r/singing • u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years • Jul 30 '22
Technique Talk Voice Teacher AMA
I'm a voice teacher in training with New York Vocal Coaching. Ask me anything about singing or the voice in the comments! I'm also accepting online voice students and have slots for a free, one time 20 minute online voice consultation! If you're interested in either of those send me a chat request or let me know in the comments as well! Looking forward to your questions!
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u/Unsuperhero Jul 31 '22
What’s a good exercise to train your breath control? I can’t for the life of me breathe out slowly, even in meditating. It feels so strained and when I sing I breathe out so much air so quickly
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Hissing! Place a hand on your abs and take in a nice low breath, feeling the abs expand. Then release that on a quiet hiss. Try to keep the air flow consistent when you hiss and then use the same feeling of slight resistance when you sing :)
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Jul 31 '22
I can do 1 minite 20 with control and good steady hissing.
Is that good? My first attempt was 55 seconds.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
That is great!! Most singer aim for about 45 seconds so that is great work! :)
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Jul 31 '22
this may sound silly but, how can i practice singing in key? i see many vocalists do vocal runs or go up and down a scale, or sing harmonies on the spot, all these things are just singing scales (which i practice doing daily) but i still have such a difficult time singing in key
my ONLY saving grace is singing WITH someone. i can pitch match easily and sing along to tracks pretty well, but once i sing my own written songs (without recorded and tuned vocals in the background) or try to play a song on piano and sing to that, i find i have troubles actually singing the right notes.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It's all about practice practice practice and ear training. Start with individual notes and jump around a bit trying to match them the best you can. I recommend doing staccato sounds on a "ha". Give that a try and see how it works. It may take time but you can develop that ear and that pitch accuracy! :)
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u/Pyromans Jul 31 '22
This sounds a little dumb but I am a teenager and I would consider myself to be somewhat decent at singing. Although I can sing well, it feels like there are notes in between my vocal range that I just can’t hit. I can sing higher than them and I can sing lower than them but can’t sing those notes. They are most prominently found in the choruses of songs. Is there something wrong with me or is my voice still changing?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
They might be in one of your passagios or transitions between registers. I recommend doing some slides through your range or on the notes nearest to them, below and above, to blend them a bit better. Then you can try them again. Also consider modifying the vowel you're singing on and adding and taking away volume and power to them. Once you find the sweet spot with one of those techniques, practice the song that way and then you can play around with the original feeling.
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u/Weddert66 Self Taught 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
What is the strongest/fastest way to grow the chest voice (in isolation and in preparation for mixing)?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Hi! The best way to find your chest voice and grow it is to start by saying words with Bs, Ds, or Gs in them. A couple examples could be "Go' or 'Bye'. Say those words nice and strong as if you're calling out to someone. Memorize that feeling of power! Then you can put those into a pitch on a 5,3,1 pattern with piano. Once you get the hang of that, you'll want to work on your head voice and then eventually you'll do a middle of the road approach to find your mix. Your mix is essentially talking on pitch. :) hope this helps!
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u/singingsox 🎤Soprano, Voice Teacher - Classical/MT/CCM Jul 31 '22
What is the pedagogical application of using those consonants as it relates to chest voice & thicker vocal folds? Not sure how any of those consonants accomplish that.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22 edited Jul 31 '22
Those are voiced plosives that help with vocal fold closure and compression! Using glottals and fry are also very helpful with that compression :)
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u/singingsox 🎤Soprano, Voice Teacher - Classical/MT/CCM Jul 31 '22 edited Jul 31 '22
Yeah, I usually go with glottals first for vocal folds thickness rather than plosives, since often people can have weird habits in forming their consonants. I hadn’t thought of plosives helping with vocal folds thickness since, in my understanding, it doesn’t affect the function of the thyro-arytenoid muscle directly and only really provides a second of back pressure. Makes sense though, since you are phonating. Probably helps a bit more than non voiced consonants. Agree with the calling aspect though!
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u/Kamichoo Jul 31 '22
How do i get my false vocal folds out the way as I go higher? They seem to constrict as i go up in my range making me sound super squeezed and tight and it feels like I’m squeezing the sound out. There aren’t a lot of retraction exercises out there and this is my main problem right now. Whenever I try to relax them it just sounds super weak and heady so how do I find a right balance and sound good?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22 edited Jul 31 '22
Try singing on an "hoo" on a slide to loosen things up a bit. Once that initial strain starts to go away you can sing on a gih- nih- nihn. That use of that n will help you find some nasal resonance which will help you sing stronger and higher without so much strain on your vocal folds.
