Don’t settle for pressure in your singing, learn about Jaw tension.
At JVS we see jaw tension hindering singers natural beautiful sound and want to help you eliminate the incorrect usage of your jaw. First of all, your jaw needs to be dropped from the back more than the front. An easy way to achieve this is to take your index fingers, place them on your cheeks where your back molars are located and gently push in. This allows the back of the jaw to drop open. If done correctly you should feel a slight yawning sensation. This is the perfect position of your jaw and the key to maintaining the opening you need to eliminate tension. Vocal science has proven that when we drop the back of the jaw, our throats open. Try singing any one of your songs or arias with your fingers in this position. You will quickly discover how often you close or compromise that space when singing. We feel this is one of the biggest problems facing ALL singers today! If you want to learn how to master this extremely important skill and stop chewing your words, please visit the link in our BIO to start your lessons today!
Shush! Silent breaths
One of the most common issues we see in our studio when working with singers of all types is hearing loud, gasping, or aspirate inhalation sounds. When we listen to our students inhale in preparation to sing, we don't want to actually hear their breath coming in. If we do “hear” them inhaling then we know that the singer is not raising their soft palate and creating an open throat. If you hear that aspirate sound of your breath coming in, you need to learn to raise your soft palate. For more information on raising the soft palate, please see our blog post from 11/9/21.
Another issue you will experience when you are breathing loudly, is a very dry mouth and throat. With each breath you take, you will feel your voice getting drier and drier to the point that it will begin to cut out or crack. So, what can you do? Try taking in your breath making as little sound as possible. You will hear the breath going past your teeth and your lips but you should not hear a raspy gasping type of sound. If you are already working on raising your soft palate, taking a silent breath is another way to achieve the raised palate because when your breath comes in silently, you have raised your soft palate and gotten it out of the way. Because we have to breathe often as singers, if you take in a silent breath each time you breathe, you will be practicing raising the soft palate which will give you a lot of chances to practice this important skill and have success in achieving that full, beautiful, open sound we all want!
Raising your soft palate is REALLY IMPORTANT!
As singers, we all want to have the most open and beautiful sound we can produce. One of the most important skills to work on is raising your soft palate. You may be asking, where and what is my soft palate? Let’s start first with the hard palate. The hard palate is the area that includes the roof of your mouth right behind your upper teeth. The soft palate is the area that is behind your hard palate going to the back of your throat. If you put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and slide it back as far as your can you will feel where that hard palpate becomes soft. When we yawn, we naturally raise the soft palate. I was told by a voice teacher to practice singing while keeping my throat in a yawn position. That visual, although correct, was a bit too abstract for me. What really helped was to take a flash light and shine it into my mouth while looking in a mirror and actually see my soft palate. You know that little piece of tissue that hangs down in your throat that looks like a punching bag? That is called your uvula and it is in the middle of the soft palate. In order to raise your soft palate you have to pull the little punching bag or uvula up as high as you can.
Once I actually saw my uvula and understood where and what my soft palate was, I was able to practice raising it up. Then, once I felt the sensation of a high soft palate, I practiced singing while maintaining that feeling of openness in the back of my throat. The results were amazing! I found singing in general to be so much easier and I had an immediate improvement in the high part of my vocal range. I think that the results can be amazing for you too. Give it try and see for yourself an almost immediate improvement!
What is sub-glottic pressure?
What is sub-glottic pressure?
