There is a difference between singers and true performers. One of the most notable is their ability to personalize the emotion of every song they sing. So how do you do it without looking like a bad actor?
CLICK THE ARROW TO PLAY…Then leave a comment and tell us what you think.
Vocal instructor Kim Snyder and an associate talk about the most common excuses singers use and tell you what to do next time yours come around.
CLICK THE ARROW TO PLAY…THEN leave a comment and tell us your excuse story.
How to find the good, when to run from the bad…and do away with the ugly
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Helpful Links:
Get Voice Lessons Online from Anywhere from The Voice Club
Look for a Speech Level Singing instructor in your area
Ever wanted to know how to start recording yourself at home without shelling out big bucks? Whether you’re recording for fun or to make your own vocal demo, Voice Club coach Kim Snyder explains the basics of recording at home and gives recommendations for doing it on the cheap. Download this video.
LINKS TO HELPFUL RESOURCES:
Download Audacity for Windows or Mac here
GarageBand Tutorials from Apple
How to Record Multiple Tracks in GarageBand [video]
This is one of the most asked vocal questions. What do you do when you wanna sing like a rock or Broadway star but the voice that comes out would barely be audible past the 2nd row?
Singers will do a lot of things to have more power. And many of them are downright damaging to the voice they’re trying to protect. Like what? Well, scream-singing for one. If you’ve ever done it, it was the time(s) that you felt like your voice was being strangled while you ‘belted’ or the veins in your neck took on a life of they’re own. (nasty). Can you get more power scream-singing. Sure you can. But the trade off is swelling and hoarseness in the short run and potential serious damage like busted blood vessels in the cords and nodules in the long run. And because of the physical process that takes place when scream-singing (chest voice only), you can’t access more than half of your range. So, it’s a lose-lose.
Another way singers try to gain more power is to lock in to that big hollow classical sound and take it to town (more prevalent in broadway and classical styles). This is kind of the opposite of scream-singing. The problem with it is that because it’s grounded in head voice only, it also can only capitalize on a portion of your range and leaves your bottom notes like a giant balloon with most of the air dissolved out. And while it can provide some volume, it really lacks the power you’re looking for.
So can everyone really sing with power? Yes! Then, how? By developing a strong MIX of both head and chest voice. Chest voice is where the power lives, but without thinning out into the head voice as the notes ascend, it will yank up your larynx giving you that nice strangled feeling and cause more bad than good. Head voice can get hallow and boomy toward the top, but without a touch of chest voice, it can’t give anything to the bottom notes, and the volume it can give the higher notes is always void of the same sharp tone a power singer should have throughout their range.
Everyone has a vocal tendency toward singing with too much chest voice or too much head voice. It’s not always as simple as that but good technique instructor can identify what your tendencies are and set a plan to correct the balance of chest and head voice, or your MIX VOICE. Like training for anything, it does take a bit of time, but even if you can’t take lessons at this point in your life, there are a few things you can do to stay away from dangerous waters:
No Pain – All Gain
Healthy singing NEVER causes pain. Be aware of times when you have pain or discomfort while singing or even afterward. This is a warning sign that your tendencies could be taking you down a road to vocal damage. Identify when it happens and back off slightly do avoid damage. You’ll probably hate the loss in perceived power, but you’ll be sparing your cords.
Feel the Mix
The best way to head away from your tendencies is to aim for a mix, which is hard if you don’t know what that feels like! Say ‘whoo’ on a long and sliding note like you’re going up and down hills on a roller coaster. Even better, learn the ‘bubble’ (basically blowing your lips like a baby does ‘the motorboat’ while sliding the notes up and down). You’ll find you can slide the notes farther on each end after awhile. And each of those is a note in your range you could sing with good technique training! Do the bubble as a warm up every time you’re on your way to sing. It’ll start teaching your voice what that balance should feel like and you can’t beat the benefit of the warm up too!
Stop Blowing Hot Air
If your voice tends to be weak and airy, try practicing your song with a super whiney, pouty lipped ‘weeee’. The whinier the better. This introduces a touch of chest voice. It will sound ugly, especially because your voice has convinced you that only light an airy is lovely. But just a simple exercise like this will be a step toward feeling the difference between your tendency (too much head voice) and what it will feel like to begin mixing with chest voice. Then when you’re able to, find a good technique instructor to help you build a strong balanced mix. You’ll be blown away at the difference!
We all wish there were a magic exercise to solve our vocal problems but the truth is that none exists any more than a magic pill exists to lose extra
weight (still waiting for it though!). Developing a strong, healthy voice takes regular work with a qualified instructor, so if you’re really invested in singing better you have to plan to add that at some point. If you’re not there yet, keep learning however you can. The more you know about what will harm your voice, the more you can be your best advocate. You’ve already started by reading this, so you’re already on your way!
