Let’s face it, there is far more mis-information available about the voice then there is correct information. This series of articles will give you a big picture view of the voice and what goes into developing your full and unique voice.
I just want to be able to sing! I hear those words every day. We have a deep desire to sing, express ourselves and yes, even sing well enough to be proud of our voice. Sometimes we want to sing for ourselves while other times we have a desire to share our music with others and possibly even perform.
Without a doubt learning how to sing is a labor of love. It raises our spirits, challenges us, opens us up to new possibilities of what we can do creatively and often drives us absolutely crazy.
Clearly you need to do the right things for your specific voice type. There are differences between the male and female voice. There are differences between Bass, Baritone and Tenor for men and Alto, Mezzo Soprano, Soprano and Whistle Register for women. These things are rarely if ever taken into consideration when doing the very things you need to do to get your voice where you want it. Regardless of how much, how little, or to what caliber you choose to develop your voice everything, yes I said everything, needs to be modified for the unique and individual qualities of your voice. With all these different variables it’s no wonder we don’t progress the way we want to or worse, do things that cause throat strain or make us sound less pleasing then we would like to. Do you ever want to sing a song and find you psych yourself out and just can’t do it the way you know you want to? That is probably because you don’t have the right information or tools to get the job done. Partial information will get part of the job done while mis-information will cause voice problems and keep you from making progress. Yikes!!! Let me shed a little light on things.
We want to develop the vocal instrument to match the passion we have inside.
There are three separate components to voice. I will give you a snapshot of each component allowing you to see the complete vision of voice.
The components are:
Component I - Technique
Component II - Voice Styles
Component III – Music Genres
TECHNIQUE: These include your mental thoughts while singing, correct posture, breath, tone production (which includes intonation, vocal cord adjustments, strength and conditioning of singing muscles), vocal cord adjustments, understanding chest and head registers, resonant sound, and creative expression used to create your distinct voice.
VOICE STYLES: These include Speech (similar methods include SLS Speech Level Singing and Spoken Level Singing), Falsetto, Cry, Twang, Belt and Opera (Opera is a classical method and not suitable for contemporary / modern music. It is often used for musical theatre when a classical and formal sound is desired). Often people focus on learning one or two of these styles. While learning anything about the voice is helpful you will likely want an understanding of all Voice Style.
GENRES: This is where the sky is the limit. You have your most commonly known genres such as Pop, Blues, Country, Jazz, Electronic, Folk, Heavy Metal, Reggae and Classical but there are many other genres founded in the roots of these genres that go into forming your personal musical tastes and unique sound.
Your full voice is grounded in proper vocal technique. No singer can sing effectively without it. On the other hand, your UNIQUE voice is created by utilizing proper vocal technique and combining different voice styles to achieve a sound that matches the vision you have for your song. The combination of both gives you the tools to sing any genre you desire.
You will get to where you want your voice to go one step at a time. I know you can do it!
About Me:
As a Vocal Coach I am lucky to be involved with many interesting projects. I have helped with searches for vocalists for EMI Records, Canadian Idol, award winning producers and the Hummingbird Centre to name just a few. I have worked with vocalists from Sony/Curve and EMI Records preparing for recording, performing and touring.
When a vocalist develops their instrument “vocal” and “style” techniques are used allowing the voice to reach its greatest potential. Some people overlook that and simply imitate singers or styles, which never develops the voice or produces the unique qualities of their voice. Often they receive voice information not relevant to their specific voice needs. This results in confusion about how to sing which does not produce results, only frustration.
My work has been published in the book “The Perfect Rehearsal” written by Dr. Timothy Seelig, Ph.D from the USA in his latest book entitled “The Perfect Rehearsal” in his chapter “Vocal Health in Rehearsal”. I am the only Canadian voice expert asked to contribute to his book so I am very appreciative to have been included in a book written by a man of his stature and musical accomplishments.
I have facilitated Voice Clinics at the Mohawk College – Careers in Music Conference, Winterfolk Folk & Blues Festival, Corporate Public Speaking Conferences, has facilitated training sessions for artists with stage fright, ADD, ADHD and anxiety issues and has acted as judge for TIMA (Toronto Independent Music Awards).
I have trained privately through the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, have extensive training in Speech Level Singing and have attended the University of Pittsburgh’s Contemporary Voice Care Group training to help others maintain and rehabilitate the health of their voices. I also have my certification in Educational Kinesiology which speeds up the learning process and creates a balance between the technical and creative mind. Incorporating that balance while singing is important to bring out your best and full voice. I am a member of SOCAN.
Perhaps you want an occasional lesson to fine tune a few things or maybe take lessons regularly to learn all the fundamentals of voice. Regardless of your goals you need a Vocal Coach with the knowledge to develop your voice properly for life-long singing. I’m here to help. Call me at 416-436-8063 or click on to my "Contact" page to email me. Either way, I look forward to hearing about your voice and where you'd like to take it.
Thank you for supporting Canadian musicians. I know together we can elevate each other to not only reach but exceed our dreams.
Donna Flynn
