Different Vocal Techniques

Vocal Technique is the method of using one’s voice in a specific manner in singing. IT can be rehearsed and adjusted in such a way that will attribute to better singing. By turning to vocal techniques, the voice can have a better sound and quality. These techniques require the singer to control the voice. The posture of the person while he is singing has an effect on the sound coming out. There are a lot of techniques in singing. These were developed over the years to help singers achieve the full potential of their voices.As time progressed, musical tastes have also changed so singers continue to learn the various techniques involved in different genres of music. As a number of genres emerge, so do the physical anatomy of the voice that is needed in order to strike the chord to suit the feeling of the genre of the song. There are ways to learn how to control the voice in order for the singer to produce the particular sound he is aiming for. Most vocal stysles are divided into classical and non-classical techniques. There are genres such as rock, pop, rnb and more. This paper will talk of the basic vocal techniques that apply in any category and genre.First and foremost, the singer must gain control of his voice. He must concentrate on the three distinct areas that are important in producing the voice. It depends on the style that the singer is attempting to achieve. These different areas respond on various ways but the principles are all the same. One, all singing starts with breathing. The vocal sounds are results of the vibrations in the individual’s larynx. This is created by the air that is formed in the lungs. Breathing is an activity in everyday life so this can be done subconsciously and naturally.For the singer, he must be able to control and regulate the intake as well as the exhalation of his breath in order for him to get the best results of his voice. Singers know the term â€Å"Sub-Glottic Pressure† and take this seriously. Th is is the regulation of the flow of the breathing in and out of the lungs. This allows the air to flow right throught he individual’s vocal tract. This is very simple in terms of theory but when put into effect, it is not as simple as it sounds. The singer realizes that the process is complicated and he must therefore consciously control his breathing.This means that the diaphragm, the muscles, the stomach, the waist and the back must be in proper positioning. Just like anything in life, practice makes perfect. The actual sound that is heard when a person sings is produced by the vocal tract or the throat. This is in conjunction of the cricoid and the thyroid cartilages. The proper anatomical term that singers are also aware of is the vocal folds. They do their best not to strain these cords or strings because once these have been stretched, their singing voice will be affected and the sound it produces will no longer have the same quality.The singer regulates the pitch and t he frequency of the voice by controlling the vocal folds. This is done by breathing and building up the vocal folds that creates the pressure amidst the sub-glottic pressure. The air coming from these folds create the sound. The wider the vocal folds, the more air coming through. The folds then fibrate slowly and creates a low and deep sound. In order to enhance their craft, singers continue to find our more vocal techniques that will allow them to expand their voice. As long as they want to increase the range of their vocal chords, they can soar the high notes.By practicing, they will be able to hit the â€Å"full† voice that they want to achieve with such power. It may seem impossible at first but as long as they know how to do so, then they will not have a hard time pulling this off. Some singers make the mistake of wishing to hit the soaring and the high notes in order to lift the audience up to their feet. Truth is, the proper singing is not really breaking into falsetto or yelling. It is keeping the notes into order and the tone in its place. By practicing the proper vocal techniques, singers will be able to hit the high notes.They can do this the minute they know that they are ready. The proper vocal techniques allow them to prepare for that moment when they have to register their voice in upper scales. There are vocal techniques to expand the individual’s voice. As long as he discovers the connection between the lower vocals and the higher vocals, the singer can practice the vocal techniques needed. In order to explain it properly in this paper, let us call these vocal registers as â€Å"mixed voice† and â€Å"head voice. † The mixed voice is similar to the chest voice because of its low tone. The difference is that it is more subtle.If the singer developed a strong mixed voice then he could hit the high notes with complete vindication. It would also appear to be powerful and in tune. Whereas the head voice is the classical tune. Those who perform in opera and symphonies often use their â€Å"head voice. † Notice that the pitch and tune they sing in is very different from what you hear on MTV and the concerts of your favorite singers. This is because the head voice appears to have a classical tune when it is registered. The most common vocal teachnique is the expansion of the diaphragm. The singer is taught to sing an octave higher than his usual pitch.This exercise forms the bridge between the lower ranges and the higher ranges. Once the singer practice these exercises, he will be able to effortlessly escalate the pitch from low to high. Once the singer is used to doing this vocal technique, he will not notice that he floats through the various registers because he does this naturally. A really good singer can bridge the gap between the lower register and the higher register