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So much confusion and so many questions regarding different techniques

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rladmswl

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Hello, I have read a few topics on TMV and this is my first post! I'm hoping that you guys could help me since all I have found on the web are conflicting ideas. I hope this isn't too greedy of me for my first post, but I have so many questions regarding different aspects of singing that have been bothering me for such a long time!

Just a little background: I've loved singing since I was younger and really began TRYING to actually apply various vocal techniques for the last 6-7 years, but I have a very weak voice (singing AND speaking). I took a singing class in college for a semester, but I was basically the lost cause of my class (although I was voted for most improved at the end of the semester!). A few years ago I took a few classes with a level 5 SLS teacher. He was great, but I could only take 5 classes since it was during vacation, so as you could imagine, we only covered the basic topics.

Breathe Support

I've done so much reading about breathe support, but it's been so hard to apply. I know I have to fill my lungs like a balloon and use my abdomen/back muscles to control my diaphragm. When I exhale, is my chest supposed to remain expanded while the air is only released from my belly? Also, when I try to "control my diaphragm," a lot of times I can't tell if I'm controlling it or if I'm just holding my breath. I've tried so many exercises but, perhaps I think too hard, but I can't get it right.

Cord Closure

I learned about cord closure from my SLS teacher. He showed me different exercises to do in order to get that closed. We went over this a lot because he said my voice was very breathy. I continue to do these exercises, but one thing that always confused me was, if I do these exercises, will my cords naturally have more cord closure, or will I have to consciously try to close them when I speak/sing? I can do all the exercises great, but when I actually sing, I don't know how to control it/I'm not even sure if they are being closed or not. How do I apply the cord closure exercises when I'm actually singing and speaking?

Resonance

When I do vocal exercises like singing "mum" on a scale, I have great resonance, but again, when I actually begin singing, the resonance disappears. So, I try doing "mum"'s and then go directly into the song, but I can't maintain it. I've read different articles/blogs that say to guide the voice between the two front teeth, to guide it to a point on the forehead, to imagine the sound is coming from the eyeballs... It's so confusing! Where am I supposed to direct the sound? Or am I even supposed to? It would be great if you could give me a very detailed description (and perhaps visual) of what it is you feel when you sing low notes and high notes.

Soft Palate

I've been having a lot of trouble keeping my soft palate up. I know what it feels like (from the almost-yawn), so I try to lift it up and thinking I'm lifting it, but when I actually touch it it's not lifted. Is there a really good exercise that will help me achieve a consciously lifted soft palate? Also, when the mouth is closed, is the soft palate supposed to be lowered?

I know these are such basic questions, but I am naturally very VERY weak in all areas :( I would love to improve not only my singing voice but my speaking voice as well. I tend to think too hard so maybe I am making it way more difficult than it should be, but any help would be great, even if it's links to other topics in the forum. Thank you :)

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  • 1 month later...

You know how to breathe or you would be dead.. dont complicate it that is the confusion..Lie down on the ground put a book on your stomach watch it rise as you breathe in. then as you make a tone or a 5 tone scale don't just let the book fall try to keep it up slightly by tightening your stomach gently.(all hard to tell you in a post, but easy speaking to one another)when you stand your stomach and sides of back should expand and as you go up a scale they should continue expanding. Usually the culprit is cord closure if it just deflates and doesnt expand. That is why sls doesnt deal alot with breathing because it is usually not the problem. In other words breathe naturally.:)

As far as cord closure goes eh eh eh ah ah ah very simple very gentle no hh's unless you are squeezing. The more you do in a nice low comfortable range the better it will stay together in the upper range.

Soft palate --leave it alone

Resonance--light humming, ng's before a scale, don't think nasal or sound out the nose.

These are just quick basics hope they help

:)

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Hello, I have read a few topics on TMV and this is my first post! I'm hoping that you guys could help me since all I have found on the web are conflicting ideas. I hope this isn't too greedy of me for my first post, but I have so many questions regarding different aspects of singing that have been bothering me for such a long time!

Just a little background: I've loved singing since I was younger and really began TRYING to actually apply various vocal techniques for the last 6-7 years, but I have a very weak voice (singing AND speaking). I took a singing class in college for a semester, but I was basically the lost cause of my class (although I was voted for most improved at the end of the semester!). A few years ago I took a few classes with a level 5 SLS teacher. He was great, but I could only take 5 classes since it was during vacation, so as you could imagine, we only covered the basic topics.

