there's something special about your method of explaining singing technics that has positively impacted my approach and understanding the arts of singing. you're amazing
I really can't express how thankful I am for your videos and articles on singwise. The article on breath management/appoggio has been a massive help to me.
Thank you Karyn, I really love the way you explain the subject. I'm always looking at different teachers in youtube, but by far your lessons and blogs are the ones that dissipate all that fog and weir explanations to me. I don't know if it means much, but I do appreciate a ton what you are doing.
It most certainly does mean a great deal to me to hear positive feedback and encouragement, so thank you! I'm happy to know that what I do resonates with you.
This is the best singing technique video I've seen yet on TH-cam. (An opera I worked with said the same thing about thinking of going down -into the diaphragm breathing?- when singing high notes..)
Hi ive checked your website and you are a very knowledgable teacher, i admire you, didnt know you had a youtube channel, im gonna watch every video you post!
i can low larynx for i started singing using speech level singing.. it made me improve my singing, but not to a genre that i want which is rock.. i could not do the whiny mix voice sound, and add rasp, growl, screams, and loud whiny head voice.. so what i did, i still did the same exercises like in SLS on how they make singers is low laryx but i just used different vowels, different mouth opening (kinda wider), and applied a whiney monkey sound.. been studying singing for 10 yrs now, and everything is exciting :D
An opera teacher taught me about pulling the sound up just as you talk abot the "hook" it makes a total difference in terms of tension, also helps a lot when you are doing very distant intervals up and down so the resonance doesnt fall down and all of a sudden you cant go back up again without tension
very enlightening, I just started seeing a speech therapist for my singing voice.. she has me doing swallow strengthening exercises and manually trying to get my larynx down by pulling it down with my hand several times a day.. my suspicion is that singers aren't her specialty but probably people with Parkinsons.... great job
Thanks for watching and commenting. There are some speech language pathologists who specialize in the singing voice, and I usually encourage singers to try to find those therapists because they understand the needs of singers better. I'm not a SLP and I don't know your medical situation, but I'm always a bit concerned when individuals are instructed to manually manipulate the position of the larynx. That can lead to bruising and other injury. And, personally, I would prefer a gentler approach that might take longer but will, over time, train the larynx to lower without manual manipulation. (You mentioned that your SLP is also having you strengthen your swallowing muscles, which is the opposite action/reflex and set of muscles than those used for lowering the larynx.)
Just adding my voice to the chorus of positive remarks… Especially grateful for the explication of the reasoning behind the often-heard directive to “think down.“ Of course it sounds like common sense now that I understand it, ha. Once again, much gratitude and many thanks to you.
This is such a well explained and thorough video. As someone who has studied anatomy for uni, your knowledge on muscles and how these are affected etc. is incredible, really well done video!
I love hearing the verbal instructions and the images of the throat and tongue and larynx and pharynx and hyoid and all the anatomical names. My throat is so constricted and locked that I actually, literally cannot breath, been so for many years, effectively, I'm not dramatic here, rruined my life. Every waking minute I am exhausted and panic that I am suffocating. I exaggerate not. I've spent a small fortune on doctors, healers, tests, exams and there is noting physcally wrong. they don't understand me, but YOU do. NOONE mentioned throat muscles. I watch you as speech therapy, not singing lessons. THANKS. Side bar: Are you reading or you that articulate?
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been struggling so much for so long! Have you seen a speech therapist? I would also recommend the Alexander Technique because it can really help indirectly address the causes of muscle tension dysphonia. (I don't really think that I'm that articulate. I kind of see myself as a bumbling idiot. That's why I have to do so many takes and make so many edits!) Please keep me posted on how you're doing and let me know if there is ever anything that I can do to help.
Fantastic presentation! Love your passion and energy. Appreciate your approach of unpacking the physical, emotional and practical aspects of singing. Keep'em coming!
Salvatore Fisichella had an interview and master class stating and I am paraphrasing, " The larynx is the principle organ in singing. The larynx must lean on the breathe in a supple way and as we ascend it must lean more intensely.(Here he makes the importance of the vocal cords insignificant ) The vocal cords are only responsible for distributing the resonance, that's it. The larynx gives rise to all nuances of the timber." When he makes the vocal cords insignificant I think he just means from an application perspective not a scientific perspective. In other words, the vocal cords are not what we appropriate kinesthetically when we sing as much as the larynx itself. Something tells me he is right.
Every video you make offers so much insight on things I haven't even considered. Thank you so much, I've learned tons from both your website and channel! Also you have such a concise and informative way of explaining things that makes these videos so unique and especially helpful! This comment may be offhand, and I'm sure you're loaded with people asking you questions, so sorry if this is a bother, but I was wondering if diet has a long-term effect on your voice? I've read sources saying acidic and greasy foods are bad for your voice immediately before a performance, but will they have an effect on your voice in the long term? I guess I'm just worried haha. Again, thank you, and I look forward to all your future videos!
Thanks for the encouraging feedback! Yes, I believe that diet can have a long-term impact on the vocal organs over time, just as it has a long-term impact on all other parts of the body. I think that people are very unaware of diet's effects unless they're blatantly obvious in the short-term - experienced as acute problems. Oftentimes, they simply have never established a baseline of health to know how their bodies (including their voices) function on a better diet. They get by. One clear example is GERD, which can cause irritation of the vocal folds (and a thinning of their protective mucosal lining) that can affect voice quality. GERD is a chronic condition, which means that, if not addressed appropriately, voice quality will be chronically poor. One of the long-term treatments for this condition involves a change of diet. For me, removing all grains from my diet has dealt with chronic systemic inflammation and somewhat improved my own mild reflux symptoms. There are a number of chronic health conditions that can negatively impact the voice, so improving diet can help keep their symptoms under control. Additionally, good diet keeps the immune system stronger and makes the singer less susceptible to health problems in general.
Dear Karyn, Your very thoughtful and useful video has helped me overcome a break that I have had for years, since my voice began to change (menopause). I had no idea that I was moving my larynx as I got close to the break. It took me one afternoon of singing "ng" for it to disappear. I hope you continue your very good work. Thank you so very much!
Oh Woman, How helpfull perhaps you kould be to say to the Ghost group pf Jadyn Rylee that if someone is damaged and sick they will NOT be able to muster speech properly let alone low quality singing!!!! Please help her to do spirit retrieval and ghost crew rescue so that perhaps that will reduce the attempt to push me to sing so much before they study health and how slowinge from fixing my kar kauses me to breath bad air!!!!