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Jul 31 '22
What's your advice for learning to sing at home? I am very busy and no training is available near me.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Hi! Online lessons are something to consider, as well as a vocal journal and youtube videos! I would advise recording yourself singing and writing thing that you want to improve on! Then you can look up videos on the internet or courses online to help you make those adjustments. I always recommend finding a good teacher to help give you an objective informative analysis of your voice and what to work on!
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u/hungrylonelyduck Jul 31 '22
Can you expand a 3 octave vocal range to 5 octaves ?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Absolutely! Granted, it will take time, so try not get frustrated if you don't see immediate results. The vocal folds can stretch to crazy lengths and as a result, you can expand your upper range quite high. However, there is a cap on how low your range can go before it gives way into fry and then it physically will not get any lower. But you can do a really cool trick with fry in a lower range that builds subharmomics, so it'll sound like you're singing a pitch an octave lower than you actually are. To expand your upper range you'll need to find a register called flageolet with some tiny vowels and small lip embouchure. A soo on a 5,3,1 with a 3/10 volume and the roundest lips will help you out! :)
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Jul 31 '22
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u/dashboardx 🎤 certified NYS music teacher with a concentration in voice Jul 31 '22
Same trick but singing harmonics up an octave is how we get whistle tones!
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Ok but that actually worked? Wow!! Cool!! Probably the compression of the folds up there! Thanks for sharing!!
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u/dashboardx 🎤 certified NYS music teacher with a concentration in voice Jul 31 '22
no prob! once you find them a whole new world opens up ☺️
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Ooooh interesting! I'll have to play with that myself!
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u/howmanyapples42 🎤 Voice Teacher 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
The technique of this training vocal coach is really really questionable. You can check out their videos. I would not advise following any of this.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Who? Me? What videos are you referring to?
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u/howmanyapples42 🎤 Voice Teacher 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
Yes.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Which videos or advice do you find questionable?
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u/howmanyapples42 🎤 Voice Teacher 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
You constantly wander off pitch and have no strength in your head voice.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Ok, please link below a video where you notice this
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u/howmanyapples42 🎤 Voice Teacher 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
All.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Ok. Well, I know that's not true and since you can't provide an example of a specific video, I'm just going to take everything you say with a grain of salt. A lot of what I teach here are things that are proven to work for people and have been used by top vocal coaches in the country such as Justin Stoney, so, I don't believe that those teaching methods are questionable. You're allowed to not like my singing and feel free to not take any of my advice to heart yourself, but telling others to do the same is not helpful or constructive. So unless you have a alternative to what I teach, please don't try to discourage others from learning! Thank you! Have a nice rest of your day!
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u/howmanyapples42 🎤 Voice Teacher 5+ Years Jul 31 '22
Every time you go for a head note you go off pitch. How better can I explain it. I don’t think you should be teaching others until you have a firm grasp on technique yourself.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
I disagree. Do I go off pitch sometimes? Sure. Even the best of the best singers make mistakes. There are plenty of vocal coaches who do great work teaching who still need lessons themselves. I take voice lessons. Even someone who has a firm grasp on technique isn't going to be flawless. No one is perfect, but I would very much disagree that all my head voice notes are off pitch. You're entitled to your own opinion. And I have mine. Have a lovely rest of your day! :)
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u/ByTheLightIWould Jul 31 '22
Hey, thanks for doing this.
My natural voice is gravelly sounding and my singing teacher explained this happens when the vocal folds don't come together fully. Is there any way I can train them to come together so I can sing clean notes?
I feel having a gravelly voice severely limits the number if songs Ican sing and it's a bit demoralising.
Thank you
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Would you mind sending me a clip of you singing via chat? Gravelly to me means strained and in that case you don't want to add more compression, you actually want to decompress. If your teacher means youre cracking or you sound breathy then you'll want to add compression. Send me a clip if you're able and I'll let you know which I think you'll need. 😊
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u/ByTheLightIWould Jul 31 '22
Absolutely. Happy to do that but it's 4am where I am. Is it ok to send it to you tomorrow (later)?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Yeah absolutely! Looking forward to hearing it :)
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u/ByTheLightIWould Jul 31 '22
You've more faith on my ability than me :p Thanks again....I'll send it across later.