Breathe Support

I've done so much reading about breathe support, but it's been so hard to apply. I know I have to fill my lungs like a balloon and use my abdomen/back muscles to control my diaphragm. When I exhale, is my chest supposed to remain expanded while the air is only released from my belly? Also, when I try to "control my diaphragm," a lot of times I can't tell if I'm controlling it or if I'm just holding my breath. I've tried so many exercises but, perhaps I think too hard, but I can't get it right.

Cord Closure

I learned about cord closure from my SLS teacher. He showed me different exercises to do in order to get that closed. We went over this a lot because he said my voice was very breathy. I continue to do these exercises, but one thing that always confused me was, if I do these exercises, will my cords naturally have more cord closure, or will I have to consciously try to close them when I speak/sing? I can do all the exercises great, but when I actually sing, I don't know how to control it/I'm not even sure if they are being closed or not. How do I apply the cord closure exercises when I'm actually singing and speaking?

Resonance

When I do vocal exercises like singing "mum" on a scale, I have great resonance, but again, when I actually begin singing, the resonance disappears. So, I try doing "mum"'s and then go directly into the song, but I can't maintain it. I've read different articles/blogs that say to guide the voice between the two front teeth, to guide it to a point on the forehead, to imagine the sound is coming from the eyeballs... It's so confusing! Where am I supposed to direct the sound? Or am I even supposed to? It would be great if you could give me a very detailed description (and perhaps visual) of what it is you feel when you sing low notes and high notes.

Soft Palate

I've been having a lot of trouble keeping my soft palate up. I know what it feels like (from the almost-yawn), so I try to lift it up and thinking I'm lifting it, but when I actually touch it it's not lifted. Is there a really good exercise that will help me achieve a consciously lifted soft palate? Also, when the mouth is closed, is the soft palate supposed to be lowered?

I know these are such basic questions, but I am naturally very VERY weak in all areas :( I would love to improve not only my singing voice but my speaking voice as well. I tend to think too hard so maybe I am making it way more difficult than it should be, but any help would be great, even if it's links to other topics in the forum. Thank you :)

with all due respect, i really don't wish to be rude, but please...you've been trying to apply vocal techniques for the last 6 or 7 years?

if you were "really" applying yourself for six or seven years, you'd likely be quite good.

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First thing: stop doing the same, its been 7 years and no progress. So change it. I will tell exactly what is wrong:

To teach technique, you need someone who can execute it very well to help you. Period. You can read all the books in the world, you can even research the human voice and make a revolution on the way the human voice is understood, you still need three things to teach technique:

Perception

Practical technical knowledge

Perception

Can you teach it to someonelse? No, then know that to teach yourself the task is 5 times harder, because you cant evaluate your voice without bias even when you record it, you will always second guess.

There is no place for second guesses. Anything that you do without understanding clearly why is being done, is junk. Support is not what you described, support is trainning of control over your breathing. How? The way it best fits your case. Right now only god can tell the ammount of things you have tried to do and that will surely creep around when you try to do anything else.

Resonance is not "sending" your voice anywhere, resonance is posture, vowel shapes. If you send your voice forward, you will only create tension. And it will only hurt/destroy projection.

Cord closure is maybe the perfect thing for you to understand what I mean: Tell me exactly why cord closure is a problem in your voice and tell me one way to fix it without over-compressing your voice. Excess of medial compression will slowly cause the formation of a callus or a nodule on the folds, as would happen with any other tissue repeatedly exposed to harm.

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it doesn't have to be....

Absolutely. It's exciting that people are now putting out techniques that seem to be quite effective in getting good and fast results. :) I was just trying to say that no progress in years doesn't necessarily show that the person isn't diligent or hard working, it's more likely that their teacher isn't very good.

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The answer is much simpler than all of this. Swing a cat around the room by the tail. Try to match that sound. That is what I do ....

:lol:

We have had a number of people in here who were not progressing or getting what the need to sing the songs they want to sing.

The OP had a coach, here and there. So, just saying "get a coach" does not say enough because some coaches have a sound ideal and there is not basic ideal from which all coaches originate.

As for translating all the terms of different systems with each other, I gave that up a while back. I try to simplify.

As for time spent, I had been singing for a quite a while before coming to this forum and plenty of people found problems with my singing. So, just expecting someone to not have problems after some years of singing doesn't seem fair.

Others have been singing for as long as I have and are also here, seeking help.

So, yeah, let's browbeat this guy for asking questions about singing in a place that is supposed to help singing. Way to go with the tough love thingy.

:)

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brother ron,

one thing we cannot be certain of is differentiating those who are really working hard at this, and those trying to blow smoke up our backsides.

i'm all for helping and supporting each other, but some folks, i hate to say it, are just using us or not seeing results because they simply aren't doing what they need to do to improve.

it's not up a program. it's not up to a teacher. it's up to the individual.

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