It would be helpful to be more precise about what is meant by low larynx. What is the precise position anatomically. Low relative to what? Resting non speaking position? Lower than resting position? Slightly higher than resting position? Lower than speaking voice position? And what gets lowered? Does the hyoid bone lower? If so does not the tongue descend? It is not helpful to just say low larynx. Corelli and DelMonaco lowered their larynx a great deal, almost down to the suprasternal notch.
What a wonderfully informative video, thank you. You may want to put a more prominent link to your website somewhere on your videos or page, as I had to search a little for it.
when I draw a breath in it almost feels like I can sort if aim it. I can do it as if the inhale is hitting the soft palate. It also feels like I can inhale so that the breath only goes down the throat. do they both perform the same function, as far as opening the throat goes? or is one more efficacious? thank you!
Wherever we feel the inspired air cooling the vocal tract is usually where that air is encountering resistance and the air molecules are 'collecting ' ('pooling') and becoming more densely compacted due to a narrower space through which they are traveling. If we feel the coolness on the hard palate or soft palate, it's usually because the tongue body is assuming a given curve that is directing airflow through the narrow space between it and the area being cooled. If we feel it along the entire throat, it could mean that the tongue root is retracted so that the space in the throat is made a bit narrower. However, the more important thing to consider is the quietness and efficiency of the breath. If the breath is noisy, then that's a sure sign of a narrowing constriction that's interfering with airflow and causing that turbulent noise. If air can't be drawn in very quickly - a complete breath renewal - then it's likely that the throat is too narrow at some point.
how much would you say is an appropriate amount of upward movement for the larynx as in mms or cms or what not. Also, how can we self monitor with our hands on our larynx and tell the difference between a tilting/rocking thyroid and an improperly rising larynx? thanks!
I don't know for sure what is appropriate in terms of laryngeal elevation, partly because it may differ from person to person depending on our individual anatomies (internal dimensions of the vocal tract). In Western classical singing, the larynx is to remain stable, so laryngeal excursion should be no more than a few milimetres. But in commercial styles, a neutral to high laryngeal posture is acceptable and sometimes necessary for achieving certain sounds, including belting. It isn't only the height of the larynx that makes things feel uncomfortable or sound bad. It's a high larynx in combination with supralaryngeal constriction that makes the high larynx position potentially bad. You can monitor the thyrohyoid space instead of the larynx itself. That's the space between the thyroid cartilage (shield at the front of the larynx) and the hyoid bone.
I listened to your explanation and I was eager to hear you sing and demonstrate...I don’t want to be rude... However I think you would get a larger following and would motivate people studying voice more if you could demo the technique you are teaching earlier in the video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of voice on TH-cam.
So ive done this...ya know physically move it... Best thing to do? At this point I just wany my normal voice back N i dont even mean tone or note wise I just want to feel normal singing again...😞
Hi! Love your videos! I used to be a treble but stopped singing for a while as my voice broke and since returning to singing I've found myself with much more throat tension etc. I thought I might be a bass but now I think I'm more like a baritone with poor technique in the upper parts of my range. I find singing in head voice with a neutral or low larynx almost impossible; my larynx comes shooting up whenever I sing in head voice. And, as a result, when I start to mix at around middle E or F, the larynx feels like it wants to rise. I have found the 'inalare la voce' concept really helpful in keeping my larynx low in chest voice, but do you think it's useful for headvoice aswell? Or would you suggest a different technique for head voice larynx stability? Thanks! :)
If you're singing classical music, then the larynx will generally stay somewhat stable in height until you are much higher up in your scale. However, if you're singing in commercial styles, it's acceptable to allow the larynx to rise somewhat with pitch. If it gets TOO high and/or its elevation is accompanied by a feeling of constriction or strain, then you'll need to work on achieving more release inside the throat. I generally don't encourage conscious lowering of the larynx in the lower part of the range, at least not until we begin to rise above speech-inflection range, as that can create a really distorted, overly/falsely darkened timbre. It's the higher pitches that require the most attention to the open throat, so I find that concepts such as inalare la voce are most applicable to the higher range.
Does it help to do an “uh” placement in the larynx? I feel like I heard that somewhere and it’s hard to do it quickly and relaxed enough while phonating. Would you say this “form” is a good spring board to sing basically anything off of? (Other than extreme styles like screamo, etc)
How about thinking tiny throat space in the beginning of a scale, and then leaning the larynx on the breathe as we ascend on a scale making the tiny space bigger. I think that what also happens is that the larynx naturally widens and opens when we lower the larynx. The larynx should never be widened because it separates the cords and the cords can't simply be put back together because the larynx has physically stretched them wide open. I think that is my problem anyway . I have no consistency in my sound. Learning how to sing has been a war my whole life. I just continue to fight because I know that I have superior talent when I am on my game. I could make Caruso sound as if he were my son and yet I can't do what he did with ease and it drives me crazy. All the years of training and for what? Anyways I had some success on Friday doing it this way without the tiny part. Today I realized the importance of the tiny space. I will see how it works out tomorrow. And share if it is successful.
Id like to ask you, what do you think of the "anticipation of the note" ? i believe that in order to achieve certain melody you kind of have to make a map and calibrate the instrument in terms of the highest note you are gonna hit in that melody, and from there do the "hook" you are talking about
I think it depends on the singer, but I do find with my own voice that I have to do some sort of different 'pre set up' depending on what I'm planning to sing. It usually has more to do with the style in which I'm singing - and therefore the technique that I'll be using - than the actual notes that I'll be singing. And I have certain exercises that I use to help set up that technique. I find that many singers do have to at least mentally prepare for their high notes so that their bodies can make those conscious adjustments necessary to sing the notes as desired. Good question!
singwisevocals thanks for the answer! Ive been studying with different teachers and methods, but i find that my falseto voice like gonzo from the muppets always sounds dirty just like gonzo this is the voice that doesnt mix with chest, but still im trying to clean it, on my mix and full voice i dont have any problems can sing to an Eb above high C but this falseto when i want to switch intentionally like breaking the note, sounds dirty, hope i explained correctly how can i fix that? Thanks again
I'm not sure what's causing that, but it might be related to excessive breath pressure, which is making it impossible for the vocal folds to approximate just enough to prevent their rattling off each other. It sounds like you want more of a 'hoot' kind of falsetto in which the falsetto is 'clean' by not full-voiced (like head voice is). Try working with the 'coo' or 'goo' exercise that I outlined in my laryngeal stability video. You could also try ingressive voicing in which you phonate/make sound while inhaling. This gets the top portions of the vocal folds vibrating first (rather than the bottoms). Sing some scales with this inhaled phonation, then alternate between inhaled and exhaled (egressive) phonation. It's kind of an unusual approach, but see if it helps.
singwisevocals hi Karyn thanks for your answers you are really helpful! And answer real quick with great knowledge, everything you say makes total sense! One last question, what do you think of glotal compression, which has been taught to me as holding the breath such as talking under water while singing?
