By Jeannie Deva
Confused About Vocal Technique?
If you are confused about vocal technique, you are not alone. Most singers are uncertain whether the directions they have been given are correct. Too often they decide what is right or wrong technique based on opinion or personal taste rather than on fact.
So how do you know if a vocal technique is correct? You can’t see your vocal folds or vocal muscles to see if they are straining or tense. Often you can feel the tension but still may not know what to do about it. So how do you know if what you are doing is right?
The short answer is that a right or correct technique aligns with how the body naturally produces sound. This means you need to have some understanding of vocal anatomy to be sure that you are working with and not against your body.
Purpose of Vocal Technique
I believe that the purpose of vocal technique is to give you the skill to sing what you want in the way you want, without hurting your voice. That is why I researched how the voice naturally works and developed a method to achieve a healthy, expressive, spontaneous voice in any style of music.
When your vocal instrument can work naturally, free from manipulation, you will have vocal consistency, control, and increased range. You will also have a wealth of different sounds such as rasp, belt, and wails. You would also be able to sing in full voice throughout your range. If your current vocal technique is not helping you achieve that, it is either incomplete or incorrect.
Vocal Anatomy
Who wants to study vocal anatomy so they can sing? – not many. To save you from a complex study while still providing adequate understanding, I have simplified my original research of vocal anatomy and incorporated it into my vocal technique. You can avail yourself of this information in my Contemporary Vocalist Volume One Download self-study course.
Perhaps this seems a bit like a sales pitch, but really it is just honest advice. After training many thousands of singers, I can say with certainty that you need some understanding of vocal anatomy if you want to sing well and not hurt your voice.
In other free lessons on my blog, I’ll delve into vocal anatomy a bit more and why a lack of understanding of it leads to many problems for singers. Also, we’ll discuss how to know when your vocal technique is good enough and how to balance it with performance skills. In the meantime, buy and use Contemporary Vocalist Volume One Download. The book contains all you need to know about vocal anatomy and the CDs (Audio Tracks) provide a wealth of exercises to develop your vocal muscles.
Until next time,
Jeannie Deva