Why all the myths?

Well, the old schools of singing relied mostly on sensory identification and then made up visual imagery to teach young students how to sing. Many myths date back to the mid 1800s and still linger on today, as they have been transmitted form teacher to student throughout many generations of singers.

However, just as in many other fields, science has sharpened its tools to find out more about what is actually happening in the singing instrument when we sing. Slowly, the process of busting of all those lingering myths continues.

In the last 2 postings, I have focused on some breathings myths that are all too common, but there are so many others that are out there.

Here are a few other myths I have come across during the last 12 years of teaching and researching:

• “If you learn the classical approach, you will be able to sing anything.”
• “If you practice lip rolls and tongue trills, you will sing great”
• “If you sing off key, you must be toned deaf.”
• “Great singing is all about breath support.”
• “If you swallow something oily (like greasy potato chips), hot tea, lemon, apple cider vinegar, honey,… it will help you sing better, especially when your throat is sore.”
• “A good singer never sings from the throat.”
• “If you place half a cork between your molars, as in the “dumb jaw” approach, you will get a nice opened throat.”
• “If you squeeze your butt muscles, you will get those high notes.”
• “If you imagine you have an orange in your throat when you sing, it will stay nice and open.”
• “If you sing constantly, you will become a great vocalist.”
• “It is ok if you voice hurts or feels tired, it means you are training your muscles.”
• … and the list goes on!

Now I will surely be criticized for this one as many of today’s voice schools have based themselves on it, but no, singing is NOT like speaking!

As said by renowned instructor, performer and author, the late Richard Miller in his book “The Art of Singing”, “The position of the abdominal wall remains in the inspiratory gesture for a longer period of time than is the case in normal speech patterns. This is the basis of the “Appoggio” technique of breath management.

There is a set up that requires a great amount of coordination in singing and although the goal can be to get a certain tone that is vey close to that of the speaking voice, especially for many contemporary styles of singing, the two are not exactly the same. So voice teachers may ask their students to keep certain elements of speech in singing, but the two are not completely the same.

We are now in the age of information. Vocal teachers and coaches have the responsibility to find out what is really takes place within the vocal instrument as their students rely on this information. It can be a difficult task to keep up to date, I know, but that is not a reason to give out faulty information and potentially damage a singer’s voice.

As a singer or student of the voice, you also have this responsibility towards your own vocal instrument. If you take the study of singing seriously, then find out all you can about it and surround yourself with the positive support and knowledge you need to take your singing to the next level.

… and have fun while your at it!

EXHALATION MYTHS

Myth #1: The diaphragm inhales and exhales
Myth #2: Abdominal muscles push out the air out.
Myth #3: The great panacea is breath support.

These 3 myths all belong together in my opinion. Together, they are the reason why each has caused so many problems and uncertainties in the singing community for so long.

I have had many students come to my studio saying they heard a singer must “sing from the stomach” or “sing from the diaphragm”. I have noticed that the majority of beginner students have the habit of contracting their abdominal muscles as they begin to sing a phrase and when they try to create more volume, they contract even more!

This action of consciously trying to force an exhalation during singing is not only counterproductive, but it can also be quite harmful to the voice.

As Dr. Deirdre Michael points out in the article, “the diaphragm only inhales for you, it doesn’t exhale” and continues to say how “motivated young singers base their breathing technique on the belief that they need to help their diaphragm exhale, and that the muscular activity they feel is their diaphragm working.”

The fact remains that the diaphragm is not normally felt and so any feeling of trying to help ourselves exhale should be from a slight resistance to the inhalation muscles, as we do not want to collapse in our breathing as we sing.

What I am talking about here is the very slight contraction of the abdominal muscles as we hold outward (as opposed to squeezing them inward). Any inward contraction of the abdominals should only take place towards the very end of an exhalation, a careful coordination that takes place when we need to get the remaining air out to finish a long phrase.

The exhalation is a very passive action. All we are doing as singers is making sure that we do not explode our air out; that we are allowing for a slow recoil of the diaphragm which permits air to be released more slowly.

