Better Skills

Q. In attending symposiums and the like on the voice, especially the one about vocal accoustics, have you learnt what the key is to getting the best, ringing/warm tones in your voice? I am not a natural singer and after 3-4 years of singing, I’m looking at giving up. I don’t feel I ‘ve progressed greatly and I’m taking lessons for the past 2 years. It doesn’t come naturally to me. Am I suck with my natural tone or am I able to enhance it?

 

A. The key is a loose and open throat. The key is to have an independent vibrator (larynx) suspended inside the resonator (throat). The key is not tensing your jaw, tongue, facial muscles, neck and shoulders when practicing no matter how bad it sounds. Oh yeah, and the most important key is not giving up!

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Q.I have a question about vocal technique. While singing I”ve noticed that my larnyx area (Adam’s apple) ascends when I hit higher notes going towards and at falsetto. I have been told this is not good form. Can you recommend any possible excersise to isolate this habit. Any help would be greatly appreciated. P.S : love the book and videos!

 

A. Reverse your approach. Rather than singing the same way and wondering how to lower the larynx, lower the larynx (which you can do easily when not singing) and see what sounds are available.

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Q. i’m also a vocalist, and a voice teacher. I heard so much about your profound voice teaching. I know how busy you are, but i will really appreciate of you answer my e-mail. I’m trying to develop my hard rock singing, the coarky hoarse sound. It’s going really hard, and i feel like my high notes become thinner, with no richness in them. Does a classical voice technique disturb to develop rock singing? And do you agree that hoarse sound is natural, you can’t really develop it, it’s a part of the style? Are their specific exercises for that? Thank you in advance, I’ll appreciate a lot, if you answer. I have no chance to come to your studio right now. I’m located in Europe.

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A. Classical singing and rock singing are completely different. It is possible to develop a rock voice but not from classical technique. It doesn’t mean you can’t sing rock. It just means you can’t borrow from classical.

Rock singing is an extension of personality. The hoarse sound is not natural to anyone, meaning nobody is born with a voice like that. Our personalities shape our voices and some people are more aggressive — they push their voices even when speaking. This disturbs the voice and often is uncomfortable for the person. Aggressive or competitive people don’t care about discomfort. They sing hard anyway — no matter how it feels. They push and force and sometimes they lose their voice and they don’t care. It’s like a tattoo. If you’re concerned that it will hurt — then you don’t have the personality for one.

However, you do not need a raspy voice to sing rock. Rock is all about personality and being honest and exposed. If you are faking a hoarse voice it will not convince a rock audience anyway. Explore your voice and discover what is your sound when you are passionate. Many rock singers do not have raspy vocals. Most have an occasional rasp during a phrase but it’s not planned — just like when you’re yelling at someone. In the heat of the moment — you don’t plan what your voice will do — you just speak from your heart.

The exercises I have in my book and use in my studio are to build a vocal instrument that is strong and flexible. An instrument that is able to sing rock but not built only for rock. Just as a piano is capable of playing many different styles, the goal of vocal training is to create a neutral, free environment. That way your personality can come through without compromise. Most people are afraid or reserved or unable to let themselves go so they create sounds they hope will be dramatic. In the end, nothing is more powerful or dramatic than the truth.

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Q. When singing through out your entire range is it the case that the vowel should sound and be “shaped” the same? An example may make this clearer. In speaking with someone who sings and studies opera he said that he had been taught to add an oo sound to his ee vowel in his higher range. He said this therefore makes it a much rounder ee. Well, to me it is no longer an ee sound but, an ee with an oo sound in combination. What are your thoughts on this sort of production or alteration of vowels at different points in a singers range?

 

A. The rules of classical singing are to modify the vowel in order to maintain a specific cultured tone. The rules (if there are any) for popular singing is to sound “real.” That means you don’t have to modify a vowel. Often to a pop listener, it doesn’t seem as if the singer is “feeling” the lyrics in a modified sound — it sounds like the singer is more concerned with the voice. I don’t modify vowels much when I sing — I let the registers adjust.

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Q. I’m a 15yr old guy and i recently started getting really into my music. I love singing and i have done since i was about 5 or 6 and i am having problems with keeping tone in my voice. I can get some nice even low tones going well but I’m having trouble with shifting notes quickly and i hit flat notes constantly. I’m into metallica which is what i practice with most of the time and i do that pretty well but anything faster or more disproportianate in range makes me sing flat notes. I just wanna know if there’s anything i can do to keep the changeovers nice and even?

 

A. Your flat notes are caused by your jaw and tongue bracing in anticipation of the push that’s about to come. Don’t practice with any CD’s for a while — learn to sing first. Vocalize at a moderate volume on scales so that you can observe and adjust your behavior. Allowing the voice to falter when developing is the fastest way to your goal. The key is to stay loose at all times — no matter how hard or fast you sing.