We need glottal compression. That's how we get the vocal folds together... and keep them together. But we need to achieve an appropriate degree of glottal compression. The higher the subglottal pressure, the firmer the glottal compression. If it's too firm, we get a pressed, tight sound. If it's not firm enough, we get an airy tone or one that lacks presence (strong initial source signal). The idea of 'talking under water' basically presents a resistance to the air that you can also achieve by phonating into a straw that's in a glass of water. It creates and efficiency within the vocal tract.
Thank you soo much for this video! It helped me tons, much more than any other video on youtube on the subject. I just have two questions: should I keep the soft palate as high as I can for the first and second exercises you demonstrated (meaning I completely close off my nasal cavity)? And Should this position slightly change as I change vowels? For instances when I do it I can keep my soft palate very high with the u and æ vowel, but it tends to drop down as i do the a and o vowels, is that normal because of the way these vowels are phonated or is it just a lack of technique and I should keep working on it? Again thank you soo much, I can’t wait for the next video!
As a general rule, the soft palate should be both high and wide in all singing (with the exception of nasal phonemes). We don't need to try to force the uvula back or strain to try to create a really tight seal of the velopharyngeal port. (Individual anatomy will greatly determine the degree of closure.) The soft palate needs to be 'high enough' and 'wide enough' (the pillars of the fauces) to prevent nasality and the trapping of resonance behind it. Some singers lower the soft palate because it helps them feel more frontal sensations (i.e., in the 'mask'). The hint of nasal resonance may convince them that their vowels (the back vowels, in particular) are brighter. Many singers allow the soft palate to lower slightly - but not enough so that there is a perceptible nasality - around the lower passaggio in order to ease the pressures inside the resonator tract. This is acceptable. And some alterations in the shape of the soft palate from vowel to vowel is also somewhat normal. The soft palate tends to lower slightly on the /a/ vowel (and also /o/, in some cases) because the tongue is low, and the tongue and soft palate share some muscular attachments. So, whenever the tongue is very (or excessively) low, the soft palate may be pulled down along with it. And whenever the tongue root tenses and narrows, this may also draw the pillars in with it, thereby narrowing the soft palate. So, take a look at your tongue posture on those vowels. That may help. I know I stress this often, but we need to develop a good mental concept of tone for our vowels. If we hear the vowel as slightly thin or nasally, then we'll shape our vocal tracts to make a slightly thin and nasally vowel.
Hello Karyn. Firstly, thank you for your video. But I have one question: your singing example from 5:00 doesn't sound very tight or squeezed to me but just higher than the "hooty" example. As far as I know a narrowing and elongation of the vocal tract leads to easier vocal production especially for higher pitches and is used especially in opera types of sound where natural amplification is crucial (raise inertive reactance). That's why I think this "open" throat is in ANY case a problematic kind of picture for a student. The narrowing of the vocal tract often protects the vocal folds from too much strain/pressure.
Thanks for your comment. I'm not a hyperfunctional, strained kind of singer, so that was certainly a squeezed sound for me. And as I listen back, it does indeed sound a bit squeezed to my ears. Second, I'm wondering if you're thinking of the narrowing of the epilarynx - not the entire vocal tract - which contributes to the singer's formant, as well as an efficiency within the vocal tract (including inertive reactance, which helps sustain efficient, healthy vocal fold vibration). There is a ratio of narrowing of the epilaryngeal outlet to the dimensions of the pharynx that enable this kind of efficiency (and are believed to contribute to the singer's formant), and to achieve this, the larynx must be lowered so as to expose the wider base of the pharynx. As I see it, the goal behind any 'open' throat training is to achieve a release inside the throat. That 'release' is a subjective sensation, but it also represents healthy functioning of the instrument (unless the singer's kinaesthesia is lying to him). But I do not subscribe to the belief that, for example, narrowing along, or at points along, the vocal tract is inherently unhealthy. Nor do I believe that an elevated larynx is inherently unhealthy. (Twang - a narrowing of the aryepiglottis - protects the vocal instrument, but it also encourages the larynx to elevate.) I believe I stated so early on in this video. 'Narrowing' does not necessarily equal 'constriction' or a feeling of strain or squeeze. In my studio, I don't actually spend much time discussing this concept of the 'open' throat or addressing it directly because that could lead to an imbalance in one's focus and also to students taking concepts to extremes. In this video, I talk about 'counterproductive, conscious controls' because I believe that attempting to micromanage and manipulate the various components of the voice system tend to do more harm than good. (I recorded this video series at the request of several viewers, even though it's not my favourite topic.)
Hey Karyn! Thank you for your answer! I'm agreeing with you on all parts. So that is very affirmative for me. :) I didn't realize this was one of your "older" videos and thought it is brandnew (was fooled by the August...2016). But as i read the date of the comments I was a bit confused. So always looking forward to new videos!
What do you mean? It sounds okay when I play it back on my laptop - not professional recording studio quality, but okay. What are you hearing that doesn't sound right?
singwisevocals interesting! Thanks@ and sorry for worrying you. I’ve finally had the tone to sit down and watch some of you videos. You’re doing a great job!
Definitely! I've started doing this in some of my most recent videos (th-cam.com/video/O6geoLTIyhE/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/1w1Ng5qVwAI/w-d-xo.html). I'll be covering more sounds over the next few weeks, as well. Please let me know if there are specific techniques or sounds that you'd like me to cover.
That's awesome , thanks! Well, I'd like to know a little bit more about primal sound and classical singing, you know, like Chapman's pedagogy and also, is there a video in which you talk about the collar connection?
