VIRTUALVOICELESSONS .NET

Lesson Notes

The standards within style - there is no clear definition of standards within voice training

Terminology has different meanings from one voice instructor to the next

What does operatic singing have to do with contemporary signing? Nothing!

VirtualVoiceLessons.Net teaches contemporary singing - Singing that is based upon the speaking voice

Operatic (or Classical) singing is not based on the speaking voice
Whether it's country or hard rock (or any other genre of contemporary music) singing is based on the speaking voice

Contemporary singing is all styles of singing except operatic

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Breathing - Inhalation
This is one of the few areas where contemporary and classical singing are similar

Breathing can be the single most important part of your vocal training

In order to exhale properly we must inhale properly

Two ways we inhale - Diaphragmatic and Intercostal

The way to use the diaphragm most efficiently is to let the diaphragm drop

The stomach should drop downward when inhaling, which allow the diaphragm has room to drop down and 'suck' the air into our lungs

Breathing - Exhaling
We need to create an internal pressure around the vocal chords

There is a difference between pushing and flexing - we must push the air, not flex our muscles
 

Flexing causes straining

Vocal Tone
What is vocal tone? Tone is the quality and character of sound

The character of sound can be described as the emotion that the sound 

The quality of tone is treble (brightness) and bass (darkness)
 

The higher we sing the more we need to open the throat to keep the sound the same
 

The piercing or bright sound of the voice is where contemporary and classical singing differ
 

In contemporary singing we aim the voice to the hard palate (the back of the mouth)
 

There are two other key differences - vowels and consonants

Classical voice trainers teach vowels and consonants that are not used in the English language