Complete Vocal Technique 879924361X, 9788799243617

Citation preview

SADOLIN

ATHRIiINE

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© 2008 Cathrine Sadolin CVI Publications Kultorvet Hausergade 3, 5th floor DK-1128 Copenhagen K Denmark -

»

»

Reproducing the contents of this book in any form is illegal and forbidden by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

SA

§4,90£

Complete Vocal Technique on the Internet

About this book

www.completevocaltechnique.com

Complete Vocal Technique English version, 2nd edition, issue

1

©

2008 Cathrine Sadolin

Dedicated to the hardworking Complete Vocal Institute Teachers.

www.completevocalinstitute.com

Online discussion forum about singing technique forum.completevocalinstitute.com

Thanks to Vera Rozsa and Bonna Sendberg.

Special thanks to Julian McGlashan, Kim Chandler, Nazia Munir, ReetaLena Korhola, Nyree Tanielian, Claes Wegener and Mikala Heckscher.

Other publications by Cathrine Sadolin °

illustrations and layout by Henrik Kjelin, copyright all graphics.

Videos Double video ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ technique and practice tape.

+

Also thanks to the singers performing the sound examples: Claes

Educational video in singing techniques. Danish version. Danish

Wegener, Christina Kirstein Lecocq, Hera Bjork Thorhallsdottir, Gisli

Artist Union 1992.

Magnason, Julie Lindell, Louise Briel Flagstad, Marianne Christensen,

Double video ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ English version. IMP,

+

International Music Publications Limited 1996

Thierry Boisdon, Elsebeth Nolse Lund.

Double video ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ Swedish version. Warner/

+

Chappell Music Scandinaia AB 1996

Reproducing the contents of this book in any form is illegal and forbidden by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Books The methods and information provided in this book have been

Book + CD ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ Vol.

+

+

English version. IMP,

Book + CD ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ Vol. 2, Danish version. 1997

-

Book + CD ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ Vol. 2, English version. 1997

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Book+CD ‘Komplet Sangteknik’ Danish version, Shout Publishing .

1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 +

P.

1,

+

ISBN 978-87-992436-1-7

Printed in Denmark by

Book + CD ‘Rough, Ready and Able’ Vol.

Warner bros. publications 1996

can be no guarantee. The author and the publisher cannot undertake

responsibility for compensation.

Danish version. IMP,

Warner bros. publications 1996

carefully considered, tried, and tested. The author believes that

adhering to the guidance will not cause any harm, although there

1,

Book + CD ‘Complete Vocal technique’ English version, Shout

Publishing 2000

J. Schmidt Grafisk. +

Book + CD ‘Komplete Zangteknik’ Dutch version. Shout Publishing 2003, 2006

Publication and distribution

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Book +CD ‘Komplett Sangteknik’ Swedish version. Shout Publishing 2006

CVI Publications ApS

Kultorvet, Hausergade 3, 5th floor DK-1128 Copenhagen K » Denmark

Music

Tel +45 3332 7724 Fax +45 3332 7725

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Classical LP’ Recital vol. 4’. Point 1987

Email: [email protected]

+

New Age CD ‘Airdance’. Phonix Music 1989

www.completevocaltechnique.com

»

New Age CD ‘Songs on Magic’. Musicolour Records 1991

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Heavy rock CD ‘Ancient Fire’. Musicolour Records 1995

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Folk ‘n’ Funk CD ‘Today’. Shout Records 2000

2

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

The informal CVT approach and language

technical language. Nevertheless, this book is translated in

the uncomplicated, direct and informal language in which it was originally written.

A main issue in ‘Complete Vocal Technique’ is to make sing-

The decision to keep the language informal and direct

ers take responsibility for their own development. Sentences

therefore

is

like “Trust yourself” and “Respect your own sensations” are

conscious choice which has been carefully considered and is the consequence of the overall message in the

repeated throughout the book.

book.

In

this respect think of a teacher being |

er, or an

a

servant of the sing-

a

sincerely hope that this choice will not offend anybody or make the book appear less serious. |

assisting technician, who can assist singers in solving

difficult tasks of a technical or musical nature To keep this line of the general philosophy behind ‘Complete

Vocal Technique’ have decided to keep the language infor|

mal and direct.

Among the many other reasons to use non-complicated, direct and everyday language is to break down possible barriers and minimise the distance between the singer and the teacher, in order to achieve free communication.

Singing

is

often emotional and consequently does not re-

quire special academic education.

It is

important to be un-

derstood by everybody as it is my firm belief that EVERYBODY can sing. The voice is not a complicated instrument. Singing technique should be presented in a simple and everyday

manner where possible. This will also leave singers to put all

the effort in understanding the technique instead of strug-

gling with understanding the language. The fact that the book and the teaching at Compete Vocal Institute are natural extensions of each other, they consequently have to match in style. On all our courses we aim to use easy and direct language, (as often used in teaching sports), to avoid distraction and to make the instruction most

efficient.

In

Danish it is common to use informal language in many kinds

of texts and in spoken language as the Danes are often infor-

too see myself as an informal person who likes to address the singers assist in an informal manner. realise mal people.

|

|

|

that the degree of informality varies from culture to culture, and in some cultures it is common to adopt a more formal or

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

3

Contents Volumes and the modes

Introduction

Vocal Modes

Updates in relation to previous

Introducing the Vocal Modes

10

The metallic sound

Using this book

11

Vocal modes

How to Practise

12

Trouble shooting

editions

-

..

15

81 81

144

.

Medium volume

145

Quiet volume

145

Advanced exercises in volume

..

146

Combinations of volume

87

Neutral

‘Complete Vocal Technique’ in four pages

Powerful volume 81

141

88

Neutral with air

147

Vowels and the modes

149

Choice of vowel in relation to mode

151

Neutral without air

The Overall Principles

Pitch in Neutral

90

Vowels in Neutral

90

The Three Overall Principles

20

Volumes in Neutral

90

Breathing

21

Sound Colours in Neutral

91

Inhalation

23

Exercises in Neutral

93

Posture

26

152

Speech techniques Speaking in different modes

152

About speaking

155

in general

Sound Colour

Curbing

27

Finding Curbing

97

Introduction to Sound Colour

158

Supporting muscles

28

Pitch in Curbing

99

The ‘Epiglottic Funnel’

159

Inner support

31

Vowels in Curbing

100

Necessary twang

159

Feeling support

33

Volumes in Curbing

101

Distinct twang

160

Support training

38

Sound Colours in Curbing

101

Twanging with

Energy

39

Exercises in Curbing

....

103

Exercising distinct twang and

Using support

40

106

necessary twang

Support

Overdrive

a

lowered larynx

.

.

160

161

The Larynx

162

The Vocal Cords

44

Finding Overdrive

107

The Throat

48

Pitch in Overdrive

109

Lowering the larynx

162

Twang

51

Vowels in Overdrive

110

Raising the larynx

163

...

Pronunciation

53

Volumes in Overdrive

m1

Exercises in raising and lowering

Opening the Mouth

58

Sound Colours in Overdrive

111

The larynx

60

Exercises in Overdrive

113

Attacks

61

Edge (formerly ‘Belting’)

116

Compressed tongue

166

Volume

64

Finding Edge

117

Broad tongue

166

Pitch (Registers)

66

Pitch in Edge

121

Exercises in broadening and

Vowels in Edge

121

compressing the tongue

Volumes in Edge

122

Completing

a

Note

Training the extreme parts of the

voice

69

164

166

The Tongue

The shape of the Mouth opening.

167 . .

168

Range and Types of Voices

70

Sound Colours in Edge

123

Relaxing the corners of the mouth 168

Fine-Tuning

72

Exercises in Edge

125

Smiling

Tone-deafness

74

Summarising the modes

128

Exercising different shapes of the

Trouble-Shooting

76

Using the modes

130

mouth

The Palate

168

168

169

76

Transitions between modes

131

Solving split in the voice

79

Pitch and the modes

134

Raising the palate

169

Additional Trouble-Shooting

80

Sound colours and the modes

139

Lowering the palate

169

Solving unintentional vocal breaks

.

The modes in classical singing.

... 140

Exercises in raising and lowering

The palate

169

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

The Nasal Passage

171

Air added to the voice

206

Opening the nasal passage

171

Finding air added to the voice.

Closing the nasal passage

171

Exercises for adding air to the voice 207

Exerises

in

.

.206

Vibrato

oening and closing

the nasal passage

172

List of sound colours

173

Exercising sound colours

174

175

Microphone Technique

Pronunciation and the microphone 175 175

Microphone spheres

209

Hammer vibrato

209

Laryngeal vibrato

209

Using vibrato

210

Exercises in vibrato

211

Too much vibrato

211

Techniques for Ornamentation (rapid run of notes) The hammer vibrato method

213

...

The laryngeal vibrato method.

Effects

.

.213 .

.

213

Ecercises in ornamentation

Introduction to Effects

177

Distortion

179

Creating intentional distortion, .

Finding noise Noise added to

.

a

mode

Full distortion

Exercises in distortion

.

.

214

technique

179 181

Vocal problems

183

Hoarseness

216

185

Nodules

218

Too much mucus

219

185

Creak and creaking

187

Prevention and Emergency Aid . . .220

Finding creak

187

Programme for Emergency Aid... .225

Finding creaking

188

Exercises in creak

189

Exercises in creaking

189

Rattle Exercises in rattle

Growl

228

Warming up

191

Additional techniques

191

Hearing your own voice

192

Inner hearing

Outer hearing

Finding growl

192

Growl added to a mode

193

Exercises in growl

194

Acoustic singing

196

Singing in

Finding grunt

196

Singing live with amplification

Exercises in grunt

198

Improvisation and phrasing

199.

Method for beginning

Grunt

Screams Finding screams in Neutral

229 229

230

Studio and live techniques

a

231 231

recording studio

231 .

.

.232

234

234

199.

improvisation

Finding screams in Curbing

199

Method for advanced

Finding screams in Edge

200

improv’sat’on

Finding combined screams

200

Finding distorted screams

200

Method for working with

202

expression

240

Finding vocal breaks

202

Performance

243

Exercises in vocal breaks

203

Intentional Vocal Breaks

Interpretation and Performance

Physical exercise

236

..

.239

245

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Lists List of Sound Examples (the ‘CVT

Sound Library’)

Glossary Index

Plates

.

253

256

.

261

Complete Vocal Institute Info about CVI

269

‘Complete Vocal Technique’ research 271

Introduction and that new ideals emerged for what constituted a ‘good’

Singing is not difficult not as complicated to use as many people think. is an instrument that everybody has and uses every day. Of

The voice It

is

sound.

course it requires practice to sing professionally, but when you know how the voice works and how to use its natural

Many of the ‘new’ ways of singing turned out to be just as strenuous and difficult as the ‘taught’ ways. New style sing-

functions and develop them further, you will be able to learn

ers, who became known as singers of ‘popular music’, had to

most of what is required.

learn how to sing healthily by themselves because teaching

The voice usually works perfectly until we hinder it during

the new singing styles was not available. They could not get help from classical singing techniques as these resulted in

they were not interested in. As a result of this lack of tuition some new singers damaged their

childhood with constriction. Singing techniques are mostly about removing constriction to allow the voice to work free-

in a classical sound which

everyone can sing if they do not hinder their voice production. Therefore there is no reason to work with

voices and their singing styles were labelled as dangerous and unhealthy - even though many classical singers also had

the technical aspects of singing unless you think you have

vocal problems.

ly. This means

a

specific technical singing problem. the ‘popular music’ camp some singers made a virtue of necessity and declared that ‘true’ singers of popular music In

Technique and expression This book however is mainly about technique

because

|

believe technique

is

—

this is not

the most important aspect

of singing. On the contrary, technique is only the MEANS by which we express ourselves. think the most important as|

pect is EXPRESSION - to convey a message. What to convey

should be self-taught, claiming that tuition would remove a singer's special touch. Both camps nurtured their prejudices

against each other. A gulf between the classical and the popular camps developed which, unfortunately, still exists today to some degree. This gulf is more about taste than of the use

of techniques.

and how to convey it are artistic choices that every singer has

required to accomplish the artistic choices you would like to

Amongst the ‘popular music’ singers who lost their voices were those who fell by the wayside in practice rooms and you

make.

never heard of them. Some lost their voices at the beginning

to make for her/ himself. This book is about the techniques

when they started touring or later on in their careers due to the strain and increased demands on their voice. But there

In

WERE ‘popular’ singers whose voices ‘lasted’ throughout their careers regardless of how strained they sounded.

distance. This led to the development of certain vocal tech-

It is

niques that gradually became the only right vocal sound to be produced. In the Western world this taught sound became

school and the experience of these ‘popular’ singers that

The history of singing the old days you could not amplify the voice electronically so singers had to find a way to be heard from a considerable

therefore from both the techniques from the ‘classical’ |

base many of the new singing techniques on today.

known as the ‘classical sound’. With the invention of the microphone it became possible to

Myths about singers

amplify all sounds including those that were previously too quiet to be heard from a distance. This brought new ‘un-

There are many myths about performers before the days of recording: ‘This was a voice like none other, never to be heard

taught’ sounds to the same volume as ‘taught’ sounds. This meant that many new sounds of the voice could be used

again’ and so on. don’t believe this is true. It is probable that it was not the performer's voice that was so special but her/

6

|

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

his technique in producing the voice. We can all accomplish a

good technique by knowing what and how to practise.

the elements of sound, it becomes the artist's personal artistic choices that determine the sound rather than convention. |

Unfortunately, we can only accept the myths about past performers because we have no recordings to prove or disap-

prove them as, of course, their voices died with them. believe |

do not wish to judge which sounds should be considered

‘right’ and essential to learn. All sounds are equally valuable; therefore this book includes tools to perform all the sounds in the voice have ever encountered. |

that all singers can accomplish all sounds. Since recordings began there has not been a sound that cannot be taught.

My own story |

never had

a

natural talent for singing. In fact,

|

even had

Myths about singing techniques

problems breathing.

Being able to see what you are doing is an invaluable tool in

tempt to overcome breathing problems due to asthma. One way or another had to develop techniques to get the sounds

learning. Unfortunately, singing tuition cannot rely on sight and that lead to myths about how sound is produced. Thank-

My first singing lessons were an at-

|

fully, sclence now provides new knowledge so we know much

wanted. The first step was to understand the anatomy and physiology of the voice and this enabled me to distinguish

more about the working ofthe vocal cords today. We are now

between myths and truths about the voice.

able to watch the vocal cords work and we know more about

mented with achieving the sounds in ways other than the

the anatomy and physiology of voice production. This has

traditional methods. The only natural talent had was

|

then experi-

|

|

a

love

helped to eliminate many of the previous misconceptions

for music coupled with the belief that everything is possible

and myths that were based largely on guesswork, many of

and the energy to keep going. That is why can truly say that

which contributed to ruined voices and careers.

if

|

was able to learn and achieve the sounds

|

wanted then

anybody can. a better understanding of voice production months of wasted and harmful training can now be avoided. When teachers can be specific in their instructions, singers no long-

With

er have to go through years of training based on vague direc-

tions. When you can work on a problem directly, it is easier

While was working on my technical problems through the |

years

|

had always listened to all kinds of music. That was

probably why many singers of popular music began asking me to help them achieve certain sounds and overcome vocal

to determine whether you are on the right track or not. A

problems, even though | was trained as and eventually per-

technique must have the intended effect immediately oth-

formed as a classical singer.

erwise it is not being done correctly. Experience also shows us that singers who perfect these new techniques are able to

the healthy aspect of the classical technique but without the classical sound. thought that it must be possible to benefit

last on strenuous tours which is one of the reasons why the

from the technique without being constrained by the nar-

techniques today have the backing of doctors and speech

row ideals of sound. To do this however, had to find out how

therapists.

sound was produced, and this encouraged me to study many

It

seemed to me that they wanted

|

|

styles of singing, speech and hearing science, acoustics and

spectral ear training.

My research

Singing techniques were always presented as complete packages. If you wanted to use them you had to accept all of it

my firm belief that ALL the sounds a singer wishes to

- which sounds, vowels, pitches, and volumes to use, when

make are equally important and must be taken seriously and

and where. did not want to accept that. wanted to dissect

be included for research, By removing the restrictive ‘ideals of

these packages so that singers could combine the endless el-

sounds’ from musical styles and by dividing and isolating all

ements to create any sound they are looking for.

It is

|

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

|

7

Methodology According to traditional Western perception, blues, rock, gospel and also many ethnic singers, for instance in Arabic clas-

The birth of Complete Vocal Technique

sical music, do not sound as a ‘healthy singer’ should sound.

The work developed to such an extend that all sounds the hu-

And yet many of these singers sing more frequently and for

man voice can produce could be categorised and organised

longer than many classical singers in top technical form.

into a clear system. In effect,

In

a

whole new concept in sing-

addition many hard or heavy rock singers have been predict-

ing technique was formed which, contrary to previous tech-

ed as having short-lived careers and have proven their critics

niques and beliefs, could be applied to all styles of music.

wrong.

In

fact, many of these singers often sing better and then experimented with the sounds used in classical sing-

better throughout the years, regardless of how ‘damaging’

|

their singing sounds.

ing and found that the classical sounds are also produced by non-metallic, half-metallic and full-metallic modes. This

have based my research on a wide range of experience of

confirmed to me that the vocal modes are the foundation of

singers singing live and in the studio with many different

the very structure of the voice and therefore encompass all sounds, all singing techniques, and all musical styles.

|

sounds other than the classical western style without damaging the voice. know these singers must have excellent tech|

niques for them to sing for so long and still sound so great.

|

started looking for common factors in their singing to search for an underlying structure to the various sounds.

became apparent to me that there

It

IS an

underlying struc-

ture to the various sounds. tried to understand this by de|

Further work with the vocal modes made it possible to iden-

tify their advantages and limitations. When singers appreciate the advantages and respect the limitations of the vocal better overview of the possibilities of

modes they will gain

a

the voice

able to choose freely between the vari-

and will be

ous sounds in addition to avoiding damaging the voice.

constructing as many different sounds as possible from many different types of music, taking into account the sound, the vowel, the pitch, and the volume, to see if there was

a

pat-

Ongoing research

tern. Gradually this pattern became more and more evident

Music styles progress rapidly partly because of the influence

concluded that the sounds could be divided into two

of the many and diverse cultures throughout the world and their corresponding singing styles. At the same time, sing-

and

|

overall categories. One was harder, rougher and more direct |

named this ‘metallic’ sound.

|

named the other category

ing techniques have also undergone major developments, a

trend that is unlikely to end in the foreseeable future. The re-

‘non-metallic’, became apparent that the sounds could be further catego-

jection of rigid, out-of-date ideals of sound has necessitated the development of a more all embracing way of viewing the

rised depending on how ‘metallic’ the sounds were i.e. ‘full-

voice. More research into these new singing techniques can

metallic’ or ‘half-metallic’. In addition there appeared to be two distinct types offull-metallic voice. This meant that there

be found in this book.

were four main categories or vocal ‘modes’ in total: one non-

metallic voice quality called ‘Neutral’, one half-metallic voice

Generally scientific research is based on pre-existing knowledge and singing technique is no exception. There is no rea-

quality called ‘Curbing’, and two full-metallic voice qualities

son to the reject useful knowledge that has been gleaned

called ‘Overdrive’ and ‘Edge’ (formerly ‘Belting’). Detecting

over the years, for example from the old Italian masters of

the four vocal modes was, however, only half of the process of discovery. The next stage of my research was to demon-

classical singing, but it has become apparent that additional

It

|

|

|

knowledge

is

necessary to meet new demands.

strate that and a small group of accomplished singers could |

perform all these distinct vocal modes.

That said, it must be added that some of the research

is so

new that many aspects have yet to be studied. For instance,

8

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

certain sections of this book have been revised since the first

Educational tools are options - not demands

edition as a result of more experience and new research. Even

It is

if all the techniques have not yet been fully investigated,

possibilities of satisfying this demand runs the risk of demand-

|

ironic that the growing demand for teaching and the new

have found that they DO work. The desired sounds can be

ing even more from the singers. do not want to contribute to

obtained without vocal discomfort or the singer becoming hoarse and this is surely a step in the right direction.

the increasing technical pressures on singers. would therefore urge singers to regard these new singing techniques as TOOLS for expressing yourself, not as demands. This book is

|

|

intended as

a

reference text and

a

guide to techniques which

Theory and practice

make it possible to produce various sounds and overcome

Singing tuition has undergone great development since the time when singers were told that ‘placing the voice’ would

vocal limitations. Singing technique should not be the main

take eight years. New research has revealed new facts about

of the voice have to be perfected to pursue

the instrument, but we must be wary that this new knowledge does not shift the focus away from practical use and

singing career.

onto theory only. Theory can be valuable and

Remember it is the choices of

is

needed, but

the development must not stop there. A singer's objective

is

issue, nor should any singer believe that ALL the possibilities

what

a

professional

to do, as well as the choic-

es of what not to do, that characterises an artist.

seldom to be scientifically educated but to get practical, tan-

gible instructions on how to solve her/his vocal problems, A specific problem requires

a

specific solution, not

a

theoreti-

Techniques must work instantly

cal lecture. Only when theory is put into practice can artistic

With these new techniques singers can get immediate help

expression be made.

in solving technical problems rather than be told to prac-

tise for years, not knowing if they are on the right track. The

techniques must work instantly otherwise they are not being done correctly. So it should not be necessary to start all over

Easy to use The techniques in this book have been developed and tested in recording studios and on tours. The main purpose of this

again every time you seek new teaching or knowledge. see

material, therefore, is that it must be clear and easily acces-

to obtain new knowledge. Singing is not so difficult; the tech-

sible, and most of all, fast and easy to use.

niques work instantly when you are on the right track. There-

|

no point in discarding previous teaching or training in order

fore, by using these techniques, you only have to correct the

parts of your singing that you wish to improve and you should

Increasing demands

still be able to keep the parts you are content with.

The demands on singers have increased over time.

In

the Ren-

aissance (15th century) the range of most songs was about 1.5

Today it is possible to give ‘Emergency Aid’ to singers. A sin-

octaves.

gle hour's work

In

Mozart's time (18th century) this had increased to

twice that amount in extreme cases such as “The Queen of the Night” aria in “The Magic Flute” which required around

3

octaves. Today you often hear singers with even larger ranges. This, together with increasing commercial exploitation of

is

often enough to enable singers to com-

plete concerts and studio recordings that would otherwise have had to be cancelled due to vocal problems. The fact that a

large part of our work at CVI consists of giving this Emer-

music, means the demands on professional singers are enor-

gency Aid supports the concept that the techniques work at once. Theory has been transformed into useful, practical

mous. For record companies to work wholeheartedly with a

techniques that work instantly in emergency situations.

singer they must be convinced that s/he is able to fulfil the increasing demands and be able to last concert after concert

|

believe it

is

possible to produce ALL sounds in

a

healthy

manner

on strenuous tours,

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

9

Updates in relation to the previous editions +

+

The three ‘basic’ principles have been changed to the three

The chapter on “Inner support” (previously called “The very

‘overall’ principles.

The content of the three overall principles has been

backbone of support”) has been expanded. The chapter on “Introduction to the modes” has been

changed to support, necessary twang and avoiding truded jaw and/or tightening the lips.

pro-

expanded. The chapter on “Sound Colour section: Larynx” has been

have

expanded.

The term ‘Belting’

is

replaced with the term ‘Edge’.

a

|

seen so many singers get confused by the term ‘Belting’ as it is now used with too many different meanings. Some use

The chapter on “Growl” has been expanded. Growl can be used in all pitches and be added to the various vocal

the term Belting for a Curbing sound, some for an Overdrive sound and some even use the term for a twanged Neutral

modes.

have re-

The chapter on “Volume and modes” has been expanded amongst others with a new illustration.

placed the term ‘Belting’ with the term ‘Edge’. Edge is used exclusively for the powerful and full-metallic sound.

The chapter on “Training the extreme parts of the voice” has been expanded with the section ‘training the very low

sound. Therefore in order to prevent confusion

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’)

is

|

introduced as the third

vowel in Curbing. Descriptions of the hold in Curbing and the vowels ‘OH’, ‘O’, ‘OO’ and ‘AH’ have been described

part of the voice’.

The chapter on “Posture” has got

a

new introduction.

more precisely in order to avoid constriction.

Only two causes exist for unintentional vocal breaks: change of the mode, and the vocal flageolet used below high C. Constriction and failing to support lead to uninten-

Miscellaneous The expression ‘tilt’ has been replaced by ‘metal’. The traditional names for the various ‘attacks’ are replaced with the names of the vocal modes. This means that they

tional changes of vocal mode.

are called ‘full-metallic attack’, ‘half-metallic attack’ and

‘non-metallic attack’.

New chapters chapter on “Twang”. We distinguish between ‘necessary twang’ to obtain clear and unhindered notes with correct technique and a ‘distinct twang’ to obtain a

There is

»

anew

sharper character and lighter sound colour.

An extra chapter on “Creak and creaking” has been added. An extra chapter on “Grunt” has been added. Plates for study and educational uses are added at the

end of the book. Here you can find

a

technical progres-

The vowel ‘I’ in Edge (formerly ‘Belting’) is omitted. Curbing can be used in all pitches for both women and men (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96). In

the low and middle part of the voice, medium volume is

obtainable in Overdrive and Edge (formerly ‘Belting’). The expression TWANG is only used in relation to the epi-

glottic funnel. The powerful volumes (ff)

in

‘Neutral’ without air in the

high pitch can be achieved by both women and men (see

sion chart where you can make notes on your technical

‘Volumes in Neutral’ on page 90).

development.

The traditional names of registers are replaced by the names for pitch.

Expanded Chapters since the last edition *

«

‘Compressed Neutral’ is replaced by ‘Neutral without air’. ‘Soft closure Neutral’ is replaced by ‘Neutral with air’. incorporated under ‘Laryngeal

been incorporated in each chapter as a result of scientific

‘Diaphragmatic vibrato’ vibrato’,

research.

‘Hoarse attacks’ are incorporated under ‘Distortions’.

Precise description of where effects are produced has

Summaries have been added to the end of all chapters

headlined

“

Overall principles” (on pages 20 - 79) and the

is

A bibliography and recommended reading list are on the

website www.CompleteVocalTechnique.com.

chapter “Interpretation” (on page 239).

10

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Using this book Different learning angles Everyone learns differently. Some singers have to understand

distinguish between good and bad advice, and myths about ‘correct’ technique. urge everybody to study the anatomy

the theoretical explanation of a problem in order to solve it,

and physiology of the voice and with common sense find the

some physically feel their way through, while others work by

technique that feels the best.

|

means of sound, for example by hearing, recognising, and

copying the sound. Some learn by looking at graphic illustrations, and others find the solution to their problems through

Locate the main problem

inner images and sensations.

When you are learning it

is

often difficult to decide what

the most important thing to concentrate on and what To cater for all these learning methods each chapter of this

book will contain:

is

is less

important. To assist you in this have outlined the techniques |

presented

in this

book in the chapter “Complete Vocal Tech-

nique in four pages” (on page 15). This provides you with an

Anatomical and physiological explanations Physical instructions

overview before you go into detail.

«

Sound examples (@)) 5 = sound example 5)

Even though each topic is thoroughly described in this book,

¢

Illustrations

this does not mean that every subject is equally important

«

Examples of inner images and sensations

for all singers. Singers are different so certain passages will be

« «

relevant to some but not to others. No one method is more important or preferable to another.

As in all teaching the most important thing is to focus on the

The anatomical and physiological explanations are included because some singers will find them valuable. Others, how-

main problem instead of being distracted by all the minor

details you meet on the way. If you can identify and solve the

ever, may find it of little use and potentially distracting. The

main problem many other problems will be resolved at the

techniques in this book do not necessarily require that you

same time.

have to understand and sense your anatomy or physiology.

one problem at a time instead of many.

important not to be overwhelmed by these explanations. The different methods are presented as a range of possibili-

you have an overview of the techniques in this book, you

It is

ties.

It

is up to each individual to choose the method they find

It is

easier, and more efficient, to concentrate on |

suggest that once

should work your way through the relevant sections, para-

graph by paragraph, in the search of your main problem.

most accessible and from which they can achieve the best results. It might, however, be practical to read all the differ-

ent types of explanations, partly because it may help to see

things from

a

different perspective, and partly because one

explanation often complements another.

Take responsibility for yourself important that singers themselves take responsibility for their own development instead of being dependent ona It is

teacher. Even the best teacher in the world cannot teach you

anything unless you yourself pick up the teaching and work with it. In the end it is you who has to decide which parts of

Know the anatomy of the body |

recommend that singers should be as aware as possible of

what

is

happening in the body during singing. Therefore try |

the teaching you can use, which parts you cannot make work and what you do not care about.

to use the correct anatomical terminology throughout this

book. Once you know the anatomy and physiology of the voice and are aware of how to use it the technique is easier to understand and consequently it is easier to do something about your vocal problems. For instance, it will help you to

It is

not difficult to work out if you are on the right track when

you practise. A correct technique should result in continuous improvements in your singing. There is no reason to take lessons for years if you do not think the instructions are making

singing any easier or are bringing you closer to your goals.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1 1

How to practise Trust your taste, powers of judgment and senses. Experi-

menting brings renewal: individuality is also important. Feel, listen, and choose. Test the technique and practise until you have learned what you want to be able to do. Determine

A healthy voice The first thing a singer must learn

whether you are getting the sound you want. If not, what is missing? Try to find it through your own intuition and taste. Why should you use a sound you do not like? Nobody but

returns. Furthermore, it is difficult to experiment if you are

is not to lose the

voice.

Once you lose your voice you have to stop working until it hoarse as the voice does not respond as it normally would. It

takes a skilled singer to avoid compensating once the voice strained. As long as the voice is in good condition, you can

you can create YOUR career, and maybe your career is based on being different and sounding like no one else. Always be

is

your own judge and decide whether you are getting closer

goals.

practise and experiment your way until you achieve your

to your goals. In

my opinion the taste of the teacher is unimportant. To me

Muscle memory

healthy manner, for example by

something over and over again your brain will remember the action. This is called building up your ‘muscle

hearing possible constriction and making suggestions about

memory’. This means that the muscles get used to respond-

how the singer can remove it. The teacher could also make

ing in a certain way and will learn to function automatically

suggestions about alternative sound possibilities, but it is the singer who should make the artistic choices.

in

the teacher's task

is

purely to help singers achieve her/his

desired way of singing in

a

If you sing

the future.

It is

important, therefore, to establish healthy

routines as this will really help your ‘muscle memory’.

important to concentrate and avoid making too many errors. It is generally better to do easy exercises without mistakes than difficult exercises with mistakes.

When you practise, it

is

If you fail with the same exercise three times in a row, it is too difficult and you are in danger of creating constriction if you continue. Constriction happens when some of the muscles

in It

the throat work too hard or tighten up at the wrong time. stops the voice from working well, freely and easily. You

must make the exercise easier in order to accomplish the vocal task. Become familiar with the correct ‘feeling’ and work

healthy routines into your ‘muscle memory’. Eventually the voice will know only these healthy routines and you will not have to spend much time on technical difficulties.

Trust yourself An important rule that cannot be stressed enough is that

singing must never hurt or feel uncomfortable. if something does not sound right, if something feels wrong, or if it feels uncomfortable, your voice

is

telling you that you are doing

something wrong. Always trust your feelings they are better

and more direct than even the best teacher's ear.

12

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Singing must always feel comfortable +

+

time you come across

a

technical problem return to

The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

a simple exercise and concentrate on solving this technical prob lem. Once you have figured out HOW to solve the problem trans-

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

fer the technique to the song.

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so trust your judgement. IS

+

Always practise as close to a real-life situation as possible. For instance, musicians who sit when they sing should also practise while sitting.

point get tired of practising the major scales and you want inspiration to develop your phrasings or imIf you at a later

provisations, you can practise other scales such as the minor scales, pentatonic scales or blues scale (see ‘Improvisation and phrasing’ on page 234).

Exercises must be simple Many singers ask for specific exercises to solve specific prob-

Changing the key of the exercises

do not think that exercises alone are important, but THE WAY you work with them is. All your concentration must

When you have perfected the exercises in one key then practise them in other keys in order for you to perfect the same

be focused on exactly HOW you work with the voice during

the exercise. The final result should be that you are able to sing

exercise at all pitches. This is called ‘transposing’ the exercise and will give you a good idea of the factors you should take

all combinations of notes and intervals without hindrance.

into account when singing in different keys (track 94).

lems.

|

As all your attention must be placed on achieving the correct

Personalised training programme

singing technique, suggest that the exercises should be as simple as possible. That way you can concentrate on the work

Put together your own training programme to practise those

of the body. think it takes too much concentration to man-

techniques that you think you need to work on. You can con-

age complicated exercise while, at the same time, trying to solve technical problems. That is why the exercises in this

tinuously vary your training programme according to your technical problems, what you need, and how much time you

book are simple, each one of them dealing with one technical problem at a time.

have.

The exercises in this book can be replaced by other exercises as the melodic sequences in themselves are of little impor-

How long should practise

|

|

a

|

tance. The WAY in which you work with the exercises, how-

There are many myths about how long a singer should practise. As with all things in singing it depends on the individual.

ever, is important. So if you wish to use other exercises, please

A singer must judge how long s/he can concentrate and on

feel free to do so.

how long s/he has the energy and the strength to practise. It is important to be familiar with your own limits and not prac-

-

tise more than you can manage. Training without concentration or strength can do more harm than good. In such cases

Songs instead of complicated exercises When you are able to perform simple exercises with the correct technique, you will have a solid foundation with which

take

to approach the problems in songs.

practise than continue with

see no point in workdifficult and ing through complicated rhythmic and melodic sequences in order to train your voice. Instead, you should

tackle the problems in

a

|

you may train using the wrong techniques which could then a

long time to undo.

In

a

other words it is better not to

poorly performed exercise.

song and its real problems. Every

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

3

Practise with other singers

|

Practise with other singers for mutual support and encour-

agement.

It is more

than yours alone.

ways, so will encourage everyone to listen to the sound examples to get the exact pronunciation we use in this book.

fun and several ears often hear better

It is

usually easier to hear the mistakes of

other singers than your own. So practise together, help each other and have fun. Again, always trust yourself and do not

The vowels (capital letters) used in this book are as follows:

confuse taste with technique. Only you can make your artistic choices and decide what sound you wish to create.

‘EE’

is

‘l’

pronounced as in

is

pronounced as in ‘see’ q) 8

‘sit’@) 9

Use exact vowels very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the vowels is done 100% correctly. Being able to recognise the exact vowel sound is equally important in order for the It is

technique to work in the right way. If you make the wrong vowel sound you might risk not being able to perform certain modes, pitches and sound colours. Therefore, it is very important that you take time to understand exactly which vowel is called for. To do this correctly, spend time learning the vowel sounds from the CVT Sound Library (CVT is an abbreviation

‘EH’

is

‘N

pronounced as in

is

sronounced as in

‘and’ @) 11

This

is

why, in the beginning, you must spend time familiaris-

‘you’ q) 12

‘OO’

is

‘O'

pronounced as in ‘woman’ @)) 13

is

pronounced as in

‘OH’ is pronounced as in

‘so’@) 14

‘AH’ is pronounced as in

‘far’ @) 15

for Complete Vocal Technique) and compare them with the

vowels used in English. Different languages and dialects can trick you into thinking that you are using the correct vowel.

‘stay’ @)) 10

‘OE’

is

pronounced as in ‘herb’ @) 16

‘UH’

is

pronounced as in

‘OR’

is

pronounced as in ‘order’ @) 18

ing yourself with the exact vowel sounds.

‘hungry’ @) 17

As this book is also used by non-English singers, would rec|

ommend them to carefully study the sound examples ind the CVT Sound Library and compare the sounds to the English

vowels in order to avoid confusion in the difference between foreign accent and the actual vowel sound. If you confuse the various vowel sounds you might get problems in achieving the modes Curbing, Overdrive and Edge (formerly ‘Belta

ing’), therefore be absolutely sure of the exact vowel sound before you start the exercise. A lot of words have incredible variation between various accents and also some vowel sounds might not exist in some

languages, but even so it is important to get to know the exact vowel sound as heard in the sound examples from the

CVT Sound Library as these exact vowel sounds are often

a

necessary condition in obtaining certain vocal modes. Due to

different accents these words may be pronounced in different

14

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Complete Vocal Technique in four pages not that difficult and everybody can learn to sing. have divided the singing techniques into four main subjects

Singing

is

as listed

below. By combining elements of these four subjects

|

you can produce precisely the sounds you want. You will also be able to pinpoint your specific problems and mistakes, and

The muscles in the loin try to pull the pelvis backwards, while the muscles in the abdomen try to pull the pelvis up under your body. This battle created between the abdominal muscles and the muscles in the loin is a valuable and important part of support. However, the support must happen in a sus-

you can focus on which techniques you wish to work on.

tained and continuous manner as though working against a resistance for as long as a sound is being produced. When

Here have condensed ‘Complete Vocal Technique’ into four

pages. You can return to these pages at any time to give your-

the muscle contractions stop being sustained and continuous, for instance if you cannot pull the abdomen around the

selfan overview of the contents of this book.

navel inwards any further or push the muscles of the waist

|

or solar plexus outwards any further, then there is usually no

more support.

Do not use support before it is

production.

necessary. Save it for when the

The four vocal modes - to choose the ‘gear’ you want to

singing gets difficult, such as

> *

The three overall principles - to ensure healthy sound

,

-

inportant to conserve your support ener-

gy so you do not waste it or use it at the wrong point in time.

The four main subjects are: -

It is

sing in.

on high notes or at the end of

*

Sound colours - to make the sound lighter or darker.

-

Effects - to achieve specific sound effects.

phrase. Support is hard physical work so you should be in good

a

physical condition.

The three overall principles

2. Necessary Twang The area above the vocal cords forms

a

funnel, this

is

called

The three overall principles are the most fundamental and important to perfect. They make it possible to reach all the

the ‘epiglottic funnel’, When twanging, the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the arytenoid

high and low notes within the range of the individual singer, to sing long phrases, to have a clear and powerful voice and

cartilages closer to the lower part of epiglottis (the petiole). As a result the sound gets clearer and non-breathy, and you can increase your volume. You always need to use neces-

to avoid hoarseness.

sary twang in order to have correct technique and achieve

The three overall principles must be obeyed regardless of mode, sound colour, and effect. They are:

1.

easy and unhindered use of the voice regardless of the mode,

Support

This means working against the natural urge of the dia-

phragm to release the air that has been inhaled. This

is

achieved by resisting its movement. During singing, the waist muscles and solar plexus are pushed outwards whilst the abdomen around the navel is gradually pulled in in

a

constant

and sustained manner and the back muscles are tightened.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

5

sound colour and effect used. Necessary twang makes it easier to sing in all ways. For many this necessary twang does not sound twanged at all.

the modes in important to be able to change freely between order to make the most of their advantages. You can change vocal breaks. smoothly or make abrupt changes to achieve Each of the four vocal modes should be trained individually and in different ways. Remember to obey the three overall

3. Avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips Avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips as it often cords. Achieve a loose produces constriction around the vocal between a jaw by bending your head back and placing finger the upper and lower jaw. Keep this position of the jaw as you backwards relative to sing. The lower jaw should be pulled the upper jaw. Be sure to open the mouth wider on high and low notes than on notes in the middle part of the voice.

Whilst avoiding tightening the lips, it is also important to form vowels with the tongue without altering the shape of the mouth too much. Consonants on the other hand are usu-

tract and by tension in ally produced by narrowing the vocal the lips, but as you do not stay on them for very long in singto be able to ing they do not impair singing. It is important release the tension immediately going from consonants to

vowels.

principles regardless of the mode.

Neutral

©

the only non-metallic mode. There is no ‘metal’ in the sound. The character is usually soft, like singing a lullaby. Neutral is the only mode where you can sing using a breathy Neutral

ig

The two extremes of quality voice without causing damage. Neutral are called ‘Neutral with air’ @) 55 and ‘Neutral without air’ @)) 56. For the sake clarity, both extremes are someof

times shown individually. Neutral is found by establishing loose

a

jaw.

for quiet passages popular music Neutral with air is used when a breathy sound is wanted. In classical music Neutral with air is only used as a rare effect. In everyday life Neutral with air is used when you speak in a breathy voice or In

whisper. Neutral without air is often used in popular music when you wanta sound without metal and yet be clear and non-breathy.

classical music Neutral without air is used by both men and women when singing quietly, i.e. in pianissimo and ‘thinning’ In

the (the volume of the note is gradually decreased without note losing its quality). Women use Neutral without air in classical music when they sing in the high part of their voice, Neutral without air is regardless of volume. In everyday life used when you speak quietly with no breathiness.

Four vocal modes The use of the voice can be divided into four vocal modes: The Neutral, Curbing, Overdrive and Edge (formerly ‘Belting’). charof metallic amounts modes differ by having different

acter. Most singing problems occur because of incorrect use of the modes. Each mode has a certain character, as well as

technical advantages and limitations. To avoid mistakes and control the modes, to problems it is important to know and use their advantages and to respect their limitations. It is also

16

All parts of the voice, all vowels and all sound colours can be used in Neutral by both men and women. Generally, Neutral is

amode

witha quiet volume from very quiet (pp) to medium

loud (mf). Very powerful volumes (ff) can only be obtained in Neutral without air in the high part of the voice. In the West, Neutral is the most commonly taught mode in singing tuition and school choirs (for women), and is often used in church (see ‘Neutral’ on page 87).

www.completevocalinstitute.com Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin-

Curbing

)

IX

72. Curbing is the only half-metallic mode. There is

a slight ‘metal’ on the notes. Curbing is the mildest of the metallic modes. It sounds slightly plaintive or restrained, like when

voice if at all. Overdrive is used in everyday life, for example when shouting.

Overdrive

you moan because of a stomach ache. Curbing can be found

the most limited mode in terms of pitch, especially for women. The upper limit for women is D2/Eb2 and

by establishing a ‘hold’.

for men is C2. There is no lower limit. All vowels can be used in

Curbing

is

used in popular music when the volume is around

medium and when a certain amount of metal is wanted on

the notes such as in soft soul or R ‘n B, Curbing is used in classical music by men when singing medium volume (mf) in

is

the low part of the voice, but in the high part of the voice you can only use ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’). The sound colour can, however, be altered to some extent. Although the volume in Overdrive is mostly loud, relatively quiet volumes

their entire range and when women singing loud (f) in the

can be obtained in the lower part of the voice. The higher the notes, the more distinct the loud, shouting character be-

middle part of the voice and sometimes in the low part of the

comes (see ‘Overdrive’ on page 106).

voice. Curbing is used in everyday life when you wail, moan, or whine.

[1

Men and women use Curbing through all the various parts

Edge

of the voice. The sound colour can be altered quite

a lot. All

@) 120. Edge (formerly ‘Belting’) is the other full-metallic

vowels can be used. However, in the high part of the voice,

mode. There is a great amount of metal in the notes. The

the vowels have to be directed towards

‘0’

(as in ‘woman’),

‘UH’ {as in ‘hungry’), and ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) to stay in the mode. The volume in Curbing stays more or less in medium compared to the other modes, ranging from medium quiet (mp) to medium loud (mf). It is not possible to sing very quietly and very

loudly in this mode (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96).

character of Edge

is

light, aggressive, sharp, and screaming,

like when you imitate a diving airplane. Edge can be found by

twanging the epiglottic funnel (e.g. sounding like

a

duck).

Edge is used in popular music in some styles, and mostly in the high part of the voice when the volume needs to be very loud and with a great amount of meta! on the notes, such as in heavy rock and gospel music. Edge is used in classical

Overdrive

music when men sing very loudly (ff) often in the high part

Oc

@) 97. Overdrive is one of two full-metallic modes. There is a

great amount of metal in the notes. The character of Over-

of the voice such as the high C

ofa tenor. Women do not use

Edge in classical music. Edge

is

used in everyday life when

you scream.

drive is often direct and loud, like when you shout ‘hey’ at

somebody in the street. Overdrive can be found in the beginning by establishing a ‘bite’. It is usually used when speak-

Only twanged vowels can be used as the twanged epiglottic

ing or singing loudly in the low part and middle part of the

funnel

voice.

Both men and women can use Edge in all parts of the voice.

condition of Edge. This means that in the high part of the voice you can only use ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’), ‘EH’ is a

(as in ‘stay’), and ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’). The sound colour can only

Overdrive is used in popular music when the volume

is loud

be altered a little. In the high part of the voice you must not

wanted on the notes,

alter the light and sharp sound colour. The volume in Edge

such as in rock music. In classical music it is used by men

stays mostly loud. The higher the notes, the more distinct the

when they sing medium loud to very loud (f-ff), and women use Overdrive in classical singing only in the low part of the

screaming character becomes (see ‘Edge’ on page 116).

and when

a

great amount of metal

is

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

7

Sound colour

Effects

All modes can be lightened or darkened, though some more

These are sounds which are not connected to melody or text but are sounds that underline the expression or style of a

than others. The sound colour is created in the vocal tract,

which is the space above the vocal cords extending to the lips and including the nasal passages. The form and size of the vocal tract is of great importance to the sound colour. All singers have different vocal tracts so all singers have their own

personal sound colour. If the vocal tract is large, the sound colour will be darker with more ‘body’ to it. If it is small, the

sound will be lighter and thinner. The shape of the vocal tract can be altered in many directions so there are many ways of

singer. Many effects are produced in the vocal tract. All singers are different. Consequently, every effect must be specifi-

cally designed to each singer, taking into account their anatomy, physiology, fitness, energy level, and temperament. Before you start working with effects it is important that you can control the three overall principles, the chosen mode, and the sound colour.

changing the sound colour of your voice. Effects might be:

Remember to obey the three overall principles and to be in control of the chosen mode before changing sound colour.

»

-

Soft palate

Nasal passage

Vocal tract (red)

Lips

+

Distortion @) 222

Creak@) 234 and creaking q) 240 Rattle) 245

Growl) 252 Grunt) 270

«

Screams) 276 @) 277 @) 278

+

Intentional vocal breaks @)) 284

-

Air added to the voice @)) 67

»

Vibrato q) 295 @) 296

«

Ornamentation technique (rapid runs of notes) @) 316

Epiglottis —

Tongue

Vocal cords

Trust yourself

Larynx

Some of the main rules that cannot be repeated too often You can change the shape of the vocal tract by changing

are:

the:

+

«

+

shape of the epiglottic funnel @) 163 @) 164 position of the larynx @) 165 @) 166

-

shape of the tongue @) 167 q) 168

+

shape of the

+

*

+

«

mouth) 169) 170

Singing must always feel comfortable. The technique must have the intended effect right away otherwise you are not working with it correctly. Ifan exercise hurts, feels uncomfortable or feels wrong, it

|S

wrong. Only you know how it feels so trust your feelings.

position of the soft palate @)) 171 @) 172 opening or closing of the nasal passages q)) 173

)) 174

Each of these factors can and should be trained individually

get to know each factor’s influence on the sound colour. Once you can control each factor individually they can be combined in different ways to achieve different sound in order to

colours.

18

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

3 (xem

¢

support

=»

necessary twang

©

no

tightening

of the jaw

and

lips

a CHOOSE VOCAL MODE

©

NEUTRAL

N

CURBING

oO OVERDRIVE

EDGE

ae CHOOSE SOUND COLOUR LIGHT

a PERHAPS CHOOSE EFFECT distortion

screams

creak and creaking rattle

vocal breaks

growl

vibrato

grunt

techniques for ornamentation

|

air added to the voice

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

19

The Three Overall Principles To ensure healthy voice production always remember the

three overall principles:

There are many advantages in following these three overall principles including: « Longer notes

Support

+

Advantages

+

Necessary twang

«

Avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips

Even production of sound Larger range of voice

«

-

Support of the dia‘Support’ means working against the natural urge an interacphragm to release the air. This is achieved through

-

No hoarseness or wear and tear

+

Greater volume

-

Control of vibrato

+

Control of intonation

tion of three muscle groups: the abdomen, the loin, and the

the following chapters will go through all aspects of the

back.

In

Feel that the bulge at the solar plexus is expanded, the abdomen around the navel is pulled in and the muscles of the back

three overall principles.

|

are contracted. A battle takes place between the loin mus-

cles that try to curve the back and the abdominal muscles

that try to straighten the back. The interplay between these three muscle groups should happen in a sustained, gradual, continuous movement as though working against resistance for as long as the sound is produced.

And remember +

»

Singing must always feel comfortable. The technique must have the intended effect right away, otherwise you are working incorrectly. If an exercise hurts, is uncomfortable or feels wrong then it IS wrong. Only you know how it feels so trust your

feelings.

Necessary Twang When twanging, the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the arytenoid cartilages closer to the lower part of epiglottis (the petiole) whereby the sound gets clearer and non-breathy, and you can increase the volume. You always need necessary twang on the notes in order to achieve easy and unhindered use of the voice, regardless of

the mode, sound colour and effect used. Necessary twang makes it easier to sing in all ways. For many this necessary

twang does not sound twanged at all.

Avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips conProtruding the jaw and tightening the lips often cause striction around the vocal cords. Keep the lower jaw inwards in relation to the upper jaw. Avoid

tightening the lips on high

notes.

You must distinguish between activity and tension. Avoid

tension, not activity.

20

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Breathing The techniques in this chapter apply to both singers and wind instrument players.

Anatomy The lungs are situated in the chest (thorax) and below the lungs is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a large muscle

We take about twelve breaths per minute and, for most peo-

shaped like an open parachute at the bottom of the chest.

ple, the process is unconscious. However, a singer has to be aware of how the breathing works. To understand the process of breathing (respiration) you have to know the anatomy

The diaphragm

of the parts of the body involved.

is

attached to the breast bone, the lower six

ribs and the lower spine. It separates the upper part of the

body into a kind of upper and lower ‘floor’ where the upper floor is the chest containing the lungs and the lower floor is the abdominal cavity containing the digestive organs. The penétrated by the gullet (oesophagus) which is the ‘pipe’ that carries food and drink from the mouth to the

diaphragm

is

stomach.

The Jung on the left is shown in cross section so you can see the bronchial tubes. The diaphragm (red) is positioned below the lungs. The larynx is positioned on top of the windpipe.

Windpipe

Larynx

Bronchial tubes

Lung

wee

je

i | Diaphragm

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21

When the diaphragm is lowered a partial vacuum is created and air is sucked in.

in

the luags

Conscious vs. unconscious process

The very first breath An unborn baby does not breathe but still needs oxygen. When the mother breathes oxygen is delivered into her blood via her lungs and is transferred to the baby through the umbilical cord. At birth, the baby must breathe on her/his own. Before birth the baby’s diaphragm is in a relaxed state, like an when it open parachute. The principle of any muscle is that

acts it shortens in length (i.e. a contraction of the muscle). So when the child takes the first breath the diaphragm tightens,

changing from the relaxed, ‘open parachute’ position into a more flattened position. In effect, it lowers itself and the chest cavity increases in size. Because the lungs are attached to the diaphragm, it stretches and opens up the lungs when the diaphragm is tightening and lowering, thereby creating a negative pressure (partial vacuum) within the chest cavity which causes the child to inhale. The air is then sucked in through the mouth, through

the larynx, passing the vocal cords, down the windpipe (trachea) through the branches of the delicate bronchial tubes,

Following the first breath the diaphragm contracts again, sucking in air and so on. Breathing (respiration) has begun and will work, hopefully without problems, for the rest of our lives. The diaphragm works like a piston, managing our inha-

lation and exhalation without our being aware of it. It works at its own rhythm. A singer however, has to intervene in this

unconscious process, which is often difficult because breathing has been minding its own business for so many years.

Diaphragm, ribs and abdomen The outer edge of the diaphragm is attached all the way around to the lower part ofthe rib cage. At the front it attaches to the breastbone (sternum) and around the sides to the

lower ribs, and at the back it attaches downwards via powerful muscle fibres to the lower lumbar spine. The middle ofthe

diaphragm consists of a tendon plate to which muscle fibres are attached. These muscle fibres have an inward direction so when the muscles contract, the diaphragm lowers and moves

and then continues all the way into the tissue of the lungs allowing the blood to be oxygenated. Once the diaphragm

like a piston downwards and a bit forwards.

has been tightened for a certain amount of time the muscle

There

is

also contraction of some small muscles between the

relaxes again and returns to its initial, ‘parachute’ position in the chest cavity. This way the breath ofair is released from the

ribs (the external intercostal muscles) which effectively move the ribs outwards increasing the circumference of the rib

body and this completes the first breath.

cage and causing the chest to expand.

22

In

the front, the lowest

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

ribs consist of cartilage and they are attached to each other in a

Inhalation

sort of spring system, allowing the chest to expand. At the

back however, the ribs are made of bone and attach directly onto the rigid spine. The net effect is that the expansion of

important to practise as quick and efficient an inhalation as possible. When you sing there is rarely time to breathe

the diaphragm

through your nose so there

is

greatest at the front and sides and minimal

It is

is no point in practising it. There sound to inhalation as it usually adding

at the back. The diaphragm moves a couple of centimetres

is also no

during normal breathing and about 10

should be as quiet as possible. You must breathe calmly and unhindered through your mouth without pouting the lips.

- 12 centimetres dur-

ing heavy breathing. When the diaphragm contracts it also

point

in

pushes down on the contents of the abdomen and the diges-

tive organs. This forces the abdomen to bulge a little, often making singers believe they breathe with the abdomen.

When the chest raises Some people raise the upper part of the chest during inhalation. The inhaled air fills the upper part (apex) of the lungs. Unlike the lower ribs, the upper ribs are smaller and cannot move very much and hence the lungs have very little room to

Ribs

Breastbone

expand. This type of inhalation

is

unpleasant for most people

as it feels tight. It is often difficult to maintain and can create

constriction in the throat, making the voice feel tight. However, there are some singers who do not experience discomfort Cartilage

with this type of inhalation.

spring system

Spine

The diaphragm is attached to the spine, the lowest set of ribs, and the breastbone.

Finding the best breathing During singing or speaking you should hold back the air so all of it does not escape at once. If all the air were to leave the

lungs at once it would interfere with the work of the vocal cords.

It is

essential that the retaining of air is as comfortable

as possible. There are numerous ways of sensing your breath-

ing and many opinions on which sensation is the best and

how ‘correct breathing’ should feel. suggest you investigate which feels most comfortable for you and which one controls |

the air the easiest.

Exhalation

Inhalgtion that raises the upper part of the chest. This might feel

unpleasant and tight.

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23

Place your hand on your upper chest. Take in as much air as possible, filling the

Exhale and inhale, letting only the abdo-

top of the lungs and feel how your hand is lifted. Hold your breath and note the

the upper ribs in the chest nor the lower ribs at the sides move outwards. Hold

sensation of inhaling as the chest rises.

your breath and notice the sensation of inhaling causing the abdomen to bulge.

men around the navel! expand. Neither

When the abdomen bulges Many people talk about ‘breathing with your abdomen’ but this cannot be as there are no lungs in the abdomen. It might

look that way, when the abdomen bulges out during inhalation, but what we actually see is the diaphragm pushing the

abdominal contents down and outwards, creating the bulge.

The abdomen expands quite

a

lot while the chest and ribs

move very little. The diaphragm expands mostly downwards,

putting pressure on the digestive organs. There is no point in overdoing this pressure as it does not improve breathing and

’

Expansion around the diaphragm For most people it feels more natural to expand around the diaphragm area during inhalation. The diaphragm is con-

tracted and the lowest ribs move outwards causing

a

bulge

at the solar plexus. The abdomen around the navel also expands slightly. After inhalation the diaphragm relaxes and releases the air. The lowest ribs return to their initial posi-

tion, the bulge at solar plexus disappears, and the abdomen around the navel flattens again.

it does not make you sing any better. It is usually strenuous

and uncomfortable to keep the diaphragm in this position

Place one hand on the ribs at the side

and requires a lot of energy to keep the abdomen expanded

at the lower end of the chest and the

This kind of pressure often triggers constriction

other hand on the solar plexus. Breathe

around the vocal cords and it is not a particularly pretty sight

calmly and unhindered through your mouth and do not pout etc. The lowest

in this way.

either.

ribs expand and a bulge emerges at the

solar plexus. This bulge is a sign that the

diaphragm has tightened. You can also feel how the abdomen automatically expands slightly. Let the abdomen around the navel work by itself, it must neither be helped nor hin-

dered. The upper part of the chest must not be raised. Hold your breath and notice the sensation. Relax and exhale and feel how the bulge at the solar plexus disappears at the same time as the air escapes. This type of inhalation should feel

comfortable, is usually easy to do, and makes it easy to hold back your breath.

Exercise for expanding the diaphragm

Exhalation

Inhalation that causes the abdomen

Place your hands on the sides of the ribs at the lower end of the chest. Exhale for a long time, heavily and unhindered, and

The diaphragm pushes

at the same time PUSH the ribs in with your hands. Release the

down on the intestines creating a

pressure on the ribs while taking in air so that the lowest ribs

to bulge.

bulge,

24

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin- www.completevocalinstitute.com

Solar Plexus

Exhalation

Inhalation that expands around the

diaphragm

The diaphragm is tightened, pushing out the lowest ribs to expand the lower chest and cause a bulge at the front at the solar plexus

and the bulge at the solar plexus expand as much as possible

tension and feel the expansion at the ribs and the abdomen.

WITHOUT raising the upper part of the chest. The inhalation must be calm. Let the ribs push your hands outwards and feel

When this has become

a

natural reflex you no longer have to

concentrate on the abdomen during inhalation.

how the bulge at the solar plexus is pushed outwards as well. Practise this expansion until it becomes natural.

Do not take in too much air Even though you are expanding around the diaphragm during inhalation you may harm a good inhalation by continuing

Avoid keeping the abdomen tight singer tends to tighten her/his abdominal muscles on in-

an inhalation too long until it raises the chest. If too much air

haling, an exercise in making the abdomen expand can be useful. Some singers obstruct their breathing by holding the

inhaled by filling the lungs to capacity, unwanted tension will be created when you raise the chest (see page 23). Avoid

abdomen in so tightly that no room is left for the diaphragm to push the digestive organs out of the way and therefore the only possible expansion will be upwards into the chest.

this by practising expanding the lower ribs and solar plexus as much as possible without raising the chest.

By placing a hand on the abdomen, around the navel, and

All singers are different. Some are happy

feeling the abdomen expand when you inhale, you can avoid lifting the chest. Note that the lower ribs expand at the sides.

with larger breaths of air, some with less air, Practise inhalation until you know

If your muscles around the

how much air

If

a

abdomen are very tight, concentrate on expanding the abdomen while inhaling. It is all right to overdo it to begin with, later try to expand the ribs. Avoid

is

is

comfortable to inhale

and hold back. Practise this sensation until it becomes natural.

breathing into the upper part of the chest. Let go of any

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25

Posture

posture in harmony with your body. Make sure that your posture does not feel unnatural as that would require too much concentration, leavAll singers are different. Always adopt

opinion many singers use disproportionately much time on correcting the posture. very seldom find that singIn my

|

a

ing too little energy for singing.

ing problems are caused by incorrect posture but are more often due to incorrect technique. My experience tells me that

you achieve much faster results by working directly with the technical aspects than correcting the posture.

Summary:

addition it is not an advantage for singers to be able to perform only when the posture is ‘perfect’. Very few singers

+

When you sing, the idea is to hold back the outflow (exhalation)

+

of air. In

can get away visually with standing perfectly and ‘correctly’ during a whole concert or show. The demands on the singer's

as the During an inhalation the diaphragm tightens and lowers lower ribs move outwards; a bulge emerges at the solar plexus,

and the abdomen around the navel bulges slightly. +

physical endurance are constantly challenged. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly common within the classical

back During an exhalation the diaphragm relaxes, the ribs come the abdomen and in, the bulge at the solar plexus disappears, around the navel flattens.

world to see very demanding performances which challenge the singer’s physical ability. If in these cases you have made

-

yourself dependent on a specific posture, you are very often not chosen for the professional part.

«

of air Singers are different. Some like to take in larger breaths and others smaller.

Practise breathing until you know the limit of how much air you can comfortably inhale and hold back so it becomes familiar and

natural.

Of course, some cases do exist where is so

troublesome that it

is

a

particular posture

worthwhile working on it. If the

diaphragm does not have enough room to expand its movements will become smaller. Therefore singers often inhale so

-

You get quicker results by working directly with the singing a technique rather than correcting your posture. Always adopt it does posture in harmony with your body and make sure that

not feel unnatural.

the chest rises and thereby the natural movement of the diaphragm gets even smaller. A muscle that is under-used will

why you should generally be aware of way that strengthens the diaphragm.

work less well. This breathing in

a

is

problem with your posture, try to ‘grow’ a few centimetres as if you are hanging from a string fastened to the top of your head. Straighten the curve of the If

you think you have

a

back by pulling the lumbar region up under the body in order for the abdominal muscles to do their job better. You must be aware of not over-stretching your knees, not because it is

harmful for singing, but because it places a strain on the knee

joints in general.

The support exercise against the wall is also an excellent way of practising your posture if you think this is needed (see

‘Support training’ on page 38).

26

Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 -

Support The techniques in this chapter apply to both singers and wind instrument players.

Advantages of an efficient support Support

is one

of the overall elements in all types of singing,

regardless of musical style, To develop your singing tech-

nique you often need

a

thorough understanding of support.

There are many advantages of efficient support.

It can

help

Forcing Attempting to produce powerful notes during a large outflow of air is referred to as ‘forcing’, ‘pushing’ or ‘blowing’. This is very strenuous and usually extremely wearing on the voice. You can recognise ‘forced’ notes by hearing that your voice is breathy, even though the tone is rather powerful. Usually,

you can also feel the air on your hand if you put it up in front of your mouth when singing. If a singer ‘forces’, s/he usually

cannot sing for very long without getting without it becoming painful.

a

‘tired’ voice or

promote: «

longer notes

*

even tone production

+

larger vocal range

Avoid ‘forcing’ by singing whilst holding back your breath. You will feel that the outflow of air decreases on your hand in front of your mouth. Try to imagine ‘singing inwards’ or that

*

no hoarseness or strain

you are ‘drinking while you sing’.

*

greater volume

+

control of vibrato

*

control of pitch

will often be less powerful but this is a natural step. Continue the training and soon you will be able to sing more powerfully without a noticeable outflow of air.

In

the beginning the tones

Delaying exhalation

The support for speaking and singing is, in fact, an extension of the natural ‘support’ you use in everyday life, for exam-

Many singers think singing is all about expelling air. But if

ple when you are about to cough or scold someone. Notice

you release the air too quickly your singing will not last long.

how you hold back your breath as if to gather extra energy just before everything breaks loose. In other words, singing

Whenever you speak or sing you have to delay the exhalation. For most people exhalation is an unconscious process being controlled by the diaphragm which just relaxes and releases the air quickly. A singer must, however, take a conscious, active part in controlling exhalation;

a

and speaking are more about holding back your breath than

exhaling.

process known as sup-

port. Support requires physical strength as well as control.

Feel the power of the diaphragm Feel the opposition of the diaphragm that you as

a

singer

are fighting when it wants to release air. Breathe in, hold

Feel the outflow of air Place the back of your hand close to your mouth and exhale.

your breath for a long time, and feel the enormous power that accumulates as the diaphragm tries to release the air. In

Feel the outflow of air on your hand. Now add a note while

the end the diaphragm is ‘stronger’ than your will and, even

exhaling just as before. Listen to how weak and breathy the note is. Now sing a more powerful, sonorous tone and you

though you don’t want it to, it will release the air. You can only partly control the diaphragm and obviously cannot hold your

will feel that less air is expelled against the back of your hand.

breath until you die. So, it is difficult to hold back your breath,

So, in order to make sonorous, powerful notes you must hold

but easy to release the air.

the air back instead of letting it all out at once.

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27

Exercise with a candle Early Italian singing teachers were conscious of the importance of support. They put a lit candle in front of a singer's

Supporting muscles

mouth to check whether the support was correct. The test

Diaphragm, ribs and their assisting muscles

was not to let the flame flicker while the singer sang; that is

To control exhalation you must control the diaphragm. When

how perfectly singers

the singing will be. (This also applies to singing with air added

the diaphragm is contracted and thereby lowered, the lungs are filled with air. When the diaphragm relaxes and arches, the lungs are emptied. The aim is to keep the diaphragm low-

to the voice - see ‘Air added to the voice’ on page 206).

ered in order to keep the air in.

Natural support develops gradually until adulthood. With

The diaphragm

how little air should be released. This

is

must control their breathing. The less air released, the better

be taken in. When children begin to speak they are not very

attached to the lower ribs. During INhalation, it contracts and lowers, and in addition the ribs move outwards. If you are able to hold the ribs outwards for as

good at holding their breath and therefore sound short of breath while speaking and breaking words in odd places.

long as possible during EXhalation you have a better chance of preventing the diaphragm from relaxing and thereby let-

small children the diaphragm dictates when a breath should

is

ting out all the air.

In

order to find the right muscles that help

keep the ribs spread outwards and help you hold on to your breath, you have to know the anatomy of the body.

Do not take in too much air The diaphragm works hard to release air, especially if you have inhaled too much. You must, of course, inhale enough air for it to last for a long note or a phrase, but if you inhale too

Abdominal muscles

much you will not benefit from the extra air as the pressure from the diaphragm increases accordingly. Although inhal-

Hold your breath and notice that when you move the abdomen outwards you can feel that the ribs move inwards. Con-

ing a lot of air makes it easier to reach higher volumes you must be physically very strong to control the pressure of the

versely, when you move the abdomen inwards you can feel the ribs move outwards. Thus the abdomen has to move in-

diaphragm. Only certain Wagnerian singers benefit from filling their lungs with so much air because they wish to achieve

wards in order to keep the ribs outward. When you pull in the abdomen you use four abdominal muscles (see figure on the

maximum volume and they have the necessary strength to

next page).

hold back the air. You must be aware of how much air you

need and how much physical strength you have to hold the air back. You may notice different songs need different de-

grees of support. Practise breathing with the amount of air that is comfortable for you until it becomes natural.

The ‘rectus abdominis’ muscles are the outermost of these muscles. They connect the lower ribs with the pubic bone. Three fibrous bands stretch horizontally across these muscles

which, if you are slim and well trained, makes the abdominal rectus muscles look like quadrangular areas - the so called ‘six

If a

singer has problems with her/his breathing it could be because the air in the lungs is not used up before more is in-

pack’ (see figure on the next page).

haled. This often causes constriction due to increased pres-

Behind the abdominal rectus muscles there are two sets of

sure from the diaphragm because you have too much ‘old’ air

diagonal (oblique) muscles on both sides of the body. These are known as the ‘external oblique’ muscles and are the out-

your lungs. Sing some phrases ofa song and when you feel the need to inhale, exhale instead. Note if there was an extra in

amount of air that you did not use.

28

ermost of these muscles which connect the ribs with the hipbone. The ‘internal oblique’ muscles lie underneath and they connect the edge of the ribs with the pubic bone. The deep-

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

est of all is the ‘transversus abdominis’ muscle which forms

the innermost layer (see figure).

Muscles of the back The rectus abdominus muscles

The large muscles on either sides of the back stretch from under the arms into tendonous tissue which attach to the hip

Wy wy

The external

bone and spine are called the ‘latissimus dorsi’ (see figure on the next page). These muscles help keep the ribs expanded

oblique muscles

at the back. When contracted, they create the ‘wings’ you see on body builders.

Muscles of the loin Sets of muscles known as ‘quadratus lumborum’ are found

the loin (see figure on the next page). They join the pelvis to the lowest rib preventing them from rising and allowing in

The internal

Wie

SX

oblique muscles

the diaphragm to work more effectively. When these muscles tighten they tilt the pelvis forwards so that the back curves.

The transversus

This

only possible when the abdominal muscles are relaxed. When the abdominal muscles are contracted at the same

abdominus muscles

is

time, a battle starts between the quadratus lumborum muscles, which want to tilt the pelvis forward so your back curves, and the abdominal muscles which are trying to pull the pelvis up under your body so the back straightens. This battle is an

important part of the support work, and is the main ingredient in inner support (see ‘Inner support’ on page 31). You can locate them by tilting your pelvis forwards so the back curves and then tightening the abdominal muscles and pull the pel-

vis up under your body so the back straightens. Feel how the

muscles of the loin as well as how the abdominal muscles

work. Make sure both groups of muscles are equally active, but do not push your pelvis backwards so the back curves.

|

The rectus abdominus

muscles

The external

iN

oblique

muscles

The muscles of the front of the abdomen

to (outer inner layers): in the outer middle sits the rectus abdominus muscles with three tendons across.

Next layer: the external oblique muscles on both sides. Next layer: the internal oblique muscles on both sides. Inner: the transversus abdominus

muscles, Note that in the large diagram the lower two layers are hidden. The diagrams on the right show each set of muscles in isolation, The large diagram shows how they are put together.

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29

Quadratus Lumborum

Latissimus Dorsi

The interaction of the three

and knows the exact muscles to be tightened. Later s/he can

groups of muscles

concentrate on avoiding using ‘assisting’ muscles.

>

gether, the ribs are extended and the diaphragm lowered. The interaction of

these three groups of muscles

is

,

muscles (abdominal, back, and loin) to-

*

When we use these three groups of

Muscle awareness Some singers are told to sense their muscles by concentrating on specific places in the body. Awareness of one’s mus-

what

cles varies from singer to singer, so instead of concentrating

we call ‘support’.

ona

specific place in the body, it

is

often more useful to know

which muscle should be used and how to locate this muscle, You may then be able to find another place in the mus-

‘Assisting’ muscles “At the beginning of new and difficult training, singers often tighten muscles other than those that are necessary. It is not uncommon to see lifted shoulders, curled toes, tightened

cle where it is easier for you to feel it.

It

makes no difference

where in the muscle you concentrate on as long as you are working on the right ones. In general it is harder for tall singers to feel muscles far from the attachment points than it is

buttocks, or clenched fists. They tighten these ‘assisting’ muscles in the hope of activating the correct ones — “If it is

for less tall singers. If

difficult to isolate

muscle contraction, suggest that s/he concentrates ‘higher

specific muscle,

I'll

tighten everything” seems to be the common thought. This compares to when a a

a

singer has difficulty feeling

a

certain

|

up’ in the muscle, closer to its upper attachment point.

weak person arm-wrestles a strong person. S/he will tighten as many muscles as possible, whereas the stronger person does not waste energy by tightening muscles that are not useful.

In

singing, it

is

often helpful to tighten these ‘assist-

ing’ muscles until the singer has become more experienced

30

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Summary +

+

Support means holding back your breath. This is done by: -

keeping the diaphragm down

-

keeping the ribs extended

-

the interaction of three muscle groups:

Inner support

Pulling in the abdomen by the navel which pulls the pel-

1)

The support should be in motion at all times; when the support is locked, the constrictors become active,

vis up under your body so the back straightens (using the

abdominal muscles: rectus abdominus, internal/external

The continuous and sustained contraction of the support, resistance in the movement

oblique, transversus abdominus). 2) Contracting the muscles of the back which keep the ribs

extended at the back (using the latissimus dorsi).

To support a note, the support needs to be a continuous and

Activate the muscles in the loin which will attempt to tilt the pelvis forwards trying to curve the back (using the

dynamic movement, and this should be done in

quadratus lumborum muscles).