Not yet. On a side note: Last week, I watched a live webinar with Janice Chapman, hosted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing. It was REALLY good. She is such an insightful, wise, intelligent woman. I could tell that she really understands the vocal instrument and functional training.
Hello Caren, I'm finding your videos very helpful and positive. Thank you for that. I'm impressed by the amount of knowledge you have on this and the dedication you put to finding these out. Keep going, you are so helpful. Btw, I have some questions about this because it has been torturing me for 7 years now and my singing career stopped because of it. Let me know if I may ask you about it. I so wish you lived in my country so I could have a coach like you. :) Greetings from Serbia! :) o/
Of course I answered! (I usually try to respond to all of the comments on here. But just be forewarned: I'm a bit behind on my e-mailing still, and so it may take me a few days to respond to your e-mail.)
Hi Karyn. Great presentation. Thank you very much for that. When you mentioned about retraining the larynx for those people who have very active 'inner highway muscle', excuse my spelling for that but thats the way i heard it. So i seemed to get the idea, though i'm not sure if this is what you meant, that they need to do slow deep breathing for a period of time before they start to sing again, to relax and retrain the larynx to once again take on a neutral position as it should do. If this is what you meant, how long should one wait before they start to sing again. Thanks for your time, and take care.
The infrahyoid muscles are those that help the larynx (via the hyoid bone) descend when we inhale deeply and yawn. The suprahyoid muscles are those that raise the larynx (via the hyoid bone) when we swallow. Some people have a really strong swallow reflex, even when speaking, and so those suprahyoid muscles are overactive all the time. So, they need to retrain the vocal tract into new patterns of behaviour. When we practice deep inhalation for a time, we're learning to release those suprahyoid muscles and allow the infrahyoid muscles to take over more. Then, we can inhale deeply and imagine that we're singing (without actually speaking/singing the words - just mouthing them - either on the inhale or exhale), without allowing the swallow reflex to take over. Then, we try vocalizing. Our instruments will tell us when we're ready to move onto singing. If the old habits start to creep back in, then go back to retraining the vocal tract in silence, even it's only for a few minutes. The more you do it, the more habitual and second nature it will become - the vocal tract will just automatically start to assume this posture. But don't allow yourself to reinforce the old habits. Stop and reset as soon as you feel the former habits (that you're trying to eliminate) creeping back in.
Brilliant. So clearly written. Yes, the supra hyoid muscle. Thats the one. Inner Highway muscle, what was i thinking? I'll just add this note. I'm not really sure what my problem is exactly other than every time i start to raise my pitch while singing, though it doesn't appear to happen when i'm talking, but while singing, my larynx almost ejects straight out of my mouth. So this is a problem for me. So much strain. What i should do is sign up to your site, and see if you do Skye lessons. I imagine your completely run off your feet so would understand this not being possible. i'll check it out and see as i need some guidance. Really detailed and generous response, so many thanks once again.
If I can figure out how to do that, I will! They always seem to play back-to-back when I watch them, but if they're not all playing for you, then maybe I need to change a setting.
Hm my larynx rises slowly with the pitch.. Meaning the higher the pitch I start with the higher will my larynx' position be. And then going up the scale it slightly rises up, not like shoots up but rises a bit. Plus I don't really get how to lower the larynx when inhaling, and even if I get it to lower with a yawn, it'll rise back up when I begin the pronation.
Some laryngeal elevation with ascending pitch is normal - it's instinctual. However, it simply might not serve us well in singing. If the larynx gets too high, the voice will sound squeezed and feel tight. But some slight elevation, especially when singing in a high chest mix and belting (F1/H2 tuning), isn't necessarily a problem, unless you're singing in classical styles. You should, however, be able to manage that elevation to prevent it from becoming too high, and you should be able to also sing with a low or neutral larynx so that you have more options and can also know how to stabilize the larynx to avoid it getting too high. I suspect that you are probably singing in a yell coordination as you ascend, which is usually when the larynx keeps rising. If the higher larynx serves you well for the style in which you sing and if it doesn't feel uncomfortable, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. But if you don't like the sound or how things feel, then gradually start coaxing the larynx down over time. It will probably take a fair bit of time and some conscious thought.
singwisevocals you really seem to know your stuff) and you're right that does make me sound really squeaky in my mix especially really high mix that sounds also loud squeaky and tight... even though i try hard to relax everything... i could send you an example of what i'm doing, i'm not necessarily yelling, cuz singing success kinda helped me to fix that i used to yell before tho.. but now i'm thinning out, but it's still really tight in high mix notes..(
i'd really appreciate it if you gave some tips on how to lower the larynx and keep it naturally low, i did watch your video, but the concept of inhalare la vocce is really hard.. plus th eonly thing that really does lower my larynx is a yawn, but i can't sing crazy high notes while yawning it just hurts hah
Thank you so much! I"ve got a lot from your video on open throat singing. Wondering if it might be possible to ask you a few questions in a private email? experiencing some vocal tension and am looking for some more help. :)
Of course! You may e-mail me at karyn@singwise.com - or private message me on the SingWise Facebook page. (The URL is in the description section above.) Hopefully, I'll be able to help.
I'm waiting for our "little friend" to call the larynx a fraud. LOL ""This is a nice explanation of the flexibility of the movement of the larynx. Too many singers hear "neutral" or "stable" larynx and think it shouldn't move at all. I've come across some coaches that use the "hold the tongue" technique. I never understood the relative purpose.
Thanks for your comment, Kevin. I think a lot of the classical-oriented literature is often misinterpreted. It's often written off as incorrect and misleading because it's assumed that a stable or comfortably low larynx is being used as a synonym for a stiff or rigidly positioned/held larynx. There are a lot of well-researched writers on the subject of the classical singing voice who understand the science and know that the larynx does move for different phonemes (Richard Miller, for example), and yet because their writings are geared toward classical styles, they're dismissed as irrelevant to CCM. And if CCM is the teacher's focus, any mention of a 'comfortably low or stable larynx' is scoffed at, especially by 'our little friend' who has his own bias and refuses to accept that the comfortably low and relatively stable larynx is a viable position for some styles of singing. It may not be applicable to CCM, but it is to classical, and many people are still studying classical voice. It's like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Pixel King - Absolutely! There is a range of laryngeal movement that is healthy and normal. But there are, in fact, differences between genres. X-rays and other tools have shown that the larynx, overall, is lower (not fixed in one position for all phonemes, but remains within a given height range that is overall lower) in opera than it is in CCM, in which the larynx is permitted to rise more dramatically and noticeably with pitch. Even if the larynx rises with pitch (which it also does in opera in the extreme upper range), it will still be lower for /u/ than for /i/. So when we write or speak of laryngeal stability, we're really just referring to keeping it within a general range of 'normal' to meet both our phonetic and stylistic or timbral needs.
