Vocal Music Advice

Mary says: I am trained classically, but I also sing in an a capella ensemble that requires a great deal of straight tone. I feel I do pretty well on the straight tone, keeping it very forward and bright to avoid throat tension, but on several occasions, usually singing a big powerful piece, I become lightheaded and have the sensation I might pass out. I used to think maybe this was due to lack of breathing or good support, but after doing some research, I wonder if it’s a combination of creating too much pressure behind the vocal chords to create a loud sound in straight tone and/or hyper-functional breathing, which I’ve read can affect the nervous system. Do you have any insight? I appreciate your help and have enjoyed reading all of your encouraging answers to other questions!

Answer: Mary, thank you for your encouragement. I don’t consider myself an authority on this – in the way that a well-trained Ears-nose-throat specialist should.  However, let me share my observations: ‘light-headedness’ seems to be triggered by two opposite conditions: first is hyper ventilation – usually caused momentarily by getting more oxygen into the body than the brain can process.  Second, and much more commonly experienced, light-headedness is caused by insufficient oxygen-rich blood getting to the brain.  The first is what a swimmer who is going to test how far he can swim under water will intentionally do before diving into the water – so as to remain under as long as possible.  However, what you describe fits the classic imbalance of exertion and insufficient oxygen, or, the adrenalin rush and insufficient oxygen to balance it going to the brain.

There is a third possible cause, experienced by a few singers, particularly those working on vocal development, in which they experience such a concentration of vibratory sensations in their head when producing clear efficient tone, that it makes them light headed.  I’ve had students tell me that they are experiencing this.

What I would suggest is that you assure yourself that you are breathing deeply and regularly, particularly when you are going to call upon energy resources from your body—as when singing ‘powerfully.’  Exhale thoroughly and inhale deeply.  It is possible for a singer to get caught in the trap oboists have to learn to avoid.  Oboists learn to exhale before they inhale.  If, when singing, quick breaths seem to follow one another while sustaining energetic forte singing, the singer must make sure that she has exhaled sufficiently before inhaling again.  Without proper exhalation, carbon dioxide builds up in the body … and a faint quickly follows.  I’m sure you’re thinking sensibly, and can protect yourself from experiencing a faint, if you keep your mind in gear and perhaps practice (in rehearsal) what you need to do to keep your equilibrium.  Be sure that your standing posture includes keeping your knees flexed (never locked back) so that blood flow upward has smooth passage.  Those are my “2 cents.”

Best wishes.

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’m 15) I have trouble breathing every time I sing and because of that, every time a note is supposed to be sung and sustained long, I can’t hold the note because of my breathing.  Is there a way to improve my breathing when I sing?

Answer: Your question is a perceptive one.  At your age the problem may not be entirely with your breathing aparatus.

There are actually two components to the answer of your question.  One is respiration-related, and the other is phonation-related.  Breathing and making sound.  It will be helpful for you to learn to breathe for singing.  Make sure your posture is erect and your chest buoyant.  Breathe deeply so that the area around your waist is the part of you that expands the most.  Then learn to “stay expanded” and only release small amounts of air as needed for making clear tone.  To get the feel of this do the following exercise:

1) Inhale deeply, setting things up by dropping your jaw as if beginning a yawn,
2) sustain the breath in your body for a slow count of three – keeping your throat open,
3) sustain an “S” very softly, slowly metering out the air aiming to sustain the soft “hiss” for 30 – 60 seconds.  Maintain tall posture throughout the exercise.  Practice this repeatedly, daily.  This will help you learn what is involved for the body to breathe for singing.  Memorize these sensations and apply them when you sing.  Your upper chest should remain fairly still, “quiet” while your tummy area (epigastrium) in particular will stretch and expand on inhalation, and steadily contract on exhalation.  Place one hand just below your collar bones and the other just below your breast bone (sternum) for this exercise.  This is described in more detail in texts in vocal pedagogy and identified as “diaphragmatic-intercostal” breathing based on the use of the primary muscle groups involved.