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Q. At our church there are a few singers who sing a little (not much) too sharp (on certain songs only) and loud too so they lead the singing off. Will listening to such singing and singing along with such singing harm my own pitch by incorrect ear training? I have noticed that when I record myself singing these songs and then I play them back while playing the piano that I do notice a slight variance (my voice is too sharp). What are your suggestions?

 

A. It may become a problem if church is your only musical experience. The fact that you can identify the problem means that your sense of pitch is still intact. As you noticed, sharp singing usually is the result of pushing too hard from the lower abdominal area. (The singers who are sharp in church are also the loudest ones) Watch the tension in your abs as your singing. Bend your knees a little. A good reducer of abdominal tension is to practice singing while pretending you are using a hula-hoop (gyrate your hips around). If the other singers at church will listen to your suggestions — have them do the same.

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Q. In another question you answer someone about air pressure under the vocal cords and say that you can place lots of pressure under the folds and still have it low in the throat. You say that blues and gospel singers are able to get their distorted tone and deep resonance by doing this. Isn’t this extra pressure harmful in any way to the larnyx? I know that keeping the larnyx low is obviously a good thing. How do blues and gospel singers produce this extra air pressure and also keep the larnyx low at the same time? Are they hurting or stressing their voice in any way doing this? You also mention in one of your answers that most of the singers that you work with that do hardcore produce most of their sound through the false folds and don’t harbour much damage to the true folds. How do you sing through the false folds, I have never heard of this before and was always under the impression that any sounds we make come from the true folds which are the muscles that are in the larynx are they not? It is also interesting to note that you said they produce sound through the false folds as opposed to sing through them. Are they actually singing in some kind of fashion when producing sound through the falsefolds or doing something else? What do their voices sound like when they produce these sounds? Are they able to produce a variety of sounds such as growling, yelling and screaming some how without doing much damage? Is it safe to say that most of them do the excersises that you suggest? And, if so, especially if they have warmed up and down after a show doesn’t this eliminate vocal damage if done correctly? Sorry about all these questions but I don’t exactly understand how they use the false folds etc, it’s new to me and interesting. I usually stick with the kind of excersises we’ve discussed but have inquired about this kind of thing before.

 

A. These are great questions. It does seem like a contradiction to keep the larynx low yet give it a lot of air pressure. The key is proportion. Think of your arms. We are supposed to isolate the arms when lifting weights — not arch the back for more support. However, when lifting a lot of weight the body naturally tries to scoot the back underneath the weight to give us some leverage. This strains the back. Yet, when Mr. Universe lifts a dumbbell his back does not try and help out — it stays relaxed. The reason is that his arms are strong enough to handle the weight he is lifting all by themselves. He got them strong by lifting on a graduated program. A small increase in weight each week allowed him to stay in good form while lifting — which delivered the benefits of the exercise to the arms rather than just strain the back. When we sing we generally ask for more than the body can handle — we want our high notes loud and we want them now. An exercise routine is needed to develop internal muscles (the ones that do the singing) and release external ones (the muscles which add themselves in when strength is needed) Neck, jaw, tongue and facial tensions are all signs that someone is overextending themselves. This can cause problems in singers as well as body builders. Moments of exertion are okay but not a basis for strength.

Gospel and blues singers who have been at it a while have thick vocal folds. Like the thick arms of a body builder, they can handle placing extra air pressure against the folds without needing external tension to support the effort. The hard-core singers I mentioned have not developed their vocal folds and so their bodies look for alternative routes for strength. The false folds sit just above the true folds (the ones that sing). Because they are so thick, they do not vibrate in fast frequencies needed to sustain high pitches. The sound the false folds produce, when forced to, is guttural and noisy — just what a hard-core singer is looking for. The fact that the hard-core singers I’ve worked with have no damage to their true folds is a benefit they are not concerned with. Most would sing as they do no matter what it was doing to their bodies. They are usually intense people, but ironically, extremely polite and mellow off stage. They obviously get it all out when they perform.

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Q. I want my voice to sound fatter..with less highs in it…is that something that a tutor can show me or something I can do on my own?

 

A. Yes, you got to open your throat. The more space you create inside you, the bigger your voice gets. Think of a grand piano. They are over six feet long for a reason. No matter how hard I play my upright, it will never sound as rich as a grand. For that tone — you need space. Lower your jaw and relax your face. Practice this in the mirror. The looser the visible muscles are the looser you’ll be inside. Remember Loose means big.

