McDuff Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 As I have been moving forward in my ability to play I have been adding more and more singing into my practice. Normally my voice is so-so however with the increasing amount of singing my throat has been in dire straights. After a few days I simply can not sing anymore and must go back to purely instrumental practice. My guitar is pretty loud though all of this is with out any kind of amplification. Do any of our singers here have tips for getting my stamina up? I assume practice but at the same time I'm a bit worried about pushing it to hard and being knocked out practice long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Excercise: "Aahhh, ahhh , ahhh ahhh, ahhh, ahhh, ahhh" If it hurts, stop doing it. There are muscles involved in vocal cords, go easy and work your way up. Most people cannot bench press 400 pounds the first time out. Start small. Time your voice practice. Start at 10 minutes, the work your way up. Don't smoke, don't drink alcohol or milk before singing. Water lightly sweetened with honey helps lube the vocal cords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 While I won't claim to be a window-rattling singer, there's a thing or two I will suggest that will most definitely help with vocal power, control and training..... In my youth I attended a broadcasting school for a short time. Never followed through on that one, but I did learn a great tip for strengthening and smoothing the voice. As the instructor told us, you will sound like a braying donkey, but it does work. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly (with control!) as you say "ahhhh" as loudly as you can while maintaining control of the sound. Do the same saying "uhhhh". Do the "ah" for ten minutes, then the "uh" for ten minutes. Hold the sound for as long as you can, keeping it steady. Simple. This does two things if done correctly: it teaches you breath control (maintaining volume over time) and relaxes and stretches the vocal cords (deepens the voice; notice the deep, resonate voice radio DJs have?). Do this routine several times a day and try not to annoy your family. This routine makes for a great vocal warmup as well - it prepares the vocal cords very well for singing. I used to do this in the car on the drive to gigs. This truly works wonders though it does make you sound strange to anyone in earshot. This technique goes a long way toward teaching you how to do the second......... In conjunction with the excercise above, learn to push from your diaphram - do not sing from your throat! Singing in the throat can damage and fatigue the vocal cords. Sing from your gut. Tighten your abdominal muscles and push from down low. This is where the power is in singing. Your vocal cords and throat should remain relaxed and stress-free with the force required coming from beneath your lungs: the diaphram. This is a difficult habit to develop but it is the secret to controlled, powerful vocals. Watch opera singers - they show no sign of ever struggling to hold a tone or reach a note. They are singing from their gut. The vocal cords stretch and relax to produce a particular note, merely directing the airflow produced from the diaphram. Power and control come from down below. And one more: form words at the front of your mouth. Exaggerate your enunciation at the front of your mouth. Imagine the words popping from your lips. This is largely a training exercise and how much you use it during performance depends on what vocal effect you're shooting for, but it's a great habit that you learn to control as required while performing. It gives you clarity of voice. Master these things and you will leave your audience in awe of your vocal prowess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 thanks, buc. that's great advice. i had an instructor tell me two additional things: for enunciation, dramatically pronounce the words "lips, teeth, tip of the tongue". for diaphragm control, sing with your stomach pressed up against a wall - if you're doing it right, it should bounce you away from the wall like a push up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 If you are serious about wanting to sing....even a little bit, you should find a local voice instructor. If you are singing correctly ...relaxed jaw, relaxed throat, relaxed voice in the correct key for your range....it shouldn't hurt or cause you to lose your voice. I spent about 6 months doing singing lessons and realized I was doing so many things incorrectly. It seems to go against what you would think but to sing higher notes actually requires you to relax your throat. (before taking lessons I INCORRECTLY thought I needed to strain harder to get higher notes!). It is so helpful to be taught sone of the basic princples and techniques before you hurt yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 just read this @ NPR.. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128359885 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I agree with Buc and others. The singer in my band quickly learned that singing from the throat was a recipe for disaster when you had three gigs a week. And she did go and get some tips from an opera singer of all things. And it did help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dove Histronic Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Others have given you good advice, all I'll add is that many years ago I read "The Art of Singing" by opera legend Enrico Caruso and it was really helpful. Not everyone can develop into a Broadway singing star, but IMHO anyone can find and develop an effective voice for the types of music that most folks on this forum like to listen to and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 ......sing with your stomach pressed up against a wall - if you're doing it right' date=' it should bounce you away from the wall like a push up.