Abattle takes place between the loin muscles which try to curve

this resistance, raise an arm away from the body without any resistance and feel the work of the muscles in the arm. This is

the back and the abdominal muscles which try to straighten the

not particularly hard. Now do the same thing, but this time,

back.

press against the movement of your arm with the other arm.

3)

»

+

way ‘as though the work

is

against

a

a

sustained

resistance’. To illustrate

The interplay between these three muscle groups should hap-

You will now feel the muscles work harder. Now raise your

pen in a sustained, gradual, continuous movement as though

arm in exactly the same way but without pushing against it,

working against resistance.

this time creating the resistance in the arm itself so that the

movement looks and feels as though it

|

SUPPORT

»

immer

is

pushing against

|

is done by

HOLDING THE DIAPHRAGM DOWN is done by

KEEPING THE RIBS EXTENDED is done by

PULLING IN THE

ATTEMPT

TIGHTENING

ABDOMEN AROUND THENAVEL

THE MUSCLES

TO CURVE.

OF THE BACK

THE BACK

A CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT

as

though working against

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

a

resistance

31

resistance. By doing this the movement becomes smooth

the distance between the inner pair of hands. The singer with

and sustained and the cost in energy terms is relatively high.

the inner pair of hands presses her/his hands outwards with

Feel the muscles work. It is this ‘as though working against a

let's say a force of 20 out of 100.

resistance’ that

a

It is

now the

task

for the other

important. This resistance and sustained

singer, the one with the outer pair of hands, to maintain the

muscle contraction should be worked into your support.

distance between the inner pair of hands. To do this, if the

You can experience this sensation when you gently blow up

‘inner’ presses outwards with

balloons.

press inwards with

is so

a

a

force of 20, the ‘outer’ must

force of 20. If the ‘inner’ applies an out-

going force of 40, then the ‘outer’ must answer with a force of 40. If the ‘inner’ releases the force, the ‘outer’ must release

Finding inner support

accordingly in order to maintain the exact same distance.

Place your hands on your waist, cough, and as you do so feel the muscles of the waist pushing your hands outwards.

This exercise can be transferred to support if you imagine

Now press your hands inwards as much

your hands into your waist as much as possible without feel-

as possible but without feeling uncom-

fortable. Make

a

$

tt

that the inner pair of hands

is

placed inside the waist. Press

ing uncomfortable. Notice the distance between the hands.

tiny contraction of the

This distance must be maintained. Cough, and feel how the

muscles you found by coughing and

muscles are pushing your hands outwards. Imagine that these

make them work as though against a re-

muscles correspond to the pair of hands that in the earlier ex-

sistance. Feel this tiny contraction in your

ercise pressed outwards. If the muscles press outwards with a

‘inner support’. Enlarge this

force of 20, you must press inwards with a force of 20. Practise

waist; this

is

support by contracting the muscles a little bit more. Eventu-

by holding the muscles in check with forces or perhaps more

ally the muscles will push outwards against your hands. When this happens you have surpassed inner support.

easily thought of as ‘support energies’ from

When you control this, sing Start again and feel the contraction in the muscles again, but make sure it does NOT move your hands outwards.

It

might

feel like the muscles are just meeting the hands, but do not

a

1

to 100.

note and feel how the muscles

immediately press outwards to a certain degree. This corresponds to how much support this note demands. If the note

push them outwards. The instant you feel your hands being

support energy of 20, you must hold it at check with an equivalent amount of energy (‘counter energy’). Sing

pushed outwards there

a

is

little support left and you will not

demands

a

little scale up and down and feel how each note demands

be able to contract the muscles any more and therefore you

its own degree of support. Keep the outgoing energy in

will run out of support. This inner support

check by applying an appropriate amount of counter energy;

very economical and you can achieve much strength in singing with this support. In addition you will have the rest of the movement is

(when the hands are pushed outwards) in reserve when

the abdomen should not harden as with incorrect support. Go back to the start frequently. Press your hands into your

waist as much as possible without it being uncomfortable. Notice the distance between your hands. This is the distance

needed. Be careful that the abdomen doesn't harden so you don't risk creating incorrect support or hidden incorrect sup-

to maintain. Highly trained singers can maintain an almost

port (see page 36).

constant small distance between their hands. Notice that when you miss

An Exercise Two singers stand in front of each other with their hands in

front of their bodies as if they were going to clap. One singer places her/his hands on the back of the partner's hands. Notice

32

a

note, the inner energy (which

goes in an outwards direction) has become greater than the counter energy (going inwards). Try again and apply more

energy in maintaining the distance between your hands. Be constantly aware of using enough support, the necessary

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

twang, and avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips even though you are working hard. Take care not to provoke incorrect support or hidden incorrect support.

and work with the support described further on in this

book. When you have achieved this you can always return to this chapter and refine your support by working on inner

support.

Inner support through images and sensations +

A helpful way of imagining the inner support could be to

imagine sucking your stomach inwards, without the perimeter changing noticeably. In other words you suck the

+

Feeling support

stomach inwards on the inside while it does not move

It is

much on the outside.

from singer to singer.

You can also imagine that you are ready for a 100 m sprint.

ways of feeling support that have been most efficient in my work with singers.

important to realise that the feelings of support may vary will, however, go over a number of |

N.B: These images and sensations are only meant as an aid. If

you do not respond to them immediately, forget them. Do

Natural vs. active support

not confuse them with what is actually happening!

In

order to find the correct support for certain notes, a singer

has to consider her/his natural support. During inhalation, the

Support = Movement Even if you try to maintain the same distance between your

diaphragm is contracted and lowered and will naturally stay there for a short period of time while the initial amount of air

hands, it is essential to understand support as being

is

MENT, even though it is is

a

a

MOVE-

small one. As long as the movement

continuous, as though working against a resistance, there is

needed in the movement.

It is

singer does not have to use physical strength to support the voice because the diaphragm is already naturally contracted.

this re-

But as soon as the initial amount of air has been released, the diaphragm will want to relax and release the rest of the air.

will be support for the voice. The more support you need,

the more resistance

used. This is known as ‘natural support’. At this point the

sistance and the strength it requires that makes it possible

This is where a singer should gradually apply ‘active support’

to prolong this movement throughout singing. If the move-

to hold onto the air as long as possible. Eventually, when al-

ment stops, the support will be locked, the tension hardens and you wiil quickly run out of support. A ‘locked’ support

most all the air has been released, the active support will be at its maximum. At this point, support can no longer control

may actually require as much strength as correct support (i.e.

exhalation and air escapes irregularly. This often happens in

the support that works against

small jerks and the tone becomes irregular and weak.

a

resistance), but you do not

profit from it because the muscles are locked. So, ONLY use active support when necessary. Conserve sup-

port at the beginning of the note or the phrase. Do not apply

Inner support It is

active support until your natural support begins to fade. You

an important part of a singer's job to keep support strong

and flexible, and to find out how to make the most of the en-

ergy. This can be practiced by discovering and using inner

support. This inner support

is so

subtle and yet gives so much

energy to the voice that it alone can provide all the energy needed. However, it often takes an experienced singer to find

.

Natural versus Active support +

0

:

Total support

and use it. Natural support

Active support

Minus side

difficult to locate inner support at once do not worry. If this chapter does not appeal to you, just go ahead If you find it

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

33

will gradually have to work harder and harder, and eventually

Feeling support at the solar plexus

you will only be using active support.

Place one hand on the solar plexus and the other on your abdomen around the navel. When you exhale, the areas under-

neath your hands normally flatten.

The ‘zero point’ of support very useful to be able to economise ‘your support. This can be practised in the following way. The illustration below It is

shows sensations during support. Begin by releasing a very small amount of air by making an ‘sss’ sound or a note, smaller than the diaphragm would want to release. At first it feels

When you inhale, the areas underneath both your hands normally expand.

When you use support the upper bulge at the solar plexus must COME OUT, while the lower bulge at the abdomen

like holding your breath, like holding back the air. This is the plus side. It does not require a lot of physical strength, but

around the navel must GO IN.

feels like holding the diaphragm in check. At a certain point, whilst supporting and making the ‘sss’ sound or the note, the

the beginning, it may be difficult to make the two areas work opposite each other but practise slowly. If it seems dif-

pressure from the diaphragm increases and the sensation changes. This is the zero point of support. As you continue

ficult, start by making the bulge at the solar plexus expand as much as possible and let the abdomen around the navel

to make the ‘sss’ sound or the note the pressure from the dia-

follow and come out too. When the bulge at the solar plexus is as big as possible, keep it there. If necessary increase the

phragm increases considerably, and from this point on it gets harder to resist its movement. This is the negative side. The singer usually feels as if the air needs to be pushed out. This

In

pressure from inside to keep it distended. Now carefully pull in the abdomen around the navel without letting the bulge

solar plexus disappear. The pulling in of the abdomen the does not have to be particularly strong, just feel it draw ina little without allowing the solar plexus to flatten. Hold onto at

feeling often lingers until the next inhalation.

Sensations during support +

0

-

this feeling. When you become familiar with it you will notice an interaction between the solar plexus and the abdomen. The more the abdomen around the navel is pulled in (to a certain degree) the more the bulge at the solar plexus

Minus-side

Plus-side

So, the longer the exhalation, the more difficult and harder it becomes to hold back the air. How long you can

fight the

t

physical strength and stamina.

general, the longer you are able to extend the feeling of holding back your breath, in other words the longer you

+

pressure of the diaphragm depends on your technique, your

In

maintain the plus side, the better. When the feeling changes and you feel as though you are fighting to expel the air, you are getting close to wanting to take a new breath.

:

:

:

:

34

Place your hands. When you exhale, the areas underneath your hands flatten. When you inhale, the areas underneath your hands expand. During support, the upper bulge at the solar plexus must COME OUT, while the lower bulge at the abdomen around the navel must GO IN.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

will protrude. Familiarise yourself with this interaction and

remember to maintain the sensation as though working

against is in

a

resistance as this continuous sustained movement

fact support.

the lower ribs of the back pushing your hands outwards. Contract these muscles

without coughing. Gently pull in the abdomen around the navel. When this feeling becomes familiar, notice that when

You can now practise support slowly by moving the two

the abdomen around the navel comes

hands back and forth, opposing each other, using only mus-

inwards, the muscles at the lower ribs of

cles and without inhaling or exhaling.

the back go outwards.

Feeling support in the abdomen

These five feelings of support (at the solar plexus, the abdomen, the waist, the ribs, and the back) are different, but they

Feel the abdomen pulling inwards in one

come down to the same physical process and are simply different ways of FEELING support. Note that regardless of which

continuous movement as though working against a resistance. Be careful not to

feeling of support you use, you have to apply energy. Choose the feeling that seems to be the most efficient for you, or change between them.

lock at any time (see ‘incorrect support’).

Feeling support at the waist Support as images and sensations

Placing your hands on your waist, cough, and feel the muscles of the waist push-

Become familiar with the feeling of support and try to relate

ing your hands outwards. Contract these

this feeling to an image in your mind that you will always be

muscles without coughing, feel how the

able to recognise. Your personal images and sensations will

solar plexus also tightens and then pull

always be best and the most efficient way of re-establishing

in the

abdomen around the navel gently. When this feeling becomes familiar, no-

the feeling of support.

tice that when the abdomen around the

You may be inspired by images and sensations that other

navel comes inwards, the muscles of the

singers or singing teachers have used, but remember that

waist and solar plexus go outwards.

these images, as well as your own, are based on subjective

feelings and do not have any connection with the anatomy of the body. Therefore, ONLY regard these images as educa-

Feeling support at the ribs

tional tools.

Place your hands on your lower ribs,

cough, and feel lower ribs pushing your hands outwards. Expand the lower ribs

making sure that the lumbar region stays in contact with the

—_>

—>

>

‘Rock’ the support To work in good support let the head, shoulders

Exhale and then inhale. While exhaling make

a

quiet ‘sss’

sound with your tongue. The ‘sss’ sound must be even and last as long as possible, so hold back the exhalation. Feel how

38

and lumbar region have contact with the wall.

Gradually move your feet closer to the wall.

>

Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine -

important to be able to stay in this position without too much effort. Make the ‘sss’ sound and feel your supportwall.

It is

ing muscles work as in the previous exercise. By focusing on

the areas where the body is in contact with the wall while

singing you will obtain

good overview of your support. This is also an excellent way of practising your posture if you think it is needed. a

You can also control your support by holding a piece oftissue

paper in front of your mouth. Exhale, inhale and make a slow

points of support: the bulge at the solar plexus

is

and even exhalation. The tissue paper should not move dur-

extended, the abdomen around the navel is pulled in, the back muscles

ing the exhalation; this is how perfectly you should be able

are contracted, and the lumbar region is pulled in. Follow the

to control the outflow of air. Follow the instructions for the

instructions for the ‘sss’ exercise.

previous ‘sss’ exercise.

Physically strong singers can practise support by lifting some-

thing heavy and holding it at a distance from their body while sustaining the ‘sss’ sound. Be careful not to curve the back,

Energy

keep the abdomen around the navel pulled in, and the bulge at the solar plexus extended. You can begin by standing

The techniques in this chapter apply to both singers and wind instrument players.

against

a

wall, pressing head, shoulders, and loin flat against

it. When you can achieve this posture, move away from the

wall and repeat the exercise. Follow the instructions for the

Singing requires energy

‘sss’ exercise.

It is

important to realise that whatever the mode (Se vocal

modes on page 81) or style of music, it requires energy to sing

healthy way. The myth that EVERYTHING in your body must be relaxed and loose when you sing has caused much in a

>

harm. In my experience, more voice problems have arisen

> > >

+

from using too LITTLE physical energy than from using too

much.

>|

j

Thyroid cartilage

NX SS N

Front

Direction

Vocal cords

y

Arytenoid cartilage

Back

Cricoid cartilage

Windpipe

inhale/exhale

Producing sound

The bones and cartilages of the larynx as seen from the back the neck. The left arytenoid cartilage is transparent (red) to enable you to see the vocal of cords attached together at the front at the thyroid cartilage

of the true vocal folds. The epiglottis is attached to the front of the upper rim of the thyroid cartilage. When we swallow, food slides down over the tongue and the epiglottis tilts backwards. This helps prevent food passing into the trachea

(windpipe) which would cause us to choke (see ‘Swallowing’ on page 48). Once the food has passed through, the epiglot-

tis returns to its original position, standing up from the thyroid cartilage. The hyoid bone is positioned at the very top,

attached to the thyroid cartilage and the epiglottis (the hyoid bone is not shown on the figure above).

Vibrations of the vocal cords and volume The vocal cords are two ligaments controlled by muscles and arytenoid cartilages, and which are lined by a moveable mucous membrane. This membrane creates sound through its movements, by pushing the air and making vibrations.

The larger the vibrations of the air, the more powerful the volume.

Cross section of the vocal cords

Moveable mucous membrane

Sound Sound

vibration or pulsation of air. The faster these pulsations are, the higher the pitch. Pitch is defined by the number is

Vocal Ligament

of pulsations per second, also known as Hertz (Hz). Itis the vocal cords and their mucous membranes that create the pulsa-

tions with which we speak or sing. The note Al is equal to 440

Muscles O

s

*

°

Flow of air

Hz, so to sing Al the mucous membranes of the vocal cords

must vibrate 440 times every second you sing this note!

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

45

The vocal cords form

a

narrow-

ing of the air passage (a). When

rs

the air stream passes through this

narrowing,

a

partial vacuum is cre-

together by constriction. Now the singer gets into problems. The constriction limits the movement of the cords which thereby limits the volume. This is what is called ‘forcing’ the voice and causes much damage.

ated, thus bringing together the limit to how fast the air should be let

membranes of the vocal cords (b-

Consequently there is

e). (The same effect occurs when a

out while singing. Above this limit the voice does not work efficiently. Even at very powerful volumes the speed of the air

bus passes you at great speed, you

a

movement where the membranes

stream should not be so fast that it no longer feels like you are holding back the air. This is why correct singing and speaking

called the ‘closed phase’ (f-

always has the sensation of holding back the air. This contro!

can get sucked in behind it). The

close

is

j). The closed phase begins with a

of the exhalation is achieved by using support.

suction movement at the bottom

edge of the vocal cords and moves upwards in a rolling motion. In the

To keep the speed of the air within the range where the vocal

closed phase the flow of exhaled air is momentarily stopped which creates an increase in pressure be-

energy. This is even more applicable when you reach the extreme ranges of voice and volume. On very powerful tones the danger of ‘forcing’ is great. On very quiet tones it is often

neath the vocal cords. The upwards

more difficult to avoid constriction, and here even a minor

rolling motion ends with the vocal sure is released (k). Now the cords

change in the speed of the air may interrupt the small vibraand quiet tones is tions. So the work of supporting powerful both physically and technically demanding. It is not enough

have completed one pulsation/vi-

for the singer to be technically skilled, s/he should also be in

bration and are ready for the next

excellent physical shape and have great stamina.

cords separating when the pres-

cords can move freely is a balancing act and requires support

one. This repeated interruption

of the air stream by the mucous membranes coming together cre-

Constriction

ates a series of pulsations known as

The work of the vocal cords is

a

‘sound wave’.

very refined process and it

to give their vocal cords the best possible working conditions, by controlling the outflow of air and

The aim for singers For the note Al the mucous mem-

is

per second, and this requires a very

preventing constriction in the throat. A solid support technique is vital otherwise the membranes

stable speed of the airflow. By in-

of the vocal cords grow weary from the constant pressure of

creasing the airflow, the vacuum

consequenceof this might be tired, swollen vocal cords vibrating irregularly. It is very strenuous for the

brane vibrates at 440 pulsations

strengthens and the mucus membranes go into bigger movements

-

this creates bigger volume. At

point the air is exhaled so strongly that it is forcing the

a certain

ons

a

does not take much to spoil these delicate, rapid movements.

out-flowing air.

A

muscles of the vocal cords to&eep them together while there

constant pressure from out-flowing air. This could lead to constriction around the vocal cords. This constriction might is

lead to straining or incorrect use of the vocal modes which

membranes apart. This impairs

eventually causes hoarseness and an inability to reach

the refined vibration, so to obtain

sired pitch.

a

a

de-

note you have to bring the cords

One pulsation/vibration

46

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Cross section of the larynx

Epiglottis

Arytenoid cartilage

Vocal cord

Thyroid cartilage

Q

.

Cricoid cartilage

Relaxed vocal cord low pitch front

direction

Stretched vocal cord high pitch

back

Regulation of the pitch When we produce high and low notes the vocal cords are

tightened and relaxed by the movements of the arytenoid cartilages and a number of muscles. This is how pitch is regulated. When the arytenoid cartilages stretch the vocal cords

they vibrate more rapidly and produce a higher note. On low notes the vocal cords are relaxed, become short, and vibrate

you want, it is essential NOT to fix the position of the larynx but to let it reach the right position for the pitch (see ‘The

Larynx’ on page 162). Then later you can raise or lower the larynx a little within the right position for the pitch, in order to colour the sound lighter or darker (see ‘Sound Colour’ on page 158).

more slowly.

Summary +

Movements of the larynx

The vocal cords are positioned inside the larynx above the

windpipe.

The position of the larynx varies depending on whether you are producing high or low notes. If you want free and unhindered notes you MUST allow the larynx to rise on the high notes and to lower on the low notes.

+

When we inhale the cords separate, but when we sing or speak

they are pulled together. +

Sound is vibration of the air. It is the vocal cords and their mucous membranes which make these vibrations; the faster the

vibrations, the higher the note. For example at the note At our

THE LARYNX SHOULD ALWAYS BE RAISED ON HIGH NOTES

vocal cords and their mucous membranes are vibrating 440

AND LOWERED ON LOW NOTES.

times every second!

If a singer maintains the larynx in

high notes become unreachable.

In

a

much too low position,

*

The vocal cords stretch on high notes and relax on [ow notes.

>

The larynx rises on high notes and lowers on low notes.

order to reach the notes

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

47

The Throat The constrictor muscles

The area between the soft palate and the nasal cavity (nasal fossae) is called the ‘nasopharynx’. The area between the

soft palate and the hyoid bone

is

called the ‘oropharynx’. The

area between the hyoid bone and the vocal cords is called

Cl)

the ‘laryngopharynx’. Subsequent references to the throat include in particular the laryngopharynx.

Superior constrictor

Middle constrictor

Constriction It is

Inferior constrictor

not difficult for the vocal cords to stretch or slacken, but

it becomes difficult if the movement is obstructed. An

struction

is

ob-

any unwanted constriction that prevents the vo-

cal cords from stretching, thereby making it difficult to reach

higher notes. A singer will try even harder to reach the note, often worsening the constriction. Eventually the vocal cords

Once the food has been swallowed the lower constrictor

will not stretch at all. The singer may conclude,

regurgitated back into the mouth. If you speak and eat at the same time food can easily go down the wrong way. When you speak the epiglottis stands up and

voice,

|am

‘I

have

unable to reach the high notes’ but this

is

a

low

not the

case! The reason why the high notes fail is not a lack of vocal

ability to reach high notes but constriction around the vocal cords, robbing them of the space required for them to work,

muscle closes off the top of the gullet so that food cahnot be

the windpipe

is

open so it does not take much for food to

enter the windpipe.

which is to stretch in order to reach the high notes. The constrictor muscles of the throat contribute to this constriction.

Strain

fright

or

The constrictor muscles are very useful. We use them to form the vocal tract so we can obtain all the various modes and sound colours. The constrictor muscles also protect the vocal cords if Low pitch

stricts

High pitch

The vocal cords stretch on high notes and relax on low notes

a

if,

singer is exposed to great strain. The throat confor example, we lift something heavy or become

frightened. Constriction of the throat is quite practical when we lift something heavy, because it prevents a strain on the vocal cords, but it is very impractical to constrict around the voice when we sing as the vocal cords must have room to stretch. Thus, we talk about constriction of the throat be-

Swallowing The task of the constrictor muscles is to constrict the vocal

ing the singer’s main enemy, not the constrictor muscles

cords and windpipe (trachea) during swallowing which stops

themselves.

food from entering the windpipe or ‘going down the wrong way’. As we swallow, the upper constrictor muscle creates a

ledge at the back of the throat to stop the food going up the nose. As the food slides down the back of the mouth the larynx and the attached epiglottis rises a little under the back of the tongue. The epiglottis acts as a lid over the vocal cords

preventing food going into the windpipe and helping direct it into the gullet (oesophagus).

48

Avoiding constriction Singing requires physical strength but this can constrict the throat. We must therefore, by correct technique, ‘cheat’ the constrictors of the throat into not constricting even when we sing technically difficult and physically demanding material.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

often called keeping an ‘open throat’. To be precise, it not possible to ‘open’ the throat, it is only possible to avoid

This is

wards the ears as if sobbing. Press downwards on the uvula from the back above

is

constricting it. When the constriction

the

of

is

gone the stretching

*

vocal cords is unhindered, the pitch is secure, and wear

or fatigue of the vocal cords is avoided. Basically, singing tech-

niques are about avoiding constriction, and this is obtained

+

low-ceilinged room, as wide as possible, above the uvula. The room stretches from ear to ear, and if imagine

a small,

you press down on the uvula you may provoke a yawn feel where you contract near the ears when you imagine

by using support, amongst other things. With efficient, solid

biting into

support we can use lots of physical strength without constric-

feel the position of the uvula as if gurgling. The back of the

tion in the throat. A skilled singer knows the feeling of con-

tongue

striction and is able to avoid it in all situations.

*

a

lemon

is lowered and this may

imagine

a

throat having

a

provoke

a

yawn

square gap

Some singers like the image of ‘an open throat’. To use this

image it might be helpful to feel that the uvula moves upwards (like when you gurgle) and the very back of the tongue lowers

itselfa

Imagine a square throat

little. This might produce a yawn. Try to locate

this feeling and practise holding onto it while you sing. This is done by using support correctly, using necessary twang and

+

by singing in the centre of the mode (see page 83). The feel-

ing

ofa yawn is only meant as a guide to finding the image of

‘the open throat’ (which often

The feeling of

a

yawn

is

is in

reality necessary twang).

lift the corners of the mouth slightly, as if you were making small, ‘secret’ smile. Tighten the area around the molars in

a

*

the upper part of the mouth and raise the palate imagine there is air above the back molars in the upper part of the mouth.

NOT the same as singing without

constriction however. The open throat is an image only and therefore does feel differently for different singers.

Watch out for ‘triggers’ of constriction

The open throat is an image or sensation

Even if you support and use necessary twang there are still a few things to be careful of. If you tighten the lips or protrude the jaw this will often trigger constriction which hinders the

Remember that images and sensations are only meant as guide. If you do not respond to them immediately, forget

voice.

a

You must be careful not to tighten the jaw whilst singing,

them. Again, do not confuse these images and sensations with what is really happening!

especially when you sing high notes. This may produce constriction that will prevent the vocal cords from stretching. If you are not sure if you are opening your mouth enough when

You can work in sensations of the image ‘an open throat’

you sing high notes, try placing one or two fingers between the upper and the lower teeth while you sing. Biting on these fingers on vowels is a sign of muscular tension. Practise sing-

when you: +

inhale for

*

sob

+

*

*

+

a

yawn or

a

sneeze

laugh silently are surprised

get a good idea but cannot make yourself heard imagine that you swallow something big leave the palate in the same position on all vowels

+

feel how the uvula moves up and forward, almost touching

itself to make more room. Then ‘stretch out’ the palate toBiting your fingers on high notes may indicate muscular tension

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

49

ing without biting your fingers (see ‘Opening the Mouth’ on

Notice at which points in a song you protrude the lower jaw

page 58).

and for what reasons. Practise removing this constriction. You may also feel the position of the lower jaw by placing your hands on your cheeks. Lean the head backwards and feel the

The position of the lower jaw

position of the jaw. Raise your head, and make sure

When you sing you must also be careful about the position of the lower jaw. If it is

is

kept in this

your

jaw

position whilst singing.

protruded it might produce constriction around the vocal cords. The natural opening of the jaw is

The

lower jaw should be pulled inwards compared to the upper jaw

ina BACKWARD and

downward, not a forward, motion. The lower jaw is attached to the upper jaw by a joint that

Avoid tightening the lips

naturally turns the lower jaw

.

backwards

Tightening the lips may also produce constriction around the vocal cords. It is acceptable for the lips to tighten on conso-

in relation to

the upper jaw when the mouth is opened.

nants as they only last a very short time. However, when a note is sustained, it almost always happens on a vowel, thus

You must always make sure that the lower jaw never protrudes when you sing.

it is important to keep the lips relaxed.

downwards

and_

Maybe practise in front of a mirror and notice at which point the lips tighten. It is all right for the lips to tighten in the lower part of your voice, but avoid this in the higher part. You

When the mouth opens the lower jaw moves downwards and inwards

should practise making distinct vowels without tightening your lips (see ‘Pronunciation’ on page 53 and ‘Opening the

Mouth’ on page 58).

Finding the correct position of the jaw You can locate the correct position of the jaw by pretending to fall asleep on a bus with your head tilted backwards. No-

tice how the lower jaw

is

pulled backwards compared to the

upper jaw, leaving room for a finger to fit between the back of the upper teeth and the front of the lower teeth. Keep the

Summary +

the

vocal cords to stretch or slacken to reach

high or low notes, unless they are hindered by constriction. +

finger between your teeth, raise your head, and familiarise yourself with this position of the jaw. Feel how the lower jaw

gradually moves away from the finger as the mouth opens

Itis not difficult for

The task of the constrictor muscles is to constrict the vocal cords and windpipe (trachea) during swallowing which stops food

from entering the windpipe. +

more widely.

The constrictors become active when we lift something heavy or become frightened.

Sing with the finger between your jaws. If the lower teeth press

against

a risk

of creating constriction.

the finger there is

Zz3

+

twang and by singing in the centre of the mode. +

Avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips as this might

trigger constriction. +

Find the correct position of the lower

you avoid constriction by using proper support, using necessary

The lower jaw must be opened inwards and downwards during

singing.

jaw

50

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Twang Epiglottic funnel seen fom the side

Epiglottic funnel seen from above,

Epiglottis

The edges of the

Arytenoid cartilages

x oO

epiglottic funnel or aryepiglottic folds

oO

a

The edges of the epiglottic funnel or aryepiglottic folds Cc

0

Quadrate membranes

5

Quadrate membranes

Vocal cords

We

front

Arytenoid cartilages

Epiglottis

Vocal cords

front

——————~-

direction

The more the arytenoid cartilages get closer to the lower part of epiglottis, the more twanged the sound will become.

back

——————

The ‘Epiglottic Funnel’

regardless of the mode, sound colour and effect used. Neces-

Above the vocal cords are two quadrangular membranes known as the ‘quadrate membranes’. Together with the epi-

sary twang makes it easier to sing in all ways. For many this

necessary twang does not sound twanged at all, but a trained

glottis at the front and the arytenoid cartilages at the back, they form a funnel like a horn. The sides of this funnel are called the ‘aryepiglottic folds’. The whole funnel

is

called the

‘epiglottic funnel’. You can see the rim of this funnel, or this horn, when you look down the throat with a mirror or a fibre-

scope. This funnel/horn can be shaped in many ways which

affects the voice and its sound colour.

Necessary twang When twanging, the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the arytenoid cartilages closer to the lower part of epiglottis (the petiole) whereby the sound gets clearer and non-breathy and you can increase your volume by 10

-

15

db. You always need some twang, which

is

called ‘necessary twang’, on the notes in order to have correct

technique and to achieve easy, unhindered use of the voice,

Q

Twang has great influence on the voice. When you twang the voice becomes clearer and more focused, Twang is used in all singing styles.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

y

51

ear is able to hear that a certain amount of twang is involved.

+

q)

*

very loud ambulance siren q) 28 say ‘Meow’ (without the o-sound) like a cat or the Russian word “Niet” @) 29

+

Imitate Andrea in the puppet show ‘Kaj & Andrea’ @)) 30

164

twang than this you can achieve a sharper and more penetrating, snarling character, like a cackle. This If you add even more

is

called ‘distinct twang’. The more twang (i.e. the more the

funnel

is

imitate the sound of

Distinct twang

is

a

used, for example, in the stereotypical

American way of speaking (the Southern accent) and often in

squeezed), the sharper the sound.

Thus, we are distinguishing between ‘necessary twang’ to

country music. It is often mistaken for nasality but has nothing to do with it. In twang, the sound may come through the

obtain clear, unhindered notes with correct technique and

mouth and/or through the nose (see ‘Nasal Passage’ on page

‘distinct twang’ to obtain

sharper character and lighter

a

171).

=

sound colour.

important to practise your twang, both the necessary and the distinct one, partly in order to obtain clear,

As

a

singer it

is

free notes and partly to be able to alter the sound colour.

Distinct twang and vowels Distinct twang works best with the vowels ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’), (asin ’sit’), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’), and ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) because the tongue in these cases is positioned against the molars in the upper part of the mouth which helps in twanging the epiglottic funnel. ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’),

Finding twang In

the beginning it is easiest to make twang as distinct as pos-

sible in order to train how to produce it. Later, when you can

‘OO’ (as in

‘you’), and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) are problematic because vowels the back of the tongue is lowered causing you

in

this

these to lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel. In distinct twang

way, you achieve necessary twang, which to many people

‘OH’, ‘0’, ‘OO’ is changed into sounding more like an ‘OE’ (as

control distinct twang, you can practise making it less. does not sound like twang.

It is

In

an important tool for singers

in ‘herb’).

‘OH’ {as

in

‘so’)

is

changed into ‘OEH’. ‘O’ is changed

into ‘OE’. ‘OO’ is changed into ‘OOE’. ‘AH’ is changed into ‘A’.

to be able to control their twang.

Practise each vowel separately. Listen for the exact vowel

Distinct Twang

sounds in the CVT Sound Library.

When the opening of the funnel

is

made EVEN smaller by

bringing the epiglottis closer to the arytenoid cartilages, the sound assumes a much sharper and more penetrating, snarl-

The vowel ‘EE’ {as in ‘see’) with distinct twang @) 31

The vowel 'l’ {as in ‘sit’) with distinct twang @) 32

ing character, like a cackle. This is known as ‘distinct twang’.

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) with distinct twang @) 33

The more squeezed the funnel, the more snarling the sound.

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) with distinct twang @) 34

@) 163

The vowel ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’) with distinct twang @) 35 The vowel ‘0’ {as in ‘woman’) with distinct twang @) 36

It is

easiest to find distinct twang by practising the following

The vowel ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) with distinct twang @) 37 The vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) with distinct twang @) 38

sounds: +

imitate an infant crying @) 22

The vowel ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) with distinct twang @) 39

+

imitate a duck quacking @) 23

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) with distinct twang @) 40

+

make your voice grating and witch-like @) 24

*

speak like someone who has an evil plan @) 25

+

imitate

+

a

diving aeroplane make the sound of driving

52

¢) 26 a

toy car

)) 27

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Pronunciation The tensions of language Most singers have individual tensions, but they also have lan-

each vowel is treated technically differently, it is important to notice which main vowel a certain satellite vowel belongs to

guage tensions which are inherent to their spoken language. Every language has characteristic tensions and most sing-

in order to

ers unconsciously work these into their voice through many

years of usage in speech. Language tensions should not be

The way one treats the vowels in singing and in speaking is quite different. In singing you usually sustain the vowels

confused with accent. If these tensions obstruct singing, it is important that they are released as they can lead to vocal

longer than in speaking. When singing, you do not distinguish between long vowels, short vowels or stressed vowels.

misuse. Language tensions come from the language, so it de-

in

pends on the singer’s mother tongue as to which technical

all vowels as long vowels. Besides this, it is the rhythm in the

trouble they may encounter in their singing. That is why you can often recognise the nationality ofa singer by her/his ten-

music that decides the length of the vowels.

treat it correctly.

order to avoid constriction during singing, you usually treat

sions, regardless of the language in which they are singing.

Focus on the position of the tongue

ofa language

To avoid most of these tensions you can practise specific

Itis important not to destroy the distinctiveness

placements of the tongue on each vowel, thus mainly using the tongue to form the vowel sound and reducing the work

when you alter the characteristic tensions of a language. You have to alter how the vowels are produced, by focusing on

of the jaw and lips. By doing this you can avoid the protruded jaw and the tightening of the lips which often trigger con-

the positioning of the tongue rather than on the muscular tensions from the language, a protruded jaw and/or tighten-

striction and obstruct singing. In this chapter will go through how to place the tongue to produce vowel sounds in order to

ing the lips. Of course, the vowels should sound as they usually do. Only the way in which they are produced is different.

avoid constriction..

Note the exact adjustment of the tongue for each vowel. The

|

tongue

is a

large muscle and it

is

NOT supposed to be com-

pletely relaxed when forming vowels as this would sound

Main vowels and satellite vowels

odd. @)) 351

different languages you have different vowels, and in many languages the various vowels are pronounced differently. For In

instance the same vowel sound can be pronounced as

a

short

Tension in the back of the tongue

vowel, a long vowel or as a stressed vowel. So, many languages contain many more vowels than are described in this book.

many teachers focus excessively on possible tension in the

However, we do not have to concentrate on all the different

back of the tongue.

vowels as it

problems in singing blamed on the tension of the back of the

is

only the main vowels we have to focus on. The

other vowels (the ‘satellite vowels’) are used the same way as the main vowels.

singing technique we concentrate on the main vowels and

Because of the fact that the tongue is used during singing,

In

my experience half of all technical

tongue are actually caused by

a

protruded jaw and tighten-

the lips.

ing of

main vowel. For instance the vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) is a satel-

However, some singers do push the very back of the tongue down into the throat which might result in a sound a little like Kermit from “The Muppet Show”. This pressure can stop the

lite vowel to the main vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’), but we mention

larynx from rising and can make it difficult to reach high notes.

‘AH’ because it technically works differently than the main vowel ‘A’ and therefore often causes problems. The rules that

You can find out whether you have tension in the back of the

In

we only work with a satellite vowel when it differs from the

work for the main vowel also work for the satellite vowel. As

tongue by stretching it out of the mouth and holding it with your fingers; you can also hold onto it with a handkerchief.

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53

Sing high and low notes and notice whether the tongue pulls in. Do not worry if it sounds a little strange. Whilst holding the tongue, practise singing scales and songs, regardless of the mode, without allowing the tongue to be pulled in. Use

'

The difference between vowels

greater tendency to cause constriction than others. The mode you choose is very important as each Some vowels have

a

mode has its own set of rules for vowels (see ‘Neutral’ on

more support when the tongue tries to pull in. Do not hold

page 87, ‘Curbing’ on page 96, ‘Overdrive’ on page 106, and

on too tightly on the tongue as it may hurt, but practise re-

‘Edge’ on page

sisting the urge to pull in. Keep this control when you let go

Even in the Neutral mode difficult vowels differ from singer

of the tongue and sing normally.

to singer. Learn how to avoid

116).

You can also avoid tension in the back of the tongue by means

a protruded jaw and tightenand the the positioning of the tongue until it lips, practise ing feels natural. Remember to adjust the vowels so they sound

of images and sensations. Imagine:

exactly as you want them. There

+

+

is no

reason to accept slurred

you have cotton swabs (as used by dentists) under the back

vowels.

of the tongue

The correct position of the tongue on vowels

that the sides of the tongue rise when you sing.

tised in Neutral. These positions are almost the same in all the modes, so once you have found the correct position for a certain vowel in Neutral, you only need

Find the position of the tongue

a

is

easily prac-

few adjustments when

you change mode. However, be aware that certain modes in certain pitches exclude the use of certain vowels.

To locate the position of the tongue when forming vowels it

may be helpful to do the opposite of what you do when you

Use the precise vowels

speak.

With ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’), ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), and ‘A’ (asin

‘and’) you usually pull the corners of the mouth to the sides. Instead, try to form these vowels while relaxing the corners

very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the vowels is done 100% correctly. Being able to recognise It is

the exact vowel nuance mentioned is equally important in

of the mouth. Notice how the tongue places itself in order to

order for the technique to work in the right way. Therefore,

form the vowel, namely by positioning itself on the molars in

it is very important that you take your time to understand

the upper part of the mouth. With ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’), ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’), and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) you usually pucker the lips. Now try to smile as

the exact vowel as used in the sound examples from the CVT

you say OH, O, OO and AH and feel how the tip of the tongue moves into the lower part of the mouth to form the vowels.

everyone to carefully study the sound examples and to learn the exact vowel nuance in each case in order to avoid confu-

Sound Library (see page 249). As this book is used by singers with various languages and dialects, would recommend |

sion in the difference between the written and the spoken

vowel.

Exceptions the lower part of the voice you can tighten the lips slightly as the vocal cords are not stretched here. Just remember to In

avoid tightening the lips on the high notes.

When singing the high notes you do not need to keep the tongue rigidly in place for the vowels. Here the tongue can leave the placements for the vowels and you can open your

Vowels EE,

|,

EH and A

These vowels are grouped together: Try to form these vowels while relaxing the jaw and the corners of your mouth. Notice that you place the sides of the tongue on the molars in the upper part of the mouth.

mouth more widely as this makes it easier to reach the high notes.

54

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) is produced by placing the sides of the tongue close to the front molars in the upper part of the

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Placement of the tongue at the various vowels

00S

EF Seen from the side

=

=)

Seen from above

\

The tongue is not shown from above on ‘0’, ‘OH’, and ‘AH’ as the

the vowels 'O0’,

tongue hardly touches the upper teeth.

a

0 mouth. Pull the tip of your tongue ‘into

itself’ and adjust the vowel so that the

vowel sounds exactly as you want. If you think it sounds too ‘woolly’ it is because you have pulled the tongue back too far

OH

on the molars. Instead, try to make the

sides of the tongue touch the molars

aN

\

closer to the front teeth and relax your

jaw and lips.

@) 8

The vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’)

\ is

produced fur-

AH

ther back on the molars in the upper part of the mouth. @) 9

mea

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) is produced even further back on the molars in the upper part of the mouth.

\

@)) 10

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) is produced even further back again on the molars in the upper part of the mouth. @)

With the vowel ’O’ (as in ‘woman’) the tip of the tongue is positioned further backward in the lower part of the mouth. @)

11

13

Vowels 00, 0, OH and AH The next group of vowels

is

‘OO’ (as

in

‘you’), ‘O' (as in ‘wom-

an’), ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’), and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’). Make sure the lips are not tightened nor rounded. Try to smile as you say ‘OO’, ‘0%,

‘OH’ and ‘AH’ and feel how the tip of the tongue places itself in the lower mouth to produce the vowels. Notice the exact

With the vowel ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’) the tip of the tongue is positioned all the way back in the lower part of the mouth touching the frenum, the small structure that goes from the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth which can be seen ina mirror when lifting the tongue. @) 14

place of the tip of the tongue when you smile and say ‘OO’, ‘O', OH’ and ‘AH’. The tip of the tongue moves slowly back-

With the vowel ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’) you can place the tip of the

wards vowel by vowel.

tongue as you did with ‘OH’. Try this and say ‘far’. @) 15

With the vowel ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’) the tip of the tongue the front teeth in the lower part of the mouth. @) 12

is

below

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55

Change of vowels up through the voice

Consonants

Vowels change as you sing up through the voice. In the lower part of the voice, the sung vowels sound like the spoken

Unlike vowel production, where the idea is to avoid tightening the lips and protruding the jaw, consonants are produced

ones. The higher up you sing, the more they become merged, sounding like each other. @)) 352, 353, @)) 354. Therefore,

with the help of certain muscular tensions, for example in the

in the higher part of the voice it is often difficult to distin-

ing you do not stay on the consonants for any length of time. Consonants only make the necessarily short sounds which

))

guish between them. You should not prevent the vowels from merging into one another in the high part of the voice

lips. These tensions do not hinder singing because in sing-

make the text understandable. If a singer has problems with

as this may trigger constriction. If you rigidly try to hold onto

making the words sound clear, it

the sound of the vowel as it sounds in the lower part of the voice it will be difficult to reach higher notes.

consonants. Some singers feel that the consonants require more Support than the vowels, as if the consonants ‘pull’ the

Merged sound

ee

&

ly

eg

&

fe

@

4

fy e

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

2099000 Low pitch

0

o

0

normally due to indistinct

support. Be sure to apply this extra amount of support.

Avoid tightening on vowels @

og

+

dy 0 °

is

aglabiiod

d Tala,

&

A singer may tighten the lips on consonants, but it is essential NOT to remain tightened on the vowel. You must relax

»

NY

the jaw and lips on the vowel that follows immediately after a

High pitch

consonant otherwise the singing sounds gets impaired. With higher notes, the mouth needs to be wider open. In other words the ‘chewing’ motions of the mouth, between tensed

The sound of the vowels in the high part of the voice is referred to as ‘merged sound’. Merged sound gets more distinct the darker the sound you use, i.e. the more classical the

consonants and relaxed vowels, will increase as you sing the words in the higher parts of the voice. Many singers of popular music have problems with impaired vowels because they

forget to release the tension of the consonant for the subse-

singing. The vowels’ merged sound is one of the reasons why often the words of songs become harder to understand the higher the notes become. The sound of this merged sound

quent vowel. @)) 355

often interpreted in different ways. Some think that the vowels in the merged sound sound like an ‘OO’, others like

Avoid ‘relaxing’ on consonants

an ‘EE’ and so on. As many classical teachers deliberately di-

sonants, the text becomes slurred and blurs into the adjacent vowel sound. This is often a problem for classical singers who

is

rect all vowels towards this merged sound, you often hear the teacher say: “Think ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’)” when ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) is sung on a high note. Even though vowels are merged, it should still be possible to understand the words. Practise with someone else until you

On the other hand if a singer relaxes TOO much on the con-

completely avoid tightening on the consonant for fear of destroying the large and beautiful sound of the vowel. Again, remember to use the necessary ‘chewing’ motions of the mouth between consonants and vowels. @)) 356

have become accustomed to the sound of vowel changes (or

merged sound) as you go up through the various parts of the

Developing correct vowels and consonants

voice.

Sing an even, legato scale from the middle part of your voice up through an octave and down again. Sing on ‘EE’ (as in

‘see’) or whichever vowel you think is easiest and focus on the position of the tongue. Familiarise yourself with the support

56

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

values needed for your chosen vowel. Remember to pull the lower jaw back in relationship to the upper jaw. Make sure

lowest one, Change between the vowels . Transpose the exercise upwards. @) 21

that all notes have the same volume and that the throat does not constrict. @)) 8

Train the tongue to make precise words. If you have difficul-

ties with certain combinations of words, then practise them

separately. Combine various words into exercises and practise them until the problems are solved.

An octave scale Of start FO

Practise the same thing with the vowels ‘I’ @)) 9 (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’

@) 10 (as in ‘stay’) and ‘A’ @))

Summary

(as in ‘and’) and remember to

:

Each language has its own characteristic tensions.

place the sides of the tongue against the molars in the upper

+

Only focus on the main vowels as the other vowels (the satellite

11

part of the mouth and avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips.

vowels) are used the same way as the main vowels. +

Insinging, all vowels are treated like long vowels. The vowel sounds should be produced by focusing on the place-

Practise the vowels ‘OO’ @)) 12 (as in ‘you’), ‘O’ @) 13 (as in 15 (as in ‘far’). ‘woman’), ‘OH’ @) 14 (as in ‘so’) and ‘AH’ Avoid pouting the lips and notice the position of the tongue.

ment of the tongue instead of protruding the jaw and tightening the lips. +

It is very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the

vowels is done 100% correctly.

Sustain a long note and change between the vowels ‘EE - EH - A- OO - O - OH - AH’ the

|

only by changing position of the tongue. The jaw and lips should not move from vowel to vowel. Make sure that all vowels are equally sonorous and feel how the support energy needs to increase during the

note because of the time factor. Finish the note beautifully, 19 keeping the necessary twang.

))

+

The vowels ‘EE’, ‘I’, ‘EH’ and ‘A’ are produced by placing the sides

+

The vowels ‘OH’, ‘0’,

of the tongue on the molars in the upper part of the mouth.

‘00’ and ‘AH’ are produced

by placing the tip

of the tongue in the lower part of the mouth. «

The vowels start sounding like each other the higher you sing;

this -

is referred to as

‘merged sound’.

During singing you must tighten the consonants and relax the

vowels.

Add consonants and vowels to the scales. The consonants

‘tighten’ but the vowels must be relaxed. Sing “TEE TEE” and so on. Later sing “FEE FEE” and so on. Sing various combinations of consonants and vowels, and practise the combinations you think are difficult. Transpose the exercise upwards.

@)20 Practise octave leaps. Allow the sound of the vowels to

O start FO

=

Ml

An octave leap

eit

change alittle on the higher notes (merged sound), but make sure the highest note is just as powerful and sonorous as the

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

57

7

Opening the Mouth

very low

Opening of the mouth

low

In

optional lower/middle

middle/high

high/very high

different parts of the voice

The opening of the mouth in the lower/middle part of the voice

you have to open the mouth sideways,

the low range and the lower section of the middle part of the voice (i.e. between C1 - Al for women and between CO

dropping

In

as though to widen it into a smile, whilst the

jaw.

ww

- AO for men) you can afford to tighten the lips to produce

distinct vowels. This

is

because the vocal cords do not need

much space as they are not stretched.

The opening of the mouth in the low part of the voice Between GO -

C1

for women and be-

tween G-1 - CO for men you should drop

The opening of the mouth in the middle/high part of the voice

the jaw to open your mouth as in the

middle/high part of the voice.

@

In the upper section of the middle part of the voice and the lower section of the high part of the voice (i.e. between Al -

E2 for women and between AO -

E1

for men) you have to drop

your jaw to open your mouth. If the mouth is not opened wide enough the sound of the notes will gradually become

The opening of the mouth in the very low part of the voice Below GO for women and below G-1 for

wo

impaired. The aim is to open the mouth

men you should drop the jaw and open

gradually and concurrently with the

the mouth sideways as in

pitch. The higher the pitch, the more you need to open the mouth.

the high/very high part of the voice.

The opening of the mouth in the high/very high part of the voice

On smooth scales opening of the mouth must be smooth.

smile as in

a

Follow the pitch

the high or very high part of the voice (i.e. above E2 for women and above E1 for men) it is no longer sufficient to open the mouth by dropping the lower jaw. At this pitch In

58

During interval jumps the mouth must jump in similar fashion. Eventually you will learn the exact opening of the mouth

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

required for each vowel at each pitch. Often, if you do not

hinder the natural, instinctive opening of the mouth, it will find the correct position itself. Get to know the movements

of the mouth. Once this becomes

a

habit you no longer have

to pay attention to the opening of the mouth.

Opening too wide Some singers open their mouths too wide. This can result in

constriction which makes the notes breathy and dull. If you think you may be opening your mouth too much on vowels, try biting on one or two fingers when you sing in the lower part of your voice and two or three fingers in the higher parts.

The mouth is not supposed to open more than this when you sing. Now feel how the support is activated and constriction is

avoided once the mouth has found the correct opening for

the pitch. @)) 357

Don't open your mouth too much during singing.

Summary +

Inthe low range and the lower section of the middle part of the voice you can afford to tighten the lips as this does not obstruct

the vocal cord vibration +

In the upper section of the middle part

of

the lower the voice, section of the high part of the voice and in'the low part of the voice you have to drop your jaw to open your mouth

Inthe high/very high part of the voice and in the very low part of the voice you have to drop the lower jaw AND open the mouth sideways, as in a smile *

During interval jumps the mouth must

jump

in similar fashion.

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59

Completion of the note Avoid completing notes badly Many singers have problems finishing notes, e.g. the last part sounds choked, it ends too abruptly, or jarring sounds appear.

This is because there is constriction around the vocal cords ei-

ther due to too little support, missing necessary twang, having a protruded jaw or tightened lips. @) 41

Supporting the completion of a note common and understandable that many singers slacken their support just before finishing a note in order to ‘round it It is

“

If you wish to round off the note you actually have to add extra support, as if thinning the note (see ‘Volume’ on page

off’.

64). Just as support must be progressively intensified during

long notes, it must also be sustained to the very end to secure its quality.

To many singers it seems natural to constrict the throat when

completing

a

note because they ‘run out’ of support. You

can prevent this by working in the habit of maintaining (or even feel you are exaggerating) the twang till the end of the note. For instance, imagine you are swallowing something

large at the end of the note. When this becomes familiar you will have secured yourself good technique for completing a

notes and you have also become used to saving a fair amount of support for the end of a phrase. This ‘saved up’ support

could also be used to extend the note

a

bit further or for do-

ing something artistic, such as finishing the phrase loudly or thinning the note. @) 42

Necessary twang A necessary amount of twang is needed in order to obtain a

correct technique and to maintain easy, free use of the voice no matter which vocal mode, sound colour or effect is being used. This twang makes it easier to sing in all ways (see

‘Twang’ on page 51). If the last part of note sound choked, jarred or the note ends too abruptly, it can be helpful to use a

more twang in order to complete the notes in a better way. As this is difficult, you should also practise completing a high

note very loudly without constricting the throat.

60

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Attacks The beginning of

a

vocal sound is called an attack. There are

various ways of attacking which contribute to the distinctive-

useful in practising Overdrive and Edge (see ‘Overdrive’ on

page 106 and ‘Edge’ on page 116).

ness of a language.

Half-metallic attack (Also known as

Another view on attack

a

‘simultaneous attack’)

A half-metallic attack is actually just the beginning of a note

the start of a sound it might seem strange are just that they have a specific name. At this point would like to

in Curbing. @) 45

introduce the names of the vocal modes which seem more

In a

As attacks

|

logical to me to use instead of the old traditional names for

half-metallic attack the sound is started smoothly. In English, this attack is often used in words such as ‘oil’, ‘air’, ‘easy’,

attacks which are often loaded with prejudices and myths.

and ‘ear’, but can be trained on all words.

kinds of singing it is important to respect the rules for

A half-metallic attack can be used to practise a gentle, smooth

each vocal mode. See the various chapters for each vocal

beginning of the note without a preliminary grated sound or involuntary release of air. Of course, the half-metallic attack is

In all

mode.

also useful in practising Curbing (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96).

Full-metallic attack Non-metallic attack in Neutral without air

(Also known as a ‘glottal attack’)

A full-metallic attack is actually just the beginning either Overdrive 46 or Edge 47.

ofa note in

(This attack is also known as

A non-metallic attack in Neutral

is

a

‘simultaneous attack’)

actually just the beginning

ofa note

without air. @)) 44

full-metallic attack the sound starts abruptly. It might sound quite dramatic, but there is nothing harmful in per-

In a

forming this sound. On the contrary, it is a small, natural movement for the vocal cords. In English, this attack is nor-

smoothly, just as in half-metallic attack. In English, this attack is often used in words such as ‘oil’, ‘air’, ‘easy’, and ‘ear’, but can

mally used in words such as ‘every’, ‘altitude’, ‘envelope’, and

be trained on all words.

In a

non-metallic attack without air the sound is started

‘interesting’, but can be trained on all words. Traditional singing tuition does not distinguish between a

voice is healthy there is no reason to be anxious about the full-metallic sound. Previously the full-metallic atusing tack was often mistaken for constriction simply because of If your

the strong sound. The full-metallic attack has nothing to do with constriction. Today it is known that constriction causes

voice strain, whereas full-metallic sounds do not.

non-metallic attack without air and

a

half-metallic attack.

They are considered same.

Anon-metallic attack without air can be used when you want the same sound as a the half-metallic attack but without the

metallic character. This can be difficult to perform but will be easier to find if you use more twang before the attack. This

The full-metallic attack can be useful for practising a nonbreathy attack without a preliminary grated sound or air. It

type of attack

also perfect for practising pianissimo (pp) and thinning (see ‘Volume’ on page 64). Of course, the nonis

may be easier to find the full-metallic attack if you use more

metailic attack without air

twang before the attack. The full-metallic attack is of course

without air (see ‘Neutral’ on page 87).

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

is

also useful in practising Neutral

61

For many years half-metallic attacks and non-metallic at-

this level before the note is sung. If you begin the note be-

tacks without air were the only ones ‘allowed’ in singing tuition because they were considered the healthiest type. This

fore you have sufficient support energy, it will result in a bad

is

because singing tuition was dominated by a classical ideal

attack, and the throat will probably constrict. Therefore you must achieve the required support value BEFORE you sing

gentle and controlled attack was considered the most beautiful type as it produced the desired sound colour. Consequently this attack was considered to be the healthiest

the note.

one. Nowadays we know that all attacks are equally healthy if performed correctly. Likewise we know that all attacks are

precise attack. If you experience preliminary grated sounds or imprecise attacks, you can correct these by twanging more

equally damaging if performed incorrectly.

(see ‘Twang’ on page 51).

Non-metallic attack in Neutral with air

Exercise for attack

(also known as a ‘breathy attack’)

Practise each of the attacks by singing up through five notes,

where

a

A non-metallic attack in Neutral.

is

actually just the beginning

of a note

Make sure to twang sufficiently in order to obtain a clear and

repeating the highest note three times, then singing down

through the five notes and repeating the lowest note three

¢) 43

times.

amount of air before the vocal cords come together for sound

The idea of the ascending scale is to feel the gradual increase in support energy needed. You must be aware of the support

clearly heard as an ‘H’ sound

value needed for the highest note. Breathe and recreate the

prior to the note. This attack is used in words such as ‘house’,

exact same support value. Delay singing until you think you

‘hundred’, ‘horse’, and ‘hey’, but can be trained on all words.

have the correct support value. Sing the note and listen to

In

the non-metallic attack with air you release

production.

In

English, this air

is

a

certain

whether your support value

is

correct. If it is incorrect the

and for learning how to add air to your voice. This is useful if

attack will not be as intended. Adjust the support value to make a good attack and remember this value for the follow-

you want a softer or quieter sound, or if you want to add air

ing notes. When you find the exact support value for a given

to your sound (see ‘Neutral’ on page 87).

note, memorise it. Sing down through the five notes and find

This type of attack is, of course, perfect for practising Neutral

the exact support value for the lowest note. Remember this value, find and use the exact same support value for the fol-

Attacks are just the beginning

lowing notes. Make sure all the attacks are perfect and then

Attacks only tell you something about the beginning of the note. Starting the note in one vocal mode doesn’t mean that

transpose the exercise beginning half

a

note higher each

time.

you have to go on singing in that vocal mode. For instance, it is

possible to choose a full-metallic attack on

a

non-metallic

note etc.

O start FO

Support and twang ensure healthy attacks

)) 46 )) 47, half-metallic attacks

All attacks are a natural part of the language and are not

Practise full-metallic attacks

harmful in themselves. Constriction, on the contrary, is harm-

@) 45 and non-metallic attacks @) 43 @) 44 in this way.

ful so therefore it is essential to maintain support and keep

the twang on an attack. equally important to be aware of how much support energy is required for a given vocal mode, and to arrive at It is

62

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Summary An attack is just the beginning of a note

The full-metallic attack is the beginning of a note in Overdrive or Edge

The half-metallic attack the beginning of a note in Curbing is

The non-metallic attack without air is the beginning of a note in Neutral without air

The non-metallic attack with air is the beginning of a note in Neutral with air All attacks are equally healthy when performed correctly Using support and twang ensures healthy attacks

Starting a note in an attack in one vocal mode doesn’t mean

that you have to continue singing in this vocal mode.

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63

Volume Get to know your volume It is

important that

a

singer knows the range of volume of

her/his voice. Start by finding out how loud and how quiet

you are able to sing. Fix the values of these volumes, the qui-

energy to maintain intensity and avoid breathiness. They also need extra support energy to keep the small air stream even in order to avoid constriction. Pianissimo and thinning are

and 10. Practise finding an exact volume

good vocal technique. Thinning is when a note is made gradually quieter until it finishes in pianissimo. You can call thinning a refined decre-

and be aware of the connection between volume and sup-

scendo. Thinning requires yet more support energy in order

port energy.

to ensure the quality of the note; this is also due to the inter-

etest being

1

and the loudest being 10. Now practise the gra-

dations between

1

usually signs of

a

vening time factor (see ‘Support’ on page 27). Once you are aware of the exact volume and support value

needed for a certain note in

certain vocal mode, you can al-

Pianissimo and thinning must be performed in Neutral. They

ways find this note by applying exactly this volume and sup-

are difficult to do and they are usually the last part of a sing-

port value. Such volume and support value awareness will

er’s technique to be perfected. However, pianissimo and thin-

give you great bodily awareness which is an invaluable tool

ning exercises are very useful for improving your technique.

in

For instance, practising thinning is

a

controlling your singing.

a

good way to“exercise

maintaining necessary twang. @) 48

Getting to know the volumes of the vocal modes

Be sure to twang sufficiently in order to obtain perfect thin-

Often you have to change between the vocal modes in order

ning. If during thinning you experience unintentional distor-

to obtain the desired volume.

tion or the note stops too early or the note loses its sound,

sung in volumes

In

general, Neutral should be

to 4, Curbing in volumes 4 to

and Over-

then it is probably because you have lost your necessary

drive and Edge in volumes 7 to 10. Never sing louder than you have the support for in any of the chosen vocal modes.

twang. In these instances is it helpful if you use a more distinct twang and even increase the twang during the thinning

1

7,

process (see ‘Twang’ on page 51). Be aware that every volume needs a different level of sup-

port energy in

a

different vocal mode. Remember that at the

Be aware to not use the vocal flageolet below high C as a

extremes of

vocal mode, i.e. at the loudest and quietest

substitute for pianissimo, as the usual principles of singing

a

volumes within the vocal mode, more support is required. Furthermore, notice that certain volumes are not possible in certain vocal modes. See ‘Volumes and Modes’ on pages

technique will not work, and you risk practising voice (see page 79).

a

split in your

141

- 148 for further study.

Exercise for pianissimo and thinning Sing

Metallic modes

a

note in Neutral at an easy volume, make sure the note

More powerful volumes can be obtained by using metallic

non-breathy and comfortable. Sing the note one octave higher, making sure that the upper note is as sonorous and

modes. (See ‘Curbing’ on page 96, ‘Overdrive’ on page 106

powerful as the first one. @) 48

is

and ‘Edge’ on page 116).

An octave leap

Pianissimo and thinning Pianissimo (pp) or ‘mezza voce’ are terms for a very low vol-

start FO

é

=

ri |

CE

1

ume. Pianissimo tones require large amounts of support

64

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

the attack fails or has an unintentional distortion you can practise the attack with more twang. Take care to provide

Make a decrescendo on a sustained note. Start the note loud-

enough support for this difficult attack. Now thin the note,

the support value and the twang have to be increased even though the volume is being lowered. This is partly because

If

keep the twang the whole time, and feel how it gradually requires more support the longer you sing. Be sure to avoid

ly

(‘f’ or ‘forte’) and gradually decrease the volume. Feel how

to gradually open your mouth more and more, but be careful

singing quietly requires a large amount of support and twang to avoid constricting the throat, and partly because of the intervening time factor. Save enough support energy to be

not to lose the twang as the sound then becomes breathy.

able to complete the note in pianissimo. q)) 50

constriction all the way through thinning.

It is

often helpful

Breathy sounds are caused by the mouth being too open, or

the twang or the support being lost. Now gradually reduce the volume of the note and at the same time increase the

twang without losing its quality. If the note suddenly disappears you should apply a little more twang and support for it

Decreasing the volume,

A

decrescendo

=

oS

O start C1

to return. The point at which the note disappears is called the

‘minimum limit’. Become familiar with your own minimum limits for pianissimo and thinning. They vary from singer to

Now make a crescendo and

a

decrescendo on the same note.

Start anote in Neutral with a quiet volume and slowly increase

singer and with training can be refined.

the volume to loud, change mode if necessary, then decrease the volume again until the note finishes in pianissimo. Also

Changing the volume

to use the increased amount of support energy and twang required for both crescendo and decrescendo. @)) 51

practise scales with crescendo and decrescendo. Remember

crescendo or

a

support. This

decrescendo it

is

important to have sufficient

secured by supporting as though working against a resistance (see ‘Inner Support’ on page 31). Many

singers have

is

tendency to slacken the support energy and the twang on a decrescendo and this causes the throat to a

Increasing and

decreasing the volume, crescendo

ra

and decrescendo

.

®

Increasing the volume is called ‘crescendo’. Decreasing the volume is called ‘decrescendo’. When you want to make a

O start C1

constrict, impairing the sound. Remember the three overall principles: using support, necessary twang and avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips when making a cre-

scendo or

a

Summary Learn to recognise the volumes in your voice from

decrescendo.

In

general, Neutral should be sung in volumes

volumes 4 to

Make

crescendo on a sustained note. Start in Neutral with a quiet volume (‘p’ or ‘piano’) and gradually increase the volume. Feel the increased support value required to maintain a

the sound. Keep the twang. Save enough support energy to finish the note beautifully. q) 49

+

to 10.

to 4, Curbing in

and Overdrive and Edge in volumes 7 to 10.

A more powerful volume can be obtained by using metallic

modes; the more metallic the mode, the more powerful the

volume. ¢

Pianissimo and thinning require large amounts of support en-

ergy and twang. +

Increasing the

7,

1

1

Both crescendo (increasing the volume) and decrescendo (de-

creasing the volume) require more support energy and twang.

volume,

9

crescendo

O' start C1

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65

Pitch (Registers) Aregister is a specific range of notes. A register is man-made

So registers are NOT names of sound. The various pitches do

name for

not have a specific sound. For example, the note AO may be sung in various vocal modes and with many different sound

a

pitch area and has nothing to do with volume or

a

sound of the voice or the way you sing. have seen so many singers get confused by the term ‘register’, because the same

colours, but it is still positioned in the low part of the voice for

term is used with many different meanings. Some speak of

women and in the middle part of the voice for men, whatever

pitch when they speak of register, some speak of sound colour and some speak of volume. In order to prevent confusion

the sound. Only the pitch can tell you which part of the voice

|

|

therefore avoid using the term ‘register’.

if

‘pitch’,

mean volume

(register) you are in, NOT the sound.

If |mean pitch use if | mean sound |

use ‘volume’ and

|

The range of the human voice

colour use ‘sound colour’.

is

most commonly divided

into five parts of the voice (registers). Some divide the range

|

into 2, 3, 4, or 7 parts. Each part of the voice has a name of its

The vocal cords work like rubber bands. The more they stretch

own.

the higher notes you can reach. As there are no transitions or breaks on

rubber band, there are no transitions or breaks

a

In

order to avoid the confusion that has troubled singers for

in the voice. The various breaks and transitions that singers

far too long, from now on

might experience are due to changes in vocal modes

ter’ and

—

not

|

will only refer to the actual meaning of the word,

changes in registers. But it takes time to wipe out the old

namely ‘pitch’:

myth that the unwanted breaks are due to

+

a

change in regis-

Instead of ‘sub-register’

ter. Therefore many singers use a disproportionate amount of

Instead of ‘chest voice’

-

man-made division of pitch and this has nothing to do with the use of the voice (see ‘Solving unintentional vo-

high part

| |

j

will use the term ‘the

a

|

oe 2

,

|

JT

|

|

7

|

a

|

}

}

|

|

SS Sn 1

ee

|

ii

{—t

et

|

rn

a

[

|

the voice’

of

|

|

i

|

will use the term ‘the middle

Instead of ‘head voice’ or ‘falsetto’

+

unwanted breaks).

+} Pl

|

part of the voice’

cal breaks’ on page 76 for a more thorough explanation of

€—

will use the term ‘the low part of

Instead of ‘mixed register’

a

|

|

the voice’

a

,_

will use the term ‘the very low

|

part of the voice’

time concentrating on equalising imaginary register changes. This is waste of time. The division of registers is just a name for

will avoid using the word ‘regis-

|

zs

a

|

i

t

ie

eo

ow

TT

MIM IN IM JOlo/M [t+

Hz

Jesle ls |e

18

5

@l[tlolaf/

eR

[8

8/8 /8|8 |S

|2

MOIOiImwl(+tlolo

15

|E |e

CHiDe pier Fe/Gb

|

Lal A4/

66

Bb

very low

Qc

co

C-1

very low

Qe

roy

Cc

LA

G#/Ab

low

low

middle

C2 middle

high

c4

C3 very high

high

very high

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

-

Instead of ‘flute register’ or ‘high falsetto’ will use the term |

‘the very high part

the voice’,

of

the chest resonance decreases up through this part of the voice. This part of the voice is also known by the French term

‘voix mixte’. Here the vocal cords stretch and become thinner and no longer vibrate with a full width in the closed phase.

The very low part of the voice (also known as ‘sub-register’ or ‘pulse-register’): is for women

The high part of the voice

below CO, and for men below C1 @) 358*

(also known as ‘head

The very low part of the voice

register’ for women

or ‘falsetto’ for men):

C1.) 361*

below the low part of the voice. In this part of the voice the vocal cords vibrate slowly and possibly only produces very little sound every other vi-

is for women

bration, making the note sound an octave lower. This part of the voice is heard in a small island off the coast of Bahrain

stretched.

where the pearl fishers on long pearling raids sing notes in the very low part of the voice, while professional singers are

not feel resonance in the head as clearly as in the chest, but

hired to sing

a

is

melody above. This part of the voice can be

trained like all the other parts of the voice.

In

is

C2 to C3, and for men above

this part of the voice the vocal cords are even more In

the high part of the voice the chest resonance

completely replaced by

resonance in the head. You can-

a

in certain cases it may feel as if

the head ‘rings along’. Many singing teachers call it singing ‘forward in the mask’, singing

‘between the eyes’ etc. The vocal cords are stretched and therefore become thinner. This led to the assumption that only the edges of the vocal cords meet in the closed phase.

The low part of the voice (also known as the ‘chest register’): is for women below C1,

and for men below

CO.) 359*

The very high part of the voice and the vocal

flageolet The vocal cords do not need to be

(also known as ‘flute register’ for women or ‘(high) falsetto’

stretched much in order to reach the

for men): is for women above C3, and for men above C2.

notes in this part of the voice. In the low

362*

part of the voice there

is

resonance in the

breastbone (sternum). You can feel the chest resonance as

a

@))

Very high notes are probably created by increased muscular tensions preventing parts of the vocal cords from vibrating.

buzzing by plac-

ing one hand on the breastbone when

you sing. The vocal cords are short, thick,

This particular muscular tension is called the ‘vocal flageolet’. Here the vocal cords become rigid, a little curved, and very

relaxed, and vibrate with a ‘full width’ in

thin.

the closed phase.

entire length but rather within a shorter area in the middle

In

the vocal flageolet the cords do not vibrate in their

of the cords that can be increased or decreased. The effect

quicker vibrations and therefore higher notes. This is exactly what guitarists do when they touch a string exactly in its middle after plucking it; the string becomes half its length is

The middle part of the voice (also known as ‘mixed register’): is for women C1 to C2, and

for men CO to

C1.) 360*

and vibrates at twice the frequency. The sound becomes an

octave higher. This this part of the voice the vocal cords stretch to reach higher notes, and the resonance gradually leaves the breastbone

is

called

a

‘flageolet’.

In

and is replaced by resonance in the head (see section on the

high part of the voice). You may feel in the breastbone how

To sing above

a high C you have to use the vocal flageolet. Without the vocal flageolet these notes cannot be reached. However, most singers cannot feel the usage of the vocal

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

67

flageolet in the very high part of the voice. If you use the correct technique the voice will automatically use the vocal fla-

geolet in the very high part of the voice. It is

possible that not all women have this part of the voice.

If at some point in her

adult life

a

woman has reached notes

above C3 she has this part of the voice. This part of the voice may be trained like all other parts. For men this part of the voice is called either ‘falsetto’ or the ‘high falsetto’. For women this part is also called the ‘flute register’, ‘pipe register’ or

the ‘flageolet register’.

Summary +

Aregister

is

just the name for

a

specific range of notes; it has

nothing to do with the sound of the voice or the way you sing. +

Thevarious breaks and transitions that singers might experience are due to changes in vocal modes, not changes in registers.

The very low part of the voice (also known as ‘sub-register’) +

The low part of the voice (also known as ‘chest register’)

»

The middle part of the voice (also known as ‘mixed register’)

»

The high part of the voice (also known as ‘head register’ for

women and ‘falsetto’ for men) «

The very high part of the voice is (also known as ‘flute register’

for women and ‘(high) falsetto’ for men).

*)

@) 358 - 362: To avoid confusing register and sound of

voice, the piano sound

is

predominant in these sound exam-

ples. The voice in the background is only added to make it

easier to locate the pitch.