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Q. I take weekly voice lessons and have been for a couple of years. I have come a long way and can sing well. I have been doing karaoke frequently and used to sing back up with a band. So I believe I am over my stage fright. My problem is that, although I can reach high notes without a problem and it is not difficult for me, I have trouble doing so in front a microphone. I don’t know if I am subconsciously nervous about it, but it’s literally physical (I think). I just can’t do it. I have asked my voice teacher, who is great, and she thinks it probably is just nervousness of singing in my head voice….nervous of what it will sound like. Do you have any suggestions? I really appreciate you taking the time to read my long question.

 

A. What sense does it make that you can sing a note well at home but cannot sing the same note when using a mic on stage? It is obviously psychological. Of course, the symptoms of your problem are physical, but the root is in your perception. Do you worry about how others are judging your voice? Do you have the same problem when using a mic at home? I suggest to practice with a mic turned off. Hold it often so it loses its meaning to you. Warm up with a mic. Sleep with the thing if necessary! The point is that the mic means nothing. Use it enough and your behavior will remain the same.

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Q. I’ve been checking your FAQ section on your website and I must say its pretty good. I was born and raised in church so I have sang all my life. I used to be a soprano then alto and finaly I moved to tenor at age 15 and my range kept on going down for a couple of years until I was about 18 it started moving up and finally I could hit A obove middle C full blast (when I say full blast I mean really full and extremley loud)I am 20 I have already recorded… I can hit high falseeto at girls range especially on oooo’s and I’ve been working on control, breathing, on my own by listening to good singers and I have read your insights on these subjects and am constantly trying to emprove plan on lessons soon. My problems is that I loose my voice if i have to sing at the top of my range for a long period of time which you would say is from pushing too hard, but yet I don’t want to sing high by making my falsetto strong to where it is high and semi-strong but it doesn’t give the full blast effect(which I’m learning anyway for variety). I don’t want to sing full blast all the time either. anyway I was listening to Brian Mcknight and i noticed that his full chest tone doesn’t go up to his high notes like C above middle C… (if I’m wrong aobut this observation let me know how he does it) its not strong fallsetto either but its loud and gives the effect that I want. I can’t reach those notes unless I tighten my stomach really hard and have this shrill strong high sound come out of my thorat it doesn’t seem to hurt except my stomach is pushed out really tight. Is this a bad way to hit those extra note that I don’t want to use my full speaking voice for, or is it ok and I need to work on it, sounds sick sometimes but I keep thinking I just never used it before so I have to develop it. Right now there is a big break between that tone of voice and my normal one and I haven’t been trying hard to blend it…because I don’t know if its right or wrong. however I feel like thats kind of what Brian Mcknight(I’m not sure if he is the best example) and gospel high singers seem to do because its almost required in church atmosphere to give the high,loud, tare it up boy! kind of sound , and I feel they just found a good way to blend it with their normal voice. Please help!

 

A. It seems you already know what I’m going to say so I’ll just add that no gospel singer worth their salt is thinking about their stomach muscles when singing high notes. They are testifying. If I were you I’d stop worrying about what sounds good and start feeling the lyrics. Every singer has things they do well and some they don’t do well. Those that get behind their words are memorable. The point of singing — especially gospel — is to move people. Nobody cares how high. If what you sing means something to you — you’ll move mountains.

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Q. There is a thing pop singers like Christina Aguilera and Whitney Houston do where they change notes in their voice VERY quickly, basically improvising, singing blues scales at high speeds (I don’t know if you know what I’m talking about). I don’t know how I can develop that skill. Should I just sing scales at increasingly fast speeds, or is there something else I could do? Thanks a lot for your time.

 

A. You have the right idea. Also, practice these scales at a low volume. Flexibility is needed as well as some standard riffs in your repertoire. Both singers you mentioned repeat a lot of the same riffs in their songs. Listening to jazz sax players will open you to phrasing and new riffs.

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Q. I was born and raised in church so I have sang all my life. I used to be a soprano then alto and finaly I moved to tenor at age 15 and my range kept on going down for a couple of years until I was about 18 it started moving up and finally I could hit A obove middle C full blast (when I say full blast I mean really full and extremley loud)I am 20 I have already recorded… I can hit high falseeto at girls range especially on oooo’s and I’ve been working on control, breathing, on my own by listening to good singers and I have read your insights on these subjects and am constantly trying to emprove plan on lessons soon. My problems is that I loose my voice if i have to sing at the top of my range for a long period of time which you would say is from pushing too hard, but yet I don’t want to sing high by making my falsetto strong to where it is high and semi-strong but it doesn’t give the full blast effect(which I’m learning anyway for variety). I don’t want to sing full blast all the time either. anyway I was listening to Brian Mcknight and i noticed that his full chest tone doesn’t go up to his high notes like C above middle C… (if I’m wrong aobut this observation let me know how he does it) its not strong fallsetto either but its loud and gives the effect that I want. I can’t reach those notes unless I tighten my stomach really hard and have this shrill strong high sound come out of my thorat it doesn’t seem to hurt except my stomach is pushed out really tight. Is this a bad way to hit those extra note that I don’t want to use my full speaking voice for, or is it ok and I need to work on it, sounds sick sometimes but I keep thinking I just never used it before so I have to develop it. Right now there is a big break between that tone of voice and my normal one and I haven’t been trying hard to blend it…because I don’t know if its right or wrong. however I feel like thats kind of what Brian Mcknight(I’m not sure if he is the best example) and gospel high singers seem to do because its almost required in church atmosphere to give the high,loud, tare it up boy! kind of sound , and I feel they just found a good way to blend it with their normal voice. Please help!