The opening between your vocal cords is called the glottis. When we close our vocal cords to create phonation we are closing the glottis so that the vocal cords can vibrate and create sound. What causes the vocal cords to come together and close the glottis? It is the breath that comes up from our lungs controlled by the diaphragm that draws the vocal cords together. So the term “sub-glottic pressure” is divided this way:
“sub” refers to the breath pressure that is beneath the vocal cords, “glottis” is referring to the opening between the cords and “pressure” is the air coming through the glottis to make sound. We have to create the correct amount of sub-glottic pressure to successfully sing in our different ranges. Sub-glottic pressure is at it’s greatest when we sing high because the vocal cords stretch very thin and vibrate very quickly so more breath pressure is needed. In our middle range less breath pressure is needed to create sound because the vocal cords are stretched less. Most people speak in their middle range because it requires less effort. When we sing in our low range, the vocal cords are the least stretched and because the cords are vibrating more slowly, the singer needs to move more breath rather then rely on the sub-glottic pressure to hold back air. Singing in our high range requires the most breath support to properly create sub-glottic pressure which is why so many singers strain their voices when they sing high.
So what is a singer to do? We at Jameson vocal studio believe that singers need to achieve the right kind of sub-glottic pressure to learn proper breathing technique. Your vocal cords will react to whatever range you want to sing in but if you lack adequate breath support you will not be able to achieve the beautiful sound you want. Don’t get frustrated, contact us today!!
“Develop the coveted seamless legato line using Lip Trills”
Lip trills really help to move and anchor your breath by using correct sub-glottic breath pressure. It’s a great way to create that seamless legato line which you need to develop for world-class singing. The objective is to make sure your lips keep trilling throughout the entire vocalize. If your lips stop, you can bet your breath stopped as well. Stopping breath is the same as dropping your support. So, stand with correct posture, rib cage high, good, deep, low, down and out breath and start phonation or singing by trilling your lips. In the lower range it might be a bit more difficult because you need to move more breath. Remember to keep the breath moving and those lips trilling!
A little more about the Tongue
In one of our recent blog posts we spoke about maintaining a tongue position that is as relaxed as possible. Remember pretending to falling asleep in the chair or putting your tongue into the (EE) position? By maintaining that (EE) position of the tongue with all of your vowels, you are creating the most space it is possible for you to have in the back of your throat. The more space you have in the back of your throat the better the sound will be that comes out of your mouth. Another great outcome of keeping that tongue relaxed and the throat open is that you will definitely produce a louder and bigger sound! It is also imperative to remember to take in as much air as possible and then manage it properly so that you can stay relaxed in your throat and tongue. The throat will not stay open nor will the tongue stay relaxed if you do not have the right breath support. Tension is the enemy of great and healthy singing! In learning to have correct breath support, a relaxed tongue, and open throat you are starting to give yourself a real shot at a singing career. If you wanted to become a dancer, would you expect to do that without taking lessons? You have to learn how to sing also! No singer is free of tension and vocal problems if they never learn a vocal technique. We want you to help you build a technique with your voice so that you can have a long and healthy singing career. Contact us today so that we can get you started on a successful singing career!
Posture. Use the correct one for Breathing!
Posture is extremely important when it comes to breathing. If you don’t use the correct posture, you have nowhere for that breath to go. We tell our students to put their heels hips, shoulder blades against a wall. Head should be there too with chin not too high or too low. Now, step away from the wall maintaining that position and you will have the correct posture for breathing and singing. Taking in a straw breath like we’ve discussed before, can help you achieve correct posture so add these new techniques to your practice time. Enjoy your newfound posture…it will make you sing better!
Tongue tension Issues?
I want to talk to you today about something we all need to tackle as singers and that is tongue tension. When we lack adequate breath support we tend to use other body parts to support our voices and one of the the most commonly used is our tongue. In order to have that beautiful sound we are all striving for with our voices, we need to maintain a very relaxed tongue position. So, how do we get there? Let’s imagine that you fell asleep in a chair with your head falling back. In what position do you find your tongue? Chances are the tip of your tongue is resting at the front of your bottom teeth and is slightly up in the back. This is the most relaxed position your tongue can ever be in. Another way to identify the correct tongue position is by singing in an (EE) vowel. The (EE) position of the tongue is the same relaxed position as the falling asleep in a chair position. It is also important for you to know that the base of your tongue is attached to your larynx. It is because of this laryngeal attachment that we must have our tongues as relaxed as possible which will also help you have the correct laryngeal position. Practice keeping your tongue in this (EE) position while singing and start to visualize that relaxed tongue position on all of your vowels. We do not want you to distort your vowels but if you can sing through that (EE) tongue position on all your vowels, you will achieve a much better overall sound in your voice. To fully tackle your tongue tension you also have to tackle the lack of adequate breath support. Everything with singing builds on each other and all of this requires guidance from a well trained voice teacher. Contact us to help you to find a more relaxed and beautiful sound.