68

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Training the extreme parts of the voice Training the very low part of the voice best trained by means of

voice without breaks or changes. Practise these high notes just like other notes. Sing scales and intervals until you have

twang and Edge (see ‘Twang’ on page 51 and ‘Edge’ on pages 116 - 127). Twang the notes as much as possible and try to

worked in the exact support values required to achieve free and unhindered notes and to prevent constriction. 4) 53

The very low part of the voice

is

maintain the full-metallic sound as much as possible, while you gradually sing lower in pitch. At a certain time you will most likely lose the full metal (Edge), but continue practicing with as much distinct twang as possible and use a lot of support. You will experience the low notes gradually becoming

stronger and at

certain time you can obtain them in Edge. This means that you are using the distinct twang as like a a

drill for drilling your way downwards in pitch, and when the

notes are practised sufficiently with the twang they can be obtained in the full-metallic sound (Edge). Practise singing as

much in the centre of the mode as possible (see ‘Centre of the mode’ on page 83). Be patient, it requires a lot of accuracy to work on the very low notes. Be sure that the notes never hurt or feel uncomfortable at any time. @) 52

Training the very high part of the voice Above

a

high C the vocal flageolet

is

used in order to reach

the notes. You do not have to do anything specific to obtain the vocal flageolet; it appears automatically when you sing notes above

high C. Only make sure that you use correct singing technique and a great deal of twang when singing in the

a

very high part of the voice. Some singers experience new way of producing notes. The vo-

the vocal flageolet as

a

cal flageolet might feel as if you are speaking while sucking in rather strongly. Try to

imagine

a

high note ‘sung inwards’

on the vowel ‘OO’ (Nb: this is just a sensation; do not sing while you inhale). Feel this sensation and now try to sing a note above C3 for women and above C2 for men with this

sensation. The higher the note, the more you must increase this sensation. Feel how much support and twang the individual notes need, and practise the required values of support and twang until you automatically apply this amount. Start practising in the high part of the voice by working your way up with clear, resonant, well-supported notes. Be sure to raise the larynx and twang more the higher the pitch. When

you reach C3 for women and C2 for men just continue this way. This way you gradually get into the very high part of the

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69

Range and Types of Voices Children’s voices

boyish pitch (which is often in Neutral) and the low, manly

At birth babies’ vocal cords are about

3

mm long. A year later

they have almost doubled in length to about 5.5 mm. Over

pitch (which is often in Overdrive). Eventually, the cords have

grown so long that they are able to stay in the lower octave.

the next 12-14 years the cords grow slowly but steadily to reach a length of about 9.5 mm before puberty. Young boys

When their voices break, many boys become a laughing stock

and girls have similar voices, high and light, because their vo-

and can develop a negative attitude towards their voice. They

cal cords are equally small and short. This is why the range

begin to doubt their instrument as it might ‘fail’ them. They

of children’s voices

is

limited and the pitch somewhat higher

often feel as if the voice

is

beyond their control, and at this

than those of adult voices. Adults must take this into account

point many boys lose interest in the voice as an instrument,

if they want to sing with children. Often adults set a key that is

thinking it too unreliable.

too low for children to follow, and if the notes are too high or too low children often go up or down an octave in the middle

ofa song without thinking about it.

|

would like to encourage everyone who deals with pubes-

cent boys to be aware of this problem.

It is

essential that boys

are not humiliated! Although they cannot help their voices It is

essential NOT to make demands on children to sing in

breaking, they still feel betrayed when it happens. Do not let them develop a problem that they will have to fight later

tune too early in life. Often the result is that the child develops an inhibited attitude to singing. Give them time to ad-

on in life. The fact that many men have had bad experiences

also essential not to interfere with their

with singing from puberty might explain why fewer men

just to the notes.

It is

breathing. Young children are not able to co-ordinate or consciously control their breathing. To them it

is an

than women sing as amateurs.

unconscious

process that you will disrupt if you make them focus on it.

Avoid correcting their breathing and their support until they

Girls’ voices at puberty

have been in puberty for a couple of years. During puberty,

Girls’ voices also change during puberty, but girls’ sex hor-

young people become more conscious of their bodies and

mones do not affect the voice as much as boys’ hormones do.

consequently they are able to adjust things without ruining the natural processes.

During puberty, girls’ vocal cords grow more evenly, on aver-

age 4 mm, and the pitch lowers by only about 2-3 notes. The transition

suggest that when working with children and young people you avoid technical issues. Instead, work from a musical I

is more

gradual without great audible differences.

After puberty, the cords of ggown women measure about

12

- 17mm.

point of view, concentrating on songs, expression, phrasing, rhythm, and so on.

Voices of men and women When boys’ voices have finished ‘breaking’, the larynx and

Boys’ voices at puberty

cords are about twice their original size. The vocal cords vi-

During male puberty, the larynx and the vocal cords grow in

brate more slowly and now men speak and sing an octave

response to male sex hormones. The vocal cords grow thicker

lower than women.

and longer by an average of 10 mm. After puberty, as adults,

Adam’s apple) which is rarely seen in women or in children.

the cords are about 17-24 mm in length. These changes usu-

In

most men the larynx

is

visible (e.g. the

ally happen so fast that boys cannot keep up with controlling

The vocal cords of women are smaller, lighter and can vibrate faster which enables them to reach higher notes. The sound

their voices. When their vocal cords grow, the voice gradu-

colour of the voice is determined by the size and form of the

ally becomes darker and the pitch lowers by about an oc-

vocal tract (see ‘Sound Colour’ on page 158).

tave. During this time the voice ‘breaks’ between the high,

70

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Voices of the elderly

In fact, popular material is often sung bya different completely type of voice from the one it was originally written for in a conscious attempt to renew the song.. a

When singers begin to lose their physical shape and strength it is initially detectable in the vibrato. What is known as an

greater degree.

‘old person's voice’ or an ‘old person’s vibrato’ is usually a sign

that the singer

is

not applying enough support. The voice be-

comes unstable and frail and the vibrato grows larger.

Some people think the range of a voice changes with age so that higher notes actually disappear. As yet, there is no evidence to suggest that the vocal cords’ ability to reach high notes diminishes with age, usually it is the physical strength

that becomes insufficient.

Outside the classical world the terms ‘soprano’, ‘alto’, ‘tenor’, and ‘bass’ are generally used for ‘top voice’ (soprano), ‘middle voice’ (alto and tenor), and ‘low voice’ (bass) respectively in choir work, regardless of which sound colour the voices have.

Summary -

As the years go by the singer will often feel that more support

energy is required for the notes. If this energy is not provided, the vibrato increases and will be heard more clearly. If you keep in physical shape, however, there is

Before puberty boys and girls have similar small vocal cords,

about 9.5 mm. +

During puberty boys’ vocal cords grow about 10 mm, and thereby the pitch lowers by

nothing to prevent

about octave. During puberty girls’ voan

cal cords grow on average around 4 mm, and the pitch lowers by

you from singing until you grow tired of it.

only about 2-3 notes. ©

The cords of grown women measure about 12 -17 mm and the cords of grown men measure about 17-24 mm, therefore men

Types of voices

sing and speak an octave below women.

classical music and choral singing, voice types are often classified according to the following denominations: In

+

+

‘Soprano’

is

>

The vocal cords’ ability to reach high notes does not diminish

with age. However, many singers begin to lose their physical

the light female voice

shape and strength.

‘Mezzo-soprano’ or its abbreviation ‘Mezzo’ is the broader,

°

Types of voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) are used in the pro-

darker female voice

fessional classical world for the various sound colours singers

+

‘Alto’

have. In the popular and in the non-professional classical world

*

‘Tenor’

-

‘Baritone’

*

‘Bass’ is the darkest male voice

is

the darkest female voice is

the light male voice is the broader, darker male voice

they are used for how high and low in pitch the singer can sing.

Different use of the denominations professional choir work it is important to group types of voices separately, as choral works are often composed with a In

strong emphasis on the composition of sound colours.

Knowledge of one's voice type is also essential for the classical soloist as convention often demands particular type of a voice for

a

given piece of music.

These denominations are not important to popular soloists. Types ofvoices are not classified categorically in popular music. In this music the individuality of singers is appreciated to

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71

Fine-Tuning The voice will find the right pitch

Everybody can miss a note

The human voice usually works perfectly when you make your first scream. A newborn baby rarely becomes hoarse,

Everybody, including even the most skilled professional singers, misses a note from time to time. The voice requires very

in spite of the powerful volume, because the interaction be-

fine tuning and everybody tunes a bit incorrectly sometimes.

tween breathing, support and voice is correct. As you grow and develop you can acquire bad habits in the form of con-

Perhaps there was insufficient support, or the energy level

was

striction that prevents the voice from working perfectly. Sing-

energy on this day than usual, or you did not inhale prop-

ers, therefore, have to intervene in certain unconscious proc-

erly before the note, or the monitoring conditions were not

esses, but not everything has to be controlled and corrected.

adequate. There may be

The ability of the vocal cords to stretch to the required length in order to reach a certain pitch is actually beyond our con-

of course, be aware of all these circumstances and adjust to them when something is wrong. But well-intentioned com-

scious control. It is acquired over the years by refining pitch

ments from others which simply focus on whether the note is

with our hearing, assisted by muscle memory (see ‘Muscle

in

a

bit lower than usual, or the voice required

a

a

bit MORE

number of reasons why

not exactly where you want it to be. As

a

a

note is

singer you must,

tune or not can do more harm than good.

memory’ on page 12) and by practising hitting the centre of the mode. If

a

singer had no idea how to sing

a

note and the

voice was unable to act on its own, singing teachers would be entirely powerless. In short, the task of a singing teacher is

‘Unworthy’ of being out of tune?

to hear how

ing out of tune. A lot of guilt is felt from singing out of tune.

a

singer, through constriction, prevents

a

natural

It is

often very stressful for a singer to be told that s/he is sing-

pitch adjustment from taking place, and to help the singer re-

It

move the constriction so the voice can find the note without

‘is unmusicall’ The singer is immediately reduced to feeling

hindrance.

second rate, with the threat that this will never change un-

Being able to find the right pitch within a note is known

to do on receiving such a verdict but start creating further

as ‘correct intonation’. Every note has a defined pitch (i.e.

constriction?! This relentless focusing on being in tune can for instance make studio sessions very stressful. It requires

implies it is the singer’s fault, that s/he has ‘bad hearing’ or

less the problem is solved instantly. What else are you likely

number of pulsation per second). Around that pitch the note can be slightly higher or lower without becoming the next

note. You judge a note as being ‘out of tune’ when it is either

considerable self-confidence to maintain your self-esteem when sound engineers and producers are silently pronounc-

higher or lower than the defined pitch, but still within the en-

ing death sentences on your career every five minutes. have

virons of the target note.

seen excellent, professional singers badly shaken by some-

|

body mentioning they were out of tune. The problem worsens as you apparently cannot correct the mistake immedi-

Poor pitching is caused by constriction |

ately. It often feels, in fact, as if being in tune is beyond your

believe the voice finds the most appropriate way of working

control.

all by itself, if you do not interfere. Therefore, do not believe |

poor pitching

is

due to ‘bad hearing’.

It is

caused by constric-

tion preventing the vocal cords from stretching, making the

Practice better pitch by avoiding constriction

notes unreachable. At this point it is useless for the singer to focus on being out of tune as it usually just makes the problem worse. The singer gets the feeling that s/he actively has

prefer to tackle this problem in another way. do not immediately point out that a note is out of tune as this often

embarrasses a singer.

to make an effort for the note to stay in tune, but increased

it to look for constriction. allow the singer to continue sing-

activity usually just worsens the constriction. If the singer does not know how to release the constriction, it will only

ing out of tune until have located the constriction and then make the singer focus on that instead. This way we can go

|

|

|

record the out-of-tune note and use |

|

|

make it worse to focus on the problem.

72

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directly onto solving the problem without spoiling the work

Practise tuning the note higher than the defined pitch but without changing up to the next note. q) 318

with disturbing and discouraging emotions.

In

my experience when constriction is released the note be-

Then sing

comes in tune as a natural extension of healthy singing technique.

In

other words, being in tune

is a

a

note and practise singing it lower than the de-

fined pitch. Feel that if you are TOO low you go down to the next note. @)) 319

benefit of correct and

healthy singing technique. Practise tuning the note lower than the defined pitch but without changing down to the next note. q) 320

Refining the pitch Singing higher or lower than the defined pitch is an artistic choice. If a listener judges you to be ‘out of tune’ it may be

Practise getting precise control over your intonation so you are able to change from higher intonation into the defined

because, without realising it, s/he has another taste or pitch

pitch. @) 321

,

habit which is different to yours. this by, in safe surroundings, learning the difference between high or low intonation (singing higher or

Practise getting precise control over your intonation so you are able to change from lower intonation into the defined

lower than the defined pitch) and being able to control both.

pitch. @)) 322

You can prepare

It is

for

better to practise this at home in ‘safe’ surroundings than

on stage! From then on, if

listener judges a note to be ‘out of tune’, you can ask her/him to specify whether s/he wants a

Summary

it higher or lower than the defined pitch. Then it is up to the

Poor pitching is caused by constriction preventing the vocal

singer to make the artistic choice as to whether the intona-

cords from working perfectly.

tion should be changed or not.

+

Poor pitching is not due to ‘bad hearing’.

+

Focusing on being out of tune just makes the problem worse as it causes constriction

Exercise for fine-tuning

*

When constriction is released the note is in tune.

-

Being in tune is a benefit of correct and healthy singing

Sing a note and practise singing it higher than the defined

technique.

pitch. Feel that if you are TOO high you go up to the next

+

note. @) 317

tis a part of

an

artistic choice to sing higher or lower than the

defined pitch.

Around the defined pitch the note can be slightly higher or lower without becoming ‘out of tune’

Ab

— in

tune

Af

pitching high

pitching low

in

tune

—~ pitching high

pitching low

in

tune

— pitching high

467 Hz

416 Hz

440 Hz

—>

pitching low

A

A

A.

defined pitch

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73

Tone-deafness ‘Tone-deafness’ does not exist |

Working with ‘tone-deaf’ people

have met many so-called ‘tone-deaf’ people who have had

start by working on breathing, as it is difficult for anybody to control singing without having a solid technique. These |

difficulty singing in tune. All these people have been able to work on their problem. By correcting their singing techniques

breathing exercises do not involve the singing of notes so it

and releasing constriction they have learnt to distinguish be-

is

possible to work without emotions getting in the way. Then we practise support and by this many of the constrictions are

tween the notes and gained the ability to sing in tune.

detected.

‘Tone-deafness’ is caused by constriction

When you begin to link support and the voice the notes are

Singers who are called ‘tone-deaf’ often have severe constric-

unimportant, as we can simply concentrate on the sound colour and the sensation of singing. It can be quite a relief to

tion around their vocal cords. Usually they have had this constriction for such a long time that they no longer feel it. One often finds psychological reasons for this constriction. Often

sing without having to think about pitch. ask a singer which vocal modes and sound colours s/he wants, and we work un-

it's because the singer has been thoroughly deprived of her/

til s/he is satisfied with her/his choices. At this point the singer

his self-confidence regarding the voice at an early age. You

is

|

the work, which has been neglected for many years. accompany the exercises, but the actual notes

can lose your self-confidence for many reasons: being singled

deeply involved

in

|

out in the school choir as the one spoiling the sound, being called a ‘foghorn’, being excused from singing in music les-

are still unimportant, the singer sings as well as s/he can. The

sons because ‘it does not sound good’, being picked on when

ours, the more the pitch starts to correspond to what

your voice was breaking, being rejected by a singing teacher, being the laughing stock of your family when singing Christ-

playing. Little by little, the singer sings the notes play without thinking about it.

more free the voice becomes whilst working with sound col|

am

|

mas and birthday songs and so on. When so-called ‘tone-

deaf’ people experience enough discouragement they lose confidence in the connection between their voice and their

This is where ‘hearing’ is brought in. ask the singer to listen to what s/he sings and to hear if it is in tune. Now the

hearing. The singer no longer trusts her/his voice or hearing. Their hearing becomes ‘disconnected’ and these singers

singer practises singing wrong notes consciously adjusting them with her/his ‘ear’ until they are in tune. Sometimes the

cease to correct what they hear. From this point on things can rapidly go downhill. To avoid hurtful defeats and to prevent

worked-in techniques fall apart and the singer sings out of tune again, but it does not matter. This is often a necessary

further humiliation the singer becomes the first to put her/ himself down and declare that s/he cannot sing.

stage on the way to conscious and correct techniques, and which should be experienced in the practice room rather than in public. If a singer has previously been able to sing

|

tune by means of avoiding constriction and using correct techniques s/he can do it again. When the techniques have in

It is hard work truly admirable when a so-called ‘tone-deaf’ person has the courage to work on her/his problem because it is often It is

a

very difficult and time-consuming process.

It

been perfected, the singer sings consciously in tune.

can be very

hard for the singer to confront all the painful defeats that s/he

Summary

has experienced in being labelled ‘tone-deaf’. Such people,

who wish to tackle their problem in spite of everything, have

‘Tone-deafness’ does not exist. +

my deepest respect. +

So called ‘tone-deafness’ like unwanted intonation, is caused by

constriction preventing the vocal cords from working perfectly. Usually the so called ‘tone-deaf’ singers have had constriction for such a long time that it no longer feels like constriction.

74

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

+

Usually so called ‘tone-deafness’ is due to the singer being thor-

oughly deprived of their self-confidence regarding the voice at an early age. +

Itis admirable when

a so called

‘tone-deaf’ singer has the cour-

age to work on her/his problem. It is often a difficult and timeconsuming process. «

When the constriction is released the singer becomes in tune.

Being in tune is a benefit of correct and healthy singing technique. Everybody can learn to sing in tune.

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75

Trouble-Shooting Solving unintentional vocal breaks A vocal break is an abrupt change in sound. Vocal breaks can be a means of expression and are used in many styles of sing-

ing (see ‘Vocal Break’ on page 202). This chapter will cover un-

intentional vocal breaks which prevent evenness in singing.

shouting character. This

is

Overdrive and it

is

often the pre-

ferred mode in the low part of the voice. When singing in the

higher parts of the voice the support requires more physica strength, especially if the singer wishes to continue singing in Overdrive. This may become difficult. If the voice chooses the Neutral mode instead of Overdrive in the higher parts of the voice, the support only requires half the energy. This quickly becomes apparent to the body and thus Neutral becomes

the preferred mode in the high part of the voice. The change between the two modes is heard as a change of sound colour or as a ‘break’ that some mistakenly refer to as a change of

A vocal break can happen for 2 reasons: 1) +

fact, it has nothing to do with a change of register, but is a change of vocal mode (see ‘Pitch’ page 66). q)) 345 register.

In

You change vocal mode

often because the vowel, the volume, and the pitch “lures” you to another vocal mode or because there is insufficient

support. @) 345

It is

more appropriate for the singer to know when s/he is

close to the limit of the ability of the vocal mode, and therefore voluntarily chooses to change the vocal mode into a more suitable one, instead of letting the voice chose which

2) You use vocal

flageolet below

a

high C and try to increase

eventually breaks.

the volume (See ‘Solving split in the voice’ on page 79).

Each vocal mode has special characteristics, advantages and limitations with regard to volume, use of vowels, pitch and

sound colour.

important to choose the most appropriate vocal mode for what you wish to sing (see ‘Vocal Modes’ on

Changing vocal mode

pages

It is

81 - 157).

Unwanted breaks or changes in the voice are usually a result of an unconscious change between a non-metallic mode (Neu-

metallic mode (Curbing, Overdrive, and Edge). singer does not deliberately choose her/his vocal mode,

tral) and If

a

a

the voice will often choose it for her/him with the result being that the singing has a different sound to the one intended.

Then the singer starts constricting to avoid this which can result in the voice becoming strained. If the singer is

obeys the rules of the vocal modes instead, it

possible to achieve the sound s/he wishes and unwanted

breaks are avoided.

Misleading terminology Vocal breaks have nothing to do with a change of register. This is illustrated by the fact that the voice of a given singer may break on many different notes.

these breaks as

It is

not logical to name

‘change of register’. A register is a certain part of the voice, pitch-wise, which has a fixed position and a

does not move from note to note. These different parts of the voice have no characteristic sound colour or volume, so it is misleading and often harmful to talk about ‘pulling up the

chest voice’ when you want

a

powerful volume and resonant

sound on high notes.

An example of a break

To talk about ‘a chest voice sound’ and ‘a head voice sound’

Most singers have no difficulty in getting power in the lower part of the voice, and many have cultivated a powerful, dark,

at worst they cause considerable vocal problems by luring

76

is

completely wrong. At best, these expressions are illogical;

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singer into believing that s/he can maintain the vibration

pitch and volume must be multiplied. If a singer has to sing

(buzzing) in the chest on high notes. This often introduces constriction which prevents you from reaching high notes

an ascending scale at volume 5, the support values for each

a

and is

liable to strain the voice.

It

can be quite

a

task to get rid

individual note will be for example: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on.If the singer instead chooses volume 10, the support values will

of such constriction.

be 5 times higher: 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and so on.

So you must remember the three overall principles and re-

the lower part of the middle of the voice, where you are speaking, support values are not so high and multiplying In

spect the rules of the vocal modes. Practice singing scales up and down in each vocal mode in order to avoid changes and

these low values by

breaks.

you sing in the

higher part of the voice (or the low part of the voice), the support values quickly become enormously high when multiplied by 5, and it becomes difficult to apply

Failing to support

enough support. Somewhere on this scale

Another frequent reason for an unintentional change of vocal mode and the consequent break or change of voice is in-

suddenly run out of support energy and the voice will change

sufficient support. As before,

a vocal break might occur on different notes, depending on where the singer loses her/ his support and thereby changes vocal mode. If you start by

singing with so much power that you do not have sufficient support energy to continue the volume it is called ‘failing to support’. q)) 345

to

5

seldom presents

problem. When

a

a

singer might

vocal mode that requires less support energy in that area of the voice. As a result the voice makes a break from one voa

cal mode to another and the volume changes abruptly, for example from volume 10 to volume 2.

These breaks are also often mistaken for ‘changes of register’ that are hard to avoid. As before, this is change of vocal a

mode.

Volume 5 and volume 10

A failure to support

Higher notes require higher support energy. A higher volume also requires a higher support value. The support values for

the volume has

80

Support values at volume 10

heard more clearly in the higher part

of the voice. For example, in the high part of man’s voice, a great influence on the character of sound. If a

there 80

is

insufficient support for a given note, the character of the note changes to a thin, squeaking sound. So you have to be careful to maintain the volume up through the high part is

of the voice if you want a consistent sound. To maintain the volume in the high part of the voice requires, as in other parts of the voice, more and more physical strength the higher you

go. If it is impossible to avoid a break or a

change in sound, perhaps you do not have the necessary physical strength the support value or vocal mode demands in order to reach the

Support values at volume 5

40

20

40

pitch in the specific mode. Therefore if you do not have the

physical strength to complete a song in volume 9, lower the volume and maybe change the vocal mode until you can

20

manage it. 10

low

10

high

pitch

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7/

Avoid failing to support

Arpeggios

Learn how to economise your strength. Start, for example, at

volume

1

and when you are able to complete the song with

O start FO

good sound, increase the volume to 2, thereby making the exercise harder and physically more demanding. Then cona

oad

tinue increasing the volume to 3, 4 and so on. Remember that you have to change mode according to the volume.

In

’

+

—e~4

+}t

oe

A

gener-

al Neutral has to be sung within volumes 1-4, Curbing within

volumes 4-7, and Overdrive and Edge within volumes 7-10. Never sing louder that you have enough support for, which means that the song can be completed without changing

volume or sound. Train your strength and stamina. Train the support muscles so you build up the necessary strength. If there were two identical singers, the physically stronger one would be able to sing higher and more powerfully than the

weaker one.

Remember: if the same exercise fails three times in

a row, it is

too difficult and you will only work in constriction by continuing. Make the exercise easier in order to succeed and work these healthy routines into your muscle memory.

Exercises for avoiding unwanted vocal breaks the voice breaks, start by practising the notes around the break separately and slowly in order to memorise the necIf

essary support values. When you are able to sing each note without changing vocal mode (which means without breaking) put the notes together into small melodic sequences. Use the memorised support values and gradually make the

exercises more difficult until you have solved the problem of the break (also see ‘Transitions between modes’ on page 131). 347

Summary If you wish to avoid vocal breaks, you must: «

+

be aware of exactly which vocal mode you are singing in be aware of the vowel, volume or pitch luring you to another

vocal mode +

avoid failing to support

+

avoid using the vocal flageolet below a high

C

while increasing

the volume.

q

Avoid breaks on descending melody lines. The voice will often want to jump down into a heavier character (e.g. the

Using vocal flageolet below a high C

Overdrive mode) if you do not ‘hold it back’ by using more support. It requires a lot of support to sing in Neutral and

Too small a sound or a break

Curbing in the lower part of the voice. Be familiar with the areas of your voice that are prone to breaks and give more

support in these places to stay in the chosen vocal mode. @) 346 Train the flexibility of your voice by practising healthy rou-

tines all the way through your vocal range. Practise at all volumes and with all pitches, sound colours, tempi and vowels until you are able to avoid breaks. @) 54

78

If you sing with a vocal

flageolet below a high C it is a very quiet and thin sound @) 348. Some singers wrongly think that they are practising pianissimo but instead they are using this vocal flageolet below a high C. This may lead to many singing technique problems. Therefore it is essential not to

confuse the notes of the healthy, supported pianissimo with the vocal flageolet. Singers should avoid singing with a vocal flageolet below a high C as the usual principles of singing

technique are not working here, and they risk working in split in the voice.

a

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The small sound of the vocal flageolet cannot be intensified or made more powerful unless you force the volume. This will make the vocal cords release the vocal flageolet and a break or

split appears q)) 349 before the sound becomes more powerful. If you get used to singing with this split or break, getting

you already know how to thin sounds and produce pianissimo. You must be very experienced and conscious of your singing technique in order to gradually work your way down into such quiet volume and use it as an effect without causing

more harm than good.

rid of it can be very complicated and time-consuming.

So, the vocal flageolet is likely to cause problems below a

high C:

A case story

If you sing with a vocal

only get

+

a

flageolet below a high C you will very thin sound that cannot be made louder. 4)

A pop singer a and powerful voice was annoyed that with great she always sang so loud. She contacted a singing teacher who

348

told her she should practise singing as quiet as possible with

Ifyou try to make it louder, a break or split in the voice could

the tiniest, frail sounds as possible. But after practising this for some time her voice started to break every time she sang with more volume. The reason why she sang so loudly was because

appear. @) 349

she only sang in Overdrive and Edge, which cannot be sung

quietly. To sing quietly she should instead have practised in the

Solving split in the voice

Neutral mode, but instead of practising Neutral she had prac-

tised in the vocal flageolet which had caused the problem.

A split in the voice Some singers get a split in their voice from using the vocal flageolet BELOW a high C. (For ‘vocal flageolet’ see ‘Training the extreme parts of the voice’ on page 69). The voice will sound uneven and breathy, and may sound as if two

separate sounds are produced at the same time, as if the note is divided into two. If you continue singing with this

maybe even purposely - it can worsen. In the end it might be worked in to such a degree that you are

splitting

—

only able to sing without splitting in the lowest part of your voice. If you have developed a split in your voice you should immediately practise until it disappears. It can be

very hard to get rid of

a

split. The longer the split is allowed

to remain, the more distinct it will become and the harder it

will be to remove.

We immediately started working in Neutral in order to obtain

progressively quieter volumes without the risk of

a

break. To

avoid the frail and thin sound (the vocal flageolet) we trained

with greater volumes. To avoid the metallic modes when the volume got louder, we

first practised exclusively on the vow-

at

els ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’) and ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) taking care to keep

jaw relaxed; these precautions would ensure she stayed in

her

Neutral. When she was able to sing in Neutral on

we proceeded to the other vowels.

In

‘00’

and FE

the following weeks it

was important that she stayed in Neutral and did not sing so

quietly that she ended up in the vocal flageolet. After

a

month

she was able to control the Neutral mode and was even able to

sing quietly without breaking and without her ending up in the vocal flageolet. Any time she wanted greater volume she could

easily return to the metallic vocal modes.

So, it is not recommended to practise very quiet volumes such as thinning and pianissimo (pp) with the vocal

flageo-

let because it is difficult to make the thinning gradual and breaks might appear from Neutral to the vocal flageolet (see ‘Volume’ on page 64, ‘Pianissimo and Thinning’ on page 64,

powerful volume that the vocal cords simply CANNOT perform the vocal flageolet. Try to maintain a feel-

and ‘Neutral’ on page 87). However, you can use the vocal flageolet to make a pianissimo even more delicate, provided

ing of singing without the vocal flageolet in the various parts of your voice. If the split appears, increase your volume. Feel

Exercise for removing split in your voice a Sing at such

a

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79

how you need to use higher support values than you normally would to avoid the split. When you are able to sing at a powerful volume without splitting, gradually decrease the volume while maintaining the feeling of singing without

+

You can train to get rid of the split by singing with powerfu

volume. Then gradually decrease the volume. If the split reap pears, increase the volume again. +

Practise notes above a high

just like you practise other notes.

C

the vocal flageolet. Practise until you are able to sing quietly without a split. @) 350

Obviously it below

a

is

not a good idea to practise the vocal flageolet

high C. However, the vocal flageolet

is

necessary to

Additional Trouble-Shooting Avoid completing notes badly 60

reach the notes above a high C.

Constriction 46 Exercise while resting the voice 219

Hidden incorrect support 37

A case story

Inappropriate muscle tension 216

A young rock singer had, by singing very quietly, found a split

Incorrect support 36

in her voice which she

thought sounded good. She started

practising and using it a lot. After

while she found she could

a

not get rid of it. It turned out that she had been singing in the

vocal flageolet below

a high C. But

when she tried to sing at

a

Nodules 218

Opening too wide 59 Prevention and Emergency Aid 220

Programme for Emergency Aid 225

louder volume the splitting sound appeared. Because she had

The reason for vocal problems 221

used the split so much it had became more or less permanent.

Too much mucus 219 Too much vibrato

We started working on support and singing so loudly that she

was not able to use the vocal flageolet.

In

the beginning she

211

Trouble-Shooting 83 Unintentional distortion in Curbing 105

had to sing pretty loud to avoid the split. As her support im-

Unintentional distortion in Neutral 95

proved and as she got used to the feeling of singing without

Unintentional distortions in Edge 127

the vocal flageolet she was able to decrease the volume and

Unintentional distortions in Overdrive 114

still avoid the vocal flageolet.

Warnings in Curbing 104

After three weeks of practising with

a

clear voice and avoiding

the splitting, she was again able to sing without the split.

Warnings in Edge 126 Warnings in Neutral 95 Warnings in Overdrive 114

Summary +

If you sing with a vocal flageolet below a high C, you will only be able to obtain a very quiet and thin sound that cannot be

made more powerful. And here the principles for correct vocal

techniques do not work. +

Ifyou try to sing more powerfully with the vocal flageolet below a

+

high C, a break or split may appear in the voice.

{f you have developed a split in your voice you should immedi-

ately practise until it disappears.

80

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.con -

An introduction to the 4 Vocal Modes What do the opera singer and the pygmy singer have in common, and what are the differences in the way they use the

show us the way, wherever we want to go, and which can reveal the pitfalls so we can avoid any risk of straining the voice.

voice? No matter how far apart their singing technique, musical style and sound colour might be from one another, the

We have discovered the paths in the voice, and with a map or an overview we are now able to navigate. When singers

instrument is still the same. For this reason, have always be-

respect the set of rules for the four vocal modes, as well as

lieved that there must be an operational vocal principle to which all singing is subject. And by exploring this principle

their individual advantages and disadvantages, they are able to achieve all sounds and move technically and freely in and

it must also be possible to uncover a general structure which

out of every musical style whilst avoiding vocal problems at the same time.

|

encompasses all the sounds that the voice can produce.

After many years of research have succeeded in finding this |

general structure! Today this structure has been developed, into a simple and clear system that makes it possible to ob-

tain any vocal sound. All sounds

|

The metallic sound

have heard, whatever the

musical style, can be categorized and organised in the very

To understand the concept of dividing the sound of the voice

same, clear system.

into four vocal modes, you must isolate the amount of ‘metal’ in the tone. Some sounds have a more metallic sound than

An important step was to isolate and uncover each individual

others. All singers, singing all musical styles, sing with metal

factor separately, such as vowel, pitch, volume and character.

in the tone although they sound different. A pop/rock singer,

Along the way it also became necessary to re-define certain terms and to leave out others because they were too limit-

for example, uses

ing style-wise or simply useless or confusing when working

a harder, more raw or direct sound. In pop/rock music, distinct metallic sounds are used frequently, whilst the metallic sounds in classical singing are more difficult to recognise be-

practically. As a replacement we have introduced new terms

that work across all musical tastes and styles; for example the amount of ‘metal’ that determined ‘the four vocal modes’.

sical singer does.

more distinct metallic sound than a clas-

a A

DISTINCT metallic tone could be called

cause they are “covered” or disguised in the classical sound. A

metallic tone’s sound may vary but the volume is often relaFundamental to this system are the four vocal modes (determined by the amount of ‘metal’). These vocal modes are used

tively powerful. There are different amounts of metal; the metal can be omit-

by all singers in all musical styles all over the world and at all

ted or made more or less distinct. Hence, we distinguish be-

times, at least as far back as the earliest sound recordings. The

tween non-metallic, half-metallic and full-metallic sounds.

fact that the production of any sound, any singing technique and any singing style is covered by the four vocal modes and is

subjected to the same rules

is

confirmation to me that the

vocal modes constitute the basis of the operational principle of the voice.

Vocal modes |

By knowing each vocal mode’s advantages and disadvan-

have classified these non-metallic, half-metallic and full-me-

tallic sounds into different ‘gears’ or techniques called ‘vocal

tages we have an overview of all the possibilities of the voice,

modes’. Thus, all sounds can be divided into these four fun-

something we have been missing till now. We have found

damental modes:

manual for the voice.

It is

a

the secret treasure map that can

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

81

O

‘Neutral’ @) 55

@))

56

Each mode has different characteristics, advantages and lim-

itations that relate to volume, the use of vowels, pitch and

‘Curbing’ @) 72

sound colours. Each of these modes must be chosen and used with care because some modes will make a specific

PF

‘Overdrive’ @) 97

sound easier whilst others will make it more difficult.

In

other

words, it is easier to achieve a goal when you have a

good

grasp of the rules that the voice is subject to.

‘Edge’ @) 120

The modes and their amount of metal can be described as:

Everybody uses metallic sounds Non-metallic

=

Neutral

Thete

Half-metallic

=

Curbing

to the voice as non-metallic sounds. The metallic modes are,

Full-metallic

=

Overdrive

Full-metallic

=

Edge

in fact, used far more often in everyday life than the non-metallic mode. Even the first screams of a new-born baby are ina

is no reason

metallic mode. To

Whilst non-metallic is equivalent to Neutral and half-metallic to Curbing, full-metallic is further sub-divided into Overdrive

to fear metallic sounds; they are as natural

a

baby, being heard is

a

matter of survival,

which makes the metallic modes very suitable for'this purpose as they always signal a strong desire to be heard.

and Edge. From now on, | will often refer to the names of the

vocal modes rather than describe their amount of metal.

Metallic modes are most easily heard when the volume is above normal speaking level. For example: a

Tuition in metallic modes

class of school children during

a

break (Overdrive and

Edge)

Most singers in the Western world have no problems finding

*

angry shouts (Overdrive)

soft, non-metallic sounds as they are an important part of

*

somebody moaning, e.g. from

Western music and therefore Western music education. Non-

metallic sounds are taught in school and through normal, accessible tuition. Many singers are afraid of distinctly metallic sounds because

they have been mistakenly warned against this kind of sound. Previously, many thought that the distinct metallic sounds

a

stomach ache (Curbing)

shrill screams (Edge)

people shouting (Overdrive)

*

+

+

+

market sellers attracting customers (Overdrive)

somebody scolding (Overdrive and Edge} the cry of a child, especially if hysterical (Curbing and Edge)

were dangerous and caused an increased risk of vocal dam-

age. This theory has been rejected outright many years ago as the metallic sounds are used by all kinds of singing styles and at all times. It is simply that not everyone is aware of the

Distinct metallic sounds are part of almost all folk music such as: +

element of metal in voices. Metallic sounds are no more dangerous or unhealthy than non-metallic sounds.

Edge) +

»

Today, tuition in metallic sounds and the four modes is avail-

able to everybody (e.g. via this book) and

not

just for profes-

-

sional singers. Teaching in the vocal modes must cover the

advantages and limitations of the various modes and the general precautions that should be taken.

82

Bulgarian female choral singing (mostly Curbing and

Flamenco singing (mostly Overdrive) A lot of traditional tribal singing from the African continent (mostly Overdrive) A lot of traditional Arabic singing (mostly Overdrive and Edge)

-

A lot of traditional and ceremonial singing from China (mostly Curbing and Edge)

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Even Western classical music, which tries to avoid distinct

metallic sounds uses the metallic modes. However, they are harder to recognise as they are “covered” in the classical

solve your technical vocal problems and to avoid technical limitations.

sound, e.g. in: +

+

+

-

The powerful high notes of the dramatic tenor (Edge) Female classical/opera singers’ powerful notes in the mid-

The centre of the mode is the healthiest

dle part of the voice (Curbing)

Each mode has a basic position in which it works the best. This is what refer to as the ‘centre of the mode’. By the

Female classical/opera singers’ low notes sung powerfully

centre of the mode

|

|

mean to find the exact position of the

(Overdrive, Curbing)

mode, by which the mode’s advantages and limitations are

The powerful notes of male classical/opera singers (Curb-

being respected and observed. When the limits of

ing and Overdrive)

are breached, constriction will occur which risk straining the

voice. This

a

mode

avoided by singing in the centre of the mode. When singing in the centre of the mode, the technique is ab-

Changing between modes It is

is

solutely correct and constriction

normal to change between modes and therefore degrees

of metal whilst singing and speaking. These changes can occur rapidly, either audibly or inaudibly, within short musical phrases or even within a single word. Conscious control of mode changes enables singers to obtain just about all the sound facets s/he could wish for. Unconscious changes,

is

avoided.

If the

constrictors

are already activated, singing in the centre of the mode will

release the constrictors in such

a

way that the voice will work

freely again (see ‘Emergency Aid’ on page 225).

Around the centre of the mode there is

a

‘marginal area’.

on the contrary, result in involuntary vocal breaks and are

When you are singing in the marginal area, the various positions are altered slightly, perhaps to achieve certain changes

often partly responsible for vocal problems and technical

in character,

limitations.

limits of the mode (see diagram). The size of the ‘marginal area’ and the possibilities within it vary from mode to mode.

Trouble shooting

The more you sing in the centre of the modes, the more you will guard against misusing the voice

In

vowel or volume; however, it

is still

within the

my experience, 95% of all technical problems arise from

incorrect use of the modes. Such problems can be avoided by knowing, understanding and complying with the advantages and limitations of the modes. Not only does this avoid most

mistakes, but it also optimises the use of the modes; where

they work the best and give the best sound (for an example, see ‘Solving unintentional vocal breaks’ on page 76).

ve

Any choice of mode should be the artist’s deliberate decision rather than the result of

a

lack of technical expertise or an

unconscious habit to change between the modes. Having a good overview of the modes should enable you to rapidly

Centre of the mode

choose the right modes for what you wish to sing. Having detailed knowledge of the modes and their advantages and

‘Marginal area’ of the mode

limitations should enable you to vary your expression, to

Outside the 'marginal area’ there is danger of damaging the voice.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

83

For example, in Neutral the ‘marginal area’ is large with many

Respect the limitations of the modes

possibilities of variation.

small

To change freely between the modes you must be familiar

with very few possibilities of variation. Singing outside the

with the edge of each ‘marginal area’, i.e. how much you are

serious risk of wearing the voice.

able to change the vowels, sound colours and volumes. Fur-

The more you sing exactly in the centre of mode, the more you will guard against misuse of the voice. The further you

thermore, you have to be able to control the gradual transi-

move out in the ‘marginal area’, the more support energy is

needed, and the greater the risk. Furthermore, the higher the

changing via a third mode (see ‘Assisting mode’ on page 133). A singer must be able to replace mode with another before

notes you sing, the smaller the marginal areas become, leav-

reaching the first mode's limits. Sometimes it

ing less and less possibilities.

change mode simply to be able to continue singing the same sound as you go higher in pitch.

‘marginal area’ involves

In

a

Edge, however, the area

is

a

Thus,

a

healthy and correct technique

is

tion from one mode to another. Such a transition may involve

a

is

necessary to

characterised by the

fact that the majority of the singing is done within the limits of the mode’s ‘marginal area’ and as much as possible in the

Recognise the modes

centre of the mode.

A singer who has correctly learnt how to change modes will

make it sound as though there are no rules for, or limitations of, the modes but there are! The singer gives that impression

Adjustment of the modes through images and sensations

simply because s/he

You can think of the modes as four gears of a car. Only when

travel freely between them without causing constriction.

the car

to sing without hindering the voice. Each ‘gear’ (or mode) has

important that singers and vocal teachers are able to recognise the modes so that they know which rules and limits to respect. Some of the things you have to do in one mode

its respective degree of metal: non-metallic (Neutral), half-

to ensure good voice production might well cause strain in

metallic (Curbing) or full-metallic (Overdrive and Edge). As you progress through the ‘gears’, the sound becomes

another mode. The following case story demonstrates how

more metallic and you will be able to achieve more volume;

tal to the voice.

correctly in gear will it move effortlessly. Similarly, only when you are in the centre of the mode will you be able is

is

constantly conscious of each mode’s

rules and limitations and avoids these, enabling her/him to

It is

using the wrong rules in a particular mode can be detrimen-

the lower the gear, the quieter the volume. For example, you can only add air to the voice in the lowest gear (Neutral). DO NOT add air in any other gear (Curbing, Overdrive or Edge). Even ATTEMPTING it may result in severe constriction.

A case story A

self-taught and very talented country singer with many

years of experience, including Metal

1/1

Overdrive/ Edge

a

vast number of concerts, had

not been singing for several years because she one day had de-

cided to take lessons in order to sing ‘properly’ and have some

minor technical mistakes ‘corrected’. She consulted a classical

singing teacher 1/2

Curbing

a

order to take care of the

more relaxed manner. Slowly her technique fell apart,

and after Neutral

taught her that in

voice she should not use the muscles in her throat but should sing in

0

who

a

while, she did not think she could sing anymore.

She consulted other teachers and received other suggestions on how to relax

her

voice, but her singing got worse and worse

and she eventually gave up singing.

84

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Singing requires energy |

must admit got worried when |

|

heard her sing. It was diffi-

cult to hear that she had ever sung professionally and sung this

vast number of concerts. We started working on establishing correct support, partly because support is essential, but also to

prevent her from focusing on the trauma of singing. Her voice

kept splitting which made the singing sound more problematic than it actually was. This splitting told me the voice was trying to produce a metallic sound but in an incorrect manner. This

was why the notes failed.

|

asked

if could hear a recording of her singing before she had |

problems and it confirmed my belief that she had previously

If you do not

apply sufficient energy, the centre of the mode cannot be obtained and there is great danger of straining the voice. However, when you do obtain the centre of mode, it a is the most efficient way to sing and allows you to gain the full benefit of the energy used. Hitting the centres of the modes will therefore make singing easier, but it is also important to be in good physical shape in order to be able to carry

out these great physical demands. Physical strength alone is of no use to a singer without solid technique. in addition, physical strength must not cause muscular tension or rigidity.

Strength must be present, but it is equally important to be able to relax the muscles when they have been tensed.

sung in the Curbing mode. We then worked on re-establishing and perfecting the ‘hold’ (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96) that she had tried to get rid of during the last couple of years, believing

it to be

a

damaging constriction. The singer now recognised

the ‘hold’ as the thing she used to refer to as

a

‘pressure on

A case story A delicately built semi-professional singer was very shy and

the voice’. When she stopped fearing the ‘hold’ and started us-

hardly dared to sing. When she finally did, it was with

ing it again and adjusting it to what she was singing, her voice

frail sound. It seemed incomprehensible to me because her

a

small,

returned. Instead of relaxing and being cautious she actually

skull structure and large mouth cavity indicated that she ought

needed to work physically harder and use plenty of energy and

to be able to make much more sound. We started working with

Support to maintain the ‘hold’.

the Overdrive mode as it is impossible to sing in

a

restrained

or quiet way in this mode. Suddenly the most amazing notes

came out of her. As it turned out, she had one of the largest voices

|

have ever heard and

a

marvellous, dark sound colour.

Use sufficient support Each mode demands its own amount of physical energy and

sung quietly so as not to seem intrusive.

this may vary from singer to singer. In general you can say that the more difficult mode seems to be, the more support

We continued for about

and energy is required.

and then went on to practise Edge until she had become accus-

a

But she was simply embarrassed by her large voice and had

half an hour practising only Overdrive

addition, some pitches impede certain modes. This means that within a particular pitch certain

tomed to a forceful volume. After the powerful volume of these

modes will be easy to maintain while others are more diffi-

two full-metallic modes, even Curbing seemed moderate and

cult.

In

effect, the pitch tends to ‘pull’ you towards an easier mode. Therefore, extra strength and continuous support is

After this she was able to choose between modes and to shape

required to maintain a mode not favoured by the pitch.

songs according to the sound and expression she wanted.

However, it is important to understand that support energy is

Whenever

NOT equivalent to volume. As an example, it requires a large amount of continuous support to sustain a very quiet (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) note. Even if you support very strongly to pre-

the songs it became evident that aside from an extraordinary

vent

In

change of mode, the tone does not necessarily have to become louder. a

non-intrusive to her. Finally we introduced the Neutral mode.

a

made the particular sound she wanted. While working on

voice, she also had an outstanding rhythmic sense. Within six

months she was singing professionally.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

problem arose we practised the modes which

85

Filling out the modes

Navigating in the chapters of the modes

Some of the modes have a very powerful volume, especially

The chapters of the modes look at where the modes work best, making it possible to gain the most out of energy spent, whilst

when you find the centre of the mode. Many singers are afraid of making too much sound which makes it complicated for

simultaneously protecting the voice from constriction.

them to learn the modes. Besides knowing the modes, you must be able to ‘fill them out’ with your personality. Conse-

quently, it is often necessary to work on breaking down psy-

chological barriers against singing with certain volumes and sound colours. This is best done by practising in safe situa-

First, will go through each mode with advice on how to find the centre of the mode. Then will look at each mode's func|

tion with regard to pitch, vowels, volumes and sound colours as well as the possibilities within the marginal areas.

tions in which ‘mistakes’ are regarded as nothing more than steps towards gaining control over the modes.

It

may take

some time, and you have to be prepared to do this work.

In

order to make the chapters easier to navigate, they have

the same general structure: +

+

A case story

*

An accomplished professional pop/rock singer lacked power in

«

her voice. We worked on the various metallic modes, but al-

Agraphical overview of the mode An overview with general information Examples of singers who use/used the mode Conditions for the mode

Finding the mode Finding the mode through images and sensations Finding the mode through sound

though she learned quickly she kept forgetting and returned

+

to singing in Neutral like she was used to doing.

-

Pitch and the mode

suggested

»

Vowels and the mode

that she sang exclusively in Edge and Overdrive for a week. Af-

.

Volume and the mode

As she seemed afraid of making too much sound

|

ter this time she had become so accustomed to the powerful

+

Sound colours and the mode

volume that she no longer attempted to sing quietly in the full-

+

The mode in classical singing

metallic modes. After working with the full-metallic modes it

»

Exercises in the mode

herto sing more quietly, so the next week she

+

exclusively practised Curbing. After these two weeks she knew

¢

was

a

relief for

the difference between the modes and their volumes. Now it was no longer difficult for her to distinguish between the

Warnings Unintentional distortions

There are slight variations within this structure depending on the demands of the mode.

modes and she could make use of them, knowing where they

After this explain how to choose a particular mode based on

worked best for her.

|

different criteria depending on what is important. Choosing

a

mode is influenced by pitch, vowel, volume, sound colour or

Exercising the modes

a

Most singers prefer specific modes and exercise these more

tify the best mode for what you wish to sing.

often, but it

is

combination of these.

In

this way, you will be able to iden-

important to re-examine all the modes regular-

ly, even the ones you control the best, in order to keep them

Finally,

healthy. To avoid mistakes it

smoothly, healthily and inaudibly.

in

the centre of

modes.

It

the

important to keep the singing mode and not mix in elements from other is

|

shall discuss how to change between the modes

may also be sensible to learn modes that you do not

immediately need, partly to widen your options and partly to get a better overview of the modes.

86

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Neutral

oS

Mode

NON METALLIC

Alr

With air / without air

> Method

Loose

Vowels

in

jaw——.

the

high part of

All

the voice

Pitch

All

Quiet

Volume

Can be loud in

the high part of the voice

Character

Soft

gc

co

C2

C3

C4

9?

An overview

The Neutral mode extends from notes that are soft and

Neutral is the non-metallic mode. It

very extensive mode

breathy to notes without air added. The two extremes within

that contains many different sounds and sound colours. The

Neutral are called ‘Neutral with air’ @)) 55 and ‘Neutral with-

sounds are softer and milder than the metallic modes. When

out air’

is

a

4)

56. For clarity, the two extremes of Neutral are

starting out, Neutral can be found by establishing a loose

sometimes shown separately as they have different demands

jaw.

and possibilities.

The Neutral mode has through time also been called classical, but this is misleading as classical singing just as often uses the

All parts of the voice, all vowels, and all sound colours can be

metallic modes. Neutral

is

used in Neutral by both men and women.

also used when singing popular

music. Therefore have chosen the name Neutral to describe |

the mode because felt the mode needed

a more

‘neutral’ term.

unbiased,

Neutral is limited by volume. In general it is quiet mode, but there are exceptions. It is possible to obtain greater vola

umes in Neutral without air than in Neutral with air. Very loud volumes (‘ff’ or ‘fortissimo’), however, can only be obtained

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

87

in Neutral

without air and only

in

the high part of the voice

microphone held closely. Neutral with air

is

(from C2 upwards for women and C1 upwards for men). Other

sical music except as

than this, the volume is generally quieter.

everyday life when you whisper or speak in

In

the western world, Neutral

is

a

not used in clas-

rare effect. Neutral with air is used in a

breathy voice.

normally the mode you start

getting tuition in. This is because many people have been brought up believing that the character of Neutral is the best suited to school choirs and church choirs etc.

Singers who often sing or sang in Neutral with air Harry Belafonte, Marie Brennan (Clannad), Bing Crosby, Enya, Cesaria Evora, Brian Ferry, Art Garfunkel, Astrud Gilberto

(“The Girl From Ipanema”), Eartha Kitt, Marilyn Monroe, Sinead O'Connor, Sade, Dusty Springfield, Sarah Vaughan, and

Suzanne Vega.

Condition for Neutral »

No metal

Finding Neutral with air Start by practising

a

non-metallic attack. With

a

Loose jaw

attack air

Make sure the jaw is loose at all times so that you avoid constriction and possible ‘bite’ which may lure you into a metallic

In

dred’, ‘horse’ and ‘hey’ (see ‘Attacks’ on page 61).

sound (for

The non-metallic attack

a

comparison with the ‘bite’ see ‘Finding the ‘bite’

on page 107). Make sure the lower jaw is kept behind the upper jaw making enough room for a finger between the upper

is

non-metallic

clearly heard as an ‘H’ prior to the actual tone.

English you use this attack in such words as ‘house’, ‘hun-

is

well suited to acquiring air in the

and lower jaw (see “Find the correct position of the jaw” on

voice (see ‘Air added to voice’ on page 206). Be careful to follow the three overall principles: using support, using necessary twang and avoiding protruding the jaw and tightening

page 50).

of the lips.

43

twang more in Neutral with air, the air on the voice often becomes more distinct. If you

Loose jaw

Neutral without air in Neutral without air the sound is non-breathy, clearer and

usually more powerful than in Neutral with air. Neutral with-

out air is used when the sound is non-breathy in quiet as well as powerful volumes. Neutral without air lacks the metallic

Neutral with air

character. In

general, the character in Neutral with air is weaker and

more breathy than in Neutral without air. Medium quiet (‘mp’ or ‘mezzo piano’) is the most powerful volume obtainable in

Neutral without air is often used in popular music of all styles when the notes should be non-breathy. In classical singing

Neutral with air.

women use Neutral without air when they sing in the high

part of their voice, regardless of the volume. Neutral without Neutral with air is often used in popular music for quiet passages and when air is wanted in the voice, often with a

88

air is used in classical music for both men and women when

singing quietly. For example with pianissimo and thinning

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

(see ‘Volume’ on page 64). It is used in everyday life when you

Less breathy by using twang

speak rather quietly without adding air.

Twang will assist removing the air in the voice. You have to have a certain amount of twang on the notes to obtain a

Singers who often sing or sang in Neutral without air

correct technique and achieve easy, unhindered singing regardless of the vocal mode, sound colour and effect used.

Julie Andrews, Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire), Beach Boys,

Twang makes it easier to sing in every way. The more twang (i.e. the more the epiglottic funnel is squeezed), the sharper

Boy George, Blondie, Kate Bush, Nat King Cole, Richard Dav-

the sound (see ‘Twang’ on page 51).

ies (Supertramp), Ella Fitzgerald, Gilberto Gil, David Gilmour

twang by imitating the sound of an infant crying duck quacking 23, or a diving aeroplane @) 26.

(Pink Floyd), Godley & Creme (10CC), Roger Hodgson (Super-

It is

easiest to find the

))

q)

22,

a

tramp), Milton Nascimento, Aaron Neville, the Pet Shop Boys,

Carly Simon, Swingle Singers, and Roger Waters (Pink Floyd). Neutral without air is also used by classical singers when they

Achieving Neutral without air through images and sensations

singers use Neutral without air when singing in the high part

Remember that images and sensations are only meant as an aid. If you do not respond to them immediately, forget them.

of their voice.

Do not confuse them with what is actually happening!

sing quietly (both men and women), and classical female

+

Imagine making the epiglottis more erect

Particularly in the high part of the voice, Neutral without air

+

Raise the palate while sucking inwards

also used by Joan Armatrading, Joan Baez, Chrissie Hynde,

+

Imagine the opening as

is

John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young.

Imagine air surrounds the tall, narrow tube

+

Imagine the note ing the sides

is

running inside the tube without touch-

)

Ǥ

Some voices are by nature or through development less a

tube that you are squeezing into

+

Finding Neutral without air breathy, but if you want

a

along, thin shape

less breathy sound you can train it.

2

Practise making the sound the least breathy as possible. When you start the notes it is important to support correctly and to use necessary twang. it is equally important to be conscious

of how much support energy and twang

a

note requires, and

to have arrived at this energy BEFORE the note is sung. If you

start singing before the energy and the twang are sufficient, the attack will be bad and the throat will probably constrict due to

a

lack of support. @)) 44

An image

Try also to make small clicking sounds with the vocal cords. Be sure there is no air or tone on the clicking sounds. Feel

«

Place a thumb behind the upper front teeth. Notice the

the vocal cords come together while you hold your breath

sensation in the throat when your front teeth are being

just before the clicking sound. Try to memorise this feeling of the vocal cords coming together and recall it when you want

pulled forward *

Neutral without air. @) 385

‘

Imagine a hard 'G’ (as in ‘good’) before the note, tighten the muscles of the palate and close the nasal passage

*

Imagine that above the uvula there is a small, low-ceilinged

space as wide as possible that stretches from ear to ear (if

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

89

you press the uvula down you can often make yourself yawn). Now feel how that area contracts when you eat or

*

drink something sour. Try to maintain this sensation and

Sing ‘sit’ in Curbing (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96), lower the larynx and shape the mouth as if you were singing an ‘O’ (as in

‘woman’) and let go of the ‘hold’ but keep the position.

sing in Neutral without air +

*

Sing with

a non-breathy sound and highly raised palate a Suck inwards and notice the non-breathy sound as in a vo-

cal flageolet. Sing with this feeling *

+

+

+

+

*

Finding Neutral without air through sound +

Imagine you sing while you are sucking inwards with the vocal cords together

Sing whilst contracting the sides of the back of the tongue Sing whilst you imagine gently pull the back of the tongue into the throat Start with a half-metallic attack and continue singing with the same intensity

Sing

a

a

woman (e.g. as in Monty

Python's “Flying Circus”). Keep this sensation and sing nonbreathy notes in Neutral. @)) 363 +

Sing in Neutral without air while IMAGINING that you are singing quietly in Edge or holding back Edge (see ‘Edge’ on

page 116). Take care not to actually sing in Edge. Remember it is not possible to sing quietly in Edge. q) 364 *

note in Neutral with a full-metallic attack

Sing with

Try to sound like a man imitating

Imagine that you are calling to somebody far away but that the call must not be heard in your immediate surroundings.

very large mouth opening. Press the area just beneath the lower lip towards the chin. Maintain this pres-

This will make it sound like Edge but the volume should be

sure on the chin on all vowels and sing, for example, ‘wait’

@) 365

a

quiet. This is why the mode must be Neutral without air.

or ‘me’

Pitch in Neutral Neutral may be used by both men and women in all pitches.

Press the area just beneath the lower lip towards the chin

Sometimes it

is

easier to practise Neutral without air through

the metallic modes. Therefore it can be an advantage to practise the metallic modes first and then return to these exercises. +

Start as if you were going to sing opera, pretend you are establishing the ‘hold’ (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96) but sing a

Vowels in Neutral All vowel sounds can be used in Neutral. However, notice the

merged sound of the vowels in the high part of the voice (see ‘Change of vowels up through the voice’ on page 56).

quiet ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) in Neutral. Maintain this position

on other vowels +

+

Start in Curbing and sing an opera-like vowel, for example an ‘O’ fas in ‘woman’) with a raised palate. Let go of the

‘hold’ but keep the position ofthe vocal tract Find a sound in Curbing that has a classical ring in the higher part of the voice, let go of the ‘hold’ and keep the

Volumes in Neutral The volumes in Neutral are generally in the quiet region, from very quiet (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) to medium loud (‘mf’ or ‘mezzo forte’) and loud in the high part of the voice,

position. Neutral without air the volume can be more powerful than in Neutral with air. When you use Neutral without air, the In

90

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Soft palate

volume can extend from very quiet (pp) to very loud (ff). The very powerful volume is only obtainable by singing in the

Nasal passage

high part of the voice (from C2 upwards for women and C1 upwards for men). The volume in Neutral without air is usually not as powerful as in the metallic modes.There are no

Lips

Vocal tract (red)

limitations when it comes to singing quietly in Neutral. Just Epig

how powerfully and quietly a singer can sing in Neutral depends, among other things, on the size of the voice and the

technique.

In

itt

Tongue

Vocal cords

general, the better the technique, the quieter or Larynx

louder you can sing.

If

you want to be louder and richer in Neutral you can use

a

darker sound colour by enlarging the vocal tract, e.g. by

opening the mouth wider with loosened corners, raising the palate, lowering the larynx and perhaps compressing the

large, the sound will be darker and richer. If the vocal tract

is

small, the sound will be lighter and ‘flatter’ (see ‘Sound Col-

our’ on page 158).

tongue. Be aware that the compressed tongue usually gives Neutral there are infinite possibilities in adjusting the vocal

an operatic sound to the vowels (see ‘Sound Colours in Neu-

In

tral’ below). You can also make Neutral sharper and more

tract and therefore infinite possible sound colours.

powerful by choosing

a

light and very twangy sound which Practise producing different combinations of sound colours

may be quite shrill and piercing.

and find those that suit you as an artist, your voice and your

want to experiment with how loud you can sing in Neutral, you must control the overall principles of singing so well If you

style of music. One method might be to test the lightest and the darkest sound colour you are able to obtain.

that you are immediately aware of when you have exceeded the limits of the voice, and furthermore be able to control the mode without problems. All singers are different; some are

Darkest sound colour

able to sing more softly or powerfully than others. Practise

In

Neutral with air €)) 62 and without air ¢) 64

until you know your own limits of how quiet and powerfully

+

Necessarily twanged epiglottic funnel

you can sing in Neutral.

+

Lowered larynx

*

Compressed tongue

«

Relaxed corners of the mouth

+

Raised palate

+

Closed nasal passage

Sound Colours in Neutral When you wish to change the sound colour of mode you have to change the setting of the ‘vocal tract’. The ‘vocal a

tract’ represents all the structures between the vocal cords and the lips/nostrils (see diagram below). The form of the vocal tract (the position and form of the epi-

glottic funnel, larynx, tongue, mouth, palate, and nasal passage) can be moved in many ways, so there are many ways to change the sound colour of the voice. If the vocal tract is

Lightest sound colour In

Neutral with air @) 61 and without air @) 63

-

Distinctly twanged epiglottic funnel

*

Raised larynx

-

Broad tongue

*

Smiling

+

Lowered palate

+

Open nasal passage

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91

Neutral in classical singing

Metal-like Neutral

classical singing men and women use Neutral when the

for example, in connection with thinning and singing in pia-

Metal-like Neutral (also called ‘fake’ Edge) is a variance of Neutral without air. It is created by having a twanged epiglottic funnel and a light sound colour in Neutral without air. It may

nissimo. Women also use Neutral in the high part ofthe voice

sound as if there is almost metal in the sound, even though

in all volumes.

it is Neutral. Metal-like Neutral is used in the high part

In

volume

is

medium quiet (‘mp’ or ‘mezzo piano’) or quieter,

voice when you want the sound from

a

of the

metailic mode but

You can obtain a classical sound colour in Neutral by using

with less volume.

Neutral without air and by choosing a dark sound colour (see ‘Sound Colours in Neutral’ above) while at the same time

modes.

twanging the epiglottic funnel. Practise doing this and no-

Metal-like Neutral may be difficult to find for some, while it is far too easy for others, i.e. they unintentionally end up in Met-

tice the more you are twanging the epiglottic funnel (though only to a certain extent) and lower the larynx, the larger you

It is

It

costs much less energy than the metallic

often used in

R & B

and pop music.

al-like Neutral when they try to sing

a

metallic mode. Metal-

make the vocal tract and the darker, richer and more classi-

like Neutral can, like the other metallic modes, be efficient for

cal the sound becomes. Be careful not to lower the larynx so

practising getting rid of the air. Some find it easier to practise Metal-like Neutral through the metallic modes. Therefore, it

much that you obstruct the pitch (see ‘Larynx’ on page 162).

may be an advantage first to practise the metallic modes and If you

want

a

neously use

classical sound you can use twang and simultaa

then return to these exercises.

dark sound colour. This means you are lower-

ing the larynx slightly whilst you are maintaining the twang.

The sound gets darker and ‘rounder’ but is still able to carry because of the twang. When the larynx is a bit lowered while

twanging, the epiglottis Twang combined with

is

often seen standing upright.

lowered larynx is one of the most important technical ingredients in classical singing. In classical

singing the twang

is

a

Singers who often sing in metal-like Neutral The Bee Gees, Peabo Bryson, Mariah Carey, lan Gillan, Tramaine Hawkins, Mick Hucknall (Simply Red), Michael Jackson, Bobby Kimball (Toto), Ozzy Osborne, Prince, Michael McDonald, Aaron Neville, and David Lee Roth.

often referred to as ‘the voice carries’ or

‘focusing the voice’ @)) 69. You can find the twanged epiglottic funnel and the lowered larynx by noticing the sensation in the throat when you shiver. Each individual singer must decide how much twang and how lowered a larynx s/he wants to have. Classical singers

Achieving metal-like Neutral Start in a light Neutral without air. Twang the epiglottic funnel and broaden the tongue until the sound acquires a

sharper and snarling character as if it were metallic. The more

usually prefer a darker sound compared to popular singers as

twanged the epiglottic funnel, the more snarling the sound. Maintain the non-breathy, clear note. Start the note with a

the darker sound

full-metallic attack. @) 366

is an

important part of the classical sound

ideal. Popular singers also use dark tones, but you have to be

aware that a powerful, twanged, non-metallic tone has an

overtone structure that can create problems when using a microphone. These high frequencies of the overtones gradually decrease in volume over distance more than the lower

frequencies do. Therefore

powerful, twanged, non-metallic tone may sound great acoustically but will usually sound shrill a

and distorted through a microphone.

Some singers find it easier to achieve a non-breathy sound on a high note, for example on A2 for women and F1 for men on the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) or ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’). The sound can be a little like howling. Maintain the non-breathy sound and practise singing lower.) 367

Imagine that you are humming

a

note in Edge but make

sure it is actually in Neutral. Hum ‘NG’ with a slightly open

92

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

mouth. Now sing the note using the vowel ‘I’ as though you were humming it, in other words keep the same position of

A five-note scale CO

start FO

the vocal tract, especially the same amount of twang. Notice that you now sing the note through the mouth instead of the An octave

nose. @) 368

CO

A

scale

Pa

|

a

=

a

start FO

you can control Curbing, start in Curbing (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96) by keeping the position of the vocal tract and If

twang and then gradually diminishing the ‘hold’.

It

may feel

as though you are raising the palate even though the larynx is raised @))

Arpeggios

O start FO

&

t

:

t

; :

369. Perform the transition in a controlled fashion

and with care whilst keeping the same amount of twang. If it is done too abruptly the voice may break audibly into the

Neutral mode. Make sure it does not feel uncomfortable.

Sing

a

note in Curbing, let go of the ‘hold’, and change to Neu-

tral (first audibly, then later inaudibly) without losing pitch or

twang. Make sure the change does not hurt orfeel uncomfortable, Practise the transition back and forth between Curbing and Neutral so that the note in Neutral sounds like the note in

Curbing. When you can make the note in Neutral sound like the note in Curbing, you have found Metal-like Neutral. Prac-

Volume

tise finding this exact position and sound every time. Practise this sound in a quieter volume, because it is at this volume in

scales with different vowels. ¢@)) 66

Practise crescendos and decrescendos on single notes and

particular that Metal-like Neutral is useful. @) 370

eS CO

start C1

Increasing and decreasing the volume, crescendo and decrescendo

Exercises in Neutral

Attack Pitch

Practise a breathy

Practise single notes in Neutral @)) 57 and scales up and down

through five notes on different vowels @) 58. Make sure you widen the mouth as the pitch becomes higher. Do not at-

tempt to sing TOO powerfully. Women can start on C1 and men on CO. From there, continue to repeat the exercise be-

ginning halfa tone higher each time and later beginning half a

tone lower each time. Practise octave scales

peggios @)) 60

in

@)) 59 and ar-

the same way.

)

43 and

non-breathy @) 44 attack by singing an ascending five-note scale, repeating the highest note three times, and then singing five notes descending, rea

peating the lowest note three times. Try to bring the vocal cords together before attacking the note. Recall the memorised feeling of the clicking sound (see ‘Finding Neutral with-

out air’ on page 88). Use the ascending scale to feel how the

support energy needs to gradually increase. Notice the support value on the highest note. Breathe, and then find the exact same support value. Hold back on singing the note until you think you have reached the right support value. Sing the note and determine whether your support value was correct.

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93

If

not, the attack will sound breathy and have a grated sound.

Adjust the support value in order to make

a

good attack and

more and less on single notes, and then on scales such as oc-

tave scales.

memorise this value for the following note. When you find

the right support value for

a

particular note, memorise the

Sing an octave scale. Start the scale with

a

dark sound colour

value. Sing down through five notes and practise finding the

by lowering the larynx and twanging the epiglottic funnel.

exact support value for the lowest note. Make sure all the at-

Then as you ascend the scale, make the sound colour pro-

tacks are perfect and non-breathy.

gressively lighter by raising the larynx, but keep twanging the epiglottic funnel. Make sure the high notes are delicate,

attacks will usually become

If you use more

twang the

easierto perform. Continue to re-

peat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each time.

light and non-breathy. Now descend the scale and make the sound colour darker by lowering the larynx, and still keep twanging the epiglottic funnel. Continue to repeat the exer-

Practising nonbreathy attacks

cise beginning

CO

é

==

=

start FO

halfa tone higher each time. @) 65

a=: Songs Perform a whole song in Neutral with

Air added to the voice

air

@))

67, and in Neutral

without air @) 68 in all parts of the voice.

want to add air to the voice you could also practise this all the way through the various parts of the voice in Neutral. If you

But remember that this makes it impossible to sing power-

Classical sound

fully (see ‘Air added to the voice’ on page 206). If the air must

When you have found the sound you prefer, sing scales and

be heard more distinctly, you can use more twang.

songs whilst maintaining the sound colour up and down

throughout the pitches. Keep the compressed tongue as this contributes to giving the vowels their classical sound. Prac-

Sound Colours

tise making this sound on all pitches and on all vowels. @)) 69

Practise finding as many sound colours as possible by changing the shape ofyour vocal tract. Find the lightest and darkest

sound colour in your voice. Practise accomplishing the lightest and darkest sound colour in the high as well as in the low part of your voice in Neutral with and without air. Sing, for

example, octave scales. Practise light sound colour in Neutral with

out

airs) 61

and with-

air) 63.

air@) 64.

song in all the different sound colours you can find in your voice. Then try to sing songs in the sound colours you Sing

Sing

a

note in Curbing in the pitch you find easiest and

change to Neutral without altering the pitch. Practise changing between the modes to become certain of the feeling of the change. Gradually make the two modes sound alike and keep the same amount of twang.

Practise dark sound colour in Neutral with air @) 62 and with-

out

Metal-like Neutral

a

In

other words, locate the

position necessary to make Neutral sound like Curbing. Sing a note in Curbing, maintain the shape of the vocal tract, and

change to Neutral. Now you are singing Metal-like Neutral. Try to add the ‘hold’ again to test if you have maintained the shape of the vocal tract from the note in Curbing. @) 70

prefer: the ones that you think suit you, your temperament

and your voice.

Find the vowel you think is easiest and practise the note with

Practise singing with necessary twang and distinct twang

half-metallic attack. Raise the larynx slightly and raise the palate along with the pitch, but only so that the sound still

with air @) 175 and without air @) 176, gradually

resembles Curbing. Remember that it must feel comfortable.

a

in Neutral

94

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Women can start from

E1

and men on AO and from there

repeat the exercise beginning half

a

tone higher each time.

Practise making this sound in ail pitches and on all vowels.

of a motorway which generates the grating sound which indicates that you should stay within the lines. *

You may have a metallic sound because of ‘biting’ (see ‘Finding the ‘bite’ on page 107).

»

You may have a ‘hold’, as in Curbing, while you use too little volume (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96). You may be singing too loudly in Neutral.

q@)71

Make sure the mouth opens more as you go up in pitch. Be careful not to sing Metal-like Neutral too powerfully. In doing so, you might force your voice and risk discomfort as well as

*

«

strain.

Perhaps you are singing with a little bit of air on the voice but intended to sing in Neutral without air and are

therefore trying to make the voice non-breathy through constriction. *

Warnings in Neutral

You may not have been aware of constriction that appeared because of a protruded jaw, tightening of the lips or lack of support.

-

Remember to keep a loose jaw Avoid metallic modes by keeping the volume down and the jaw relaxed

+

Avoid singing too powerfully in Neutral without air, except in the high part of the voice. In Neutral without air it is especially the middle part of the voice that it might hurt and cause strain to sing too loudly. in

Unintentional distortion might feel comfortable and sound pleasant, but it should be avoided because with persistent use, it can result in a blurring of the modes. If you consciously

want to produce a distortion, it should be practised separately in order to avoid vocal strain (see ‘Distortion’ on page 179).

Now and then it is a good idea to return to and practise the extremes of Neutral. You may find Neutral with air too breathy and quiet, while Neutral without air may sound too nonbreathy. However, it is important to locate where the perfect, healthy centre of the modes are so you do not lose the mode

while you are experimenting. Remember that Neutral contains all sound colours, many of which you will be unaccustomed to. It is acceptable for sounds to be ‘ugly’ during practice but NOT for the process to feel wrong or unpleasant.

