Vocal Advice

Andrew, 24, says: I’ve studied privately in the past before, but I currently can’t afford a tutor. Lately, I’ve been noticing that it’s much harder to maintain an even, easy vibrato when I descend down a scale. I often briefly go into a straight tone, though I can usually maintain my vibrato if I concentrate. Can you tell me why this might be? Thanks!

ANSWER: Andrew, your question is a good one, however, it is one that can only be answered with any assurance of being appropriate for you personally by a voice teacher who sees and hears you in person.  So, what I offer you below may sound a bit “academic” and you will need to sift through to see what, if any, applies to you.

A consistent pleasing (fairly rapid) vibrato is normally a result of good coordination between the muscles related to phonation (making sound), and the mechanism of respiration.  If you find that on the descent to lower notes there are some tending to straight tone, then the likelihood is that there is an imbalance taking place.  Be aware, that as pitch descends, so also should respiratory support and vocal resistance - incrementally - little by little in a continued “balancing act” of vocal coordination that at the same time does not diminish clarity and resonance.  A tendency of many young untrained singers, or singers beginning training is that once the high note has been achieved, they seem to “freeze in place” maintaining the same energy and space with nothing changing on the descent to the lower notes again.  But in fact, we singers have to learn to stay flexible and ease up on support slightly as pitch descends as well as allow our oral space to diminish.  In other words, when we’ve revved up our physical engines to 3,000 rpm for the high note … we need to lower the rpm incrementally for the notes an octave lower, thereby keeping the balance and energy consistent.  Besides applying the principle of incremental energy per pitch (the higher the more, the lower the less), I’d suggest that you “memorize the feelings” you experience when you have that pleasing vibrato … and then work to reproduce those feelings throughout your range.

While I would not be overly concerned about what you have described, it does cause me to ask whether or not you are and have been staying physically fit.  (You don’t need to tell me.)  If you were once “in shape” but now live a sedentary life style, this will affect your energies … and your vibrato.  Even 40-minutes of exercise (that gets the heart pumping to 120+/minute and the sweat glands open) every day will help the process of keeping everything else in better working order.

You possess a sensitive perception of your own sound Andrew, having made note that you occasionally lose vibrato.  However, I’d like to encourage you not to become too “introspective” or “paranoid” about the little anomalies.  If you are singing a quickly moving descending scale passage … the sense of “slipping into straight tone” may be just fine.  Perhaps a good thing to do would be to have a well trained singer listen to you to confirm or deny the validity of your concern.

One last tidbit: the answer may be as simple as you performing some flexibility (fast moving) vocal exercises on a daily basis for a period of time, until you find yourself negotiating similar passages in the literature with the same energy.

I’d be interested to know if any of the scenarios “rang a bell” with you.

Best wishes.
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PS. Since your personal response to me … I can now say … you’d do better to be singing when you are refreshed and full of energy … not late at night when you’re already tired and spent! 

I am 17, and a male singer with a soprano voice.   I can reach the C5 and more (higher) than that but I want to sing the whistle register.  I have notice that when I have opened my mouth widely, I have reached the C6 and higher, and when i do so my voice is more light and sounding like a bird in that ‘whistle voice’.   Please, I want you to give me a good technique to sing the whistle voice without problems like Mariah Carey and Minnie Ripperton.

Answer:
You are a rarity if you actually have a soprano voice … especially if you have not experienced any vocal change that has given you access to lower notes like most men.  I am aware of others with  whom this is the case … and you are rare.

If you are singing notes that are two octaves above middle C (and higher) then you are already in the “whistle register” area.  You accurately described the ability to access these notes by opening your mouth “widely.”  What you need to be watchful of is that the sound is not “heavy” and “tense”, but be sure that it is without a lot of muscular tension and light.  At 17, you don’t need to be spending a lot of time up there.  Access those notes lightly, and descend to lower notes again.  If you are wanting to develop your voice - including those highest notes, you need to find a voice teacher who has experience with voices like yours.

That is my advice.  Best wishes.

I have been studying voice for about 3 years with private teachers. I’ve been told that I have incredible potential but started too late, so that casting managers wouldn’t want to see a 30 year old auditioning. The problem is I still believe I could make singing my profession am I wasting my time?

ANSWER: Dominika, you ask a tough question!

