We all have habits. Some good, some bad. When it comes to singing, it’s important to understand what you already do well, versus what you don’t do so well. In my case, I have a habit of not “yawning” enough. I don’t open the back of my throat very well. I get lazy and forget. … Read more
Breathing technique, for me, was learned instinctively. Let’s face it, if you want to sing long phrases with good control, you need to figure out your body (which includes your breathing) and ways to control the input and output of your breath. Too much focus on your breath can sometimes cause you to push and … Read more
All singers really want to bridge and connect. For those of you studying speech level singing, bridging and connecting is simply another way of describing mixing. No matter what method you are studying, this concept is universal. A singer who isn`t bridging and connecting is either yodeling (flipping), pulling chest, or singing in falcetto.
For those of you studying speech level singing, this term may make no sense. As a singer, you owe it to yourself to explore other methods and insights to be the best singer you can possibly be. Attack of the mask is the same concept that all coaches are aiming for with their students…cord closure, … Read more
Why do we love Adele’s voice so much? Or Whitney Houston, Celine Dion or Christine Aguilera? Sure, it’s because they exude so much drama and passion when they sing, but how do they do that? The ability to portray what you are feeling in a technically correct way is really what we are talking about … Read more
Too many times I hear over-compressed cords from students who think they are singing with power. Unfortunately this sound is dull and to be quite blunt … ugly. Over-compressing the cords will only cause students trouble as they try to sing higher, because they can’t release this sensation without flipping into falcetto. The answer is; … Read more
For those of you familiar with speech level singing exercises, the nasty “nay” sound is probably all-too-familiar. This is a sound that many singers do wrong. The goal here is to feel the resonance behind the cheek bone and nasal area, not in the mouth or at the back of the throat. In Estill Voice … Read more
One of the most common questions I get asked is “how do I know if I’m just in chest voice or in mixed voice?” My best answer is that mixed voice allows you the freedom to crescendo and decrescendo at will. Now, you may not have the stamina yet to actually follow through with a … Read more
I still remember when I was 16 and had ‘two different voices’. That’s right. I had my ‘not-so-great’ American Idol voice, and I had my ‘choir-like’ sweet voice. They were two separate voices coming from my throat, and they never met each other in the same performance. I struggled with the challenge of deciding “which … Read more
Nasality and twang are not the same thing. They may, indeed, seem or sound similar, but they are definitely not the same. Nasality is the sound we hear when a singer has his nasal port open. Is this good or bad? Well, I guess that depends on what kind of sound you want to make … Read more