Unintentional distortion in Neutral When you practise Neutral, you have to be on your guard against unintentional distortion. This may be described as a

‘scratching’ or ‘jarring’ sound in the notes. If an unintentional distortion occurs, it is usually because the tones are somewhat metallic, although you have positioned for Neutral. In other words, you are using the mode outside its limits. Metaphorically, it may be compared to when a car hits the verge

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95

Curbing

N

Mode

HALF METALLIC

Air

Never add

Method

Vowels

in

airto the voice

HOLD

the

of part the voice

high

|

UH

0

(sit)

(hungry)

(woman)

Pitch

All

Volume

Medium

Character

Restrained

C-1

co

£

c4

C3

C2

C1

An overview Curbing

is

the half-metallic mode, meaning there

is

some

Men and women can use Curbing all through the voice.

metal in the notes. It is the ‘mildest’ of the metallic modes

Curbing

where the character is softer and not as powerful and distinct

but quieter and more restrained than Overdrive or Edge is wanted. Women mostly use Curbing when they have to sing powerfully between F1 - F2 but do not want the aggressive

as Overdrive or Edge but still powerful compared to Neutral.

The sound

is

often slightly plaintive and restrained. Curbing

can be found by establishing a ‘hold’.

is

used when a sound more powerful than Neutral

character of Edge.

To ‘Curb’ means to ‘hold’, to ‘tame’, to keep ‘under control.

|

have chosen the name ‘Curbing’ because it, in my opinion,

describes what it might feel like to sing while holding back

All the vowels can be used, but in the higher part of the voice

they need to be directed towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘O’ (as in ‘wom72 ar’) or ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) to stay in the mode.

the sound thereby preventing it (or ‘curbing’ it) from becoming full-metallic.

96

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Curbing largely stays in the medium volume range, from medium quiet (‘mp’ or ‘mezzo piano’) to loud (‘f’ or ‘forte’). Very

Condition for Curbing +

Can be found by establishing

a

‘hold’,

quiet (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) and very loud (‘ff' or ‘fortissimo’) volumes are not attainable.

Finding Curbing

The sound colour can be altered extensively,

Curbing R & B

is

used in almost all styles of popular music (such as

music) when the volume is medium loud and

amount of metal

is

a

certain

required. Curbing is used in classical music

by men singing medium loud (‘mf or ‘mezzo forte’) and by women singing loud (mf-f) in the middle and low part of the

voice. Curbing is used in everyday life when you are wailing,

moaning or whining.

Curbing may be established by holding your breath and applying a large amount of support. Notice how it feels; as

though something a

is

holding your larynx, as though there is is held in an exact position. This

pressure or as if something

sensation

is known as creating a ‘hold’ 4) 371. Maintain the ‘hold’ and say ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) as if you have a stomach ache. Note the restrained and plaintive sound that emerges.

Make sure you do not impair the voice with constriction. Even though the sound is restrained it should still be clear and free,

Singers who often sing or sang in Curbing

not squeezed or stifled.

Christina Aguilera, Charles Aznavour, Beach Boys, Bee Gees,

Now try to sing another note with the ‘hold’. @)) 74

It

must not hurt or be uncomfortable.

George Benson, Mary Black, Michael Bolton, David Bowie, Toni Braxton, Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), Peabo Bryson,

J

At first it

J Cale, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Neneh Cherry, Eric Clapton,

is good idea to find Curbing by means of the ‘hold’ and make sure that the ‘hold’ is established BEFORE a

Marc Cohn, Phil Collins, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Terence

note

Trent D’Arby, Roger Daltrey, Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention), Donald Fagan (Steely Dan), Agneta Falgtskog (ABBA),

a

sung. The ‘hold’ is merely a tool to find and maintain the mode. Once you have practised Curbing sufficiently to is

control the mode it

is no

Peter Gabriel, Liam Gallagher (Oasis), tan Gillan, Steve Harley

hold beforehand. At

a

(Cockney Rebel), Murray Head, Jimi Hendrix, Don Henley (Eagles), Mick Hucknall (Simply Red), Iggy Pop, James Ingram,

should have been worked in as a natural part of the mode. In the beginning it might help to practise Curbing by means of the half-metallic attack (see ‘Attacks’ on page 61).

Mick Jagger, Elton John, Salif Keita, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,

Bobby Kimball (Toto), Tommy Kérberg, KD Lang, Lyle Lovett, Bob Marley, Michael McDonald, Madonna, Meat Loaf, soloists in Mills Brothers, Roy Orbison, Elaine Paige,

Robert Plant (Led

Zeppelin), Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against The Machine), Lionel Richie, Paul Rogers (Free, Bad Company), David Lee Roth, Seal, Skin’ (Sylvia Massy, Skunk Anansie), Britney Spears, Status Quo, Stephen Stills, Sting, Michael Stipe (REM), Jennifer

Warnes, Fee Waybill (The Tubes), and Stevie Wonder.

Curbing

is

also used by female classical singers when they

sing loud (mf-f) in the middle part of the voice and male classical singers when they sing at

a

medium loud volume (mf-f).

longer necessary to establish the certain time, due to practise, the hold

Another easy way to locate Curbing is to sing relatively loud while clenching your teeth. Be aware not to sing TOO loud as it can feel uncomfortable and might strain the voice. Notice how the notes are now automatically are sung with a hold. The notes sound slightly restrained and plaintive. This Curbing. Make sure the hold

light and not too strong as it will trigger constriction and strain the voice. Maintain the is

is

sensation of this light hold and train to sing while separating the teeth. Be sure that the notes maintain the same slightly

plaintive and restrained sound. Keep the sensation and the sound from the clenched teeth and practice opening the mouth without changing the sensation and the sound. If the sound suddenly feels or sounds ‘freer’ you have most likely lost the hold. Return to singing with clenched teeth and train

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97

maintaining this sensation and sound regardless of how

cal cords and make

(outwards). This may produce a sensation like Curbing.

much you open the mouth. *

It

plaintive sound by singing ordinarily

a

to lift inside the larynx BEFORE the lift. Maintain this feeling

usually helps to raise the palate slightly as you go up in

pitch (you raise the palate when inhaling for a yawn, see ‘The

Palate’ on page 169). The higher the notes you use in Curb-

and start on the note with +

is raised

half-metallic attack.

Imagine that you are feeling very sorry for yourself and

‘hold’. @)) 374

too

abruptly, the larynx is usually lowered and the half-metallic

a

listen to how the sound becomes plaintive because of the

ing, the more raised the palate should be. Be careful to raise

the palate cautiously and with great control. If it

Imagine lifting something heavy. Notice how you prepare

*

Imagine that you are speaking while you are crying. Feel

the ‘hold’ and listen to how plaintive Curbing sounds.

sound is lost. +

Imagine a large ball placed in the throat and apply a great

Once you know the feeling and the sound of Curbing, you

deal of support. Try to bring the vocal cords together across

the beginning,

the ball while singing ‘I’ {as in ‘sit’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) or ‘UH’

should make ‘the hold’ as light as possible.

In

‘hungry’). Sing ‘on top of’ the ball, as powerfully and non-breathy as possible, without an unpleasant feeling.

also practise with a relatively high-positioned larynx as this

{as in

will prevent ‘the hold’ from luring the back of the tongue to

lower the larynx. This again would prevent reaching the right

+

pitch and might feel uncomfortable. So, if the notes become

+

‘heavy’ or more difficult to reach, then ‘the hold’ should be loosened and the larynx should be raised.

-

Sing alow note with

high-positioned larynx, like a child Imagine you are disgusted by something while singing Imagine you are about to cough, but stop and maintain a

that feeling. +

Some singers lower the larynx too much in Curbing, which

usually easier to find Curbing by twang-

may make them lose the metallic sound. Counteract this by

ing the epiglottic funnel slightly, raising the larynx a little, and by keeping the palate lowered and the tongue slightly

imagining that you are ‘staying on the upper edge’ of the

broadened by placing it on the molars in the upper part of

note has a floor and you must not sing under this floor.

In

the beginning it

is

note. Do not keep the note ‘down’, let it float. Imagine the

the mouth (see ‘The Epiglottic Funnel’ on page 159, ‘The Lar-

ynx’ on page 162, ‘The Palate’ on page 169 and ‘The Tongue’ on page 166).

Once you can control Curbing, you will no longer need the An image: the note has a floor and you must not sing under this floor

vocal tract to help the positioning. Skilled Curbers often use many other positions of the vocal tract.

Achieving Curbing through images and sensations

+

Imagine you are keeping the ‘hold’ at the front while ‘open-

ing’ the vocal cords at the back.

Remember that images and sensations are only meant as an aid. If you do not respond to them immediately, forget them.

Do not confuse them with what is actually happening! *

Inhale and make a slight sound while suddenly holding your breath or cough and feel a small ‘hold’ just prior to the

cough. @)) 371 +

Finding Curbing through sound You can try to find Curbing by means of sound by: +

Bring the vocal vocal cords together and imagine making a

in

small sound by sucking inwards whilst keeping the vo-

cal cords together. Maintain this feeling of the closed vo-

great deal of support saying ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘O’ (as ‘woman’) or ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) as if you have a stomach

applying

a

ache @) 72 »

imitating

a

rogue or

a

can movie such as The

98

stereotypical Italian from an Ameri-

Godfather @)) 372

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

*

*

-

imitating someone who

is

crying quietly child who imitating is just about to cry @) 373 imitating someone who feels sorry for himself) 374 a

imitating

a

child who is overly tired and does not want to

do anything @) 375 +

+

The ‘bite’

whimpering like a puppy clenching your teeth and singing a rather loud ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’) or ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) or ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) @) 86 (all vowels)

On the other hand, singers who are used to singing in Overdrive or Edge may obtain Curbing by consciously a

keeping

loose jaw. In doing so, the voice has a harder time returning to the familiar Overdrive and Edge and ends up half-way in

Be careful not to constrict the voice

Curbing.

Even though the notes are restrained, the sound must bé

clear and free, not cramped and half smothered! Notice the feeling and listen for the sound being restrained and plaintive, but still free. Some singers like to get accustomed to the feeling first and then focus on the sound. Once

Loose jaw

you control Curbing, the feeling and sound ‘may come by itself’. After that, the sound may be made more or less plaintive. If the

mode

difficult to find, start by making a very plaintive sound in order to find it. When you are familiar with it, make is

the sound less plaintive. Notice that when you find the centre of the mode, it usually costs less energy than when you are

Be careful not to lose the ‘hold’ while singing in Curbing, as it

may be painful and can constrict your voice.

trying to find it.

Be aware of the position of the jaw in Curbing Be careful not to lose the ‘hold’ while you sing. If the ‘hold’ is

not sufficiently established, the voice might either lose the

half-metallic sound or become full-metallic.

In

the beginning

it may seem like a balancing act to sing in Curbing, because the Curb may be lost in both directions (Neutral one way or

Pitch in Curbing Men and women use Curbing all through the various parts of the voice. Women particularly use Curbing when Overdrive

gets too loud or when they reach the limit of Overdrive and when the volume should not be as powerful as in Edge.

Overdrive/Edge the other). Therefore, Curbing is regarded by many as the most difficult mode and the last one to fall into

The higher you Curb, the more powerful the volume becomes, while the sound colour becomes lighter. The vowels

place.

should be directed more and more towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) or ‘UH’ (as in

Singers who mostly use Neutral often benefit from making a ‘bite’ as in Overdrive or Edge in order to achieve Curbing (see ‘Finding the ‘bite’ on page 107). If they maintain the ‘bite’,

‘hungry’) as the pitch becomes higher. Even though Curbing becomes more powerful in the higher part of the voice, it will never be as powerful as Overdrive or Edge.

they can usually maintain Curbing and prevent the voice from returning to Neutral.

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99

lower limit to how deep you can sing in Curbing,

Notice that the vowels sound slightly plaintive or restrained

but the mode becomes weaker, more ‘squeezed in’, and often

like those vowels used by a rogue or a stereotypical Italian

There

is no

‘flatter’ in sound as the pitch gets deeper @) 90.

In

the low

in an American movie. These are the Curbing vowels.

They

part of the voice, Neutral and Overdrive are used more than

often sound more restrained when spoken than when sung.

Curbing as these modes are capable of producing

Be aware that even though the sound is restrained it should

darker

a

and less suppressed character. Curbing is easiest to use in the

be clear and not half smothered! @)) 86

middle part of the voice and the sound may assume many Even though there are only three Curbing vowels in the high

different sound colours.

part of the voice, it might seem that Curbing has a wider

range of vowels than Overdrive and Edge. This is because the

‘UH’ can start with many vowels sounds as long as it has the ‘UH’ ending, like in French ‘un’, ‘en’ and ‘in’.

Vowels in Curbing It is

‘A’ vowels are often difficult in Curbing. Pronounce the ‘A’

act vowel nuance mentioned

vowels as ‘UH’. This might sound a little locked up or nasal when spoken, but the sound is fine when sung. @)) 85°

very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the vowels is 100% correct. Being able to recognise the exis

equally important in order

for the technique to work in the right way. Therefore, would |

recommend all to study the sound examples from the CVT

The vowels ‘EE’ and ‘OO’ can be difficult, especially for wom-

Sound Library carefully and learn the exact vowel nuances in

en, as these vowels tend to lose the metallic sound and move

each case in order to avoid confusion between the written

towards Neutral. Be aware to maintain the ‘hold’ on ‘EE’ @) 76

and the spoken vowel (see page 249).

and ‘OO’ @)) 80. You must be careful when raising the palate as this might tempt the voice into changing to Neutral.

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) in Curbing @) 76

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) in Curbing @) 78

The vowels ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ are very difficult to sing in Curbing as they tempt the voice into Overdrive. It requires at lot of

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in Curbing @) 79

control to sing ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ without ending up in Overdrive.

The vowel ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’) in Curbing @) 80

In

The vowel ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) in Curbing @) 81

with ‘UH’. Later, ‘I’ can be pronounced in the direction of‘EH’,

The vowel ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) in Curbing @) 82 The vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) in Curbing @) 83

and ‘UH’ can be pronounced in the direction of ‘OH’.

The vowel ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) in Curbing @) 84

You also have to be careful with the volume on ‘EH’ and ‘OH’

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) in Curbing @) 85

as powerful volumes will tempt them into Overdrive. If you

All vowels can be used in the low part of the voice, but in the

deliberately keep the volume down on ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ it will be easier to remain in Curbing. Remember that it may help

necessary to direct the vowels

to avoid ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ completely in the beginning until you

The vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) in Curbing @) 77

higher parts of the voice it

is

the beginning, recommend replacing ‘EH’ with ‘I’ and ‘OH’ |

towards ‘O’ and ‘I’, and ‘UH’ in order to remain in the mode.

gain full control over Curbing.

You can get used to the sound of the slightly restrained,

This method goes for all the vowels in Curbing. If

plaintive Curbing vowels by singing relatively powerfully

presents a problem, it may be directed towards or replaced

with clenched teeth. Again, take care you do not sing TOO

with the vowel you find easiest, most often ‘I’, Later, when you

loudly as it may feel uncomfortable and might obstruct the

can control the note on the easy vowel, work in the more diffi-

voice. Try to sing all the vowels and notice how the vowels in the high part of the voice change to either ‘I’, ‘O’ or ‘UH’.

cult vowels whilst keeping the back of the tongue in EXACTLY

100

a

vowel

the same position.

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‘Back’ vowels such as ‘OO’, ‘0’, ‘OH’ and ‘AH’ can be difficult to do in Curbing as the back of the tongue may lower the

All singers are different. Practise until you are familiar with how powerfully and how quietly you can sing in Curbing.

larynx. This often impairs the pitch and feels uncomfortable.

This can be prevented by making sure that the larynx is kept in the same position for all vowels. In practice it might help to raise the larynx on all back vowels. So, if you have trouble

practice 80

)

a

back vowel in

song, you should consciously higher larynx position on that particular vowel.

pronouncing

a

a

81g) 82 qd) 83

A case story A soul singer had an unusual problem. His voice felt sore every

time he had to sing quietly. As it turned out, he sang in Curbing, but in quiet passages he let go of the support.

Later, when you can control Curbing and want

a

darker sound

colour, you can lower the larynx as is done in classical singing. q) 96

At first we worked on maintaining support on quiet notes in Neutral; the quieter the sound, the more support is required.

In

this way, the quiet notes became more intense and sustained.

Eventually, the singer could produce thinnings and very quiet

Just how much you have to direct vowels towards ‘O’, ‘I’ and ‘UH’ varies from singer to singer. An experienced singer does

volume (see ‘Volume’ on page 64). We then transferred this

not need to stick to these vowels as rigidly as a less experienced singer.

quired to maintain the mode. After that, the singer was

Support to Curbing so he could feel the minimum support re-

feel that if he wanted to keep the Curbing sound, the volume could only decrease to

At first it may help to exaggerate the plaintive vowels in order to find the most comfortable position in Curbing. When

able to

(mp). If he wanted

a

a

certain limit, namely to medium quiet

quieter volume than this, he would have

to change to the Neutral mode. When the singer was able to

you are familiar with the position for Curbing and capable of

control the difference in volume between Curbing and Neutral

singing all the plaintive vowels in

and was able to change between the modes, in other words,

a

healthy manner, you can

practise making the vowel sounds less plaintive.

when he no longer let go of the support when singing quietly, the irritation in the voice disappeared.

Volumes in Curbing The volumes in Curbing are largely medium. It is not possible to sing very quietly (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) in Curbing, as the

Sound colours in Curbing

voice will lose the metallic sound and end up in Neutral. The higher the pitch, the greater the volume required. However,

When you wish to change the sound colour of

be careful not to sing too powerfully in Curbing as this usually results in a full-metallic mode (Overdrive or Edge). If this hap-

vocal tract can be moved in many directions so there are numerous ways of changing sound colour (see ‘Sound Colour’

pens while the ‘hold’ is maintained it may feel uncomfortable and strain the voice.

on page 158).

a

mode, you

have to change the setting of the vocal tract. The form of the

The sound colour in Curbing the low part of the voice, so in this

is often light and a little plaintive, but you can easily colour Curbing in other directions. Once

range Curbing is not used much as Overdrive and Edge (except by female classical singers). The volume is medium in

you can control Curbing without problems, you can experiment with changing the sound colour by changing the vocal

the middle part of the voice and loud in the high part of the voice.

tract. Almost all sound colours are possible, but remember, the darker the sound colour, the greater the risk of losing the

Curbing

is

usually quiet

in

‘metal’. In order to change the sound colour in Curbing you

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1

01

Soft palate

Lighter sound colour want a lighter sound colour, you can reduce the size of the vocal tract @)) 93. Choose one or more of the following If you

_

Nasal passage

possibilities: Vocal tract (red)

Lips

Epiglottis

»

Use the distinct twang of the epiglottic funnel

+

Raise the larynx

«

Lower the palate (but make sure the notes get enough

Tongue

‘room’)

”

Vocal cords

\\

Larynx

+

Open the mouth more, as in

+

Open the nasal passage

+

Broaden the tongue.

a

smile

need to perfect the overall principles of singing as well as the

Even though you may become very good at Curbing and

important that you know your voice well enough to know the moment you exceed its healthy limits.

changing sound colour, it is helpful to return to and practise the centre of the mode now and then. Perhaps the centre of

‘hold’.

It is

the mode in Curbing gives too plaintive Remember: you should only attempt to change the sound

your taste, but it

a

sound colour for

colour in Curbing if you can control the mode without prob-

important to feel where the exact, healthy centre is so as not to lose the ‘hold’ or the mode while experi-

lems, i.e. if you can control Curbing in relation to pitch, vol-

menting with different sound colours in this mode.

is

ume and vowels.

Curbing in classical singing Darker sound colour

You can obtain

you want a darker sound colour in Curbing, which is often desired by men in classical singing and by women in classical singing in the low and middle parts of the voice, you can

ing the centre of the mode. Then try to twang the epiglottic

If

a

classical sound in Curbing. Start by practis-

funnel even more, lower the larynx, and raise the palate with-

out diminishing the ‘hold’. Sing single notes with this feeling.

increase the size of the vocal tract ¢)) 94. This can be achieved by using one or more of the following methods. +

*

*

Use the necessary twang of the epiglottic funnel

Carefully

lower the

larynx without losing the ‘hold’ (remem-

When you are familiar with this feeling, experiment with how large you can make the vocal tract still using single notes. The

larger you make the vocal tract, the darker, richer, and more

ber: the lighter a metallic mode is sung, the safer it is)

classical the sound colour becomes. Be careful not to lose the

Raise the palate more (be careful that the voice does not

‘hold’ or the metallic sound when you twang the epiglottic funnel, lower the larynx and raise the palate. q) 96

lose the metallic sound as this might feel uncomfortable) +

Open the mouth more with the corners of the mouth more relaxed

Men (for example counter-tenors) use Curbing in the whole

+

Close the nasal passage

range of their voice in classical singing when the volume

+

Compress the tongue (as this gives the notes an operatic

medium and when

sound).

Women use Curbing in classical singing when they have to

a

certain amount of metal

is

is

required.

sing loudly, in the middle part of the voice and sometimes also in the low part ofthe voice (for example Maria Callas).

102

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tone higher each time. Do not sing higher than it feels comfortable. In the beginning you should practise Curbing in a

A case story An opera singer (soprano) had some trouble with too much air in the voice after an illness, especially in the middle part of her

voice. She was desperate as the opening night was approach-

lower part of the voice where it is easier to learn the mode rather than in a higher part of the voice where Curbing is more difficult and often fails. q) 73 @) 74 @) 75

ing and she had been practising getting rid of the breathy

sound for weeks through exercises in Neutral without

airto no

effect.

Vowels

Instead of Neutral without air, we started working on Curbing.

When you have perfected Curbing on this easy vowel, keep the back of the tongue in EXACTLY the same position when

At first we established the ‘hold’, and she could immediately hear how the sound became stronger. When she hit the centre

of the Curbing mode, she realised that the strong sound she had in Neutral without air in the high part of voice could now

be obtained in the middle part of her voice via Curbing.

practising the other vowels. Start practising ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘O' {as in ‘woman’) and ‘UH’ {as in ‘hungry’). @)) 87 And later ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’}, ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’) and ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) separately. q) 88

When she had attained a stronger, non-breathy sound in all pitches, we started to alter the sound colour in Curbing so that

Practising the same larynx position on all vowels can be an

it would suit the classical sound colour ideal. She worked on

advantage. Sing an ‘l’, keep this larynx position and the position of the back of the tongue while you sing an ‘OO’, and make sure that the larynx or the back of the tongue does not

maintaining the ‘hold’ for Curbing while simultaneously making the size of the vocal tract larger until she got the classical sound colour she wanted. After two days, the sound was com-

pletely without air and she even obtained louder volumes in the middle part of her voice than ever before.

lower itself for the ‘OO’ it will often feel as if you consciously have to raise the larynx or the back the tongue for the vowel ‘OO’. Practise this with all vowels. Sing an ‘I’ and keep the larynx position (raise the larynx and the back of the tongue) to ‘O’. Sing an ‘I’ and keep the larynx position (raise the larynx and the back of the tongue) to ‘UH’.

Exercises in Curbing

‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) are very difficult vowels in Curbing as they tempt the voice to change to Overdrive.

often easier to begin Curbing in an accentuated legato, giving the note a minor ‘run-up’. Sing a lower note and slowly It is

pull it up to the note you want. This usually gives you more

Avoid them in the beginning and return to them once you can control Curbing without any problems. But remember to direct ‘OH’ towards ‘UH’ and ‘EH’ towards ‘I’ to ensure the

time to establish support.

‘hold’

is

maintained. Start with the vowel ‘UH’ and direct it

carefully towards ‘OH’. Start with the vowel ‘I’ and direct it

carefully towards ‘EH’.

Single notes Find the vowel that you find most easy to sing, usually an ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) or ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’). Practise Curbing on single notes. Start each note with

half-metallic attack. When you can control Curbing you can use any attack. Maintain the ‘hold’ and perhaps raise the palate slightly as the notes be-

In

both cases, stop before the voice

changes abruptly into Overdrive. Accept the slurred sound of the vowel. @) 89

a

Low notes

come higher. Be careful not to lose the ‘hold’ and remember

Afterwards, practise Curbing on lower notes. Be careful to maintain the ‘hold’ on the notes. In the beginning it may feel

that it must feel comfortable. Women can start from

as though the lower you sing, the more you have to squeeze

G1

and

men from C1 and then repeat the exercise beginning half a

in

the notes. You must accept that the sound becomes more

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

103

plaintive the lower you sing. If you lose the Curb on a note, return to the previous note where you still had it and try to keep

Songs

the same feeling on the difficult note. Women can start on E1 and men on C1 and from there repeat the exercise beginning

song in Curbing. Repeat the song, transposing it upwards by half notes. Remember to direct the vowels towards ‘I’, ‘O’ and ‘UH’ as the pitch gets higher. Note that only

half a tone lower each time. @) 90

three out of all the scales are sung: one in the low part of the

Complete

voice, one

a

in the

middle part of the voice and one in the high

part of the voice. @)) 95

Scales When you can control Curbing on single notes, practise Curbing on three-note @) 91 and five-note @)) 92 scales up and

Sound Colour

down, again beginning with the vowel you think is the easiest. Start each note with a half-metallic attack. Make sure the pal-

Practise finding as many sound colours as possible by chang-

ate is slightly raised and the mouth opens wider as the pitch

the darkest q)) 94 sound colour in your voice in Curbing.

ing the shape of the vocal tract. Find the lightest @)) 93 and

gets higher. Do not sing so quietly in Curbing that the voice flips to Neutral. The volume increases as the pitch ascends, but do not sing too powerfully either as you could force your

Classical sound

voice which

uncomfortable and may strain it. Women can start at D1 and men at C1 and from there sing a scale up and down through three or five notes. Repeat the

When you have located the classical sound colour you desire, sing shorter and later longer scales whilst maintaining

halfa note higher each time and later half

to impair the pitch even though the position of the larynx is relatively low. Keep the tongue compressed to preserve the

is

exercise beginning a

note lower each time.

the sound colour all the way up and down. Make sure not

classical sound. Practise completing this sound colour in all A three-note scale

CO

m7

ae

start FO

J

I

|

t

}

A

five-note scale

Tr

r 1

t

T

parts of the voice and on all vowels. 2) 96

; I

I

t

Tt

T

1

ii

T

O start FO

Warnings in Curbing -

NEVER add air to the voice when singing in Curbing as it may hurt and damage the voice.

Itcan be difficult to maintain Curbing in the high part of the voice as the voice often becomes either sharp, full metallic

When the five-note sequences are perfected, the exercise can be expanded to include octave scales and arpeggios.

and turns into Edge or softer and less metallic and turns into Neutral. +

An octave scale

Both women and men should apply sufficient support from C2/C1 to make sure the ‘hold’ is established, to avoid losing

O start C1

gis t

An arpeggio O start C1

the metallic sound and to prevent «

i—— a == |

a

break in the voice.

Be careful not to lower the larynx TOO much in Curbing as it feels uncomfortable and may strain the voice.

-

The higher the pitch, the more distinct the vowels have to be directed towards ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’), ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) or ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’).

104

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

-

The higher the pitch, the more powerful the volume becomes. However, you must never sing very powerfully (ff) in

Curbing as it may strain the voice.

lips or lack of support (nb: the protruded jaw or tightening of the lips must not be confused with the ‘hold’). +

Be careful not to practise Curbing at too quiet a volume

(pp) either as this also strains the voice.

*

You may have lost the ‘hold’, and in doing so, the voice is about to change to Neutral. You have a ‘hold’ for Curbing while trying to make fulla metallic sound as for Overdrive or Edge. This can strain the

voice. *

A case story A very experienced

+

jazz singer had problems reaching high

*

notes. She did not think the character of Neutral suited her

style because it was too soft. Neither did she feel that Edge suited her because it sounded too much like rock. She had ex-

perimented and found a sound she liked (Curbing), but when

+

You have too much ‘hold’ on Curbing. You are using too powerful a volume for Curbing. You are about to raise the palate so much that the larynx lowers which can complicate a Curb. You may be singing at too quiet a volume for Curbing caus-

ing the voice to lose the metallic sound and change to Neutral.

she sang this way she became exhausted, got pains in her

throat and the notes often failed. The reason was that she feared the ‘hold’ was a harmful con-

Unintentional distortion might feel comfortable and sound pleasant but should be avoided, because if used persistently,

striction, so she rejected it every time she felt it. As she was

it can result in a blurring

quite happy with the sound of Curbing, we practised using the

want to produce

mode in a healthy manner by adding in small pauses before

rately in order to avoid strain on the voice (see ‘Distortion’

each Curbing note. Using this small pause made the ‘hold’

on page 179).

clearer for her and she practised it as

a

a

of the modes. If you consciously distortion, it should be practised sepa-

natural part of the

mode. After a short while she regarded the ‘hold’ as helpful

instead of being a harmful constriction. As soon as she es-

tablished the ‘hold’ in Curbing, she could sing the high notes

without it hurting or failing. When she got used to the ‘hold’ in Curbing she no longer needed the small pauses and she no

longer had problems reaching high notes.

Unintentional distortion in Curbing When you practise Curbing, you must be on your guard against unintentional distortion (i.e. ‘scratching’ or ‘jarring’ sounds). If there is unintentional distortion, it is usually either because the ‘hold’ is not established correctly, the notes are

not metallic enough or the volume is too loud. Metaphorically, it may be compared to when a car hits the verge of a

motorway which generates a grating sound which indicates that you should stay within the lines. You may have been unaware of a constriction in the throat. +

This may occur due to

a

protruded jaw, tightening of the

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105

Overdrive

fo

Mode

FULL METALLIC

Air

airto the voice

Never add

Pp

Method

“Bite” Vowels

__ 7

in the

high part of

the voice

FH

OH

(stay)

(50)

max

Pitch

max

d2

Volume

Loud

Character

Shout

Qc

co

C-1

c2

1c3

1c4

|

oO An overview Overdrive

is a

In

full-metallic mode.

Its

character

is

often direct,

loud, and shouted, like when you call ‘hey’ after someone in

the street. Overdrive is

mode with a non-breathy sound. When starting out, Overdrive can be found by establishing a ‘bite’.

terms of pitch, Overdrive is the most limited mode, espe-

cially for women. The upper limit for women

is

D2-Eb2 and for

men C2. There is no lower limit.

a

All vowels can be used in the low part of the voice, but in the

high part you can only use ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ {as in

‘so’). have chosen the name Overdrive because] find it descriptive of the pushy, aggressive sound you can obtain in this mode. My inspiration for the name is from the overdrive that can be

)

97

|

found in guitar pedals and from the fifth gear in sports cars (i.e. overdrive gear).

106

The sound colour can be altered, but do not try to change the shouting character too much when singing in the high part of the voice.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

The volume in Overdrive part of the voice

is

mostly loud. However, in the lower

With a light sound colour: Chuck Berry, Jack Bruce, Woodie Guthrie, Billie Holiday, Ice-T, Grace Jones, Al Jarreau, Eartha

medium volume is possible. The higher the notes, the louder and more distinct the shouting character a

becomes, and the more distinct is the difference in volume

Kitt, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, Ozzy Osborne, Dolly Parton, Lou Reed, Axl Rose (Guns ‘n’

and character from Neutral and Curbing.

Roses), Diana Ross, Gino Vanelli, Lolly Vegas (Redbone), and

Hank Williams.

Overdrive is the most commonly-used mode for men and women in the low part of the voice and when speaking or

With a dark sound colour in the low part of the voice: Zarah Leander, Sarah Vaughan, and some female classical singers when they sing in the low part of the voice in powerful vol-

singing loudly. used in popular music in almost all styles, when singing low or when the volume is loud or when a great deal of metal It is

is

ume, such as Maria Callas.

desired, for example in rock music.

Overdrive

is

used in classical music by men when they sing

Condition for Overdrive

loudly (f-ff). Women sometimes use Overdrive in classical music in the low part of the voice, for example Maria Callas. Overdrive is used in everyday life when you are shouting.

Full-metal

+

Finding Overdrive

Singers who often sing or sang in Overdrive Joan Armatrading, Patti Austin, Anita Baker, LaVern Baker, Shirley Bassey, Bono (U2), La Voix Mystere Bulgare, Johnny Cash, Mama Cass, Tracy Chapman, Cher, Patsy Cline, Leonard

The most important thing in Overdrive is to maintain the fullmetallic sound. The easiest way to find this is by establish-

Cohen, David Coverdale, Roger Daltrey (The Who), Ray Davis (The Kinks), Sammy Davis Jr, Marlene Dietrich, Ronnie James

ing the so-called ‘bite’. You need to maintain this ‘bite’ if you want to sing in Overdrive.

Dio, Vaya Con Dios, Celine Dion, Melissa Etheridge, Aretha

Franklin, Marie Fredriksen (Roxette), Judy Garland, Lowell

George (Little Feat), Juliette Greco, Corey Glover (Living Colour), Buddy Guy, Gypsy Kings, James Hetfield (Metallica),

Jen-

nifer Holiday, Noddy Holder (Slade}, Buddy Holly, John Lee

Hooker, Whitney Houston, Michael Hutchence (INXS), Julio Iglesias, Mahalia Jackson, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Waylon Jen-

Use the ‘bite’ to establish Overdrive

nings, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton John, Tom Jones, Jon Bon Jovi, BB King, Om Kalsoum, Gladys Knight, Leadbelly, Huey Lewis,

Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Vera Lynn, Phill Lynott (Thin

‘The bite’

Lizzy), Miriam Makeba, Bob Marley, Gisela May, Freddie Mer-

A ‘bite’ may be established by:

cury, George Michael, Liza Minelli, Jim Morrison, Van Morri-

*

son, Paul McCartney, Youssou N'Dour, Edith Piaf, Elvis Presley,

Cliff Richard, Paul Simon, Otis Redding, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), Frank Sinatra, Bessie Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Dionne Warwick, Muddy Wa-

smiling with

a

closed mouth and dropping the jaw while

keeping the position of the upper lip so that the lower jaw behind the stretched upper lip

is *

shaping the mouth like the Joker in the Batman comics making sure there

is

room for a finger between the jaws

-

ters, and Tammy Wynette.

the lower jaw must always be behind the upper jaw (see ‘The Three Overall Principles’ on page 20)

Male classical singers use Overdrive when they sing loudly.

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107

«

positioning the jaw as you would when you are biting into large apple. Imagine removing the apple while maintain-

Imagine that your teeth are stuck together with caramel and that you try in vain to separate them. Do not clench

ing the ‘bite’. Do not clench your teeth. There may be

your teeth.

a

a

small muscular tension in the jaw-joint, but there should

not be one in the lower jaw or the chin.

Imagine that there is

wooden block between your teeth while you are trying to ‘bite’ together. Imagine that you pull out the corners of your mouth and a

‘tie them around your neck’, Imagine that you are shivering. Notice how the feeling is

Bite at the front

almost like sucking inwards. Try singing with this feeling. It may feel as if you are singing out of the back of the head or

Finding ‘the bite’ through images and sensations

‘opening up’ the back of the head. Imagine that you are sucking on a clogged up straw. Feel how the back wall of the oral cavity is tightened.

Remember that images and sensations are only meant as an

Imagine biting on a finger, then removing the finger, but

aid. If you do not respond to them immediately, forget them.

maintaining the ‘bite’. Do not actually bite completely. Imagine that your teeth are moving out of your mouth

Do not confuse them with what is actually happening!

Tighten the back wall of the oral cavity so that it stretches like a sail, and press against it so as to give a double feeling of tightening in the back wall.

while you sing. Notice how you tighten the back wall of the oral cavity.

Imagine that you are disgusted by something that you do not want near you while singing. Imagine that there is a floor on the back wall ofthe oral cavity and that no Overdrive notes are allowed under this floor. You can expand notes above the floor in all directions, up-

wards and sideways, but not under it.

Sensation: tighten the back wall

+

\

Imagine that you have rubber bands stretched between

the molars in the upper and the lower part of the mouth. Try to stretch the rubber bands further, but without moving the jaw. Feel the tightening in the jaw-joint.

Imagine that there is a floor on the back wall

Show your back molars when singing. Smile as if pretending you understand something that you do not.

The ‘bite’

is

merely an educational tool to find and maintain

the mode. Once you are familiar with and can maintain the mode, you may not need it any more. Imagine that you have rubber bands stretched between the molars

Finding Overdrive Find and maintain the ‘bite’. Apply

and sing/shout

108

a

a

good deal of support

long powerful ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’). You may put

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

an ‘H’ in front of the sound as in ‘hey’. Start with a full-metallic

attack (see ‘Attack’ on page 61) and continue with the same

@) 382. Retain the feeling of the loud note while singing a higher pitch. Be careful not to sing higher than D2 for

sound and intensity. If Overdrive is difficult to find, make the

women and C2 for men.

sound more sneering and provoking. @)) 97

In

the beginning it

is

easier to find Overdrive by twanging the

epiglottic funnel slightly, raising the larynx slightly, opening the mouth wide, and extending the corners of the mouth

Notice the sensation of Overdrive (it must never feel wrong or uncomfortable) and listen for if you have the powerful and

shouting sound.

It

may be helpful to get accustomed to the

sideways as in a ‘bite’. Keep the tongue as you like, but lower

sound first and then focus on the sensation. When you have control of Overdrive, the voice will be able to find both sound

the palate and close the nasal passage.

and sensation on its own. After that, you can give the sound

Once you can control Overdrive, you will not need to shape

more or less

the vocal tract so strictly. Singers who are skilled at Overdrive

If you find it difficult, start with a

often use many other positions within the vocal tract.”

sound, and when you are more familiar with it, make it less

of a shouting character. provoking and shouted

shouted. Notice that when you find the centre of the mode, it usually requires less

Finding Overdrive through images and sensations

energy than when you are trying to lo-

cate it.

+

Show your teeth while you sing

+

Place your fingers on your teeth, and keep the lips in this

Mind thejaw in Overdrive

position as you sing (see illustration)

Be careful not to loosen the jaw or open the mouth too much, as both may lower the larynx, making the voice lose the me-

tallic sound and change to the Neutral mode. Keep the ‘bite’. If you lose the ‘bite’, you will usually lose the mode. This may sound like

a

break in the voice which can hurt and strain it.

When you are able to control Overdrive, the jaw can be po-

sitioned in whichever way you prefer.

Find Overdrive by singing with your fingers on your teeth

In

the beginning, how-

ever, avoid a loose jaw.

Finding Overdrive through sound In

Overdrive the character

is

usually loud and shouted with

a

certain amount of metal. The more you lower the larynx, the darker the sound colour becomes.

You can find Overdrive by means of sound by: +

imitating market sellers @) 376

+

shouting to someone in the street @)) 377

+

+

+

‘Bite’

Loose jaw

crying for joy (as if someone has scored a goal in a football match) @) 378 speaking provokingly and in a rough manner @)) 379 singing like at a football match @) 380

+

imitating aloud drunk @)) 381

+

finding a vocal break in the lower part of the voice between a

quiet note (Neutral) and

a

loud note (Overdrive or Edge)

Pitch in Overdrive Experienced men can sing up to their high C (i.e. C2) in Overdrive. The highest note women can sing in Overdrive is D2-

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

109

pitch, the more distinct the mode becomes. The volume be-

any problems and are familiar with the overall principles of the correct use of the voice. You also need to know your voice

more distinct shout-

so well that you can tell the instant you exceed its healthy

Eb2. It goes for both men and women that the higher the

comes more powerful, the sound has

a

ing quality and the vowels have to be altered to ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’).

limits.

First find Overdrive in the lower end of the middle part of the

voice and practise it on

F1

for women or C1 for men. Now

descend gradually, and feel how you have to ‘squeeze in’ the

A case story

mode the lower you sing. When you have achieved Overdrive

An experienced heavy rock singer had an active singing period

and then several years break. Normally his songs were high-

the low part of the voice, sing in Overdrive on the note AO for women or A-1 for men and be careful to maintain the me-

pitched, and when he started singing them again he felt pain

tallic sound while cautiously lowering the larynx. The more

in his voice.

you lower the larynx (to a certain degree), the darker, richer,

The reason was that during his break he had lost part of his

and more powerful the note will become.

physical strength and technique. That was why Overdrive (in

never hurt or feel uncomfortable. q) 112

in

It

must, of course,

which he had sung before) seemed too hard and powerful. He had forgotten how much support energy was needed. When he did not use sufficient energy, his voice automatically chose

Curbing, as this mode requires less energy in the high part of

Vowels in Overdrive

the voice. The reason why his voice hurt was that he tried to use

too loud for Curbing.

very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the vowels is 100% correct. Being able to recognise the ex-

He had a choice between continuing to sing in Curbing and

act vowel nuance mentioned is equally important in order

decreasing the volume, or keeping the powerful volume and

for the technique to work in the right way. Therefore, would

replacing Curbing with Overdrive. As he wanted the powerful

recommend all to study the sound examples from the CVT

volume, he had to do physical exercise to improve his condition. In the meantime we practised Overdrive by establishing

Sound Library carefully and learn the exact vowel nuance in each case in order to avoid confusion between the written

the ‘bite’ and altering the vowels to ‘EH’ (as in stay} and ‘OH’

and the spoken vowel (see page 149).

as much volume in Curbing as he did in Overdrive and this was

It is

|

(as in so) at the higher pitches. When he could do this, he was

once again able to sing his high-pitched songs with powerful

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) in Overdrive @)) 100

volume.

The vowel ‘I’ {as in ‘sit’) in Overdrive @)) 101

))

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) in Overdrive 102 The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in Overdrive @)) 103 There

is no

limit to how low you can sing in Overdrive. The

The vowel ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’) in Overdrive @) 104

sound of Overdrive in the lower part of the voice may be-

The vowel ‘O’ {as in ‘woman’) in Overdrive @) 105

come dry, squeaky, and slightly squeezed if you do not lower the larynx. To avoid the squeezed sound and to get more power in the lower part of the voice, sing in Overdrive while

The vowel ‘OH’ {as:in ‘so’) in Overdrive @)) 106

cautiously lowering the larynx. This way you can get both the metal of Overdrive as well as the dark, rich sound of the low-

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) in Overdrive q) 109

ered larynx.

All the vowels can be used in the low part of the voice.

The vowel ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’) in Overdrive @)) 107 The vowel ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’) in Overdrive q)) 108

In

the

You should also be very careful with experimenting colour-

higher part of the voice, however, it

ing the modes darker unless you control the modes without

rect the vowels towards ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ in order to maintain

110

is

more important to di-

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Overdrive. On the highest notes it

is no

longer enough to

simply ‘direct’ the vowels. Instead they must be altered to ‘EH’ and ‘OH’.

A case story

Hence, ‘EE’, ‘I’, and ‘A’ are altered to ‘EH’. For example ‘Hey baby’ is altered to 'H-EH, b-EH-b-EH’. @)) 110

doctor diagnosed nodules on the vocal cords which had to be

‘OO’, ‘0’, ‘OR’, and ‘AH’ are altered to ‘OH’. For example

Even though she was very hoarse, something was amiss be-

you’

is

altered to ‘OH-i |-OH-ve y-OH’. @))

‘I

love

111

A jazz singer in a musical had problems with hoarseness. The

removed by surgery.

cause her voice improved while working. The improvement

was because she obeyed the three overall principles and suc

Ifit is difficult to get the same character with ‘OH’ as you have

ceeded in finding the centre of the modes. It turned out that

with ‘EH’, it

the hoarseness was not caused by strain on the voice but by

is

usually because the position for the mode is not

quite right for ‘OH’.

In this case it may help to bite your lower with the lip gently upper front teeth. Keep this position while opening the mouth a little, and say ‘OH’. Notice that the tip

constriction preventing the voice from working properly.

When the modes were performed correctly, the hoarseness disappeared. This proved there was nothing wrong with the

of the tongue dives into the lower part of the mouth. As a result, the sound should acquire the same shouting character

voice; it

as with ‘EH’. Make sure that this does not cause the jaw to be-

We practised efficient support, necessary twang and being

come protruded or the lips tightened.

constantly attentive to singing only in the centre of the modes.

was

just jarred by so much constriction that it sounded

strained.

Gradually the constriction disappeared and the voice sounded

The degree to which the vowels move towards ‘EH’ and ‘OH’

more and more clear. After about an hour, the constriction had

will vary from singer to singer. An experienced singer is bet-

almost disappeared and the voice was relatively free, so we

ter equipped to explore the borderland between ‘EH’, ‘OH’

worked on the modes she needed in the musical.

and other vowels than a less experienced singer.

Her hoarseness had most probably appeared because she had

been accustomed to using almost nothing but Neutral in her

At first it may be helpful to exaggerate the direction/alteration of the vowels towards ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ in order to find the

jazz singing. Consequently, her problem arose because she

centre of the mode which is the most comfortable position in Overdrive. When you are familiar with the exact position, you

worked on establishing the ‘bite’ and singing precise notes in the centre of Overdrive. Then we worked on altering the vowels

can practise making the vowels less distinctly ‘EH’ and ‘OH’,

So

tried to use the mode at too loud

a

volume for the musical. We

that they were directed towards ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ in the high

part of the voice. When the position for the mode was correct, she got accustomed to the metallic sound and used it when

singing loudly. She used Neutral for quiet passages and Over-

Volumes in Overdrive

drive for loud ones. She completed that night’s performance and did not experience vocal problems during the rest of the

Generally speaking, Overdrive

is

a

mode with

a

powerful vol-

Show.

ume, extending from medium loud (‘mf’ or ‘mezzo forte’) to

very loud (‘ff’ or ‘fortissimo’}. The volume can be varied more easily in the lower part of the voice, as you can sing Overdrive more quietly in the lower than in the higher part ofthe voice.

The higher the pitch, the louder the volume required for this mode. Singers are different, and some are able to sing less loudly in Overdrive. Practise until you are familiar with how loud and quiet you are able to sing in Overdrive.

Sound colours in Overdrive When you want to change the sound colour of a mode, you have to change the setting of the vocal tract. The vocal tract

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1 1

]

Soft palate

+

Nasal passage

»

Open the mouth more with looser corners, but do not lose the ‘bite’ and the metallic sound. Close the nasal passage.

Vocal tract (red)

Lips

Lighter sound colour in Overdrive Epigloitis Tongue

If you wish to make Overdrive lighter, decrease the size of the

vocal tract. Choose one or more of the following possibilities Vocal cords

Larynx

@) 116: *

+

-

may be moved in many directions, so there are many ways of

changing sound colour (see ‘Sound Colour’ on page 158). Overdrive may be coloured in different directions but most easily in the lighter and more twanged direction.

possible to colour Overdrive in

a

It is

Twang the epiglottic funnel more distinctly. Raise the larynx. Lower the palate, but be careful to allow enough ‘room’ for

the high notes. +

Broaden the tongue.

+

Open the mouth more as ina smile.

*

Open the nasal passage.

also

darker and richer way, but

When you can control Overdrive and are able to change its

this requires competence in the overall principles for singing

sound colour, it is

and sufficient familiarity with your voice to know the mo-

practise the perfect centre of the mode. Perhaps you will find it is too ‘shouted’, but it is important to be aware of the posi-

a

good idea now and then to return to, and

ment you exceed its healthy limits. Be aware that the lighter you make a metallic mode, the better you protect the voice

tion of the perfect and healthy centre of Overdrive so as not

against misuse.

to lose the mode while experimenting.

When you can achieve Overdrive without problems, experiment with sound colour by changing the size of the vocal tract. Avoid lowering the larynx TOO much, as you may lose

A case story

the correct position for Overdrive.

A professional flamenco singer suddenly experienced problems

with hoarseness. He had consulted an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist who could not find any physical explanation for his

Darker sound colour in Overdrive want

hoarseness. asked him to sing as he normally would and con|

darker sound in Overdrive, increase the size of

cluded that, although he sang almost exclusively in Overdrive,

the vocal tract. Choose one or more ofthe following possibili-

the position was not quite correct. He wanted the dark sound

ties @)) 117:

colour of Overdrive but was not aware

If you

*

-

+

+

a

the limited

of

selection

Necessary twang of the epiglottic funnel.

of vowels

Lower the larynx carefully. Take care not to lose Overdrive,

appeared in Overdrive. Eventually he became hoarse.

and remember that the lighter the metallic mode, the more secure it is.

We worked on removing the constriction, and after an hour or

Raise the palate more. Be careful not to raise the palate so

so the voice was back. We then established the ‘bite’ and prac-

much that you lose Overdrive as this may be painful and

tised the centre of Overdrive. When the position was corrected,

damaging.

his notes became clearer and more powerful. Then we worked

Compress the tongue (this gives the vowels an operatic

on adjusting the vowels by directing them towards ‘EH’ {as in

sound).

‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as

112

in

this mode. Therefore, constriction had gradually

in

‘so’) when he sang higher. On the highest

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

notes he used only the vowels ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ and was suddenly

able to sing three notes higher than he ever had before.

When he used the centre of Overdrive, his hoarseness disappeared. He was also able to reach higher notes and had much more power in his voice.

the exercise beginning half note higher each time up to D2. a (Do not practise to Eb2 unless you are well-trained in Overdrive and specifically need it on this note). Men can start from C1 and repeat the exercise beginning half note higher each a time up to C2. Make sure that there is sufficient support en-

ergy for Overdrive in the high part of the voice.

Overdrive in classical singing

Low notes

Men can use Overdrive in classical singing. Start by practising at the centre of the mode. Maintain the ‘bite’ and twang the

Be sure to maintain the position for the mode and the ‘bite’ in

the lower part of the voice.

epiglottic funnel. Carefully lower the larynx and raise the palate without losing the ‘bite’, Notice the powerful, rich sound,

‘close together’ around the notes the lower you go in Overdrive. If you lose the full-metallic character, return to the pre-

and use this to sing single notes.

When you have become familiar with this feeling, experiment - still on single notes - with just how large you can make the

vious note where you had it, and try to retain the feeling for the difficult note. Practise ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) in the beginning. When you control these vowels, go on to

vocal tract without losing the mode. Continue to twang the epiglottic funnel, carefully lower the larynx, raise the palate,

the others, but ONLY in the low part of the voice. Women can start from F1 and repeat the exercise beginning half a note

open the mouth with loosened corners, compress the tongue,

lower each time. Men can start from

and close the nasal passage. Keep the ‘bite’ as well as the rich

cise beginning

It

may feel as though you have to

C1

and repeat the exer-

halfa note lower each time. @) 112

Overdrive character. The larger you make the vocal tract, the darker, richer, and more classical the sound becomes.

Scales Men often use Overdrive in classical singing, usually up to A1Bb1, when the volume must be loud and penetrating. @)) 119

Women only use Overdrive in classical singing when singing in the low part of the voice when the volume has to be very loud (such as Maria Callas). @)) 119

When you can control Overdrive on single notes, practise three-note @) 114 and five-note @) 115 scales up and down again on the vowels ‘EH’ and ‘OH’. Start each note with a

full-metallic attack. Make sure you open the mouth more, the higher you sing. Avoid singing higher than D2 - Eb2 for women or C2 for men. Start from D1 for women and C1 for men

five-note scale up and down. Continue to repeat the exercise beginning half a note higher each time, and later and sing

Exercises in Overdrive

a

halfa note lower each time.

High notes

A three-note scale

Practise Overdrive on single notes on the vowels ‘EH’ @)) 98 (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’

)) 99 {as in ‘so’) and maintain the ‘bite’,

Start the notes with a full-metallic attack; later you can choose any attack you want. In order to find the correct amount of

support energy, it may be helpful to give the notes a “run-up” and then pull them up to the desired pitch. Remember that it

CO

-

1

4

start FO

A five-note scale O start FO

must feel comfortable. Use the same shape of the mouth for

‘OH’ as you do on ‘EH’. Women can start from

F1

and repeat

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

]3

Powerful low notes

tongue compressed in order to give the vowels the classical

Practise Overdrive with a lowered larynx if you want a very

sound colour.

dark and rich sound colour in the low part of the voice, Locate

Overdrive in the lower end of the middle part of the voice by

Practise this sound colour in the high part of the voice up

for women or Ci for men. Gradu-

to about A1-Bb1 on the vowels ‘EH’ and ‘OH’. The higher the

ally descend until you are able to maintain the mode in the

pitch and the darker the sound colour, the louder the volume

low part of the voice. Sing in Overdrive on AO for women and

gets. Consequently, you should not sing louder or darker

without losing the full-metallic character. Try to make the note as dark, rich and powerful as possible and get used to the sound and feeling of Overdrive with a lowered larynx. It must, of course, not

than you are able to go through with. Also remember that the higher the pitch, the more you must alter the vowels towards

practising the mode on

F1

A-1 for men and lower the larynx cautiously

feel uncomfortable or be

‘EH’ and

‘OH’. 119

painful. q) 113

Then practise on the low notes to find the exact feeling, sound, and centre of Overdrive with a lowered larynx. (Classical singers use this combination throughout their entire

Warnings in Overdrive When you practise Overdrive, you should be increasingly careful as the pitch gets higher. Women must be aware of having

range).

sufficient support from

Songs Complete

F1

and upwards, and they must make

sure that the ‘bite’ is correctly established to avoid losing the a

song in Overdrive. Continue to repeat the song

to change beginning halfa note higher each time. Remember the vowels to ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’) in the high part of the voice, and be careful not to sing so high that the

metallic sound or getting

a

break in the voice. Men should be

equally cautious between C1 and C2. NEVER add air to the voice when singing in Overdrive; it +

may hurt and be harmful to the voice.

mode cannot be maintained, i.e. D2 for women and C2 for

*

Women are NOT able to sing in Overdrive above D2-Eb2.

men. Note that only three out of all the scales are sung: one

»

Men are NOT able to sing in Overdrive above C2.

the low part of the voice, one in the middle part of the voice

+

in

and one in the high part of the voice.

q) 118 -

The higher the pitch, the more distinctly the vowels must be altered towards ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’) or ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’). The higher the pitch, the more powerful the volume. You can harm the voice by singing too quietly in Overdrive at

Sound Colour

a

high pitch.

Practise finding as many sound colours as possible by changing the shape of the vocal tract. Find the lightest q) 116 and

the darkest @)) 117 sound colour in your voice in Overdrive.

Unintentional distortions in Overdrive When you practise Overdrive, be on your guard against unintentional distortions (scratching or grated sounds) in the

Classical sound

notes. If an unintentional distortion occurs, it is usually be-

Men can use Overdrive in classical singing. When you have

cause the ‘bite’ is not correctly established. Metaphorically, it

located the classical sound colour you want, sing short scales at first - later you can singer longer scales - and pay atten-

may be compared to when a car hits the verge of motorway,

thereby generating

tion to maintaining the sound colour throughout the entire

should stay within the lines.

range. Make sure you do not impair the pitch even though

»

the position of the larynx will be comparatively low. Keep the

114

a

a

grating sound which indicates that you

Perhaps you have lost the ‘bite’ so the mode has changed to Neutral.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

You might have ‘hold’ for Curbing (see ‘Curbing’ on page a 96) and at the same time have been using too powerful a

volume, This may hurt the voice. -

Maybe you have not been attentive to

a

constriction. This

might have been triggered by a protruded jaw or tightened lips or by a lack of support. (Tensions in the jaw or lips should not be mistaken with the ‘bite’), +

Perhaps you are raising the palate so much that it lowers the larynx, making the centre of Overdrive impossible.

«

You may be singing at too quiet a volume for Overdrive,

which prevents the mode from working and may strain your voice.

The unintentional distortion may feel and sound pleasant but should be avoided, as persistent use over a longer period of time may result in

a blurring of the modes. If you want disthis should be practised separately in order to avoid tortion, strain to the voice (see ‘Distortion’ on page 179).

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115

Edge

ae

Mode

FULL METALLIC

Air

Method

airto the voice

Never add

TWANG the epiglottis funnel

Vowels high on

in

the t

I

EH

A

OE

(sit)

(stay)

(and)

(herb)

of

pane

the voice

Pitch

All

Volume

Loud

Character

Scream

c+

I

gc

co

C2

C4

C3

9? fo}

Formerly ‘Belting’

The term Edge

The term ‘Belting’ is common word to describe loud singing,

metallic sound.

a

is

used exclusively for the powerful and full-

so it was an obvious choice for the name of the full-metallic

vocal mode. However, during the years have seen so many |

singers get confused by the term ‘Belting’ because it

is now

used with too many different meanings. Some use the word

An overview Edge, like Overdrive,

is a

full-metallic mode. The character of

‘Belting’ for a Curbing sound, some for an Overdrive sound

Edge

and some even use the term for

has a non-breathy character. Edge can be found by distinct

In

a

twanged Neutral sound.

order to prevent this confusion therefore will avoid using |

is

lighter, sharper, and screamier than Overdrive. Edge

twanging of the epiglottic funnel (as if imitating

a

duck).

the term ‘Belting’. Where formerly wrote ‘Belting’ will now |

replace it with the term ‘Edge’.

116

|

Edge can be used in all pitches by both men and women.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Only twanged vowels can be used in Edge, as a distinct twang is a condition for the mode. Accordingly, you must use only ‘I’ (as in sit), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’), and ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’),

Also included are male classical singers who sing loudly in the high part of the voice, such as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

especially in the high part of the voice. q) 120 The sound colour in Edge can be altered less than in the other modes, especially in the high part of the voice.

Condition for Edge +

+

The volume in Edge

is

Full-metal

Distinct twang of the epiglottic funnel

mostly loud. However, medium volume

can be obtained in the lower part of the voice. The higher the

notes, the louder and more distinct the screaming character becomes. In this way the volume difference between Edge and Neutral/Curbing increases. In addition the difference

Finding Edge

in sound colour between Edge and Overdrive increases the

Finding the distinct twang of the epiglottic funnel

higher you go.

To find Edge it

is

essential to twang the epiglottic funnel dis-

Edge used in many styles of popular music and mostly in the high part of the voice, when the volume is very loud and

tinctly (see ‘Epiglottic Funnel’ on page 159). When the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the

there

arytenoid cartilages closer to the lower part of the epiglottis (petiole), the sound assumes a sharper and more penetrating

is

is a great amount of metal in the notes. Examples include heavy rock, gospel and powerful soul music. Edge is used in classical music when men sing very loudly (‘ff’ or ‘fortissimo’) in the high part ofthe voice, such as the high C

ofa tenor. Women do not use Edge in classical music. Edge

is

used in everyday life when you scream.

Singers who often sing or sang in Edge

and snarling character, similar to a cackle. This is known as a

distinct twanged sound. The more the opening is squeezed, the more snarling the sound becomes. You can increase your volume by 10 to 15 decibels by twanging this way.

Epiglottis

Anastacia, Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Chris Cornell (Soundgarden), Bob Dylan, Chaka Khan, Patti La Belle, Kate Pierson &

Cindy Wilson (The B-52's), Styx, and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Especially in the high part of the voice: Anita Baker, Shirley Bassey, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Randy Crawford, Ronnie

James Dio, Celine Dion, Melissa Etheridge, Aretha Franklin, Marie Fredriksen (Roxette), Judy Garland, Woodie Guthrie, Buddy Guy, Tramaine Hawkins, Jennifer Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Jon Bon Jovi, ‘Baby Jean’ Kennedy (Mothers Finest), Cindi Lauper, Freddie Mercury, Liza Minelli, Youssou N'Dour, Dolly Parton, Percy Sledge, Barbara Streisand, Tina Turner, and Hank Williams.

Vocal cords

To find Edge

it

is essential to twang the epiglottic funnel

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

]7

It is

easiest to find the distinct twang by practising the follow-

lose Edge entirely. This might feel uncomfortable or hurt.

ing sounds: +

imitate an infant crying @) 22

+

imitate

+

making your voice grating and witch-like @) 24

+

speaking like someone who has an evil plan @) 25

+

+

+

*

a

imitating

duck quacking @) 23

a

Achieving Edge through images and sensations Remember that images and sensations are only meant as an aid. If you do not respond to them immediately, forget them.

diving aeroplane q)) 26

toy car @) 27 imitating the sound of a very loud ambulance siren @)) 28 Say ‘Meow’ like a cat (without the OO-sound) or say ‘niet’ making the sound of driving

q)

Edge, you will probably lose the distinct twang and thereby

a

Do not confuse them with what is actually happening! +

Imagine that you have

a

pea between the tongue and the

palate. Keep the pea as high up as possible.

29

Finding Edge Once you have found distinct twang, add full metal to the sound by using more volume. Be sure not to lose the distinctly twanged funnel as the volume increases. It might help to

make a slight contraction of the corners of the mouth (pull

them inwards). Raise the larynx, broaden the tongue, apply

Imagine that you have a pea between the tongue and the palate

a

solid amount of support, and start with a full-metallic attack.

Sustain both the sound and intensity, and say/sing

a

power-

ful, light and snarling ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’). The sound should be

«

When singing in Edge, many feel like making more room

ok for this to

for the powerful notes by either relaxing the twanging of

sound nasal. Be careful not to lose the distinct twang. If this

the epiglottic funnel, lowering the larynx, or raising the

happens while you are singing, the sound loses its sharpness

palate. Avoid giving the notes this extra ‘room’, as you may

and you will have lost Edge. It might also feel uncomfortable

lose the metallic sound. The sharp, metallic sound is best

or hurt.

achieved if you do not give the note too much room. You must, however, take care to avoid constricting.

sharp and sneering like a duck quacking.

It is

At first it may help to follow these suggested positions for the

«

Imagine that you have a large amount of energy built up

vocal tract, although they are not necessary conditions for

inside. Release the energy through

the mode:

two iron walls that cannot be moved.

+

raise the larynx as much as possible

+

make a large mouth opening and extend the corners of the

a

narrow crack between

mouth as if smiling +

*

broaden the tongue lower the palate

open the nasal passage Image: Release the energy through a narrow crack between two iron walls

Once you control Edge, you will no longer need help from

positioning the vocal tract. Skilled Edgers often hold different positions. In

Edge you must first be sure not to lower the larynx (by rais-

ing the palate, for example). If you lower the larynx during

«

\

Extend the corners of the mouth and ‘tie them together around the neck’, Extend the upper lip and open the mouth as much as possible.

118

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

EE

+

Imagine that you are pressing the corners of the mouth together and pulling them inwards. Place the tongue on the

Broaden the tongue and place the

sides on the molars

in the

upper

part of the mouth

molars in the upper part of the mouth and keep this position whilst in Edge.

When the tongue

maintained in the broadened position, it facilitates the twanging ofthe epiglottic funnel and therefore is

makes Edge easier to maintain.

Imagine that you are pressing the corners of the

You can achieve Edge through the broad position of the

mouth together and pulling them inwards

tongue *

+

+

Start a note with a full-metallic attack and continue singing with the same sound and intensity. Be sure to maintain the position for the full-metallic attack all through the Edge.

Say

ee

f yo

+

annoyed. Keep the position of the

epiglottic funnel and tongue. Practise higher notes with this position.

*

How to achieve Edge by positioning the tongue

in a

number of ways:

Imagine that you are speaking like an over-tired child. Move the tongue back and forth along the inside of the teeth in the upper part of the mouth, creating a small space

between the tongue and the palate. Press the tongue up behind the back molars in the upper part of the mouth. Relax the tip of the tongue, let it point downwards, and, at the same time, broaden it. Press the back of the tongue up against the inside gum of the molars in the upper part of the mouth. Press the back part of the tongue up against the gum on the inside of the molars,

Making the tongue broad might help you find the distinctly twanged epiglottic funnel and thereby aid Edge. When the

Palate

tongue is broad, it produces a light sound colour. If you add the twang of the epiglottic funnel and powerful volume, the

Tongue Lower lip

sound becomes metallic. Feel how the tongue rests on the molars in the upper part of the mouth and arches towards

(cross section with upper lip and teeth removed)

the palate, as when you say ‘twang’. It must be the sides of the tongue that touch the molars in the upper part of the mouth, not the tip. Feel how the space between the palate and the

tongue gets smaller the more you press the tongue against the molars. The smaller the space between the palate and the tongue, the lighter and sharper the sound. This position

+

Make sure the tongue is broad and arched in the middle.

The tongue should not be hollow in the middle, as this usually results in losing the twang of the epiglottic funnel.

must be maintained on all vowels in the lower and middle part of the voice. But remember, when you are singing in the

high part ofthe voice, you do not need to keep the tongue in place for the vowels. The high notes will be easier to reach if you open your mouth more widely and keep your tongue as you want.

small hollow

in

the middle

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

a

Make sure the back of the tongue is broad and does not form a

]19

e

Tighten the corners of the mouth and extend them into a smile. Place the tongue against the molars in the upper

You can try to achieve Edge by: +

part of the mouth. Keep it there and broaden it.

imitating

¥ Tighten the corners of the mouth and extend




air/ without air

Loose jaw

With

high part of

Vowels

Method

Ai r

NON METALLIC

S

(sit)

I

Restrained

Medium

All

(hungry)

UH

HOLD

(woman)

0

Never add air to the voice

HALF METALLIC

N

OH

C2

Shout

max

(so)

d2

Loud

—”

max

(stay)

EH

“Bite”

>

Never add air to the voice

FULL METALLIC

a]

(sit)

|

All

(and)

A

Scream

(herb)

OE

airto the voice

Loud

(stay)

EH

the epiglottis funnel

TWANG

Never add

FULL METALLIC

I

Using the modes Different angles In

the following four chapters will examine the modes from |

different angles. Instead of looking at them individually, each chapter will cover a subject: pitch, sound colour, volume and

vowels. These following chapters, therefore, do not contain any new information about the modes but present a different

perspective in order to give an overview.

¢

rs

MIB IN TS [Oso

He

|S

by feb

|B

|

[Mm

[st [st |e

|

[t [oso

3|

|B

I

|S

|

+

—|~ |

|e

|

|

(|S | (B/S

SLOTS IS [W/O

S| BIB |S |= [|B

8

[wt

]/Olo

EIS (BI 8/8 |e Is

CkiDe| a

Fi/Gb

oa

Gt/Ab

CIDIE|FIGJA/BIC 7

A#/ Bb

Q

very low

very low

low

C2

@c1 low

middle

middle

high

C3

C4 very high

high

very high

130

QO

F

QO

O

ro)

co

|C-1

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Transitions between modes Perfecting the modes Once you have perfected the modes, you can begin practising how to change between them. Practising will enable you not only to change the mode smoothly, without a break, but also to use the vocal breaks that can emerge from such

Start by singing up and down through five notes from D1 for women and DO for men. The first two notes are sung in Neutral with air added and the following two in Overdrive. Repeat this pattern. Make the difference between the two modes as

changes artistically (see ‘Intentional Vocal Breaks’ on page 202). By using practise-vowels you can obtain a grand over-

distinct as possible so that you have no doubt as to which mode you are in. At first, do the exercise slowly so you have time to make the changes of modes. As you improve, practise

view over the various modes and have an excellent tool to be

at

conscious of the mode changes.

quicker tempo but never make the change so quick that you compromise control. Transpose the exercise upwards by a

half steps. @) 143

Practise-vowels Using practise-vowels to change between modes makes you increasingly conscious of which mode you are in and trains

O start DO

you to avoid getting caught in the limitations of each mode with regard to pitch, vowels, volumes and sound colours.

Practising practise-vowels consists of planning a pattern where each mode is sung with its own specific vowel, vol-

RV OO

ume, sound colour and character. For example @)) 142: in Neutral with air, use

‘far’)

-

the vowel ‘AH’ (as in

preferably quietly, with air added and

without air, use the vowel ‘OO’ (as

preferably medium loud, with

sound and

a

a

EH

AH

f/ ff

pp/mp

Change between all the modes by using the practise-vowels and repeat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each time. Be careful not to sing too high in Overdrive (especially for women). Once you are in the high part of the voice, where

in

Then expand the exercise to include octave scales. Repeat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each time. Be care-

-

in Curbing, use the vowel ‘O’ (as in

AH pp /mp

Overdrive can no longer be used, replace it with Edge, Curbing or Neutral.

‘you’) preferably with a classical sound colour and a half-metallic attack.

-

EH

f/ ff

a

non-metallic attack. in Neutral

AH pp / mp

ful not to sing too high in Overdrive.

‘woman’) plaintive

An octave scale

half-metallic attack. oO

start DO

Overdrive, use the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) preferably loud, with a shouty character and a in

P

full-metallic attack.

in

Later, expand the exercise to include more than one octave

Edge, use the vowel 'l’ (as in ‘sit’) - preferably

loud, with the character

ofa scream and a

metallic attack.

full-

by, for example, changing mode on every third note. Progress through the modes so that you go through all of them in the

course of a scale. Of course, as Overdrive should not be used

the high part of the voice, use it earlier in the scale (especially for women). Repeat the exercise beginning half a tone in

higher each time.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

31

Later, expand the exercise to include leaps up through arpeg-

gios. Repeat the exercise beginning half

a

should accept this verdict, as no voice is limited by nature to D2,

tone higher each

and

time. Be careful not to sing too high in Overdrive (especially

|

became suspicious that this ‘natural’ limit just happened

to be identical with the upper limit of Overdrive.

for women). It }

Arpeggios oO

—_

=

start DO

2

t

i

} {

i

turned out that she was singing and speaking in only Over-

drive, because she was so good at her hefty repertoire and for

T {

the many years had only worked with such demanding parts.

|

As D2-Eb2 is the upper limit of Overdrive, her problems with

high notes and the lack of nuance were due to her exclusive

} T

use of Overdrive.

t

At-first we worked on her speech and practised the various modes. We practised speaking in Neutral by keeping a loose

jaw and very quiet volumes. When she could speak quietly and gently without hoarseness, it brought

a

new dimension to her

expression. After singing in Neutral for a couple of hours, she

was able to sing an additional octave in the high part of the voice! Then we practised Edge by twanging the epiglottic fun-

é

nel and exclusively singing on the vowel

oe

‘I’ (as

in

‘sit’)

so she

developed the ability to sing powerfully in the high part of the voice. When she could control the various modes, she was able

After this, select

a small

part

of a melody or song and decide

to reach high notes in both loud and quiet volumes and vary

where you want to use certain modes. Practise the phrase using practise-vowels. Repeat the exercise beginning half

her singing and speaking with

a

wide range of sound nuances.

a

tone higher each time. Be careful not to sing too high in Overdrive (especially for women). Now select

a

number of small phrases with text. Decide

Inaudible transitions

which modes will be suitable to which vowels and sing the

Once you control the exercises with practise-vowels, try mak-

phrase with the chosen modes. Use practise-vowels if you

ing transitions from mode to mode. Work on making the

like. Repeat the exercise beginning half

tone higher each

modes sound like each other so that you can change inaudi-

time. Be careful not to sing too high in Overdrive (especially

bly. With this skill you can use the modes where they work the

for women).

best and avoid their disadvantages.

a

two modes are far apart, you may have to insert an extra mode to assist the transition. The diagram below describes If

how to move from any mode to another.

A case story An

actor

and

cabaret singer always had problems reaching high

notes. She had given up trying because she had been told she

An example

had a ‘low voice’ and would never be able to sing higher. She

To glide smoothly from Neutral to Overdrive in the high part

was told that “her voice had

she just had to accept never to cross”. So she wanted lessons

of the voice, you can only use the vowels ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH' (as in‘so’) as these are the only two vowels the two modes

totally different reason to develop her expression where

have in common. It is important that you do not try to change

did not think she

from Neutral to Overdrive above D2-Eb2 for women and C2

for

a

a

natural limit around D2 which

she thought lacked nuances in her singing.

132

|

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

for men as Overdrive does not exist above these pitches. Remember that if you are in Neutral with air, you have to go via

Neutral without air to be able to make an inaudible transition

to a metallic mode.