Understand that my reply can only be based on what you’ve told me.  Some things I’m going to assume.  Since you’re in your later twenties, your vocal apparatus is nearing its full (early) maturity.  In other words, other than development of technique and more facility by it, your voice is going to continue to sound and feel much as it does now.  One thing I’ll assume is that after 3 years of study, your habits (all that goes into the act of singing) and technique are becoming secure and reliable.  You must be encouraged by the fact that you’ve been told you have “incredible potential.”

That said, the path of “breaking into the profession” as a singer - especially making a living at it - is not an easy road.  I’d recommend that you learn as many roles that are appropriate for your voice type and classification in the genre in which you sing, as possible.  Audition, audition, audition.  Take every opportunity and invitation to sing that comes your way.  Be willing to start small … local companies, civic groups, churches, synagogues, and every time prove to yourself (and your coaches) and your audiences that you have something special.  Audition for competitions as a “young artist.”  One other thing: managers who look for singers for opera, operetta and music theater are concerned about the health and physical appearance of the singers they hire.  If you’re fit and trim on top of being a wonderful singer and actress your chances are better for procuring roles for which you audition.

It shouldn’t take long for you to find out whether you “have it” to pursue the stage.  However, be aware, that few singers make singing their sole means of income.   Most of us who sing professionally, also teach or do something else also.

I hope this is encouraging to you.  All the best as you pursue what you love.

Nick says: Hello! I have a few problems when it comes to my voice.

First of all, I hope you understand me ’cause I’m not a native speaker. (:

I’m 15 years old and I’ve been singing since I was 7.  I used to have a high-pitched voice and at the age of 13 I began to take vocal lessons, which helped me a lot to improve on my singing. In fall 2007 my voice started to change and because I couldn’t even sing one song through, I decided to take a break from singing lessons. Of course, I sang though – but not as much as before because my voice always got raspy/hoarse and sometimes it started to hurt.

In the last couple of months, this problem has become better but I never had the impression that my vocal change ended – my head voice sounded like before, my chest voice didn’t really ‘mature’ even though it’s gotten deeper. Anyway I feel like I’m still in the puberty vocal change or maybe again because I’m no more able to control my voice the way that I used to. It’s raspy, high notes end in screaming and my head voice often ‘stays away’. Is it possible that my vocal change STILL hasn’t ended? Should I go to an ear, nose and throat specialist?

ANSWER: Dear Nick,

I empathize with your feelings of insecurity.  Thank you for describing what you are going through with some detail.  Do not fear.  It is not only possible that your vocal change STILL has not ended, it is certain that that is the case.  You don’t need to visit an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist.

The voice change in boys varies with the person.  Some boys seem to change almost “overnight.”  Other boys seem to go through alterations over a period of — dare I say it — years.  The insecurity that you feel is very common.  The inability to retain your high notes without a lot of strain - is also common.  What you do need to allow is T I M E.  Your voice is lowering as your larynx (voice box) and all the associated muscles and ligaments grow.  “Control” is frequently something that is lost early, and regained late.  So, if you are 18 before you begin to feel comfortable with your new range, don’t be surprised or concerned.  You will eventually find that if you use the range you are comfortable singing in, it will grow strong and useful. One thing you need to allow yourself to do is to let go of the past.  Your range is changing - don’t try and hang on to your boyhood range.  Over the next months discover where your voice range lies, and where, within your range, you sing most comfortably.  Accept these changes as the new you!  You don’t need to be straining, screaming or anything else that causes you to become hoarse or raspy.  You can damage your voice that way.  Cease that.  (By the way, your voice teacher should know these things.  You might be wise to set aside voice lessons for a couple of years too!)

Let me recommend that you stay involved in music-making - even if the singing part takes a break while you play an instrument for a while.  Find someone that knows a great deal about the voice, and ask him/her for a list of singers you should listen to over the next two years.  Do a lot of listening.  Feel free to browse through my other writings in this blog.

You do not need to worry, Nick.  You do need to allow yourself time, and learn to accept what you are becoming, vocally speaking.  You’re becoming a man.  Congratulations.

I remember reading about it in Miller and I’ve come across it again in recent study for my students. It seems extremely helpful but I don’t remember talking very much about it in vocal pedagogy class or using it in my own study. What do you think of it and have you found it useful?