Stay tuned next week as I address the general topic of myths in singing.

Till next time songbirds, happy singing… and try to avoid any forced exhalation!

Let’s take a closer look at the Inhalation myths.

INHALATION MYTHS

Myth #1: We need to “feel” the air.

First of all, the whole issue with “feeling” in singing can get confusing because the singer may believe that a certain action should feel a certain way, when in fact it doesn’t. To “feel” or “hear” the air coming in may give you the impression of taking in the right amount of breath for singing, but really, this is just the result of tightening up the throat – which is far from a desired preparation for singing.

The only thing you should feel when you breathe correctly is the expansion of the ribcage and a downward movement of the abdominal contents as we allow the belly to relax. It may happen in a performance which is high in emotion to take in an intense breath that is audible and tight, which is ok once in a while but generally, we should aim for a relaxed breath that is not heard.

Myth #2: We need to work to get the air in; to inhale against a resistance.

When posture is set up correctly, all the singer needs to do is relax the abdominal muscles to allow a new breath to come in. Any feeling of resistance should be reserved for the exhalation, as the goal when we sing is to not let the chest and ribcage collapse (especially on that first note!).

Myth #3: The air pushes the diaphragm down.

Ok, where to start with this one…
Well, we normally cannot feel the action of the diaphragm, making this whole concept seem very mysterious. The most important thing to note here is that when we allow the belly, chest and back to be relaxed, flexible, the diaphragm can then move freely through its full range of motion.

Myth #4: Lungs fill upwards.

The last thing we want is tension in our chest and shoulders and taking a high breath will do that very thing that we are trying to avoid as singers. Here, Dr Michael explains how the lungs fill “down and out”.
Imagine filling up a balloon. The air goes down and out and if you keep blowing more and more air into the balloon, it does go up, but we do not want to go this high with our breathing. As I said, we need our chest and shoulders to remain relaxed, as well as our neck and throat.

I always ask my students to observe their singing instrument in the mirror because all too often, what we are actually doing has nothing to do with what we think we are doing.
I feel one of the best exercises for inhalation is to start the practice session by taking in very long, slow intakes of air while making sure there is no signs of tension (especially around the neck and shoulders).

Stay tuned for next week as we take a closer look at the exhalation myths.
See you next time songbirds.

In this first part, Dr Michael adresses the myths surrounding one of the all mighty key elements in singing; breathing.

I admit that over analyzing our inhalation and exhalation during singing can lead to the problems of tension that we are trying to avoid, but the fact remains that it is very important to understand the role of the breath during phonation in order to properly observe and correct our own breathing habits.

I would like to share with you the main points in this article because all too often, I observe singers, including students of mine, who are still playing “battle of the breath” when it comes to singing.

In the said article, Dr Michael names the following breathing myths:

INHALATION MYTHS

Myth #1: We need to “feel” the air.
Myth #2: We need to work to get the air in; to inhale against a resistance.
Myth #3: The air pushes the diaphragm down.
Myth #4: Lungs fill upwards.

EXHALATION MYTHS

Myth #1: The diaphragm inhales and exhales
Myth #2: Abdominal muscles push out the air out.
Myth #3: The great panacea is breath support.

My all-time favourite out of these breathing myths is exhalation myth #2: Abdominal muscles push out the air out. Most often, beginner or untrained singers are already convinced that they must forcefully push out the breath with their abdominal muscles and this reflex becomes natural after a while. Breaking the habit begins with a better understanding of the role of breathing in singing and how to practice good breath management.

Next week, I shall follow up by addressing each myth listed above and attempt to give some tips on how to stay on the right path to an easy but effective breathing approach for singing.

See you next time songbirds!

Dispelling Vocal Myths.
Part 1: “Sing From Your Diaphragm!” by Deirdre D. (“D.D.”) Michael
Journal of Singing, May/June 2010-05-25 Volume 66, No. 5, pp. 547-551

A student of mine recently told me about “Karaoke Version”, the online store for MP3 instrumental tracks, karaoke tracks and even custom accompaniment tracks.