Inaudible

‘sit’) in Curbing and make an inaudible transition to Edge. Once you are in Edge, gradually change the ‘I’ to ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’). Now change from Edge to Overdrive, remaining on

> KA UH > Of | EHon © > TL [tena oe NK > ©

the vowel ‘EH’. Notice that you do not have to use an assisting mode between Curbing ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) and Overdrive

Warnings

©o

o

NM.

KX

Not above

ee Seon

KR |

Not

ab:

on

EH EH

> offen

QM

2

a

+

EH

EH

a

smooth transition to Edge on the vowel ‘EH’ and so on.

Q 02/642

Not otabove ab:

OW

©

t

+

Sone

Not above

og >

@

To get from Overdrive to Curbing, do exactly the same as above but in reverse. From Overdrive on the vowel ‘EH’ Make

Q D2/Eb2 Oo c2

Not ot above ab

OH

+

Q D2/Eb2

otabove

fa EH,

‘OH’ (as in ‘so’).@) 386

b

Ow

og > oS

To glide smoothly from Curbing to Overdrive in the high part the need an assisting mode. Sing the vowel ‘I’ (as voice, you of in

Possible mutual vowels

transitions

Assisting mode

oo

oe

9

Not above

oO

Eb c2

The vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit') The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) The vowel ‘OH' (as The vowel 'OE’ (as

‘so’) ‘herb’)

Use assisting mode

a

%*%

OO

in in

For women For men

Neutral. To make transition from Neutral with air to a metallic mode, you must go by way of Neutral without air

Curbing

P

Overdrive

Edge

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133

Pitch and the modes This chapter takes the pitch of a song as a starting point and

her songs because she was unable to match these ‘two voices’.

examines which modes are the most practical to use in rela-

For years teachers had warned her not to use the very power-

tion to pitch.

ful and rich sounds in the low part of her voice and told her to thin her voice, ‘make her voice slimmer’ in order to ‘equalise the registers’. They also claimed that using such powerful

Very low and low part of the voice

sounds in the low part of her voice was preventing her from

Below C1 for women, and CO for men.

reaching the higher parts of her voice. She therefore worked

sing in the low part of your voice, you can choose from

on ‘pulling down the frail top into the lower parts of the voice’

any of the modes. Neutral, Overdrive and Edge are most com-

and ‘thinning’ her voice by practising with quieter volumes and

monly used.

less support.

If you

|

did not think that her problems were due to difficulties

Middle part of the voice

‘equalising the registers’.

Between

incorrect use of the modes. It turned out she sang in Overdrive

C1

and C2 for women, and CO and C1 for men.

|

thought the problems were due to

the middle part of your voice, you can also choose from any of the modes. In this part of the voice Neu-

was obvious why she did not have enough volume in the high

tral, Curbing or Overdrive are most commonly used.

part of her voice. We worked on support, making it independ-

If you sing in

in the low part of the voice and in Neutral in the high part. It

ent of pitch and volume. So instead of working at low volume and limiting her big voice, which had of course frustrated her

High part of the voice Between C2 and C3 for women, and

tremendously, we worked in powerful volumes. Here she could C1

and C2 for men.

get advantage of the considerable physical strength she had

If you sing in the high part of your voice, you can choose from

and she could work directly on the problem, namely to free her

all the modes. Women, however, can only use Overdrive to

large voice and not hold it back.

D2-Eb2. Once she could provide support on both high and low notes, as

well as quiet and loud ones, she was ready to work with Edge.

Very high part of the voice

She located Edge by twanging the epiglottic funnel, using a

Above C3 for women, and C2 for men.

very shrill and light sound colour on the vowel ‘I’ {as in ‘sit’)

If

you sing in the very high part of your voice, you can use

using large amounts of support and a powerful volume. We

Neutral, Curbing and Edge. Overdrive cannot be used, Both

practised until she could hit the centre of the Edge mode and

sexes can use Neutral with air, but it is often quite difficult

as she was very strong it did not take long before she was able

to achieve this at this pitch and you have to be careful not to

to perform Edge to a high C. Now she had the powerful and rich

constrict the voice.

In

general, the very high part of the voice

only used for short passages and then usually as fect. Long passages with lyric are rare at this pitch. is

a

sound all the way through

her

voice.

mere efWe could have stopped there, but she was very interested in

working with the voice and her next wish was to sing quietly in the low part of her voice. We practised Neutral, especially

establishing the loose jaw and singing quietly with added air

A case story

and a large amount of support. Once she had ‘whispered’ sev-

Asoul singer with an enormous voice had great power richand

eral songs, she became accustomed to how much support she

ness in the lower parts of her voice but only thin and delicate

needed to remain in Neutral. When she controlled Neutral we

tones in the higher parts. It was difficult for her to complete

then worked on changing between Edge and Neutral.

134

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Now it almost became a sport for her to work with the voice, so

Diagram

we finally practised Curbing so that she had a mode between

stay in Curbing or

the very powerful (Overdrive and Edge) and the quiet (Neutral).

you wish to change to Neutral or Edge, the transition is usually least audible between E2-F2. It is wise to practise both transitions. To change from Curbing to Neutral without air,

Within three months she had solved her technical problems through the use of the different modes and had obtained an

1:

For women in the high part of the voice you can change into Neutral without air or Edge. If

enormous choice of sound colours and volumes. She now con-

twang the epiglottic funnel more and gradually raise the pal-

trolled the technique to such an extent that she was not only

ate. (This makes the sound rounder and softer). From here, inaudibly let go of the metal. To change to Edge, twang the

an outstanding singer but also became a very skilled teacher.

epiglottic funnel more, make the sound colour lighter and sharper and increase the volume.

Transitions of modes in relation to pitch

—

When practising the changing between modes, it is important to be strictly aware of the pitch. If the transitions are to be inaudible, there are areas within the modes that are better

Diagram 2: Changing from Curbing to Overdrive works best for women between F1-Al and for men between E1-G1. If you

change at

a

higher pitch, it will become more distinct be-

suited to a change than others.

cause Overdrive requires louder volumes than Curbing in the high part of the voice.

For women the transition from Neutral to Curbing works best from around D1-F1. If you try to change at a higher pitch, you

The higher you sing, the more distinct the modes become. Therefore, the higher the notes, the more difficult it becomes

will usually hear an abrupt change when the metal is added

to change mode inaudibly. To change from Overdrive to Edge,

to the

note.

itis important to start the transition before getting too high. It

co

C1

Ic2

Diagram1

co

Ice

Diagram 2

O

It

a.

is easier to make the transitions inaudibly by following the red lines.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

1

35

works best for women between A1- C2 and for men between G1-Bb1. It is necessary to make the Overdrive gradually lighter

O start C1

J

+

i

L

by increasing the twang of the epiglottic funnel more and by

von

%

directing all vowels towards the twanged vowels. Remember,

EH

EH

EH

f/ ff

f/ ff

f/ ff

the closer you get to the outer limit of Overdrive, the more shouting the character and volume becomes,

J

% Twang the epigiottic funnel (it may also help to raise the larynx, lower the palate and broaden the tongue)

Exercise - from Overdrive to Edge

Exercising specific transitions good idea to have specific exercises for the problems

Sing single notes in Overdrive on the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’). Start-on G1 for women or C1 for men and sing in a fairly pow-

you are likely to encounter in a given song. For instance, if

erful volume without it feeling uncomfortable or too strenu-

you normally sing at a powerful volume, it is essential to be

ous. Listen to the shouted, full-metallic sound and keep this

able to change from Overdrive to Edge without vocal breaks

while you ascend by half steps. From A#1-C#2 for women or

or abrupt changes.

from E1-G1 for men gradually twang the epiglottic funnel (it

It is

a

may also help to raise the larynx, lower the palate and broaden the tongue) without changing of the sound between the

notes. At around D2 for women or G1 for men you should be

A case story

in Edge and you can continue singing higher from here.

A very dramatic singer and actor was unable to sing powerfully

144

))

in the high part of the voice, where the notes became thin and

whiny. This was unfortunate, as her personality and dramatic

If you find it difficult to move from

Overdrive to Edge with-

large dynamic range. She

out an abrupt change, try the above exercise starting from

had no problems singing powerfully in the lower part of the

the high notes. Sing single notes in Edge on D2 for women or

voice, but in the high part breaks would occur and from there

G1

on the notes became thin and frail. The problem was that she

the sound colour of each note less twanged but still power-

talent called for great power and

a

for men and descend by semitones while trying to make

used Overdrive in the low part of her voice and in the high part

ful. Be careful not to darken the sound colour TOO much as it

she could only reach the notes in Neutral. As she was physically

can strain the voice. By doing this carefully and correctly you

strong with

should be in Overdrive at about Al for women or

a solid and

efficient support, we moved directly to

E1

for men.

practising Edge. She was already used to twanging the epiglot-

tic funnel, as she had done this to avoid the sound becoming

Once you can control this transition, sing

a

longer sequence,

too operatic in the high part of the voice. So all she needed was

such as scales up and down through three notes, five notes

to add the metallic sound.

and later, through octaves. At first practise on ‘EH’ as this

We worked on sustaining the energy required for Overdrive

vowel relates to both Overdrive and Edge. Then start practising in Overdrive on the vowel ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’) and changing

further up her voice where she found Edge. By doing this she

it to ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’) in the higher part of the voice as you

could continue the same volume as in Overdrive into the high-

est part of her voice by changing to Edge. After about an hour’s

change to Edge. Then practise the transition from ‘EH’ or ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) to other vowels in Edge such as ‘I’ {as in ‘sit’), ‘A’ (as

work, she was able to Edge above a high C. Having gained con-

in ‘and’),

trol over Overdrive and Edge, she soon became nothing short of

‘EH’ and ‘OE’. Once you are comfortable with changthe modes on different vowels, try it with lyric. between ing

an institution in many major musical productions.

phrase that contains both Overdrive and Edge and repeat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each time. Be

Sing

136

a

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Of

start C1

Exercise - from Curbing to Edge

fe

=

|

A three-note scale

If

you sing in medium volume, it is important to be able to

get from Curbing to Edge without vocal breaks or changes in the sound.

A five-note scale

Sing single notes in Curbing on the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’). Start O start C1

on A#1 for women or C1 for men. Sing in

An octave scale

CO

you repeat the exercise beginning half

startC1

medium volume

a

tone higher each

time. At around D2 for women or

E1 for men gradually twang the epiglottic funnel (it might also help to raise the larynx and lower the palate) and increase the volume without it feeling

careful not to sing in Overdrive in a too high part of the voice. It is

a

without it feeling uncomfortable or too strenuous. Listen to the slightly plaintive, half-metallic sound and keep this while

better to direct the mode towards Edge sooner rather

than later to avoid straining the voice.

uncomfortable. Try to approach the full-metallic, screamy character of Edge between D2 to E2-F2 for women or F1-G1 for men without abrupt changes in the sound. You should be in

Edge by E2-F2 for women or F1-G1 for men and can con-

tinue singing higher from there. @) 145

A

A case story A Blues singer with a very large voice started to have problems

singing powerfully. It turned out he had been singing with

!

|

of start optional e.g. C1

|

T

1

t

a

trio instead of larger bands and with the smaller set-up the

volume of his Overdrive and Edge was too loud. Therefore, he had changed to Curbing, to make the volume more suitable.

I

mp / mf

* Twang the epiglottic funnel

I

|

f/ ff

f

(it may also help to raise the larynx, lower

the palate and broaden the tongue)

But when he returned to the larger band, he was unable to

leave Curbing, as he had become accustomed to using less en-

find it difficult to change from Curbing to Edge without

ergy. He had also become used to having a larger selection of

If you

vowels than is possible in Overdrive and Edge. If he wanted

a

an abrupt change, try the above exercise in reverse. Sing sin-

more powerful volume, he would have to replace Curbing with

Overdrive or Edge. We practised the support and he got used to

gle notes in Edge from E2-F2 for women or G1 for men and descend by semitones while trying to make each note a lit-

applying more physical strength. Then we practised the centre

tle more quiet, more plaintive and less metallic. However, be

of the modes for Overdrive and Edge and he became accus-

careful not to make the note TOO quiet or lose the metallic

tomed to the powerful volume that comes with these modes. Finally, we practised directing the vowels in the higher pitches

character entirely as this might result in the voice changing to Neutral which may feel uncomfortable and strained. If you

towards ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) for Overdrive and

started in Edge and made each note a bit quieter and less me-

towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ ‘A’ (as in ‘and’} and ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’)

tallic than the previous one, you should be C2 for women or D1 for men.

for Edge. On the very high notes he chose exclusively to use

in

Curbing around

‘EH’ and ‘OH’ (Overdrive) or ‘I’, ‘EH’, ‘A’ and ‘OE’ (Edge). When he regained control of Overdrive and Edge, he was able to sing just as powerfully as before.

Once you can control this transition, sing longer sequences, such as scales up and down through three notes, five notes and later through octaves. At first, practise on ‘I’ as this vowel is

the easiest in both Curbing and Edge. Later, practise on the

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

1

37

vowels ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) and ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’). Then practise the

TOO loud as this may result in

transition to other vowels in Curbing and Edge. Once you are comfortable with the transition between the modes on dif-

you started in Neutral without air and made each note a bit

ferent vowels, try it again with lyric. Sing

a

a change to Overdrive or Edge which might feel uncomfortable and could strain the voice. If

louder and more metallic than the previous one, you should be in Curbing around C2 for women or C1 for men.

phrase that contains both Curbing and Edge and re-

peat the phrase beginning half

a

tone higher each time.

It is

better to direct the mode towards Edge sooner rather than later to avoid straining the voice.

Once you can control this transition, sing longer sequences, such as scales up and down through three notes, five notes and later through octaves. At first, practise on ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), as

this vowel is usually the easiest in Curbing. Later, practise on

the vowels, except for ‘EH’ as in ‘stay’ and ‘OH’ as in ‘so’ as they tempt the voice into Overdrive. Once you are comfortall

Exercise - from Curbing to Neutral without air If you sing in medium volume, it is important to be able to get from Curbing to Neutral without air without vocal breaks or

changes

in

able with changing between the modes on different vowels,

try it again with lyrics.

the sound. Sing

a

phrase that contains both Curbing and Neutral without

Sing single notes in Curbing on the vowel ‘I’ on A#1 for wom-

air and repeat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each

en or C1 for men. Listen to the slightly plaintive, half-metallic

time. Direct the mode towards Neutral without air sooner

sound and keep this while you repeat the exercise beginning halfa tone higher each time. Around D2 for women or D1 for

rather than later to avoid straining the voice.

men gradually decrease the volume and let go of the metallic

sound without it feeling uncomfortable.

It may help to raise the palate a little and twang the epiglottic funnel more. Try to approach a softer, more non-metallic character between

D2 to E2-F2 for women or D1-G1 for men, without abrupt

changes in the sound. You should be in Neutral without air by E2-F2 for women or higher from

G1

for men and can continue singing

there. 146 A

I

|

of start optional e.g. C1

i

I

t

.

I

mf

mf

mf

% Decrease the volume, let go of the metallic sound (it might help to keep the twang and at the same time lift the palate a little).

If you find it difficult to move from

Curbing to Neutral without air without an abrupt change, try the above exercise in reverse. Sing single notes in Neutral without air from E2-F2 for women or G1 for men and descend by semitones while

trying to make each note a little louder and the sound more plaintive and half-metallic. Be careful not to make the note

138

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Sound colours and the modes in the diagram below you can see that in terms of sound col-

Choice of sound colour

our the metallic modes (Curbing, Overdrive and Edge) are far more limited than the non-metallic Neutral. In the metallic

want to remove the sound transitions or changes beof tween the modes in order for all singing to have more or less the same sound, it is easiest done by choosing a dark sound

modes darker sound colours are possible in Overdrive and

If you

Curbing, while Edge gives lighter sound colours. This diagram also shows that the higher the pitch, the lighter the sound

colour. This is used in classical singing where all transitions

colours are obtainable (especially for women). The lower the

disguised.

pitch, the darker the sound colours are possible. If, for example, you want a very dark sound colour in the low part of the

If you chose a

voice, you can choose between Neutral, Curbing and Overdrive. If you want a very light sound colour in the middle part

and changes between the modes are made inaudible and

distinctly metallic sound as is frequently used in popular music, it is easier for women to avoid abrupt audible changes between modes by choosing light sound colours

of the voice, you can choose between Neutral, Curbing and Edge. If you want a dark sound colour in the high part of the

rather than dark ones. For instance,

voice, women can only choose Neutral, while men can chose

and about G1 in the high part for men. To continue singing higher in pitch you need to change modes and it is impos-

from all 4 modes.

a

dark Overdrive can only

be sung in the middle part of the voice; about Bb1 for women

sible to do this inaudibly if you choose a dark sound colour (not as dark as classical singing). If you change to Neutral, there will be an audible break when you change from metal-

Warning important to remember that the darker you colour

a me-

lic sound to non-metallic sound. But Curbing and Edge are

tallic mode (Curbing, Overdrive, or Edge), the greater the risk of voice breaks and constriction. Usually it is safer to colour

not useful either as these modes do not have a dark sound

It is

in a lighter direction. If you want the sound of Edge but not the volume, you can choose Curbing. If you want it even quieter, choose Metal-like Neutral (see ‘Transitions between the

colour in the high part of the voice. So you have to choose a light Overdrive instead of a dark one to make it easier to sing the high part of the voice without audible changes. To be prepared, you must always consider how high a song reaches in

modes’ on page 131).

Sound colour and the modes

very light tight

medium

dark

very dark very light light

medium

dark

very dark

very light light medium

dark

very dark very light

? 9-0 Fe

light medium

dark

very dark middle

pitch

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

high

very high

139

before you choose

a

dark sound colour - unless you want a

change of sound for artistic reasons.

The modes in classical

singing In

the diagram below you can see the modes used in classi-

Making transitions easier

cal singing up through the various parts of the voice for men

With distinctly metallic sounds, as used in popular music, it

and women.

useful to try to make the sound colour of the modes sound

For example, if a female classical singer wishes to sing very

alike. By making the sound colour of the modes sound similar

to each other and by being able to change between them

loudly (‘ff' or ‘fortissimo’) in the middle part of the voice, she will usually choose Curbing. If male classical singer wishes

inaudibly, you can choose the easiest mode for what you

to sing very loudly in the middle part of the voice, he will usu-

are singing. This is better than sticking rigidly to

ally choose Overdrive. If he wishes to sing very loudly on a

is

a

mode and

pushing it to its limits. Some sounds are in the margin area in some modes but in the centre in others. Therefore, you should choose the mode closest to the centre and then ex-

a

high C he will usually choose Edge.

The modes

periment with colouring it until you get the sound you want.

in

classical singing

oud}

You should be cautious when experimenting with singing too close to the edge in the margin area of the modes un-

Q

less you control the various modes without any problems, are,

quiet

familiar with the three overall principles of singing and know

your voice well enough to know the moment you exceed its healthy limits.

redum|

OD

/

N

IX

M/od fo

S

pitch

=)

S

o/N

medium}

quiet

An example

=)

o

loud}

a

oN

very low/low

od /@

N

S

S

medium

high/very high

You may want to sing quietly and at the same time with me-

tallic character. However, you cannot use Curbing at a low volume as it may constrict the voice. Therefore, you will have to sing in Neutral without air, twang the epiglottic funnel, and make the vocal tract smaller so you can obtain a sound colour

that a

is

close to

a

light Curbing. Practise changing between

light and as quiet

a

Curbing as possible

- it is

this similar

sound colour to Neutral without air at a relatively powerful volume which allows the transition to be inaudible. Once the

transition feels comfortable and you can make the sound of the two modes alike, continue with Neutral without air, keep

the sound colour, and lower the volume.

In

this way you keep

the twanged sound, which

is close to light Curbing but at a much lower volume. This is, in fact, Metal-like Neutral (see

‘Metal-like Neutral’ on page 92).

140

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Volumes and the modes It is

important to know the advantages and limitations of the modes at different volumes. The diagrams below chart

the high part of the voice than in the low part of the voice. As arule, the metallic modes will become louder as the pitch

modes, pitch and volume. The colour and the width of the

increases.

diagram illustrate the volumes in the various modes. Intense red means powerful volume, medium red means medium volume and pale red means quiet volume. The vertical divi-

sions of the diagram show the various pitches.

The diagrams below and on the next pages show the maximum volumes in the various modes at the various pitches in an alternative graphical representation.

general, the following rule applies: the more metallic the mode, the more powerful the volume can be. Conversely, it

The vocal modes

In

is

easier to obtain a quieter volume if the mode is less metal-

lic. In addition, the higher the pitch, the more powerful the

You can sing quietly in all pitches in Neutral. From the high part of the voice and up Neutral can be sung in both quiet,

volume can be. So, it

medium and powerful volume.

is

possible to sing more powerfully in

very high part

high part

volume middle part

loud

medium

quiet

low part

iL

i Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

141

the low part of the voice Curbing can be sung quietly. In the middle part of the voice the volume becomes medium In

pitches. But on the contrary, in order to obtain an even sound

and from the high part and up, the volume in Curbing be-

through all the pitches, you must use several vocal modes. This is particularly so if you wish to sing with medium volume

comes powerful.

all the way up through the pitches:

the low part of the voice Overdrive can be sung in both medium and powerful volume. The higher you sing in the middle part of the voice in Overdrive, the louder the volume.

-

want to sing quietly up through your range, you can use Neutral all the way.

>

If

In

If you

women want to sing medium volume up through their

range, they can use Overdrive in the low part of the voice,

Just before the mode does not work anymore the volume be-

Curbing in the middle part and Neutral in the high part. Men can use Curbing to sing in medium volume in their

comes disproportionately powerful. This will be around C2D2 for women and Al1- C2 for men.

entire range. +

Just like Overdrive, Edge can be sung

in both

medium and

powerful volume in the low part of the voice. The higher you sing in the middle part of the voice in Edge, the louder the volume. As in the other metallic modes, Edge gradually becomes more powerful up through the pitches.

want to sing powerfully up through their range, they can use Overdrive in the low part of the voice and in the low part of the middle part of the voice. From there, If women

they can change to Edge and use this all the way up. Men can use Overdrive at a higher pitch than women, which means they do not have to change to Edge before the upper end of the high part of the voice. However, be aware

of the fact that the closer you get to Overdrive'’s limit, the In practice

more powerful Overdrive becomes and at a certain time it

Many singers believe that they need to use the same vocal mode all the way up in order to obtain an even sound in all

is

more powerful than Edge. So, in order to make a smooth

Maximum volume for women

very loud

foud

oc)

I

volume

medium

N quiet

9S oS

LARA LALLALLLALLALL LAL Ll 142

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

transition from Overdrive to Edge, you must remember to change the mode earlier.

the learned volume and sound colour in the difficult middle

important to respect the advantages and limitations of the modes to be able to avoid the usual mis-

not ‘the registers that have been aligned’ (See ‘Solving unintentional vocal breaks’ on page 76) but instead,

takes that occur when the vocal modes are used unknow-

the singer has learned to use Curbing in the middle part of the voice. The result is a softer transition from Overdrive

As

a

singer it

range.

is

However, it

ingly. If you are not consciously aware of the limitations of the

modes, you risk constriction, breaks and unwanted sounds in

the low part of the voice through Curbing in the middle part of the voice to Neutral in the high part of the voice. The in

your singing. An example of this

is

that almost all singers at

a

is

singer may have momentarily solved her/his problem but is now limited to singing like this in order to avoid breaks. Many

certain time

in their

development have had problems with unwanted breaks and transitions in the voice. This is caused by the fact

have even been told that this is the only healthy way to sing! This can be a huge limitation, because since the singer has

that almost all voices unconsciously choose Overdrive in the low part of the voice and Neutral in the high part of the

is

not been introduced to the modes that have been used, s/he not aware of all the other existing alternatives with regard

voice, which produces breaks and transitions when singers are shifting between the modes. To avoid this, many singers

to character and volume.

seek the help of teachers who work traditionally on ‘aligning the registers’. After a period of training the singer can possibly manage the transition between Overdrive and Neutral

It is

possible to imagine many other solutions to the problem

of breaks: +

without breaks. The singer is now a trained singer who is normally able to steer clear of the undesired breaks by using

That the singer wanted to continue the volume of Overdrive in a higher pitch. In this case, the singer must obey the rules for Overdrive in order to be able to stay within

Maximum volume for men

very loud

loud

volume

medium

quiet

co

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

"

|@c1

1c2

143

+

+

the mode. If the singer wants to go even higher, s/he must

High part of the voice

change to Edge before Overdrive reaches its limit.

If you

That the singer wanted to sing at a low volume all the way up. In this case, the singer must obey the rules for Neutral

Neutral without air is often used when the character needs

in order to stay in Neutral on the way up and especially on

to be non-metallic, rounder and softer. Curbing is used when

the way down through the range.

the sound needs to be

That the singer wanted to keep the metallic sound that was used in the middle part of the voice. If so, the singer must

Overdrive is used when

obey the rules for Curbing in order to stay in the mode all +

want powerful volume in the high part of the voice, all modes can be used.

the way up to the high part of the voice. And finally the possibility of using Edge in all parts of the

a

restrained metallic character.

very powerful volume and a shouted character is required. However, this can only be used up to D2/Eb2 in women and up to a high C (C2) in men. The higher a

you sing in Overdrive, the louder and more shout-like the

voice. Then the singer must obey the rules for Edge in order

voice.becomes. Edge is used when you want a very powerful and sharply metallic character all the way through your

to remain in the mode throughout the range.

range.

Very high part of the voice

Powerful volume

In

the very high part of the voice you can use Neutral without

air, Curbing or Edge, depending on what

want.

Low part of the voice If you

In

tallic and rounder.

want powerful volume in the low part of the voice,

Overdrive and Edge are the best modes. Overdrive gives

a

type of sound you

Neutral without air, the character becomes non-meIn

Curbing, the character becomes more

restrained and metallic, and in Edge the sound becomes very sharp and full-metallic.

loud and rich character and you can obtain and even richer,

darker and more powerful sound in this low part of the voice by singing in Overdrive with a lowered larynx position. This

usually requires practice. Edge has a lighter sound than Over-

A case story

drive. In general, if you want a loud, dark sound in the low

A singer in a musical was hoarse and could not sing loudly

part of the voice use Overdrive and if you want a lighter and more ‘natural’ sound use Edge.

enough. It turned out that he was used to using Curbing because of the impression that more vowels can be used in this

mode and because it does not require as much

to sing in energy

the high part of the voice as Overdrive and Edge. However, the

Middle part of the voice

problems occurred because he tried to sing loudly in Curbing

For a powerful volume in the middle part of the voice, Curb-

and this made him hoarse.

ing, Overdrive and Edge are best. Overdrive is often used in the middle part of the voice as you can get a powerful, metallic character with it. Edge is mostly used in the upper part

We worked on Overdrive by establishing the ‘bite’ and prac

tising support until he had enough energy for the powerful

of the middle part of the voice as the sound here does not

volume required for the mode. Once he controlled the centre

sound so twanged as in the lower part of the middle part of

of Overdrive, we directed the vowels towards ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’)

the voice. Curbing must be used with

dark sound colour to

and ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’) in the higher part of the voice. By replac-

obtain powerful volume in the middle part of the voice. This

ing Curbing with Overdrive in powerful passages, the singer

is often used by women in classical

achieved the powerful volumes he wanted and at the same

a

singing.

time avoided becoming hoarse.

144

In

medium quiet passages he

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

could still use Curbing.

In

this way he not only got rid of his

Very high part of the voice Only Neutral without air can be used in the very high part of the voice if the volume must not exceed medium.

hoarseness but also achieved a larger dynamic range.

Medium volume

Quiet volume

Low part of the voice

Low part of the voice

you want medium volume in the low part of the voice, you can use Overdrive and Edge. Curbing can also be used but

If you

has a very enclosed character. Overdrive will have a rich me-

to combine a quiet volume with added air and often in con-

tallic character. Edge will have

nection with microphone sphere

If

a

light and metallic character.

is

want quiet volume in the low part of the voice, Neutral often best. Neutral with air is used particularly if you want

1

(see ‘Microphone Tech-

nique’ on page 175). Curbing can also be used if you want a held-in or plaintive character.

Middle part of the voice want medium volume in the middle part of the voice, you can use Curbing, Overdrive and Edge. Curbing will have a light metallic character. Overdrive will have a rich, fullIf you

Middle, high and very high part of the voice

metallic character. Men often use Overdrive here, whereas

want quiet volume in the middle, high or very high part of the voice, you need Neutral. Again Neutral without air is

women can only achieve medium volume in the lower end of

used when you want

the middle part of the voice in this mode. The higher women

Neutral with air is used if you want to combine the quiet

sing in Overdrive in the middle part of the voice, the more

sound with added air.

If you

a

non-breathy and quiet sound, while

powerful the volume becomes. How high in the middle part of the voice women are able to sing in Overdrive at a medium

volume depends on the singer's voice and technique. Edge will have a twanged and snarling, full-metallic character in

A case story

the middle part of the voice,

A rock singer with a tremendous voice had problems singing

quietly, It turned out that she sang exclusively in full-metallic modes (i.e. Overdrive and Edge). It is very unusual to meet sing-

High part of the voice

ers who rarely use Curbing and Neutral. The singer was tired

If you

want medium volume in the high part of the voice, Neutral without air and Curbing are best. Neutral without

of always singing at full power, so we worked on the Neutral

air is used when you want a rounder, softer, non-metallic

the sound can become metallic when using breathy notes. As

character and Curbing

metal-

she was unaccustomed to this feeling and sound, we practised

lic sound, The higher you sing in Curbing, the more power-

with such quiet volumes that she was almost whispering. After

is used

when you want

a more

ful the volume becomes. How high a singer is able to sing in

Curbing at

a

medium volume depends on the singer's voice

and technique.

mode. We started by adding air to the voice, as there is no way

whispering her way through

a

couple ofsongs, she got used to

the new volume and we moved on to

a

number of songs with

sound ranging from a barely audible whisper to a medium qui-

et Neutral. Even though we worked at quiet volumes, she still had to apply a lot of physical energy and thus became aware of

the large amount of support required for quiet volumes.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

145

Once she gained control over Neutral and the volumes attain-

able, we went on to practise Curbing by using the ‘hold’ and

directing the vowels towards ‘I’ (as

in

‘sit’), ‘0’ (as

in

0 start optional

‘woman’)

e.g. DO

and ‘UH’ {as in ‘hungry’) in the higher part of the voice. When

EH

EH

EH

she controlled Curbing, we worked on medium volumes in this

f/ ff

f/ ff

f/ ff

mode. For some time we worked exclusively on Neutral and

Curbing. Finally, we worked on the full-metallic modes (Overdrive and Edge). By being able to change between the modes

Exercises at

she could now achieve enormous differences in volume and

If you want to go through all parts of the voice at medium volume you can use Curbing all the way, but you have to be aware that the mode is getting more powerful in the high

a

a

medium volume a

great range of sound colours.

part of the voice. If you want to avoid this you can use several

modes: @) 148 +

Advanced exercises in volume

begin with

a

medium volume in the low part ofthe voice in

Overdrive on the vowel ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) or Edge on the vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’). (The sound example is sung in Overdrive). +

from about the middle part of the voice change to Curbing, still on the vowel ‘O’.

want to sing phrases or whole songs in an even volume, do exercises with built-in mode changes, so that the voice itIf you

self can change to suitable modes by muscle memory. Sing various exercises, such as scales of five notes or octaves, up

-

when it becomes impossible to sing any higher without exceeding medium volume, change to Neutral without air, still on the vowel ‘O’.

»

Practise the vowels ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’), ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) ‘EE’ (as

through the voice. Start in the low part of the voice and repeat the exercise beginning half a tone higher each time and later

‘see’) and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) in the same way. Practise the scales so the transitions are made smoothly and breaks in

half a tone lower each time. Note that the following exercises

the voice are avoided.

in

are in the CVT Sound Library sometimes shown as one scale

f

all the way up and down, and some are scales of five notes up

and down. You can do the exercise as you like them.

volume: +

@)

IN

od/i OH/A mf

powerful

ee

ae

|

DO

Exercises at a powerful volume a

eee ii

O' start optional

e.g.

if you want to go through all parts of the voice at

a

a

eS

|

P=

fe}

Oo

mp / mf

mp / mf

147

start with a powerful volume in the low part of the voice in Overdrive on the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), perhaps with a

Exercise at a quiet volume

lowered larynx position.

If

you want to go through all parts of the voice at a quiet vol-

as you go up, change mode from Overdrive to Edge around

ume: @)) 149

Bb1-B1 for women and F1 for men. It may be helpful to di-

+

rect the vowel towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’).

through the range. You can use many different sound colours, but make sure the sound colour and volume do not

Continue by singing as high as possible in Edge. Make the transition as smooth as possible and practise alter*

ing the vowels gradually so there are no audible transitions or breaks.

146

Use Neutral without air at a quiet volume all the way up

+

change during each exercise. Practise all vowels this way. You can also practise Neutral with air all the way up through the voice. Try adding air to the voice and notice the amount

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

of extra support required to maintain the air in the high

Make the transitions as smooth as possible and practise al-

part of the voice (see ‘Air added to the voice’ on page 206).

tering the vowels gradually so that the changes become inaudible

Practise all vowels this way.

— Of

t+

gue

start optional

e.g, DO

Decrease the volume (decrescendo)

Por

Sing gradually more quietly as you go up through the range a powerful volume and gradually

So

of your voice. Begin with

All vowels

decrease it until you are singing very quietly (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) in the high part: q)) 151

pp/p

+

start with

a

powerful volume in the low part in Overdrive on

the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), perhaps with *

Combinations of volume

lowered larynx. decrease the volume and change to Curbing in the mida

dle part of the voice and change the vowel to ‘UH’ {as in

You can go on to combine various volumes and their match-

*

ing modes. By practising the following four combinations you can avoid the volume problems that most singers encounter.

‘hungry’). continue to decrease the volume and sing in Neutral without air in the high part of the voice, alter to the vowel ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’).

*

continue to decrease the volume and as you go higher

Increase the volume (crescendo)

gradually change to Neutral with air while adding air to the voice in the high part of the voice. Remain on the vowel

Sing with an increasingly powerful voice as you go up through

‘AH’,

the range of your voice. Begin at

a

quiet volume and increase

the volume until you are singing very powerfully (‘ff or ‘for-

tissimo’) +

in

a

ing the vowels gradually in order to avoid audible changes or breaks.

the high part: @)) 150

start with

Make the transitions as smooth as possible and practise alter-

quiet volume in the low part of the voice in

Neutral with air and add air to the voice on the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’). «

.

increase the volume and change to Curbing in the middle

part of the voice, still on the vowel ‘I’. *

O' start optional e.g. DO

continue to increase the volume, then gradually alter the ‘I’

EH

UH

AH

AH

if

mf

mp

Pp

to ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and sing in Overdrive in the rest of the

middle part of the voice. *

continue to increase the volume and change to Edge. Stay

Decrease and increase the volume (decrescendo to

on the vowel ‘EH’, +

sing as high as you can in Edge.

crescendo) There are many mode changes in this exercise, so they have to follow each other quickly (but in the beginning practise

A

CO

start optional

e.g. DO

Zz we

eS |

pp

this slowly): 1) 152

to!

Ie |

mp

+

og oe EH

EH

f

ff

‘

start with a powerful volume in the low part of the voice in Overdrive on the vowel ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’), perhaps with a

lowered larynx

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

147

+

decrease the volume and change quickly to Curbing on the

+

vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’). +

continue to decrease the volume and change to Neutral

without air as you direct the vowel towards ‘AH’ {as *

*

*

+

in

*

without air, now directing the vowel towards ‘AH’. continue to decrease the volume and change to Neutral with added air, still on ‘AH’.

‘far’).

continue to decrease the volume and change to Neutral with air added, still on ‘AH’. You should now be singing in

continue to decrease the volume and change to Neutral

+

finally, sing as quietly and as you can in the high part of the

voice.

the middle part of the voice as quietly as possible.

Make the transitions as smooth as possible and practise alter-

now Start to increase the volume gradually. Change from

ing the vowels gradually to avoid audible changes or breaks.

Neutral with added air to Neutral without air, still on ‘AH’.

Note that the sound example are scales of five notes and only

continue to increase the volume and change to Curbing as

three out of all the scales are sung: one in the low part of the

you direct the vowel to ‘UH’. continue to increase the volume by changing to Edge and

voice,.one in the middle part of the voice and one in the high part of the voice

gradually change the vowel to ‘A’ (as in ‘and’). Make the transitions as smooth as possible and practise altering the vowels gradually to avoid audible changes or breaks.

Note that the sound examples are scales of five notes and

only three out ofall the scales are sung: one in the low part of the voice, one in the middle part of the voice and one in the

oO

start optional

e.g.

DO

Zz

Ee AH

eK AH

UH

qd KR EH ff

Pp

UH

OS UH

AH Pp

high part of the voice.

CO

start optional

e.g. DO EH

UH

AH

AH

AH

ff

mf

mp

pp

mp

za

UH mf

/

f

ff

Increase and decrease the volume (crescendo to

decrescendo) Practise the above exercise reversed: @)) 153

sing quietly in the low part ofthe voice in Neutral with added air on the vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’). *

*

*

gradually increase the volume, change to Neutral without air, but stay on ‘AH’. continue to increase the volume, change to Curbing and direct the vowel towards ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’). continue to increase the volume and change to Overdrive as you alter the vowel to ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’). You should now be in the middle part of your voice, singing very powerfully (ff).

*

start to decrease the volume gradually and change quickly to Curbing on ‘UH’.

148

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Vowels and the modes very important to make sure that the pronunciation of the vowels is 100% correct. Being able to recognise the exIt is

act vowel nuance mentioned

|,

0 and UH

if you want a metallic sound in the high part of the voice with

for the technique to work in the right way. Therefore, would

relatively precise vowel sounds, use Curbing (half-metallic). Lots of vowels can be used in Curbing, but they should be di-

recommend all to study the examples in the CVT Sound Li-

rected towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) and ‘UH’ {as in

brary carefully and learn the exact vowel nuance in each case

the higher part of the voice. The higher the voice, the more necessary this becomes.

is

equally important in order |

in order to avoid confusion as regards the difference between the written and the spoken vowel (see page 249).

‘hungry’)

in

To obtain certain modes in particular parts of the voice you

Limited selection of vowels

have to alter the vowels.

Overdrive and Edge altering the vowels is a condition for obtaining the modes. In order to obtain Overdrive in the high

It is

important to know which vowels

facilitate which modes and which vowels impair them.

|

Directing towards

It is

In

possible to decide which modes are the most practical to use

part of the voice, you must change the vowels to ‘EH’ (as in

in relation to

vowels, volumes and pitches. The more metallic the mode, the more limited the range of vowels and the more

‘stay’) and ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’).

you have to modify or alter the vowels as you go up in pitch.

‘l’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ (as

In

order to obtain Edge in the high

part of the voice, change the vowels to the twanged vowels: in

‘stay’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) and ‘OE’ (as in

‘herb’). You may think that modifying or changing the vowels makes

the words sound strange, but listeners are already accustomed to these changes, usually unknowingly. In fact, the

Classical vowels

only time they notice them

study the words intently and compare them to the vowels used in speaking. From

If you would like a classical pronunciation of the vowels, you

the singer’s perspective, once the centre of the mode

character regardless of the mode. If you do not want

is if they

is perthe modifications of the vowel sounds seem natural fected,

must compress the tongue as this gives them an ‘operatic’ a

classi-

cal sound, do not compress the tongue. q)) 387

and actually make the text more distinct. Trying to stick to

|

the vowels as they sound in speech on the other hand works against the centre of the mode and compromises the overall sound. The lyric will also be less understandable and it con-

A case story

stricts the voice. This applies especially to the high part of the

A

voice where vowels cannot just be modified but have to be

although he auditioned for many, he was never hired. The criti-

replaced entirely.

cism was that he sounded ‘too much like an opera singer’. Even

well-trained opera singer wanted to perform

though he sang

in

in

musicals, but

the various modes, he always used the com-

pressed tongue, so the vowels had the same classical sound.

All vowels have to pronounce the text as in speaking, you are lim-

whole songs with different positions and sounds. Once he re-

ited to singing in the lower part of your voice, where all vow-

alised the importance of the position of the tongue to sound

els are possible in all modes. If you want to sing in

and vowels, he was able to choose from many different sounds.

If you

|

We practised many positions for the tongue and completed

a

higher

part of the voice with speech-like vowels you are restricted to use Neutral with air. A merging of the vowels is inevitable

From then on, he never used

a

compressed tongue in auditions,

unless the theatre specifically asked for

a

classical sound. Once

in the higher part of the voice, even in Neutral with air (see

he changed the position of the tongue and thereby the vowels

‘Change of vowels up through the voice’ on page 56).

50

that they were more natural and less classical sounding, he

became successful in obtaining musical roles.

7.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

149

The vowels’ choice of mode in various volumes

Difficulty of the vowels in the high part of the voice

Some vowels choose the mode themselves, according to the

In

the diagram below you can see which vowels are the easi-

volume. This becomes particularly evident in the high part of

est and which are the difficult ones in the various modes in

the voice.

the high part of the voice.

In

Curbing, for example, ‘I’ (as in

‘sit’), ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’) and ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) are the easi-

Sing each vowel and sing it in different volumes. You will

est, whereas ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’), ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’)

notice that the voice prefers certain modes at certain vow-

and ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’) are difficult but will be easier if you direct

els and volumes. Try to sing all vowels in all modes and in all

the vowel towards ‘I’, ‘O’ and ‘UH’. ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as

volumes and you will feel which changes are needed to make

in

‘so’) are not possible and should be avoided in Curbing

the various vowels easier to sing. The further away you direct

specific

You can also use this diagram to see which vowels can be

volume, the more difficult it becomes and the more control

sung in which modes. For example, the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) is

that

easy to sing in Neutral with air, Curbing and Edge. However, it

the vowel from its easiest place, i.e. its ‘centre’ at is

a

required. Which vowels are the easiest to sing in the

various modes and volumes varies from singer to singer.

difficult to make the sound non-breathy in Neutral without

is

air and ‘I’ should never be attempted in Overdrive in the high

part of the voice.

The vowels choice of mode

Remember, how easy a vowel is to sing in the various modes

quiet

oO

|

O

IT

AH

OH

will vary between singers.

=

loud

EH

0|0

EE

Difficulty of the vowels

EE

the high part of the voice

in

EH

0

00

OH

A

OE

AH |

rue

aut

>) =) =)

EE

EH

(ole)

|S

od

Ro)

(e)

OH

A

AH

fog]

ot

|B

EE

00

0

OH

A

00 EH

|O

AH

OE

UH

OE

LAT

OE

OH

AR

LAS]

A

Neutral Neutral with air Neutral without air

©

Neutral with air

OH easy

Se

Neutral without air

OH

er avoid oon

In

EH

—

difficult

.

trying can cause constriction

the above diagram you can see which modes the vowels

choose at various volumes. This becomes particularly evident in the high part of the voice. For example, the vowel ‘I’ (as

Altering the vowels in the high part of the voice

in ‘sit') chooses the Neutral mode when sung quietly (p), but

In

it chooses Curbing when sung medium powerfully (mf) and

tions and changes needed for each mode when singing in

Edge when sung very powerfully (ff).

the high part of your voice. The more metallic the mode, the more it is necessary to change the vowel.

the diagram on the next page you can see the modifica-

Remember that the choice of mode can be YOURS rather than the one dictated by vowels themselves because of certain volumes.

vowel ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’) is sung in the high part of the voice in Neutral, for example, there is no need to alter it. In If the

this case,

150

a

perfect mode and a precise vowel are attainable.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Altering the vowels

if ‘OO’ is sung in Curbing, you must direct the vowel towards ‘O' fas in ‘woman’) in order to obtain a perfect mode. If ‘OO’ is

sung in Overdrive, it

is

EE

EH

EH

EH

A

A

‘OE’ (as

AH

‘herb’) so that the epiglottic funnel does not lose its twang which would result in a loss of the mode.

00

the low part of the voice it alter vowels.

EE

is

"EE

|

in

In

high part of the voice.

EE

necessary to alter the vowel to ‘OH’

{as in ‘so’). If ‘OO’ is sung in Edge, it must be altered to

in the

AH

-

00 °

oO

OH

rarely necessary to direct or

00 OH

.

UH

AH

0 OH

|

ese

Sexe

EE

EH

EE Sex

A

oo >

fe)

~

EH

AH

AH

00

A

Xx

00

Set Sat

O

OH

OH

OH AH

Sexe Avoid this vowel

in the high

part of the voice.

EH

Ses

EE

EH

EH

AH Sexe

00

Set

OH

Seu

OE

Choice of vowel in relation to mode

Sing the same phrase in the different modes and notice which vowel modification or alteration is necessary to stay in the mode. Transpose the exercise. Note that only three out of all the keys are sung: one in the low part of the voice, one in the middle part of the voice and one in the high part of the voice.

oO

© ©

(ep-mp)

“if

you

wan-na

do

it,

we

can

work

it

out”

)154

(pp-f)

“if

you

wan-na

do

it,

we

can

work

it

out”

@)155

if

yO

w0n-n0

dO

it,

wl

Hn

wUHrk

it UHut”

4156

Og

“Ef

yOH

wOHn-nOH

dOH

EHt,

a

“if

yOE

wAn-

d0E

it,

KK (mp - mf)

in

nA

.

|

wEH cEHn wOHrk EHtOHut”

wl

cAn wOErk

it

Aut

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com

@) 157

(‘I as

in

start

BbO

‘sit’, ‘O' as in ‘woman’,

in ‘hungry’ in (‘OH' as ‘so’, ‘EH’

158 (‘l'asin sit, ‘A’

as in

as in ‘stay’)

‘and’, ‘OE" as

in

‘herb’)

-

1

51

Speech techniques Many people become hoarse from misusing their voice when

and Neutral. The chosen speaking mode generally indicates

they speak, especially if they speak loudly for extended periods of time. Even singers who use correct technique and

the person’s level of energy and temperament.

have no problems during singing can become hoarse when

Many vocal problems appear if you are not aware of exactly

speaking. Singers, actors, preachers, school teachers, politicians and instructors of sports, aerobics and dance all run

which mode you use when you speak.

the risk of straining the voice. For all groups, knowing the ad-

vantages and limitations of the modes can prevent the vocal

Speaking in Neutral

problems.

Many quiet people, women as well as men, speak in Neutral.

The character of the voice

gentle, non-breathy or breathy,

is

Preserve identity

light or dark, but the volume is not particularly loud. They

Modifying the way you speak should be done with great care as altering the voice can feel like changing your identity. It is important to avoid regimentation and smoothing out per-

usually have many possibilities for varying their speech, and such people normally have problems when they try to speak

sonal distinctive characters. Minor ‘faults’, such as a lisp, can

loudly. The Neutral mode is not suited to loud speaking or

be endearing so do not feel obliged to correct it unless you

really want to. Changing your pitch for speaking may also feel

singing and the voice will often break or split if you try. People who speak in Neutral often find their voices tire quickly

like changing your identity. see no reason for doing this un-

and feel that it is difficult to be heard.

|

having

a

large range with many tonal variations. However,

less you are truly unhappy with the pitch.

Changing your voice can cause a lot of vocal problems. There have been cases in which parents have complained to their

People who speak in Neutral

doctor that they do not like the shrill voice of their child. The doctor has recommended the child to whisper for a year. To

and non-metallically such as classical singers who have been

be ordered to whisper for

a

whole year

is

not only an enor-

mous psychological strain, it is also straining on the voice.

Neutral without air: People who usually speak very quietly

taught that metallic sounds are dangerous for the voice or women who speak girlishly in a high pitch, e.g. Melanie Griffith in “Working Girl”.

Such a voice often becomes so weak and inaudible that even

many years after it constitutes a handicap for the owner, not

Neutral with air: Cute, sexy, breathy voices such as Marilyn

to mention the psychological consequences!

Monroe in “Some like it hot”.

Speaking in different modes

Exercises in speaking in Neutral through all the vowels ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’), ‘V (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), ‘A’ (as in ‘and’), ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’), Speak with

a loose jaw

‘O' (as in ‘woman’), ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’). Practise

If you want a voice with many nuances and with many forms of expression, it is practical to be able to speak in several dif-

the positioning of the tongue if any of the vowels cause you

general, when you speak loudly you should

trouble (see ‘Pronunciation’ on page 53). Practise consonants

use Overdrive and when you speak quietly you should use

and vowels together. Do not constrict the vowels or relax the

Neutral. Some people speak in Curbing and others in Edge,

consonants, Make sure to open the mouth more when speak-

but these modes are not as common in speaking as Overdrive

ing in a higher part of the voice. Be careful not to speak too

ferent modes.

In

loudly. Start on AO for women or A-1 for men and from there

152

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practise speaking half a tone higher each time and later half a tone lower until you find the natural pitch for YOU to speak

A case story

in.@) 159

A comedian had begun rehearsing a large part for the theatre

and became hoarse.

Practise just how quietly and how loudly you can speak in Neutral on the different vowels.

He was using Neutral for the part, and although it is an excel-

it is usually not loud enough for large fortelevision, a theatre. Attempting to make it louder made him hoarse.

lent

mode

Practise locating many different sound colours in your speech, such as the darkest and lightest, by combining the shape and

We practised Overdrive for speaking as it is much louder. Once

position of the vocal tract, ie. the epiglottic funnel, the lar-

obtain the same sound colour as before by shaping his vocal

ynx, tongue, mouth, palate and nasal passage. (see ‘Sound colour’ on page 158). Practise the sound colours whilst speak-

tract as for Neutral. He got very excited when he learned that

ing on both high and low notes.

shape of the vocal tract, because aside from being a comedian

he controlled Overdrive, his hoarseness disappeared. He could

he was able to change sound colour by changing the size and

he was also an impersonator. Now he was technically able to

Practise adding air to the voice as well as removing it again (see ‘Air on the voice’ on page 206 and ‘Finding Neutral with-

out air’ on page 89). Be careful not to speak too loudly in breathy voice as it may feel unnatural and can be straining.

Choose

a

create the exact character and sound colour of the voices he

mimicked.

a

text and complete it speaking in the sound colour

People who speak in Overdrive

you prefer.

For example, most men or anyone who speaks loudly. Actors trained to reach the back row of a theatre without

Practise speaking in Neutral on different pitches, sound colours and volumes (remember that Neutral is a relatively quiet

amplification.

mode).

Exercises for speaking in Overdrive

Speaking in Overdrive

Locate Overdrive in singing (see ‘Overdrive’ on page 106). Remember the sensation, maintain the feeling and speak on the

Almost all men speak in Overdrive, as do women with powerful voices. Those who use Overdrive are often loud, extro-

vowels ‘EH’ {as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’). Keep your voice in a low pitch and a powerful volume to make it easier to stay

verted, vocally trained people (for instance well-trained actors from esteemed drama schools) accustomed to speaking to large crowds or in noisy surroundings. The voice will have

difficult to speak in Overdrive, start singing in Overdrive a little higher where it may be easier to locate. Gradually descend in pitch while ensuring you maintain

a

metallic character, the sound colour can be light or dark, and the volume will usually be loud. Such people normally

the Overdrive feeling and character until you arrive at your speaking pitch. Change from singing to speaking. Make sure

have no problems speaking loudly but might have problems

it does not feel uncomfortable or wrong.

Speaking quietly. Overdrive does not work in quiet volumes and consequently the voice fails and creaks. The range in Overdrive can be fairly large, but it is usually used in the lower

and feeling. Practise placing consonants before and after the

Part of the voice.

vowels, but make sure the vowels do not lose their Overdrive

in

the mode. If it

is

Now try to practise other vowels, maintaining the same sound

character. Speak loudly and clearly, but make sure it sounds natural. If it is difficult to locate Overdrive, start by exaggerat-

ing the distinctiveness and the volume. Later, when you are

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

153

able to speak in the mode, make it sound more natural. Prac-

should give up. She was devastated but still wanted to find out

tise speaking with short syllables. Later, practise maintaining the energy to several syllables and longer sentences. 160

if there was anything she could do. Her voice was strained and she had developed nodules on the

vocal cords. Nodules only indicated that the voice needed a

Practise just how quiet and how loud you can speak in Overdrive on different vowels. Become familiar with these limits so

that she be completely silent for two weeks.

that you will always be able to move safely within the mode. Take care not to speak too softly as you will come out of the

sound. After two weeks of silence, the nodules were gone and

mode.

rest (not that it was unsuited for singing), so In

|

recommended the meantime,

we worked on her support by practising the support without

her voice was ready so we could start working on her singing

and speaking technique.

Practise locating several different sound colours by combining the shape and position of the epiglottic funnel, larynx,

tongue, mouth, palate and nasal passage. Locate the lightest and darkest sound colour in your voice and the colours in be-

It

turned out that almost everything she sang was in a metallic

mode but as this requires

lot of volume, she found this too

a

loud for speaking. So she had to decrease the volume and sub-

tween. Choose the ones you like and practise speaking with these on both higher and lower notes. Notice the higher the

consciously changed to Curbing. Curbing, however, requires a

pitch, the louder the volume.

ume, making it difficult for

lot of support when speaking and does not have

a

large vol-

herto speak loudly. When she tried

and at the same time used inadequate support, she became

Recite a short text in the sound colours and volumes you prefer. Be careful not to speak so quiet that you lose the mode.

hoarse. At first we worked on speaking in Overdrive, i.e. full-

metallically and at

a

powerful volume. When she perfected

this, we added Neutral for when she wanted to speak quietly.

Practise speaking in Overdrive while combining different pitches, volumes, sound colours and vowels.

The Neutral mode also gave her additional possibilities for her

singing. Happily she chose to work with the voice instead of

giving up singing. Today she is an outstanding professional singer.

Speaking in Curbing Some people speak in Curbing which gives a ‘locked-up’ and restrained sound. It is mode that requires a lot of support a

to create and keep the half-metallic sound, and to prevent the voice from changing to Overdrive or Edge. If this mode sounds unclear or ‘locked-up’ you are not giving it sufficient

People who speak in Curbing People who speak in

restrained and slightly whining manner and the stereotypical Italian from American movies, e.g. a

Robert De Niro in “Taxi driver’.

energy. The range of the voice may be limited to medium high pitch and the speaking is often in monotone. The vowa

a

els sound similar and the range of volume is limited.

Exercises in speaking in Curbing At first practise the Curbing mode (see ‘Curbing’ on page 96). If you want to transfer this sound to speech it must be practised. Create the ‘hold’ for Curbing and speak with it. Now

A case story A young, talented blues singer had consulted an ear, nose and

throat

for hoarseness. The specialist insensitively specialist told her that her vocal cords were unsuited to singing and that she

practise speaking in Curbing, following the same procedure as for Overdrive. Feel how the range of notes becomes limited and that you have to direct the vowels towards a merged vowel sound in order to get the most from the voice. Make sure that speaking in Curbing, just like speaking in the other

modes, always feels comfortable.

154

)) 161

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\-

Speaking in Edge

politics or rock music. For singers, this tendency often causes problems reaching high notes.

Some people speak in Edge which gives a sharp, metallic, loud sound with a light sound colour. Edge is mode with a

powerful volume. People who speak in Edge will not normally have problems speaking loudly, but may have problems speaking quietly. If sufficient energy and volume are not a

Conversely, many men and women choose a light and gentle sound colour in Neutral. This can seem more disarming, signalling innocence and tenderness as well as a subconscious

applied to the Edge mode, it will fail and the voice will break. The range of voice for people speaking in Edge is usually in the higher part of the voice and the volume is loud.

appeal to be protected. This tendency to lighten one’s voice is often found in unobtrusive men and women. For singers, this

tendency often causes problems obtaining louder volumes.

People who speak in Edge People who speak sharply, lightly and loudly, e.g. Lucille Ball in “Il love Lucy” and Rosie Perez in “Do the Right Thing” and “White Men Can't Jump”.

Exercises for speaking in Edge Twang the epiglottic funnel and speak with this sharp, light and loud sound. Feel how the mode is easier when the pitch higher. If you want this sound in speaking, first practise singing Edge (see ‘Edge’ on page 116) as it is easier to find the is

mode in a higher pitch. Then practise speaking in Edge by the same procedure as for speaking in Overdrive. Make sure

that speaking in Edge, as with the other modes, always feels comfortable. @) 162

Myths about techniques for speaking Many female classical singers are taught to speak in Neutral as it ‘spares the voice’, but this is not true. One mode is no healthier than another. All modes are equally healthy if used correctly and just as straining if used incorrectly. By limiting

yourself to one mode, you miss out on numerous possibilities of expression and dynamics. If, for example, you choose to speak solely in Neutral, you may have problems speaking loudly. If you choose to speak solely in Overdrive, you may

have problems speaking quietly. Therefore, change between the modes to avoid limitations; use Neutral for quiet speaking and Overdrive for loud.

Many women have been told that it

is less straining to speak higher pitch. Consequently, they speak higher than they normaily would or like to do or need to. It is not true that a

in a

higher pitch

About speaking in general

is

healthier unless you have a very light voice and

raised larynx by nature. The reason why people are advised to speak in a higher pitch is that it makes it easier to choose a

Neutral which

is

conventionally believed to be healthier. But

Neutral is ONLY healthy if you speak at a low volume. It can be

The sound of the voice

louder volume. So instead of making people speak in an artificially high pitch, it is healthier to make them change between the modes, using Neutral for quiet

very damaging in

Everybody expresses something through the sound of their voice. The darker you make the sound colour, the more you signal authority and responsibility. Many a managing director has tired her/his voice from placing it too low when speak-

a

speaking and Overdrive for loud speaking, regardless of the pitch.

ing from a platform. Moreover, it is difficult to hear and un-

derstand when

Another pitfall

and men who wish to give an impression of authority, for ex-

getting

a voice is used in too low a pitch. This tendency to darken the voice is often found amongst women ample women in male-dominated professions like business,

over-articulation. Many people over-emphasise the tightening of the jaw and lips in the hope of is

more distinct pronunciation. This rarely improves pronunciation, but rather triggers constriction which complia

cates speaking or singing and often causes vocal problems.

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1

55

Furthermore, the tightened jaw and lips often give speech a very jerky character and it looks forced and artificial. The lips

often gives them an Edge voice. This distinctly metallic sound went against the traditional sound ideal and was therefore

do not have to move more during distinct speaking and singing than it does during normal speech. To pronounce distinc-

considered wrong. All this probably explains why they were wrongly labelled as terrible singers.

tively, first decide which mode will be suitable. Then practise the position of the mode and use the special positions of the

tongue to form the different vowels (see ‘Pronunciation’ on

Singing and dancing at the same time

page 53). It is also important not to exaggerate your pronun-

For singing

ciation when using

halation where the abdomen bulges out (see page 24) as it

a

microphone as it may distort the sound

(see ‘Microphone Technique’ on page 175).

is

|

would never recommend anyone to use an in-

usually strenuous and uncomfortable. The pressure often

triggers constriction and ther. Neither would

|

is

not a particularly pretty sight ei-

recommend an inhalation where the

Avoid speaking monotonously - alternate between modes

chest raises (see page 23) as this usually feels unpleasant and tight, is difficult to maintain and can create constriction

A monotonous voice is tiring to listen to. After a short time,

and muscular tensions in the neck area. Instead, urge danc

the listener usually loses interest. It is, however not difficult to vary your speech. By alternating between the modes and

ers who sing to use an inhalation where the ribs expand (see

|

page 24) as this benefits singing as well as dancing. Make the diaphragm expand all the way around the chest; partly

positions of the vocal tract, you can use a larger range in your voice and obtain large differences in volume and sound. It is therefore a good idea to be able to control several modes

at the lower ribs and partly at the front in the solar plexus. This results in far greater expansion than when the chest rises

for speaking - for example, Neutral for speaking quietly and

and has the added advantage of being less visible than when

Overdrive for speaking loudly.

the abdomen bulges. Thus, dancers only need to expand the chest slightly and need not fear that breathing will expand

It is

also important to be able to change between modes dur-

ing speaking. When you have perfected the modes you are interested in, practise alternating between them. This way

the abdomen.

you will develop

change.

a

large range in your speaking voice as re-

gards to both pitch and volume. You will also be able to keep the sound colour that you think suits you best without having to alter either volume or pitch.

In my experience, many dancers who have altered their breathing in this way have benefited from the

always better to follow the body than go against it. The body becomes stronger and is able to perform better in both

It is

singing and dancing.

Regarding sound, would urge dancers to work on the metallic mode for which they have a natural talent. It is so strenuous |

Dancers Dancers have often been unfairly described as terrible singers. This is because dancers are taught to breath with the

upper part of the chest as dancing theory dictates that this is the correct way to breathe in order to perform physically

demanding dances. However, this conflicted with the old view of singing that breathing should be abdominal. Dancers were reluctant to breathe in this way because they were

taught would hinder their dancing. Besides, it did not follow the ideal of how a dancer should look. Also, dancers often have highly raised larynges (probably because of posit

to dance and sing at the same time that it is important to use the centre of the mode to get the most out of the invested

energy. When they are able to obtain the centre of the mode,

they can move on to the other metallic modes. Once they have achieved the centre of the metallic modes, the non-metallic mode (Neutral) becomes easier to find as they now have something to avoid, namely the metallic

sound. You can also choose to stay in the metallic modes as

the sound ideal has changed today so that the metallic sound is

now often preferred in musical theatre,

ture) which combined with their enormous physical strength

156

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id re

A case story

re

A very skilled saxophon ist had become hoarse. He thought it was due to the way he spoke, but it turned out to be the result

of constriction around the vocal cords from when he played his instrument. This was because he had been taught to use what in singing technique is referred to as ‘incorrect support’ while

playing, i.e, the abdomen was pressed outwards during support (see ‘Support’ on page 27).

en

The saxophonist was worried about altering his support techafter so but he took the chance. When he nique many years,

he

started to follow the body instead of going against it, he could find much stronger support. Accordingly, he was able to reach louder volumes and higher notes on his instrument. Now the

nt On

1c

constriction and his hoarseness disappeared.

ee ke

ly AS

eS

en

he

ad

ve

he

ist er

4S

}

i

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157

Introduction to Sound Colour The techniques in the chapters ‘The Epiglottic Funnel’, ‘The Larynx’, The Tongue’, ‘The shape of the Mouth opening’, ‘The

Soft palate

Palate’. The Nasal Passage’ and ‘List of Sound Colours’ apply Nasal passage

to both singers and wind instrument players.

Vocal tract (red)

Lips

The Vocal Tract

Epig tt

Tongue

Vocal cords

The vibrations of the vocal cords produce sound. When this sound passes through the vocal tract the ‘sound colour’ is

Larynx

created. The vocal tract is made up of the whole mouth cav-

ity from the vocal cords to the oral or nasal passages. Its form and size have great influence on the sound colour. Both men

on sound colour. However, the elements cannot be isolated

and women can have light or dark, small or large voices. All

singers have different vocal tracts and therefore all have in-

completely because they interact with each other. For instance when the palate is raised the larynx is usually lowered

dividual sound colours. Usually you can recognise

and vice versa. This is an automatic reaction, but you are able

a

person

from her/his sound colour.

to learn to separate the various elements so they can be used

independently to

a

certain degree.

The acoustic rule

Developing your own sound colours

Everyone is subject to certain acoustic rules. If the space in the vocal tract is large, the sound will be darker; if it is small,

A good singer is often characterised by having an even sound

the sound will be lighter.

is

colour and volume regardless of pitch. For example, a trained

large, the sound colour will be darker; if it is small, the sound

singer will not necessarily sing more quietly on the high notes and more loudly on the low notes. Performing with

In

other words, if the vocal tract

colour will be lighter. So

a person with a wide jaw and large vocal tract, usually has a richer and darker large sound colour than a person with a narrow face and a small

mouth, i.e.

a

mouth or in other words

a

small vocal tract.

even sound colour and volume is technically demanding and often requires much practice.

Popular and classical music demand different sound colours.

Try clapping with cupped hands

(a large cavity) and listen to the dark sound colour. Now try clapping with flat hands (a small cavity) and listen to the light sound colour. You can al-

find the sound colour that suits THEM best. Avoid uniformity.

ways remember the rule by this test. @) 388

tinctiveness you like and you think suits you and your music.

Changing the vocal tract

Some singers find it easier to practise an even sound with a relatively dark and rich sound colour (as in classical singing).

The shape of the vocal tract can be moved in many directions so there are many ways of changing sound colour. You can

Experiment with finding a sound colour that you find the easiest to obtain an even sound colour in and practise this.

change the shape of the vocal tract by changing the form and position of the epiglottic funnel, the larynx, the tongue, the mouth, the palate and the nasal passage. For clarity, shall

In

|

|

urge both popular and classical singers to experiment and

Use your artistic sense to develop the sound colour and dis-

the following six chapters each part of the vocal tract

is

examined.

go over each of the elements and its respective influence

158

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The Epiglottic Funnel Above the vocal cords are two quadrangular membranes. Together with the epiglottis at the front and the arytenoid cartilages at the back, they form a funnel, like a horn. The sides of this funnel are called the aryepiglottic folds. The whole funnel is called the epiglottic funnel. You can see the rim of this

funnel, this horn, when you look down the throat with a mirror ora fibrescope. This funnel or horn can be shaped in many

like a cackle. This is called ‘distinct twang’. The more twang (i.e. the more the funnel is squeezed), the sharper the sound,

Thus, we are distinguishing between ‘necessary twang’ to obtain clear, unhindered notes with correct technique and ‘distinct twang’ to obtain a sharper character and lighter sound colour.

directions which can affect the voice and its sound colour. Epiglottis

back

Looking down the epiglottic funnel

Quadrate membranes

Arytenoid cartilages Rim of the epiglottis funnel or aryepiglotic fold

make sure you are in full control of the three overall principles

The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

exceed its healthy limits.

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

Perform exercises in creaking (perhaps on three- and five-

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so

note scales) using various vowels, sound colours and vol-

IS

trust your judgement.

Sing

a

@))

238

umes. @) 239

note in Curbing and decrease the volume until the

creak appears. Now increase the volume and feel how the

A five-note scale

note returns and the creak disappears. Notice how little and

how much volume each note requires to make the creak appear or disappear. @)) 225

CO

start FO

Practise adding and removing creaking to a note. @)) 237 Hear and practise the difference between a creak @)) 227 and a

distorted attack @) 228.

Practise adding creaking in

Practise a creak that glides into

a

mode and then back to the

creak again.

Start with Neutral with air

229

song. q)) 240

Be aware that practising should ALWAYS feel comfortable

and that working in @))

a

a

margin area always requires extra en-

ergy. Be aware of where the centres of the modes are situated

Then Neutral without air @) 230

so you always can return to these centres, Creaking should

Then Curbing @) 231

always be produced and removed upon demand without any

feeling of discomfort.

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189

Warnings Remember to practise without creaks as well so that they do not start appearing unintentionally. *

The higher the pitch used for creak, the more support must be given in order to avoid constriction. The higher the pitch used for creak, the more it may help to direct the vowels towards the vowels suitable for the

mode. Be careful not to lower the larynx too much during creak, as it might feel uncomfortable and be harmful to the voice.

190

.

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Rattle Rattle takes place at or above the level of the arytenoids cartilages, so rattle is produced higher in the vocal tract than

creak and distortion. The sound of the rattle occurs from vibrations formed at the arytenoids cartilages. Rattle can also be formed by vibrations at the back of the tongue or the soft palate or by making the mucosa over the arytenoids cartilages vibrate. Rattle can be used alone or together with other

effects, for example distortion. When a rattle is used alone it often sounds less ‘mean’ than distortion or creak. When used

together with distortion it usually makes the distortion even stronger in effect.

back

Looking down the epiglottic funnel

Arytenoid cartilages

Make a twanged note in Neutral and then add a light and vibration to it this is a rattle. If the note sounds like regeasy ular distortion (i.e. from the false folds) then try to place the

vibration higher and let go a bit on the support and make the sound softer. @)) 241

Gather a small amount of saliva and experiment with placing it in different areas in the vocal tract and making it rattle. For instance, place the saliva near the uvula as if you are gargling. Sing a note in a given mode and add distortion; then add the rattle (the gurgling). Make sure the rattle does not change the mode or the distortion in any way.) 242 You can also make the uvula and the back of the tongue vibrate to create animal sounds, for example imitating a bird or a tiger. Try to make rolling ‘rrr’ at the uvula. If you find it a

difficult, then train the soft palate by making snoring sounds. Keep the vibrations in the soft palate while you breathe out

5915

Rim of the epiglottis funnel or aryepiglotic fold

with support. Once you can control this rolling ‘rrr’, experiment with adding it to the distortion. Be careful that the extra

Quadrate membranes

effect does not change the centre of the

front

Vocal cords

Epiglottis

mode.) 243

You can also make the tongue and soft palate vibrate, thereby creating the sound of a hissing animal. Try to say ‘kkkrrr’ or

‘gggrrr’ and feel how the tongue meets the palate near the Junction of the hard and the soft palate. When you control

Singers who use or used rattle Joe Cocker, lan Dury, Nina Hagen and Percy Sledge.

the ‘kkkrrr’ or ‘gggrrr’ sound, you may experiment with adding it to distortion. In this way, it feels as though the distortion is

placed nearer the front of the mouth. Be careful that this

extra effect does not change the correct setting of the mode and the placement of the distortion. @)) 244

Exercises in rattle

Practise adding rattle in

a

song. @) 245

Remember when practising, if something feels wrong or gives discomfort, your voice

trying to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember: Singing should always feel comfortable. is

+

+

+

The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly. Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so trust your judgement. IS

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1

91

Growl The techniques in this chapter apply to both singers and wind instrument players.

+

pull the back of the tongue slightly backwards and not

downwards. »

A growl is like distortion, i.e. it is a ‘noise’ It is an effect that

add twang of the epiglottic funnel which is sometimes

helpful.

can contain several different expressions from devotion

to aggression. Growl is often used in traditional jazz, and gospel. Growl often sounds like

a

r

‘n b

smoother variation of

distortion.

In

Positioning the tongue for growl growl it might be helpful to twang the epiglottic funnel. The sensation of a growl may feel like pulling the back of the In

growl the epiglottis tilts backwards and almost covers the

vocal cords. This creates the hollow and dark ‘covered’ sound of the growl. The arytenoids vibrate against the epiglottis

which produces the rolling sound. Together this

the growl.

tongue backwards into the throat, as though you are trying to ‘swallow’ the back of your tongue. At the same time the larynx should be raised so that it feels as if the back of the

Like all other effects, growls must be produced with great ac-

tongue and the larynx are trying to meet. It is important that you do not lower the back of the tongue too much and do not

curacy to avoid misuse of the voice.

lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel. This will often cause

Epiglottis

discomfort and coughing, and may even strain the voice. So twang the epiglottic funnel, keep the back of the tongue rela-

is

tively high and then ‘swallow’ the tongue.

