VOCALS
A FUN AND HELPFUL TRICK | Sheri Gould
Looking for something fun , easy and really helpful to improve your voice ? I have just the thing . A little buildup first …
My mantra over the years has been to help contemporary singers improve their singing by utilizing time tested and true vocal techniques . I steer away from fads . There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to singing except that it ’ s become much easier for anyone to “ hang their shingle out ” on any given social media outlet and “ share the wares ” of their vocal “ knowledge ”. Without wanting to disparage anyone who is out there genuinely teaching good vocal technique , it has to be said that there is a lot of misinformation being spread around . I prefer to stick with classic vocal technique that has endured over the centuries and proven faithful to singers in not only improving their voices but in protecting them as well . So , my goal is to get you to sing “ like ” a classical singer without sounding like one .
Some of the basics of singing classically that I “ borrow ” are : proper breath support and control , tone placement , exploration of resonance and a good use of vocal registers , practices that improve intonation ( pitch control ), range extension and total relaxation of the throat and larynx to name a few . I have had great success in teaching the trained and untrained singer alike in using these techniques all the while keeping a contemporary styling that serves them well in today ’ s contemporary Christian music environment . But unfortunately , today ’ s music is fraught with unhealthy vocal techniques that are sapping our singers of vocal health and life .
TYPICAL PROBLEMS It ’ s common for today ’ s contemporary singer to run into vocal difficulties when trying to perform for even 15-20 min of singing . Struggles include , but aren ’ t limited to : soreness , loss of vocal quality , lack of strength and stamina , no power , inability to reach full range , even acute laryngitis .
Singers are trying to get a powerful and passionate sound without knowing a healthy way to achieve this goal . Instead , they utilize whatever happens to be the easiest technique for them to grab and often the result is pretty disastrous vocally . They are also , often , being pushed to sing in a “ full voice ” ( typically a belting of some kind ) without a healthy means to do so . This is not only harmful to the singer but intimidating and discouraging as well . No one wants to feel that they are inadequate at their “ job ” and so when an untrained person in a leadership role demands a certain performance from a singer , the singer is often put in a very difficult situation . Again , the results are often quite damaging to the singer .
SOME HELP Over the years I have found it helpful to encourage singers to find help with their voice and style development by singing in different styles / genres . This not only helps singers to break free from some self-imposed limits they have on their voice but helps them discover many things they otherwise might never have . Among the genres I encourage them to try is Opera .
Opera is an incredibly challenging genre to sing and most of us can only hope to achieve a small facsimile of what a true operatic singer would sound like . But there is much to be gained in the trying ! When I have asked a student to try this and then describe what they are feeling , it almost always results in a list of things that include those I listed above as good classic techniques for singing ! They almost automatically reach down to use their breathing muscles to achieve the power they want ( instead of relying on the smaller , more easily damaged muscles in the throat ). They tend to drop their jaw which not only improves their tone ( the mouth is one of the only resonators that you can change the shape of and opening the mouth typically improves resonance a great deal ) but also helps to relax the throat area by releasing the larynx . When trying to create that “ operatic ” sound , students will often open up the back of the throat which involves dilating the pharynx , lowering the larynx and raising the soft palate .
HERE IS THE KEY ! Everything about what I just described in terms of the ( feigned ) opera singing is great technique , that can help you meet many of your vocal goals , except one . All of it helps to achieve a level of relaxation and power but also produces a sound that is not helpful to us as contemporary singers . For this reason , most singers have never even tried to go this route in their training . However , the solution to the sound issue is simple ! Lower the soft palate . You can safely employ all the classical type techniques associated with operatic except for this one - raising your soft palate . Raising the soft palate gives the voice a tone that just doesn ’ t fit well in a contemporary style . Once you ’ ve mastered lowering your soft palate you can begin to truly experience , and enjoy , the benefits of singing “ like a classical singer but not sounding like one ”! You will experience a wonderful increase in power , vocal endurance , range and many other solutions to your vocal problems . It may take you a little time to master them all and achieve the results you want , but this is a fun and easy “ trick ” to help you get there .
God Bless you as you sing for Him !
Sheri Gould Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach . She ’ s been helping artists and worshipers find their voice for over 40 years . For help and resources visit her site . www . SheriGould . com