After surfing through the website, I realized that this was quite a complete package spot for all things karaoke and a very user friendly place to be for singers looking to get nice sounding backing tracks.

The Custom Accompaniment option allows you to create your own version of a song with options to change the tempo of the song, adjust the musical key for your voice, and even remove any instrumentation you don’t want in your mix.

www.karaoke-version.com

The singer who has already tried yoga, surely knows of the positive effects yoga has on the voice, not to mention all the many other health benefits for the mind and body. This practice, which began in India, was popularized in the United States in the 60s and now, has become a household name in the West.

Just as in singing, yoga involves a great deal of concentration with particular focus on body alignment and on the breath, bringing both coming together as a unified force.

Many yoga classes incorporate the practice of inhalation and exhalation of the breath along with a series of postures. Some even use sound with the movement, like humming, chanting, or vocalizing.

In an article by Sarah Whitten on Yoga and Singing, Sarah writes the following:

“For centuries singing teachers relied on their ears to tell them when a voice was functioning efficiently. Over time, science has begun to offer studies to confirm what the singing world has known intuitively about the voice. Similarly, in yoga, scientific studies done on its effects show that the benefits of yoga, whether you achieve enlightenment or not, are manifold. As a singer studying yoga you may experience a freedom in your singing resulting from opening the rib cage, allowing the diaphragm to release and aligning the head and neck, allowing the larynx to be freely suspended in the neck. You may also develop greater flexibility and physical strength throughout your body, a stronger immune system, relief from injuries caused by misalignment and a new way of managing stress and performance anxiety.”

For all things yoga, here is one place to find loads of information:www.yogawiz.com/

There are so many different types of yoga, which can make choosing one to practice a challenging task, but it is important to find which feels right for you.

On the same site, you will find a series of suggested yoga poses and breathing exercises (Pranayamas) from a program designed for singers.

Make sure to find a certified Yoga instructor to guide you through the correct approach, not matter which type of yoga you choose to practice, especially if you are just starting out.

Adding yoga to your fitness routine, along with other aerobic types of exercise, will help develop body awareness and bring an energized calm to the mind, body and soul, which prepares the singer for all the demands of vocal performance.

So what are you waiting for? Grab that yoga mat and get to it!

Every characteristic of vocal quality has its opposite polarities and their may be some of these elements that you hear in your voice, some you may like, and perhaps some that you would like to work on or develop.

By simply paying more attention to the patterns of your voice and becoming more aware of vocal characteristics in general, you will be able to enhance your voice by having a clear intention of where to direct your efforts.

This sounds like an easy task at first; simply listen for different vocal characteristics! But the truth is that although we can easily describe what a person looks like to us (tall, dark, bald, …), we are not used to describing vocal qualities outside of the voice lesson, and so the right vocabulary may not be at our disposition right away. Not only that, but experts often disagree about exact descriptions of vocal qualities, which does not help us either.

In his book called “Sound Medicine”, Wayne Perry gives a short, straight forward list of characteristics for defining vocal quality that I would like to share with you.

Try to notice where your voice lies within each of the following:

Timbre (Tonal Color): Full, strong, bright, and energetic, or thin, weak, dull, and lifeless.

Texture: Resonant, smooth, and clear, or cracking, rough, and raspy.

Volume: Well-modulated, appropriate, and easily adaptable, or too soft or loud, inappropriate, and not easily adaptable.

Enunciation: Distinct, clearly articulated, and with appropriate emphasis, or slurred, poorly articulated, and with inappropriate emphasis.

Delivery: Natural, unforced, relaxed, and open, or strained, forced, constricted, and blocked.

Flow: Evenly paced, fully integrated, appropriated dynamics, and good resolution, or erratically paced, words run together, starts or stops abruptly, and trails off.

Attitude/Spirit: Enthusiastic yet calm, confident, self-loving, and appealing, or repressed, nervous, fearful, and repelling.

