Tag: Vocal training

I received a request not long ago on how to develop the low voice.  This is basically aimed at the male voice but could be adapted to the female voice with a few tweaks.

How to develop the low voice

Let us state at the outset that we are not creating a “low voice”.  Each of us is given a certain mechanism which is called our voice. Certain parameters of its structure will determine what kind of voice it will be.  Female voices are usually of a higher pitch and range than a male voice. Our genetics will control most of that.

However, in every person, there is a given limit that the muscles of the mechanism will work.  We usually refer to this as the range of the voice. Some like to emphasize the upper range while others focus on the lower range.

Head voice or chest voice

Two typical titles given to define these vocal ranges are those of head voice and chest voice.  If those terms are employed we find that both male and female have these. There are some that think that only males have the two “registers”.  But both male and female have the same muscles in the vocal mechanism. It is usually more noticeable in the male.

In males, the chest voice is usually associated with the man’s natural singing range.  That range is usually determined as the young male begins to mature and genetics grow larger muscles in general.  This causes the voice pitch to lower because of an increase in size. The female’s muscle growth is less and thus the vocal range is not lowered as is the male’s.

The head voice is facilitated by a set of muscles.  In men, the voice produced is called “falsetto”. It is not a “false” voice at all.  For men, it harkens to the young boy’s soprano voice. The muscles used to produce the “falsetto” voice will remain viable if used regularly.  Sometimes the muscles grow weak or atrophy because of lack of use.  

The head voice is usually a mixture of the chest voice and the “falsetto” voice.  The best singing voice is usually a well-balanced use of both sets of muscles.

Can you extend your lower range?

I have met several men who wished to extend their lower singing range.  They wanted to know if this was possible. The answer varies, depending on the person.

The biggest determining factor is one’s genetics.  If you inherit the genes that grant you a relatively large larynx and likewise muscles, you may be able to.  Seldom do people endeavor to lower their voice range. Some may be blessed with nice rich low voices and they work within their range.

Most of us would like to expand our range a little if not a lot.  Once again we harken to the size of the instrument and the muscularity thereof.  Very few people even consider that you could develop the muscles to sing lower pitches.  However, muscles can be trained.

It is possible, through proper training, to develop the muscles to sing lower pitches.  One can also improve the quality of the production of the lower pitches. Whether there is a great increase in the volume, there will definitely be an improvement in the quality.  We often think that low-singing basses in a quartet have big full voices. Such is usually not the case. It sounds that way because the sound or recording system magnifies the sound exponentially

Develop your singing voice

The overall goal should be to develop your singing voice in general.  If you sing in a choir or a quartet where you sing lower than usual notes, work the lower range.  But, we work to produce a sound that is not so much louder but produces presence.  

What is “presence”?, you may ask.  “Presence” is not so much that you stand out in the sound of the choir or quartet.  But rather, you would be evidently missed if you were not there. It does not take nearly as much volume to evoke presence if the voice is well produced.  The goal in developing a lower range is not so much volume as it is quality.

If you are thinking of developing the lower range for solo you will probably lean toward the sound production equipment.  That is not necessarily bad because when singing in small groups microphones are the norm.

Strengthen your singing voice

It is always good to strengthen your singing voice.  Whether it be low or high or just in general. By strengthening one range of the voice you will be strengthening all areas.  

For this particular training, I am giving some exercises that will help to build the lower range of a male voice.  Building the right kind of strength in any range of the voice does not happen quickly. The training needs to be steady and methodical.  Sometimes it may take a year or more to begin to get the results you desire.

I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger the bodybuilder/actor.  When he began, he was not an exceptionally muscular man.  But, he worked out regularly and consistently for several years before winning his first competition.  He went on to be the top bodybuilder of his time.  

So, when you begin to build your voice, be patient and be consistent.  The strength will come and the voice will develop.

Some exercises to strengthen your lower voice

All three of these exercises are simple but will be effective in building strength in your lower range. Let me note that you should use good posture as you do these exercises.  Good posture is the foundation of all good singing.