Good technique is different that natural talent or incredible vocal licks. Those things are the accessories of the voice, but solid vocal technique is the shape underneath it all. And we all know you only do so much to cover up a bad shape! Just like being in great physical shape makes you a hot lookin’ powerhouse, good vocal technique allows you to unlock your voice’s full potential in a healthy, balance way, and avoiding damage.
So, ever wonder just how good your vocal technique is? Take this true or false quiz:
If you answered yes to all five of these, congratulations! You’re on the right track to having a healthy, balanced voice. If not, no worries. Just like we’re all at different places with our physical shape (my place is on the sofa), so it is with our voice. The most important thing is knowing that you’re looking for help in all the right places.
As a vocal instructor I have subscribed to about every method of teaching out there in my adult life. My mom was a degreed classical vocal instructor. I learned to rock belt at 16 for my live and studio work. And both of them brought their own set of problems. With one I couldn’t sing with an edge. With the other, I lost a good part of my range and I couldn’t transition between soft and intense without a lot of cover up styling. So what I’m about to tell you is what I’ve discovered from my serious struggles with my voice and an intense search for an answer.
A couple of years ago I found a technique training method that literally changed everything I can do as a vocalist. It removed my
obstacles and more than doubled my range. When I first heard about it, I was a serious skeptic. Once I became a student and saw the concrete science behind it unlock my problems one by one, I signed on. I had to. Not only did it work for me, it worked consistently for every one of my students, without exception. The methods official name is Speech Level Singing and it’s creator is Seth Riggs. There are many other instructors who borrow from the method, some to degrees that kind of render it useless in my opinion, but I like that the organization keeps the teaching pure by requiring it’s instructors to constantly be students as well as teachers. (btw; you won’t find me listed on the site. I’ve been on medical sabbatical for some time.)
The idea behind this method has actually been around since the 1800′s and though many classically trained singers scoff at the method, the truth is that a great many Metropoliton Opera stars, Broadway professionals and hundreds of very well known major label artists and groups study with SLS instructors because it enables them to do what they do better, longer and without damage. I’ll take being scoffed at any day considering what I’ve gained vocally.
I think what makes speech level singing so different from everything else that’s out there is that it considers how your voice anatomically works. It was developed with acclaimed voice specialists to understand what causes vocal problems and how to avoid and reverse them. And out of the process of understanding the voice itself came a technique method that retrains your brain to let your voice do literally what it was born to do, and it truly is amazing to see the results. (not ready for private lessons? Here’s a study at home program originally developed for the American Idol vocalists. Guys go here. 
So, yes, I’m a fan. And do I think you should work with someone who is studied in the technique? Yes I do. That said, many of you have voice teachers you like. My intention isn’t to drive you away from them, just to help you become more informed.
So, to sum it up: Technique is everything – without it, your bling can’t do a thing! How’s yours doing?
Love to hear your questions or comments about vocal technique. Click ‘leave a comment’ at the top of this post and leave text, audio or webcam video.
(aka. “Fred cuts the mustard”)
This is so funny. Unfortunately half the humor is that we’ve all heard things like this before. If you’re about as serious as Fred about singing, you might find a voice teacher anywhere. But if you care even a little bit more, you’re gonna need to try a different approach. So for the benefit of Fred (and you), here are a few quick tips about how NOT to find a vocal instructor.
Don’t just look for any ‘voice teacher’. Literally anyone can call themselves a voice teacher. That said, there are some individuals with degrees and certification who don’t offer a whole lot more. So what’s a singer to do? Take the time to look into not only where they got their information what what they’ve done with it. See if it’s where you want to go. That’s a great first step.
Don’t confuse styling with technique instruction. Just between you and me, I was teaching voice way before I had any business doing it. (more on that in a future post) One reason is that for a long time I didn’t truly understand the difference between these two therefore I couldn’t adequately teach either. So what is the difference? Think of your voice as a car. Your technique is the engine and all the necessary parts. If they don’t work well and in balance with each other you ain’t gettin’ far. Styling is the cushy leather seats and the sweet pain job. Styling sets you apart in a sea of other voices. But without solid technique, you can dress it up all you like but you won’t be able to drive it very far. Technique training is essential. Styling training is secondary. Both are important if you’re developing yourself as an artist. Knowing that will help you in looking for the right instructor for where you’re at.
Get a Qualified Referral. Hey, if I won a voice lesson in a radio contest, I’d take it too. Well, maybe not if it were Heidi Montags teacher. When you look for a referral, consider the source. Not just how well they sing, but if you’ve actually seen them improve. What kinds of things have they learned. Are they the things you want help with? Are they excited about what they’re learning or do they not really understand why their doing what they’re doing. You want to know that your instructor can offer something of value to you and is able answer your questions in a way that you can apply and grab a hold of.
In future posts, I’ll be talking about even more ways to make sure you’ve got a qualified teacher. Have you had a bad voice teacher experience? Leave it here by clicking ‘leave a comment’ at the top of this post.
