Basic Vocal Technique: Finding Tension in Your Voice

In today's lesson, we're going to start with a very basic "ah" exercise. As we progress, we'll focus on identifying any spots where tension begins to manifest in your voice.

Starting from Your Lower Range

• Begin by keeping it super simple and follow along with me.
• Right about here is where many people experience their first feelings of straining.

Common Tension Indicators

• Eye and Chin Position:
  • Often, you'll see a tendency to look upward with the eyes while tilting the chin up.
  • This creates a feeling of reaching for the notes.

Important Note:

Whenever you think about reaching for a note, your body will respond physiologically.

Maintain a Neutral Posture

• Ensure your gaze is directed straight across or downwards.
• Your chin shouldn't lift too high; it can stay neutral.

"You can hear what happens to my voice when I do that. It's not very good for your voice."

Jaw Position

Another common issue is maintaining a tight jaw:

• A tight jaw prevents the sound from vibrating properly and restricts the larynx's ability to relax.
• Keeping your mouth open fully is crucial for proper vowel production.

Tips for Jaw Relaxation

• Allow the jaw to open vertically rather than tightly.
• Avoid the habit of clenching your mouth horizontally higher with each note.

"Keeping the mouth horizontally open is going to make the sound splat, ruin the vowel, and actually cause strain in the voice."

Finding the Right Approach

Aim to keep your mouth opened more vertically:

• Think about opening downwards, rather than just horizontally.
• Focus on a softer sound and lean towards a head tone.

"We want to try to find that more release right now. That's the key factor here."

Facial Relaxation

It's common to tense the face when singing higher notes:

• Watch for brow furrowing and facial clenching.
• These are clear indicators of strain in the throat.

"Whenever there's an involuntary action of the muscles of the face, it tells us that there's tension going on in the throat."

Keeping Your Face Relaxed

• During the exercise, try to maintain a deadpan expression.

"Aside from a squint because of the glare of the sun, I'm keeping my face as relaxed as possible."

Reflection Exercise

To conclude our lesson:

• Identify your tension spots.
• Make a note of:
  • Face clenching
  • Mouth positions (horizontal vs. vertical)
  • Jaw and tongue tension
• Write these down for future reference.

Stay aware of these tension areas to improve your vocal technique!