My answer is that the “appoggio” technique is sound. However, all of this is described – without identifying it as “appoggio” or with any unnecessary verbiage in McKinney’s book as he describes the “breathing for singing” process, and is captured especially in the step of “suspension” which is the “set up” for phonatory onset or attack. “Appoggio” literally means “leaning upon” – and in vocal technique is applied to – the respiratory support of the sound.  On pages 24 and 25 of The Structure of Singing, what Miller describes is a) the sense of expansion, b) high posture maintained, c) upper abdomen stays free to move, d) suspension and expansion maintained in balance, e) the lower abdomen is tucked in slightly, e) with inhalation expansion occurs in every direction including the ribs outwardly, f) and the concept of maintaining the small of the back “straightened” or the “hips swiveled” with lower abdomen tucked, g) and inhaling fully without “tanking up” or “crowding” the breath, h) high posture is maintained throughout the singing process, i) inhalation is quick and quiet.  (It almost sounds like he’s quoting McKinney–whose writing came first.)  All of this McKinney writes so clearly in his well organized systematic volume: The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. The bottom line is that “appoggio” refers to the coordinated balance of muscle tension between respiration and glottal closure/resistance to the breath. If a student can understand all the ramifications, as she should, “appoggio” is wonderful. In any case all the aspects need to be taught in such a way that each segment is mastered – until all can be coordinated – which is what McKinney accomplishes so well, systematically and wisely without much unnecessary jargon and Italian – perhaps reflecting his mentor, William Vennard.
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I remember that it didn’t hurt or anything it just took me lots of focus like it was required a lot of factors to make it work.  I wanted to ask you for tips about the whistle register, like how my throat should be like….for me to improve on this.  If possible would you mind giving me some warming up exercises??

Answer: You are at an age when puberty has produced most of its physical changes in a young woman.  Therefore, the fact that you have found the whistle register may be an indication of a future facility as a soprano – although your final classification is not something that should concern you at the moment.

By the way, in the literature the “whistle register” is also identified as flageolet, piccolo, flute or bell register.

As the top-most notes available in the human voice, the vocal muscles are pulled to their longest and thinnest position.  The sound is thin, small and whistle-like.  At sixteen you probably need to be careful not to overdo with exercises in this area of your voice.  The percentage of time spent as you sing, should be a very small one in the whistle register.

If you will close one of your hands into a fist and imagine that it is your favorite kind of apple, imagine now that you are going to fit the entire fruit into your mouth.  Well of course it can’t be done, however, as you make the attempt, you will experience the stretching of your mouth and lips to their widest possible aperture.  So, be aware that this kind of openness will help facilitate more freedom in this area of your range.

Now let’s do a couple of exercises that will help hear and feel how these high notes should be.  Imitate some light, high, laughter.  It may sound like “tittering” or it may feel as you laugh hilariously.  Get some of your girl friends to join you in this,  encouraging each other on to cast aside inhibitions and feel utterly abandoned in the laughter.

Another more musical exercise is this: once you have completed a normal vocal warm up, do some extension exercises on a 1-3-5-3-1 pattern on an open vowel (ah).  This should be fast moving – not slow.  You can experiment with singing this pattern legato or staccato to see which works best for you.  Sing this exercise beginning an octave above middle C and ascend by half-steps.  You may find that when your beginning note is F that your top note (5) will take on a shrill light sound.  The higher you ascend, the more notes in the exercise will sound this way.  Don’t worry if you have trouble tuning the highest notes perfectly at this time.  Do this exercise with a keyboard so that you can see where your highest notes are.  You should soon (in a few months) be able to vocalize up to G above high C – and higher if you are truly a light soprano.  Once you get to your boundary – return by half-steps to your lower range again.  Remember to sing this exercise with some abandon – not with careful, slow “control”.  This will begin the process of you learning how to negotiate the whistle register.

Again, just a reminder, don’t spend very much time up there.  Vocalize up there for four or five minutes every day doing these kinds of exercises, and be done.

If you find that you have increased facility in this, you can be certain that your choir director will have some specific notes that you (alone?) will be asked to sing on some pieces.  If you find that your discovery becomes fraught with tension, then stop making the attempt … and allow your voice to develop without it for a while.

Best wishes.

PS. By the way I have another blog post on warming up the voice.