Wow she's chucked the technical kitchen sink at this but she knows what she's talking about. God knows what an inexperienced singer makes of it 😂. Posture, preparation, low inhalation helps establish a great base for healthy and beautiful singing.
Honestly, I was shocked when I first read about this backward/downward tongue pressure and that singers do it and it is being discussed all over youtube! Why do all that when singing which you are not doing while speaking, when singing is only an extension of speaking, albeit with a bit more focus on doing certain things right? In fact I tried doing this tongue depression just to see how it feels and ended up choking and coughing and was like MY GOODNESS WHO IN THE WORLD WOULD THIS ON PURPOSE? This is a classic example of too much of scientific dissection coming in the way of what you are used to doing naturally!!! I have been singing since I was a teen albeit in false voice and only started singing in my original voice when I turned 42 and been training on and off and singing the last 8 years, yes, I am 50 now but I still keep going. It keeps coming back sometimes that I wasted 20 years (22 to 42) without seriously attempting or thinking about singing in my original voice once, wow, SERIOUSLY??? BUT YES IT IS TRUE!!! There is a lot of information on inhaling the voice imagery in this video and I am going to focus on it.. Sorry couldn't help saying what I wanted to say above on tongue depression.
I find it interesting that you're making a judgment about me as a teacher (i.e., whether or not I'm a suitable teacher for beginners) based on this video. I work with a lot of beginning singers and adjust my teaching approach according to their learning styles and needs.
Thanks for your feedback. Do the exercises in the last half of the video (and the instructions in how to perform them correctly) make things at all easier to understand and apply?
singwisevocals i'll try thanks for your help i'm currently stuck with a throat voice which makes me hoarse . So im trying to bring my voice more forward but so hard to get used to
I have several videos on vocal twang and resonance that's felt 'forward.' Maybe one of these might help. Here's one: th-cam.com/video/atPid_sPeHo/w-d-xo.html
“Posture is not a pose.“
Wow. So great.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You explain everything I've ever learned from everyone else, BETTER than everyone else.
That makes me so happy to hear!
there's something special about your method of explaining singing technics that has positively impacted my approach and understanding the arts of singing. you're amazing
Aww! Thanks so much!
I really can't express how thankful I am for your videos and articles on singwise. The article on breath management/appoggio has been a massive help to me.
i just discovered you yesterday. i really really like how you explain everything in so much detail, and the anatomy of singing. thanks!
Welcome to my channel! And thank you for the encouraging feedback.
Thank you Karyn, I really love the way you explain the subject. I'm always looking at different teachers in youtube, but by far your lessons and blogs are the ones that dissipate all that fog and weir explanations to me. I don't know if it means much, but I do appreciate a ton what you are doing.
It most certainly does mean a great deal to me to hear positive feedback and encouragement, so thank you! I'm happy to know that what I do resonates with you.
This is the most informative video I have ever watched on TH-cam! You are so informative and your website is such a great resource! Thank you :)
Awww! Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.
I have seen many channels your channel is one of the top channels in vocal coaching
Awww! Thanks so much for saying so! I'm glad you're liking it.
This is the best singing technique video I've seen yet on TH-cam. (An opera I worked with said the same thing about thinking of going down -into the diaphragm breathing?- when singing high notes..)
This is the most comprehensive, yet accessible explanation of this topic. Thank you very much
Thank you! And I appreciate your having taken the time to comment.
Hi ive checked your website and you are a very knowledgable teacher, i admire you, didnt know you had a youtube channel, im gonna watch every video you post!
I'm so glad to hear that! I just (re)started this channel eight months ago. Welcome!
i can low larynx for i started singing using speech level singing.. it made me improve my singing, but not to a genre that i want which is rock.. i could not do the whiny mix voice sound, and add rasp, growl, screams, and loud whiny head voice.. so what i did, i still did the same exercises like in SLS on how they make singers is low laryx but i just used different vowels, different mouth opening (kinda wider), and applied a whiney monkey sound.. been studying singing for 10 yrs now, and everything is exciting :D
An opera teacher taught me about pulling the sound up just as you talk abot the "hook" it makes a total difference in terms of tension, also helps a lot when you are doing very distant intervals up and down so the resonance doesnt fall down and all of a sudden you cant go back up again without tension
very enlightening, I just started seeing a speech therapist for my singing voice.. she has me doing swallow strengthening exercises and manually trying to get my larynx down by pulling it down with my hand several times a day.. my suspicion is that singers aren't her specialty but probably people with Parkinsons.... great job
Thanks for watching and commenting. There are some speech language pathologists who specialize in the singing voice, and I usually encourage singers to try to find those therapists because they understand the needs of singers better. I'm not a SLP and I don't know your medical situation, but I'm always a bit concerned when individuals are instructed to manually manipulate the position of the larynx. That can lead to bruising and other injury. And, personally, I would prefer a gentler approach that might take longer but will, over time, train the larynx to lower without manual manipulation. (You mentioned that your SLP is also having you strengthen your swallowing muscles, which is the opposite action/reflex and set of muscles than those used for lowering the larynx.)
Just adding my voice to the chorus of positive remarks… Especially grateful for the explication of the reasoning behind the often-heard directive to “think down.“ Of course it sounds like common sense now that I understand it, ha. Once again, much gratitude and many thanks to you.
Thanks for your lovely comment!
This is such a well explained and thorough video. As someone who has studied anatomy for uni, your knowledge on muscles and how these are affected etc. is incredible, really well done video!
Was told by speech therapist too high of a larynx she noticed, you have something that may help me lower that in speech and reading thanks so much
Thank you for sharing your teaching skills and knowledge. I appreciate your time and effort in this regard.
You're most welcome! Thanks for watching.