Exercise 1

The first exercise is just a stepwise exercise beginning on the 5th of the scale.  It descends stepwise down a 5th and then returns up and then descends again. Then it modulates down a half-step and repeats the process.  Begin with the “Ah” vowel for a complete run-through. Then repeat the exercise using the “Oh”, “Oo”, “a” and “Ee” vowels.

This is the notation of the first rendition.  All others follow the same pattern.

This is the MP3 for your use as an accompaniment.

Exercise 2

Exercise 2 is even simpler.  You begin with a sustained note on the 5th of the scale and descend by quarter notes to the tonic. Hold the final note for 3 beats.  Do the entire exercise using the same vowels as above. The tone should be relaxed and not pushed.

Exercise 3

The third exercise is a little different.  The first two were working to maintain flexibility as we build our lower range.  This exercise has the goal of tying our “falsetto” to our lowest bass notes.

The exercise begins by sounding the note which is “A” above middle “C”. Then it sounds the “a” in the second octave below middle “C”.  The goal is to use the “Ooh” vowel and slide from the top note to the bottom note. This is a falsetto exercise. You are to maintain the falsetto all the way to and including the lowest pitch.  It may not be very loud, but that is OK.  

As the exercise moves downward it may be harder still to do the falsetto.  Just do your best and go all the way through the exercise. Even if you do not get any sound, go through the motions.  It may take you a week or two before some of the lower notes begin to sound.

For now, just use the “Ooh” vowel.

A little information

If you were like I was you may not have much of a falsetto.  That came about because I wanted to sound like a man. I had to build the muscles which produced the falsetto part of the voice.  

If you have that problem you might try the trick I used to begin redeveloping my falsetto.  Though I could not sing in falsetto I could call my cat. The way I call my cat was the typical, “Kitty, kitty, kitty.”  In other words, I unconsciously used falsetto to call my cats. It took me about three months to get my falsetto to where I could control it.  Any trick that will help you “Peep” out that falsetto will do. But don’t do anything that causes pain in your voice.

Conclusion

Incorporate these exercises into a daily or regular warmup and you will be surprised at your vocal development.

Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions below.  If you wish to email me, you do that at tomharveybaritone@gmail.com.

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There are many techniques employed in teaching how to sing well. Many are useful and helpful. But there are many which can do more harm than good. We shall not attempt to cover them all in this treatise but shall address a few. When vocal production techniques are a topic of discussion quite often the “yawn” is bantered about. The question is, “Does a yawn help?”

Some say it’s good, others say otherwise. The answer to the question of “Does a yawn help in good vocal production techniques?” depends on whom you ask.

To me, the answer should depend on the results for the student, or the performer.

Foundation of sound production

Let’s begin from the foundation up. Without air, there would be no sound. Sound is a result of pressure waves of air being impressed upon an eardrum. So, air is a necessary ingredient in the production of sound. In the case of singing where the sound is manipulated and regulated, we need a means of control.

In the human being, that system is made up of the lungs and it’s accompanying muscle ensemble. The prominent muscles in this ensemble are the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles. The diaphragm provides the means of intake and regulation of expulsion. The power for expulsion is provided by the intercostal muscles.

The generator of the sound

We have the power and we have the air. Where do we get the sound? The sound producer is housed in the larynx. The larynx is made up of several muscles and cartilages that work together to accomplish several things besides sound.

The thyroid gland produces certain nutrients that are necessary for our bodies in producing energy. The aretinoid and cryco-thyroid cartilages function as open and closers. They open the vocal folds when we breathe and close them when we swallow. If they did not function correctly we might choke ourselves every time we tried to swallow anything. They also come into action when we exert ourselves to lift heavy loads.

Those are just a couple of many things that they do.

Probably the most important role they play in our lives is that of speaking. It is in the larynx that the initiation of sound begins.

Production of sound in the voice

Sound production in the voice begins when air is forced out of the lungs by the intercostal muscles. It flows up through the trachea into the larynx where it encounters an obstacle. That obstacle is the vocal folds. The vocal folds are twin mucous membranes stretched horizontally across the larynx.

When we breathe the arytenoid processes open the opposing vocal folds. When we swallow, they close them so our food does not go into our lungs. They also close them when we speak or sing. The tension expressed in the vocal folds will determine the pitch of the sound. This is determined by the arytenoid process. It not only determines the tension but also the pressure. Tension will determine the pitch. Pressure will determine volume.

