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Notes on Singing
This entry was posted on 6/30/2008 10:53 AM and is filed under Thoughts.
Recently at my vocal lesson, I ran across a singer who just started studying with my vocal coach. This student was told by his previous teacher to use his throat muscles while singing. My coach, Joel Ewing, was flabbergasted to say the least. Even I, who have studied the mechanics of the voice to some degree, was bewildered. I can't even begin to think how one would use their neck muscles while singing! It reminded me how many bad vocal teachers there are out there. I've run across a few in my years singing. One of the most widely incorrect notions is to "sing from your diaphragm". I've been told that many times by other singers and people who think they know about singing. It is totally incorrect. You can't "sing from your diaphragm", or hold it down, or push it down or any of that. The diaphragm moves automatically when you breathe. Period. And singing is a function of two muscle groups acting upon the vocal chords (which are passive). Healthy singing (where you won't hurt your chords or get polyps, etc.) is having a balance of those two muscle groups (the arytenoids and the cricothyroids). It isn't from "moving" your diaphragm, tightening your butt, putting a cork in your mouth, and certainly not from doing anything with your neck muscles. And once you have that balance, the breathe, along with everything else, falls into place. I find it fascinating that there are SO MANY singing teachers who don't know anything about the voice. They are all about controlling the breathe, and holding, and pushing, and nothing about the function of the two muscle groups that are the core of the voice. It is really appalling.
I too, have had a very interesting journey with my voice. My first teacher (years ago), told me I'd never be a singer. I believed her and stopped singing for a couple years. I eventually went to a second teacher, who told me I had an amazing and rare gift, and had to pursue singing at all costs. Shortly after that, I moved to Los Angeles and found my current teacher, Joel Ewing, who knows everything about the voice. And with him, I've gotten my voice to a place where it functions properly. And that, in turn, has given me great flexibility - allowing me to have many options when singing. I can choose HOW I want to sing a phrase - instead of only being able to sing it one way. This was never more evident to me than on my new CD, "Ready". I found myself singing each of the songs a bit differently - depending on what I wanted to express with each song. It made the process of recording this CD incredibly fulfilling and exciting.
It always boggles my mind when I hear incorrect methods of singing being taught. It is very sad, and I think about all the great voices that will never be.
On a different note, a great big THANK YOU to all who have purchased my new CD! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And thanks also, to all of you who have sent me all the incredible emails. I truly, deeply appreciate them!
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