As many of you know I’ve studied the voice for many years, and will continue to do so. It is one of the most mysterious instruments I know. Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) is one method removing some of that mystery, and helping singers all over the world make the sounds they want without harm to the voice.
Gone are the days where we can assume what proper or good singing is. As Cathrine Sadolin, creator of CVT states, “who are we as teachers to dictate how the voice should sound”. You, the singer, should chose how you want your voice to sound. In my opinion, there are bad singers all over the world having huge success in the music business, and at the same time there are great singers who don’t work at all with their voice.
CVT is based on the physiology and anatomy of the voice, and addresses extreme voices in an interesting way. There are three general rules with CVT…singing should always feel comfortable, the technique should work at once, and lastly, if it feels wrong then it is wrong.
This really intrigues me because I have had this exact experience when studying with various teachers. The bottom line is that the sound I wanted to make was not the sound my teacher wanted me to make.
Singers should know there are safe and sound methods of singing available. An open throat with a low larynx is going to teach you one sound color, and this may not be the sound color you want for your future. Once your muscle memory has this embedded it is extremely difficult to change later on in life.
So, in closing, singers and teachers, try to keep an open mind. The world of singing technique is becoming more versatile to stay up-to-date with the over-demanding styles of music in the 21st century.
Thank you for bringing this to light.
Being an authorized CVT-teacher since 2012, I find this being one of the most attractive features about CVT.
At first, I found it profoundly provoking that the first CVT teacher I met didn’t dictate what I should sound like, but instead made me responsible for my artistry and who I want to be as a performer/singer.
Of course, from there, this made my path an interesting winding road, coming from a place where I had before just accepted that I was “this” or “that” type of singer.
Going from this place to both extremes (wow! can i really do THAT?!) and subtle changes from where I was used to. And I could, was allowed and encouraged to try it all.
Today, I am thrilled to be that teacher. To get to “tag along” on my students process/way towards being the performer they’ve always dreamed to be, or maybe even didn’t know that they could become when they started their journey.
And only imagine. If I would have tried to steer their style/taste/wishes, maybe they wouldn’t be the amazing singers and performers they are today.
Think even bigger. Maybe, one day, a new style will be born, just because we don’t decide to teach our students “the way it has always been done/ it is supposed to be”.
Imagine that.
Hi Paulina,
Thank you for your comment. You said it wonderfully.
IMHO, artistry has everything to do with maintaining a singing career now-a-days, and I believe it is our job to help these artists express themselves in a healthy manner that is in-keeping with the sounds they want to make. Susie