Every woman needs to watch this video . Anyway so far great lesson
Brilliant video and you have such an impressive knowledge of anatomy and technique! Thank you so much for your wonderful videos!
Thank you for watching!
I love hearing the verbal instructions and the images of the throat and tongue and larynx and pharynx and hyoid and all the anatomical names. My throat is so constricted and locked that I actually, literally cannot breath, been so for many years, effectively, I'm not dramatic here, rruined my life. Every waking minute I am exhausted and panic that I am suffocating. I exaggerate not. I've spent a small fortune on doctors, healers, tests, exams and there is noting physcally wrong. they don't understand me, but YOU do. NOONE mentioned throat muscles. I watch you as speech therapy, not singing lessons. THANKS.
Side bar: Are you reading or you that articulate?
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been struggling so much for so long! Have you seen a speech therapist? I would also recommend the Alexander Technique because it can really help indirectly address the causes of muscle tension dysphonia. (I don't really think that I'm that articulate. I kind of see myself as a bumbling idiot. That's why I have to do so many takes and make so many edits!) Please keep me posted on how you're doing and let me know if there is ever anything that I can do to help.
Fantastic presentation! Love your passion and energy. Appreciate your approach of unpacking the physical, emotional and practical aspects of singing. Keep'em coming!
Thanks so much for your comment, John! (Sorry, I'm just seeing this comment now!)
Salvatore Fisichella had an interview and master class stating and I am paraphrasing, " The larynx is the principle organ in singing. The larynx must lean on the breathe in a supple way and as we ascend it must lean more intensely.(Here he makes the importance of the vocal cords insignificant ) The vocal cords are only responsible for distributing the resonance, that's it. The larynx gives rise to all nuances of the timber." When he makes the vocal cords insignificant I think he just means from an application perspective not a scientific perspective. In other words, the vocal cords are not what we appropriate kinesthetically when we sing as much as the larynx itself. Something tells me he is right.
Rene Rivero , what do you mean by "the larynx must lean on the breath"?
My god that's a whole lot of information thanks....Good stuff
You're welcome.
The whole idea is to stay relaxed....
This really really helps, thank you so much 😊 Love & respect from India
Every video you make offers so much insight on things I haven't even considered. Thank you so much, I've learned tons from both your website and channel! Also you have such a concise and informative way of explaining things that makes these videos so unique and especially helpful! This comment may be offhand, and I'm sure you're loaded with people asking you questions, so sorry if this is a bother, but I was wondering if diet has a long-term effect on your voice? I've read sources saying acidic and greasy foods are bad for your voice immediately before a performance, but will they have an effect on your voice in the long term? I guess I'm just worried haha. Again, thank you, and I look forward to all your future videos!
Thanks for the encouraging feedback! Yes, I believe that diet can have a long-term impact on the vocal organs over time, just as it has a long-term impact on all other parts of the body. I think that people are very unaware of diet's effects unless they're blatantly obvious in the short-term - experienced as acute problems. Oftentimes, they simply have never established a baseline of health to know how their bodies (including their voices) function on a better diet. They get by. One clear example is GERD, which can cause irritation of the vocal folds (and a thinning of their protective mucosal lining) that can affect voice quality. GERD is a chronic condition, which means that, if not addressed appropriately, voice quality will be chronically poor. One of the long-term treatments for this condition involves a change of diet. For me, removing all grains from my diet has dealt with chronic systemic inflammation and somewhat improved my own mild reflux symptoms. There are a number of chronic health conditions that can negatively impact the voice, so improving diet can help keep their symptoms under control. Additionally, good diet keeps the immune system stronger and makes the singer less susceptible to health problems in general.
You are fenomenous! Thank you for your channel
She is the best of the best
Dear Karyn, Your very thoughtful and useful video has helped me overcome a break that I have had for years, since my voice began to change (menopause). I had no idea that I was moving my larynx as I got close to the break. It took me one afternoon of singing "ng" for it to disappear. I hope you continue your very good work. Thank you so very much!
Oh Woman, How helpfull perhaps you kould be to say to the Ghost group pf Jadyn Rylee that if someone is damaged and sick they will NOT be able to muster speech properly let alone low quality singing!!!! Please help her to do spirit retrieval and ghost crew rescue so that perhaps that will reduce the attempt to push me to sing so much before they study health and how slowinge from fixing my kar kauses me to breath bad air!!!!
I have seen it again and gained more thank you
:)
It would be helpful to be more precise about what is meant by low larynx. What is the precise position anatomically. Low relative to what? Resting non speaking position? Lower than resting position? Slightly higher than resting position? Lower than speaking voice position? And what gets lowered? Does the hyoid bone lower? If so does not the tongue descend? It is not helpful to just say low larynx. Corelli and DelMonaco lowered their larynx a great deal, almost down to the suprasternal notch.
What a wonderfully informative video, thank you. You may want to put a more prominent link to your website somewhere on your videos or page, as I had to search a little for it.
If the larynx isn't stable, can it cause over saliva production and need for swallowing/gag reflex?
when I draw a breath in it almost feels like I can sort if aim it. I can do it as if the inhale is hitting the soft palate. It also feels like I can inhale so that the breath only goes down the throat. do they both perform the same function, as far as opening the throat goes? or is one more efficacious? thank you!
Wherever we feel the inspired air cooling the vocal tract is usually where that air is encountering resistance and the air molecules are 'collecting ' ('pooling') and becoming more densely compacted due to a narrower space through which they are traveling. If we feel the coolness on the hard palate or soft palate, it's usually because the tongue body is assuming a given curve that is directing airflow through the narrow space between it and the area being cooled. If we feel it along the entire throat, it could mean that the tongue root is retracted so that the space in the throat is made a bit narrower. However, the more important thing to consider is the quietness and efficiency of the breath. If the breath is noisy, then that's a sure sign of a narrowing constriction that's interfering with airflow and causing that turbulent noise. If air can't be drawn in very quickly - a complete breath renewal - then it's likely that the throat is too narrow at some point.
thank you so much for sharing such valuable content
New sub, thanks!
how much would you say is an appropriate amount of upward movement for the larynx as in mms or cms or what not. Also, how can we self monitor with our hands on our larynx and tell the difference between a tilting/rocking thyroid and an improperly rising larynx? thanks!
