When we first dive into the world of singing, we are inundated with all of these “proper” ways to sing. We are told that there is a wrong way and a correct way. Ultimately, this is true. However, only as it pertains to technique. The bare bones of technique boil down to a proper foundation. How you obtain that foundation depends entirely on you.
Let’s back it up though, shall we?
The superior singing method is one of a healthy voice. Our voices change naturally with age, and purposefully with training and experience. In order to keep growing as a vocalist, we need to learn how to pay attention to our own bodies and what it’s telling us when we sing. When we compare our technique to that of another vocalist, it’s important to note that while the approach may be different, the idea behind it is the same.
If you’ve been overwhelmed by vocal technique options, and wondering, “what’s the superior singing method, anyway?” then you’re in the right place. In this article we are going to cover three of the main factors that make up a solid technical foundation: the importance of breathing, proper stance, and how to adjust when your voice isn’t doing what you want it to.
Importance of breathing:
You’re probably thinking “Well, duh, Erin. Everyone breathes, on to the next point!” Au contraire, my confident reader. Let me tell you a story:
Once upon a time, there was a wee college freshman who walked in to her first Commercial Voice (read: everything that isn’t classical) seminar at Belmont University thinking she was hot stuff. She sang her song in front of her professor and the entire class thinking while there was definitely room for improvement, overall, she nailed it. Her professor’s first words? “Sweetie, you sounded like a schizophrenic.”
YIKES.
We all know I’m talking about me now, yes? Cool. Let’s continue…
After picking my jaw up off the floor, he then went on to explain how my voice wasn’t supported and my head & chest voice weren’t connected therefore, making me sound like I had two completely different voices.
THAT made sense.
Fast forward to beginning my private lessons and that same professor taught me when in doubt, breathe it out. I wasn’t deliberately breathing when I sang. I wasn’t even thinking about breathing. When I started deliberately taking deep, “belly” breaths and using that breath to not only support and connect my voice but also to expand its range, my singing improved quickly.
“What’s a belly breath, Erin?” SO glad you asked! When you are breathing “into your belly,” you are not physically putting air into your stomach. You are actually expanding your lungs to their full capacity which in turn, pushes the other organs around it down, “into your belly.” Thus, giving you the appearance of Santa Claus, and a nice, supported voice.
Knowing how to breathe, when to breathe, and what to do with your breath once you have it is the key to having a superior singing method.
Proper Stance:
So you’ve mastered breathing and belly breaths. Fabulous! Now what? Well, how’s your posture? In order to gain a solid breath and sound the best you can, your spine needs to be straight. Think about when you’re binge watching Netflix on the sofa. You can’t get a deep breath when you’re scrunched up in a ball, right? You need to straighten out first. Here’s another example for my more seasoned readers: You’re practicing a song sitting down, trying to hit a high note and you think to yourself “I have to stand up for this.”
Sound familiar?
The reason behind that is because a lengthened spine makes for a happy voice. Your voice is a muscle and needs to be treated as such. Exercises are only effective when they’re done with proper form, right? Same goes for the voice! Standing up straight and lengthening your spine when you sing creates a long, perfect path for your voice to travel through your body & out of your mouth.
Your head and chin placement also play a role. Imagine a bobblehead. When you pull down the chin of the bobblehead, it bounces right back into its balanced “home base.” Vice versa, pull the head back, and the bobblehead goes right back into place. Many singers have a tendency to follow notes with their chins. High note? Their chin is pointing to the sky. Low note? It’s pointed towards the ground. Not only does this stress out the muscles in your neck but, it also stresses out your voice. Finding your balanced “happy place” and also utilizing your chin for good to lengthen your spine will create amazing improvements for your voice!
If you want an excellent real-life example of proper stance and great breathing, watch Johnathan Groff’s performance as King George III in Hamilton. (Like you need another reason to watch Hamilton…)
Adjustments:
Alright, now you have your breathing down. You have your stance down. What happens when you encounter a new obstacle? Such as age or illness? You adjust, of course! Of all of the steps, this is the easiest to master.
Here’s an example for you: I am a singer/songwriter in Nashville and as such, I play a lot of guitar when I sing. There are these shows called “writers’ rounds” in which 2-3 songwriters sit on stage with their guitars and take turns singing songs they’ve written. Each person sings one song, then it goes back to the beginning, and repeats. Hence the name “round.”
ANYWAY! During these rounds while you’re waiting your turn, typically you’re on an uncomfortable bar stool, so you take the leaning over your guitar to relax. Then when it’s your turn, you go ahead and sing without even thinking about how you’re sitting. Halfway through the song you can’t figure out why the chorus is way more difficult than it has been lately and then suddenly, it dawns on you, you’re slouching. Slouching makes breathing harder which makes notes harder, and therefore, you adjust! Sit up tall, breathe, and TA-DA!
The same goes for when you’re practicing new material. If there’s a phrase or a certain part of the song that seems like it’s just not landing right, check in with yourself! How are you standing? How are you breathing? Are they nice, deep, “belly breaths,” or are they shallow? What is your chin doing? Also, how open is your mouth? We are not 1930’s film stars, boys and girls. We are SINGERS! USE YOUR MOUTH! I digress, that’s a different topic for a different time.
To sum up, when you’re wondering “what’s the superior singing method?” Remember that is consists of a solid, healthy foundation. Proper breath support, standing up straight, and making proper adjustments when necessary. All of these are unique to the singer however can be mastered by everyone over time!
One of the most important takeaways I can give you is that your voice is exactly that, yours. How you master it is entirely up to you.
Happy Singing!
Erin Phillips