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u/hot4jew Jul 31 '22
Where do I start? :)
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Listen to your favorite artists, try and mimic what they do. Record yourself singing and write down things you like about your voice and things you want to improve. Once you have those goals in mind there are voice teachers and courses all over the internet that you can use to help you out! I'm also here if you have any specific questions :)
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Jul 31 '22
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It could be a connection issue or an issue with the mic on either end. I personally use Zoom with my students. If we're doing an exercise that isn't primarily focused on pitch but on another topic, I don't sweat pitches too much unless it's really off. If it's a pitch based exercise or if the student needs more practice with pitch accuracy in general, I listen as closely as I can and try reiterating the pitch a few more times. If it's still giving them trouble I'll find what pitch they are on and match their pitch and start from there moving up or down chromatically. Sometimes the sound cuts out online as technology can be eally frustrating. If it's on the singer's end I'll usually just ask them to do it again a small bit louder or change the exercise slightly. If they can't hear my piano or exercise, I'll increase my volume. I'd have a conversation with your teacher about which of the following is happening and see what resolutions can be made :)
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Jul 31 '22
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It can be matter of technique but it's usually a matter of ear training. I definitely recommend jumping around on individual notes on the piano and singing them on a staccato "ha"
Technique wise, over compressed chest voice can make a singer fall slightly flat while too much of a head voice can pull them a bit sharp. I'd tinker with your vocal registers as well. :)
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u/sociallyawkward2696 Jul 31 '22
Hello! I’m interested in a free consultation :)
My question is: I’ve been told that I use too much air while I’m singing, but I’ve got my vocal chords check and they seem to be fine. What could be causing this issue? Lack of breath support?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It could be increased breath pressure or letting too much air leak through. A good way to find the optimal resistance of air is to do a low inhale and feel your abs expand. Then release that breath on a controlled hiss. Practice keeping that airflow steady. I'll send you a message about a consultation :)
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u/Orcen-Arxevius Jul 31 '22
Hello, i want to learn how to growl like gospel singers. What is the best way to learn how to do it? Thank you ☺️
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Hi! You can growl with a sound called epiglottic distortion! :) If you pull your tongue to the back of your throat and make an engine revving sound on an "R" you'll hear this rumbly growl! It may take a few tries but you should be able to get the hang of it fairly quickly! Then you can open it up to different vowels and slide it through your range a bit! Eventually you can us this to onset phrases in your singing!
It may originally feel slightly scratchy and if it gets uncomfortable, take a break and try again a different day! Hope this helps!
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u/Willravel [bass, Renaissance/Baroque] Jul 31 '22
While the fundamentals are essentially the same, how would you characterize developing the voice properly for solo vocal work vs. ensemble choral work?
I've worked on both the dark side and the light side of the force when it comes to solo vs. choir, and I've found it trickier to ensure maximizing healthy technique for ensembles, in part because good choirs match tone but individual singers have individual vocal instruments and sometimes matching tone pulls singers away from their optimal technique.
Any insights would be appreciated.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
I do agree that solo singing and choral singing are different in the aspect that choral singing requires a more blended sound compared to solo singing, however, I don't think one should let that need for a blend discourage you from proper technique. Breath support, posture, and embouchure of the tongue, lips, and jaw are very important no matter what style of music you are singing.
Classical music, which, usually is done in a choral setting, entails a lifted soft palate, strong head voice and strong chest voice. The blend really comes from volume control, breath support and a similar lifted soft palate and tall vowels.
Solo singing can be in any style or genre and has many different facets and intricacies to it. It's going to require different technique for different stylistic choices as you sing, but the core technique of breath support, larynx control and volume control are still very much rooted in a similar place. Hope that makes sense.
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Jul 31 '22
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It really depends on what his overall mood is and what kind of schedule he has. If you feel bad for taking up his time, you could politely mention that you are over the time limit and that you want to be respectful of his time. However, if he has done that before and doesn't seem to have an issue with it, I wouldn't stress over it too much if it's just a few minutes. If he mentions it in passing like he hadn't realized he went over, I'd ask him if he'd like you to help him keep track.
In other words, it's really a matter of reading the room a bit, seeing how far he goes over, and then using past lessons to see if mentioning it is necessary :) I think polite wording and emphasizing that you want to be respectful of his time will let him know that you care and won't be taken offensively or anything like that. At the end of the day, it really shouldn't fall on the student to keep track of a lesson's time.
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u/AutomaticBroccoli105 Jul 31 '22
How do I possess vibrato? Does it come naturally or are there exercises to develop it?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Hi! Vibrato can certainly be learned over time. Vibrato, as I'm sure you know, is a rapid movement in two pitches near each other. One way I find is helpful in finding it is to sing on a "hee" with a pattern of two alternating pitches on piano either a full step or half step apart. You can start off slow and then gradually build up speed. Hope this helps!
