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1. Find a voice teacher 2. Posture and Alignment 3. Breath low. 4. Learn how to regulate the breath pressure or "support". 5. Feel the Buzz. Sing in the "mask". 6. Open your mouth. 7. Slack jaw: Release jaw, neck, tongue & head tension. 8. Diction: Dipthongs and internal and ending R's and L's. 9. Energize your speaking voice. 10. Sing for your voice 11. Healthy Living: Stay hydrated, well rested and well fed. 12. Tape or videotape yourself regularly. 13. Practice While Using a Mirror. 1. Find a voice teacher This cannot be understated. I know I say this over and over on this site and many of you may wonder why I feel a teacher is necessary. The reason is because most of us in this western, consumer culture have lost touch with our natural true voices. Before the advent of radio and television people actually sang for entertainment. Now we have grown up with the mass marketed, studio enhanced voices as poor role models but we have also lost the regular use of a healthy singing voice. Add to this the almost complete destruction of our elementary music programs and you have what I have seen in my studio over the past ten years. Most people are out of touch with their natural voice and need to re-learn how to make an easy resonant sound. I wrote "re-learn' for a reason; most babies and young children have an instinctive natural, resonant voice which by young adulthood usually gets shut down. Voice lessons can help anyone and everyone, from the beginner to the professional. In fact, most professionals still see a teacher or coach. For specific ideas for finding a voice teacher, you can read my article here. 2. Be aware of your posture and alignment. Just as athletes learn the optimum body positions for peak performance, we singers need to think like singing athletes. Proper posture and alignment is crucial for singers to maximize their breathing. We need our spine erect and chest lifted in order to breath fully. A good way to think of this is to imagine two strings holding you up like a marionette, one attached to the top of your head and one attached to your sternum. These strings should remain taut throughout the breathing cycle but particularly when singing on the exhale. 3. Breath low To maximize the breath, singers need to learn to breath low, or from the diaphragm. When standing up tall with your chest lifted, you should expand along your lower ribs on the inhale. Short-waisted singers will see their bellies stick out as the diaphragm presses down against the stomach organs. Check yourself by breathing with your hands spanning your lower ribcage. You should feel your ribcage expanding on the inhale. You do NOT want raise your upper chest on the exhale (see Tip #2). It should remain still and lifted throughout the breathing cycle. |
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