The best way to evaluate your vocal quality is to record your speaking and singing voice and then listen with an open mind to take note of the strong characteristics heard in your voice and then ask yourself if there are qualities that are more pleasing to your ears than others.

There is a great deal you can do by simply listening to your voice, making tiny adjustments and listening again for improvements. You could also try listening to other voices and see if you can come up with a list of characteristics to describe each person’s vocal quality.

Of course, there is a long list of other characteristics that could also be used here, such as hypo nasal, breathy, hoarse, … but the list above is a good, simple basis to start with. Remember that a change in emotion will surely change the sound quality of the voice so this must also be taken into account.

A good, knowledgeable voice teacher can help you out when you need a second pair of ears as well as a list of appropriate exercises to help you achieve your vocal goals as there are many things a singer can do to manipulate his or her vocal sound like, for example, changing the contours of the vocal tract to improve the sound coming out. These types of tips, tricks and exercises can also be found in the singg.tv training program called “Mastering the Voice” (refer to lessons #5, 6, & 8).

Just remember that when it comes to pitch, a singers’ natural pitch range is the healthiest as trying to speak or sing higher or lower than what is comfortable for you simply because that is what seems to be popular at the moment, is not the right approach. Although character roles for singers will often demand adjustments and changes in ones singing approach, finding and respecting ones own unique voice is most often the healthiest route to take, and the most rewarding as well.

Vocal rest comes in many different forms. It depends on how much you sing.

To give a break to your instrument, you can:

• Take one day off from vocal practice during the week;
• Rest your speaking voice (avoid yelling, speaking in a noisy environment, whispering, or any other vocal abuse);
• Rest your body. A tired body will not react well to the demands of singing. Sleep helps with cell repair and is crucial to fix any wear and tear on the throat;
• Remember to “warm-down” your voice after a performance to gently relax the singing muscles (use humming exercises for example);
• Take a short break in between vocalizes and sip room temperature water during your practices;
• Take a break from producing any vocal sound after extended periods of singing.

In the case of vocal damage, the singer will surely have to rest for a longer period of time before slowly starting to warm up the voice again to sing. In this case, the singer may need to take a break from talking or producing any sound.

No doubt you have heard of many famous singers needing to take a “vocal rest” because of damage to the voice or vocal fatigue due to over extended periods of singing or abuse.

Studies have shown that singers who break for water or for short rests will be able to sing for a longer period of time. Hydration and vocal rests will help preserve the quality of the voice along with longevity. Sounds good to me!

Speaking of rest, I am taking a computer break for a few weeks but will be back with a new post on April 13th. Until then songbirds, keep singing and remember to rest the voice as well!

Susan covers many topics in a singer’s world including the business and the craft – in that life we call THEATRE! Visit the site.

As a singer, you will find many eye openers in Suzan’s postings, from how to get more involved, to how to choose the right song for an audition or even how to dress appropriately for a stage performance.

I have decided to dedicate this post to a few examples of these vocal possibilities that can be achieved with practice and proper knowledge of the instrument – but careful songbirds, because extremes sounds are not always so easy on the voice, especially when they are not done properly (remember last post; it should never hurt to sing!).

Here are a few examples I would like to share with you:

1) Extreme Low Notes- Tim Storms Sings Eight Hertz (look at ’28 seconds):

2) Extreme High Notes – Adam Lopez Guinness World Record (look at 2’41minutes):

3) Amazing Vocal Choir – Vocapeople (or the funny aliens!):

4) Throat Singing – Steve Sklar and John Pascuzzi. Notice the harmonics and overtones?

5) Throat Singing – by a 5 Year Old Boy:

6) Young Talent: The Cactus Cuties sing The National Anthem:

7) The Mystery of the Bulgarian Singers- Valya Balkanska:

8 ) Amazing Vocal Effects – Honda Advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U46dCCtTT7s

9) Beautiful Singing – The 5th Element Opera Diva (3’40):


10) Last, one of the singers I emulated when I started out as a teenager:

If you have other examples that you find showcase the amazing human voice, we would love to hear them! ☺