 

A. It seems you already know what I’m going to say so I’ll just add that no gospel singer worth their salt is thinking about their stomach muscles when singing high notes. They are testifying. If I were you I’d stop worrying about what sounds good and start feeling the lyrics. Every singer has things they do well and some they don’t do well. Those that get behind their words are memorable. The point of singing — especially gospel — is to move people. Nobody cares how high. If what you sing means something to you — you’ll move mountains.

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Q. 1. WHEN I SING, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT NERVOUS OR SCARED, MY VOICE IS A LITTLE SHAKY. HOW CAN I GET A ROUND CONSISTENT VOICE WITHOUT SHAKINESS WITH IT? 2.I CAN SING IN HIGH NOTES, AS EXAMPLE, “STAR-SPANGLED BANNER,” WHICH IS MOSTLY HAVE HIGH PARTS, BUT THERE ARE HIGH NOTES THAT I CAN REACH, BUT I SOUND THAT I AM STRUGGLING. HOW CAN I HAVE THE HIGH PITCH VOICE WHEREIN I SOUND LIKE I AM STRUGGLING, LIKE IT IS MY VOICE’S NATURE? 3.WHEN I SING IN LOW VOICE, I CAN’T SING IN HIGH NOTES WITHOUT PUKING, IS THERE A WAY THAT I CAN SING IN HIGH NOTES IN A LOW VOICE WITHOUT PUKING. 4.STEVEN TYLER IS A GREAT SINGER, WHEN HE FIRST BECAME YOUR CLIENT WAS HE ALREADY GOOD JUST TRYING TO IMPROVE HIS VOICE A LITTLE BIT, OR WAS HE STRUGGLING TO BECOME GOOD? I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF A NOT-SO-GOOD ORDINARY SINGER CAN BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD IN ONE-YEAR’S PRACTICE.

 

A. One year is way too short. Do you think you can become a great guitar player in a year? Practice is the answer to all of your questions. Watch your face when you’re practicing. Don’t let any tensions show up when singing the high notes. My book would be a lot of help to you.

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Q. I’m just a amateur singer, I sing mostly for myself and definitely love singing. I also play the piano and the guitar. I believe to have a serious problem with my voice and so far, I did not find any remedy. The problem is in the range between the 4th C and the 5th C, I can sing it in two ways. The first way is to rise my larynx a bit and I have to force on my throat, a little bit, but more and more to hit the higher notes (it’s very bad, I know, all the teachers say that the larynx need to be lowered when rising up in pitch). With that way, I can only reach the 4th G at most. It’s bad but still the sound produced is full, round and has good resonance and even some quality, albeit a little bit squeezed for the 4th F and 4th G. The other way requires much less effort with a lower larynx, but the sound is much more nasal, weaker and does not sound rich and full of quality resonance. Actually, it corresponds to a complete different position of my larynx and maybe mouth as I can feel it. And specially, when I sing the lyrics of a song for instance, it does not seems to be very nice at all because it seems to be too nasal and the consonnes are not well pronounced and articulated. But with this way of singing, I can reach easily the 5th C and even further. But then, this way of singing does not blend at all with my voice in the mixing range (the one below the 4th C). I need to change totally and abruptly the voice and it sounds very weird and ruin all the beauty of a phrase of a song. I believe that the change of voice correspond to a completely different change of the position of the larynx. I’m just afraid that I don’t have the anatomy to be able to sing well from the lower range to the upper range. Anyway, how could improving my singing? Which voice shoud I go for? How could I blend the mix voice and the head voice? How could cross the bridge? And why my ‘nasal’ voice sounds to nasal and lose all its quality and resonance and power. I do have a lot of vocalise material at home and try to exercise them everyday. I drink a lot of water and I never smoke and never drink alcohol.