[/quote'] Never tried that, but I still sing at home facing a hardwood door or wall to reflect my voice back at me. It's like singing with a monitor. Nose nearly touching the wall. Very good way to hear your own voice as it really is - good, bad or otherwise. Excellent practise tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Never tried that' date=' but I still sing at home facing a hardwood door or wall to reflect my voice back at me. It's like singing with a monitor. Nose nearly touching the wall. Very good way to hear your own voice as it really is - good, bad or otherwise. Excellent practise tool. [/quote'] We recently had a bathroom redone with tile floor and a new tile bathtub / shower enclosure. I go into the bathroom with my guitar and sing into the very reflective walls and .....ouch....I can really hear myself I agree with Buc and others. The singer in my band quickly learned that singing from the throat was a recipe for disaster when you had three gigs a week. And she did go and get some tips from an opera singer of all things. And it did help. The guy who I took lessons from was big into Italian Opera. He had me learn a couple songs from Phantom of the Opera. Totally NOT my thing, but the techniques and lessons are all the same. I still practice everyday using the recordings of the vocal exercises he recorded for me. There are a few techniques that you really need an instructor to watch you sing and be able to tell you what you are doing. They can see tension in your jaw or other bad habits that might be totally unconscious. When I would get close to the top of my range I would, with out me even realizing it, shake my head slightly from side to side throwing me flat. If he hadn't pointed it out and then made me stand in front of a mirror and see myself doing it.....I would never have known I was doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDuff Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 A fountain of information as usual. I don't know if I have a voice instructor available to me privately but I may be able to convince the schools choir teacher to help me. I Know you are not supposed to sing from your throat..I do, but I know I'm not supposed to, the wall tip is really interesting, now I just need to find a wall I wont get yelled at for singing into. It looks like I am back to the pitts for reading up on it and waiting till school starts up to get some one to whip my *** into shape. Until then I suppose it is increasing increments of ahhhs and uhhhs against a wall. Thanks for the speedy responses all, it baffles me the range of information this forum has. Who would have ever thought becoming a competent preformer would require so much reading and donkey imitating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 You could also be singing out of your range, either too high or two low. You may need to transpose the songs to a more comfortable keys. The local Choir Director is a good place to start. Many teach lessons on the side. Good Luck. Don't forget local Universities and Junior Colleges. If not professors, Choir majors are always looking for a way to make a buck. Each School's Music Department should be able to steer you in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigshot Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 My advice is to lay back a bit. On the guitar when you sing and dig in more when you don't. For me, voicevstrain is always trying to sing too loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 ...voicevstrain is always trying to sing too loud. Loud comes from the gut. If you're singing from there you can sing with volume you never knew you had without stressing the vocal chords.......for days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl M Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I had some serious vocal trouble a few years ago when I was on the road full time. I learned (through the excellent doctors at the Vanderbilt Voice Clinic in Nashville) about some of the biggest trouble makers for singers. Over-singing is one, so turn the amp down or get you a microphone. No, or improper, warm-up is another. There are lots of good vocal exercises you can do. And...diet, of all things. For example, I don't eat dairy products on a day I am singing. Anything that will leave a film on a glass will leave a film on your chords. Other things (like smoking) dry out your chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I had some serious vocal trouble a few years ago when I was on the road full time. I learned (through the excellent doctors at the Vanderbilt Voice Clinic in Nashville) about some of the biggest trouble makers for singers. Over-singing is one' date=' so turn the amp down or get you a microphone. No, or improper, warm-up is another. There are lots of good vocal exercises you can do. And...diet, of all things. For example, I don't eat dairy products on a day I am singing. Anything that will leave a film on a glass will leave a film on your chords. Other things (like smoking) dry out your chords. [/quote'] I too did serious damage to my vocal chords back in the 80's. I used to sing VERY loud, (quit laughing...I said LOUD, not WELL), and had to have a nodule removed. I do my best to not push it anymore, (a mic helps), and I've really had no problems since. I tried to "push from my gut", but danged it I didn't have a baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I too did serious damage to my vocal chords back in the 80's. I used to sing VERY loud' date=' (quit laughing...I said LOUD, not WELL), and had to have a nodule removed. [/quote'] what is this process? how does the doc diagnose it and how is it removed? day surgury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MimingMinds Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 only one thing to add to this - posture is pretty important. if you're hunched over your guitar trying to sing, chances are you're straining. i feel lucky because no matter what i do, my voice never really fails me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 what is this process? how does the doc diagnose it and how is it removed? day surgury? Yeah, as I recall, they had to put me under general anesthesia, but once I came to, I went right home. He just cut off the nodule. Didn't talk for a few days...now voice is better than ever. Seems to me he could see it by looking down my throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Yeah' date=' as I recall, they had to put me under general anesthesia, but once I came to, I went right home. He just cut off the nodule. Didn't talk for a few days...now voice is better than ever. Seems to me he could see it by looking down my throat.[/quote'] thanks. i'm sure i have a garden full of 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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