Forward/Bright vs. Back/Dark

REMEMBER: You can still vote in the poll on the right-hand side!

Even though your mouth might seem like a very small cavity to you, the effects of its positioning on your sound can create hundreds of differences. Depending on how open or closed, rounded or flat, the position of your tongue and all the myriads of slight variations on those can truly take you from one sound to another. I will touch on 2 extremes here.

Forward/Bright:

A forward or bright sound is one that resonates more around the lip area. An extreme version of it would be to imitate a young child. You can also practice it by pursing your lips and singing: "ooo" as in the word "you." You'll hear it very obviously and in higher pitches, it can be almost an "in your face" sound. The forward/bright sound happens most often when the mouth is more closed and can be hightened by the tongue raising in the back and lowering close to the teeth (touching the tip of the tongue to the roots of the bottom teeth). Some singers even push the bottom of the jaw bone a bit forward to get an even brighter sound.

Back/Dark:

A back or dark sound is one that is created more towards the back of your mouth close to the throat. An extreme version of it would be what I refer to as the "Kermit the Frog voice." This extreme sounds very "cartoonish." This voice resonates toward the back almost going "down" the throat. You can practice a more back/dark sound by opening wide and singing "ahhhh" as in the word "father." And, depending on the positioning of your tongue, you can make it a more "open dark" sound or a "closed dark" sound which is sometimes referred to as "velar" or "glottal."

(photo taken from: http://www.zompist.com/kitlong.html)

Of course, the positioning of the tongue, jaw and soft palate greatly affect the sound. And there is neither a good or bad in these 2 categories - the one most desirable highly depends on the type of voice the singer already has as well as the genre of music, vocal category, and performance style.

It's always good to have another GOOD "set of ears" listening to your sound and giving you feedback on what kind of sound you have and/or need (i.e. dark/back vs. light/forward). Since the singer hears their voice within the confines of their own skeletal structure, someone else hearing the "real" voice should be able to assist the singer in recognizing what is actually amplified on the outside. Vocal coaches should not only give advice, but be trained listeners to be able to instruct based on the reality of the sound.

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Baby Business

It's been a while since I updated this site, but I promise it was for a good reason - we have welcomed Leite baby #2 to our family, little Levi!  But I am back to work now and so proud of my students' recent achievements.  All of my students are definitely progressing - Caitlin M. won first place in a singing competition, Kristen Lynn's song "Run Away" was played on KISS FM 106.1 and Alex K. is in the process of co-writing his most recent song with me and will be recording his demo next month.

YAY!

100% of you answered correctly that the EYES/EYEBROWS are the body part most responsible for showing emotion during performance.  Although our tendency is to move our bodies and especially our hands and arms, the fact is that when an audience sees us, the very first thing they look at to try to connect with us are our eyes.

It is vitally important that an audience connect with the musician.  It doesn't matter what kind of incredible singer it is, if the person is "offensive" to the eye, most audiences will immediately disqualify that talent.  First impressions are lasting - even if it is during a 3 minute song. Here are some tips to help you maximize the impact of your eye contact while singing:

1.  Make sure you are "looking with intention."

Have specific places mapped out in your mind's eye, so that you natural eye will follow and seem to graze the audience smoothly and effortlessly.  Neither do you want your eyes to randomly dart from one unintentional place to another, nor do you want to stare down a person or 2 which might make them feel threatened or uncomfortable.

2.  Be "relevant" to your song.

Choose eye movements that have to do directly with your lyrics.  Obviously, if there is a reference to "heaven," you do not want to be looking at the ground.  Also remember that if there are repetitive lyrics, this DOES NOT mean you have to repeat your eye movements.  A bit a change can go a long way.  Having said that, overdoing it can cause a lot of discomfort - so keep a reign on those expressions as not to be over-expressive or "clown-like."

3.  Vary your eye movement.

It is important to be intentional and relevant, but also a bit spontaneous in your gaze.  Many a voice student has been taught to "look at a window" or "look over the crowd" in order to avoid being nervous by looking into the audience's eyes.  But your audience can tell if you look like a robot and are not connecting.  Make sure you vary from place to place.

4.  Be careful about closing your eyes.

There are some introspective songs which might call for a bit of eye closure as to emphasize important lyrics, but if the singer constantly has their eyes closed, the audience can feel excluded from the musical experience and again disqualify the talent.

5.  Practice.

The best thing to help yourself in facial expression is to practice in a mirror at home.  Practice at various times during each month to remind yourself of what you are capable of doing with your face - what looks appropriate, what does not, what is attention-catching or what is boring.  Work on specific songs - think through the lyrics and practice facial expressions that accompany them.  The more you practice using your facial muscles (especially around the eyebrows), the more you will be able to do.  You might even surprise yourself at how expressive you can be!

RESPONSE TO JAW POLL

In the latest poll, I asked what was the correct function of the jaw while singing:

-to stay out the way

-to close tightly and let the rest of the mouth do the moving

-to open as much as possible

The first and third answers got equal support.  The correct answer is to OPEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  Although it is many times paid no attention to, the jaw is actually considered one of our articulators (as are the teeth, lips and tongue).  The position of the jaw truly affects the amount of space there is for air flow as well as the placement of correct pitch and quality.

Check out the latest poll in the side column.  Comment here with any questions or comments!