 

A. Your tone is the result of behavior — not anatomy. To solve all of your concerns, practice singing in a voice that is common to all pitches. This will be a low volume head voice at first. When practicing, watch your form. It will not help you to vocalize using the same old tensions over and over. It’s HOW you vocalize not WHAT you vocalize that will bring about change. Once singing through the break becomes trusted (meaning you don’t add facial muscles) at a low volume, gradually raise the volume without changing your form. Watch yourself in a mirror and deny external muscles from joining in. Allowing your voice to sound bad for a short while is the quickest way for it to sound good forever-more. My books and videos would help you very much.

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Q. What causes the breathy quality in voice? How can it be eliminated? Is it a result of bad technique? Thanks for your time

 

A. A breathy quality is caused by an opening between the vocal folds. During each single phase of a vibration, the folds should close completely. Excess tension or overload of air pressure (bad technique) will cause the folds to remain open slightly and essentially become a leaky valve. This can be eliminated by developing the diaphragm’s ability to reduce how much air is presented at the folds. A good way to start is by taking a huge breath and sustaining a barely audible hiss for 60 seconds. This way you’re using the tongue as a crutch while asking the diaphragm to reduce the load at the larynx.

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Q. Please describe the technique used be Merle Haggard, George Jones, David Allan Coe, ect. Why (how) do they sound as if they are “biting” off their words, yet still project and deliver full, rich tone? PLEASE explain. Any good exercises to develope this.

 

A. These are not techniques, these are people. How can they walk the way they do and still get anywhere? They all have stiff jaws and rigid tongues (not good for singing) but also have thick vocal folds which produce a loud sound to begin with. It is their personalities which overcome their limited techniques, and it is their personalities which have thrust them into your life. There are many men with voices as big as these, but there is only one Merle Haggard, George Jones and David Allen Coe.

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Q. Hi ive got two things that i was wondering if you could help me. I am 15 years old and I got involved in this rapcore group, in which im suposed to be the vocalist but I need to develope more on some things, such as my range or learn to scream the way Fred does in Limp Biskit for example. I was wondering if there is any way I can do this without doing damage?

 

A. It hurts Fred to sing the way he does and it’s going to hurt you. He’ll say it doesn’t, but it’s the same as an athlete playing through pain in order to stay in the game. There are plenty of things he can’t do with his voice because of the way he screams. This doesn’t matter to him or his fans. I’m only bringing this up because I am frequently asked how someone like him screams without hurting themselves. The answer is they can’t. Athletes who play in aggressive sports lose their knees, elbows and backs routinely. It’s the risk they take. You have to ask yourself is the passion worth the cost. Are you willing to except the limitations that come with expressing yourself by screaming. There are some throats that can handle it and some can’t. Just like with knees and backs, though, we usually find out the hard way.

The smartest thing to do if you’re going to express yourself aggressively is to maintain a healthy and strong instrument. This is the same philosophy athletes assume with their bodies. Build your voice by taking lessons and vocalizing every day. That way when you scream, the odds are in your favor.

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Q. Im 18 and I am trying to sing now and forever by Richard Marx but When I hit the high vocal lines I dont get the desired effect of my voice as I do in my lower ranges. I was told from my father to just sing them low for now and I will probably have the higher pitches sometime next year when my voice is more matured. Is his advice factual in any instances will my voice become much more averse as I get older?

 

A. Approach the song two ways. Sing it low, as your father suggests and sing it soft in the original key. You’ll need to learn to release your throat on high pitches in order to create the tone you want. Learning to release the throat on high notes does not get any easier as we age. Singing softly, though, allows you to experience the correct pitches with free muscles. Gradually increase the volume and watch out for added facial tension. In time, you’ll be able to produce both the volume and the range you want.

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Q. Mark, I am a 19 yr. old, and ever since i was a kid ive always wanted to be a rock star, but it wasn’t till i was about 17 that i actually got serious about it, i have always sung at home in my room listening to my cassettes and cds and have always been a good singer according to my music teachers and family, Problem is at age 16 i started smoking and have attempted many times to quit some times i quit for a month but then i go to a concert or something and i smoke because i am high or drunk, im trying incredibly hard to quit right now and i am down to 5 – 6 cigarrettes a day, and i don’t buy them anymore i just get them from my dad or other people, but aside from that i have a chronic bronchitus do to my shitty habit and i get bronchitus a lot because of my smoking, My question or rather questions, are 1 is it possible for me to quit now and repair my voice to the way it was, because i have noticed a big diffrence in my singing and for about 2-3 weeks i wasn’t singing at all because i kept getting cut off on the high notes. question 2 i want to be able to sing dark and spooky like marilyn manson how do i sing like that? or is it just something he can naturally do, i would also like to be able to scream like that or just scream like rob zombie and all the other guys out there, is there a technique to this or what?