Breathing for COVID Survivors
At Jameson Vocal Studio, we want to help people that are struggling with breathing problems as a result of contracting COVID-19. As classically trained opera singers and teachers, we have devoted our entire adult lives to the art of singing. We are experts in the training of proper breath intake, support and breath management which is the foundation to our entire vocal technique. Through a series of lessons, we will teach you our tools which will help you learn to expand your lung capacity and learn to diaphragmatically breath. We truly want to help those affected by this terrible pandemic. Contact us today!
COVID and breathing problems
It has come to our attention that many people who have had Covid are struggling with breathing problems. We’ve also heard that many voice teachers are helping these people recover from their breathing issues. Of course first and foremost you need to see your doctor for help and advice. In addition to seeing your doctor, a voice teacher that knows and talks a lot about proper breathing technique can be a wonderful source of help for you. Most people don’t know how to properly inflate their lungs or how to increase their capacity for air. If you are a person that would like help and advice on increasing your lung capacity and strengthen your breathing muscles, please contact us for help today!
What should I wear for auditions?
This is a very commonly asked questions in our studio! The best answer we can offer is to always wear something that really flatters your body type. Buying audition clothing is like buying a bathing suit. You want your outfit to totally flatter you and reflect your sense of style and self. We recommend against wearing white and overly busy patterns because white can make a person look much heavier then they actually are and busy patterns make the adjudicator focus on your outfit rather then your singing. When you go shopping, take someone with you that you can really trust to be honest with you about how you look and stick to bright solid colors and jewel tones. Also, remember that if you have a specific look that is important to your brand then you have to stay within that style. As we always say, JVS offers a holistic approach to teaching our students. Email us today for lessons and be assured we not only will help you sound great, but look fantastic, too!
It’s OK to say NO!
We would like to talk again about the subject of vocal fatigue. One way you can get into trouble is when you are touring or doing multiple performances without getting enough downtime and vocal rest. This can be very draining on you physically and vocally. It is incredibly important that before you leave, you are comfortable with your schedule. Many people will want you to sing more and more throughout your careers and while that is what we all are after, we must learn to manage our schedules and how often we sing. We tell our students NO, is an important word to learn. It can be very difficult to say NO to people when we want to please them and continue getting more and more opportunities to sing. Remember, when you say NO to something, you are actually saying YES to something you value more! At JVS, we offer a holistic approach for our students. We don’t just deal with matters of vocal technique, but rather the whole person, seeing each one of you individually and doing our best to meet your needs. Why don’t you send us an email and start learning not only a great vocal technique, but how to manage the many challenges of your career, successfully! Say YES to SUCCESS!!
Audition Shoes
When you are singing in a performance or in an audition the last thing you want to be thinking is, “My feet are killing me,” so, finding the right shoes is super important. When looking for an audition or performing shoe, always chose a one with heals that are comfortable to walk in and stand it. Never wear a brand new pair of shoes that are not broken in at all for an any type of performance. If you have a gorgeous new pair of shoes that you really want to use, wear them around your house or apartment for at least a week before you wear them for audition. Remember, if you are auditioning or performing on a stage, your feet will be at eye level to the audience so it is very important that your shoes look good. Never wear a pair of shoes that are scuffed up, need new heals, do not fit you right or that resemble your grandmas’ sensible shoes. The people auditioning you will be judging you with a very critical ear and eye so do the best you can to avoid giving them things to be critical of. Don't let your dirty or scuffed up shoes speak for you!