DRINKS POLL RESPONSE

In the latest poll, I asked what drinks DO NOT negatively affect you singing.  You could choose more than one and each category equals 100%.  Here are your responses:

Water 90%

Milk 30%

Tea/Coffee 60%

Soft Drinks 60%

Juice 30%

WATER: To all you who vote for water, congratulations! Independent of it's temperature, water does NOT negatively affect a singing voice.  You do want to probably stay away from freezing cold water, especially after you've warmed up, since it will only cool down your chords, but it will still not harm you.

MILK: Because of it's thickness and high levels of calcium, milk can stick to and weigh down your vocal chords.  Although it is "good for you" and can give you a full feeling in your stomach, vocal chords and a throat full of milky paste can keep you from having elasticity in your voice and complete control of your chords.  So, milk is a no-no before singing.

TEA/COFFEE: Here's a tricky one.  Most tea and coffee are caffeinated which is definitely a negative factor on the throat and vocal chords.  Caffeine dries out anything that was previously lubricated, so downing a cup before singing is just asking for trouble.  HOWEVER, if you have DE-caffeinated coffee or tea, you should be ok.  Just watch out for sugars and milk.  Sugars can also dry you out and you already have your info on milk.  If you need to use something besides plain water to clean out your vocal system before singing, here are some hints:

a. DECAF peppermint tea - inhaling and drinking hot mint can quickly clear out congestion

b. Honey - adding honey to hot water or a mint DECAF tea can help to lubricate vocal chords and your throat on those days where you just feel a little dry and wheezy

c. Lemon - a natural acid, lemon in hot DECAF tea or water helps to cut away any "gunk" that might be sticking around after a cold

*You can use one or another, two or even all three in hot water to keep your chords nice and warm, clean, and lubricated.

SOFT DRINKS:  Soft drinks are usually loaded with sugar and caffeine - 2 DEFINITE no-nos for your chords and throat right before singing.  If you can find a soft drink with neither, we might be able to negotiate, in the mean time - ABSOLUTELY NOT!  :o)

JUICE: This is another tricky one.  Although juices are filled with "good for you" vitamins and sometimes some acidic fruits that can help to clear out the "gunk," generally they are not going to be a good substitute.  The high sugar counts can truly cut away at your lubricated vocal chords as well as set you up for failure mentally.  They can give you a high high followed immediately by a low low attention-wise which can hamper your success over a period of time.

Some smarty-pants students come up with this one:

"Ok, so if I drink milk and then follow it with a soft drink, I should be back to normal!" (or a similar theory thereof)

Don't kid yourself.  High sugar content and caffeine can do so much more harm than your realize.  So, I hope this clears up the doubts on drinks.  Your best bet is always our friendly H2O!  If you have any questions, feel free to comment here.  Also, check out the new poll on the right side.

Keep those chords warm, clean and smoothly lubricated!

Diaphragm Control - Yes or No?

In the latest poll, I asked if you think you should be able to control your diaphragm when you sing.  Astoundingly, 100% of you said "yes!"

Let's test it.  

If I say to you, raise your right hand - Can you do it?  I would hope so.

If I say to you, jump up and down - Can you do it?  I sure hope so.

If I say to you, move your diaphragm - Can you do it?  (Silence abounds!)

Having direct control over your diaphragm is really not up to you.  It's like asking you to jiggle your intestines.  It can probably be done, but only indirectly, by doing something else that affects it.

So, no, you cannot directly control your diaphragm.  This is a LARGELY misunderstood concept.  And it is understandable, since many vocal coaches will teach their students to "use their diaphragm."  Yes, your diaphragm is important in good singing.  But you can only affect it by other things you do - hence, indirectly.

By taking large breaths in (inhaling), you expand your lungs in a downward motion (like filling two balloons).  When those lungs fill with air, they push down on your diaphragm, which, being the flexible membrane that it is, curves from it's upward position to more of a sagging position.  When this happens, it forces your viscera (stomach, intestines, etc.) down and out.  This creates the "belly pooch."  When your belly "pooches" out, you then can directly control your air by contracting your abdominal muscles and slowly force the air back out of your lungs.  As the air moves out, floating over and setting in motion your vocal chords, the diaphragm slowly returns to it's original position, thus allowing the viscera to return to it's prior state.

Unfortunately, you CANNOT directly control your diaphragm.  But with lots of practice, you can indirectly control it, by controlling your inhaling, exhaling and contracting your abs.

Check the right column for the next poll!!!

The Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul

One of the most critical experiences for audiences is that they feel connected to what is being presented.  That means, for those of us who perform, that our job is to allow the audience that experience.  We have the huge weight on our shoulders to bring them in to our own experience with the music.

Regardless of how well you sing, if the audience doesn't feel that you are involving them in your experience, they might just dismiss your talent.  However, there is one thing that most certainly locks in your audience to your performance...the expression in your eyes!

Eyes really can reveal so much about how and what we feel.  It is essential that your eyes (and eyebrows) emote according to the lyrics.  And even though you might feel like a fool, the fact is you are probably NOT "over"emoting.

If you feel you have a hard time involving your audience into your emotional, musical experience, you can better your eye expression:

Make a list of differing emotions.  In front of a mirror, practice showing these various feelings or emotions by expressing them only with your eyes.  (For example: Open your eyes wide.  Squint them pensively.  Close them tightly.  Look to the sides.  Think thoughts that will spur you to emote different feelings with your eyes.)  Practice being as dramatical as possible in front of the mirror.  When you are in front of a crowd, you will probably hold back a bit anyway.

Remember, your eyes can either block your audience out or lure them in to an emotional experience they long to experience with your beautiful voice!