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Building A Reliable Head Voice

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Guys, being positive is one thing, completely ignoring what the task to be accomplished is, is another.

You can count on stumbling into frustrating barriers during the process of learning, and then it will be a matter of persistance. Its not the same as believing that you can do a couple of exercises on your own and sing at a high level, which is what a reliable and trainned voice is.

Anyways you say you are looking into getting a coach. Kudos for that, dont forget letting us know how the experience went.

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One more thing on the method of helping someone and then I will try and shut up. I did say try .... :lol:

I knew nothing about training a dog when I got my dog. By then, he was a little over a year old, 26 inches to the shoulder, 65 lbs, and could run at about 35 mph. And I mean double gait suspension. That is, he runs like a racehorse, where all four paws are in the air.

To learn dog training, I had to learn about behavioral theories, most specifically operant conditioning. Which is the method of learn of any creature but especially mammals. We seek reward and avoid punishment. Just that simple. Decades and tons of paper of double blind studies from people who have spent 40 plus years studying this. And I have seen it with my own eyes. With my dog, with the crews that I supervised. You get faster results with rewards, in addition to punishments than just punishments alone. A punishment is not what most people think it is, such as coporal punishment such as a physical beating. Punishment is a stimulus used on response to a behavior that one would like to decrease. Reward, which is not always a present or treat, though that is the quickest and surest thing, is a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

When you treat a subject with nothing but punishment, it eventually shuts down. All you have done is say no without any clue as to what to do or where to go. After a while, the creature just stops, waiting for a sign. Believe it or not, beings do not learn from the punishment until they do something right thing. Then, it's just a matter of chance. It is the weakest quadrant in operant conditioning and it's called negative punishment, where the desired behavior is connected with the cessation of punishment. Like the aggie that beats his head against a brick wall. It feels better when he stops.

There's nothing wrong with saying no, there's nothing wrong with saying "that was wrong." Just as importantly, lead with where the subject should go. And reward moves in the right direction.

How does that apply to just saying get a coach? Well, like this. Try these two statements.

Get a coach. Otherwise, you will be lousy and do it all wrong and will never be good.

Get a coach. It will help a lot and you will be awesome.

Which one do you think is going to help convince the subject to get a coach?

I choose the latter and it's not because I am wishy-washy. It's because it works. If it didn't work, I wouldn't use that method when teaching my trade skills, or even helping somone in their path of singing.

And I still give "tough love." When I see someone has a view of themselves that I think is wrong or they are beating themselves senseless instead of looking for the solution, I tell them, straight up, "stop it."

If someone is pitchy in a song and I am paying attention well enough, I will tell them exactly where and, in the spirit of Stew, I will try to offer advice to fix that spot. For most people, it's just one or two spots. Just saying it's pitchy is a general punishment. You need the punishment or correction, as some like to call it, to match exactly what you are trying to change.

Most people don't have that skill of observation. There now, that's some more tough love.

And Felipe and others are right. If can get a coach, get one. Now, not many people can afford to drive over 300 miles (500 km) for lessons but hopefully find a suitable coach that is closer. Or save up and study with Robert. By the time one is done spending money, it will amount to about the same.

In the end, I'm not telling anyone how to express themselves. We all have our own distinct personalities.

So, whether it's Jay or Dover (that was never clarified in all this discussion) getting a coach, do as best as you can and you will be awesome.

Ron, the marshmallow.

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Felipe was kind of right. I heard my vocal coach sing a high note today... obviously being a female and being mentored by Jaime Vendera she was awesome. I was AWESTRUCK. The resonance of that head tone... I could feel it from where I was standing. Now when I was at home (practicing the witches cackle) just some basic HEE HEE HEE. I tried to imitate her tone and find the right placement, it's not just about cord closure, the note has to FIND where it lives. She told me she felt the placement horizontally instead of vertical (up down). So I tried to find the exact horizontal spot where the note should live... and BOOM resonant head tone! Note: the only way I could withstand the pressure of the true head tone is if support was actually doing its job, resonance will take care of the rest, imagine the sound back and in your eyes.

I don't think there's any better exercise for finding true head voice... HEE HEE HEE :lol: What do you guys think? Any alternatives to the witches cackle?

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The resonance of that head tone... I could feel it from where I was standing. Now when I was at home (practicing the witches cackle) just some basic HEE HEE HEE. I tried to imitate her tone and find the right placement, it's not just about cord closure, the note has to FIND where it lives.

And the clouds part, and the sun shines, and the angels of Heaven sing "Amen!"

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