 

A.  Yes, if you quit now your voice will be fine in about six months. Singing is an extension of personality. Marilyn sings that way because he is that way. Technique is what allows you to express your emotions — not create them.

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Q. When I sing into my higher range the Ee and Oo vowels are thinner and tighter sounding than other vowels like A, Ah, and Oh. In my lower range all the vowels sound half decent. Why is this, and what things can I do or allow to happen to get a fuller sound?

 

A. You are closing your jaw on EE and OO which is absorbing overtones. Practice leaving your jaw in a relaxed, lower position for all vowels. Sing a high note on AH and gradually raise your tongue only (not your jaw) until you hear an EE sound. Don’t make a smile or over enunciate. Try the same with OO. Your mouth is a major resonator; it should be kept as similar as possible for all vowels.

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Q. “When performing death metal, grindcore, or black metal vocals, it is important to remember that believe it or not, one is still singing. The harsh sounds in the throat are produced by the aggravated resonance of the vocal cords, but the cords themselves will be damaged unless given amplification by a whole lot of wind from below. This brings in the diaphragm, a beltlike muscle around the base of the lungs which allows for external pressure to work the dual sacs as a billows. Contracting that muscle is as easy as deep breathing; once you’ve memorized that feeling enough to reproduce it, you can control this muscle to shove more air across your vocal cords and thus to pre-amplify your sound.” …What do you think of this? I was looking for more info on heavier vocals without losing range after growling/screaming/pretending to be cookie monster. By the way, I own your book and love it.

 

A. I don’t like to contradict other instructors, if that’s who this person is, so I’ll just comment on the facts. Every muscle in your body works in one direction only. The diaphragm is a dome and it contracts to cause an inhale. It cannot contract in the other direction to drive air outward — that is the role of the abdominal muscles. If you look up the definition of amplify, you will see that it is impossible to pre-amplify sound. A “pre-amp” on a stereo doesn’t amplify, it adds tone.

When someone is growling heavily, they are closing their false folds. These are the thick membranes above the true folds we sing with and their presence allows us to exert a lot of force against the larynx when lifting something heavy. Most of the singers I work with who are hard core don’t produce much sound from their true vocal cords, they do most of it with their false folds. Consequently, they don’t harbor much damage. They also don’t sing very well. It’s ironic, but as strong as they seem, when they try to sustain a single clear note, something which requires balance, they sound incredibly weak.

Singing hard requires you embrace proportion. To survive, unlock your thinking. I know singing hard core has to sound a certain way but does it have to FEEL a certain way? Essentially, that kind of music is the same as screeching your car tires as you pull a turn. A kid thinks the car has to be going as fast as it can to make this sound. Often, they crash while showing off. A stunt driver who screeches tires for a living knows exactly how little speed he can get away with and still make the necessary sound. He wants to go home at the end of the day. Use band practice to discover how little pressure you need to apply and still sound the way you need to. You don’t have to be as loud as you can — you’re singing into a microphone. You do have figure out a way to survive the way you sing — your career hasn’t even begun yet.

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Q. I want to ask like in my case I have not so good voice, but not really bad, and whenever I sing on high notes, I end up puking, so how can I avoid that and increasing my range with a good voice. And can a not so good and not so bad voice turn into a voice that can be really excellent in years of practice (two years specifically). Thank you very much, I am looking forward soon for your answer.

 

A. Sing your high notes at a softer volume until you develop control (translation stop puking). If you practice smart, you can have a really excellent voice in two years.

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Q. Thanks a lot for the prompt information provided. I like your approach very much, and really liked your book. I’m interested in taking some lessons with you in the near future, but I still want to get better to make it really worth it. I have a question anyway which I think you only can clarify. I know you are Steve Tyler’s teacher, and that you also recommend no raised larynx at all. Also, in your book, when you show that chart on how far we should take head voice, you talked about the balance of air blow and cords resistance and that it’s possible to balance that to take head voice higher than generally accepted. I can’t help asking you the following how can Steve Tyler produce those distorted high pitches without raising the larynx, and how can you blow the cords harder without lifting the larynx? Aren’t his (desired, I should add ) distorted high pitches the result of doing that, and therefore harmful according to the principles you seem to defend in your book? I must make clear that I’m not confronting, only trying to clarify something that’s very important for rock singers but that most teachers say shouldn’t even by tried.

 

A. Lifting the larynx is a function of swallowing. Air pressure is not making it rise. You can place lots of pressure under your vocal folds and still have it low in the throat. This is how gospel and blues singers get their distorted tones and deep resonance. Tyler is inspired by  these singers. He is trying to keep his larynx low but it often rises because of old habits he developed regarding pitch. Most people, like him, raise their larynx to hit a high note. Pitch is a horizontal stretch of the folds — there is no need to lift the larynx.

