How to sing with more power, Part 3 of 3 - Dynamics

How to sing high with more power
Part 1 of 3 -    • How to sing with more power, Part 1 of 3  
Part 2 of 3 -    • How to sing with more power, Part 2 o...  
Part 3 of 3 - Dynamics

Hi Guys! Thanks so much for hanging out with me today. I’m so happy you’re here! This is part 3 of a 3 part series on how to sing with more power. This video builds off of all the ground work that was established in the other two videos. So if you haven’t had a chance to watch the other video’s, I will leave links below in the description for you so you can check them out. The objective within this video series is to release your voice from the center of your body, freely without introducing tension.
So here’s what we’ve learned so far. The exercises that we’re going to do today will be a direct reflection of the overall strength of your voice. So I encourage you not to judge what you here, but focus instead on sensations.


#1. So in the first video we learned that power is what naturally happens when your body is open and your breath is free and responsive. So the keys to the kingdom when it comes to vocal power is playing with your alignment in order to maximize vibrations and being as still as possible while you do. This is incredible at releasing your voice from your body giving you tons of freedom.

#2. Prevent pressure and strain from building around the chords by imagining your vocal cords being very similar to a rubber band stretching. This keeps the cords stretching backwards as you sing higher notes, giving you more clarity and overall strengthening the interior muscles of the larynx.

So now that we’ve opened the space within the body (The tunnel of awesomeness) and begun to strengthen the cords, we’re going to turn it up a notch today. By going to slowly and steadily increase airflow giving you more dynamic range resulting in…you guessed it…more power! So our big word of the day is RESPONSIBILITY. Not that whole make your bed, brush your teeth, pay your bills type of responsibility, but the ability for breath to be the primary response to the sound. And to do so, without introducing too much pressure or tension into the sound.

It’s a lot like learning to drive. In the beginning, we don’t really know how to trust that slow increase of movement to accelerate the car, so we slam on the break and then slam on the gas again. When you feel the reflexive lift from the diaphragm, lean into that feeling. What’s important here is to be with that experience.

Sometimes the lower muscles of the abdomen can get a little lazy, and when they do, there isn’t adequate fuel for the voice to flow especially when it comes to increasing volume. Forcing the muscles of the neck and larynx to do double duty.

Keep the feeling as light as possible around the chords. You do not need to protect, preserve, or perfect the quality of your sound. We want your voice to be affected by your breath.
Going slowly allows the muscles that govern the breath to stabilize without adding any distortion or demand on the cords. We also work in this way, so that the muscles that govern the entire process can learn to behave in ways that reveal rather than conceal.

So let’s get into this feeling shall we? Imagine there’s a bunch of energy moving upward through your spine. Now imagine that your body hangs like a sweater on a hanger, feel gravity affecting your inside, but keep that energy going up the spine. Now with the weight of your head in your hand, tilt your head backwards and feel as if there is a tunnel that extends straight down from your throat to your belly button. Take a moment to register that hollow sensation on the inside. Observe your natural breath. Can you feel that subtle rise and fall of your belly? Now move a little bit of sound through a sigh for me and concentrate on the feeling that the sound is free to be released from your body without any reaction from you. Be still. Experiment with a few different pitches here but keep the feeling of openness present.

Now, with your focus on your belly, Exhale, inhale, exhale. Release sound as if you feel the natural upward wave of the diaphragm underneath the air? Now let’s add sound. Let’s start in a softer tone and then slowly increase the air making the sound a little louder. Feel that?

Now that you’ve activated that tunnel of resonance, bring your head to neutral and remain concentrated on that tunnel as you yawn to open your throat. Imagine the tunnel extending well into the back of your mouth. Now play with the feeling as if the chords are rubber bands. Try a few varying pitches. But do not judge the quality of your sound here. Now that you’ve got the sensations of both the first and second steps, focus back on the tunnel of resonance.