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
What I’m about to say has been said before, but it needs to be said again, and again, and again. BEWARE of your educational choices when pursuing your singing/music career. Do not assume that what you learn at university is your ticket to staying up-to-date on the latest information and scientific research about the voice (or … Read more
A great deal of singing better is dependent on your ability to form vowels which involves the entire throat, the soft palate, the tongue, and the mouth all the way out to the lips. Your efforts in perfecting your vowel formation can make dramatic advances towards your goal to become a better singer. There are … Read more
To become a better singer, you must simply exercise. You must exercise with correct form and attention to detail. It’s no different than going to the gym to workout your body. We have all seen people who go to gym and simply go through the motions. Their form is not disciplined, and therefore the correct … Read more
Don’t be deceived about the “size” of commercial voices you hear on recordings. They are sometimes produced in the studio to sound big and thick and bright. If you heard these singers in your average-size living room, you may be shocked to realize they sound nothing like they do on recordings. This is, in fact, … Read more
Wow, what a busy weekend. Three singing bookings plus Sunday morning church equals 4 plus 2 plus 4 plus 2 hours of singing between Friday evening and Sunday morning…..and I must say I pulled it off without a hitch. But, not without a lot of planning, vocalizing, and careful monitoring. Sure enough, I made it … Read more