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Your Singing Questions Answered

August 28th, 2010

Which singing method is best?

You should choose a singing method that works for you. You can find singers and teachers who are quick to recommend their method, claiming, “It’s the best.” What you are looking for is a method or technique that helps you with breathing management, tone, resonance, articulation, and of course the principals of singing.

Why doesn’t my voice work sometimes?

Your voice might stop working for many different reasons, and they can all be fixed. Thinking too much about how you sound as you sing can make you nervous and you may not sound your best. Not getting enough sleep can cause your voice to feel sluggish and not respond as easily as it normally does. If you sang too much the day before, your voice will inevitably get tired. Your signing muscles are very similar to the other muscles in your body. The muscles need to be worked out, but they also need their rest. Emotions also affect your singing voice. Crying can make the cords swell and feel puffy, too.

Do I have to be fat to have a big voice?

Nope. Your voice size isn’t related to your waist size. If that were true, then all great singers would be big and every large person would be a great singer. Actually, having extra weight around the middle makes it harder to move your body and to breathe. If you have been used to moving under a lot of weight, then it shouldn’t really be an issue. The size of your throat and head make a bigger difference in your voice than your belly.

If my voice is scratchy, do I have nodes?

Getting nodes actually isn’t all that easy. Yelling for a day won’t get you nodes. The cords may swell the next day, but you have to abuse your voice for a longer period to get nodes. Just remember that nodes are like calluses. If you don’t rub the cords the wrong way, you won’t have the problem. If you continue to have scratchy sounds in your voice, then sing in the high range. Nodes are usually only affecting the higher part of your voice. If it’s only the mid-range that is affected, you may have an entirely different problem.

What’s the difference between a singing coach, voice teacher, and an accompanist?

The coach is a person that can play the piano and will give you good advice on singing. During a work session with a coach you may practice hearing the piano cue for your entrances in your song, work on the pronunciation of words, get tips on how to sing with the correct style, and find good places to breath within the text. A coach gives you the basic, and compliments your voice teacher.

An accompanist plays the piano for you but doesn’t give any advice. An accompanist is not cheaper than a coach though.

The voice teacher is the most important and will show you your technique. Although the coach may have knowledge of technique, the voice teacher should be the pro and expert. While the voice teacher may not be a great pianist, they do have a great amount of knowledge. In your voice lesson, you can expect to work at least half of the session on technique and the other half applying that technique to repertoire.

Want to learn to sing like a star but can’t afford a private singing coach? I encourage you to check out Sing With Freedom from Per Bristow.