Auditions, Fun or Fear?
One thing all singers have to deal with at one time or another is that dreaded word…AUDITIONS! Auditions don’t have to be so fearful and threatening if you make a choice to think of them in a different way. First of all decide this, “Today I get to perform!” Auditions can be thought of as a performance and not an opportunity to be judged and rejected. I suggest wearing clothes that compliment you and make you feel comfortable and confident. When you arrive at your audition kindly introduce yourself to the audition attendants in a friendly way. Be courteous and make them feel you will be no trouble at all. Be prepared and ready to walk into your audition when called. As you enter the room smile at the people who will be listening to you and wait for them to greet you. Speak clearly and slowly when addressing them and always look directly in their direction. Take some time to settle yourself and sing your best, always offering what you feel most confident in singing. When you leave, thank them for their time and walk out confidently with your head held high no matter how you feel you performed. You cannot control whether or not they liked you or will hire you but you can control what you do and how you address them!! Auditioning can be fun with the right attitude! Remember, you get to perform!! It’s what you love to do!!! Drop us an email to get started on your lessons. It will be one of the best investments you will ever make!
Volume control and singing Pianissimo (Very quietly)
Have you ever wanted to sing really softly but could not make that soft sound carry or have the same beauty or quality in your voice as you did when you sang loudly? Singing softly or singing pianissimo which is the Italian word for very quiet, is a skill you can definitely master if you know how to manage your breath correctly. First of all, let’s review how much breath you need to take in by getting a straw and breathing in as much breath as you feel you can and then forcing in one more breath to stretch those inhalation muscles. Once you have taken in that big breath, you have to manage it by engaging or flexing your abs. As we stated previously, to engage your abs and sing on your breath, you must feel your stomach muscles come out when you start to sing just like your bicep would come out on your arm if you were flexing it. Before you try to sing softly you must practice singing loudly while engaging your abs. When all of that is working correctly, try singing loudly and then diminish the air flow out of your mouth by literally blowing less air while keeping your abs completely engaged as if you are singing loudly. The affect will be a level of volume control that will truly set you apart from other singers. Singing softly can be achieved pretty easily if you already have a strong vocal technique and breath management.
Breath support: Engaging your abs
When speaking of breath support, there are 2 concepts you must understand. The first proper inhalation and the second is managing the breath you have inhaled. The best way to experience proper inhalation is to take a straw and breath through it taking in as much breath as you feel you can and then forcing in one more breath. Once you have experienced that level of inhalation you have to learn how to manage the volume of breath you have taken in by understanding how to use your abdominal muscles to support your voice meaning. The question becomes, what should your abdominal muscles be doing to actually support your voice? The answer is the must engage or flex.
As an example, try engaging your bicep muscle by picking up something heavy for a second and see what that muscle is doing? It engages by rises up and stands out right? Well, our abs do the same thing. Let’s imagine that you are going to take in a big breath and blow out a huge birthday cake full of candles. Try it and see what your abs do? Did you feel them come out? If you did, that is is correct! We engage our abs the same way when we support our voices. So after you take in your breath with your straw, practice singing a line or a phrase of music and keep those abs engaged or coming out as you do. When you sing, you never want to pull your abdominal muscles in to start phonation. This concept will definitely take some time to master but it is really important to the overall health of your voice and your ability to sing long sustained notes and passages.
Special message for male voices
A common problem for tenors, baritones and basses, is learning to successfully manage the passaggio. Passaggio is an Italian word that means passage and when we use it in singing, it refers to the passage from one vocal register to another. Guys must learn how to master the ability to move easily and seamlessly from one vocal register to another which is the only way to gain ease for singing their high notes! If you can’t manage the passaggio efficiently, the larynx will rise quickly with each higher note leading to a tight, squeezed feeling. Watch your Adam’s apple, (larynx) if it goes up with each higher note in your range then you are not going to manage your passaggio correctly.
