The EM Poll

The Instrument Inside

Mar 13, 2008 5:11 PM, By Joanna Cazden

           

MAXIMIZE YOUR SINGING VOICE WITH PROPER CARE AND TECHNIQUE

How many times have you heard the term singer contrasted with musician? Not only jokes, but gig contracts and common jargon often refer to instrumentalists as musicians and to vocalists as — well, something else. In large part, this stems from the fact that you can't see the singer's instrument — you don't buy it at a store, lug it around in a road case, set it up on a stand, or strap it on.

For the user, the voice's mechanisms are completely internal and not necessarily under conscious control. The voice is also uniquely vulnerable to biology and emotions — after all, keyboards don't get the flu, and when a guitar player gets nervous, the strings themselves don't tighten up. So if you're used to gear made of metal, wood, cables, and keys, an instrument inside your body can seem completely foreign.

Whether you're mainly a vocalist or an instrumental musician who's been hired — or inspired — to sing, rest assured that your voice really isn't all that alien. In fact, you have used it all your life for everyday speech and emotional expression, probably without thinking twice. Using your voice to sing requires simply a bit more awareness and, of course, practice. And as with any instrument, taking care of your voice and using proper technique will help you achieve better results and avoid damage in the long run.

Performance Specs

The two vocal cords are not actually cords, but folds of muscle that can partly or fully close your windpipe — imagine a round tunnel with an inverted-V-shaped sliding door (see Fig. 1).

FIG. 1: Normal vocal folds, seen from above. During inhalation, the folds are apart (left); during vibration, they barely touch (right). The circular area shown is actually about the size of a dime.

Courtesy Warren Line, M.D.

When the vocal folds are close enough together so that they just barely touch, a steady stream of breath sets them vibrating. The more forceful the breath, the louder the sound.

The vocal folds are located within a structure called the larynx, also known as the voice box or Adam's apple. Tiny support muscles change the length, thickness, and internal stiffness of the vocal folds, affecting sound pitch and quality. However, the singer can't consciously control most of these adjustments. This is why most voice teachers caution singers not to focus on the throat — you don't have much useful sensation of what's going on in there, and tensing up in order to get a certain effect just interferes with your unconscious coordination.

However, it is important to cultivate a more generalized inner awareness. This internal focus or mindfulness, similar to the subtler aspects of martial arts, is a prerequisite for all vocal development. It also protects your instrument by allowing you to notice signs of vocal strain sooner than you might otherwise.

Right now, as you're reading, notice your body's position. Where is your weight resting? Are you slumped or poised for action? Is the day generally going well, or are you just barely surviving a truckload of stress? Are you in love, bored, or mad as hell? All of these things affect how you breathe and the baseline tension in your vocal muscles, and your focus of attention gives you more control over your voice.

Better Breathing

Instead of concentrating on your throat, focus on your breathing. Strong, efficient, reliable singing requires well-developed breath support in a framework of good posture. Serious singers should engage in regular aerobic exercise, accompanied by yoga or other stretches for the back, neck, and shoulder areas. (For a basic daily routine, see “Vox: Singer's Tune-Up” in the April 1998 issue of Electronic Musician's Jam supplement.)

Normal breathing at rest involves approximately equal times for inhalation and exhalation. But talking and singing are asymmetrical: we pull air in quickly and let it out slowly. So practice taking in a fast breath while relaxing your belly and expanding your chest. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then release it gradually. An untrained, healthy young adult should be able to prolong the exhalation for about 14 seconds; work toward 30 seconds or more.

It's important to hold and control your breath with your diaphragm and other muscles in the area of your lower rib cage and waist rather than by tightly closing your throat. A teacher can be a big help in this regard, so ask around for a referral or check the National Association of Teachers of Singing Web site. (See “Onstage Hotlinks” for more references to Web resources.)