VOCALS
IF BELTING IS BAD, WHY DOES IT FEEL SO GOOD? | Sheri Gould
As singers, why are there times we do things helping us in any way. In fact, they are most fake power (screaming - otherwise known as
we know are not good for our voice? In fact, likely causing us problems. For one thing, belting), try focusing on good vocal technique.
why do some things seem to feel so good it’s pretty much impossible to make any kind In the long run, it will win out. Learn how to
when we do them, only to cause problems for of “face” without creating tension, and that create powerful tones in a way that doesn’t
us later? tension is not a good thing. We want all of our hurt. Then you’ll truly sound powerful…
strength and power to come from the breathing therefore feel powerful and be powerful in your
PASSION muscles and when we focus on the muscles in singing. I wish I could tell you that it’s perfectly
We’ve all been told, or read somewhere, that our face it takes away from our proper support. fine to belt. I wish I could tell you “if it feels
“belting” is bad for you. We’ve all felt the after We need to be relaxing all the muscles we good do it”. Scream all you want! But I can’t.
effects of a set when we knew better but belted Belting is hurting your voice. Your voice was not
anyway. Soreness, hoarseness, complete loss designed to handle the stress of today’s belting
of voice… etc. Even knowing this: did it stop style. Have you looked around and noticed how
you? Likely not. Why is that? I think I can answer many artists are going down for the count and
that, at least in part: It feels good to belt. Not
to the vocal cords of course—those hurt—but
everything else about it. If feels passionate. It
feels powerful. We feel powerful when we sing
like that. It’s pretty much all about how we feel
when we belt.
Ah, but you say, doesn’t it sound great? My
answer to you is “probably not”. You imagine
that you sound like Whitney Houston or Steve
Perry but in actuality? You probably sound
like someone trying to sound like Whitney
Learn how to
create powerful
tones in a way
ending up with vocal damage, surgery, rehab
or worse? Don’t be a casualty of the lure of
belting.
THREE THINGS
1.
You have no stronger muscles in your
body than the muscle designed for
that doesn’t
breathing. You want power? Use your
breathing muscles. Practice until breath
hurt. Then you’ll
support comes naturally to you.
2.
Houston or Steve Perry and falling quite short
of the mark. More likely sounding a lot more
like someone trying to scream at their children
who are down the block and coming in about a
quarter tone short of the pitch.
Learn how to use proper breath support.
Relax your throat and lower your larynx.
Keeping your larynx low will help to
truly sound
remove tension in your throat. It will open
your throat and help to deepen and enrich
your tone.
powerful…
3.
Learn how to place your tone higher in
your head. Use a “N” or “NG” hum to get
It’s important to understand that what feels this placement. It will not only improve
good to you, may not necessarily sound good your tone, but it will place it higher and
to others. You are feeling it from the inside,
hearing it from inside your head. Things often
look and feel quite different when looking or
the muscles we should be using. So try this
listening from the outside. yourself. Sing with all your heart while looking in
FACES to review video of yourself singing live for this
One of the first things I do with my students
is have them look into a mirror while they
sing. This immediately solves a multitude of
problems. There are lots of “faces” we can
make as singers that might feel good to us
when we make them but that are actually not
72
take stress off the vocal cords.
don’t need and focusing on proper use of all
a mirror and correct as needed. It’s also good
same reason. You won’t be able to correct, but
you can take notes!
SOLID TECHNIQUE
Instead of trying to scare up passion, drama,
feeling etc. through manufactured tones and
October 2019
These three things will help you to get a powerful
tone that will outdistance any contemporary
“belt”. What I care most about is keeping you
singing for a lifetime. That’s worth a lot more
than a feeling.
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
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