I don't know for sure what is appropriate in terms of laryngeal elevation, partly because it may differ from person to person depending on our individual anatomies (internal dimensions of the vocal tract). In Western classical singing, the larynx is to remain stable, so laryngeal excursion should be no more than a few milimetres. But in commercial styles, a neutral to high laryngeal posture is acceptable and sometimes necessary for achieving certain sounds, including belting. It isn't only the height of the larynx that makes things feel uncomfortable or sound bad. It's a high larynx in combination with supralaryngeal constriction that makes the high larynx position potentially bad. You can monitor the thyrohyoid space instead of the larynx itself. That's the space between the thyroid cartilage (shield at the front of the larynx) and the hyoid bone.
How do I strengthen the support muscles that lower my larynx? Thanks!
Thank You Soo much !! This was super Helpfull for me !!
I'm so glad!
I listened to your explanation and I was eager to hear you sing and demonstrate...I don’t want to be rude... However I think you would get a larger following and would motivate people studying voice more if you could demo the technique you are teaching earlier in the video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of voice on TH-cam.
Hi,I have learned so much from u
What's your position for a singer,regarding lifting weight?
So ive done this...ya know physically move it...
Best thing to do? At this point I just wany my normal voice back
N i dont even mean tone or note wise
I just want to feel normal singing again...😞
Hi! Love your videos! I used to be a treble but stopped singing for a while as my voice broke and since returning to singing I've found myself with much more throat tension etc. I thought I might be a bass but now I think I'm more like a baritone with poor technique in the upper parts of my range. I find singing in head voice with a neutral or low larynx almost impossible; my larynx comes shooting up whenever I sing in head voice. And, as a result, when I start to mix at around middle E or F, the larynx feels like it wants to rise. I have found the 'inalare la voce' concept really helpful in keeping my larynx low in chest voice, but do you think it's useful for headvoice aswell? Or would you suggest a different technique for head voice larynx stability? Thanks! :)
If you're singing classical music, then the larynx will generally stay somewhat stable in height until you are much higher up in your scale. However, if you're singing in commercial styles, it's acceptable to allow the larynx to rise somewhat with pitch. If it gets TOO high and/or its elevation is accompanied by a feeling of constriction or strain, then you'll need to work on achieving more release inside the throat. I generally don't encourage conscious lowering of the larynx in the lower part of the range, at least not until we begin to rise above speech-inflection range, as that can create a really distorted, overly/falsely darkened timbre. It's the higher pitches that require the most attention to the open throat, so I find that concepts such as inalare la voce are most applicable to the higher range.
Thanks for posting this very informative video
You're welcome.
Do you know much about acid reflux? I've noticed I feel like i have a burp coming and a lump in throat feeling sometimes.
Does it help to do an “uh” placement in the larynx? I feel like I heard that somewhere and it’s hard to do it quickly and relaxed enough while phonating.
Would you say this “form” is a good spring board to sing basically anything off of?
(Other than extreme styles like screamo, etc)
Yeah, it's a good shape. I like to think AW - OH - UH as I sing up, with UH starting on about Eb4
How about thinking tiny throat space in the beginning of a scale, and then leaning the larynx on the breathe as we ascend on a scale making the tiny space bigger. I think that what also happens is that the larynx naturally widens and opens when we lower the larynx. The larynx should never be widened because it separates the cords and the cords can't simply be put back together because the larynx has physically stretched them wide open. I think that is my problem anyway . I have no consistency in my sound. Learning how to sing has been a war my whole life. I just continue to fight because I know that I have superior talent when I am on my game. I could make Caruso sound as if he were my son and yet I can't do what he did with ease and it drives me crazy. All the years of training and for what? Anyways I had some success on Friday doing it this way without the tiny part. Today I realized the importance of the tiny space. I will see how it works out tomorrow. And share if it is successful.
4:07 14:41 13:45 17:48
Id like to ask you, what do you think of the "anticipation of the note" ? i believe that in order to achieve certain melody you kind of have to make a map and calibrate the instrument in terms of the highest note you are gonna hit in that melody, and from there do the "hook" you are talking about
I think it depends on the singer, but I do find with my own voice that I have to do some sort of different 'pre set up' depending on what I'm planning to sing. It usually has more to do with the style in which I'm singing - and therefore the technique that I'll be using - than the actual notes that I'll be singing. And I have certain exercises that I use to help set up that technique. I find that many singers do have to at least mentally prepare for their high notes so that their bodies can make those conscious adjustments necessary to sing the notes as desired. Good question!
singwisevocals thanks for the answer! Ive been studying with different teachers and methods, but i find that my falseto voice like gonzo from the muppets always sounds dirty just like gonzo this is the voice that doesnt mix with chest, but still im trying to clean it, on my mix and full voice i dont have any problems can sing to an Eb above high C but this falseto when i want to switch intentionally like breaking the note, sounds dirty, hope i explained correctly how can i fix that? Thanks again
I'm not sure what's causing that, but it might be related to excessive breath pressure, which is making it impossible for the vocal folds to approximate just enough to prevent their rattling off each other. It sounds like you want more of a 'hoot' kind of falsetto in which the falsetto is 'clean' by not full-voiced (like head voice is). Try working with the 'coo' or 'goo' exercise that I outlined in my laryngeal stability video. You could also try ingressive voicing in which you phonate/make sound while inhaling. This gets the top portions of the vocal folds vibrating first (rather than the bottoms). Sing some scales with this inhaled phonation, then alternate between inhaled and exhaled (egressive) phonation. It's kind of an unusual approach, but see if it helps.
singwisevocals hi Karyn thanks for your answers you are really helpful! And answer real quick with great knowledge, everything you say makes total sense! One last question, what do you think of glotal compression, which has been taught to me as holding the breath such as talking under water while singing?
We need glottal compression. That's how we get the vocal folds together... and keep them together. But we need to achieve an appropriate degree of glottal compression. The higher the subglottal pressure, the firmer the glottal compression. If it's too firm, we get a pressed, tight sound. If it's not firm enough, we get an airy tone or one that lacks presence (strong initial source signal). The idea of 'talking under water' basically presents a resistance to the air that you can also achieve by phonating into a straw that's in a glass of water. It creates and efficiency within the vocal tract.
