I have worked with many types of singers who sing in various styles. There seems to often be a bit of confusion between intensity and volume. Often a singer will try to belt or get volume by pushing more air, or pulling more weight and chest voice higher and higher through the range. This will more often than not result in a worn out voice which is prone to long-term damage. On the other extreme, I often hear singers who try to sound intimate or soft by using absolutely no energy at all in their voice and the result is a dull, breathy and lifeless sound.
It is important to remember that an intense sound is a released sound. A well produced vocal tone is rich with overtones and all the frequencies necessary to be heard over an orchestra, a band or a mix on a recording. Regardless of the amplitude (volume) which is being sung, the same ringing full sound can be heard. There is nothing similar in sound (or feeling on the part of the singer) between a pushed voice and a full voice. In fact, one of the comments that I have heard more than once when a singer discovers a released, full sound is that "it is so easy that it feels like cheating."
The ease described above has to do with the release and freedom of the larynx; yet freedom is not to be confused with laziness. A well produced vocal tone, is an athletic accomplishment. The entire body is involved in the production of sound. Good singing is real work, but it is not strain. Remember the larynx remains in a comfortable speech level at all times. This is where confusion is very common. This is also the reason I never use words like "support." Telling a singer to give the tone more support can often lead to the erroneous assumption that what is desired is extra abdominal pushing. While it is true that the abdominal region does become involved in the workload, this abdominal resistance is a by product of the intention on the part of the singer to produce the tone, and is not the cause of the tone.
Only after the release of tone has been accomplished by a singer is the next logical step for them to begin to add more intensity to the tone. This adding of intensity is done by increasing the resistance of air pressure by the vocal cords which produces a stronger sound wave. This resistance is built over time and under the direction of a well trained instructor. The stronger sound wave is also known as "The Singer's Formant," and it can be present (and is desirable) at all volumes from ppp to fff.
2 comments:
Great article! I would like to see more articles on this topic. I've spent the last 20 years pushing for that fullness that I was told sounded so good, only to find that I have damaged my voice. I'm working to heal it now and would like to know more about how to create that intensity without the volume.
Hi Kelly Ann!
Really no amount of discussion on this topic will do a singer much good unless they are working one-on-one with a highly trained instructor. This kind of work is very individualized and requires the constant feedback and input of a teacher. I would recommend that anyone who is trying to build a professional calibre voice find a well-trained instructor in their area. If one cannot be found there are still good teachers who can help you out via internet lessons. The Speech-Level-Singing website has a list of certified teachers searchable by zip code at www.speechlevelsinging.com. Of course SLS is the technique I study and teach, so it is the technique I recommend. Obviously there are good teachers outside of SLS, but a teacher who is certified through our organization has been thoroughly trained and tested and thus approved to teach the technique.
Best of luck with your training!
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