Be clear that over-blowing your folds will stress the muscles. Since you called this a desired sound, I’m sure you will over-blow no matter what I say — and so does Tyler. My job is to clarify the laws of physics, anatomy and sound. The reality is, the fewer muscles you use to produce a driven sound, the less stressful it will be on your larynx. Many people over blow a sound, thinking it takes more force than it does. Always practice using as little facial and throat muscles as possible to insure you’re using the minimum effort for whatever sound you desire. Incidentally, waiting to get better before taking lessons is like waiting to get stronger before joining a gym.

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Q. well first of all i just want to say i have your book and i love it. it has transformed my singing ability more than i couldve imagined. but, as always, i have a question still. my question is that when i hit high notes and falsetto, i find it easier to start the note with an somewhat heavy “h” sound. this helps me keep my larynx down but it decreases my overall breath intake by a measurable amount. im wondering if this is a step in the right direction or just a bad habit. i still have alot of trouble keeping my larynx down on high notes and i was just experimenting and this seemed to help. let me know, thanks alot.

 

A. The heavy “H” just dumps the air pressure that was forcing the larynx higher. It is a temporary avoidance of air control problems but by no means a solution. You own the muscles that are sending up too much air in the first place. Instead of dumping the pressure by splitting your folds apart, why not send up less? Watch your abs. don’t let them punch high notes — no matter how wimpy they sound at first. Getting the air pressure proportionate is the first step to vocal control.

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Q. I’m 19 years old and I sing and play the guitar. I have been in a number of rock bands and have been the lead singer of two. People tell me I have a nice voice and I think I do too, except I have trouble hitting a few high notes with my chest voice. These few notes are keeping me from singing some songs I really want to sing, and it is really discouraging. If I could just reach two or three more notes I would be the happiest person in the world. Also, I’ve asked some people about this before and the best people can tell me is that I’m pushing, but I don’t really understand what they mean and I really don’t know how to fix it. Please help me. Thanks

 

A. Those few notes are like a few pounds that keep people from wearing their favorite clothes. If they could just lose that weight they would be the happiest in the world. When they do, they discover that there are still things which keep them from being happy — and so those few pounds come back. What is stopping you from changing the key of those songs you want to sing? Why wear pants that don’t fit?

Pushing means that you are sending more air pressure into your larynx then the pitch your trying to sing needs. That imbalance causes the muscles of the neck to tense and therefore deny the pitch. It’s like squeezing the guitar pick to play faster. All that does is tighten your arm and slow you down. In the end, you learned to have a specific touch on your guitar pick. You’ll learn the same thing with your voice. It takes time. Use the videos on my web site. By a book on singing. Dive into the whole subject — not just the part about high notes — and those few notes will be yours. In other words, be happy first and those pounds will disappear.

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Q. When i sing it seems like i’m not singing what i feel like i’m singing. Like it seems like people are hearing something off key when i feel like i’m singing on key. Does this make sense or am i tone def or somthing?

 

A. People can’t hear what you intend to sing . . only what comes out of your mouth. Lots of times, we think something and it comes out different. The brain didn’t play the body correctly. Example: I can see the dart board — I intend to hit a bulls eye — but I hit the five. I don’t need better eyes, I need to practice throwing darts. You need to practice more — perhaps take some lessons. It takes time to have everything come out just as you intended.

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Q. I have lost my tonal center. I am a classically trained singer. When performing classically, I never had any pitch issues to speak of. I did even a good deal of a cappella cantor solo work. For about a year now, i have been working in a rock band and with the electric instruments i have had some real problems. i don’t know if it is the distortion or the abundance of harmonics-rich bass. but i have tended to be very off. Perhaps something that aggrevates this is that i am currently playing bass guitar for this band also. i didn’t know if this were a common thing for crossover classical singers, but it is something that i am very concerned about it affects me deeply as a performer. I can’t trust my own instincts. i am unsure about what used to be my source of deepest confidence.

 

A. Your situation is extremely common for crossover singers. Your instincts are being bombarded by external stimuli, luring you out of your form and causing the undesired results. Your agenda should be to reduce as many external muscles as you can. Rock singing requires one to drive the folds, but that doesn’t have to transfer to neighboring muscles. It’s much like playing the bass. There is a specific touch needed to depress a string onto the fret board. Not enough pressure and the string buzzes; too much pressure and dexterity and control are shot. My book and video would help you a great deal. There are available through my web site or in stores everywhere. I am also happy to answer any questions you may have. It seems like your question here is whether your situation is common. . . . and it is.

