Reducing Nasality in Your Voice

By Jeannie Deva

�How can I work on the tone of my voice? I end up sounding a little too nasal.�

Is Your Voice Too Nasal?

If your voice sounds too nasal for your liking and you're hoping there might be a remedy, the good news is, there is! There is a way to change a "too nasal" voice. First, let's take a look at what causes your voice to be nasal.

What is Nasality?

A nasal sound occurs when your soft palate blocks the vibrations of your voice from going into the back of your throat and head. Instead, the vibrations become aimed into the front of the soft palate and a small section of your hard palate and so are muted and altered into what we would describe as "nasal."

To avoid this and have a fuller toned voice, the vibrations of your voice must be able to resonate in the back of the mouth, throat, back of your head, chest and back as appropriate to the pitch, volume, and tonality you imagine.

In order to reduce nasality, your voice needs to be exercised in ways that will help limber the muscles in the mouth and throat. As you practice in ways designed to develop voice related muscles, you will also become aware of different possibilities with resonance.

Mind Over Matter

Designed by nature to work automatically, the voice can yet be artificially manipulated by your thoughts. I have discussed various aspects of this in other Vocal Tips, free online lessons and in my book �The Contemporary Vocalist" Volume One.

The voice is a miraculous instrument. It is thought and emotion sensitive which can be a blessing or a curse. If your thoughts and emotions conflict with the natural workings of your instrument, if you are self-conscious or have fears of reaching certain notes, your voice will reflect this. The tones will sound uncertain, strained, unpleasant or even go off pitch.

If you imagine your voice to sound nasal, your body will create a nasal sound. If you listen to singers that all have a certain type of sound and you permit yourself to become very influenced by them, you may subconsciously mimick them.

What to Do?

First: In order for it to sound differently, you need to imagine yourself sounding differently. If you think it�s going to sound the same way you�ve been used to hearing it, then it will. Part of developing the voice is purely physical while a large part of it is completely mental. That�s the nature of our instrument.

Second: You need to develop your voice muscles properly so that they can automatically respond to your thoughts and desires to create any sound you want. The selection of vocal warm-ups that I offer on my �Vocal Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs� CD help reduce nasality while limbering your vocal muscles. While practicing with them you will become accustomed to different sounds and your voice should develop a richer tone with less nasality or no nasal sound at all. By limbering these muscles you are letting the vibrations of your voice expand and resonate naturally into the back of your mouth and throat.

If you don�t yet own a copy of the Warm-up CD, I urge you to buy and use it. All of the exercises found on that CD will help, but the "Resonance Wake-Up" and the "LA-GA Series" are particularly helpful in reducing nasality.

You can reduce nasality, improve resonance and tone while broadening the way you think of sounds, all by doing these simple vocal warm-up exercises.

Until next time,
Jeannie Deva

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Jeannie Deva teaches in Los Angeles, California and
has worked with singers from around the world. She is the Founder of The Deva Method �, A Non-Classical Approach for Singers � and of The Jeannie Deva� Voice Studios. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed vocal home-study course: "The Contemporary Vocalist" and "The Deva Method Vocal Warm-Ups" CD. Her studios service an international clientele and are staffed with certified Deva Method voice trainers, now celebrating their 27th anniversary. Clients include: Members of the J. Geils Band, Fame and Jesus Christ Superstar, Aimee Mann, Patty Griffin and many more.

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