Creating The Hybrid Condition

[Guest]

Hello everyone, this thread may seem repetitive... tedious... ridiculous... but keep reading.

Since there are mostly male singers on the forum let's talk about what most of us want to achieve. A good sounding head-voice is great... if you have pillars you will see that Mr.Lunte's head voice is much different than the standard falsetto we all come equipped with.

I learned quickly that it's not my speaking voice that's important, it's not HEAD voice that's important... it's the condition when BOTH registers are simultaneously used that will be most useful to me... a hybrid condition.

The general consensus is that every voice needs an individual method to "solve" this problem and create a true mixed voice... a voice that has no breaks. For example a breathy voice would need adduction exercises, a dopey voice may need twang exercises, a voice which lacks airflow may need lip rolls... so on and so forth.

My vocal teacher who is a female soprano could probably break glass... the first time I heard her sing it was mesmerizing... it was like listening to a bird lol! But more importantly I got to see first hand what a seamless voice was.

What did she have that I didn't? (I thought to myself) I wouldn't let gender stop me from achieving the mix, ofcourse I have low notes.... but I have high notes too!

1. Proper adduction and development of head register... plenty of twang

2. Support... no pushing... more like drinking the sound

These 2 factors alone were enough for me to realize WHY I couldn't blend registers... I believe this is also true for most males... the lack of head voice development and poor support will make it almost IMPOSSIBLE to blend registers.

What did the male singers of the past do to remedy this situation? How can one develop registral consistently by working head voice AND support at the same time?

How can a typical male voice create and replicate the hybrid condition...? For the more advanced guys out there... I'm betting that you only saw results after you started working the registers closer to each other with the correct vowels.

Advanced singers.... what is it that YOU had to do to create the mixed voice... and what would you recommend to others who are just starting to develop head voice and beginning to see a "mixed voice" slowly appear. What is a proven and effective way for male singers to start developing a blended sound?

[Willise]

I'm going to find this topic very interesting. I have never really attained what I believe to be head voice. I've never got that "buzz" in the forehead or mask area. I can hit the notes in falsetto, but obviously that sounds bad.

So, I hope there are some good hints to developing adduction and support simultaneously.

[D.Starr]

My voice goes in and out of amazing mode so to speak haha.

Some days a sort of twang works well on the passaggio sometimes it just doesn't. I'm finding it hard to shed the weight and trying to find a light yet connected and full sounding tone.

I just think that if you keep singing and vocalising there doesn't need to be specific things to hit on. You learn your voice so much more.

OK, the singer is doing this, let me try it but add [insert preferred technique]. AH EUREKA, ok I don't sound like them but this feels natural and tension free to me.

I have a darker tone to my speaking voice but my singing voice is totally differently. I need to focus on edge coordination so I let go of all this muscle, the only other problem is I tend to go to falsetto because I know I'm about to engage too much muscle.

I heard running and singing helps the voice alot with strength and endurance. But I'm really just trying to stay connected and keep that full tone without all the shouting and muscling up. Yeah I can sing G4/A4 with pillars octave sirens, but it stills need a lighter tone to it. I still feel a lot of muscle brought up.

Another good thing I've been doing which is feeling like it is helping is twanging, singing, NG, humming, arpeggioing through a straw. It helps me keep connected and feels great. Not sure if there is any benefit but it's helping stay light and connected a little.

I'm going for more the R&B subtle moan sound lol. Like Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, Usher sound.

Never ending battle.

[VideoHere]

boy, you guys keeps asking and some of us keep telling you and you ask again only another way....lol!!!

here's a bit of advice from moi again......

if the goal is to really develop power and resonance all throughout your range you have to develop the muscles.

don't be afraid to lean in on the voice...as long as you support and don't bombard the folds with blasts of air or onset too glottal you will be fine.

what if i said to include an exercise such as simple (but tiring) may scales and arpeggios and run with that may as high as you could till you cannot go further without straining. just as simple as that, no transitioning into anything, full voice it all the way. start strong and supported, end strong and supported.