Try this exercise…
Start in your middle register on an ee vowel. Remember your jaw should be dropped comfortably as in the ah vowel position and your tongue resting lightly just behind your lower front teeth to create the ee vowel sound. As you sing a rising scale at some point you should feel it difficult to maintain a pure ee vowel. Try creating a lower position in your larynx by mimicking the feeling of a yawn. Done successfully, the ee vowel will become easier and the vowel more pure again. Learning to navigate your passaggio correctly is extremely important to overall vocal health and good singing. It will take the help and guidance of a well-educated voice teacher.
Special message female Pop and Broadway singers
We need to address the female pop and Broadway singers. It is essential that you learn how to sing in a “mix” range. The mix range is needed when what you are singing is too high to sing in straight chest voice or in “belt voice” and too low for straight head voice. Taking the chest voice or belt voice too high can lead to vocal problems and damage over time. Just like a car needs to shift gears in order to go faster with less wear and tear on the engine, your voice also needs to shift gears in order to sing in a way that causes less wear and tear on the voice. Pop and Broadway voices have 3 different gears. The lowest gear of your voice is called your “chest” voice, the middle gear would be your “mix” voice and your highest gear is your “head” voice. In order to use your mix correctly, you need to take a bit of chest voice and combine it with a bit of head voice. When you sing something that makes you feel you are straining your voice by forcing it into chest but feels too low for your head voice, then the mix you use would be an 80/20 split meaning 80% chest and 20% head voice. When the range is still to low for straight head voice but much too high for chest voice then you use a 50/50 split which means 50% chest and 50% mix and for your highest notes in mix where it is still to high for straight head voice but way too high for chest voice, go for a 20/80 split meaning 20% chest voice and 80% head voice. When you sing in the highest part of your range you should be using 100% head voice. It is essential for long-term vocal health and a long healthy singing career to build a middle register or mix range.
Speaking in Your Optimum Range
It is very important to know how to take care of your voice. True vocal damage is very difficult to reverse so you want to avoid it at all costs.
One of the most essential ways to care for your voice is to learn to speak correctly as we speak much more in a day then we sing. If we are not speaking at the right pitch level or optimum range, we can cause major issues with our singing voice. The best way to find your optimum range, which is the pitch level your voice lies in naturally, is to bend over at the waist and let your head fall to a relaxed position and just say uh-huh to see where your speaking voice lies naturally. Chances are it is much higher in range then you might have expected. You can vary the pitch up and down from that optimum range, but never let your voice go into a really low guttural range which is called vocal fry. Women tend to go into vocal fry at the end of a sentence and men will often speak lower then their optimum range to sound more authoritative. If you speak in your optimum range, you will definitely find your voice sounding more rested through out the day. This is especially important for people who have to speak a lot on their day job. Speaking in your optimum range is something you will have to practice but the results will be fantastic! Remember to also practice supporting your speaking voice the same way as you do your singing voice.
Vocal Fatigue
In a recent lesson with a student the subject of Vocal Fatigue came up. After singing a lot of consecutive days, our student, was concerned something was really wrong with her voice. She said her singing felt low, heavy, and less easy. After working with her we realized there was nothing more wrong with her voice the simple vocal fatigue. She was vocally tired and probably physically tired as well from too much singing. The advice we gave her was to rest her voice a couple days by staying quiet. We told her not to sing or talk and definitely not to whisper! She told us that she absolutely needed to use her voice just one more time before she could take that necessary and important vocal rest. In order to help her, we worked her breath support by giving her warm-ups to help her re-engage her support muscles and get back to singing ON her breath not WITH her breath. We also helped her alleviate that heavy, low feeling, by making sure she was feeling her resonance high and forward in her face not in her throat or chest.