The second part of the answer to your question is that you will need to cultivate the ability to produce very clear ringing tone – not breathy tone.  When excess air escapes, so does the breath.  This is a function of your voice (vocal cords) – and it helps to “think” clear tone too.  Your ability to produce very clear tone (efficient phonation) is in part dependent upon your age.  Since you’re in your mid-teens – you may need to allow yourself time (a few months or years) for your voice to mature, while you sing without trying through tension to sound like one who has a mature voice.  If you were in your twenties or older, you should be able to produce a clear ringing tone without unnecessary tension.

Having said all this, you need to know that your best progress will be while studying with a qualified and competent voice teacher.  Best wishes to you.

I sing from my diaphragm but the air flushes out real quickly & I am out of tone.  Do I have to harden my stomach to trap the air?  Is there any exercise to control exhaling air from the diaphragm?

Answer: Your questions are good ones.  Your notion that the diaphragm is vitally involved in the breathing process is right on too.  However, there are at least two prongs to the answer for taking care of air that flushes out too quickly. One IS related to breathing and support, the other is related to using your voice efficiently – turning all the breath into clear ringing tone.

Concerning breathing and support

Here is an exercise that may help you learn the feel of breathing for singing: Be sure you are standing or sitting with good tall posture.  Place one hand open-palmed on your “tummy” and the other just below your collar bones high on your chest.  What you should notice is that the hand by your collar bones stays quite still, while the lower hand on your epigastrium (tummy area) moves in and out constantly.

a) inhale deeply – feeling the “middle” of your body expand all around (the lower hand).

b) immediately after inhaling, suspend the breath inside you, keeping it there by staying expanded and without closing your vocal cords.  Yes, you will probably notice that the surface of your tummy does get “tighter” with expansion.  Hold it there for two or three seconds just to learn the sensations of maintaining air inside you for a moment, then

c) very lightly produce an “s” (hiss) while metering out the air very slowly.  Stay expanded as far as possible.  Aim to make this last 30 – 60 seconds.  By the time you need to inhale again, you should feel (with the hand placed on your tummy) that those muscles have contracted – but that it was a gradual process.  Do 10 repetitions of this exercise in a row.  Singing well requires the expansion in the body, the sustaining of that breath in the body, and the slow metering out of the air.  It is a learned skill.  Note, the upper hand high on the chest should have remained relatively still.  The hand on your tummy-area (epigastrium) will have moved out on your intake of air and slowly moved in as you metered the air out.

Concerning clear ringing tone (efficient use of the vocal cords)

The other half of the equation is that the sound you produce must be very clear – that is, not breathy.  The essence of a breathy tone is tone that is letting out air too quickly.  Let me suggest the following exercise as an introduction to finding some clear sound.  You’re going to sigh several times.  The first time, sigh letting all the breath out easily and quickly and without any voiced sound, just a gust of air released.  The second time sigh again, start somewhat high in your range with just a little sound.  It’ll be something like a voiced yawn and very breathy, and pitch will descend quickly.  The third time, increase the amount of sound you are giving the sigh.  You’ll notice that it sounds a bit like a siren going down in pitch and it was louder than the second repetition.  On the fourth and final time, make it your aim to still “feel” as though you’re sighing, but turn ALL the breath into clear ringing sound.  You’ll notice that the sound is a good deal louder than ever before and the downward siren lasts a good deal longer than any of the previous “sighs.”  What you’ve done is to use your vocal cords increasingly more efficiently.  You’ve made increasingly clearer tone.

To sustain long musical phrases you need to cultivate the skill of breathing for singing such as is described above as well as maintaining tone that is very clear – both at the same time. This takes concentrated practice on a daily basis – and usually most effectively under the guidance of a good voice teacher.  Still, the two exercises I’ve suggested above can get you started.  Best wishes to you.