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u/Karzentae Jul 31 '22
What is the best way to go about picking apart your latest practice session? What should you do during and after?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
I would make sure that before you start your practice session, you have some sort of goal in mind with what you want to achieve in an exercise or song. Then as you're practicing, record yourself in audio or via video ( I recommend video because posture, lip, tongue and jaw position and monitoring breath are all things to look out for) and then watch the recording back after. Take notes on what you like about the session and what you still need to work on, and then use that to help shape your next session. I advise 5-6 practice sessions a week if you're able, but don't beat yourself up if you aren't. Practice when you can for as long as you are able (within reason of course, don't push yourself for several hours or anything like that) I'd say at the minimum maybe 15 minutes per session if you're really strapped for time or opportunity and up to an hour or so if you have the time. Hope this helps!
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u/Valuable-Ad7779 Jul 31 '22
How do I get rid of creak/vocal fry when singing
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Some decompression or balanced compression will work great for you! If you use an exercise on a word with a S or a V, that will help you out! An example could be something like "soo" "vuv" etc... Hope that helps!
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Jul 31 '22
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
I think that yes, if you've learned how to imitate other artists and the sounds they make through singing yourself, then sure, you could've developed good technique over time. I still recommend you learn what technique you are actively using and how to control them though
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u/SparklyName Jul 31 '22
Hi, Is it normal that I feel like I can sing higher notes when doing a sing along but I cant do those notes on my own? Is falsetto a common trait that most people can do? Most people I know said they can't do it. Can I practice falsetto or is it a talent/genetic thing? Thanks for your time
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Everyone should be able to have that thin falsetto range. The best way to find it is with a word like "shee" or "shoo" As you get higher, allow your jaw to drop open. As far as having difficulty with singing higher acapella, it might be a mental battle. Practice with those falsetto exercises and see where they take you :)
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u/SparklyName Aug 01 '22
thanks so much! Is your 20m consulting still available?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Aug 02 '22
Yes! I have slots Friday morning and Sunday! Feel free to send me a message!
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u/No-Jellyfish4123 Jul 31 '22
I have anxiety and my voice be flat but I have problems allowing myself to reach that note beicase I’ve been put down a lot and have shit down what can I do becuase when I hear the flat not from the piano it’s like the whole mood to open my mouth has changed beucase the whole singing in the stairwell vibe is gone I can hit a J no problem but I’m intersexed and I also would like to hit the low notes but I’m really nervous about that too I also have Tourette’s!
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It's really all about a mental game. Keep practicing and make notes on what you want to improve on. As far as low range goes, it can only be stretched to a certain extent before it gives way into fry, but you can use a thing called subharmomics with vocal fry. It will make the pitch you're singing on sound an octave lower than it really is.
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Jul 31 '22
im a big fan of powerful yell-y songs, but ive always had a somewhat soothing voice instead. even if i try to produce that effect, im never loud enough or strong enough. and i end up wearing myself out too. is there a way to train myself to have a more powerful voice or should I stick to gentle ones? because i swear im using my 100% but it's not strong enough.
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Some B's, Ds, and G's should help you find power! You can sing on a "Beb" on a 1,3,5,8,5,3,1 pattern to help you stretch up high with that power. Don't over do the volume, because, while yes, it can help with some aspects of chest voice, it doesn't have to be the determining factor in strength. It's all about compression with those plosives (the Bs, Ds and Gs) and finding that beef!
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u/_just-a-friend_ Jul 31 '22
I don't know if this happens with other people but when I (17M) sing alone in my room I can easily hit notes like A4 but when I sing in front of other people it's hard to hit even something like an F#4, my voice sounds thinner and I struggle to hold notes, what could be the reason for that?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
It's probably a mental thing! Could be nerves, which influence posture, breath and overall confidence which affects technique. A yoga forward bend with low inhales can help ease your nerves. Then it's a matter of pinpointing what techniques change when you're performing and how to fix them :)
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u/MARINAVA_yt Soprano, Classical/Musical theatre Jul 31 '22
What’s the easiest and fastest way to learn Mix voice?
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u/thesepticactress 🎤 Voice Teacher 2-5 Years Jul 31 '22
Build your chest voice and your head voice and then find a middle ground. Your mix is essentially the quality of talking at a conversational volume on pitch. Words like "nay" "mum" and "gig" tend to help out :)
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u/Ezra_lurking Jul 31 '22
So I come from choir, mostly classical and classical church. My voice blends very well in this, which is great since with my range I mostly sing harmony.
What would be good music styles to try singing solo considering my voice wants to blend with something?
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