Ce

Finding growl Arytenoid

Vocal cords

\

cartilages

Twang the epiglottic funnel, keep the back of the tongue relatively high, raise the larynx and attempt to ‘swallow’ the

tongue. Press the larynx and the back of the tongue gently together and sing ‘la la la’ while imitating Kermit from “The

‘cnoedle’ -

a

term that

characterises singing with a raised larynx and

a

retracted

Muppet Show” (this

is

also called

a

tongue). Feel how a rough rattle often appears as you pull the tongue further backwards (not downwards!) as if it is to be

‘swallowed’ even more. This rough rattle is a growl. Feel and maintain this exact feeling and make sure that it never feels

Singers who use or used growl Louis Armstrong, LaVern Baker, James Brown, Whitney HouRoth, Sly Stone, Yma Sumac, Tom Waits, Johnny Winter and

uncomfortable or ticklish. If it does, try to twang the epiglottic funnel more and raise the larynx and back of the tongue more. It might be difficult to sense minor alterations in the

Stevie Wonder.

position of the epiglottic funnel and the back tongue, but in

ston, Michael Jackson, John Kay (Steppenwolf), David Lee

growling even the slightest relaxation of the back tongue or loosing the twang of the epiglottic funnel might feel very un-

Shaping the vocal tract for growl When growling, you should: -

comfortable, especially on the high notes. If it feels uncomfortable, stop and start again with a more twanged epiglottic

slightly raise the larynx in the beginning.

192

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funnel and

a

more raised larynx and back of the tongue. @)

246

Sing

Finding growl through sound A growl is a dark, grumbling sound full of rolling noise. The more you pull the tongue backwards, the more noise (growl)

a

note in Neutral without air on the vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’)

without growl. Then add growl gradually, but make sure it does not feel uncomfortable, tickle or hurt. Notice exactly what you do in moving from the clear note to the growled one. Exaggerate what you do to obtain the growl and get familiar with where the growl is positioned and how it feels.

is

generated. Remember to keep the twang of the epiglottic

funnel and keep the back of the tongue high. If you ease the pressure between the back of the tongue and the larynx and twang a little less on the epiglottic funnel,

the sound becomes lighter and the note clearer. This lighter growl is used by many jazz and soul singers.

4) 247 You can try to find growl by imitating: By clearing your throat with closed mouth

a

growl often ap-

Kermit from “The Muppet Show” and then adding growl to

pear by itself. Make sure you keep the volume down so it does

the sound @) 403

not fee! uncomfortable. Get familiar with where the growl is

+

positioned and how to produce it.

*

@))

248

*

You can make the sound colour of the growl darker by making more room in the oral cavity, for example by raising the palate. Be careful not to lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel

*

+

the way Louis Armstrong sang @) 404

ascary monster who wants to eat somebody @) 405. exaggerating a singer who croons @) 406 aroaring lion q) 407 the sound of an accelerating racing car q) 408

and that you do not lower the back of the tongue, You must, as always, be sure to maintain the three overall principles to

avoid constriction (see ‘The Three Overall Principles’ on page 20). If you forget the three overall principles while growling, it can feel very uncomfortable. Usually you will start coughing

Growl added to a mode

and tears may pour out of your eyes. At times like these, you

When you have found the growl, you can decide on the amount you want to use. Be aware not to lose the twang and

will be in no doubt that the growl is incorrect. ¢) 249

not to lower the back of the tongue to

degree that causes discomfort during the growl. Then choose a mode during the growl, and just as you would when using distortion, it is im-

Finding growl through images and sensations

portant to maintain the chosen mode during the growl. The basis of a healthy growl is correct positioning and use of the

*

Imagine you are ‘swallowing’ your tongue without losing the twang of the epiglottic funnel or lowering the back of

the tongue. *

Imagine the larynx and tongue meet and stay stuck

together. +

Imagine you are about to swallow or throw up. Feel the

high-positioned larynx and the position of the uvula and notice how the larynx is pressed against the back of the +

tongue. Maintain this sensation when growling. It may feel as if you attempt to squeeze the sides on the

a

mode. Practise adding and removing the growl without it

affecting the mode. You should begin practising the growl in the mode you find easiest. Remember to keep the centre

of the mode when the growl is added. The individual modes determine which character the growl will have, how it should be treated and which sound colour, volume, vowels and pitch

you can use. Neutral with air @)) 253, Neutral without air @)

254, Curbing @) 255, Overdrive q)) 256 and Edge

)) 257.

lower surface of the tongue together.

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193

Growl and pitch Growl may be used in all parts of the voice. However, be sure

Exercises in growl

to twang the epiglottic funnel and raise the larynx more as

Remember when practising if something feels wrong or gives

you ascend in pitch. Some singers use an acoustic illusion

discomfort, your voice

when they want to give the impression of using

a

soft growl

trying to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember:

to a higher note. They sing in a high pitch, then rapidly sing

+

low note with growl added and then return to singing the

+

is

song in the higher pitch. Normally, the ear does not perceive

Singing should always feel comfortable. The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

the octave leap and you get the impression that the note was

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

a

growled in the high

pitch.

@)

258

IS

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so

trust.your judgement. Imitate Kermit the frog from “The Muppet Show”. Gradually

Growl and volume

add growl. @)) 246

The volume in growl can vary from very quiet (pp) to very loud (ff).

Practise adding and removing the growl. @)) 250 Try to growl three notes up and down through a third. Start on AO for women or CO for men. Transpose the exercise up-

Growl and vowels

wards and later downwards by

All vowels can be used in growl, but remember to alter the vowels when you are growling at a higher pitch. The individual modes determine which vowels can be used in which parts

Practise adding growl to:

of the voice. Be careful that the vowels do not lower the back

Neutral without air @)) 254

of the tongue. Take care that vowels such as ‘OO’ {as in ‘you’),

Curbing @) 255

‘O' (as in ‘woman’), ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) do not

Overdrive @) 256

impair the twang of the epiglottic funnel and lower the back

Edge q) 257

halfa tone at a time. @)) 251

Neutral with air @) 253

tongue as this could feel uncomfortable. Omit a note from the melody and make a growl instead. Then return to the melody. Practise doing the sequence ‘note-

growl-note’ so fast that it sounds natural. @)) 258

Growl and sound colours The sound colour of growl

is

often darker than that of dis-

tortion. The larger you make the vocal tract, the darker the sound colour becomes. to give the growl a

the low part of the voice it is easier dark sound colour than it is in the high

a

phrase from

a

song in which you think that a growl will

be suitable. @)) 252

In

part of the voice. In the low part of the voice, you can lower the back of the tongue slightly, but not to the extent that it

the high part of the voice you need be sure not to lower the back of the tongue as this will restrict

feels uncomfortable.

Sing

In

The less you twang the epiglottic funnel, the more discreet the growl becomes. It requires great control to use a small growl. Practise just how small

a

growl you are able to add to

a note.

the larynx from rising which will make the note difficult to reach and it can cause discomfort. @) 249

194

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Warnings of the exercises feel uncomfortable, tickle, or scratch, it usually because you have lost the twang of the epiglottic

If any is

funnel or lowered the back of your tongue, i.e. you are producing the growl too far down in the throat. Twang the epiglottic funnel more, keep the back of the tongue high, raise

the larynx, ‘swallow’ the tongue and maintain the pressure between the back of the tongue and the larynx. +

+

+

+

+

Make sure the epiglottic funnel is always twanged when

growling. Make sure not to lower the back of the tongue on the high notes when growling. Comply with the three overall principles of singing in order to avoid constriction and damaging the voice. Take care not to lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel by using too dark a sound colour. Take care not to lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel because of the use of the back vowels ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’), ‘O’ (as in

+

‘woman’), ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’.

Make sure you do not lose the twang of the epiglottic funnel when raising the palate.

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] 95

Grunt Grunting has

a

dark, powerful sound, it is often low in pitch

and has a very ‘demonic’ effect. There is a lot of ‘noise’ and

always air on this effect.

It is an

effect that can contain dif-

ferent expressions from despair to aggression. Grunt

is

Jeffrey Walker (Carcass), singers from Napalm Death, John Tardy (Obituary), Anders Fridén (In Flames), Stian “Shagrath” Thoresen (Dimmu Borgir), Bjorn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork).

often

used in death metal and black metal. Grunt can sound like a

combination of distortion and growl. Grunt

is

produced by making the whole larynx vibrate in an

Finding grunt

open position. The arytenoids, the aryepiglottic folds, the

Take a deep breath and feel the vocal cords retract. Try to

epiglottis and the very base of the vocal tract are vibrating,

keep them in this position while making an exhalation with

creating very low frequencies at

air. Try to add a bit more sound to the exhalation

a

rather powerful volume.

This effect is mostly heard without a tone, as the vocal cords is

often held in an open position.

vocal cords making

a

tone. Use

a

without the

lot of support and make the

sound of exhalation stronger, still without actual tone. Gradually increase the sound, but without making a note.

ginning grunting

Looking down the epiglottic funnel

is

In

the be-

easier to find if you add more air and less

tone. @) 259

Arytenoid cartilages

Try to make a sound like you are really annoyed or find some-

Rim of the

thing extremely stupid. Add more sound to it, but not more tone. Make strong sudden sounds, like you are pushing out

epiglottis funnel or

aryepiglotic fold

the sound, similar to Quadrate

a

sudden gust of air. But remember, it

should always feel comfortable. @) 260

membranes

It

front

Vocal cords

Epiglottis

may feel like you are holding back the air and at the same

time trying to exhale very strongly, as if you are ‘forcing’ but with correct support, or as if you are trying to force but instead you apply a lot of support. Remember at the same time

The sound is dark and hollow, and combined with the large shaped vocal tract (like a large funnel) the sound becomes

keep the volume at a low or medium level. Later when you have found the grunt, you can experiment with increasing

the volume. @) 261

even more hollow and booming. This sound is often used

together with the microphone’s sphere (see ‘Microphone Technique’ on page 175) which adds bass boost and makes 1

the sound even darker and more powerful.

Sing

a

note in Neutral at a low pitch. Give it a dark sound col-

our. Add more air than note and make long sustained sounds. When you feel comfortable with this add more volume to the

sound and a lot of support, but keep the note as quiet as posLike all other effects, grunt must be produced with great ac-

sible. @) 262

curacy to avoid misuse of the voice.

Singers who use or used grunt

want to add more volume to the sound, think of adding “bite” like used in Overdrive (see ‘Overdrive’ on page 106). It is easier to make more volume in the low part of the voice

Tom Waits, Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy), David Vincent (Mor-

than in the high part. @) 263

If you a

bid Angel), George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (Cannibal Corpse),

196

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Grunting requires a lot of support as it is strenuous both to fet out the air and holding it back at the same time. If you do not support a lot you will lose air too quickly and it will only be very short grunting lines that you will be able to sing. So in order to make long phrases in be sure to have the grunt

necessary strength to support.

*

Imitating the sound like you are really annoyed or find something extremely stupid.) 409

+

Barking like

+

huge dog, while holding back the air.) 410 Imitating an angry or evil ‘orc’ (from the “Lord ofthe Rings” a

movies). @)) 411 *

Imitating the sound of very exaggerated moans and

groans. @) 412

You must, as always, be sure to maintain the three overall

principles. If you forget the principles for correct use of the voice while grunting, it can feel very uncomfortable.

Grunt and pitch Finding grunt via growl Some singers find it easier to find the grunt via growling. Remember that these suggestions are only meant to help you. If

Grunt may be used in all parts of the voice. However, it is mostly used in the low part of the voice. Be sure to support more and raise the larynx more as you ascend in pitch

you do not respond to them immediately, forget them.

Sing

a

growled low note with a lot of air, turn down the vol-

ume and add more air. Avoid tilting the epiglottis backwards to cover the larynx (as in growl) but raise the epiglottis till it

Grunt and volume The volume in grunt can vary from quiet (p) to very loud (ff).

stands more upright. Take away the drumming of the arytenoids cartilages and you will have grunting. ¢)) 264

Grunt and sound colours Or you can growl with

a

“lazy” tongue and with a lot of air

added.) 265

The sound colour of grunt is often dark. The larger you make the vocal tract, the darker the sound colour becomes. You can make the sound colour of the grunt darker by making more room in the oral (mouth) cavity, for example by lowering the

Finding grunt through images and sensations *

*

Imagine you are forcing, but still apply a lot of support. Imagine you let the larynx “blow in the wind” while

grunting. *

+

Imagine you have something in your lungs that you are trying to get rid of by blowing it out. Keep the volume of

a

note very quiet, but the volume of

the air very loud,

larynx or raising the palate. @) 266 In

the low part ofthe voice it

is easier to give the grunt a dark sound colour than it is in the high part of the voice. In the low part of the voice, you can lower the back of the tongue

slightly, but not to the extent that it feels uncomfortable, and be aware that it does not become a growl instead. In the high part of the voice you need be sure not to lower the back of

the tongue as this will restrict the larynx from rising which will make the note difficult to reach and it can cause discomfort.

Finding grunt through sound A grunt is a dark, guttural sound, full of noise. The more en-

larged the vocal tract (particularly the mouth cavity), the darker the sound becomes. The more power you use with lots of support, the more noise (grunt) is generated. You can try to find grunt by:

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197

Exercises in grunt

Sing

Grunting is advanced technique, so you should be careful when experimenting. Make sure you are in full control of the

stead. Then return to the melody. Practise doing the sequence ‘note-grunt-note’ until you can alternate between the grunt

principles for the correct use of the voice and that you know your voice so well that you can feel exactly when it exceeds

and

its healthy limits. If you place it incorrectly, you will usually

Practise making the grunt softer. Notice it requires great con-

start coughing and tears will pour out of your eyes. At times like these, you will be in no doubt that the grunt is incorrect.

trol to use a quiet grunt. Practise just how small a grunt you

a

suitable. Omit

a

song in which you think a grunt will be note from the melody and make a grunt in-

phrase from a

a

note without any discomfort or problems. @)) 270

are able to make.

Remember when practising if something feels wrong or gives discomfort, your voice is trying to tell you that you are doing

something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember: Singing should always feel comfortable.

The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly. fan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

+

-

1S

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so

Warnings If

any of the exercises feel uncomfortable, tickle, or scratch,

it is usually because you have lost the support, which means

you are forcing you voice. Stop and try again with more support. Hold back the air even more. +

Make sure you apply enough support to make it feel com-

fortable to grunt.

trust your judgement.

In

Once you have found the grunting sound, try to find the easiest position of the grunt, where it costs the least, and become

the beginning make sure the vocal cords are retracted

when grunting. +

Make sure not to lower the back of the tongue or the larynx

too much on higher notes when grunting as it will impair

familiar with what you do to obtain it.

the pitch.

comfortable position for the grunt you can practice gradually sustaining it longer. Build up the energy and the stamina in order to gain enough support to When you have found

make it last

a

a

+

Comply with the three overall principles of singing in order to avoid constriction and damaging the voice.

long time. q)) 267

Find the grunting sound, then gradually add tone and re-

move the grunt. Go back and forth between the grunt and a

clear note, but make sure it does not feel uncomfortable,

tickle or hurt. Notice exactly what you do in moving from the clear note to the grunted one. Exaggerate what you do to obtain the grunt and become familiar with where the grunt is positioned and how it feels. @) 268

Notice in which part of the voice you think is the easiest for you to grunt. Try to grunt three notes up and down in this area. Start low and with one note at a time. Later you can do

the three-note scale in one breath. Transpose the exercise upwards and later downwards by

198

halfa tone at a time. @) 269

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Screams. A scream is a sudden, often ferocious, loud and high-pitched note. Screams are effects that can contain several different

the epiglottic funnel and find the position in which you can get the loudest sound without adding metal. The note will be

expressions and are usually used for powerful emotional outbursts, such as horror, enthusiasm, or powerlessness. Screams

sharp and light.

are used in many styles of music from Soul to Heavy Rock. There are many types of screams; clear as well as distorted.

In

fact, screams are no different from other notes. A scream

is actually

high-pitched note in

a

given mode. So if you

can control the modes, you can make

a

scream,

just

a

Screams, like other notes, are produced by colouring the note through changing the shape of the vocal tract, normally by

Now sing gradually higher as practised in Neutral until you are singing around a high C, i.e. C3 for women and C2 for men. The note is sharp and pointed but without the metal - it is Neutral - and may be called a twanged, metal-like Neu-

tral. When

note/scream like this is sung in the high part of the voice, it can be loud, but in the middle part of the voice, the sound will often be thinner and squeakier. The flatter and a

twanging the epiglottic funnel. You can make screams in vari-

smaller you make the vocal tract and the more you twang the epiglottic funnel, the lighter and sharper the sound will become @) 271. If you add a slow vibrato in the high part of the

ous modes depending on which sound or volume you want.

voice, you can obtain

It is

important that the mode

a

sound like the screams of lan Gillan in

maintained even during the most ferocious scream because it is the correct positioning of

Deep Purple’s “Child in Time”.

the mode that secures you against straining the voice. If you lose the mode during a scream, it might feel very uncomfort-

You can also choose to lower the larynx little while twanga ing. This makes the scream rounder.

is

able. Usually the singer

is seen coughing and with tears pourout of her/his ing eyes. At times like these, you will be in no doubt that the scream was performed incorrectly.

Singers who use or used screams in Neutral James Brown, Ray Charles, Terence Trent D’Arby, lan Gillan,

Remember when practising if something feels wrong or gives

Nina Hagen, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Bobby Kimball

discomfort, your voice is trying to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember:

(Toto), BB King, George Michael, Paul McCartney, Prince, Little Richard, David Lee Roth and Stevie Wonder.

+

+

»

Singing should always feel comfortable. The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

fan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then

it

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so trust your judgement. IS

Finding screams in Curbing Instead of choosing Neutral, you can add more metal to the

sound by making the scream in Curbing.

Finding screams in Neutral Sing note in Neutral without air at a comfortable pitch on the vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) or ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) and with a very a

light sound colour. Broaden the tongue and pull it backwards behind the molars in the upper part of the mouth. Twang

comfortable pitch on the vowels ‘I’ (as ‘sit’), ‘O' (as in ‘woman’), or ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’). Remem-

Sing in Curbing in in

ber to twang the epiglottic funnel and raise the larynx as you sing higher. Find the position that is most comfortable. It may also be a help to raise the palate as you sing higher. The notes are half-metallic but still powerful as all the metallic modes

become louder the higher you sing. The sound may sound a little more classical or restrained (at least compared to Edge).

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a

199

Sing gradually higher as practised in Curbing and practise all the way, if possible, up to a high C (for both men and women).

Finding combined screams

The note is powerful and pointed and has a with a half-metallic sound and a medium to high volume. The lighter you can

You can also vary the sound of a scream during its course.

make the sound colour and the more you twang the epiglot-

This

tic funnel at the same time, the easier it becomes. @) 272

vowels often determine the mode.

is

called

a

combined scream.

In

combined screams, the

For example, you can start on ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’) in Neutral and

Singers who use or used screams in Curbing

change to ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) for the metallic sound. You can also make a combined scream the opposite way. Start in Edge and

Eva Cassidy.

use an ‘A’ {as in ‘and’) and when you let go of the metallic

sound, the vowel is altered to ‘OO’ (as in ‘you’).@)) 274

James Brown, for example, often used to start his screamsina

Finding screams in Edge

high pitch and then gradually alter them. He made the sound

colour darker, dropped the pitch and ended up in another

Instead of choosing Curbing, you can add even more metal to

the sound by making the scream in Edge.

3

mode. You can make a combined scream by starting in Neutral on

the vowel ‘A’ and changing it to

Sing in Edge in a comfortable pitch on the vowels ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’), or ‘A’ (as in ‘and’). Remember to twang

in

a

metallic note (for example

Overdrive) while altering the vowel to ‘OH’ {as in ‘so’). @)

275

the epiglottic funnel, raise the larynx and broaden the tongue (pull it all the way back, behind the molars in the upper part

of the mouth) so that the vocal tract

is small

and the sound

Singers who use or used combined screams

colour light. This will help keep the full-metallic sound of

James Brown, Nina Hagen, Michael Jackson, Annie Lennox,

Edge. Find the position that enables you to sing the loudest.

Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Sly Stone.

The note should be very sharp and metallic. Sing gradually

higher as practised in Edge and practise all the way, if possible, up to

a

high C (for both men and women).The note

sharp and pointed with a

a

is

distinctly full-metallic sound and

very high volume (ff). The lighter you can make the sound

Finding distorted screams

colour and the more you can twang the epiglottic funnel at

You can also add distortion to screams. The distortion can

the same time, the sharper and more full-metallic the sound

be produced with more or less tone. First practise the clear

becomes.) 273

scream, which means practising the underlying mode, When

this is under control, practise adding distortion. When you have perfected the distortion, you can decide how much to

Singers who use or used screams in Edge James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Bobby Kimball (Toto), Prince and Tina Turner.

add to the

scream. @)) 276

You can choose any mix of noise and note, from a slight distortion to a full distortion, perhaps even adding rattle. The more distorted the scream, the more ‘noise’ and the less tone is

the results. Consequently,

‘noise’ and no tone. This

is

a

full distortion scream is only

often used by Joe Cocker. James

Brown often used distorted screams. @)) 277

200

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Certain singers, for example Prince, use the vocal flageolet to create the distortion. These are known as flageolet screams.

q) 278

Singers who use or used distorted screams James Brown, Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey, Terence Trent D‘Arby, lan Gillan, Buddy Guy, Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin, Bobby

Kimball (Toto), Wilson Pickett, Prince and Tina Turner.

A case story A very experienced hard rock/punk singer was getting hoarse from distorted screams whilst recording. This was quite lem as his screams were

a

a

prob-

major asset in his records and at the

concerts. It

turned out that the underlying mode in his distorted screams

was Edge and since it was not positioned correctly it strained his voice. We worked on locating the centre of Edge to create a

proper foundation for the screams and worked on sufficient

to make it obtainable. We worked support for the mode in order

on twanging the epiglottic funnel more, raising the larynx and

directing the vowels towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) or ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in the high part of the voice. We then gradually worked our way up in the mode to such high parts of the voice that the notes

became screams.

We worked on his ability to find and leave modes quickly and

finally we practised

a

healthy distortion in the screams. Now

that the singer controlled Edge, the distorted scream no longer harmed his voice. As he also wanted darker screams at lower

pitches, we worked in Overdrive by establishing the ‘bite’ more

distinctly and altering the vowels to ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) in the higher part of the voice. While working with

Overdrive, the singer realised that his voice suddenly obtained

the richness and warmth that he had always wanted. It turned out that he, in fact, had a secret dream of becoming a crooner besides his career as a punk singer. The work on the distorted

screams did not take long, so he spent the rest of the time

crooning through old songs to the unbridled joy of the rest of

the band.

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201

Vocal Breaks A vocal break is an abrupt change in sound when going from

It is

one mode to another. Used as an effect, a vocal break can

ten more) modes to be able to perform and vary vocal breaks

evoke many expressions such as surrender or devotion. Vocal

properly. One of the modes will always be Neutral. Control-

breaks will always involve the change to a non-metallic note.

ling the modes is described earlier in this book (see ‘Vocal

Vocal breaks can be used in all the modes and consequently at different volumes, with different sound colours, in many

Modes’ on page

parts of the voice and on many vowels.

important for

a

singer to be in control of at least two (of-

81 - 157).

When the modes are under control, practise changing between them in order to produce the vocal breaks.

The bigger the difference between the two modes, the more

Intentional and unintentional vocal breaks

distinct the vocal break. That

Vocal breaks often appear spontaneously in untrained singers, because they do not have sufficient technique to main-

used between full-metallic (Overdrive, Edge) and non-metal-

tain

is

why vocal breaks are often

lic (Neutral) modes.

mode when it becomes difficult. The voice changes abruptly and spontaneously into another mode. These una

controlled breaks can strain the voice and may interrupt a singer’s planned line of vocal sound. As a singer's technique

Use practise-vowels Practise-vowels can help you become more conscious about

improves most of the unwanted breaks are eliminated (see

which mode you are in. They also help you avoid misusing the voice by choosing a wrong vowel in the modes. With

‘Solving unintentional vocal breaks’ on page 76). The singer may want to use vocal breaks as a means of ex-

practise-vowels, each mode

pression later in her/his career. These controlled intentional

is sung with a predetermined of volume and sound colour (see ‘Practisevowel, pattern

vocal breaks are the ones dealt with in this chapter.

vowels’ on page

Singers who often use/used vocal breaks Sam Brown, La Voix Mystere Bulgare, Patsy Cline, Dido, Gypsy Kings, Emmilou Harris, John Hiatt, Whitney Houston, Michael

131).

Finding vocal breaks

Jackson, KD Lang, Leadbelly, Professor Longhair, Vera Lynn, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Alanis Morissette, Little Richard, Do-

Sing aloud full metallic sound on the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) in Overdrive on the note Bb1 (for women) or C1 (for men). Make

lores O'Riordan (Cranberries), Linda Ronstadt, Hank Williams.

the ‘bite’ very distinct and sustain the note for

and Brett Anderson

a

usually requires

a

lot of practise to change between modes

so quickly that the breaks sound good and feel healthy. Vocal

breaks are often found in the marginal areas

long time at

powerful volume. Remember that it must not hurt or feel

uncomfortable. Let go of the ‘bite’, change to Neutral on the vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) without changing the note. Make sure the jaw changes into the loose position in Neutral and that

Control the modes It

a

of a mode. These

you immediately decrease the volume markedly. Notice the big difference in sound between the two modes.

Once you can do this quickly and without discomfort, try it again without ‘preparing’ for the change. To do this, imagine

areas are the most difficult to control and maintain, so it is

you are using the same volume in both modes

important to be in complete control of the two modes you want to change between. Hence, it requires great technical

ber that it is not actually possible to use the same volume in the two modes. This should create a vocal break in the change

control to determine where, when and how the vocal breaks

from Overdrive to Neutral. €)) 279

—

but remem-

should appear.

202

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Breaks between the modes

Possible mutual vowels

#

Warnings

UH

NRF © | oY > ©] od > ©] Mm > S|

*

maintaining the mode persistently and exaggerating it little just before the vocal break

a

Ifa vocal break is not heard distinctly, it is usually because the p2/b2 Eras

ENON

Notabove 9

EHH

Not above

Q

02/2

is

not exaggerated enough.

To the left you will find a diagram of the modes between

which vocal breaks can be performed. Not all vocal breaks

.cHA,0e

©]

mode you are breaking FROM

are equally distinct in the beginning but they become more

ena ce

noticeable with practise. Use practise-vowels at first and try the vowels shown in the diagram later.

# The choice of vowels is only restricted in the high part of the voice. In the

low part you can use all vowels.

Ee

©

By,

Neutral with air

Neutrat without

ie) air

For women

Ot For men

Curbing

O

Overdrive

OL

Edge

If you are a very experienced singer and are very conscious of your technique, you can experiment with making vocal breaks to and from the vocal flageolet. This will make your breaks more distinct, but you must know when and when not

to use the vocal flageolet, so as not to ruin your technique (see ‘Solving split in the voice’ on page 179).

Remember to practise the vocal break in reverse too, in this case from Neutral to Overdrive. The procedure is the same:

Exercises in vocal breaks

first control the two modes separately, sing them rapidly one

after the other at their individual volumes and then sing them

Sing two notes, each from

a

different mode (one of them

must be Neutral) and choose the pitch, vowel, volume and

as if they could obtain the same volume.

sound colour you find easiest in those modes. Now sing the first note, pause and then sing the second note. Once you can do this, omit the pause and increase the speed. When you are

able to control this rapid change, use the same vowel in both.

Yodelling drive and Neutral, often with leaps of sixths or sevenths. Like

Always respect the limitations of the modes. Later, practise keeping the change of mode and the break

all the other breaks, this can be practised by achieving the

but reduce the interval (the distance between two notes) un-

sound of the break first and then gradually speeding up the

til you are singing the vocal break on the same note.

Yodelling

is a

series of rapid changes (breaks) between Over-

4) 279

changes/breaks. )) 280 Find several small phrases with text. Decide which modes

will be suitable for which vowels in the lyric. Sing the phrase and make

a

vocal break between the modes. Combine cer-

Vocal breaks between modes

tain vocal breaks with certain musical phrases so that you are

You can obtain more distinct, abrupt and convincing vocal

always able to find that specific break by singing that specific

breaks by:

phrase.

+

choosing modes that are far dpart in terms of character, sound colour and volume

Later, you can transpose the phrases upwards by half

choosing the same vowel for both modes

at a time. First practice the vocal breaks at a relatively low

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

a

tone

203

pitch and then sing them at a higher pitch. When you arrive at a pitch where Overdrive can no longer be used, replace the

mode with another (often Edge), so as not to strain the voice. Be sure the vocal break is still audible. Practise increasing the interval between the two notes of the

vocal break. Start by practising a certain vocal break on the same note and then increase the interval between the two notes. Again, be careful not to sing in too high a pitch in Over-

women). Transpose the exercise upwards by half time.

a

tone at

a

You can also obtain a great effect by making a vocal break from a metallic mode to no sound and then back to a me-

tallic mode again. At first, practise the vocal break from and to the metallic modes you want. When you are in control of

the break between the metallic mode and Neutral, sing the mode that you break to for just long enough to hear the vocal

drive. @) 281

break, but not so long that a note appears. When you break back again, do it the same way - begin the mode the moment

You might also practise vocal breaks on scales. Start from D1

the break

(for women) or FO (for men) and sing up and down through

This is an advanced exercise so you should be careful when

five notes. Sing the first two notes in Neutral and the next two

experimenting. Make sure you are in full control of vocal breaks, know the overall principles for the correct use of the

Overdrive and continue this pattern. Make the difference between the two modes as distinct as possible so there is no in

doubt about which mode you are singing in.

CO

start FO

is

about to

appear.) 283

voice and know your voice so well that you can feel éxactly when it exceeds its healthy limits. Now select

a

small phrase from a melody. Decide where in

the phrase

a

vocal break will be most suitable and which

modes you want to break to and from. Remember AH

EH

AH

EH

AH

pp /mp

f/ ff

pp/ mp

f/ ff

pp/mp

Exercise slowly at first, so that you have time for the change of mode. Later, you can practise more quickly, but never make the changes so fast that you lose control of the breaks. Transpose the exercise upwards by half a tone at a time. Again, be careful not to sing in too high a pitch when you sing in Overdrive (especially for women). @) 282

This exercise may also be extended to include octave scales. For example, change mode on every third note. Make a suc-

cession of modes so that you go through all of them during the exercise. Remember a break will always involve the Neutral mode. Choose Overdrive as one of the starting modes, so you do not have to sing in too high a pitch in it (especially

a

break

always will involve the Neutral mode. isolate the modes and

practise a quick change between them (perhaps with the use of practise-vowels) until you are in control of the break. Later, replace the practise-vowels with the actual vowels of the lyric and then practise the break with the lyrics. Insert the vocal

break into the melody and practise this until you can control it. Vocal breaks usually become more distinct the more they

are practised. Finally, transpose the exercise upwards by half

tone at

time, but be careful not to sing at too high a pitch for Overdrive (especially women).@) 284 a

a

When you have practised vocal breaks, remind yourself of the inaudible transitions between modes to ensure that vocal breaks have not been worked in so much that they appear

unintentionally. If

some of the vocal breaks feel uncomfortable, tickle or

scratch, it is because the modes are not positioned correctly. Practise each mode separately until they feel comfortable. An octave scale CO

start FO

204

Then practise making the change between the modes quicker and quicker. Finally practise the change, still without a vocal break, until you are performing the two modes correctly.

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Subsequently, you can make vecal breaks between the modes and, at the same time, keep the correct and healthy positions

of the modes,

Warnings +

*

The higher you sing, the more support you must provide to avoid constriction or unintentional vocal breaks Make sure you do not exceed the limitations of the modes

regarding pitch, vowels, volumes and sound colours «

Be careful not to choose too dark a sound colour for the

metallic modes during the vocal breaks

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205

Air added to the voice Air added to the voice (breathiness) can be very damaging if

Control the Neutral mode

the three overall principles are not respected (see ‘Forcing’

Before experimenting with adding air to the voice, you must

on page 27). In this chapter, the controlled use of breathy

be able to control Neutral. That is, you must be able to sing

sounds will be explained which, if applied correctly, are just

the mode in all parts of the voice, with all sound colours and

as healthy as other effects.

vowels and at low volumes. Before you start adding air to the voice, you must also be capable of removing involuntary

Air added to the voice usually gives an impression of intimacy

breathiness from very quiet volumes (pp). This effectively

and nearness, and is often used when you are singing qui-

means that you must be able to sing all notes, vowels, vol-

in which the

umes and sound colours in Neutral WITHOUT breathiness

held close to the mouth. For example, when

first. If you can do this, you can safely say the breathiness

etly in Neutral within the microphone’s sphere

microphone

is

the high frequencies from

a

1

breathy voice mix with the bass

does not come from insufficient technique.

boost of the microphone, the broad, soft sound intensifies When you are sure you can control Neutral, try releasing

and gives ‘body’ to a frail and light female voice.

a

small amount of air together with the note. Notice that you

amount of air to get

Air added to the voice is ONLY to be used in Neutral. There-

actually only need to release

fore, it can only be used at low volumes. You may think you

breathy sound. If you increase the amount of air, you will not

have heard air added to

achieve a more breathy sound but only force the voice, which

a

loud voice, but you have to realise

that in today’s recording studios effects are added to voices to make them SOUND as if air is added to them, for instance a

a

can be damaging and may feel uncomfortable.

track with whispering of the song can be mixed with the

metallic singing in loud volume. This may sound like you are

singing with air on

a

metallic mode in

a

powerful volume. Do

not be deceived by this. Using added air in a metallic mode or at

a small

a

powerful volume

is

unhealthy for the voice.

Air only appears on the voice when it passes through the vocal cords as the tone is produced. If too much

air is

Finding air added to the voice Remember only to practise adding air in Neutral.

allowed to

quiet note on the vowel ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’) at

comfort-

pass, it may impair the efficiency of the cords and make the

Sing

voice tired and you will run out of breath too quickly. By sup-

able pitch. Now try to add more air to the note without re-

porting correctly, you can reduce the amount of air that passes and still preserve enough to produce the sound of added air whilst ensuring that the vocal cords are free to work. In

ducing the support or constricting the throat. A soft hissing sound will appear together with the note. Initially, make sure this sound is much smaller than the note. If the hissing sound

this way, the added air does not harm the voice. It is possible

is

to sing with air added to all parts of the voice, in all sound

with

colours and on all vowels, but only in Neutral.

a

a

louder than the note, stop the exercise and start again

slightly louder note (still in Neutral). Adding air to the voice should not feel different from singing without added a

The only difference is that it may feel like the vocal cords are slightly relaxed so that the air may pass. It should feel as air.

Singers who use or used air added to the voice

if you are singing Neutral without air with just a bit of added

The Bee Gees, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Art Garfunkel, Astrud Gilberto ("The Girl From !|panema”), Whitney Houston,

air. However, if you allow too much air to pass the cords, this

Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield, Sarah Vaughan and Dionne Warwick.

206

feeling will disappear. Find the exact amount of air to add. Sustain the note with added air for a relatively long time and feel the amount of support energy required.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Sing up and down through three notes with air added

¢o

the

+

voice and concentrate on singing the notes the same way as in Neutral without air. Imagine that you use the same amount

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so trust your judgement. IS

of support as usual, plus a little extra to sustain the added air. Notice the extra amount

of support required to add air. When you have become familiar with this extra support, you can choose to add air at any time in Neutral so long as you

Practise adding air to the voice in the same way you practise

the Neutral mode. Practise scales of three and five notes,

octaves, interval leaps and arpeggios. Use various vowels,

add the extra support.

problem to keep the added air, especially in the high part of the voice. The underlying note may even disapIt

may be

pear. If

a

this happens, return to

a

A five-note scale Of start FO

-

&

I

— =

|

o

a

oe

:

r

T

T

Neutral without air and do

the same exercise. You will probably discover that the note requires more support than expected. Return to the exercise

with added air and apply increased support PLUS the small amount of extra support required to sustain the air added to

A five-note scale

-

r

7

|

|

+

|

,

:

O' start FO

the voice. An octave scale

By using light sound colours and distinct twang together with

:

r.)

oO

A

|

ra

eS

eS

)

a

start FO

the air, it can give the impression of an increased amount of

If

start FO

ea

oO

4.

Lu

.

Arpeggios

nil

of twang

elt eit

singing with air added with little or a lot and with dark as well as light sound colours. air. Practice

you want to experiment with just how loud you are able to

sing with air added to the voice, you must control the three overall principles of singing and make sure you know your

voice so well that you feel the moment you exceed its healthy limits.

Exercises for adding air to the voice {

Remember when

a

eo

practising if something feels wrong or gives

trying to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember: Singing should always feel comfortable.

sound colours and volumes. Be careful not to sing too loudly

The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

ergy for most singers. If the volume is too loud, you are at risk of forcing the voice which may ruin your technique and

discomfort, your voice

+

is

with added air as this seems unnatural and takes a lot of en-

constrict the voice, @) 285 Practise a song in Neutral with

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air.q)) 67

207

When adding air to the voice is difficult In

*

some countries, e.g. in Scandinavia it is easy to add air to

the voice as these singers almost always have some air added

Do not sing too loudly with air added as it will force the

voice which might feel uncomfortable and be extremely wearing.

to the voice when singing in Neutral. The completely non-

breathy sound usually demands extensive and regular prac-

tice for most singers. If

you find it difficult to add air to the voice, it might be be-

cause you have a naturally non-breathy voice or that you sing or speak in a metallic mode. If

you feel it is difficult to add air, you can start by whisper-

ing. Whisper a vowel and gradually add more and more tone.

The more tone you apply, the less air you must add to avoid forcing the voice which is harmful. Therefore, make sure the note

is

distinct and that the added air

is

only

a

minor sound

compared to the note. Later, when you can control air on the voice, you can alter the balance of note and air as you wish. If you

sing in a metallic mode, even an ATTEMPT to add air to

the voice will be damaging. Be sure to use Neutral when you practise adding air to the voice.

Warnings Remember to use only the Neutral mode when you want to add air.

Also remember to practise Neutral WITHOUT adding air to

the voice first so that the added air does not begin to appear involuntarily. «

You should only practise adding air to the voice if you can

control Neutral without any problem. *

Remember to comply with the three overall principles of

singing. ¢

Be careful not to sing in a metallic mode while adding air as it might cause severe constriction which can lead to dam-

age of the voice. «

The higher you sing with added air, the more support is needed

208

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Vibrato Two types

Practising hammer vibrato

Children and untrained singers usually do not have vibrato

Inhale and then exhale with the feeling of holding back your breath and copy the sound of a bleating sheep or a machine

in

their voice.

It is

often found when they have been singing

for a while.

gun. This is

After having acquired a vibrato it usually requires a good deal of technique to be able to sing without. Very skilled and ex-

never be unpleasant or painful. Remember to use the three

hammer vibrato. Practise the rapid pulsations until they become LIGHT and EVEN. Remember that it must

perienced singers often chose to alternate singing with and

a

overall principles: use support, use necessary twang and avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips. @)) 287

without vibrato depending on musical style. The speed and range of the vibrato can vary greatly from singer to singer.

Laryngeal vibrato

There are two types of vibrato: ‘hammer’ and ‘laryngeal’ vibrato. Hammer vibrato is particularly characterised by pulsasation and difference in pitch. Both vibratos may be acquired

The second type of vibrato is laryngeal vibrato or ‘throat’ vibrato. The difference between notes in this vibrato may be

through practice.

more or less distinct. Laryngeal vibrato is achieved by moving

tion, whereas laryngeal vibrato

is

characterised by both pul-

the larynx up and down creating

a

variation in pitch. This vi-

brato is often slower and has a broader pitch range than hammer vibrato and also has a larger difference between notes.

Hammer vibrato Hammer vibrato sounds like It

a

is

tongue are very loose, laryngeal vibrato may from time to time be accompanied by a quivering tongue, jaw and sometimes head. Distinct laryngeal vibrato is often If your jaw and

also known as ‘vocal cord’ vibrato.

It

long sequence of pulsations on the same note.

may be thought of as

hammer vibrato

a

long line of full-metallic attacks. If

is used in

like a bleating sheep or

a

used by crooners, jazz singers and blues singers. @)) 288

Overdrive or Edge it may sound

Practising laryngeal vibrato

machine gun. The Vibrato may be often

You can practise laryngeal vibrato by alternating between

heard in ethnic musics such as Arab singing and flamenco

also used by some French singers like Edith Piaf

two notes. Choose two notes not very far apart (e.g. major second or D-E-D-E and so on for women and F-G-F-G for

and Charles Aznavour and by several folk singers. Hammer

men). Accelerate the alternation between the notes. Practise

vibrato may be used as

making the movement as fast and as even as possible (dia-

trained to reach the desired speed of pulsations.

singing.

It is

a

It is

a

preliminary exercise for practising

Then choose two notes even closer together (e.g. a minor second or D-Eb-D-Eb for women and F-Gb-F-Gb) and

rapid runs of notes (see ‘Techniques for Ornamentation’ on

gram

page 213). q)) 286

1).

again practise speeding up the tonal alternation (diagram 2).

3

csoon GO

5

Oa

A

PE A

Diagram

a

3 Se

3

Se

startFO 3

oO

3

2

NN

A

3

3

3

A

start FO

t

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209

Finally, make

a

vibrato near the same note (i.e. quarter tones

or even smaller intervals) and practise making the movement

2

An octave leap

t

as small and even as possible. You can help the vibrato by

using the vibration in the soft palate. Imagine that you are

CO

start FO

speaking like an old woman or man and feel how that the soft

vibrating. Try to exaggerate this sensation and feel that you can make the soft palate move by imagining that you are pulling/pushing in the soft palate. @) 289 palate

is

keep the necessary twang and maintain the support energy as if the note were still powerful. If you have no constriction,

the vibrato can be heard at the end of the note. Feel

a

deli-

cate vibration in the soft palate. Once you know this feeling, you can assist it by making the movement bigger if you want

Practising speed The pulsation speed of both vibratos can be trained. You can practise altering the speed of

bigger vibrato. Make sure that the jaw is not protruded and that the support is kept in motion This means that it is not locked in any way and should be dynamic, not static. Be a

a

vibrato by using

a

metro-

nome. Set the metronome at 60 beats per minute and make

three sound pulsations per beat. Say ‘sss-sss-sss’ or ‘hey-eyey’. Practise these pulsations until they sound similar and even.

patient. In the beginning, you might only experience a very small vibrato that can be difficult to hear. Practice with some-

body else as it

is

easier for another listener to hear the begin-

ning of vibrato. @)) 291

Then practise making three, four, or five pulsations per beat. Imagine the pulsations moving forwards, not up and down. Use more support if the vibrato is not even. Speed up the

vibrato by speeding up the metronome (i.e. increasing the ‘ppm’ or ‘beats per minute’) until you reach the pulsation speed you

Vibrato as images and sensations ¢

To work with vibrato can be described as the singer hav-

ing twice as much support as a certain volume demands

want.

and at the same time keeping the throat open. If the value

@)) 290

of support

is 100

and volume is also 100, the note will be

Make sure when you sing with vibrato that it is always accord-

without vibrato. If the value of support

ing to the subdivision in the rhythm, unless you for artistic reasons deliberately chose something else. A vibrato which is

for creating vibrato.

not in accordance with the subdivision may blur the rhythm.

Practice vibrato on a note

is 50

is 100

but volume

and the throat is kept open, the extra 50 can be used

*

Support must be firm and not jumpy. The sound is like one continuous stream with grooves on the surface.

+

The sensation

+

is

relaxed (not the support though) and with

no heavy pumping action.

A vibrato that is developing during a melodic phrase requires

that the throat

is

not constricted and that the support is

working well. Vibrato often occurs automatically when you keep the three overall principles while thinning a note using extensive support, for example if the volume is decreased without lessening the support energy.

Using vibrato Skilled singers use vibrato to emphasise expression. Both

types of vibrato can be used in Vibrato can be practiced in the same way as thinning or pianissimo (see ‘Volume’ on page 64). Sing a powerful note with good support and no constriction. Jump up an octave and keep the quality of the note. Gradually decrease the volume,

21 0

a

song. the of the vibrato to the rhythmic Many singers adjust speed subdivisions of the song. For example, you might choose to

put

a

slow vibrato in

a

slow song and a fast vibrato in

a

fast

song. A frequently used method to emphasise intensity is to

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start on

a

note without a vibrato and then gradually add it to-

wards the end @) 292. You may add intensity at special places

Practise adjusting the vibrato to the subdivison in the music in 4/4

q) 298

in the song by making the vibrato increasingly faster @)) 293

or by slowing it down

d@))

Practise adjusting the vibrato to the subdivison in the music

294.

in 6/8 @))

299

Different musical styles have different individual preferences as regards the types of vibrato used. Classical singers often

sing with a larger vibrato than rock singers. Rock singers hardly ever start a note with vibrato, whereas classical singers

Too much vibrato

almost always use vibrato from the beginning of the note. Some singers have If

vibrato

is

wanted in Overdrive, Edge and Curbing, it must

be added consciously. Vibrato usually costs even more en-

ergy in these modes.

a

problem with too much vibrato (also

called ‘wobble’). This is usually because the support is too

300. The problem

solved by singing more powerfully and supporting so much that the vibrato disappears. slack

@))

is

However, it usually requires more energy than the singer is accustomed to. The increased support values must be practised and maintained as long as you want to lessen the vibrato.

Exercises in Vibrato

Many singers have

a

tendency to add more vibrato as they

Remember when practising if something feels wrong or gives

get older. For this reason, regular practising of singing entire-

trying to tell you that you are doing something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember:

ly without vibrato is a great exercise for all singers. This de-

Singing should always feel comfortable. The technique must have the intended effect immediately otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

much vibrato you use unconsciously. A great value of support is

demanded

a

hand on the solar plexus and feel the bulge being gradu-

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

ally pressed outward for as long as

discomfort, your voice

+

+

+

IS

is

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so

mands a lot of support and it increases the awareness of how in

order to remove the vibrato altogether. Place

a

note without vibrato is

wanted (remember at the same time gently to pull in the ab-

domen). @) 297

trust your judgement. Start a note without vibrato and gradually add it towards the end @) 292

Tremolo

Practise making the vibrato faster @)) 293

Some singers have an involuntary, rapid vibrato, especially towards the end of phrases. This is known as a tremolo and is, in

a

a

vibrato but

a

vocal malfunction. This very rapid

is usually due to a lack of support which note unstable. At first it may sound like a hammer makes the

Practise making the vibrato slower @)) 294 Practise

fact, not

quiver in the voice

vibrato but the main difference

song with hammer vibrato @) 295

is

that it cannot be removed

at will.

Practise

a

Different voices react differently. For most singers, a lack

song with laryngeal vibrato 4) 296

greater or lesser degree, restrict the voice and thereby prevent it from reaching the high notes. But for others, lack of support re-

of support produces Practise

a

song with no vibrato @) 297

a

constriction that will, to

a

sults in a tremolo. Tremolos are therefore often heard among

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211

experienced singers who over many years, despite insufficient support, have learned to overcome their problems in reaching high notes.

@})

can sing longer sequences, perhaps octave scales, without a

tremolo. @) 302

301

You should continue to work with this extra support energy

until you are convinced the tremolo has disappeared. When

you can sing with the very last bit of air and the tremolo does

A case story A very experienced actor and singer was not happy with her

not return, it has finally gone. Try singing longer sequences of two octaves up and down and be sure the tremolo does not

vibrato which was too fast and appeared unintentionally.

appear, not even when you run out of support energy.

It

turned out that it was not a vibrato but a tremolo which had

appeared because she had sung without sufficient support for 50 long. We started

working on exercises

in

which she sang so

loudly and with such a constant amount of support that not even

a

vibrato, let alone

a

tremolo, could appear. It was easy

to hear when the notes were lacking support because the

tremolo returned immediately. Now she started the important

work of practising the extra amount of support until it entered her muscle memory. For

a

while, she had to be very aware of

when the tremolo appeared and remove it by providing extra support. After three weeks of practising, the extra amount of

support became a natural part of her singing and the tremolo no longer appeared.

Getting rid of tremolo or wobble If you have a

tremolo in your voice, you should get rid of it as

soon as possible. The longer a tremolo or a wobble is allowed

to stay, the more distinct it may become and the harder it is to remove.

It

may become so entrenched that it manifests itself

on all notes and

not

just in the end of the phrases.

A tremolo can be difficult to get rid of. Start by exercising your

support until it becomes strong and learn how to control it so you can intensify it at will. Subsequently, sing only quite powerful notes with a lot of support energy. The notes should now

be without any kind of vibrato. This will usually require much more energy than you are accustomed to. These new levels

of support energy must be practised and you should under no circumstances sing with less energy. When you are able

to control single notes without tremolo, continue by practis-

ing small scales, for example up and down through three or

five notes, until you are able to manage this. Afterwards, you

212

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Techniques for Ornamentation ‘Ornamentation’ means to decorate singing. The decorations can be both melodic and rhythmic. They are also known as

Staccato

‘fast phrasings’, rapid ‘runs of notes’, or (in classical music)

Note

‘coloratura’ or ‘melisma’. Fast phrasings or melismas are often used in world music, Gospel, R ‘n’ B music and many operas. @) 316

_

Less staccato

A

A

a

A

A

a

Note

It

can be very difficult to make a rapid run of notes even and

equal as they can often become untidy and un-rhythmic, and the melodic line can get blurred, hazy and indistinct. You can

Practlse hammer vibrato till it becomes Nght and even and less staccato.

achieve an even and equal rapid run of notes by using ornamentation technique. However, before you can benefit from

Then practise the vibrato until it becomes light and less jag-

the technique, you have to know exactly which notes you want to sing in the ornamentation. If you do not know this,

the way through. Practise a faster as well as a slower tempo of the hammer vibrato, but maintain its lightness. When you can

the ornamentation

control the speed, you have the ‘grid’ which is the backbone of ornamentation technique. @) 303

is

rarely successful. To help you decide see

‘Improvisation and phrasing’ on page 234.

ged.

It

still has to be even, but keep the underlying note all

Itis not difficult to learn to perform ornamentation technique, but it usually takes a good deal of practice and time.

Singers who use or used ornamentation technique: Cristina Aguilera, Cecilia Bartoli, Beyonce, Michael Bolton,

Boyz

ll

The laryngeal vibrato method

Men, Maria Callas, Khaled Hadj Brahim, Mariah Carey,

Randy Crawford, Celine Dion, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, James Ingram, Freddie Jackson, Om Kalsoum, Nusrat Fateh

If

Ali Khan and Stevie Wonder.

page 209). Sing the laryngeal vibrato as slowly as possible and stress the sound every time the pitch is at its lowest. Now

There are two ways of achieving the backbone of ornamentation technique. One is through hammer vibrato and the other

gradually make the stress more distinct so that in the end you do not hear the difference in pitch in the vibrato. Now the

through laryngeal vibrato. You can use the one you prefer.

laryngeal vibrato has changed into pulsations on one note

you are able to do a very slow laryngeal vibrato, you can

use that as your starting point (see ‘Laryngeal Vibrato’ on

-

not movements up and down in pitch. When you can contro!

these stresses and its speed, you have the ‘grid’ which

a

the

backbone of ornamentation technique. q) 304

The hammer vibrato method Sing

is

hammer vibrato (see ‘Hammer Vibrato’ on page 209)

and make sure the vibrato is rhythmically even. It does not

matter if the vibrato

is very jagged at first.

Practise it until it is

completely even at all speeds.

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213

|

Exercises in ornamentation

technique

advanced melodic training’ on page 236). Make sure the grid remains even and light. Combining the grid with notes is the ornamentation technique. @) 307

Remember when practising if something feels wrong or gives discomfort, your voice is trying to tell you that you are doing

Alternate between singing notes with and without the grid so you can add or remove it at will. @) 308

something wrong. Respect these warning signs! Remember: + Singing should always feel comfortable.

Practise the grid in all modes. @)) 309

The technique must have the intended effect immediately

+

-

otherwise the training is not being done correctly.

Practise the ornamentation technique singing different notes

Ifan exercise hurts or feels uncomfortable or wrong, then it

in

IS

wrong. You are the only one who knows how it feels, so

the grid in-all modes. Be aware that it requires more energy

in some modes than in others.

Neutral with air @) 310

trust your judgement.

Neutral without air @)) 311 Use the ‘grid’ and the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), choose a beat and

divide it into two (eighth notes or quavers). Then divide it into three (triplets), then into four (sixteenth notes or semi-

Curbing @) 312 Overdrive @)) 313

Edge q)) 314

quavers) and then into six (sixteenth triplets or semiquaver triplets). Practise increasing and decreasing the tempo and

Practise various rhythmic sequences with the ornamentation

use a metronome if you wish. @) 305

technique. Create rapid, rhythmic ornamentations by putting

3

different rhythmic sequences together. @)) 315

3

I I II II

III III

song and decide where to place fast ornamentations. First place the grid on long notes in the subdivision you

Choose

a

want. When this is under control, use different notes on the Use for example three, four or five pulsations per beat in the

grid. On the first pulsation of every third, fourth or fifth sing a different note (in other words, change note on every beat).

grid. When you do not use the grid, you can sing completely free of any kind of vibrato as this provides greater contrast to

Once you can do this, sing a scale up and down through three

the rapid run of notes. Later, you can add all kinds of vibrato to where there was no vibrato before. When you are in con-

notes. When you are comfortable with this, go up to six or

trol of all this, you can choose freely between different kinds

more pulsations per beat and repeat the scale. Repeat the ex-

of vibrato within the same phrasing. @) 316

ercise starting

halfa tone higher each time. @)) 306 Movement of the tongue to emphasise the grid Some singers use

O' start FO

a

small lashing movement with the back

of the tongue to emphasise the grid in ornamentation technique. Place a hand on thejunction of the jaw and the neck and practise making this lashing movement with the back of

Next, instead of changing note on every beat, change on every pulsation in the grid. When you are comfortable with

the tongue. To the hand, this feels like

this, try alternating between interval jumps and scales. Then

You can find the lashing movement by starting a swallow.

go on to small melodic sequences. The very experienced may wish to use pentatonic and blues scales (see ‘Exercises in

Just before you swallow, the junction of the jaw and the neck moves upwards. You can feel this on your hand between the

214

a

pulling upwards or

pushing downwards.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

jaw and the neck. Try to isolate this feeling without continuing to swallow. See if you can control the pulling up or pushing down motion so that you can perform it at will and at

whatever speed you wish. Practise this lashing movement without sound at first, and later with sound. Train the tempo of the small lashing movement until you emphasise the grid and put in on the pulsations you want. This often requires quite a lot of practise.

A case story An experienced jazz singer who used fast rhythmic changes,

breaks and many rapid runs of notes had problems on

a

tour

with hoarseness and too low volume. He was afraid that he might have to cancel that night's performance. It turned out he exclusively sang in Curbing because it required

less energy than Overdrive or Edge. Furthermore, Curbing had

made it easier for him to sing ornamentations and make many

rhythmic changes. However, Curbing has the disadvantage

that you cannot sing very loudly (ff) and it was his attempts to sing loudly that caused the constriction and made him sound hoarse.

We worked on keeping the three overall principles by means

of increased support, necessary twang and removed the constriction he had worked in. Soon the voice was clear again.

After this, we worked in Overdrive for the phrases

in

which he

wanted a louder volume. We established the ‘bite’ and directed the vowels towards ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’) in the

higher part of the voice.

In

this way, his voice got accustomed

to producing full-metallic instead of half-metallic sounds every

time he wanted

a

powerful volume. For the rapid runs of notes,

however, he still used Curbing as he wanted a more moderate

volume for these parts. When he had learnt to alternate be-

tween Curbing and Overdrive and to use the modes correctly in accordance with volume, he had acquired greater volume and, at the same time, maintained the lightness of the rapid runs of

notes. He no longer sounded hoarse and had no problems car-

rying through that night’s performance or the rest ofthe tour.

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21 5

Hoarseness There can be

a

number of reasons why

a

acid reflux coming up from the stomach

voice becomes

hoarse. If you remain hoarse for a long period of time you

allergies

should always seek an opinion from a specialist and have your

some medications

voice examined for

a

diagnosis.

A

medical voice specialist is

¢

structural changes in the vocal cords such as:

Laryngologist or Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon specialising in voice problems or Phoniatrician. They should look at your vocal cords with either a small, rigid telescope

the early stages of nodules on the vocal cords

a

polyp

introduced through the mouth or

a

bleed into the vocal cord

known as

a

a

fibre optic endoscope

passed through the nose into the throat.

that the specialist

is

acyst

It is

really important

*

nerve damage (very rare)

able to examine the vibratory pattern of

the vocal cords. To do this s/he must use stroboscopy, high

When the voice is strained

speed digital imaging or videokymography. Most will use

If

stroboscopy whereby a flashing light is used to examine the vibratory pattern of the vocal cords. You should ensure that

membranes of the vocal cords can become irritated and swell

your specialist uses one of these methods otherwise more subtle abnormalities may be missed. Most specialists should

cords to vibrate as rapidly as before resulting in a lower pitch

be able to record the images of your larynx onto

cords from closing properly, allowing air to whistle through

a

computer

or video recorder so that you too can see the images if you

you have severe and long term constriction the mucous

(medical term ‘oedema’). This makes it difficult for the vocal and a darker sound. The swelling also prevents the vocal

them, creating the hoarse, dark and breathy sound.

wish. Some may be able to give you a photograph or digital

image so it

is

worth taking

a USB

(memory) stick with you

Singing when the voice is hoarse

when you are seen in the clinic.

If a

singer sings despite having a hoarse voice (perhaps be-

scheduled concert) s/he must strain to make the

Hoarseness does not necessarily mean the voice is so strained

cause of

that you should not use it. In most cases it is caused by new constrictions that have affected the voice but no permanent

vocal cords close properly. This puts large amount of pressure on the cords, especially at the point of the swelling. It takes a

damage to the voice has been done. The singer sounds hoarse but the voice is not damaged. This constriction can usually be

lot of strength to ‘squeeze out’ a clear sound from swollen

released within a few hours. When this is

done the voice is

a

vocal cords.

It is,

however, possible. Many singers complete

concerts even though the high notes may fail.

fine and sounds normal (see ‘Emergency Aid’ on page 225).

Singing with incorrect technique when the voice is hoarse usually makes your voice even more hoarse. The vocal cords

The hoarseness can be due to: *

may swell so much after a concert they are no longer able to

too much or inappropriate muscle tension (i.e. muscle tension imbalance) leading to constriction due to:

singing or speaking with incorrect technique stress

emotions +

inflammation due to:

vibrate normally and the voice simply goes. You often hear singers say, ‘How strange! was hoarse before went on stage. |

|

When| was singing it went all right but afterwards couldn't utter a sound’. This phenomenon is not so strange when you |

know the physiology of the voice. To sing, the performer has to ‘squeeze out’ notes from swollen vocal cords by constrict-

irritation, such as smoke

ing them even more. The vocal cords react afterwards by

drying of the vocal cords infection

swelling up even more.

216

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

A vicious circle Many singers do not believe that singing with swollen vocal

larger and larger and finally it stops the cords from working (see diagram). Now the voice fails to the extent that the singer

cords causes problems because the voice works when the

cannot continue her/his career.

cords are forced together, so the singer keeps on singing and

constricting. But the swelling only gets worse the more the singer continues to irritate the vocal cords, especially at the

The singer sees a doctor

area most affected by the constriction. Eventually this swol-

ules when there are swellings on both vocal cords opposite

len part will stop the rest of the cords from closing properly.

each other.

vicious circle. Only the swollen areas come together which again increases the pressure on the swollen areas which again causes further swelling. At a certain time the

Voice rest, speech therapy, or operation

vocal cords get

If you

This sets up

who

diagnoses ‘nodules on the vocal

cords’ or ‘singer's nodes’. By definition, you talk about nod-

a

a

more or less permanent thickening oppo-

get nodules it

is a

sign that something is wrong with

your technique. You can try a period of complete voice rest,

site each other at the most swollen area. This thickening gets

Constriction caused by poor technique

In severe cases an operation may be necessary, but this does not necessarily solve the problem. If

the singer does not improve her/ his technique the vicious circle

Constriction make the

.

cords swell creating a hoarse sound. |

starts again.

Consequently, there are two swollen areas opposite each other stopping the cords from working properly. The doctor diagnoses

th

|

‘nodules on the vocal cords’.

Persistent singing with swollen cords makes the swelling worse, especially in the area most affected by constriction.

The singer is now very hoarse or has completely lost her/his voice,

Correct technique: It

is not difficult for the vocal cords

slacken if they are not obstructed, Remember to support to avoid constriction. to stretch or

Low pitch

High pitch

An image: ‘An open throat’

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

217

which most nodules will have disappeared all by themselves.

give the foot a rest by not wearing the tight shoes that caused the problem. Treat your vocal cords the same way. Do not

This is usually the fastest way to solve the problem,

speak, let the voice rest and spend

i.e. no singing, speaking or whispering for 10-14 days after

out saying You can also be referred to

a

a

a few voiceless days withword little notes to the world. single writing

speech therapist who assists the

singer in performing exercises which either reduce the effect

of the nodules on the voice or cause them to disappear. This is usually a prolonged process. The throat specialist might also suggest an operation where the nodules are removed

from the vocal cords. About ten days after the operation the

Voice rest If you have been |

diagnosed with nodules on the vocal cords

recommend a period of total voice rest for

a

week or two,

vocal cords are healed. The singer must not speak or sing dur-

depending on how established the nodules are. By total voice rest-| mean DO NOT MAKE A SINGLE SOUND! Do not

ing this period.

whisper because that tires the voice even more than ordinary

As

a

starting point

|

always recommend singers to take the

period of voice rest as it works fast,

is

cheap, and has no side

effects.

speech. Even avoid clearing your throat. Give the vocal cords

rest and write little

a

notes instead. This method is

Whichever method

is

used, it is important the singer learns

the correct technique so that s/he avoids damaging the voice

q

very effective and has no side effects. Many discover that it is

in the future.

Otherwise the singer will become hoarse again, continue to sing on the hoarse voice, get even more hoarse,

actually not to speak for two weeks.

and the voice fails yet again as the cycle is repeated. This may

You may find

require another period of voice rest, more speech therapy or

to yourself.

a

9 must wot

epeakel

valuable experience a

9m hoarse.

whole new side

another operation.

absolutely necessary to speak, do so clearly and with conviction with plenty of support and no constriction. It is If it is

not

good idea to whisper or be ‘cautious’ because often singers put more constriction on the voice as a result. By doing this, singers often forget all about supporting the voice

Nodules Hoarseness is the first sign that

going wrong. If you continue to be hoarse or suspect the development of nodules, get

a

a

singer

is

diagnosis from a specialist. If the specialist

a

when they speak quietly, but it

is

difficult and requires good

technique to speak quietly in a correct manner. It is better to add a bit more sound and remember to support well.

diagnoses nodules, whether they are early or permanent, there are plenty of things you can do and maybe avoid an

Relax the voice

operation.

You must avoid constriction in the throat even when you are

not speaking or singing. This is also important when the voice

Prevention is better, give the voice a rest It is

better to prevent damage before the voice gets misused

and hoarse. If the voice is strained, the vocal cords need rest!

Just like getting blisters, the voice needs rest for swelling to

is

healthy. Try to relax, inhale deeply, and imagine that the

throat

opening up during the inhalation. Hold on to this openness when you exhale and generally be careful not to tighten the muscles around the throat. is

disappear. If you keep irritating the vocal cords they will remain swollen. To get rid of

218

a

blister on the foot you should

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

(QB&

It is

important not to be too

worried about the vocal cords.

to use the voice without the

9

Think positively

constriction that caused the

°

problem in the first place. If you avoid this straining con-

The throat instantly reacts to our emotions. You know the

striction in the future it is possible to sing without ever ruin-

sensations when you are sad: the throat constricts, you ‘get

alump’

in your

ing the voice again.

throat and lose

control of the voice. Try to think positively and send happy, warm thoughts to the vocal cords.

Constriction can be avoided by using the three overall principles. Imagine that you are creating a circus ring, a large opening, or

fortress wall around the vocal cords so they have plenty of room to stretch (see ‘The Throat’ on page 48 and

Exercise while resting the voice You do not have to sit still during a voiceless period. You may use steam inhalations (see ‘Steaming’ on page 222) and it is

a

‘The Three Overall Principles’ on page 20). The vocal cords can cope with extensive use for long periods of time but CANNOT endure working under the extra strain of constriction.

good idea to use the time to work on breathing and supporting exercises as these do not involve the cords directly.

a

You can also work on body awareness and strengthening the muscles to supply you with the stamina to protect your vocal

Too much mucus

cords in the future. Be careful not to tighten the throat muscles during physical exercise. If you remain focussed about your work throughout a voiceless period you will improve

your singing technique more rapidly when you start singing again.

singer has too much mucus on the vocal cords, it may be because the mucous membranes the vocal cords are being of irritated. When the mucous membranes dry out or become If

a

irritated, mucus is automatically produced to protect the cords. You must find the reason for this irritation; it might be

due to a slight infection, an allergy, or constriction.

Starting again After

a

week or two you should get reviewed by your

Poor technique

specialist: -

+

the nodules are gone you can start to exercise the voice using correct technique to avoid problems in the future. If

If small areas of the nodules or the swelling remain, you could try a further week of voice rest until they are com-

pletely gone. +

only a few cases, if nothing has changed, may an operation be necessary. But even if it is, the period of voice rest In

Constantly getting mucus on the vocal cords might be sign of incorrect technique. It is quite common for the voice to protect itself by producing large amounts of mucus, for example after a strenuous performance. If you suspect your technique might be wrong you must remember the three overall principles: use support, use necessary twang and avoid protruding the jaw and tightening the lips.

will not have been in vain if you had worked on your technique during the time.

Infection Avoid constriction When the vocal cords are back to normal, either due to the

voice rest, speech therapy or an operation, you must learn

At the initial stages of an infection you should avoid straining the voice. Sing and speak as little as possible and gather strength to fight the infection. Depending on how ill you are, you may need to see a doctor and get a prescription for

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

219

antibiotics. you have

a

If at all

possible you should avoid singing when

mucus is entering the windpipe, but it might irritate the mucous membranes if you do it too often and too vigorously.

fever.

Instead of clearing your throat to clear mucus let it remain

there until it has covered the dry spots on the membranes.

Go ahead and use your voice and disregard the woolly sound.

Allergy If

the singing sounds as it should, if the singer does not feel

Start by humming or speaking, carefully at first, and soon the

any discomfort while singing, if s/he does not feel ill or have

rapid vibrations of the vocal cords will shake loose the excess

the throat, then too much mucus may be caused

mucus. There is another safe way of making excess mucus

by an allergy. Try to find the cause of the allergy. Perhaps

disappear. Closing your mouth and nasal passage (or block

you already have a suspicion of what you may be allergic to?

the nose) and at the same time suck inwards and swallow.

When did the symptoms start? What changes might be re-

This creates

lated to the symptoms? Try to eliminate whichever factor(s)

the vocal cords.

any pain in

a

partial vacuum that sucks the excess mucus off

you think may have caused the allergy and observe if your

condition improves. Try to find out what your body

is

sensi-

tive to and avoid it. Perhaps consult an allergy specialist who can test you for allergies.

‘Morning voice’

Prevention and Emergency Aid

When you wake up in the morning the voice often sounds

‘woolly’. You have been drawing air back and forth over the

Even though a singer's voice might sound as if it is strained

mucous membranes all night, maybe you have even slept

or that it has perhaps completely disappeared, it can often

with an open mouth. This may have dried out the mucous

be repaired within a few hours. A large part of our work at

membranes. When you wake up and speak, the dried out

Complete Vocal Institute

mucous membranes cannot make the rapid vibrations which

means

produce

a sonorous

sound, causing the sound to be husky

-

|

to give ‘Emergency Aid’. This

is

am called out to recording studios or concert tours

where singers needs help, either with technically difficult as-

and irregular known as the ‘morning voice’.

signments or because they have acute vocal problems. What needs doing depends on the circumstances, but first ask the

You should let the natural production of mucous take its

singer to see a specialist who can make

course. The mucous membranes will soon be moistened and

ing at the vocal cords, using either a rigid or fibre-optic endo-

the voice will sound normal again. If you start to clear your throat which dislodges the mucus off the membranes, they

scope and ideally stroboscopy.

|

will only produce more to cover the exposed, dry area. This

+

Often the report from the doctor

is

a

diagnosis by look-

that s/he actually can-

makes some singers clear their throat again, compelling the

not see anything wrong, even though everyone can clearly

mucous membranes to produce yet more, which the singer

hear the

singer is hoarse and unable to go through with the

dislodges again, and so on. The singer and the mucous mem-

concert.

In

branes can keep each other occupied like this for the rest of

ing constriction restores the voice as if nothing happened.

the day.

The support however, will require more physical strength. If the

this case, just

singer

is

few hours of working on remov-

a

strong and able to supply this extra strength

there is no reason why the concert cannot go ahead.

Clearing the throat When you clear your throat you dislodge the mucus off the mucous membranes of the vocal cords. It is not damaging to

«

Often the vocal cords are inflamed and irritated, but there are no distinct signs of damage. Also in this case releasing

clear your throat. It can be a function of vital importance if

220

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

constriction may avoid further irritation to the vocal cords and allow the singer to fulfil the concert engagement. +

Sometimes the vocal cords show sign of strain, perhaps with developing nodules. There is not much that can be

disappeared in a couple of days. This shows that it

is

not nec

"

essarily unhealthy to sing on swollen vocal cords as long as it is done correctly and you proceed Still, in carefully.

general,

|

would not recommend it.

done as the vocal cords need rest! These days, doctors can administer medicines to reduce the swelling for the singer to get through

a

concert.

not always to be recommend-

It is

ed as the vocal cords ideally need rest and the condition may be prolonged or may be worsened if the singer keeps on singing.

Even very experienced singers can suddenly create constriction around the vocal cords, sometimes to such an extent

that s/he can not utter

a

Emergency Aid over the phone Sometimes there

not enough time to get to the singer before a concert so we have to work over the phone. In order to is

be able to give Emergency Aid over the phone it is helpful to have worked with the singer previously.

sound.

A case story One night

was called out to

a

singer was

hoarse and had an important concert that evening.

A case story |

was called from New York because

|

studio where

a

always asked him to see |

a

a

singer had problems. As

doctor before came as there |

is no

reason to spend money on Emergency Aid if the voice simply

needs rest. However, the singer insisted that

|

come at once,

It turned out he had become hoarse after singing a particularly difficult phrase over and over in the studio. As had worked |

with the singer before

|

knew his voice and strength so we

started working over the phone. We established the support and removed the constriction that the had worked in. singer

even if it was to be in vain because it would take four hours to

After

get there.

working again. We then went through the difficult phrase and found the modes which suited it best. We practised finding the centre of each mode - in this case it was the ‘bite’ in Overdrive,

In

the meantime he would see a doctor.

When arrived the singer had

a

photograph of his vocal cords

a

short time the voice was free of constriction and was

and a statement from the doctor. The cords were not infected,

the twanging of the epiglottic

but they were red and very swollen so

in Neutral. A

|

did not think

|

could

help. The singer asked me to try anyway as was already there. |

funnel

in Edge, and the loose jaw

little later he was able to sing the difficult phrase

and he completed that night's concert without any problem.