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Q. I am a female singer and have been singing for many years, starting out classically, but now singing pop professionally for the last five years. I have gotten pretty adept at “speech level singing” (what some may refer to as belting) in my lower range, but as I hit D above middle C, my voice makes an obvious adjusting sound–I continue with the same air pressure, but somehow, my voice loses that pop edge in my upper range. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

A. The pop edge comes from extending chest voice into those upper pitches. Coming from a classical background, it would feel unreasonable for you to sing this way. Your folds are thinning (correctly so) as you access pitches higher than D. Keeping them thick will create the upper overtones you’re looking for but will also cause throat tension. Releasing the muscles of the pharynx, jaw and tongue as you overdrive the folds will allow you to find an acceptable balance. When I work with singers looking for this, I take away their tensions first (don’t allow the jaw to alter or facial muscles to change). This usually causes a short- term loss of control. It’s okay to sound really bad when exploring new behaviors, but most of us demand every note attempted sound performance ready. If you can put up with some horrendous cracking and wavering of pitch, you will quickly access the sound you’re looking for. Controlling the cracks and wavers takes a subtle adjustment of air. We usually overcompensate.

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Q. Love your site. Can you address falsetto in the male voice in a future issue? Looking particularly at quality, control and appropriate usage. I’m a female voice instructor with a 16 yr. old male student who has just discovered his falsetto register and I need all the tips I can get. Would also be neat if you could include info on the whistle register in the female voice (i.e. Mariah Carey and the “singing dolphin” sound), kind of as a companion.

 

A. Blend, blend, blend. That’s the best advice you can give your student. Falsetto is nothing more than the release of the thyro-arytenoid and vocalis muscles within the folds. Most males, especially 16 year-olds, push their voices down and loose the flexibility. Encourage him to sing in falsetto and to bring the light, effortless feeling down into the lower pitches. There should be no difference in quality between any registers.

Whistle register, however, occurs when the folds stiffen and “whistle” as opposed to vibrate. Also, unlike the other registers, air pressure and resonators control pitch in whistle tones. I will definitely put these topics on my list to write about – but it may take a while. There’s been so many requests! Best of luck with your teaching.

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Q. How do you sing vibrato? What are the techniques?

 

A. No one technique per se. Vibrato is a small fluctuation in pitch and volume caused by minute movements within the larynx. So, anything that’s loosens you will help promote vibrato in your singing. If it’s unavailable, you’re probably pushing too hard from your abdomen. Watch out for neck, jaw and tongue tension as they are all signs of too much force. Sing very softly and you’ll see what it should feel like to sing loud but free. In general, trill exercises also require you to be loose and so will help promote vibrato.

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Q. I don’t quite know if i’m stepping out of place by asking this question since I sing opera and musical theatre, but it’s extremely relevant to me. I was wondering if you could please touch upon the technique for producing vibrato. As a classical singer, it’s imperative as well as other forms of music such as pop. However, I’m never fully able to achieve a steady, pleasant-sounding vibrato. I’ve been told that you must remain perfectly relaxed in the jaw and throat area. But despite many attempts to relax and maintain support, the vibrato just doesn’t surface. Could you please help me with this dilemma? I’d appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks in advance and thanks for having such an informative web site!

 

A. The clue to your elusive vibrato is the phrase, “. . .attempts to relax and maintain support.” I suspect you are equating support with abdominal tension. Many are taught to keep a firm midsection. Unfortunately, the body cannot deceiver when we are doing so to sing and when we are doing so for leverage. Therefore, the throat and jaw will always tighten to some degree in response to abdominal tension. Excess air pressure is causing your folds, throat, tongue and jaw to brace. The more we “support,” the more rigid the area around the larynx becomes. There are many tricks for countering this local tension but none are as effective as sending up the proportionate amount of air in the first place. When the folds are fed the exact amount of pressure for a given pitch, the surrounding area does not engage. The resulting freedom is what allows one to fluctuate the pitch slightly on command.

Keep in mind that you have established a history of tension (slight, I’m sure) around the larynx and so, even when the proper amount of air is dialed in, there will still be tension in the throat and jaw. You’ll need specific exercises to teach those muscles to relax. The idea of sending a specific amount of air for every pitch we sing sounds complicated — and is. Luckily, we are born with reflexes which control these functions perfectly. Think of the complexity involved with walking or focusing the eye. We tend to not trust our reflexes when it comes to singing and overcompensate both in thought and mechanics. Notice how your vibrato seems to be there when you’re not thinking about it.

Focus on less abdominal tension, especially on the onset of a pitch and keep you head and jaw in motion when vocalizing. I’m sure exploring in this direction will feel like a loss of control in your mind. We are very invested in muscle activity equaling control. However, it is the absence of muscle activity that truly indicates the presence of control. When it comes to vibrato, nothing says it better than the old saying, “less is more.”