Hi Everyone,
Less is more….so what am I talking about? Well, a few things really. Did you know that you need LESS air to sing high notes…not more. Most people use way too much air when they sing high notes. This engages the outer muscles around the vocal cords which causes fatigue and strain. Singing high notes should feel easy. When a singer is grimacing with the look of strain (not to be confused with emotion), you can bet he/she is using muscles outside of the voice box, and their larynx is probably rising as well. Ideally when singing, the larynx should remain relatively stable, and the singer should be able to reach any note without throat muscle interference.
In the words of Seth Riggs, founder of the SLS technique, you need to allow the vocal cords to do the work. That is, as you singer higher, the vocal cords should simply “zip up” and use less air.
The SLS technique will teach you how to do this. But first, you may need to back up. You may need to do less. You will need to know your habits. You need to know what is working and what isn’t. A good SLS teacher will tell you this in the first lesson. Then you will be able to sing well in any style of your choice! Check out www.speechlevelsinging.com for a certified teacher near you!
Really well-stated, Susan!! “Singing simply the dance”- I love that!!!
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for your honesty here. I suspect it happens to more of us vocal coaches than anyone could imagine. It certainly happens to me. I guess we just get so caught up in the balancing act that is our lives that we don’t take the time to practice what we preach! Thank you for this gentle reminder.
Ron