We started with carefully removing the constriction which

almost always occurs when the singer has to compensate because the sensation or sound singing is different from usual. of It is

important to remove this constriction but was not sure it |

would have

The reason for vocal problems

large effect.

a

Dried out mucous membranes, too much mucus and bad After an hour the singer and producer said the voice sounded

monitoring systems (loudspeaker systems used on stage

normal again and they could continue the recording. They

so the singer can hear her/himself) can give the impression

asked me to stay during the rest of the recording so that we

that the voice

could work on removing the constriction as soon as it ap-

peared.

|

must admit was surprised that only an hour’s work |

had that effect considering how the vocal cords looked in the

photograph.

|

not working as it should and the singer can be knocked off course regarding the technique. When the is

voice does not respond normally, the singer often compensates with constriction. This constriction hinders the voice

was even more surprised when the swelling

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221

in

working even more which again can lead to even more

constriction.

important not to go astray and start this vicious circle where good technique is replaced by constriction. It is

anatomy you will know the vocal cords are at the top of the windpipe (trachea) and that everything you eat and drink enters the gullet (oesophagus), not the If you are familiar with

windpipe. Food and drink, therefore, never come into contact with the vocal cords unless it goes down the wrong way and you choke, And have heard many suggestions but have |

|

The importance of physical strength Often problems occur because

a

singer runs out of strength.

never heard THAT suggestion! So it is not logical that food and drink should be used to lubricate the voice. On the other hand, certain foods and drinks can have an effect on some

singer starts getting tired on tour or during extended recording sessions, s/he will lack the necessary strength to sup-

singers.

port the notes to avoid constriction. Many singers experience this at the end of a concert. With no more physical strength

drink something or not.

\f a

left the voice feels tired. The constriction puts

a

strain on the

could just be comforting or have a psychological effect. You are the best judge of whether it helps to eat or It

If you

feel that it helps, then carry on

as long as it does no harm.

vocal cords and you have to use even more strength to sing with this constriction which is yet more tiring. Typically, the high notes are the first to fail and the volume decreases.

singer does not remove constriction by having a good rest and gathering new strength, new constrictions develop.

If

a

The singer begins to feel hoarse and the hoarseness grows worse over time. Finally the voice might be so constricted

Steaming Breathing in steam means moisture go straight to the vocal cords. if you are hoarse you may ‘steam’ your cords and mucous membranes by inhaling a hot bowl of camomile or other herbs such as thyme. Experiment to find out what suits you

best.

that Emergency Aid is needed to avoid cancelling the rest of Use a bowl, a large towel, and

the tour or the studio work.

an alarm timer. Put a handful

of camomile flowers into the

Sleep

bowl and pour boiling water

essential to get enough sleep, especially on demanding tours. Without enough sleep the vocal cords do not get time

over them. Set the timer for a

to recover from the irritation that might have developed dur-

the towel over your head and

ing the day. Sleep is also necessary for rebuilding physical

inhale the steam. Be careful

strength vital to support. How much sleep a singer requires varies. You must know and respect your needs if you want to

not to burn or scald yourself

survive

off before you put your head

It is

a

demanding period.

maximum of ten minutes, put

but do not let the water cool

above it. Within the first ten minutes various essential oils

Eating and drinking

are released into the steam

Many singers are flooded with well-intentioned advice if they become hoarse, e.g. “a raw egg yolk with Tabasco”, “warm

which are beneficial to the

milk with honey (you know, honey lubricates so well)”, “a few drops of ink taken in a glass of water”, “definitely not choco-

through the nose and mouth.

late”, “always something hot”, “always something cold” and

the inhalation as it

so on. How is one supposed to know what advice works and

what does not?

222

It is

not possible to try them all!

mucous

membranes. Inhale

You must wait at least thirty minutes before speaking after

important to let the membranes rest. When you begin to speak, do it softly to start with. Do not clear the mucus off the membranes, i.e. by clearing your is

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

throat. Let it stay even though the voice may sound strange. When the membranes are ready, they will loosen the excess mucus. You may steam the vocal cords as often as you think is necessary, but remember not to speak for thirty minutes

afterwards. Let the excess mucus remain until it loosens itself and stop the steaming approximately four hours before you have to sing.

Alcohol Alcohol can make singing more difficult as it dilates blood vessels. After

big ‘night out’ the whites of your eyes often turn red because blood vessels that are not usually visible

the voice

ofa smoker. If the mucous membranes of the cords

are continuously exposed to smoke they compensate by producing more mucus to counteract the drying effect of the

smoke. As a result the balance of the smoker’s mucous membranes are maintained. If you then stop smoking the cords will continue to produce the same amount of mucus but this will now be too much as there is no drying effect from smoke, Therefore there will be too much mucus and the cords will be harder to control. This means that even though a singer may want to give the voice extra favourable conditions in preparation for demanding job it may be counter-productive. a

a

dilate and become visible. The blood vessels in the mucous membranes of the vocal cords also dilate and the vocal cords

become slightly swollen. Some singers will experience this as increasing difficulty and requires more strength to reach high

All things being equal

a

non-smoker

is

generally healthier than a smoker, not only their voices, so there are definite advantages to quitting smoking. The voice’s adaptation to new conditions

variable and can take anywhere between weeks to three/four months. is

a

few

notes.

How much alcohol

a singer can take before their mucous membranes swell varies from singer to singer. Some are aware of difficulties after just a couple of beers, while oth-

ers seem to be able to drink inconceivable amounts without

problems. You must get to know your limits and respect your body’s warning signals.

A case story A rock singer got so hoarse during recording her new CD that

she could not continue. It

turned out that she had stopped smoking just before the re-

cordings as she wanted to do her best. Because she had been

heavy smoker for years, the membranes reacted by produc ing a lot of excess mucus. During the recordings the extra mucus annoyed her and she compensated by changing her otherwise good technique. As a result she developed a lot of a

Smoking When smoke

is

inhaled it comes into contact with the mu-

cous membranes the vocal cords causing them to become of irritated and dry increasing the likelihood of developing con-

striction. Avoiding smoke is difficult in the music business. How different mucous membranes react to smoke varies a

great deal. know singers who cannot tolerate a single cigarette and others who inhale cigars all day long with no audible effect on their voices. You must know your limits and |

respect your body’s signals.

|

must emphasise that

constriction.

We worked on releasing the constriction by using more sup-

port, using necessary twang and avoiding a protruded jaw and

tightened lips. After

a

couple of hours her voice was back. She

started smoking again so she did not have to concentrate so much on

the last 14 days of the recording. hertechnique during After the recording she found less stressful period where she a could take time to vocally quit smoking. off

|

do not recommend that singers

smoke but if you are a smoker, you should be aware that it is not necessarily a good idea to stop just before an important

assignment such as a studio recording or a tour because also the sudden ABSENCE of smoke may have an intense effect on

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223

Stick to correct technique The best you can do as a singer, whatever challenges you are subjected to, is to stick to techniques you are familiar with and KNOW work. Even if the voice does not sound normal, keep using your technique. If you are becoming hoarse and the notes require double the normal amount of strength,

give them double the support and maintain the sensation of singing without constriction. Likewise, if the monitoring conditions are bad, you should do as you usually do. Try not to sing more powerfully just because you cannot hear yourseif.

Get used to singing more on the basis of the physical sensation of correct singing rather than just on what you can hear.

’

That way these hurdles will not lead you astray.

224

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Programme for Emergency Aid It is important to be well rested and in good physical shape when the voice needs extra help. If the voice is hoarse or perhaps has even disappeared, it is often due to constriction in

the throat.

It is

disappears as the breath of air escapes. Repeat this exercise four times (see ‘Breathing’ on page 21).

possible to remove this constriction but be

aware that the notes will require more support than usual un-

Support

til the constriction has completely gone.

To support a note you must

realise that support is

a

con-

tinuously dynamic movement and that the movement is to

Balancing support and the voice

be sustained as though work-

Hoarseness is typically caused by an imbalance between support and voice. It is important to restore this balance. With all exercises you must be responsive to your own sensations. If something feels uncomfortable or wrong, then STOP imme-

diately. Try again and find how to perform the exercise so it feels comfortable. It is okay for the exercises to ‘cost’ a lot of

ing against if there is

resistance, i.e. as

a

a

resistance in the

movement. To illustrate this resistance raise an arm away from the body without resistance and feel the work of the

support energy, but it should not feel unpleasant to work with the voice. If the work seems too strenuous then something is

muscles in the arm. Now do the same thing while you resist the movement of your arm with the other. You will feel the

not quite right. If things are still not right, seek the advice of

muscles of the arm work much harder. Now raise your arm in exactly the same way without resisting the movement of

a

professional teacher experienced in Emergency Aid.

your arm with the other. This time create the resistance yourself so the movement feels like and looks like it is working

Exercises for breathing

resistance. Hereby the movement gets sustained and requires more energy.

against

First practise breathing that

expands all around the dia-

a

Note this work of the muscles. It is this work, as though against a resistance, that is the most essential component of

phragm. Place both hands on the lower ribs, one on each

support. You can compare this resistance with the sensation of blowing up a balloon.

side. Exhale for a long time,

heavily and unhindered, and at the same time press the ribs

inwards with your hands with-

Exercises for supporting

out it feeling uncomfortable. Relax the pressure on the ribs

Make a rocking movement in the support while holding your breath. Place one hand flat on the solar plexus and the

a bulge at the solar The abdomen around the navel should also plexus appears.

>

t

the ribs push out your hands. Notice how

ie

while inhaling so the lower ribs and the solar plexus expand as much as possible but do not raise the upper part of the chest. The inhalation must be calm and free and you should not pout. Let the movement of

expand slightly and should be neither helped nor hindered. Relax and exhale and notice how the bulge at the solar plexus

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

225

other on the abdomen around the navel. Pull in the abdomen

not attempt to ‘assist’ the tone. It is better to make no sound

around the navel while the bulge at the solar plexus moves

than an ‘assisted’

one. @)) 337

outwards. Alternate the movements by rocking the abdomen and solar plexus back and forth. The movements are quite

Now make the soft, quiet, low-pitched and breathy sound

small, but remember to create that resistance in the support

again but this time with two accentuations. Start the note

movement (see ‘Support’ on page 27).

without support - and then produce an accentuation by adding support. Sustain the note with support. Make sure the

Exhale, inhale and on the exhalation make a quiet ‘sss’ with

your tongue on the out breath. The ‘sss’ must be even. Notice

support is ‘as though against a resistance’. When the support dies out, the sound dies out. Allow no interference from the

how the bulge at the solar plexus gradually expands while

throat. Listen to the difference in the sounds of the two ac-

you sustain the ‘sss’. The bulge must not diminish and must

centuations. The last accentuated part is more powerful than

be kept extended. Also keeping the ribs extended, gradually

the first. Change vowels, @)) 338

pull in the abdomen around

the navel, pull in the lumbar

Put more accentuations into the note. Again, use no support

region under the body and

on the first part of the note, but use it to produce the accen-

tighten the muscles of the

tuations. Avoid interference from the throat. Divide your support to several accentuations by saving some of the support

back. Maintain the sensation

of holding back your breath

on the first accentuations. Be sure to have enough support

as the air is gradually released.

for each accentuation, especially the last one. @) 339

gradually the ‘sss’ until you can make it last one

Now make the sound clearer and less breathy. Gradually add

Practise

minute (see ‘Support’ on page

more tone and maintain the co-ordination between sound

27).1@) 336

and support. Allow no activity in the throat and economise

your support in order to make it last throughout the notes you have planned. Begin the exercise with one accentuation and gradually make more. @)) 340

Co-ordinating support and vocal sound feel that your throat is beginning to constrict, return to

Exercises for co-ordinating support and vocal sound usually

If you

last for between

the first exercise of soft, breathy sounds.

I5

to 45 minutes. It is difficult to concentrate

for much longer and without due attention the exercise might

do more harm than good. If you begin to lose concentration,

When the exercises with

take a break and continue the rehabilitation programme

pleasant and easy, move the accented note a little higher. Maintain the same co-ordination between vocal sound and

when you are ready. Make soft, quiet, low-pitched and breathy sounds and at the same time make sure the support is active and ‘as though

against a resistance’. The bulge at the solar plexus or the muscles at the waist should be tightened gradually as the sound

non-breathy, clear sound feel

a

support as previously described and do not ‘assist’ the pitch with activity in the throat. Again, you must economise your support so there is enough for the pitch you have planned. Gradually move higher up. Begin by making one accentuation and gradually make more. @) 341

used. When the support dies out, the sound also dies out.

Once in a while you should return to the soft breathy exer-

Avoid vibrato and aim at making as even a tone as possible. Your neck and throat should be as relaxed as possible. The

cises to make sure you are not creating constriction around

is

the vocal cords.

activity and energy of the support alone should be producing the sound. Try to avoid any activity in the throat and do

226

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When the voice feels easier and

is able to produce a nonbreathy clear sound without any activity in the throat you may proceed with the normal training.

‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) or ‘O’ (as in ‘woman’). Practise ‘l’ and ‘O’ by comparing their sound to the sound of ‘EE’ and ‘OO’. Aim for the

same non-breathy sound on the new vowels. Later practise ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’), and finally ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) and ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’), Do this in Neutral or remember to choose the right vowels for the modes.

Exercises with vowels Begin in the low part of your voice and sing up and down through five notes on the vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) or ‘OO’ (as in

Finally, sing scales up and down through an octave on various vowels. Do this in Neutral or remember to choose the

‘you’). Choose whichever mode you find easiest (usually Neutral or Curbing). Do not be too cautious, make sure the notes

right vowels for the modes. Move the exercise upwards by halfa note at a time. q) 344

are supported and that you sing at

a comfortably powerful volume. Use the vowel that seems easiest to make a non-

breathy, clear sound. Maintain the co-ordination between

vocal sound and support with no activity or assistance from the throat. Again, economise your support to make it last through all the notes. Save energy for the highest note so you

Now the voice should be fine and sound as it used to, Notice, however, that the notes most likely require more support than usual.

have enough strength in this part to push the bulge at the solar plexus out a bit more. Gradually move higher up and make sure all the notes have

CO

a

good sound quality. 4) 342

start FO

After this, sing up and down through an octave on the ‘EE’ or ‘OO’ vowel. Make sure all the notes are produced by support activity and no other place. Be sure to economise your strength to ensure that there

enough energy for the high notes. Remember to sing clearly and do not be too careful. All the notes must have good sound quality and be as nonis

breathy as possible. Move the exercise upwards by at atime.) 343

halfa note

of start FO

When ‘EE’ or ‘OO’ have become non-breathy and clear and you are in control of the high notes, return to the five-note exercise in

a

lower part of the voice and change the vowels to

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227

Warming Up The prevalent perception is that singers should do a good, long warm-up before singing to avoid damaging the voice. It is

frequently debated how long that warm-up should be.

If

you find yourself in need of energy, it is of course a good

idea to warm up your body to get sufficient energy and

strength to support the voice. It is of course

Warming up = brushing up technique If

is

you regard warming up as brushing up of technique then

also a good idea to make your voice clear if there

too much mucus on the cords. Be sure to let any excess mu-

cus remain on the cords until the throat can be cleared effort-

lessly with one or two clearings (see ‘Clearing your throat’ on

it makes sense.

page 220). Many singers feel a certain security by brushing up on their

technique before going on stage. That

is a

good idea so long

as you are doing it correctly. Find and feel your support and

necessary twang, brush up the centre of the modes and the

If you

feel more secure by brushing up your technique before

going to sing, please do so, but not for too long. And do not feel guilty if you go on stage without warming up.

healthy ways to make effects and brush up the sensation of healthy singing. Retain this sensation for as long as you speak or sing.

This book does not contain

a

ready-made warm-up pro-

gramme as it is up to the individual singer to

judge which

aspects of their technique need brushing up. However, make sure this brushing up does not take so much

energy that you do not have enough left for the concert. Most vocal strain results from when singers are tired and lack sufficient strength to maintain support and avoid constriction.

Warming up is not essential for the voice itself On the other hand if you are in full control of your technique

there

is no

reason to brush up just before singing. Many

professional singers go on stage without a formal warm-up.

There

is no reason

to feel guilty and think that it will ruin your

voice if you do not warm up.

In

fact there

is

not that much

to warm up. The muscles around the vocal cords are many

and small and it does not take much to warm them up and

stretch them, especially as they are encased in the throat and are kept at a constant temperature of 37 degrees centigrade.

That's why if you take the expression ‘warming up’ literally it is

not necessary!

228

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Hearing your voice How you hear yourself influences your technique. There are many ways to hear your own voice (also known as ‘monitoring’), from the lively acoustics in a bathroom or the

‘dry’ acoustics in

a bedroom, to headphones or monitoring (the systems loudspeaker system used on stage so that singers can hear themselves). Many singers feel subdued if they

sing with an unfamiliar monitoring system and this can cause

problems.

if you put your fingers in your ears, the sound travelling to your ears through the air is blocked off and you only hear the

sound resulting from bone conduction. The audience, obviously, does not hear the sound conducted through the bone; they only hear the sound through the air. Therefore, you never hear your voice the way they do (as you cannot take away the sound from the bone conduction) and they never hear

your voice the way you do (as they cannot hear the sound from your bone conduction).

Hearing your voice in a setting you are not accustomed to can make you think it sounds different and therefore make you believe something is wrong. For instance, those used to lively acoustics will think their voice is different and wrong if

the acoustics are dry. Conversely, those used to acoustic settings will think their voice is different and wrong when heard

through a PA. (‘Public Address’) system. Equally those used to loud monitor systems will find their voice strange when

Only you know the mixture of inner and outer hearing that you consider to be your voice. You have become accustomed to this and therefore may be astonished when you hear a recording of your voice for the first time. “Uh, that’s not my

voice, that’s not how it sounds!” Yes it

is - to

everybody but

you!

heard acoustically. These singers are deceived by the unfamiliar sound and believe that something is wrong with their

It usually requires adaptation for a singer to learn to control the voice without being led astray by the unattainable sound

voice or their way of singing. They risk triggering a vicious circle; they start compensating by changing their sound and

you have in your head. It is important to be aware of what the audience hears when you sing and learn to control the voice

by altering their technique. This way they risk triggering constriction which can result in hoarseness.

according to this. Therefore, it is important you know your voice and can control it, whether the sound comes from the inner or the outer hearing, or a mixture of both.

useful to be familiar with various ways of hearing your voice and to know what you can do to prevent being led It is

astray by the monitoring conditions.

hearing

Inner It is

practical for

singer to learn how to use inner hearing always available to you. Many singers, if they a

The sound of your voice

because it

An audience will never hear your voice the way you do. The sound you hear when you sing or speak is a mixture of inner

cannot hear themselves while singing, are advised to place a finger in an ear. This advice works because the finger cuts

and outer hearing. Sound

down the outer hearing and consequently the sound of the other singers and instruments. The inner hearing now domi-

is

vibration. These vibrations can

travel through solid objects, liquids and air. This means that when you hear your voice you are not only hearing the sound

travelling from your vocal cords to your ears via the air (i.e. the ‘outer route’ or ‘outer hearing’), but you are also hearing the sound travelling to your ears via the bones in the skull (i.e. the ‘inner route’ or ‘inner hearing’). This inner route is called

‘bone conduction’.

is

nates and enables you to hear yourself. However, if you are unaccustomed to depending on inner hearing, you run the risk of singing out of tune.

A similar problem can occur when you sing wearing earplugs. Earplugs have become more and more widespread as protec-

tion against hearing damage, but they usually take

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com :

"

a

lot of

229

time to get used to. The use of earplugs actually means singing without outer hearing and this means relying on inner hearing alone. This is usually difficult and greatly increases the risk that you sing out of tune. To sing while relying on inner hearing requires awareness of the difference between what you hear (the inner hearing)

and what the audience hears.

very important to practise with a microphone if you have to sing with amplification, partly to learn to sing with outer hearing and partly to practise microphone technique. ClasIt is

sical singers rarely use microphones as this produces sounds that are generally different from the accepted classical ideal.

To learn how to sing with outer hearing you can: +

-

sing amplified through microphone and monitor system. sing amplified through microphone and headphones.

To practise singing with inner hearing:

sing with your fingers in your ears.

+

Sing through

microphone and use

a

monitor speaker. Many

factors influence what you hear, including the choice of microphone, the quality of the mixer and monitor, the equalisa-

sing wearing earplugs.

+

a

Make a recording of your singing while paying close attention to the sound of your voice. Then play back the recording

tion (i.e. levels of bass and treble), the addition of effects (e.g. reverb, delay etc) and also the acoustics of the room.

and be aware of the difference between what you heard as

you sang and what you hear on the recording.

Experiment with different settings on the equaliser and add effects to the recording so you get accustomed to the differ-

Then sing wearing ear plugs or with fingers in your ears, record the singing and again be aware of the difference be-

ent sounds. Listen to the recording through headphones to become aware of the difference between the sound through

tween what you heard when you sang and what you hear on

the headphones and the sound through the monitor system.

the recording.

Holding on to your technique

Outer hearing

Regardless of which irregularities and types of monitors you are subjected to, the best thing you can do is to hold on to

microphone and monitor system, drastically amplified compared to inner hear-

the technique that you KNOW works, even if the voice does not sound as it normally does. You must continue using your

ing. This is why many singers who are accustomed to singing acoustically have difficulties when beginning to sing with a

good technique even when the monitoring conditions are bad. By doing as you normally would and avoiding, for exam-

microphone; they are not used to the strange sound of their

ple, singing louder because you cannot hear yourself, you will get accustomed to basing your singing more on the physi-

When you sing through outer hearing is

a

voice.

cal sensation of correct technique than sound. The physical

To get used to singing with outer hearing as you practise

sensations are always available to you, whereas sounds will

acoustically, you can: - Place two large books in front of the ears.

often differ.

+

-

+

Place your hands like cups behind the ears.

Sing up against a hard surface, for example, right in front of a mirror or window. Sing into

230

a

bowl or

a

soup plate.

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Studio and live techniques You need to adjust your singing to the conditions. There are major differences between singing acoustically, singing in

When you sing acoustically you are influenced by the acoustics of the room. You also have to be aware that the acoustics

recording studio and singing live with amplification. The reasons for this are many and include the varying volume requirements and the different monitoring conditions. For

of a room change when the audience enters. After practising for a long time in a room with lively acoustics, it might be

example, Neutral with air added to the voice

relevant point here

a

often used in

is

recording studio, but it is usually not suited to the stage. As a result the same song has to be sung in a different mode a

difficult to sing

a

concert in is

a room with dry acoustics. The that you have to be able to sing under

different acoustic circumstances without changing your technique to compensate for the unfamiliar sound.

depending on the circumstances. This usually only applies to singers of popular music as classical singers generally aim for the same sound in the recording studio as when they sing acoustically.

Singing in a recording Studio

Acoustic singing

In

important, also for practical purposes, that singers know their voice acoustically. When you are accustomed to singing It is

acoustically, you can practise anytime and anywhere without monitor system. This can be practical on extended tours as you can easily check up on your tech-

being dependent on

a

nique utilising exercises you are already familiar with as a matter of routine. You do not have this advantage if you are only accustomed to singing with amplification. In this situation you might not discover any irregularities until you are on stage. Practising acoustically also gives you the confidence

arecording studio there are usually high quality, highly sen-

which are able to pick up even the lowest sitive microphones volumes and the smallest nuances. For this reason, singing in recording studio can resemble singing acoustically rather than singing with amplification. There are, however, essena

tial differences which are important to be aware of.

cording studio you can obtain

In a

re-

larger dynamic range and a broader range of sounds by taking advantage of the spheres of the microphone. A microphone produces different sound colours depending on how close it is to your mouth. A skilled

singer

is

a

able to use this deliberately (see ‘Microphone Tech-

nique’ on page 175).

that you can create the sound you are aiming for without being dependent on microphones and various sound-production effects. If you are able to do vocal thinning acoustically,

Using headphones

you have good technique. This is not necessarily the case, however, if you are thinning the note by moving the micro-

When you sing ina recording studio, you use headphones for monitoring which means you hear your singing as well as the

phone away from your mouth.

backing music through the headphones. This requires practise if you are accustomed to hearing your voice acoustically.

When you sing acoustically you have to bear in mind that not all volumes work equally well. For example, air added to the

Through headphones the outer hearing dominates the inner

voice in acoustic singing just sounds muffled at a distance, whereas when it is mixed with the bass boost of a microphone it sounds intimate. All in all, it can be difficult to hear

very quiet volumes from a distance and, consequently, acoustic singing can seem less dynamic than amplified singing.

hearing. However, you can compensate for this by removing the headphone from one ear and placing the cup of the head-

phone behind the ear instead. This way one ear is free and able to hear a mixture of inner and outer hearing while the other can hear the amplified voice and the backing music.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

231

Using a compressor or limiter

at powerful volumes. Also you do not have to fear that the

recording studios powerful volumes are often limited so as not to overload the equipment and become distorted.

songs lose their expressiveness in the full metallic modes as what may be lost in nuance is made up for in the outpour-

This is done with ‘compressors’ or ‘limiters’ which can be set to be more or less active. Using such equipment takes get-

ing of energy. Working out which modes to use requires new training. It is practical for singers to run through their entire

ting used to, especially since singers often find it strange to hear themselves reproduced in such a different way to the

repertoire and practise the parts where modes will have to be replaced. It is necessary to practise the new modes at realistic

way they sing. You should take care not to try singing louder and by this exceed the healthy limits of the voice. The com-

volume levels, which means loud, to get accustomed to the

In

conditions before the live performances begin.

pressor or limiter will simply continue to reduce the volume level and you might constrict your voice. A way to get used

to

a

compressor or limiter

is

to practise with one. Otherwise,

if you think it hinders your performance, ask for the sound in

A case story

the headphones not to be sent through the compressor or

Avery skilled and experienced folk singer

limiter.

cording studios became hoarse on an extensive concert tour. It

It is

also helpful to practise microphone technique and be

able to control the volume of your voice so that the sound

does not need to go through

a

compressor or limiter.

who

sang a lot in re-

turned out he had become accustomed to singing in Curbing from studio work and had continued to do so on the tour.

In

the

concerts he had to sing louder than in the studio and singing in Curbing at high volumes will strain the voice.

We worked on releasing the constriction and after about an

Singing live with amplification

hour the voice was fine again. We then practised the centre of

the modes of Overdrive and Edge by means

the ‘bite’ and the

of

twang of the epiglottic funnel respectively. Then we practised directing the vowels towards ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) and ‘OH’ (as in

Avoid damaging your voice when singing live with

‘so’) in Overdrive and towards ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’), ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’),

amplicification.

‘N’ (as in ‘and’) and ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) in Edge as he sang higher.

When you sing live with amplification, you generally have to

At first on very high notes he exclusively used ‘EH’ in Overdrive

sing louder than when you sing live acoustically or in a recording studio. Therefore live singing often requires more

and ‘I’ in Edge.

from the singer, both technically and physically. Many sing-

When he had perfected the modes, we practised replacing all

ers who are accustomed to singing ina recording studio have

the notes in Curbing with Overdrive or Edge.

problems with hoarseness during concerts. To prevent this, it is often necessary to alter the modes used in the songs. This,

get accustomed to the louder volume levels he needed while

of course, depends on the style of music being performed.

ly. In this situation he could not be heard in Curbing so he was

In

order for him to

performing, he sang with his backing music playing very loud-

forced to use Overdrive and Edge. When the singer replaced

Curbing with Overdrive or Edge at the concerts, he no longer had problems with hoarseness or lack of volume. He could still

‘Full metallic’ method

sing quieter by changing back to Curbing or Neutral whenever

A sure way to avoid problems in live concerts is to exclusively

he wanted to.

use the full metallic modes. If you sing your songs exclusively in Overdrive and Edge, you will achieve powerful volumes

and you will also do it safely since these modes work best

232

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‘One step up’ method Another method used when

a

Finally, aside from general microphone technique (see ‘Mi-

louder volume

required, but

is

not as persistently loud as in the previous method, is to move the mode and volume ‘one step up’. For instance, where you

would use breathy Neutral in the recording studio, use a Neutral without air when singing live. Where in the recording studio you were using Neutral without air, use Curbing when singing live, and where you were using Curbing, use Overdrive and Edge when singing live. This method gives more room for nuance, but is not as safe as using Overdrive and

Edge exclusively.

crophone Technique’ on page 175), there are various ways of holding the microphone. There are various advantages and

disadvantages to different positions. Experiment with a microphone and find out what kinds of different sounds you can get by holding the microphone in different ways. Some singers grip the microphone quite high up around the micro-

phone’s head and this can give a very distinctive sound, but you also run the increased risk of feedback. Others, such as metal singer Ronnie James Dio, sing while covering the microphone with their arm in order to create a cavity that pro-

duces

a

special sound. Experiment until you find what you

prefer,

Sound check important to make sure you have good monitoring. At a sound check it is essential to determine the capabilities and It is

limitations of the monitor system quickly and find the best possible sound under the given conditions. A practical method

is

to always use the same song segments, the same choice

of words, sounds, modes and vowels, as well as the same vol-

umes every time you do a sound check. This way you are able to quickly recognise the sound of your voice and determine

the differences from system to system.

Choosing a microphone Since the microphone is in many genres a substantial part of the singer's performance, it is important to choose the right

type of microphone. When you use a hand-held one, you can use the spheres for working with volume levels and sound colour. You will not be able to do this with

a

headset micro-

phone however. When using a headset microphone, you have to control your volume and vowels with greater accuracy. On the other hand, a headset microphone can be advantageous if you are not accustomed to using microphones because

you avoid unwanted movements in and out ofthe spheres. A headset microphone also gives the singer freedom to move

around freely with both hands available.

There

is debate and general disagreement over which type of microphones are suited to which type of voice and style of singing. Experiment until you find the microphone(s) you

think best suits you and your style of singing.

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233

Improvisation and phrasing Improvising is about making rhythmic or melodic changes to

Common methods

the original song.

An important part of improvising and phrasing is to ‘have been there before’. If while practising you have made some

Phrasing is about adding melodic or rhythmic ‘decorations’ to a short sequence of a song, a phrase or a word. Phrasings and improvisations do not have to be spontaneous but can

good phrasings and have worked these into your muscle memory, you can incorporate these later into an improvisa-

be rehearsed. However, you can use rehearsed phrasings as

tion. This means that some of these phrasings will appear ‘in-

the basis for spontaneous improvisation.

stinctively’ and you can bring the rest to your voice at will. In time and with practice, itis possible to create completely new

Many singers think improvising and phrasing are difficult and feel like they are on shaky ground when they improvise or

phrasings on the basis of the phrasings you already know. Finally, yourmight also be fortunate enough to be touched by

make phrasing changes. Some even think that these are natural abilities that you either have or do not have. They believe

good old divine inspiration! But if you one day should not be blessed with the most divine ideas, then at least you have

you cannot learn them and therefore will never be a good singer or musician. This is of course nonsense! Improvising

some phrasings you know will work and you can go on from there.

and phrasing can be learned and requires practice like any-

The work with improvisation and phrasing and its results may

thing else.

vary It

can be difficult to start improvising or changing the phras-

with the chords.

intangible to sing anything other than the melody because what else are you supposed to sing!? Whatever it is,

«

good as the original melody, otherwise

-

it should at least be as

why change it?! When they start improvising, most people discover it is great fun to skate out onto thinner ice than when you sing the song

lot from singer to singer:

Some singers start by singing something casual and from this select what they like. Along the way they make it fit

»

ing because singers, unlike musicians who play an instrument, cannot visually relate to where they are in a scale. For many it seems

a

Some singers adopt the phrasings of other singers and put parts of these phrasings together to create their own. Some singers study music theory and start improvising on the basis of a theoretical harmonic overview (less common).

+

Most singers take something from each method to create

their own approach.

as written or as you have always done.

Do not feel obliged to improvise

Although it may be fun for singers and musicians to change the phrasing or to improvise, it does not necessarily mean obliged to improvise or phrase. There is absolutely nothing wrong with singing the melody as it was written. On the other hand, an it is fun for the audience to listen to. Do not feel

improvisation or phrasing change may, if it is expressive, help intensify the overall experience of the song. It gives the singer an extra opportunity to add his or her personal touch.

Method for beginning

improvisation There are many excellent books on improvisation theory that recommend if singers wish to work from a theoretical basis |

(you can see the ‘Recommended Reading’ list on the website www.CompleteVocallnstitute.com). The methods described

following pages are for singers who want practical, handy and non-theoretical instructions; how to get started and what to do when you are stuck. in the

234

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Don’t worry about whether your improvisation is correct or not. A general rule which most can agree on is that if you

together with another note, sing the note and again change it until you think it suits the chord. Go through all the notes

think it SOUNDS right, it

in this way. Some notes are easier to change so with the chord than others. On the difficult notes you they go might even feel like using several passing notes before you

IS

in an

right.

When you work with the following exercises, you will hear many notes other than the melody and you may discover

phrasings or improvisations that you like and can keep them as one of your own. It may help to record yourself while prac-

tising in order to remember and re-use the ideas you like.

octave

change to the note you think fits the chord. This ning of improvisation.

is

the begin-

After you have systematically gone through all the notes in an octave in this way, you do not have to fear singing wrong notes in an improvisation because you have practised changing any note until it goes with the chord. Change the chord and continue the exercise the same way. @)) 325

Melodic exercises Choose

a

song you want to improvise on and sing it as you

Play a chord and try deliberately to sing notes outside of the

note that is not contained in the chord. Practise

already know it. Now you can assign yourself various melodic

chord, i.e.

exercises:

changing the note until you find

Start all the melody lines with a note other than the original.

with the chord. Change chord and continue the exercise the same way. @) 326

a

note that sounds good

a

From this new note it is usually difficult to find your way di-

rectly back to the melody so you have to take

musical de-

a

Play

a

chord and alternate between singing notes that are

tour. This is the first improvisation.

actually in the chord and singing other notes that you think sound good with the chord. Try to sing other notes to fill up

Finish all melody lines with a note other than the original.

the space between the notes, creating small melody lines. It does not matter if you sing outside the chord, just try to

Sing every third and fourth word on notes other than the

direct it back to the chord. Change chord and continue the

original.

exercise. @)) 327

Combine these, for instance, start and finish all melody lines

When you start to get comfortable with this, you can change the chords in a rhythmic pattern, creating a rhythmic se-

on notes other than the original.

quence or a groove in the improvisation.

Melodic exercises with an instrument Play

a

triad or a chord on an instrument such as a piano. Sing

all the notes you hear in the chord in as high and low a pitch

Rhythmic exercises

as you are able to. Play a new chord and sing in the same way.

@) 323

Rhythmic exercises with an instrument Play

a

chord and sing ALL the notes you think go with it.

Change the chord and repeat the exercise. @)) 324

Practise playing a percussion instrument as this will help give you a solid grasp of rhythmic concepts as well as a good deal

of rhythmic training. Practise with Play

a

chord on the piano with your left hand and use your

right hand to play any note. Now sing this note and change it until you think it suits the chord. Then play the same chord

something similar. Play sion to it.

It is

a

shaker, tambourine, or

some music you like and

play percus-

an advantage for many singers to be trained

in playing percussion instruments as a supplement to their

singing - and it’s not as easy as it looks.

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235

Rhythmic exercises with

a

metronome

Set the metronome to 80 beats per minute. Sing

a

song and

song and be aware of where you are in the bar at all

practise clapping or beating both straight and triplet subdivi-

times. Get accustomed to tapping with different fingers on

sions of the rhythm in the song. Try to change parts of the

the various beats so that, as an example, the first beat could

melody so it suits the straight and triplet subdivision. Practise

be tapped with the thumb, the second with the index finger,

with different tempi on the metronome. @) 331

Sing

a

the third with the middle finger and the fourth with the ring finger. Make

a

decision for, say

a

month or so, that whenever

you find yourself playing or listening to music, you will know

Rhythmic exercises for two

which beat you are on at all times. By this you will over time

Practise your sense of rhythm by taking turns at improvising

develop your sense of timing and your sense of knowing where you are in the structure of a musical piece. It is a skill

(this is called

that will definitely improve with practice, so don't give up!

over and improvises over the following two. The one who

‘chase’). For instance, the first person starts

imprevising over two bars and then the other person takes is

Set the metronome to 60 beats per minute. First sing

a

not improvising can count the beats out loud, so you al-

note

ways know where in the bar (measure) you are. Find a mutual

on every first beat and then practise singing on every second,

pulse and alternate between being the one counting and the

a

third and fourth beat in the bar. Once you are confident with

one improvising. Try alternating between rhythmic systems

this, try to alternate between which beat in the bar you sing

for improvising such as using only quarter notes (crotchets).

on. Practise with different tempi on the

Later you can try using only half notes (minims), eighth notes

metronome. q) 328

(quavers), and after that, try starting on the “2-and” upbeat

Set the metronome to 60 beats per minute. Become famil-

and so on.

iar with all the upbeats. Practise until you are able to sing on

any upbeat you choose. Sing, for example, on all the ‘3-and’

Practise making longer and longer improvisations. At first

beats. Alternate between singing on certain downbeats and

over two bars, then four, then eight and so on. You can also

in

upbeats. Also practise leaving the note on certain downbeats

try having one person singing long notes which start and

and upbeats. Practise with different tempi on the metro-

ish on certain beats while the other improvises. Later these

nome. @) 329

long notes can be developed into bass lines to accompany

what is being improvised. Set the metronome to 60 beats per minute. Practise making pauses on certain downbeats or upbeats. Pauses are very

important rhythmically. Practise with different tempi on the metronome. Set the metronome to 60 beats per minute. Practise making pauses and practise starting and finishing melody lines on

Method for advanced

improvisation

certain downbeats or upbeats. Design your own exercises. Practise with different tempi on the metronome,

Set the metronome to 80 beats per minute. Sing a song and

Method for advanced melodic training

clap or beat

fast subdivision of the rhythm of the song. Try

Many melodic improvisations and phrasings are based on

to change parts of the melody so they suit the fast subdivi-

the pentatonic scales (for example, all the black keys on the piano) or blues scale. Therefore it might be useful to practise

a

sion. Later on, do the same exercise with

a

slower subdivision.

Practise with different tempi on the metronome. @) 330

236

these scales.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

C- major pentatonic scale,

dietel fare ——

J

Exercise

_|—

J

T

|

|

—|.

@.

=f.

Practise the major pentatonic scale. Sing the first, second, fifth and third, sixth degrees of the C major scale (C, D, E, G, A).

Then start on each note in this scale and sing up through the major pentatonic scale (see diagram: exercise 1). Also practise singing down through the major pentatonic scale from any note in the scale (see diagram exercise 2) : @)) 332. Move the exercise to other keys.

1

===

|

|

rise

Practise the minor pentatonic scale. Sing the first, third, fifth and seventh degrees of the C natural minor scale fourth, (C, Eb, F, G, Bb). Then start on each note in this scale and sing up through the minor pentatonic scale (see diagram: exercise 1). Also practise singing down through the minor pentatonic scale from any note in the scale (see diagram: exercise 2) @)

333, Move the exercise to other keys.

Then practise the blues scale. Sing the first, third, fourth, flattened fifth, fifth and seventh degrees of the C natural minor

|

scale (C, Eb,

|

ET H

:

Exercise

|

TAT letetel fot |

—-

}

I ef

2

Change starting

t

ratote

Tete

ETT TL

You can refer to the third, flattened fifth and seventh step as ‘blue’ notes. Locate all the blue notes in a blues scale. Practise

being able to hit

a

blue note in a song and to start melody

lines on a blue note.

1

Method for advanced rhythmic traini ng

a

Also make exercise

f

and 2

Tlf

| Tt

eu

C minor pentatonic scale

1

+t

n

tone as in

exercise

|

3

F, Gb, G, Bb). Then start on each note in this scale and sing up through the blues scale (exercise 1). Also practise singing down through the blues scale from any note in the scale (exercise 2) @)) 334, Move the exercise to other keys.

Notice the rhythmic phrasings used by other singers. Some singers, like Scottish folk singer Dick Gaughan for example, achieve an advanced rhythmic, percussive effect by emphasising and varying the consonant sounds when singing. This, combined with abrupt changes between the modes, creates advanced rhythmic structures and a broad dynamic range.

C blues scale

Also make exercise

1and2

=

=

at Tr

t

lee

TL

Notice the exercises are here written in C for a better overview. The sound examples are sung in A for women and D for men,

Develop your sense of timing so you know which form the song has and where in the form you are at all times (e.g. the A or B part of a song). Record an accompanimen with A, B t and C parts and practise singing to it. In the beginning you can record a small clap or other percuss ive sound on the

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completev ocalinstitute.com -

237

downbeat every time the form changes so you can hear where in the form you are. Later you can omit these mark-

Improvisation using moods

ers and find your own way into, and perhaps create your own

When you can control the melodic and rhythmic aspects of improvisation and phrasings, you can practise creating im-

build-up to, the various parts.

provisations and phrasings that are rooted in various moods.

You can practise with others who play instruments so that

For example, you can set yourself a task where your improvi-

you can check on each other's sense of timing. You may also practise alone to backing tracks or karaoke CDs/files.

sation or phrasing must emphasise a happy mood and later an unhappy one. The more experienced you become at this,

the more nuances you can add to the expression, e.g. resignaPractise by clapping or beating the rhythmic patterns of the phrasing or the improvisation you sing. The rhythm should

tion, wonder, tired-but-happy and so on.

also sound good when isolated from the melody. This will

Later, examine if you have a subconscious system to inten-

better overview of the rhythmic side of your phras-

sify various moods. Perhaps you want to develop this system further. Try to find other less obvious means of expressing a

give you

a

ings and improvisations.

particular mood or feeling so that, as an example,

a

happy

not only despicted by quick tempo, the use of major

Practise being at the front or the back of the beat. Record

mood

backing music for a song and sing along. At first practise

keys and tonally ascending movements; and conversely an

singing exactly on the beat, then a little behind the beat and finally a little in front of it. Notice the difference in energy and mood when being in front of the beat, on the beat and at the

unhappy mood is not only despicted by a slow tempo, the use of minor keys and tonally descending movements.

back of the

is

beat.) 335

Speak through your songs rhythmically, perhaps make a mark in the text on every beat in the bar (measure). Decide where in the song each phrasing is to be placed rhythmically and

melodically. Practise reproducing this.

Mixing rhythmic and melodic improvisation Finally, mix together the melodic and the rhythmic training

improvisation. Practise either with a metronome, accompanying yourself, or ask someone to record various in a free

chords for you to practise to. There are, by the way, many good backing tracks and karaoke CDs/files that you can practise to if you do not play any instrument.

Notice that the bass line will help anchor you in the structure of the music, so become accustomed to listening to bass lines

while you improvise.

238

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Interpretation and performance Technique and expression

*

This book

is mainly about technique, but not because believe technique is the most important aspect singing. Tech|

of

+

merely THE MEANS by which to express yourself. believe the most important aspect is EXPRESSION, i.e. to say

nique

is

|

something.

The techniques in this book are only tools for musical expression, the possibilities of sound with which to strengthen what you say. Therefore, while techniques are important to improve the musical expression, they are not the ultimate goal. If

technique dominates, singing can often become less

Some singers use special methods to develop their expressive abilities. Others use bit of each method and mix it with their own a intuition.

Whichever method you use, it is advantageous to have worked consciously on this part of your singing. As with improvisation and phrasing, an important part of working with expressing is ‘to have been there before’. When during your work with interpretation you get to know your tools for expression, it becomes easier to express exactly what you wish to convey.

interesting.

Credibility

Choose for yourself important the singer trusts his or her taste, feelings and judgement. Individuality is invaluable. Use techniques to It is

achieve the goal you have for expressiveness. Try to find the tools which you think strengthen your expression, using your

judgement and intuition. Do not be afraid of experimenting because experimentation often brings renewal. Perhaps you should practise with other singers for mutual support and encouragement. It may help develop your ex-

The more precise and solid the portraying of the character of the song and the story of the song, the more credible your expression will be. When you succeed in conveying a precise and solid interpretation of the song, the audience will become involved and will start inventing their own story. Often the audience will recognise situations from their own lives and maybe see situations from new angles. In my experience, those performers who have truly succeeded in providing the

audience with an artistic experience have enabled the audience (consciously or subconsciously) to connect to

pressive skills and practise your ability to hit the spot in your expression. Others may suggest various sound possibilities,

their own minds.

but remember it

Sometimes it

a

story in

your job to artistically choose what and how something is to be told, so trust yourself and your taste. You yourself are the only one who can make these artistic

conveyed by the singer that creates the experience for the audience. It may be a glance, a certain sound, a particular word,

choices and decide how you want to sound. And remember, the options you do NOT take characterise you as an artist as

some perhaps subconscious element both from the singer and the audience that sets up the sentiment. But the condi-

much as the one’s you do choose.

tion for the singing to develop into an artistic experience is that the singer ensures that the story, the character and the

is

The way singers work on their interpretation varies deal as do the results: *

+

a

great

Some singers are not aware of their expression. Some singers use only their intuition and feeling at that

moment (some days it can be extremely intense while on other days it is less convincing).

is as

very important you do not break the illusion once the audience gets involved. If the singer is losing the character or the story, e.g. if the tempo, key, form, lyrics, improvisations It is

etc. do not correspond the interpretation, you will most likely

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

not the story or even the exact expression

convincing as possible. It is important not to lose the story, the character or the interpretation as it will distract the audience from the created mood. interpretation

Many methods

is

239

jolt the audience out of the mood and experience they are having, ie. ‘cut the film’, This can be very frustrating for the

poetic, but it

is

not easily

understood.

audience and the singer/musician immediately loses the conCreate your own translation:

nection to the audience.

translation which might give more meaning (paraphrased):

A

“When look back on my life, |

|

Method for working with expression

remember crossing

a

look back at my see myself crossing a meadow whilst crying”

"When

mead-

life

ow whilst crying”. You should

not sing the translation.

|

|

It is

only designed to help you understand the lyrics.

There are many good books on interpretation which recommend singers work with if they would like to work on their

Translate each verse into everyday language so you understand the verses one-by-one. Maybe each line of the lyric in

interpretation (you can see ‘Recommended Reading List’ on

the verse does not give an exact meaning.

|

the website www.CompleteVocallnstitute.com). Create a translation of each verse which is meaningful"to

practical, tangible method which from experience has proven very efficient and easy to use. You can use it as method to get started, what to do when Here

|

will go through

a

you.

Finally make up your mind what the song is about.

a

you get stuck, or you can use it to further develop the methods you already have. Again, as with all singing, this is just a

suggestion; a possibility amongst many. You can either use it, use parts of it, change it, or, if the method does not work for you, forget it, and waste no more time on it.

Moods in lyrics and melody Decide which moods and what message the lyrics contain. Decide which moods and what message the melody contains.

Analysing lyrics and melody

Do the moods and message in the lyrics and melody correspond? Maybe the mood of the words is happy, light and

Translating

reason why there is no correspondence between the mood

It is

easy, but the mood of the melody is heavy and dark. Find the

usually a pre-condition for working on interpretation that

light and easy and the melody is heavy and dark it maybe because the main character of the song is trying to maintain

you understand the lyrics in detail: If

the lyrics are not in your

first language, translate each

and messages of the word and melody. If the lyric is happy,

Original lyrics: "Tilbageblik

a

happy facade whilst actually feeling miserable.

graedende eng

word,

Know the story Then translate the song line

Direct translation of each

Decide what the story is

Example: The song is about

by line into plain, everyday

word: "Retrospect crying meadow" (lyrics can be very

about. Base it on the transla-

an unhappy person.

language so all the lyric lines, one by one, are understood.

cryptic)

tion and, possibly, any incon-

For instance, ‘retrospect cry-

gruity between the mood and messages in the lyrics

ing meadow’ may be very

and melody.

240

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

invent the previous history of the events described using a lot of detail. What is the

The story:

Why are the words being said? For seeking comfort?

The loved one of the character has moved out a

In an

argument? Because of

dilemma?

week ago after having found someone else.

overwhelming joy?

Build the current situation

The character is confused

Where and when are the

around the event described

and alternates between

in the lyrics, again with a lot

wanting the loved one back or never wanting to see her/

of detail, so that the situation

him again.

things being said? a

Wendy seeks comfort, scolding the boyfriend, and tries to get hold of her

street on

a

In

bed?

emotions,

Wendy sits half-drunk and miserable in her kitchen at

In

half past one at night talking

dark night? Ona

to a friend.

meadow at dawn?

is easier to imagine.

Progression, turning points and subtext

Create the character

Many songs go through a

Create your character (the

Creating the character:

progression and have turn-

The progress and turning

person singing) with so much

“Wendy” - woman, 30 years

ing points and subtexts.

points:

detail that you feel as though you know him or her. Give

old, normal appearance,

quiet type, smokesa lot, has lived together with her

From the story and the ac-

boyfriend for 2 years.

tual situation in the song,

superficial cheeerfulness to hide how miserable she is.

him or her a

gender, age, look,

1.

a

style, clothing, background,

put together the story which

type, personality, name and

nothing wrong, then she will

someone you know. Never

happening in each verse and find the progression of the song and eventually the

use yourself as the charac-

turning points. For instance,

ter. It is important that you

the first turning point may be the third verse, where

2. Verse: Wendy alternates between cheerfulness and

a

is

job. You can even base it on

take care of your own heart and do not use yourself as

the main character breaks

the character.

It can

be very

down and talks about how

tough and not healthy for

bad things actually are. The

your physical well-being to relive drastic or traumatic

fourth verse, where the main

situations from your own life,

sees a brighter future, may be

night after night.

the second turning point.

What

is

the character doing

in the song? Talking? Think-

character finds comfort and

Wendy talks partly

to

herself

and partly to her girlfriend.

ing? Shouting?

Find a subtext to each verse, in

other words, create

a

Subtext:

"|

pretend there is

probably leave soon”,

rage.

Sub text: "How could he do it?”

3. Verse: Wendy falls apart and says how bad a state

she is in,

4. Verse: Wendy gets comforted and starts feeling the future looks more bright.

word

or a sentence to describe the main character's real feelings

that underlie the verse, for instance,

mt

Verse: Wendy starts with a

Who is he or she addressing

Wendy tells the story to her

and are they present? Herself/

girlfriend,

a

verse that describes

the main character of the song as trying to maintain a happy facade: ‘Pretend nothing is wrong; hopefully she'll leave

Himself? A friend? A mother?

soon’. To know the subtext for each verse often makes it easi-

A child? A lover?

er to channel the right expression into the verse.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

241

discrepancy between the lyric and its meaning, try to find the subtext. For instance, if the lyric says: ‘It’s great that you came, please come in’, the subtext may be:

comes to choose what he or she would choose and the more

‘Oh please go away, don’t want you to see me crying’.

After this comes

If you

think there

is

|

In

the beginning it can be an advantage to find the subtext in

get to know how it works, later you can find the subtext in only certain passages or specific words. Note that the idea of the subtext is not for the audience to understand,

credible the character becomes.

a

large amount of experimentation, deci-

sion-making and practice of the various means of expression which convey this expression in the best way.

all the lines to

the subtext only serves to help the singer create and reproduce a solid interpretation.

The song’s mind of its own Often you will discover that as you experiment with the technical tools in order to achieve a certain mood, the story and the character might ‘have a mind of its own’ and start interfering. Maybe you cannot make certain tools work, even though

they seem very reasonable. Often you will experience that a certain passage only wants to be sung in one special way

The actual work of the singer

regardless of how many different ways you try.

It is

my expe-

Describing the character by means of sounds

rience that you can experience a new side of the story and

How would the character in

the character which you have overlooked in the first place, by experimenting in the direction pointed out by the song and

this song react to what has

happened?

Is

the character

hot tempered and shouts

when s/he gets angry? Or

Wendy has a quiet personality and cries when she gets angry:

the character. When you understand why you are choosing the certain sounds, pitch etc, it is much easier to reproduce the expression and perfect it.

is

s/he a more quiet type who is

crying heartbreakingly?

Summary How would the character, with his or her personality

Wendy

is

rather quiet also

when she falls apart.

the

progression and the

important questions:

turning points in the song? Which modes, types of vibrato, attacks, pitch and improv-

isation should you choose to

for every single song for the rest of your life. When you get experienced in working with interpretation you can go directly to the

and history, express the sub-

texts,

You do not have to go through all the ingredients in this method

+»

Wendy mostly uses Neutral and Curbing and very little vibrato.

What is the story/drama/dilemma?

+

Who is the character? What is s/he doing?

+

Who is this addressed to? Where is s/he?

+

Why is this said/sung?

All the details are not necessary each time, but very useful if you feel stuck working with the interpretation of the song.

illustrate the main character and his or her sentiment?

Which sound, pitch, volume, phrasing, words and effects

Wendy does not use many ornamentations or a large

will the character choose?

range of notes, and no effects, not even when she

The better you know your

gets angry.

character, the easier it be-

Working together with the band Joint expression It is

not enough that the singer is very conscious of a song's

interpretation if the various members of the band are using

242

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

different expressions. If the entire band works in unison, the expression is intensified and the audience is more likely to be

Performance

captivated.

This content is meant as a help for new bands.

Decide which genre of music, tempo, instruments, key, form and gestures are best suited to convey the expression and

Designate a leader

the story of the song.

The singer

Remember that some songs are ‘loaded’ in the sense that the audience already knows a certain version of the song for in-

and may therefore seem to be the leader. This can easily result in extra pressure felt by the singer. If this happens, con-

stance the original version. It is important that you know this version and decide how it corresponds with your story and character so you can take the expectation of the audience

centrate on the songs and the character so you don’t think of yourself and where you are situated. If you are nervous, it

into account.

concentrating too little on the story and the character. Therefore, it is often an advantage that you have, for the concert, a

If the

song has been recorded by others it may be inspiring to hear their interpretation. By this you might learn new sides to

designated member of the band to take the decisions, for instance which song to play or if some confusion occurs. Avoid

the story or the character which you might want to incorporate in your version.

unnecessary and long breaks in order not to bore the audi-

is

not necessarily the leader of the band, but dur-

ing a performance the singer will be the focus of attention

Take into account the charisma of the band.

It

might be diffi-

might be

a

sign of you being too aware of the situation and

ence, or ‘break the film’, between songs. If there are too many breaks the overall effect of the concert will be boring even if

the songs are performed amazingly.

cult to convey tenderness and devotion if the charisma of the band is tough and unapproachable. Take into account personal gesturing and facial expressions, e.g. some singers and

Presentation

musicians unconsciously grimace when they sing or play.

Try not to worry about how you look. It signals that you do not feel comfortable and this insecurity is transmitted to the

Make sure the musical ideas presented in the solos corre-

audience. When the audience applauds, acknowledge and

spond with the song's interpretation. The solo could express the thoughts of the main character, be the comforting friend, or a rousing speech to oneself. Maybe the turning point of

accept it and show that you appreciate that they like the music even if you are unhappy with your performance. Avoid

the story

is in

the solo.

stepping back just after you have said or played something. It gives a negative impression of what you have just said or played.

Train so all members of the band are taking part in what is be-

ing played. For instance, think about what has just been said/ played. This way you can avoid being the redundant ‘lost’

singer/musician who does not know what to do with her/

Be aware of your own behavioural changes, i.e what you do

unconsciously when you get nervous, and stop them. It spoils the overall impression if the performer is constantly adjusting

himself when the others sing/play. Train passing on the solos. Play to each other and develop further each others ideas

their hair, crossing their arms etc. The audience can read that

based on the same story.

ably the audience should not be distracted from concentrat-

you feel insecure and this will spoil their experience. Prefering on the music.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

243

Where to look

fore performing at the stage. Remember also to enjoy it while

Some people find it distracting when a singer/musician looks them straight in the eyes during a concert. It can jolt the au-

you are there.

dience out of the experience. Focus lightly on the back wall or the foreheads of members of the audience, just above the eyes. This will make them feel as if you are present and looking at them without it feeling too invasive or intimate and

spoil the expression.

If you make a mistake Avoid drawing attention to the fact that you have made a mistake. Stay in the interpretation even during the worst mistakes. Often the audience does not notice the mistakes,

but will be distracted if the band leaves the story. If you look

appropriately convincing, as if the mistake was made on purpose, you can also convince the audience. If you make mistakes with lyrics or melody, improvise; sing something else, but keep the character, the story and the expression, even

though you do not know where you are in the song. Keep the energy going and tell the story.

Remember to enjoy it Nervousness is

a

natural reaction to stressful situations where

the body releases adrenalin which makes the heart beat faster, your body sweat and your hands shake. Adrenalin ensures you are physically ready for the demands of the performance so do not be too concerned when you start getting nervous. Usually the audience does not understand why musicians and singers are nervous about being ina situation they have chosen for themselves. There is no reason to be nervous if you have practised and know your performance. Remember, the

audience has come to hear what you are singing or playing.

Sometimes it takes the edge off the nervousness if you think about why you are nervous. What is the worst thing that can

that really so bad that just the sheer fright of it should spoil the present experience for you and for the happen? And

is

audience? You can also think through why you are performing. Most singers and musicians have worked hard for many years be-

244

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Physical Exercise Stand with your feet about fifty centi-

The concept of exercise

metres apart. Point your feet outwards

It is important for a singer to be familiar with the muscles of the body. Muscles must be kept in shape and strengthened, but you must also be able to relax them. All this requires

little, stretch your right arm upwards as

a

though trying to touch the ceiling while bending the right knee. Change sides

knowledge and control of your body. If you exercise frequently, you will become familiar with your muscles and be

and stretch the opposite side in a long,

able to quickly identify and remove unwanted muscular tensions before they settle permanently.

ternating sides, 8-16 times in total.

>

\

deep movement. Repeat the exercise, al-

Remember, as with vocal exercises, if an exercise hurts or feels unpleasant or wrong, then it is wrong. Stop doing the exercise immediately.

Head and neck Slowly turn your head from side to side. Do this very slowly so as not to pull

a

muscle. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Also be careful not to trigger constriction while you exercise.

Avoid pushing the abdomen outwards and avoid tightening the abdominal muscles to the point that they feel hard and

Move your left ear towards your left shoulder. Lower the right shoulder si-

locked. Avoid protruding your jaw and tightening your lips during exercise. These types of tensions can trigger constric-

stretch on the right side of your neck.

tion in the throat, which can impair the voice. Hoarseness is

Maintain the stretch and try to relax as

occasionally observed as an unwanted side effect of heavy workouts where there has not been enough attention aimed

you breathe and let go from within.

at avoiding constriction.

multaneously. You should feel

a

long

Change to the other side in a smooth, gliding movement and repeat. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Bring your chin down towards your chest

Warming up

and roll your head slowly and CAREFUL-

Shake and stretch your body gently. Run or jump for about

LY to the left in a smooth, gliding move-

five minutes.

ment. When your head is as far to the left as it can go, carefully lift your chin and

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight,

swing your arms above your head and rise up on your tiptoes. Then put your feet flat again, bend your knees, bend

look up. Hold this stretch, try to relax as you breathe and let go from within. Then bring the chin

forwards and swing your arms down past your sides. Let your

back down towards your chest and roll your head to the right. Repeat the movement on this side. Repeat 4 times on each

arms swing back and stand up straight again. Do the exercise

side.

in a smooth,

gliding movement. Repeat 8 times.

Shoulders

ape!

The more relaxed your shoulders are, the more energy you have for other parts of the body. The shoulders are an area

often subject to excess tension while singing. Stand with

your

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

feet shoulder-width apart. Lift both shoulders

up to your ears, tighten them and then relax the shoulders

245

and lower them for just as long as they were tightened. Try to push them down a little bit more and then let them return them to their relaxed position. Repeat 4 times.

cycle of these movements. Start by moving your chest forwards, to the left side, then to the back and then to the right side. Make a circle gently with smooth movements a Now make

a

couple of times. Then do it in the opposite direction. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your right hand on your right

shoulder and your left hand on your left shoulder and point your elbows out to

Abdomen

the sides. Gently move your elbows in circles, first in small circles, then larger

The strength and flexibility of the abdominal muscles has a great effect on the support so it is essential for singers to have

and then even larger. Then make the

as much strength and stamina in the abdomen as possible.

circles smaller and smaller again until the circles are so small that there is almost no movementin the arms. Start again, but

At the same time it

now make circles in the opposite direction. Repeat twice.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your shoulders forward and try to lift them up while keeping them forward. When you have lifted your shoulders as high as possible, draw them back behind you and keep them together

important to learn how to relax these muscles so they are not tightened all the time as this wastes energy. So you must be able to tighten and relax these musis

cles at will. Then when you practise support, the idea is to control singing through the muscular strength and stamina

achieved through these exercises.

as high as possible. Now lower the shoulders as much as

Always remember when training the abdominal muscles to straighten the curve of the back to avoid injuring the back.

possible while keeping the shoulder blades together. Finish the circle movement by pulling the shoulder forward in front

lower back is always in contact with the floor!

of the body again. Repeat

a

few times in

a

This means when exercising lying down to make sure the

smooth, gliding

movement, then circle the shoulders in opposite direction a couple of times.

ALSO BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRESS THE ABDOMEN OUTWARDS DURING EXERCISES SINCE THIS WILL WORK IN AN INCORRECT SUPPORT! Lie on your back with your

The upper body The more flexible the upper body, the easier the work with

knees bent, your feet on the ground, your hands behind

support becomes.

your head and your elbows pointing out. Lift your shoulders and neck slightly, be careful

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your hips and

not to pull your neck muscles. Hold the neck motionless by letting the head and neck rest in your hands, then point your nose down towards your chest and at the same time push

keep the legs, hips and head still. Move your chest gently forwards and the

the lumbar region into the floor. Feel how your abdominal muscles start to work. Find the point where they work hard-

shoulders backwards and then the chest

est and make small movements - smooth contractions, NOT

gently backwards and the shoulders forwards. Practise ONLY moving the chest.

to jerks so the muscles really work. Train yourself to be able make these small movements about 100 times. Take a break

Then CAREFULLY move your chest to one side and then the

whenever necessary.

other a few times.

246

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Stretching the abdominal muscles

Repeat the same exercise with one leg raised off the floor

x

pointing towards the ceiling

It is

important to stretch the muscles you are training.

and the other on the floor as

Lie on your stomach with your

before. You must feel your lumbar region pressing against the

elbows on the floor with the

floor at all times. Again, lift your shoulders and neck slightly, being careful not to pull your neck muscles and point your

hands pointing forward (i.e.

—

nose down towards your chest. Change legs and repeat the

Sphinx position). Imagine you are pulling yourself forward by the fingertips until you feel the abdomen stretching. Also

exercise. Train yourself to be able to make these small move-

from this position, stretch the oblique (side) muscles. Start

ments about 100 times with each leg raised. Train so that you

by leaning over to your left side, so your weight is over your left arm. Then repeat the stretch leaning over to your right

use the leg resting on the floor as little as possible; let your

abdominal muscles do the work.

side. In this exercise be sure not to straighten out the arch in the lower back; you should not bend forward. Maintain the

Repeat the same exercise, but

stretch and try to relax while you breathe and let go from within. Repeat this until you feel that your abdominal mus-

now lift both legs pointing

2

towards the ceiling. Do not

cles have been stretched. You can do this exercise between

straighten your knees. Make

the strengthening exercises.

sure your knees are above the body, so you keep the lum-

bar region in contact with the floor at all times. Train yourself to be able to make small, smooth movements - NOT jerks -

about 100 times.

The back muscles

Lie on your back with your

The back muscles are as important as the abdominal muscles in the act of supporting the voice. It is essential to have a

hands behind your head as

strong back to have strong support.

before and your legs pointing

cle groups related to the back are equally as strong as those

;

towards the ceiling and your knees slightly bent as before. Again, make sure the lumbar sO as

underneath you

Lie on your abdomen with

your hands by your sides. Keep

a

soft pad

body as before and lift your buttocks until they just come off the floor. Train yourself to be able to repeat this exercise about 20 times.

important that mus-

related to the abdomen in order to avoid back problems.

not to hurt your spine. Position the upper part of your

region touches the floor and use

It is

yy

)

the neck straight and do not bend it backwards. Lift the whole upper part of your body just slightly from the floor. Train yourself to be able to repeat the exercise 50 times.

Lie on your back with your

knees bent, your feet on the

When you wish to intensify

floor and your hands behind

the exercise, repeat it with the

your head. Lift one leg off the floor and lift the opposite el-

back of your hands placed on

bow towards the raised knee. Repeat the exercise on the oth-

your forehead. Build yourself up slowly over time so that you

er side and again make small sustained movements without

are able to repeat the exercise 50 times.

jerking. Change sides after each time and train yourself to be able to make the small movements about 50 times.

Sit cross-legged on the floor with a straight back, hands rest-

DK

)

ing on your legs. Start by bringing your chin down towards

your chest and let your back follow as slowly as possible.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

247

Continue in

gliding

a

long, gentle,

movement,

rolling

your legs. This will straighten the back. Stay in this position for moment. Bring

'

if

a

your head forward and down

your pelvis back to its normal position

towards the legs, letting the

and then push it backwards, as if curv-

back follow in the movement, vertebrae by vertebrae. Then

ing your back. Maintain this position for

slowly roll back up again, imagining that you are placing one

a

straight once

moment and then bring your pelvis back to the normal position. Bend your

more. Continue the movement, lift your head and continue

knees a bit more and repeat the move-

moment

ments: normal, forwards, normal, back-

and then restart the cycle by rolling your head down and for-

wards, normal. Then bend your knees a

wards again. Repeat the exercise 4 times.

little more and repeat the movements

vertebra on top of another until the back

is

lifting the chest as high as possible. Stay there for

a

here. After that, straighten your knees

2

a

little and repeat the movements again.

Stretching the back muscles

Straighten your knees

Lie on your back and slowly

peat the movements one more time. Re-

pull both legs up to your chest.

peat this whole exercise 4 times, shaking

Maintain the stretch and relax

your legs in between if you need to.

a

bit more and re-

while you breathe and let go from within.

Stretching the muscles of the lumbar region Sit on the floor with your legs

Lie down on your

stretched forward. Place the

left side with the left

sole of your right foot on the

leg

outstretched.

floor outside (on the left of)

Bend your right leg

the left knee. Turn your body backwards to the right, place

so that the knee is on the floor and place the sole of your right

your right hand on the floor behind you and straighten your

right knee and look back over your shoulder. Maintain the

foot on your left knee. Put your left hand on your right knee and your right hand on top of it. Now carefully move your stretched right arm in a circle along the floor, passing the

stretch, try to relax as you breathe and let go from within.

head and stop at a point behind your head. Turn your head

Change to the other side.

and look back at your arm. Maintain the stretch and try to re-

back. Perhaps put your left elbow on the right side of your

lax while you breathe and let go from within. Try over time to

make your arm come close to the floor. Lie in this position for a

couple of minutes and then move your arm back ALONG

The lumbar region

THE SAME PATH past your head.

The muscles of the lumbar region must be strengthened so

damaging the shoulder joints. Rest for ing to the other side.

they can work during support.

It is

very important to avoid a

while before chang-

Stand with a straight back with approxi-

mately half

a

metre between your feet.

Point your feet slightly outwards. Hold

>

onto something and bend your knees a

little. Pull your pelvis up under your

body, as if you are pressing it in between

248

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Three Overall principles

Download ‘The CVT Sound Library’ from the internet:

Exercises for support values 4) Support values for high notes

www.completevocaltechnique.com/soundlibrary

Support values for low notes Support values for long notes Support values for pitch and the time factor Support values for volume Hum an octave

—

Hum

q ))

List of Sound Examples

The numbers of the sound examples are not in numerical order throughout the book. The sound examples are instead collected in groups so that the sound exam-

two octaves

Exercise with vowels 4) 8

Practise the vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’}

9

Practise the vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’)

10

Practise the vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’}

11

Practise the vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’)

12

Practise the vowel ‘00’ (as in ‘you’)

13

Practise the vowel

ples can be used for practice purposes.

14

Practise the vowel ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’)

15

Practise the vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’}

Exercises for commonly-used technical subjects

16

Practise the vowel ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’)

First you will find the exercises which address the most commonly-used technical

17

Practise the vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’)

18

subjects:

Practise the vowel ‘OR’ (as in ‘order’)

19

Numbers

1

—

Numbers 55

Numbers 163

Practise changing between vowels EE-I-EH-A-

00-0-0H-AH

54: exercises for the three overall principles

- 162: exercises for the various vocal modes - 209: exercises for sound colour, and

finally

‘0’ (as in ‘woman’)

Practise changing between consonants and vowels

20

21

Numbers 210 - 316: exercises for effects,

__

Practise octaves and merged sound

Twang: finding twang through sound

49

Exercises for more specific subjects After this follows the exercises which address more specific subjects such ast Numbers 317 — 322: exercises for fine tuning Numbers 323 - 335: exercises for improvising and phrasing Number 336 - 344: programme for Emergency Aid Numbers 345

—

350: troubleshooting exercises, and finally

Numbers 323 - 417: various isolated examples

22

|mitate an infant crying

23

Imitate

a

duck quacking

24

Making your voice grating and witch-like

25

Speaking like someone who

26

Imitating a diving aeroplane

27

Making the sound of driving

28

Imitating

the sound of

a

has evil plan an a

toy car

very loud ambulance

siren

29

Say ‘Meow’ like

a

cat (without the 00-sound) or

say ‘niet’ 30

Notice the volume!

—_|mitate

Andrea from the puppet show ‘Kaj og

Andrea’

Notice that the volume of the modes on the sound examples is rather different from the acoustic volume ofthe modes. If the volumes were reproduced as they are

31

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) with distinct twang

32

The vowel

acoustically you would constantly have to turn the volume up and down accordingly. As a result, the volume levels on the sound examples have been equalised,

33

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) with distinct twang

34

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) with distinct twang

35

The vowel

36

The vowel

which means that the less metallic sounds have been boosted (to make Neutral loud enough to be heard) and the more metallic sounds have been compressed (to make sure Overdrive and Edge are not distorted). The sound examples are appropriately presented in order to be able to recognise the character of the modes, but

do not get confused by the equalised volumes. Acoustically Curbing, Overdrive and Edge will be much louder than Neutral.

I’ (as in ‘sit’) with distinct twang

‘00’ (asin ‘you’) with distinct twang

‘0’

(as in ‘woman’) with distinct

twang 37

The vowel ‘OH’ (as irt‘so’) with distinct twang

38

The vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) with distinct twang

39

The vowel ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’) with distinct twang

40

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’} with distinct

twang

Completing the note 4)

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

41

Completing the note without support

42

Completing the note with support

249

Attacks 4)

‘0’ (as in ‘woman’) in Edge

82

The vowel ‘OH’ (as in ’so’) in Curbing

130

The vowel

The vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) in Curbing

131

The vowel ‘OH’ (as in so’) in Edge

43

Practise attack in Neutral with air

83

44

Practise attack in Neutral without air

84

The vowel ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) in Curbing

132

The vowel ‘AH’ (as in ‘far’) in Edge

45

Practise attack in Curbing

85

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in

133

The vowel ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’) in Edge

46

Practise attack in Overdrive

86

All vowels with clenched teeth: EE-I-EH-A-00Q-QH-AH-OE-UH

134

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) in Edge

47

Practise attack in Edge

87

Volume 4)

‘hungry’

in Curbing

135

Keep the position of the larynx on ‘I’ ‘0’ and ‘UH’ practise same position from ‘I’ to ‘0’ and ‘I’ to

Edge in the low part of the voice

136

3-note scale in Edge

‘UH!