2-5 minutes of this 5-6 days a week. to get a strong head voice you absolutely have to stretch the chest voice (as you call them) ...i call it work up the full voice as high as possible each and every day. i know you will hit a ceiling where it feels like you can't go any higher without "doing something." for this particular exercise don't transition into anything

the goal with this is to stretch the voice and train it to stay connected as it experiences greater pressure.

that's just one way to make your voice stronger...i'll go on record as guaranteeing you success. slowly but surely, you will start to add a semitone to your range (in this full voice configuration) and you feel your voice begin to contour and narrow what seems like automatically.

don't wimp out...lean on the voice.

[Guest]

@Owen

People say that if headvoice is produced correctly there will be no breaks into chest-voice. One of the major goals of TVS is to have big boomy powerful headtones.... I completely agree with this.

However I mentioned that one thing I KNOW my teacher worked is support....probably for years so that could be another advantage entirely.

Again Owen no disrespect but I am talking about how the male singer can DEVELOP a legitimate headvoice that is well supported... obviously females have an edge given that they can access the head-voice function easier.

@Videohere leaning into the voice is definately something that Rob was talking about with the contract & release exercises. I will definately add the staccato mays with (ng) behind them, thank you.

[VideoHere]

wait jay, who said anything about adding the "ng" behind them?

that's not what this about......why alter it? just sing "may" and go all the way up till you cannot go anymore....

humor me and pretend there is only one voice...lol!!!! keep it in full voice, nice and strong.

[gno]

For me it was a few things (I'll try to summarize here):

-lip rolls

-ng

-With open vowels it was learning how to modify them going into the passagio. Bel Canto calls is Vowel Modification, CVT would call it Curbing, O'Hora calls it "cry" or "sob", etc...

-the thought of "going into a smaller place" when going higher. It definitely grows after a while.

-Lots of good support

-only adding one 1/2 step at a time (when ready) and only going to that note once that day.

[Guest]

Solid advice Geno!! I really like the "smaller place" idea it has been working for me... sort of like im compressing energy!

@Videohere @Owen

Honestly I think a fairly natural way is to Koo-oo down from head voice to slowly develop that muscle while ascending on the preferred training vowel or resonant tracking.

To be brutally honest guys I think this approach is what works for most... overlapping the registers UNTIL the mixed voice reveals itself. Any thoughts? It's alright if you're not advanced but it would be great to see how YOU go about creating the conditions for mix voice to occur.

We're talking about specific details here guys...

For me to be in mix voice certain things have to occur...

1. Application of some form of twang

2. Relaxed larynx

3. Not wasting air

I'd have to say Owen might be dead on with singing in head voice and focusing on support lol! Chromatic staccatos seem to be the best exercise for this but it will be hell at first with an undeveloped falsetto!

[VideoHere]

whatever works for you jay. you asked for our advice and we're offering it to you. it's up to you what you want to do with it.

but I can promise you this..if you don't have workouts where you really lean into your voice it's not going to grow to the degree you are desirous of.

it has to be worked, and it can sound horrible while you work it....

[Guest]

Videohere I find that for someone who has only begun to develop falsetto it is virtually impossible to sing quietly in head voice.... meaning the next best option is to develop closure first and then lighten it.

I agree my contract and release and head voice slides sound pretty hideous at the moment... lmao but I feel that strength in head voice and flexibility in chest voice muscles is super beneficial.

Has anyone worked with twang/dampening recently and see-ing results?

[Jens]

Do a practice routine, get a coach. Do the routine everyday, sing 10 songs everyday

Stop worrying and start working, are you doing the above?

If yes and you dont have solved the passagio continue for an other year.

Cheers

[D.Starr]

Not sure if this is full twang or just a quacky/cry compression. Most likely the latter, but I feel no strain or tension when I do it. The sound is obviously not pleasant though that's the only downside. I can't fully sing in this mode either which upsets me. Maybe if I work at it I can normalize it.

https://www.box.com/s/66gshmgz3fc4tqrvzhbe

https://www.box.com/s/q2jvrjnigaixy6sqbuua

[Guest]

D.Star if you really feel no pain why not try a little larynx dampening? Just a thought! Might help you transition into head easier and even sing easier.

[ronws]

I agree my contract and release and head voice slides sound pretty hideous at the moment... lmao but I feel that strength in head voice and flexibility in chest voice muscles is super beneficial.

We'll just have to take your word for it since you are too shy to provide a sound sample, good or bad.