalist Spotlight Videos (V2) beginning December 21, 2013.
    Here's the link to "The Modern Vocalist Spotlight Videos (V1)" so you can locate the previous Spotlighted members >> 
    Respectfully,
    Adolph
    Adolph C. Namlik
    Executive Director
    The Modern Vocalist World
    Updated by Adolph Namlik 21 November 2014
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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    Chitral "Chity" Somapala - "Miringuwa Parada" 
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    Igor Zotov - "Rainbow Eyes"
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    Julie Parnell - "Blue Moon of Kentucky" 
    Kris S. - "Natural Beauty"
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    Nikola Novakovic - "The Knowing" 
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    Robert Lunte - "Onsets and Octave Sirens" 
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    William Bostic - "Cause I Love You" 

  • TMV World Team
    Here is a little essay from my training system, The Four Pillars of Singing...
    THE SINGING VOICE vs. the speaking voice
    At The Vocalist Studio, we don't warm up our voices, more accurately, we warm up to get into our singing voices. If vocalists want to achieve a profound increase in range and enjoy overtones with absolute physical freedom from gripping and inefficient physical ticks, the modern vocalist must learn how to get into his/her "singing voice" and get out of the speaking voice. The speaking voice and all the bodily responses that produce speech is not a platform for producing the singing voice.
    When a singer lacks the knowledge and practice of a legitimate voice technique, the brain will send creative commands from the right brain that can not be effectively executed because there simply is no learned behavior or coordinated muscle memory responses developed to drive the singing voice. When this happens, an internal battle between the well intended right brain signals and untrained, physical limitations of the body are out of synch. Yet the show must go one and the body must respond, so it does so by hurling the speaking voice at complex melodic ideas that require the muscles, normally facilitated for speech, to respond in an extraordinary way, it is not designed to do. This is an approach that is inevitably doomed.
    Consider this perspective. The Human larynx did evolve to produce speech, but it did not evolve to be able to produce vocal overtones of great volumes, definitive of a singing voice. Unlike animals born to produce vocal overtones, such as whales and birds, the ability to produce powerful vocal overtones and project our communications to great distances, were never critical to the survival of the human race. We don't need to know how to sing to survive, or to feed and breed, like other animals. The point is that students of singing must spend a lot of energy training to facilitate the physics that will transform thier bodies into wind instruments that can produce vocal overtones. To be sure, the process of learning how to sing and the experience of teaching people how to sing, is an abstract endeavor.
    However, with practice and physical work outs, the body can be trained to produce the most beautiful and effective overtones of all the animals on Earth and transform a mechanism facilitated for speech, into a system that is the most beautiful instrument of all.
    It is widely agreed by musicologists and music lovers of all points of reference that the human singing voice, when properly aligned, is the most beautiful and most versatile instrument of all, capable of producing athletic feats that no other musical instrument can.
    Summary
    The singing voice and the speaking voice are two very different kinds of vocal systems. The speaking voice and all the physical attributes involved in producing speech are not going to drive the singing voice and support modern vocal applications. Getting into your singing voice is an abstract art form and therefore, in order to train a modern vocalist, we must work to develop new muscle memory responses and increase muscular strength in key areas of the larynx to transform a vocal system evolved to facilitate speech, into a system that can sing.

  • 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 (sigh). 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, 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 = higher pitches, a fatter string and longer length gives slower vibrations = 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.
    Until next time,
    Jeannie Deva
    www.JeannieDeva.com
    c. 2009 All Rights Reserved
    Jeannie Deva, celebrity vocal coach on House of Carters Reality Show on E! Entertainment TV, and Idol Chat on TV Guide Station is an international vocalist, teacher of voice teachers, recording session vocal specialist, and author. She is the innovator of The Deva Method, founder of Jeannie Deva Voice Studios and author of the internationally acclaimed book and CD series: The Contemporary Vocalist. With a network of teachers certified in her method, clients include singers on labels such as MCA, Sony and CBS, and include Grammy Award Winners, Nominee Harriet Schock, Magic Dick and J. Geils, members from the J. Geils band, Foghat, the International Touring cast of Fame, Wicked, Lion King and Broadway's Grease, along with singers for Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias. Jeannie's private voice studio is located in Los Angeles, California and she teaches singers across the globe via web cam online. For information on services, Deva Method studio locations or voice enhancement products by Jeannie Deva: www.JeannieDeva.com



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