“My Country Tis of Thee” was one of my first solos. It sounded more like “my coun (breath) tree (breath) Tis of (breath) me (I couldn’t say thee yet;-) Somewhere a reel to reel recording of this 1974 parlor performance exists at my mom’s house….
My first singing lessons began at 4. No technique was taught. It was a singalong. We sang fun tunes and explored range. My range was small and my voice was breathy. But I was lucky that my voice teacher dad taught me to use my lighter head voice. He didn’t push me to “belt” it out unnaturally.
One of my early memories includes singing this song for relatives in our living room. Truth be told, a relative was concerned that I wasn’t louder but my dad never dwelled on it. I learned how to refine, focus, and support my emerging and often recalcitrant dramatic soprano throat…
What triggers this memory, you wonder?
Allow me to share….
For the last few months, I have been working with a young private voice student (7 years old). She is very musical and very shy. I was very similar as a child. But I sense a very active spirit behind that docile presence…..
Her family sits in on her lessons. She regularly attends lessons and comes prepared. We sing scales, practice solfege, and learn age appropriate repertoire. Her ear is getting stronger and range is growing.
Today a family member emphatically requested that my voice student be louder (even though we were just learning the piece.) They said “tell her to sing loud.” Lol. I was bubbling up on the inside but I kept my cool. I asked my student to sing a more familiar piece to show the emerging strength. I felt for the child because it was clear they were uncomfortable.
When a voice has been trained and cultivated through authentic register integration, body supported breath flow, and vertical vowel placement, lack volume is not a concern.
Some people are also just naturally loud. That doesn’t mean it’s good. And some people have to learn how to access their volume. It is not a quick fix if you want to retain a healthy throat.
So I created a list of ways that I have personally learned will build organic volume….
- Use chest voice exercises (vibration is felt on chest when access is met).
- Practice personally adapted warm up exercises regularly.
- Sing using deep breaths (from the diaphragm) appropriate for physicality.
- Stay hydrated.
- Expect gradual progress to avoid harming the voice. If it hurts, it is wrong.
- Isolate and exercise head and chest voice.
- Use heightened and released posture and vertical/loose mouth position.
- Practice tongue release exercises.
- Make sure you are confident with the music.
- Sing in your tessitura/natural vocal range.
- Use breathing exercises to calm the nerves/strengthen singing breathing.
- Focus on your love for singing/what the song means.
- PBS (prepare breathe sing) Breathe into heightened yawn space before singing.
akintsucrooner 