Vocal Technique � Help or Hurt? Part 2

By Jeannie Deva

Cause and Effect

You may ask yourself: "Do I really have to know how vocal sound is made to sing or talk?" Obviously, you don't. It is an automatic natural process. But if automatic, why do so many singers run into difficulties?

Your voice responds to your ideas, thoughts and emotions. If you think you have to push hard to sing high, for example, you will. However, in actuality your body may not need to do that. If you think you need to push out more air the louder you sing, but in fact your body does not produce louder volume that way; you may not understand why you have so much trouble with volume and why your voice is trashed at the end of the night. Ignorance is not bliss. If you don't know the facts of what is natural for your instrument (body), how can you tell if what you're doing is correct?

To enhance anything, the mysteries about it must be dispelled and replaced with understanding. Some singers just naturally work more in harmony with their body when singing. That, combined with having no emotional reservations about "stepping out" with their voice in performance, results in a good sound. Perhaps this is true of you. However, even the best sounding "natural" singers find themselves singing better when knowledgeable about their instrument. I'm sure this makes sense to you. Knowledge and certainty go hand-in-hand.

How good is good enough?

It comes down to the philosophic question of "What is art and how good does it have to be to be good art?"

A book could be written trying to answer that and many have; but let�s keep it simple. When you perform, you want to have an emotional effect upon your audience. You want to communicate something to them, a feeling or an idea, whatever it is. You need to increase your technical vocal skill up to the point where your performance will reach your audience emotionally. There is no purpose in going beyond that. You have achieved the goal of your performance if you do that. If you can't do that, then it may be your performance or your vocal technique or both that are inadequate.

Consistency

Achieving consistency in your vocal performance where you can touch your audience, performance after performance and not have "off nights," is a matter of good technique (both vocal and performance) and being well practiced to a professional level of skill. Notice I said both vocal and performance technique. There are additional things to know about how to deal with audiences, what makes for good or bad stage manners and how to really sell a song.

Natural

As long as the technique complements the way your body naturally works to make vocal sound, it will make sense and not require constant thought and vigilance to apply. If you are trying to learn a technique that conflicts with your body's natural vocal process, it actually takes more effort and it will result in muscle manipulations and tensions that will further complicate singing. My home study course �The Contemporary Vocalist� (Volumes One and Two) empower you with the information and exercises that will free you from restrictions while helping to develop your vocal instrument.

Some extra thought may be needed when you begin unlearning bad habits. You have to familiarize and orient yourself to the natural functioning of your body. But soon you find it much easier and even more fun to sing! A natural technique frees you to concentrate on your performance, your audience and working with your band.

Technique has more to do with learning how to let your voice work for you - how to get out of your own way. It allows you to release any unnatural manipulations or gimmicks. It's a process of simplification rather than complication that will open the doors to freedom of expression and communication with your audience.

Are Voice Lessons Right for You?

Voice lessons should assist you in understanding what you're doing right and in knowing why it's right so you don't mistakenly abandon valuable know-how, even if it�s just on an instinctive level. Lessons should provide you with any tools and knowledge you may be lacking so that you can increase your possibilities and expand your �vocabulary� to express yourself vocally.

There may be exercises you don�t yet know that will increase your endurance and stamina and others that might warm-up your voice more efficiently. A singer who understands and is certain of proper natural technique, is always more confident and professional. It is important to always push the envelope and continue to grow as an artist in as many ways as possible.

My message to you is: it is possible to sound the way you choose without hurting your voice, without limiting the length of your career, without having to settle for a small range, without having to sing raspy when you want to sound smooth or having to sing smoothly when you want to sound raspy. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, you deserve to freely use any sound that best conveys your message. You deserve to have total confidence in your voice - and you can!

Wishing you success,
Jeannie Deva