137

5-note scale in Edge

Keep the position of the larynx from ‘I’ to ‘EE’ and to ‘00’ and ‘I’ to ‘OE’

138

Practise light sound colour in Edge

139

Practise less light sound colour in Edge

48

Practise thinning and pianissimo

49

Increasing the volume (crescendo)

50

Decreasing the volume (decrescendo)

89

140

51

Practise increasing and decreasing the volume (crescendo and decrescendo)

Keep the position of the larynx from ‘UH’ to ‘OH’ and ‘I’ to ‘EH’

Singing in Edge in the low, medium, and high part of the voice

90

Curbing in the low part of the voice

141

Edge in classical singing ONLY MALE EXAMPLE

91

3-note scale in Curbing

92

5-note scale in Curbing

Various parts of the voice @) 52

53

54

Practise the extreme part of the voice: very low part ofthe voice Practise the extreme part of the voice: very high part of the voice

88

‘T

Practise light sound colour in Curbing

Practise-vowels

94

Practise dark sound colour in Curbing

143

Changing between Neutral and Overdrive

95

Singing in Curbing in low, medium and high part of the voice

144

From Overdrive to Edge

145

From Curbing to Edge

Curbing in classical singing

146

From Curbing to Neutral without air

147

Exercise at powerful volume

148

Exercise at medium volume

149

Exercise at soft volume

150

Exercise for crescendo

151

Exercise for decrescendo

152

Exercise for decrescendo and crescendo

93

Practise flexibility in connection with the various parts of the voice, sound colours, vowels,

volume, tempos

96

and

Overdrive

Exercises for the modes Neutral 55

4)

UH

56

Neutral without air EE-I-EH-A-00-0-OH-AH-OEUH

57

Single notes

58

5-note scale

59

Octave scale

|

4)

Overdrive ‘EH’ and ‘OH’

97

Single notes on ‘EH’ (as in ‘let’)

98

Single notes on ‘OH’ (as in ’so’)

99

Neutral with air: EE-l-EH-A-00-0-OH-AH-OE-

Exercise for use of the modes 4) 142

100

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) in Overdrive

101

The vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) in Overdrive

102

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’} in Overdrive

103

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in Overdrive

104

The vowel

‘00’ (as in ‘you’)

105

The vowel

‘0’ (as in ‘woman’)

106

153

Exercise for crescendo and decrescendo

154

Alteration of vowels in Neutral with air

155

Alteration of vowels in Neutral without air

156

Alteration of vowels in Curbing

157

Alteration of vowels in Overdrive

158

Alteration of vowels in Edge

in Overdrive in Overdrive

The vowel ‘OH’ (as in ‘so’} in Overdrive

60

Arpeggios

107

The vowel ‘AH’ {as in ‘far’) in Overdrive

61

Practise light sound colour in Neutral with air

108

The vowel ‘OE’ (as in ‘herb’) in Overdrive

62

Practise dark sound colour in Neutral with air

Speech Technique 4)

109

The vowel ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’) in Overdrive

159

63

sound colour in Neutral without Practise light

Speaking in Neutral

110

Alternation of vowels in Overdrive ‘hey baby’

160

Speaking in Overdrive

111

Alternation of vowels in Overdrive ‘I love you’

161

Speaking in Curbing

air

112

Overdrive in the low part of the voice

162

Speaking in Edge

65

Exercise in raising the larynx

113

Powerful low notes

66

Volume in Neutral: crescendo and decrescendo

114

3-note scale in Overdrive

67

Singing Neutral with air

115

5-note scale in Overdrive

air

64

Practise

dark sound colour in Neutral without

in low, medium and

high part of the voice 68

Singing Neutral without air

in low, medium and

high part of the voice 69

Neutral in classical singing

70

Finding metal-like Neutral

71

Single notes in metal-like Neutral

Curbing

Sound Colour

116

Practise light sound colour in Overdrive

117

Practise dark sound colour in Overdrive

118

Singing in Overdrive in the low, middle and high part of the voice (the high part of the voice is only sung

119

bya male)

Overdrive in classical singing

Edge 4)

4)

The positions of the vocal tract in one mode 4) 163

Distinct twang in Neutral without air

164

Necessary twang

165

Raised larynx in Neutral

166

Lowered larynx in Neutral without air

167

Broad tongue in Neutral without air

in Neutral

without air

without air

120

Edge ‘I’, ‘EH’, ‘A’, ‘OE’

168

Compressed tongue in Neutral without air

Single notes on ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’)

121

Single notes on ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’)

169

Smile in Neutral without air

74

Single notes on ‘0’ (as in ‘woman’)

122

Single notes on ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’)

170

Relaxed mouth in Neutral

75

Single notes on ‘UH’ (as in ‘hungry’)

123

Single notes on ‘A’ (as in ‘and’)

171

Lowered palate in Neutral without air

76

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) in Curbing

124

Single notes on ‘OE’ {as in ‘herb’)

172

Raised palate in Neutral without air

77

The vowel ‘I’ (as

125

The vowel ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’) in Edge

173

Open nasal passage in Neutral without air

78

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) in Curbing

126

The vowel ‘I’ (as in ‘sit’) in Edge

174

Closed nasal passage in Neutral without air

79

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in Curbing

127

The vowel ‘EH’ (as in ‘stay’) in Edge

80

The vowel

‘00’

128

The vowel ‘A’ (as in ‘and’) in Edge

81

The vowel

‘0’ (as in ‘woman’)

129

The vowel

72

curbing: ‘I’,

73

250

0’,

‘UH’

in‘sit’)

in Curbing

(as in ‘you’) in Curbing in Curbing

‘00’ (as in ‘you’)

without air

in Edge

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

4)

Epiglottic funnel 175

Practise with air

distinct and necessary twang

in Neutral

Practise distinct and necessary twang in Neutral without air

177

Practise

distinct and

necessary

twang

in

necessary

twang

in

Curbing

179

Practise light and dark sound colour in Neutral with air

205

176

178

Dark and light Sound Colour in all Vocal Modes 4)

Practise distinct Overdrive

and

Practise distinct and necessary twang in Edge

206

Practise light and dark sound colour in Neutral

without air 207

Practise light and dark sound colour in Curbing

208

Practise light Overdrive

209

Practise

dark

and

sound

colour

181

Practise raised and lowered larynx in Neutral with air Practise raised and lowered larynx in Neutral

without air

light dark sound colour in Edge and

182

Practise raised and lowered larynx in Curbing

183

Practise raised and lowered larynx in Overdrive

184

Practise raised and lowered larynx in Edge

Effects Distortion

4)

Find the noise

211

Imagine you are annoyed Happy sigh

213

Add distortion

214

Add and remove distortion

Practise broad and compressed tongue in Neutral with air

215

Diminish distortion

216

5-note scale with distortion

186

Practise broad and compressed tongue in Neutral without air

217

Distortion in Neutral with air

218

Distortion in Neutral without air

187

Practise

219

Distortion in Curbing

220

Distortion in Overdrive

Overdrive

221

Practise broad and compressed tongue in Edge

185

broad

and

compressed tongue

in

broad

and

compressed tongue

in

Curbing 188

189

Practise

Corners of the mouth 190

191

192

@

Practise smile and relaxed corners of the mouth in Neutral with air

Practise smile and relaxed corners of the mouth in Neutral without air Practise smile and relaxed corners of the mouth in Curbing

193

Practise smile and relaxed corners of the mouth in Overdrive

248

Growl with closed mouth

249

Darker growl

250

Change between growl and note

251

Growling3

252

Growl in singing

253

Growl in Neutral with air

notes up and down

254

Growl in Neutral without air

255

Growl in Curbing

256

Growl in Overdrive

257

Growl in Edge

258

Pitch illusion

Grunt #)

210 1

212

Tongue 4)

Add growl

in

Larynx 4) 180

247

259

Finding grunt

260

Sounding annoyed

261

Increase the volume

262

From Neutral with air to Grunt

263

Adding the bite

264

Finding grunt via Growl

265

Keeping

266

Making the sound colour darker

267

Sustained Grunt

268

Alternating between note and grunt

269

Grunt3

Distortion in Edge

270

Gruntin singing

222

Distortion in singing in low, medium and high part ofthe voice

Scream 4)

223

Transitions with distortion

271

Scream in Neutral

224

Full distortion

272

Scream in Curbing

273

Scream in Edge

274

Combined screams: Edge to Neutral

Creak and Creaking 225

Find creak

226

Directly onto creak

227

‘From creak to a note

228

Distorted attack

4)

airto creak

a

lazy tongue

notes up and down

275

Combined screams: Neutral to Overdrive

276

Adding distortion to scream

277

Full distorted scream

278

Distorted flageolet scream

Practise smile and relaxed corners of the mouth

229

From creak to Neutral with

in Edge

230

From

231

From creak to Curbing to creak

279

Break between metallic and non-metallic mode

232

From creak to Overdrive to creak

280

Yodeling

233

From creak to Edge to creak

281

Expanding the interval in breaks

234

without air

Singing with creak

282

5-note scale with breaks

235

Finding creaking by maintaining the creak

283

197

Practise lowered and raised palate in Curbing

Breaking from

236

284

198

Practise lowered and raised in Overdrive

Finding creaking Curbing

Breaks in singing

199

Practise lowered and raised palate in Edge

237

Remove and add creaking

238

Directly ‘loud’ creaking

239

Creaking five notes up and down

240

Singing with creaking

194

Palate 4) 195

196

Practise lowered and raised palate in Neutral with air

Practise lowered and raised palate in Neutral

Nasal Passage 4) 200

Practise open and closed nasal passage in Neutral with air

201

Practise open and closed nasal passage in Neutral without air

202

Practise open and closed nasal passage in Curbing

203

204

creak to Neutral without air

to creak

‘between’ Overdrive and

onto

Rattle @) 241

242

Rattle instead of distortion Added

saliva

Vocal breaks 4)

a

mode to no sound and back

Air added 4) 285

Exercises for breathy sound

Vibrato 4) vibrato

286

Practising

287

Evenand light hammer vibrato

288

Laryngeal vibrato

289

Practising laryngeal vibrato

hammer

Practise open and closed nasal passage in Overdrive

243

‘Rrr’- rattle

290

Practising the speed of vibrato

244

‘Kkkrrr’- rattle

291

Vibrato ona note

Practise open and closed nasal passage in Edge

245

292

Start without vibrato and gradually add it towards the end

293

Making the vibrato faster

294

Making the vibrato slower

Singing with rattle

Growl 246

4)

.

Imitating Kermit the Frog

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

251

295

Singing with

338

Two different accentuations

Finding Overdrive through sound 4)

296

Singing with laryngeal vibrato

339

Several accentuations

376

Imitating

297

Singing with no vibrato

340

Clearer voice

377

298

Adapting vibrato to the subdivisons in 4/4

341

Gradually raising the pitch

Shouting to someone in the street

378

299

Adapting vibrato to the subdivisons in 6/8

342

Exercise of 5-note scales on ‘EE’ (as in ‘see’)

Crying for joy (as if someone has scored a goal in a football match)

300

Too much vibrato (a wobble)

343

Exercise of

octave on ‘EE’

379

Speaking provokingly and in

301

Tremolo

344

Exercise of an octave on different vowels

380

Singing like at a football match

302

Exercise for removing tremolo

381

{mitate aloud drunk

382

Finding

vibrato

hammer

an

Trouble shooting 4)

Ornamentation technique 4)

345

Abreak due to change of mode

a

market

sellers

Finding Edge 4)

method Hammer vibrato

346

Avoiding breaks on descending melodic lines

304

Laryngeal vibrato method

347

Avoiding breaks on ascending melodic lines

383

Finding Edge by ‘n-giii’

348

Flageolet below high

384

Froma

349

Splitting

350

How to get rid of

Finding the grid in different tempos

306

Changing note on every 3rd, 4th pulsations

307

308

Adding and removing the grid The grid in all modes

310

Ornamentation in Neutral with air

311

Ornamentation in Neutral

312

Ornamentation in Curbing

314

5th

without air

sharp and snarling sound into

split

385

Click-sound

386

Assisting mode

Various sounds

387

Classical vowels

Pronunciation 4)

Sound Colours @)

351

Tongue too relaxed

388

Clapping test

352

Vowels in the low part of the voice, not merged

389

Speak

353

Vowels in the middle part of the voice, partly

390

Twang with

merged

391

Tone stopped through the nose

Ornamentation in Overdrive Ornamentation in Edge

a

lowered larynx

Rhythmic sequences

354

Vowels in the high part of the voice, merged

392

Singing with ornamentation technique

Nasal not stopped but change sound

316

355

Tightening the vowels and relaxing the vowels

393

Oral

356

Too

394

Nasalisation

357

Opening of the mouth too large

Additional Techniques Fine-Tuning 4) 317

318

319

320

Being higher than the defined pitch within note

Being lower than the defined pitch within note

Changing high pitch into the defined pitch

322

Changing low pitch into the defined pitch

325 326

too

tight

a

The notes in a chord Notes that go with

a

The very low part of the voice (‘Pulse register’)*.

359

Low part of the voice (‘Chest register’)*,

360

Improvisation and phrasing 4) 324

and

358

a

Changing the note if lower than the defined pitch

321

323

consonants

The various parts of the voice @)

Changing the note if higher than the defined pitch

chord

Directing all notes ‘home’ ina chord

Singing beside the chord

361

362

Middle part of the voice (‘Mixed register’)*. High part of the voice (‘Head register)*.

Very high part of the voice (‘Flute register’)*.

Nb, *358-362: To avoid confusing register and sound

of the voice, the piano sound is predominant in these sound examples, The voice in the background is only added to make it easier to locate the pitch.

Finding Neutral 4) woman

363

Sound like

364

Imagine you sing quietly in Edge

365

Call

a

man imitating

a

someone far away quietly

366

Find metal-like Neutral

no

change in the sound

Finding Distortion through sound @) 395

Imitating an old, evil troll

396

Imitating someone being strangled

397

Imitating a cackling witch, but without Imitating

399

Imitating

a

400

Imitating a car that brakes or turn around ner at high speed

401

Imitating a spitting cat

402

Imitating

a

diving aeroplane

Kermit from the Muppet Show

404

Imitating Louis Armstrong

405

Imitating

a

scary monster

406

Imitating

a

crooner

407

Imitating

a

roaring lion

408

Imitating an accelerating racing car

367

Metal-like Neutral on high notes

368

‘Ng’ to anote

329

Improvisation on

Finding Grunt through sound 4)

369

Diminishing the ‘hold’ in metal-like Neutral

409

330

Tempo of sub-division

370

Metal-like Neutral

410

Barking

331

Straight

411

Anevil ‘orc’

332

Major pentatonic scale

412

Exaggerated moans

333

Minor

334

Blues scale

335

Being on the beat, on the back of

and

triplet sub-division

Finding Curbing through sound 4)

pentatonic scale

371

372

the front of the beat

Emergency Aid programme 4) 336 ‘Ss’ sound 337

Soft exercises

252

The‘hold’ a

Imitating

stereotypical Italian from an Ameri-

can movie

the beat or on

child just about to cry

373

Imitating

374

Imitating someone feeling sorry for her/himself

375

Imitating an overly tired child

a

cor-

Finding Growl through sound 4) 403

Improvisation on a certain beats

quieter volume

a

hissing dragon

328

in a

note

398

Creating melody lines within a chord

certain upbeat/lifts ,

a

with an evil plan

a person

327

a

note

likea child

315

relaxed consonants

a

Other sounds 4) a

Changing note on every pulsation

309

313

or

C

manner

vocal break

303

305

a rough

Annoyed

Microphone Technique 4) 413

Consonants with popping sound

414

Consonants without popping sounds

415

Microphone sphere 1- Bass boost

416

Microphone spheres

417

Microphone spheres 3

2

- Actual

microphone area

- Acoustic sound

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Glossary Abdomen: The portion of the body between the diaphragm and the pubic bone. Accentuated legato: To give the note a small run up.

without singing: Singing Acoustic amplification. Active support: The physical process required to control outflow of air. The interplay between three different muscle groups happen in a sustained, gradual, continuous movement as though working against resistance for as long as the sound is produced. Air added to the voice: An effect you can add to the Neutral mode. Alteration of vowel: Modifying one vowel to another in order to establish and maintain a particular mode. Anatomy: The science concerned with the physical structure of the body.

‘Anterior/posterior’ narrowing: a narrowing that brings the front and the back of the larynx closer. Articulation: Pronunciation. Arytenoid cartilages: Two triangular pieces of cartilage attached to the back of the vocal cords. Perched on the cricoid cartilage, the

arytenoid cartilages help regulate pitch as well as performing the opening and closing movement of the vocal cords. Arytenoid/cuneiform complex: the area around the arytenoid cartilages. Aryepiglottic folds: The sides of the epiglottic funnel are called the aryepiglottic folds. Assisting mode: A mode used as an intermediary when changing a sound from one mode to another. Attack: The beginning of a vocal sound. There are Full-metallic attack, Half-metallic attack and non-metallic attack. Bad intonation: Singing out oftune. Bass boost: An amplification of the low frequencies. ‘Belting’ now Edge: Edge, like Overdrive, is a full-metallic mode. The character of

Edge is lighter, sharper, and more screamy than Overdrive. Edge has a non-breathy character. ‘Bite? A specific jaw position to obtain Overdrive. Broad tongue: Making the tongue broader creates a lighter sound colour. Cartilage: Strong, elastic tissue, Case story: A true, illustrative example for educational purposes of a singer with a problem to be solved. Character: The person in a song. A chase: two musicians alternately making improvisations and answering each other. Centre of a mode: The optimal positioning of the mode. In this position sound production is optimised and it is energy-efficient. Classical vowels: Vowels as they sound in classical singing, created by a compressed

tongue.

Closed phase: When the mucous membranes of the vocal cords come together during one vibration of the sound-production or

vibratory cycle. Cnoedle: Singing with raised larynx and lowered back of the tongue which gives the characteristic sound of Kermit the frog from the “Muppet Show”. Constriction: Undesirable narrowing due to increased muscle tension in the vocal tract. Constrictors of the throat,: Muscles that tighten the throat. When too tense, the constrictors restrict the normal working of the voice. Coloratura: A fast, rhythmic and melodic sequence of notes used in classical singing. of the tongue Compressed Tongue: A position that makes the sound colour darker. The tip of the tongue lies flat down in the oral cavity, the tongue arches in the middle and at the back it pulls into itself. With the tongue in this position, the vowels become more classical. Compressor/Limiter: An electronic device for reducing the amplitude (volume) of the

signal. Consonant: Any letter of the alphabet other than a vowel. Creak: Creaks is an effect often used in the be-

ginning or ending of a phrase. Creaking: Creaking is used as a delicate little ‘distortion’. Creaking is found by singing with a slightly incorrect use of the modes in a very controlled manner and is therefore creating certain vibrations ofthe vocal cords known as creaking. Crescendo: A gradual increase in volume. Cricoid cartilage: A ring of cartilage found at the top of the windpipe (trachea). Croon: An especially sentimental, popular, easy-listening style of singing. Cuneiform Cartilage: Two cone-shaped cartilages placed in front of the arytenoid cartilages in the aryepiglottic folds. Curbing: Curbing is the half-metallic mode, i.e. there is some metal in the notes. It is the ‘mildest’ of the metallic modes. The character is softer and not as powerful and distinct as Overdrive or Edge, but still powerful compared to Neutral. The sound is often slightly plaintive and restrained. Decrescendo: A gradual decrease in volume. Decibel (dB): A measuring unit for the volume of sound. Diaphragm: The large, dome-shaped muscle that separates the abdominal and chest cavities and which controls breathing. Direction of vowel: To make a vowel sound similar to another without overtly changing it. Used to establish and maintain a mode. Distinct twang: When the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made even smaller than in Necessary twang by bringing the epiglottis even closer to the arytenoid cartilages, the sound assumes a much sharper and more penetrating snarling character like a cackle. The more squeézed the funnel, the more snarling the sound becomes.

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Distortion: An effect or a ‘noise’ that can be added to a note and which can convey a wide range of emotions. The ‘noise’ is created by vibrations of the false folds. Once you have created the ‘noise’ by using the false folds you can add a mode to the distortion with your true vocal cords and thereby gain power and metal. Dynamics: Differences in volume. Economising: To limit and reduce waste, therefore maximising the effort. Edge (formerly ‘Belting’): Edge, like Overdrive, is a full-metallic mode. The character of Edge is lighter, sharper, and more screamy than Overdrive. Edge has a non-breathy character, Emergency Aid: Immediate, on-the-spot assistance given to solve pressing vocal problems. Epiglottic funnel: The funnel shape above the vocal cords formed by the false folds, the epiglottis, the arytenoid cartilages and the

aryepiglottic folds. Even: Regular ( for volume or sound colour). False folds or Ventricular folds: Folds of mucous membrane positioned above the real or true vocal cords. The False folds are deliberately used in creating distortion. Feedback: Heard as a high, whining sound that is produced when a sound from the microphone is amplified by a loudspeaker and caught again by the microphone, amplified again, caught again and so on. Fifth: A distance of five notes from one note to another in a major or minor scale. Fibre optic endoscope: A thin, flexible cable offibre optic fibres capable oftransmitting images from within the body to an external monitor. Forte (f): Powerful volume. Fortissimo: Very powerful volume. Full distortion: An effect when so much ‘noise’ is added to a note that only the noise remains and no note. Full metal: A term to describe a large amount of metal in the sound of the voice. Overdrive and Edge are full-metallic modes. Full- metallic attack or Glottal attack: The beginning of a note in either Overdrive or Edge. Grid: A controlled, underlying rhythm or pulsation that can be applied tonotes as a means to establish ornamentation. The grid is the backbone of ornamentation

technique. Groove: A repeated rhythmic pattern. Growl: An effect, a rough rolling sound to the voice. Grunt: An effect. Grunting has a dark, powerful sound; it is often low in pitch and has a very demonic effect. There is a lot of ‘noise’ and air on this effect. Half-metallic or Curbing: A term for a smaller amount of metal in the sound of the voice. Curbing is half- metallic. Half-metallic attack: The beginning of a note in Curbing. Hammer vibrato or Vocal cord vibrato: Vibration of the vocal cords. This type of vibrato can be perceived as a sustained series of

253

attacks sounding like machine gun or a bleating sheep. Head-set microphone: A microphone attached to the head at a fixed distance from the mouth. Hertz (Hz): number of complete pulsations/ vibrations per second. A unit of scientific measurement for pitch. Hidden incorrect support: The abdomen and solar plexus are both pushed outwards, even though the abdomen seems to be a

A

pulled in. High part of the voice: For women between C2 and C3 and for men between C1 and C2. ‘Hold’: method for obtaining a half- metallic mode. Used in Curbing. Improvisation: Rhythmic or melodic deviaA

tions from the original melody. Incorrect support: Both solar plexus and abdomen around the navel are pushed outwards. See also ‘Hidden incorrect support’. Inner hearing: The sound of the voice conducted to the ears through the bones of the skull rather than through the air. Can be isolated by singing with your fingers in

ears. Inner Support: The support needs to be a continuous and dynamic movement, and this should be done in a sustained way ‘as your

though the work is against a resistance’. The inner support is support so subtle and yet it gives so much energy to the voice that it alone can provide all the energy needed. Interpretation: Expression, to say something, a

to tell a story, convey a message. Interval: The distance between two notes. Intonation: Fine adjustments of the pitch. Intentional distortion: Distortion is a ‘noise’, an effect that can contain a range of emotions from aggression to devotion. The effect is often used in connection with a note. The more you distort the sound, the more ‘noise’ and the less tone there is. The ‘noise’ is created by vibrations of the false

folds. Karaoke CD/file: CD/files of backing music. Larynx: The voice box, where the voice is located. Laryngeal vibrato or throat vibrato: Pulsations caused by the larynx moving up and down rapidly. Latissimus dorsi: The large muscles of the back located between the underarm and the hipbone. Legato: Constant sound-production without audible pauses between notes. Ligaments 42: A strong type of tissue that connects two bones and stabilises joints. Loose jaw: Preferred position of the jaw for the Neutral mode. Low part of the voice: For women below C1, for men below CO. Merged sound: The merging of the vowels in the higher part of the voice, necessary to establish and maintain a mode. Metal: definition of a metallic sound. Appears in Curbing, Overdrive and Edge.

254

Metal-like Neutral: A variation of Neutral without air in which the sound becomes metal-like. Metronome: A mechanical device to indicate

tempo or speed. Mezzo-forte (mf): medium or moderately powerful volume. Mezzo-piano (mp): medium or moderately quiet volume. Middle part of the voice: between C1 and C2 for women, and CO and C1 for men. Modes: 4 techniques for singing based on volume, pitch, and sound colour. There are four modes: Neutral, Curbing, Overdrive, and Edge. Monitor, monitoring: Sound is amplified and relayed back to the singer via loudspeaker or headphones. This mechanism enables a performer to regulate her/his

. performance. Mucous membrane: A thin, moist covering of internal body surfaces that produces mucous for lubrication. Mucous: A moist, slimy, protective liquid formed by the mucous membrane. Muscle memory: repeating the same thing until the nerves remember it. Nasality, Nasalisation: The sound a voice acquires when the nasal passages are opened during singing or speaking. Nasal passage: Some singers use the nasal cavity to affect the sound colour. This may be done by opening the nasal passage with the uvula. The nasal passage opens to different degrees for speaking and singing in various languages. Natural support: The instinctive muscle control that follows inhalation.

Necessary twang: The opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the epiglottis closer to the arytenoid cartilages. You always need ‘necessary twang’ on notes in order to have correct technique and achieve easy and unhindered use of the voice, regardless of the mode, sound colour and effect used. For many this necessary twang does not sound twanged at all. Neutral: Neutral is the only non-metallic mode. It is a very extensive mode which contains many different sounds and sound colours. The sounds are softer and milder

than the metallic modes. Neutral is the only mode where you can add air to the sound. Neutral with air: A variation of the Neutral mode where air is added to the voice. Nodules on the vocal cords: A term given to when there are two small, swellings, one on each vocal cord, opposite each other. Non-metallic: The sound of the voice without metal. Opposite to metallic. Neutral is the

non-metallic mode. Non-metallic attack: The beginning of a note in Neutral without air. Oedema: A collection of fluid in bodily tissues which produces swelling. Octave: A musical distance of eight notes. A doubling of the hertz value. Twelve half-

notes or semitones. The same note name higher or lower. Open throat: An image of when the constriction of the throat does not hinder the vocal cords from vibrating freely. Oral: Pertaining to the mouth (inferring

closed nasal passages). Ornamentation technique: A technique used for producing very fast, rhythmic and melodic sequences of notes. Outer hearing: The sound of the voice that travels to the ears through the air rather than through the bones of the skull. See also ‘Inner hearing’. Overdrive: Overdrive is a full-metallic mode. Its character is often direct, loud, and shouted, like when you call ‘hey’ after someone in the street. Overdrive is mode with a non-breathy sound. Overtones: Any tone that contributes to the overall sound and has a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental tone. Palate: ‘Palate’ here refers to the soft palate which extends between the bony hard palate and ends in the uvula. The soft palate is the posterior (back) part of the roof in the oral (mouth) cavity. When the soft palate is relaxed, it droops and nearly touches the tongue. You can usually feel the soft palate by widening the nostrils. Petiole: the lower part ofepiglottis. Phrase: A short, continuous part of a melody. Phrasing: A personal interpretation (rhythmic and melodic) of a short sequence. Pianissimo (pp): Very quiet volume. Piano (p): Quiet volume. Partial vacuum or low pressure: An air pressure that is lower than that of the surroundings. A partial vacuum will draw things into a

it.

Pull in the lumbar region: Straightening the curve ofthe back by pulling in the abdominal muscles. The natural curve of the back is diminished. Quadratus Lumborum: Muscles in the lower back, When contracted, they increase the curve of the back. Rattle: An effect. The sound of the rattle occurs from vibrations of the arytenoid cartilages. Rattle can also be produced by vibrations in the back of the tongue or soft palate, or making the mucosa over the arytenoids cartilages vibrate. Rattle can be used alone or together with other effects, e.g. distortion. Register: A name for a pitch area which has nothing to do with volume or sound of the voice or the way you sing. There is much confusion caused by the term ‘register’ because the same word is used with many different meanings. In order to prevent confusion avoid using the term ‘register’. If mean pitch write ‘pitch’, if mean volume write ‘volume’ and if mean sound colour write ‘sound colour’. Resistance: Needed in the support work. The resistance and the strength it requires makes it possible to prolong the movement of the support throughout singing. |

|

|

|

|

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Renaissance: A cultural epoch between years 1300 and 1600. Scream: An effect. A sudden, often ferocious, loud, and high-pitched note in a mode. Can be combined with other effects such as distortion. Solar plexus: The highest point of the front wall of the abdominal cavity where the ribs no longer attach to the breast bone. Sound colour: The sound of the voice, light, dark etc. The sound colour is created by the shape of the vocal tract. Speech therapist: A professional trained in solving a multitude of problems relating to the throat, including voice, speech and

swallowing. Split, splitting: A malfunction of vocal production sounding like two notes appearing simultaneously. An uneven and often breathy sound. Staccato: Making each sound sharply distinct, opposite to legato. Stretching of the vocal cords: The stretch that is necessary for the cords to reach a higher note. Subdividing: To divide something, such as note/rhythm into small, equally-sized parts. Subtext: A word or a sentence that illustrates what the character in a song really feels. Support: The work and movement which controls the outflow of air. Support means a

working against the natural urge of the diaphragm to release the air. This is achieved through an interaction of three muscle groups in the abdomen, the loin, and in the back. Support value: A unit measuring the physical work of support. Tempo, tempi (plural): The speed of music (e.g. fast, slow etc), Thinning: A gradual weakening of the note without loss of sound quality. Three overall principles: 1) Support 2) Necessary twang 3) Avoiding a protruded jaw and tightening of the lips.

‘Tone-deafness’: Singers who are called ‘tone-deaf have difficulties singing in tune. By correcting their singing techniques and releasing constriction they can learnt to distinguish between the notes and gained the ability to sing in tune. Transpose, transposing: To change to another key. Repeating the exercises in another key. Triad: Any set of three notes, pitches or tones.

Triggers of constriction: Protruded jaw and tightening of the lips that can cause constriction around the vocal cords. Thyroid cartilage: The front shield of the larynx protecting the vocal cords. This is what is felt when you touch the Adam’s apple. Tremolo: A malfunction in singing. A rapid quiver in the voice resulting from a failure

result the sound gets clearer and nonbreathy and you can increase your volume by 10 - 15 db just by twanging. Unintentional distortion: Unwanted distortion, scratching or jarring sounds on the note. Usually appears because of the singer is not following the rules of the mode or the overall principles. Upbeat: A subdivision or off-beat between full beats or on-beats. Velum palatinum: The soft part of the palate forming the back part ofthe ‘ceiling’ of the mouth cavity. Ventricular folds or False folds: Folds of mucous membrane positioned above the real vocal cords. Also known as the False folds, they are deliberately used in distortion. Very high part of the voice: Notes above C3 for women and above C2 for men. Very low part ofthe voice: Notes below C1 for women and CO men. Vibrato: An effect. A vibration on a note. Two types ofvibrato exist: hammer vibrato and laryngeal vibrato. The vibration can be changed in range and speed, Vocal break: An effect or an abrupt change of sound between two modes. A Vocal Break will always involve a change between a metallic mode and Neutral. Vocal cord or vocal fold: One of a pair of structures consisting ofa fold of mucous membrane overlying the vocal ligament that produces sound by vibrating. Some people use the term vocal fold only to reflect the part of the vocal cords that vibrates, but for simplicity use vocal cord to cover both meanings. Vocal flageolet: A muscular compression that prevents part of the vocal cords from vibrating making it possible to reach higher notes. Is automatically involved when producing notes above high C. Vocal Modes: One of the four techniques for singing based on volume, pitch, and sound colour. There are four modes: Neutral, Curbing, Overdrive, and Edge. Vocal tract: The cavity of the throat stretching from the vocal cords to the lips and nostrils. Vowels: The letters of the alphabet a, e, i, 0, u, which form open sounds, Wagnerian singers: Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a nineteenth century German composer famed for the invention of ‘music drama’. Wagnerian singers are those singers who sing in that dramatically operatic a

Additional lists The Bibliography, Video List and Recommended Reading List are available on internet:

www.completevocaltechnique.com

|

style. Yodelling: A singing tradition from Switzerland and the Tyrol region where you make rapid changes between metallic and non metallic modes.

to support adequately. Twang: When twanging, the opening of the epiglottic funnel is made smaller by bringing the arytenoid cartilages closer to the lower part of epiglottis (the petiole).As

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

255

Index

Art Garfunkel 88, 206 Artistic choice 73 Aryepiglottic folds 51 Arytenoid cartilage 44 Assisting mode 133

‘Assisting’ muscles 30 Astrud Gilberto (“The Girl From

Symbols

or 2-day Master Classes and

1

Introductory Courses 270 1-year Singer Course for singers with a busy schedule 269 3-year Singer/Singing Teacher Diploma Course 269 4-month intensive course 269 5-day courses 270 10CC 89 440 Hz 45

Ipanema”) 88, 206 Attacks Another view 61 Exercise for attack 62 Full-metallic attack 61 Half-metallic attack 61 Non-metallic attack 61,62 Support and twang ensure healthy attacks 62 Ax| Rose (Guns ‘n’ Roses) 107

B

A ‘AN’

52,54, 100, 110, 121, 129,

160, 265

Aaron Neville 89,92 ABBA 97 Abdomen 22, 246 Abdomen bulges 24 Abdominal muscles 28 Accelerating racing car 193 AC/DC 184 Acid reflux 216 Acoustic rule 158 Acoustic singing 231 Acoustic sound 176 Actor 132,212 Actual microphone sphere 176 ‘Adam's apple’ 44 Advanced improvisation 236 Advanced melodic training 236 Advanced rhythmic training 237

diving Aeroplane 167, 183 Aerosmith 117, 184, 185

Agneta Falgtskog (ABBA) 97 ‘AH’ 14,52, 55, 100, 110, 121, 160 Aid over the phone 221 Air 129, 265 Air added to the voice 206 Flow of air 45

Outflow of air 27 Pulsation of air 45 Too much air 28 Alanah Myles 184 Alanis Morissette 202 Alcohol 223 Alice Cooper 184 Al Jarreau 107 Allergy 216,220 Alto 71, 174 singing live with Amplification 232

Anastacia 117 21

Anatomy Anders Fridén (In Flames) 196 Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) 196

Anita Baker 107, 117 Annie Lennox 200 Anyone who speaks loudly 153 A part 237 Arch Enemy 196 Aretha Franklin 107, 117,200

Arpeggios 132

256

107, 113

The modes in classical singing 140

Dummies) 107 Breaks 76 ‘Break the film’ 243

Classical sound 126

Clawfinger 184 Clearing the throat 220 Cliff Richard 107 Closed phase 46

Breathing 21 Brenda Lee 107 Brett Anderson 202 Brian Ferry 88 Brian Johnson (AC/DC) 184

269 1 or 2-day Master Classes and Introductory Courses 270 1-year Singer Course for

Buddy Guy 107, 117,201 Buddy Holly 107 Build-up 238 C

‘Baby Jean’ Kennedy (Mothers Finest) 117, 184 Bachman Turner Overdrive 184 Back against a wall 38 the Back muscles 247

C1, C0, C1, C2, C3 and C4 130

Bad Company 97

Cannibal Corpse 196 Carcass 196 Carly Simon 89 Car that brakes or turns 183 Case story 40, 79, 80, 84, 85, 86,

225

working together with the Band 242

Cabaret singer 132 Cackling witch 183 Camomile 222 Candle 28

Bar 236

101, 103, 105, 110, 111, 112, 124,

Barbara Streisand 117 Baritone 71

128, 132, 134, 136, 137, 144, 145,

Barking 197 Bass 71 Bass boost 176

Bass line 238

Bathroom 229 BB King 107, 187, 199

Beach Boys 89,97 the Bee Gees 92, 97, 206

Beginning improvisation 234 Being strangled 183 ‘Belting’ 10, 116 Bessie Smith 107 Bette Midler 107 Beyonce 213 Billie Holiday 107 Billy idol 184 Billy Joel 107 Bing Crosby 88 the Birth of Complete Vocal

Technique 8 ‘the Bite’ 107, 129, 265 Bjorn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) 196

Black metal 196 Bleed into the vocal cord 216 Blondie 89 Blues scale 237 Blues singer 137, 154 Bobby Kimball (Toto) 92, 97, 199, 200, 201 Bob Dylan 117, 184 Bob Marley 97, 107

Body’s warning signals 223 Bonnie Tyler 184 Bono (U2) 107 Bowl 230 Boy George 89

singers with a busy schedule 269 3-year Singer/Singing Teacher Diploma Course 269 5-day courses 270 Complete Vocal Academy 269 Newsletter 270 Private lessons 270 8 Complete Vocal Technique overview 19,264 Completion of the note 60

.

Baby crying 166

Balancing support and the voice

Cockney Rebel 97 Coldplay 202 Coloratura 213 Combined screams 200 Comedian 153 Complete Vocal Institute (CVI)

Britney Spears 97, 187 Bruce Springsteen 107, 184, 185, 200 Bryan Adams 184

the B-52’s 117 14

Neutral in classical singing 92 Overdrive in classical singing

Boys’ voices at puberty 70 BoyzIl Men 213 B part 237 Brad Roberts (Crash Test

Compressor 232 Consonants 237 Avoid ‘relaxing’ on consonants

149, 153, 154, 157, 184, 188, 201, 212, 215, 221, 223, 232 Cecilia Bartoli 213

56

Consonants 56 Developing correct vowels and consonants 56 Constriction Avoiding constriction 48 Constriction 46, 48 ‘triggers’ of constriction 49 Co-ordinating support and vocal sound 226 Corey Glover (Living Colour} 107 Cornelis Vreeswijk 187 Correct technique 224 Country singer 84 Cranberries 202 Crash Test Dummies 107 Creak 187

Celine Dion 107, 117,213 Centre of the mode 83 Cesaria Evora 88 CF Turner (Bachman Turner Overdrive) 184 Chaka Khan 117 Character 241 Charles Aznavour 97 Chase 236 Cher 107 Chest raises 23 ‘Chest register’ 67 Children’s voices 70 Chord 235 Chris Cornell (Soundgarden)

117,

Creaking 187 Creating intentional distortion

184

Chris Martin (Coldplay) 202 Chris Rea 184 Chrissie Hynde 89 Christina Aguilera 97, 187

Chuck Berry 107, 117 Church choirs 88 Cindi Lauper 117 Cindy Wilson (The B-52’s) Clannad 88 Classical music 97, 117

179

Credibility 239 Cricoid cartilage 44 Cristina Aguilera 213 Crooning 193, 201 Crotchets 236 Cups 230 Curbing An overview 96 Condition for Curbing 97 Distortion in Curbing 184 Exercises in Curbing 103

117

Classical singing 92 Classical vowels 149 Curbing in classical singing

Finding Curbing 97 Pitch in Curbing 99 Screams in Curbing 199 Sound colours in Curbing

102

Edge classical singing 124 Female classical singers 89, 97,107 Male classical singers 89, 97, in

101

Speaking in Curbing 154

107, 117

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Unintentional distortion in

Edge An overview 116 Condition for Edge 117 Distortion in Edge 184 Exercises in Edge 125

Curbing 105 Volumes in Curbing 101 Vowels in Curbing 100 Warnings in Curbing 104 ‘cut the film’ 240 CVI (Complete Vocal Institute) 269 ‘CVT Sound Library’ 249

D

Dancers 156 Dan McCafferty (Nazareth) 184 David Bowie 97, 183 David Coverdale 107, 184 David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) 89,

199

David Vincent (Morbid Angel) 196

Despair 196 Diana Ross 107,206

Diaphragm 22,24 The power of 27 Diaphragmatic vibrato 10 Dick Gaughan 237 Dido 202 Dilemma between looks and physical strength 40 Dimmu Borgir 196 Ronnie James Dio 107, 117, 184, 233

Dionne Warwick 107,206 Distorted screams 184, 200 Distortion Creating intentional distortion 179

Distortion 179 Exercises in distortion 185 Finding the noise 181 Full distortion 185 Noise added to a mode 183 Dolly Parton 107, 117 Dolores O'Riordan (Cranberries) 202 Donald Fagan (Steely Dan) 97 Don Henley (Eagles) 97 “Do the Right Thing” 155 Downbeat 238 Dramatic singer 136 Dry acoustics 229 Drying of the vocal cords 216 a Duck 116

Duck quacking 166 Dusty Springfield 88, 206 E

Eagles 97 Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon 216

Eartha Kitt 88, 107 Earth, Wind and Fire 89 Eating and drinking 222 Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) 107

Full-metallic attack

Gladys Knight 107 the Godfather 98 Godley & Creme (10CC) 89 Gospel 117, 128, 213 Grace Jones 107 Grimace 243 Growl 192 Growl added to a mode 193 Grunt 196 Grunt via growl 197 Guitar pedals 106 Gullet 48 Guns ‘n’ Roses 107

Endoscope 216 Energy 39 Enrique Iglesias 206

Gurgling 191 Gypsy Kings 107, 202

Enya 88

Epiglottic Funnel 51, 159 Epiglottis 45, 158

F

Fairport Convention 97 ‘Fake’ Edge 92 False folds 44 Falsetto 67 False vocal folds 179 Fast phrasings 213 Fee Waybill (The Tubes) 97 Fibre optic endoscope 216 Fifth gear 106

61

H

Half metallic 129, 265 Half-metallic attack 61 Half-metallic mode 96 Hammer vibrato 209 Hank Williams 107, 117,202 Hard palate 169 Hard rock/punk singer 201 Harry Belafonte 88 Head 245 using Headphones 231 Headphones 229 ‘Head register’ 67 Hearing your voice 229 Heavy rock 117 Heavy rock singer 110, 177 Hertz (Hz) 45

Hissing dragon 183 History of singing 6 Hoarseness 216 ‘the Hold’ 97, 129, 265 Huey Lewis 107

Humming 171 Hyoid bone 48

Flamenco singer 112 ‘Flute register’ 67 Folk singer 232 Forcing 27 Form 237,239

Involuntarily creaking 188 INXS 107 Irritation 216 a

stereotypical Italian from American movies 98, 154

J Jack Bruce

107

James Brown

117,

184, 185, 192,

199, 200, 201

James Hetfield (Metallica)

107,

184

James Ingram 97, 187, 213 Janis Joplin 117, 183, 184, 185, 187,201

finding the correct position of the Jaw 50

Jazz singer 105,111,215 Jeffrey Walker (Carcass) 196 Jennifer Holiday 107, 117 Jennifer Warnes 97 Jerry Lee Lewis 107 Jimi Hendrix 97 Jim Morrison 107, 184 Cale 97

Joan Armatrading 89, 107 Joan Baez 89

Joe Cocker 184, 185, 191, 200, 201 John Hiatt 202 John Kay (Steppenwolf) 184, 192 John Lee Hooker 107 John Lennon 89, 187 John Martyn 187 Johnny Cash 107 Johnny Winter 184, 192 John P Kee 187 John Tardy (Obituary) 196 Joint expression 242 Jon Bon Jovi 107, 117 Joni Mitchell 89

Judy Garland 107, 117 Julie Andrews 89 Juliette Greco 107 Julio Iglesias 107, 206 K

1

Fine-Tuning 72

Interpretation 239 Introductory Courses 270 Intuition 239

‘gggrrr’ 191 Gilberto Gil 89 Gino Vanelli 107 “the Girl From tpanema” 88, 206 Girls’ voices at puberty 70 Gisela May 107

160, 265

155

Impersonator 153 Improvisation 234, 239 Index finger 236 Infection 216,219 InFlames 196 Inflammation 216 Inhalation 23 Inner hearing 229 Inner support 31 Intentional distortion 179 Internal oblique muscles 29

Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) 97 George Benson 97 George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (Cannibal Corpse) 196 George Michael 107, 199 Gestures 243

Elaine Paige 97 Elderly, voices of the 71 Ella Fitzgerald 89 Elton John 97 Elvis Costello 97 Elvis Presley 107 Emergency Aid 270 programme for Emergency Aid 225 Emmilou Harris 202 Emotions 216

Equalisation 230 Eric Clapton 97 Etta James 107, 117, 184 Eva Cassidy 200 Exercises must be simple 13 Expression 238 working with Expression 240 External oblique muscles 29 Extreme parts of the voice Training the very high part of the voice 69 Training the very low part of the voice 69

“llove Lucy”

G

Effects Effects demand energy 178 Emotions must be a part 178 General principles 178 Introduction 177 ‘EH’ 14 52, 54, 100, 110, 121, 129,

187

184

Full metallic method 232 Full-metallic mode 106, 116

160, 265

David Lee Roth 92, 97, 184, 192,

117,

Identity 152 Iggy Pop 97 Illusion 239

Free 97 Full distortion 185 Full Metallic 129, 265

Finding Edge 117 Formerly ‘Belting’ 116 Pitch in Edge 121 Screams in Edge 200 Sound colours in Edge 123 Speaking in Edge 155 Volumes in Edge 122 Vowels in Edge 121 Warnings in Edge 126 Edith Piaf 107 ‘EE’ 14, 52,54, 100, 110, 121, 129,

Cyst 216

Death metal 196 Death metal singer 184 Delay 230 Demands 9 ‘Demonic’ effect 196

Frank Sinatra 107 Freddie Jackson 213 Freddie Mercury 107,

‘V 14,52, 54, 100, 110 121, 129, 160, 265 fan Dury 191

lan Gillan 92, 97, 199, 201 Ice-T 107

Karaoke CDs/files 238 Kate Bush 89 Kate Pierson (The B-52’s) 117 KD Lang 97,202 Kermit from “The Muppet Show” 53, 193

Key 239

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257

Khaled Hadj Brahim 213 ‘kkkrrr’ 191 Know the story 240 Korean mask dance drama 187

L the tensions of Language 53 Large books 230 Laryngeal vibrato 209

Laryngologist 216 Laryngopharynx 48 Larynx 44 Exercises in raising and lowering the larynx 164 Larynx 158, 162 Lowering the larynx 162 Movements of the larynx 47 Raising the larynx 163 Laughing person 183 Lauryn Hill 213 LaVern Baker 107, 192 La Voix Mystere Bulgare 107,202

Leadbelly 107,202 Leader 243 Leading tenor in a major opera company 124 Learning angles 11 Led Zeppelin 97 Leonard Cohen 107 Levels of the vocal tract Level one 177 Level three 177 Level two 177 Liam Gallagher (Oasis) 97 Limiter 232 Linda Ronstadt 202 Lionel Richie 97 Lower

lip

119

Lips 158 Lips, avoid tightening 50 Little Feat 107 Little Richard 107, 184, 199, 202 Singing Live with amplification 232 Lively acoustics 229

Living Colour 107 Liza Minelli 107, 117 songs that are ‘Loaded’ 243 Lolly Vegas (Redbone) 107 Loose jaw 129, 265 Loretta Lynn 107 Louis Armstrong 192, 193 Lou Reed 107 Lowell George (Little Feat) 107 Luciano Pavarotti 117 Lucille Ball in “I love Lucy” 155 the Lumbar region 248 Lyle Lovett 97 Lyrics 239

M ‘M' 171 Madonna 97 Mahalia Jackson

107, 117

Main problem 11 Main vowels 53 Mama Cass 107, 184 Man imitating woman 90 Marc Cohn 97 ‘Marginal area’ 83 Maria Callas 107, 213 a

258

Mariah Carey 92, 97, 187, 206, 213 Marie Brennan (Clannad) 88 Marie Fredriksen (Roxette) 107, 117

Marilyn Monroe 88, 206 Marilyn Monroe in “Some like it hot” 152 Marlene Dietrich 107 Mary Black 97 Master Classes 270 Measure 236 Meat Loaf 97 Medium volume 145 Melanie Griffith in “Working Girl”

the low part of the voice 58 the middle/high part of the voice 58 In the very low part of the voice 58 Opening too wide 59 Mucous membrane 44 Muddy Waters 107 the Muppet Show 193 Murray Head 97 Muscle memory 12 Muscles 28 Musical 111, 144, 149 In

0

In

‘O’

Oasis 97

Obituary 196 ‘OE’ 14 52, 100, 110,

Oesophagus 48 ‘OH’ 14, 52, 55, 100,

117,

184

Olivia Newton John 107 Om Kalsoum 107, 213 ‘One step up’ method 233 Online vocal technique forum 270 ‘OO’ 14 52 55, 100, 110, 121, 160 Open throat 49

Myths 6, 155

Methodology 8 Metronome 236 Mezzo-soprano or Mezzo 71 Michael Bolton 97, 184, 187, 206, 213

Michael Hutchence (INXS) 107 Michael Jackson 92, 187, 192, 199, 200, 201, 202 Michael McDonald 92,97, 184 Michael Stipe (REM) 97 Mick Hucknall (Simply Red) 92, 97 Mick Jagger 97, 107, 117 199 Choosing a microphone 233

Microphone Technique Know your own volumes 176 Microphone spheres 175 Pronunciation and the microphone 175 Test the spheres on new microphones 176 Middle finger 236 Mills Brothers 97 Milton Nascimento 89 Minims 236 Miriam Makeba 107 Mirror 230 Misleading terminology 76 Mistake 244 ‘Mixed register’ 67

Moaning 97 Mode 129, 265 Monitoring 229

Monotonously 156 Monty Python's “Flying Circus” 90 Moods 240 Morbid Angel 196 ‘Morning voice’ 220 Mothers Finest 117, 184 Mouth opening, the shape of the Relaxing the corners of the mouth 168

Smiling 168 Mouth, the opening of In the high/very high part of the voice 58 In the lower/middle part of the voice 58

‘N’

110, 121, 129,

160, 265

N

Melissa Etheridge 107, Melodic exercises 235 ‘Merged sound’ 56 Metallica 107, 184 Metallic sound 81 Metal-like Neutral 92 Method 129, 265

121, 129, 160,

265

152

‘Melisma’ 213

14, 52, 55, 100, 110, 121, 129, 160, 265

171

Napalm Death 196 Nasal cavity 48 Nasal fossae 48

Opera 174, 213 Opera singer 103, 149 Operation 217 ‘OR’ 14 ‘Orc’ (from the “Lord ofthe Rings” movies) 197 techniques for Ornamentation

Nasality 171° Nasal Passage 158 Closing the nasal passage 171 Opening the nasal passage

213

171

‘Oropharynx’ 48 Otis Redding 107, 184 Outer hearing 230 Out of tune 72 Overdrive

Nasopharynx 48 Nat King Cole 89 Nazareth 184 Necessary twang 159 Neck 245 Neil Young 89 Neneh Cherry 97 Nerve damage 216 Neutral Achieving Neutral without air through images and sensations 89 An overview 87 Condition for Neutral 88 Distortion in Neutral 183 Exercises in Neutral 93 Finding Neutral without air through sound 90 Metal-like Neutral 92 Neutral in classical singing 92 Neutral with air 88 Neutral without air 88 Pitch in Neutral 90 Screams in Neutral 199 Sound Colours in Neutral 91 Speaking in Neutral 152 Unintentional distortion in Neutral 95 Volumes in Neutral 90 Vowels in Neutral 90 Warnings in Neutral 95 Newsletter 270 New York 221 ‘NG’ 171 ‘Night out’ 223 Nina Hagen 184, 191, 199, 200 Noddy Holder (Slade) 107, 184 Nodules 218 finding the Noise 181 Noise added to a mode 183 Non metallic 129, 265 Non-metallic attack 61, 62 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan 97, 213

Anoverview 106 Condition for Overdrive 107 Distortion in Overdrive 184 Exercises in Overdrive 113 Finding Overdrive 107 Pitch in Overdrive 109 Sound colours in Overdrive 11 Speaking in Overdrive 153 Volumes in Overdrive 111 Vowels in Overdrive 110 Warnings in Overdrive 114 Ozzy Osborne 92, 107

P Palate

Lowering the palate 169 Raising the palate 169 PA (‘Public Address’) system 229 Patsy Cline 107,202 Patti Austin 107 Patti La Belle 117 Paul McCartney 107, 184, 199 Paul Rogers (Free, Bad Company) 97 Paul Simon 107

Peabo Bryson 92,97 Pearl Jam 107

Pentatonic scale 237 Percussion 235 Percussive effect 237 Percy Sledge 117, 191 Performance 239, 243 Peter Gabriel 97, 187 Phil Collins 97

Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire) 89 Phill Lynott (Thin Lizzy) 107 Phoniatrician 216 Phrasing 234 ‘fast Phrasings’ 213

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Physical Exercise 245 the importance of Physical strength 222 Pianissimo 64 Piano 235 Pink Floyd 89, 187 Pitch 66 Extreme parts of the voice 69 Growl and pitch 194 Grunt and pitch 197 Max C2 129, 265 Max D2 129, 265 Pitch 129, 265 Pitch and the modes 134 Pitch in Curbing 99 Pitch in Edge 121 Pitch in Neutral 90 Pitch in Overdrive 109

Refining the pitch 73 Regulation of the pitch 47 The high part of the voice 67 The low part of the voice 67 The middle part ofthe voice 67

The very high part of the voice and the vocal flageolet 67 The very low part of the voice 67 PJ Harvey 187

Placido Domingo 117 Polyp 216 Poor pitching 72 Poor technique 219 Pop/rock singer 86 Popular music 117 Posture 26 Powerful volume 144 Practise-vowels 131 Presentation 243 Prevention 218 Prevention and Emergency Aid 220 Prince 92, 199, 200, 201 Private lessons 270 Procol Harum 97 Professor Longhair 202 Progression 241 Pronunciation 53

Puberty 70 ‘Pulse-register’ 67 Q Quadrate membranes Quavers 236 Quiet volume 145

Registers 66 Relax the voice 218 REM 97 Research 7,8

Responsibility 11 Restrained 96, 129, 265 Reverb 230 Rhythm 236 Rhythmic exercises 235, 236 Ribs 22 Richard Davies (Supertramp) 89 Ring finger 236 Roaring lion 193 Robert De Niro in “Taxi driver” 154

R Rage Against The Machine 97 Randy Crawford 117,213 Range 70 Rattle 191 Rattling, evil troll 183 Ray Charles 97, 184, 199 Ray Davis (The Kinks) 107 R&B music 97,213 Really annoyed 197 singing in a Recording studio 231 Rectus abdominus muscles 29 Redbone 107 acid Reflux 216 Reggae band 128

Exercise for support values as regards to pitch and time factor 42 Exercise for support values as regards to volume 42 Exercise for support values of high notes 41 Exercise for support values of long notes 42 Exercise for support values of low notes 41 Failing to support 77

158

Lightest sound 173 List of sound colours 173 Sound colours and the modes

Feeling support 33 Feeling support at the back 35 Feeling support at the ribs 35 Feeling support at the solar plexus 34 Feeling support at the waist

139

Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) 97 Rock singer 124, 128, 145 Rod Stewart 184 Roger Daltrey (The Who) 97, 107, 201

Sound Sound Sound Sound

colours in Curbing 101 colours in Edge 123 Colours in Neutral 91 colours in Overdrive

35

Feeling support in the abdomen 35 Finding inner support 32 Hidden incorrect support 37 How to release hidden incorrect support 37 Humming exercise for support values 43 Incorrect support 36

111

Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) 89 Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) 89, 187 Ronnie James Dio 107, 117, 184, 233 Rosie Perez 155 Roxette 107, 117 Roy Orbison 97 ‘rrr’ 191 Runs of notes 213

Sound Examples 249 Soundgarden 117, 184 the CVT Sound Library 249 Soup plate 230 Speaking like a child 167

Speech techniques About speaking in general 155 Speaking in Curbing 154 Speaking in Edge 155 Speaking in Neutral 152 Speaking in Overdrive 153

s

Sam Brown 202 Sammy Davis Jr 107

Steaming 222 Steely Dan 97 Stephen Stills 97 Steppenwolf 184, 192 Steve Harley (Cockney Rebel) 97 Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) 117,

Saxophonist 157 Scary monster 193 School choirs 88 Scottish folk singer 237 Screams 129, 199, 265

Sheryl Crow 97 Shirley Bassey 107, 117 Shoulders 245 Shout 129, 265

Simply Red 92,97 Sinead O'Connor 88 Singing is not difficult 6 Skid Row 117, 184 ‘Skin’ (Sylvia Massy, Skunk Anansie) 97, 184 Slade 107, 184 Sleep 222 Sly Stone 192,200 Small bowl 122

Smoking 223 Soft 129, 265 Soft closure Neutral 10 Soft palate 158, 169 Soilwork 196 "Some like it hot” 152

Know your exact support values 43 Natural vs. active support 33 Rock the support 38 ‘sss’ sound 38

Sports cars 106 ‘sss’ sound 38 Status Quo 97

Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention) 97 Sarah Vaughan 88, 107, 206 Satellite vowels 53

Seal 97 Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) 184

Inner support 31 Inner support through images and sensations 33

Speech techniques 152 Speech therapy 217 Spitting cat 183 Split in the voice 79

Sade 88 Salif Keita 97 Saliva 191

184, 185

Stevie Wonder 117,

Semi-professional singer 85 Shaker 235

51

Soprano at a major opera 164 Powerful soul music 117 Soul singer 101, 134, 188 Sound 45 Sound check 233 Sound Colour Darkest sounds 173 Growl and sound colours 194 Grunt and sound colours 197 Introduction to Sound Colour

Support as images and sensations 35 Support = Movement 33 Support training 38 Support value 40 The ‘zero point’ of support 34 Using support 40 Supporting muscles Abdominal muscles 28

‘Assisting’ muscles 30 Interaction of the three groups of muscles 30 Muscle awareness 30 Muscles of the back 29

97, 184, 187, 192,

199, 213

Stian “Shagrath” Thoresen (Dimmu Borgir) 196 Sting 97 Story 239 Stress 216

Muscles of the loin 29

Stroboscopy 216 Structural changes 216 Studio 221 Studio and live techniques 231

Supporting muscles 28 Suzanne Vega 88 Swallowing 48 Swingle Singers 89 Sylvia ‘Skin’ Massy 97, 184

Stupid 197 Styx 117 Subdivision 236

Tambourine 235

Sub-register 67 Subtext 241 Supertramp 89 Support 27 Back against a wall 38 Connection between note and

support 43 Connection between support and sound 40 Economising support 40

T Tammy Wynette 107 Tapping 236 “Taxi driver’ 154 Tempo 239 Tenor 71, 124 Tension imbalance 216 Tension in the back of the tongue 53

Tensions of language 53 Terence Trent D’Arby 97, 184, 185, 199, 201

Theatre 153

Soprano 71, 103

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259

|

Unintentional distortion in

The Kinks 107 Theory and practice 9 The Pet Shop Boys 89 The Throat 48 The Tubes 97 The Who 107 Think positively 219 Thin Lizzy 107 Thinning 64 Three Overall Principles 20

Curbing 105 Unintentional distortion in Neutral 95 Unintentional distortions in

Edge 127 Unintentional distortions in Overdrive 114 Using vocal flageolet below a high C 78 Warnings in Curbing 104 Warnings in Edge 126 Warnings in Neutral 95 Warnings in Overdrive 114

Advantages 20 Thumb 236 Thyme 222 Thyroid cartilage 44

‘Tilt’

10

Time factor 42 Tina Turner 117 184, 185, 200, 201 Tom Jones 107 Tommy K6érberg 97 Tom Waits 184, 185, 192, 196 Tone-deafness 74

Tongue 158 Broad tongue 166 Compressed tongue 166 Find the position ofthe tongue 54 Position of the tongue 53 Tension in the back of the

tongue 53 The Tongue 166 Toni Braxton 97 Toto 92,97, 199, 200, 201 Toy car 167 Tracy Chapman 107 Tramaine Hawkins 92, 117, 184 inaudible Transitions 132 specific Transitions 136 Translating 240 Transversus abdominus muscles 29

Tremolo

211

Trouble-Shooting An example of a break 76 Avoid completing notes badly 60 Constriction 46 Exercise for removing a split in your voice 79 Exercise while resting the voice 219 Failing to support 77 Hidden incorrect support 37 Inappropriate muscle tension 216

Incorrect support 36 Nodules 218 Opening too wide 59 Prevention and Emergency Aid 220 Programme for Emergency Aid 225 Solving split in the voice 79 Solving unintentional vocal breaks 76 The reason for vocal problems 221

Too much mucus 219 Too much vibrato 211 Too small a sound or a break 78

Trouble-Shooting 76, 83

260

Tug-of-war 39 Turning point 241 Twang 129, 265 Distinct Twang 52, 160 Distinct twang and vowels 52 Exercising distinct twang and necessary twang 161 Finding twang 52 Necessary twang 51, 159 Twanging with a lowered larynx 160 Types of Voices 70 U U2 107

‘UH’ 14,52, 100,

110, 121, 129, 160,

265

‘Unworthy’ 72 Upbeats 236 the Upper body 246

V Vacuum 46 Van Morrison 107, 184 Vaya Con Dios 107 Ventricular folds 44

VeraLynn 107, 202 Vibrato 209 Vicious circle 217

Videokymography 216 Vocal breaks 76 Breaks between modes 203 Vocal Breaks 202 Vocal cords 44, 158, 179 closed phase 46 Vibrations of the vocal cords 45 Vocal flageolet 67 Vocal Ligament 45

Vocal mode

Adjustment of the modes 84 An introduction to the 4 Vocal Modes 81 Assisting mode 133 Changing between modes 83 Changing vocal mode 76 Choice of vowel in relation to mode 151 Everybody uses metallic sounds 82 Exercising the modes 86 Filling out the modes 86 Navigating in the chapters of the modes 86 Pitch and the modes 134 Recognise the modes 84

Vowels in the high part ofthe voice 129, 265 Vowels used in this book 14

Sound colours and the modes 139

Specific transitions 136 Summarising the modes 128 The centre of the mode 83 The limitations of the modes 84 The modes in classical singing

W Wailing 97 Warming up 228, 245 Waylon Jennings 107 Western world 88 Where to look 244

140

Transitions between modes 131

Whining 97 “White Men Can't Jump” 155 Whitney Houston 107, 192, 202,

Trouble shooting 83 Tuition in metallic modes 82 Use sufficient support 85 Using the modes 130 Volumes and the modes 141 Vowels and the modes 149 Vocal tract 158 Large vocal tract 173 Small vocal tract 173 Voice rest 217,218 Voices of men and women 70 Voice specialist 216 Volume Advanced exercises in volume

206, 213

Willie Nelson 107 Wilson Pickett 184, 201 Window 230 Windpipe 44 sound like a Witch 167 Wobble 212 Woodie Guthrie 107, 117 Words 242 “Working Girl” 152 the actual Work of the singer 242 World music 213

146

Changing the volume 65 Combinations of volume 147 Get to know your volume 64 Growl and volume 194 Grunt and volume 197 Medium volume 129, 145, 265 Pianissimo and thinning 64 Powerful volume 129, 144, 265 Quiet volume 129, 145, 265 Volume 129, 265 Volumes and the modes 141 Volumes in Curbing 101 Volumes in Edge 122 Volumes in Neutral 90 Volumes in Overdrive 111 Volumes of the vocal modes 64 Volume on sound examples 249 Vowels Avoid tightening on vowels 56 Change of vowels up through the voice 56 Change the vowels to ‘EH’ and ‘OH’ 149 Change the vowels to the twanged vowels ‘I’, ‘EH’, ‘A’ and ‘OE’ 149 Choice of vowel in relation to mode 151 Classical vowels 149 Developing correct vowels and consonants 56 Directing towards ‘I’, ‘O’ and ‘UH’ 149 Distinct twang and vowels 52 Growl and vowels 194 Main vowels and satellite vowels 53 Practise-vowels 131 Use exact vowels 14 Vowels and the modes 149 Vowels in Curbing 100 Vowels in Edge 121 Vowels in Neutral 90 Vowels in Overdrive 110

Y Yma Sumac 192 Yodelling 203 Youssou N’Dour 107, 117

+

Z Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against The Machine) 97 Tell (Clawfinger) 184 Zarah Leander 107 Zak

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Charts The following pages will contain some charts used for study and tuition.

Page Chart 262

The chart of your technical singing abilities

down which modes, pitch, sound colours, volumes and effects you can control. You can also use the chart to follow

264

Overview over ‘Complete Vocal Technique’

your technical improvements. Remember that it is not essen-

265

Overview of the ‘Vocal Modes’

that characterises you as an artist.

266

Vocal Modes, pitch and volume

If you have any questions

about singing technique or want information about training and courses in Complete Vocal

267

Opening of the mouth on various pitches

Technique, you can use the online discussion forum about

268

Sound colour

On the chart of your singing technical abilities you can write

tial to control everything. It is also what you chose NOT to do

singing technique (in English), or contact Complete Vocal Institute.

Online Vocal Technique Discussion Forum forum.completevocalinstitute.com

Complete Vocal Institute Kultorvet, Hausergade 3,

5

DK-1128 Copenhagen K

Denmark

tel

+45 3332 7724

fax

+45 3332 7725

email

[email protected]

www.completevocalinstitute.com

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261

KK

CS

S

“AH

“AH |

Dark sc - pp

Light sc - ff

“o

Light sc

“oO

“UHI

Dark sc

Dark sc

“un

Light sc

|

|

“|

I

Dark sc

Light sc

“aH |

AH |

Light sc - pp

Dark sc - ff

EEO

Dark sc - ff

EE/OO

Light sc- pp

FE/OO

AH |

Dark sc - pp

EE/OO

AH |

Light sc - pp

Light sc - ff

cE |

Dark sc - pp

Dark sc - pp

EE

Light sc - pp

very low part

low part

Chart of technical singing abilities

middle part

Name

high part

very high part

Date

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com

-

263

oJ

EH

OH

OH

OH

Medium volume

Light sc

Dark sc

Medium volume

Distortion

Vibrato

EH

Dark sc

Creaking

Growl

OE

EH

EH

Light sc

very low part

low part

middle part

high part

very high part

i

3

Miiel ime

¢

support necessary twang

©

no

tightening

of the jaw

and

lips

ae CHOOSE VOCAL MODE

oO

oy; NEUTRAL

CURBING

OVERDRIVE

EDGE

|

CHOOSE SOUND COLOUR LIGH

PERHAPS CHOOSE EFFECT

264

distortion

screams

creak and creaking rattle

vocal breaks

growl

vibrato

grunt

techniques for ornamentation

air added to the voice

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com

-

Character

Volume

Soft

the high part of the voice

€an be loud in

Quiet

All

the voice

Pitch

the

jaw——,

All

in

Loose

>

air/ without air

high part of

Vowels

Method

With

NON METALLIC

©

(sit)

|

Restrained

Medium

All

(hungry)

UH

HOLD

(woman)

0

Never add air to the voice

HALF METALLIC

N

Shout

(2 d2

Loud

max

(so)

OH

max

(stay)

EH

“Bite*°—"

>

Never add air to the voice

FULL METALLIC

od

(sit)

|

All

A (and)

Scream

Loud

(stay)

EH

the epiglottis funnel

TWANG

(herb)

OE

Never add air to the voice

FULL METALLIC

CL

low part

middle part

high part

very high part

|

oJ

9

oy

6

Tt

volume

iil

266

loud

medium

quiet

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com -

high/very high middle/high lower/middle

optional

aD

very low

A

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26/7

268

Complete Vocal Technique © 2008 Cathrine Sadolin www.completevocalinstitute.com

-

lighter sound

Distinctly twanged q) 163

@))

darker sound

darker sound

lighter sound

Open (nasal) q) 173

Extended corners (smile) @)) 169 “lighter sound lighter sound

Raised @) 165

Nasal passage Closed (oral) @)) 174 darker sound

Relaxed corners @)) 170

lighter sound

darker sound

Shape of the mouth

|

q) 172 Lowered @) 171

Raised

darker sound

lighter sound

darker sound

Palate

Lowered q) 166

Broad @)) 167

Compressed @)) 168

Tongue

Larynx

Necessary twanged

164

Epiglottic funnel

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The transparency of the method makes it exciting to watch teachers work with other singers, and in many cases even more

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paths. CVT's clear structure and terminology makes it possible for teachers to exchange information about individual singers,

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No teaching of minor subjects - all focus is on singing

3-year Singer/Singing Teacher Diploma Course The 3-Year Singer/Singing Teacher Diploma Course is aimed at singers who wish to qualify professionally, partly as sing-

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enable the participants to work independently and responsibly with singing and teaching. The aim is for the participants to have achieved the highest professional level is to

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where the singer chooses what to work on. Seminars run on a Friday to Sunday or Monday to Wednesday. This course is especially suitable for advanced singers who wish to work in-depth and develop further professionally, technically and artistically. Courses in Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Helsinki, Jakobstad, Oslo,

Stockholm and Utrecht. More cities will follow, see www.com-

of the cases of hoarseness we meet can be cured within one lesson and we have on numerous occasions assisted singers in

potentially cancelled concert to a successfully accomplished performance just a few hours before showtime. Depending on the situation CVI can send a teacher anywhere within a very short time. In some cases the problem can even be

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fixed via phone or Skype. All CVI teachers adhere to the CVI rules of client confidentiality which prohibits all CVI staff to mention names of singers they have worked with to any outside party.

pletevocalinstitute.com for latest news.

5-day courses The 5-day courses (often over the summer) are held in various countries for all types of singers and include an introduction to

This

is

also one of the reasons why no celebrities are used in the

marketing of CVT/ CVI.

‘Complete Vocal Technique’ as well as attending master classes where the singer chooses what to work on. In most cases a concert

is

Newsletter

scheduled on the fifth day.

or 2-day Master Classes and Introductory Courses A quick, basic overview and introduction to ‘Complete Vocal Technique’ for all types of singers and an opportunity to work 1

with your own singing at the following master class. On 1,2 and 5-day courses you will have the opportunity to be evaluated for admission onto

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com.

Visit CVI’s free online vocal technique forum and share your questions and knowledge with fellow singers and teachers from

specific subject. CVI offers individual lessons in Copenhagen or via Skype. CVI can

vocal conferences and updates on the latest research. You can subscribe to the CVI newsletter at www.completevocalinstitute.

Online vocal technique forum

longer course at CVI.

Private lessons Get help with

Subscribe to the CVI newsletter and receive about 6 newsletters per year filled with information about CVI courses, reports from

a

visit you

Do you want a CVI teacher to visit your theatre company to get you and fellow actors and singers in shape before the next musical production, or maybe to work as a vocal coach during re-

all over the world. Take part and post your comments when

singers from Argentina, Australia, Norway and many other countries are discussing vibrato, vowels, support, vocal modes, distortion, overtone structure etc... It doesn’t have to be Complete Vocal Technique related all vocal technique questions and comments are welcome as we find it important to keep an

open mind http://forum.completevocaltechnique.com/

hearsals? Or do you want to arrange a master class or a course in your region with one of the experienced teachers from CVI?

Contact & Sign up

refreshing and sound-expanding taste of CVT. At CVI we have experience of all kinds of different

phone +45 3332 7724 email [email protected]

engagements and we are flexible in meeting your needs or to put you in touch with someone who can. Contact the CVI office

www.completevocalinstitute.com

for more information.

Complete Vocal Institute

Or perhaps your choir needs

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Hausergade 3, 5,

Emergency Aid for professionals

DK-1128 Copenhagen K

Do you experience voice problems so severe that you consider cancelling an important concert or show? It might be a good idea to contact CVI first to hear what can be done. Up to 90%

Denmark

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Combléte Vocal Te@hinique © 2008

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