Before you start “building” your chest voice, be sure you are mixing. In other words, be sure you have a low, middle and a high voice that are working well together. This is the ideal first move in building up your voice. If you are wanting to build “power” then you could be fooling yourself … 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
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
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
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
Chest voice and head voice are terms for describing where the sound resonates in your body when you sing. In other words, the sound timbre or “color” of a voice quality at a certain pitch. Singing teachers have argued for centuries over these concepts, and continue to do so. Most singers have experienced these sensations, … Read more
This amazing little coordination can do wonders for your voice. You will notice that if your habit is to sing too loud, it will automatically take you back to a volume where you can manage this sensation. What sensation you say? The sensation of a cry…..or a moan…..or a sob……or all three! First, the “cry” … Read more
There are many variations in sound quality you can make simply by altering the shape of your vocal “tube” or tract. Your tube is the length and area where your breath passes as it blows through your vocal cords. Moving the “house” or “voice box” gives you many options. Knowing how to move it up … Read more
There are many sounds you can practise that will help your singing improve. One great sound is “neighing” like a horse. You want to make the sound a bit witchy or nasty. The problem is, if you force the sound, you are actually causing constriction, which is not going to help at all. This is a … Read more