The initial sound produced in the larynx would be of little consequence it the larynx was all there was. But, there is more.

Amplification of vocal production

Without something to amplify our vocal production, we would all sound like little ant cartoon characters. Fortunately, we have some amplifiers. To modern day people, we think amplifiers are electrically operated means of boosting sound. But long before electricity people knew how to amplify sound.

Even in Old Testament days, they used horns cut off of rams to amplify vibrating lips. They spoke through a small end with the result being amplified in the large end.

Another means of amplification was that of a resonating chamber. Buildings for gatherings were built in such a way that sounds would bounce of walls and compliment one another. This was found in the great cathedrals of the middle ages. It is the resonating chamber that is used by our vocal mechanism.

The two main resonating chambers used to amplify the voice are the pharynx and the mouth. To a minor degree, the nasal cavities play a part. The principal amplifier is the pharynx. This is the area of the throat just above the larynx. It extends from the top of the larynx up to the soft palate which closes the entrance to the nasal cavity. The secondary resonator is the mouth.

The size of the resonator is in direct proportion to the amount of amplification it produces. Therefore, the more open the mouth the greater the volume. The less open the mouth, the lesser the volume.

The principal resonator

The principal resonator is the pharynx. How do you make it bigger to increase its potential for volume?

There are two things that must take place to facilitate this. The soft palate, which closes off the nasal cavity, must be lifted. The second can be brought about by lowering the larynx in the throat.

To get the soft palate up form your mouth to say and “AH”, and then inhale. The body’s reflexive action lifts the soft palate. If you do that several times you can begin to get the feeling that you need to maintain.

The other action of lowering the larynx is a little different.

Does a yawn help in singing?

This is where the yawn comes in handy. It is not so much that you are yawning while singing, because that would be almost impossible. Rather, in our training, we shall utilize the “yawn” as a tool to develop the muscles that aid us in lowering the larynx.

There are a couple of areas that the “yawn” will help us in. What is one of the first things that you notice when you yawn? It is that the diaphragm really distends and causes you to take a deep breath. It feels like your belly is filling up with air. That is good. The other thing you notice is that your throat really feels open. It feels that way because the larynx is lowered to it’s lowest possible position.

This is good for relaxing the vocal mechanism. But, it is not the ideal position for the tongue and jaw for singing. So we must find a median that allows for the maximum size of the resonator and ideal location for mechanisms.

Yawning while singing

In answering the question, “In vocal production techniques, does a yawn help?” we decided we cannot do a full yawn and sing. But there are qualities of the yawn that we would like to incorporate into our singing.

Go back to the beginning of your yawn. As the yawn sets on you begin to feel the relaxation start. It is at this point that you need to take note. The larynx has begun to lower but is not all the way down. The jaw has not come to a situation of being overstretched and out of joint. (For the jaw to complete a yawn it must shift from its normal chewing and speaking position. It relocates itself without dislocating itself.) At this stage, the diaphragm is distended fairly well.

This position is ideal for good singing. To not begin the yawning process would leave the larynx high enough so as not to give maximum volume. The soft palate would probably not be raised to seal off the nasal cavity. Neither would there be the relaxing of nonessential muscles to the singing process. By practicing the yawn we can develop the muscles and understanding needed to build a good resonator for the voice.

Conclusion

In addressing “Vocal production techniques, does a yawn help?” there is no clear specific answer.  But there are some good things that can come from studying the yawn.

We are not advocating that one should assume to yawn while singing. But we do believe that the yawn sensation does help with vocal placement. By incorporating the yawn sensation in our practice and warm up we can enhance sound production in the voice.

We should never use any approach that overworks the voice. The goal of every singer is to keep the voice flexible and controlled. To overwork the yawn would put the vocal mechanism in some awkward situations not conducive to good singing.

So, even when incorporating the yawn technique, keep the voice flexible. It should not be too heavy. Though it can be practiced with sustained tones, it should more be with mobility exercises.

Get ready to enjoy a more resonant and bigger voice as you learn to yawn.

If you have any questions you can email us at tom@tomharveybaritone.com.