and appear to be as stong as ever. When the singer does this with his vocal registers, he realizes that he is doing the p roper vocal technique of pacing his diaphragm as well as his posture.It also helps that he does not focus on just hitting the high notes. He must be aware of the vocal registry in order to get to that high pitch. He can do this by practicing his vocal folds over and over again. He can do this for ten minutes every day. (Russell) As soon as the singer figures out the basic vocal techniques, he can understand better the different vocal techniques in the various genres. You see, these various genres are like instruments and the singer is the player of the instrument. In order for the singer to play the instrument better, he must be an expert to begin with.Like in the various musical styles such as pop, country, rock, soul or classical, the singer must consistently serve a function in order to sing properly and hit the notes of the song better. There are more to singing than practicing the vocal chords. Like what have been mentioned in the earlier paragraphs, the singer must also be awa re of his posture and breathing. The most important vocal technique a singer must learn is breathing. The vocal chords need the proper airflow in order to make sound. By vibrating, the voice of the singer can participate in any style or genre of music.Note that the really good singers are those who know how to breathe. (Manning, 110) Take this for example. Whenever some acclaimed singers like Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Scherzinger sing in front of a live audience, there are times they lose their breath. That is because they are too energetic that they ignore their breathing vocal technique. This results to their need to catch their breath. Their voices shake and it falters. When they are going to reach for the high notes, their voices shrill. Now compare these with Broadway actors such as Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, popularly known as the leads in â€Å"Wicked.†Different Vocal TechniquesLike Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Scherzinger, these two sta ge actresses also sing in front of the live audience but they rarely lose their breathe and miss a note. This is because theater actors are trained to breathe properly. The next vocal technique that must be really given attention to is the torso. This is the very focal point where the breathing procedure takes place. The torso has three chambers. The first chamber is the bottom. This is the area between the lowest rib and the pelvic bone. The second chamber is the middle area. The third chamber is the top, the one in the chest region. A good singer uses chambers 1 and 2.The air he reserves is located in chamber 3. This applies to any genre in singing. A secret technique some singers use is they leave the gateway open so that more air can enter the passage. By standing up straight, they are able to elongate the vibrations of the vocal chords that allow their voice to be executed better and with a finer sound and quality. Try this. Try singing with your shoulders slumped back and stan ding like a hunchback. Your voice will not be as powerful compared to the minute you straighten your back and belt out. Finally, another important vocal technique in singing is taking care of the resonance chambers.This is a very important component because this is where the sound of the voice is enhanced. It depends on the style of the music the singer wants to sing. If he wants to sing with the lowest note, then he can gather the air from chamber 1. These are mostly the rnb and jazz tunes. If he wants to sing pop and rock that shrieks at some parts, then it is best that he turns to chamber 2. Whichever chamber the singer chooses to use, he should feel his diaphragm. He will notice that his breathing repsonds to the pacing of his notes and the way he is singing. These factors are all interconnected.Some singers make the mistake of forcing the pitch to come out of their head. This is because the head is also a form of resonance chamber because of the nasal passages that are apparent . The sinus cavity, the hard palate and the soft palate contrinbue in the â€Å"head voice† that have been discussed before. But there are some music genres that are not appropriate for the head voice. This is when the overtone ring aims through the sound of the low and soft palate. (Mabry, 311) Classical singers resort to the resonance of their soft palate whenever they sing their songs.Examples are Sarah Brightman, who is popularly known for her role as Christine Dae in â€Å"The Phantom of the Opera. † If you want a better and more accessible example, buy Emmy Rossum’s new album â€Å"Inside and Out. † Rossum is Christine in the 2004 movie â€Å"The Phantom of the Opera. † She took a hiatus from making movies to concentrate on making an album. Her debut album â€Å"Inside and Out† features Classical-Pop-Techno songs. Rossum is an example of a singer who uses he soft palate. Now popular singers such as Britney Spears, Fall Out Boy, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna and Sean Kingston also use their resonance chambers.Country singers such as Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts use both their hard and soft palates. Yodelers such as Shakira can do this by keeping their soft palate at a low key then they aim for the tune by using their head voice. In a nutshell, the important thing to remember from all these pointers on vocal technique is that the larynx affects the tone quality. By lowering the larynx, the pitch of the voice also goes down. When it is at its lowest, the register of the key is low as well. Therefore, whenever the larynx reaches its highest peak, the singer is prepared to reach the high notes as well.