To achieve healthy singing, no matter what level or style, the basic technique is the same.
• Breath Support: Manage your air pressure below your vocal cords. As you breathe in, the diaphragm lowers and air flows into your lungs. Breath management is crucial in singing.
Do not raise your chest.
• Posture: Stand with ear, shoulder, hip, knee and feet all in alignment. Do not stick out your neck or raise your shoulders. Your body should be relaxed and perfectly aligned.
• Relaxed Jaw: Tension in the jaw can be observed as either stiffness or the jaw jutting forward. Let the jaw drop as if there was a hinge in front of your ears.
• Vocal Agility: You need to be able to move from note to note and land on the right note, as you would do in a run going up and down the scale.
• Open Throat: To sing with an open throat you should have a yawning sensation. The back of your throat should be open to help you project your sound forward. There should be no tension on the throat or chest. Opening your throat will increase your resonance and give your vocal folds more room to work.
Not using these techniques can cause damage to your voice. Many singers get polyps or nodules which can result in not being able to sing. By using these vocal techniques, singing will become easier, more powerful, and create a pleasant vocal sound. You want to achieve the most sound with minimal effort. Correct singing should feel good with no tension or pain. People often work harder than they need to, and should use only the muscles that are needed, and relax the ones that are not.
The result of combining these techniques can give you complete freedom in your voice. As would an athlete, you need a lot of training to achieve your ultimate vocal ability. This can be a fun journey.
Please check out our new dance and vocal studio at L’amoré Dance and Performing Arts Studio owned by mother/daughter, Madeline and Gina Neumann at 28065 Smyth Dr. Valencia. Call us at 661-673-7970, or contact us at info@lamoredance.com and visit our website at www.lamoredance.com.