Many singers are told and believe a breathy voice is harmful. This isn’t necessarily true. Bottom line, too much of any one thing can be harmful. But having the control over a breathy voice can be a great thing. You need lots of breath to belt and to sing long phrases. The key is the … Read more
What exactly is singing with strain? Basically, it means a singer is over-compressing the vocal cords. Over-compressing is “squeezing” or “pushing” the sound out, instead of simply allowing the sound to release with good cord closure. This can happen a lot when singing high notes. We tend to “reach” or “squeeze” to sing our high … Read more
I reached for high notes for years and years. It wasn’t until I had professional voice training that I learned the secret to landing on high notes from above. Visualizations can help. In my studio we try a few things. Students decide what works best for themselves. Try moving your arm and point further down … Read more
Singing starts with our speaking voice….and we are all blessed with a speaking voice that is uniquely our own. Some people have a breathy voice, while others don’t. Some people have thick cords while others have thin. Some people have a larynx that sits higher in their throat than others. Some people have short tongues, … Read more
It happens, right? Even though I know that keeping my voice “in shape” means doing my exercises daily, I haven’t been practising what I preach. Oh, I have my excuses…it started with a bad cold in the fall, and then I was so busy at Christmas….I never had any time for vocalizing. And then we … Read more
There are a few reasons why you are sounding better at home, than anywhere else. First, I’m sure you are most relaxed when you are at home. Being relaxed when you sing will stop constriction and allow your voice to resonate. Second, your volume. There is a good chance you are trying to sing too … Read more
The simplest way to explain twang, is to say that the cords do a remarkable thing when they are aligned correctly. They will stretch and thin because the larynx is tilting. There is a “funnel” created which is like having an extra resonating chamber in your throat. Your voice will “pop”! You can achieve volume … Read more
If you haven’t heard about the Institute for Vocal Advancement, then check out their website here http://www.vocaladvancement.com/ This organization is run by a group of fine teachers, mostly of whom are previous master teachers from the Speech Level Singing organization run by Seth Riggs. I believe this organization has much to offer both students and teachers. … Read more
A large percentage of female singers struggle with being “stuck” in their head voice. This is usually the classically trained voice or “choir-like” voice. For those of you looking for a more “pop” sound, or “beltier” sound, try these exercises. These signature sounds can be heard in the voices of Rhianna, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, … Read more