Thank you soo much for this video! It helped me tons, much more than any other video on youtube on the subject. I just have two questions: should I keep the soft palate as high as I can for the first and second exercises you demonstrated (meaning I completely close off my nasal cavity)? And Should this position slightly change as I change vowels? For instances when I do it I can keep my soft palate very high with the u and æ vowel, but it tends to drop down as i do the a and o vowels, is that normal because of the way these vowels are phonated or is it just a lack of technique and I should keep working on it?
Again thank you soo much, I can’t wait for the next video!
As a general rule, the soft palate should be both high and wide in all singing (with the exception of nasal phonemes). We don't need to try to force the uvula back or strain to try to create a really tight seal of the velopharyngeal port. (Individual anatomy will greatly determine the degree of closure.) The soft palate needs to be 'high enough' and 'wide enough' (the pillars of the fauces) to prevent nasality and the trapping of resonance behind it. Some singers lower the soft palate because it helps them feel more frontal sensations (i.e., in the 'mask'). The hint of nasal resonance may convince them that their vowels (the back vowels, in particular) are brighter. Many singers allow the soft palate to lower slightly - but not enough so that there is a perceptible nasality - around the lower passaggio in order to ease the pressures inside the resonator tract. This is acceptable. And some alterations in the shape of the soft palate from vowel to vowel is also somewhat normal. The soft palate tends to lower slightly on the /a/ vowel (and also /o/, in some cases) because the tongue is low, and the tongue and soft palate share some muscular attachments. So, whenever the tongue is very (or excessively) low, the soft palate may be pulled down along with it. And whenever the tongue root tenses and narrows, this may also draw the pillars in with it, thereby narrowing the soft palate. So, take a look at your tongue posture on those vowels. That may help. I know I stress this often, but we need to develop a good mental concept of tone for our vowels. If we hear the vowel as slightly thin or nasally, then we'll shape our vocal tracts to make a slightly thin and nasally vowel.
Hello Karyn. Firstly, thank you for your video.
But I have one question: your singing example from 5:00 doesn't sound very tight or squeezed to me but just higher than the "hooty" example.
As far as I know a narrowing and elongation of the vocal tract leads to easier vocal production especially for higher pitches and is used especially in opera types of sound where natural amplification is crucial (raise inertive reactance). That's why I think this "open" throat is in ANY case a problematic kind of picture for a student. The narrowing of the vocal tract often protects the vocal folds from too much strain/pressure.
Thanks for your comment. I'm not a hyperfunctional, strained kind of singer, so that was certainly a squeezed sound for me. And as I listen back, it does indeed sound a bit squeezed to my ears. Second, I'm wondering if you're thinking of the narrowing of the epilarynx - not the entire vocal tract - which contributes to the singer's formant, as well as an efficiency within the vocal tract (including inertive reactance, which helps sustain efficient, healthy vocal fold vibration). There is a ratio of narrowing of the epilaryngeal outlet to the dimensions of the pharynx that enable this kind of efficiency (and are believed to contribute to the singer's formant), and to achieve this, the larynx must be lowered so as to expose the wider base of the pharynx. As I see it, the goal behind any 'open' throat training is to achieve a release inside the throat. That 'release' is a subjective sensation, but it also represents healthy functioning of the instrument (unless the singer's kinaesthesia is lying to him). But I do not subscribe to the belief that, for example, narrowing along, or at points along, the vocal tract is inherently unhealthy. Nor do I believe that an elevated larynx is inherently unhealthy. (Twang - a narrowing of the aryepiglottis - protects the vocal instrument, but it also encourages the larynx to elevate.) I believe I stated so early on in this video. 'Narrowing' does not necessarily equal 'constriction' or a feeling of strain or squeeze. In my studio, I don't actually spend much time discussing this concept of the 'open' throat or addressing it directly because that could lead to an imbalance in one's focus and also to students taking concepts to extremes. In this video, I talk about 'counterproductive, conscious controls' because I believe that attempting to micromanage and manipulate the various components of the voice system tend to do more harm than good. (I recorded this video series at the request of several viewers, even though it's not my favourite topic.)
Hey Karyn! Thank you for your answer! I'm agreeing with you on all parts. So that is very affirmative for me. :)
I didn't realize this was one of your "older" videos and thought it is brandnew (was fooled by the August...2016). But as i read the date of the comments I was a bit confused.
So always looking forward to new videos!
do you have any video or app recommendations for developing a stronger ear?
I’m curious to know what recording solution you have for the audio of your videos.
What do you mean? It sounds okay when I play it back on my laptop - not professional recording studio quality, but okay. What are you hearing that doesn't sound right?
singwisevocals that’s actually why I’m curious! It’s very clear and uncompressed, so in curious as to what you use to get those results.
Just my Canon camcorder! I'm glad it sounds okay on your end. You had me worried there for a minute!
singwisevocals interesting! Thanks@ and sorry for worrying you. I’ve finally had the tone to sit down and watch some of you videos.
You’re doing a great job!
Thank you! That makes me very happy to hear.
Thank you very much! could you please talk about primal sound and it's use? thank you!
Definitely! I've started doing this in some of my most recent videos (th-cam.com/video/O6geoLTIyhE/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/1w1Ng5qVwAI/w-d-xo.html). I'll be covering more sounds over the next few weeks, as well. Please let me know if there are specific techniques or sounds that you'd like me to cover.
That's awesome , thanks! Well, I'd like to know a little bit more about primal sound and classical singing, you know, like Chapman's pedagogy and also, is there a video in which you talk about the collar connection?
Not yet. On a side note: Last week, I watched a live webinar with Janice Chapman, hosted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing. It was REALLY good. She is such an insightful, wise, intelligent woman. I could tell that she really understands the vocal instrument and functional training.
Hello Caren,
I'm finding your videos very helpful and positive. Thank you for that. I'm impressed by the amount of knowledge you have on this and the dedication you put to finding these out. Keep going, you are so helpful. Btw, I have some questions about this because it has been torturing me for 7 years now and my singing career stopped because of it. Let me know if I may ask you about it. I so wish you lived in my country so I could have a coach like you. :)
Greetings from Serbia! :) o/
Thank you for the kind compliments! I always welcome questions. You may ask them here or, if you'd prefer, send them to karyn@singwise.com.
Wow, you answered! :) I will send an e-mail. :) Thanks so much! :)
Of course I answered! (I usually try to respond to all of the comments on here. But just be forewarned: I'm a bit behind on my e-mailing still, and so it may take me a few days to respond to your e-mail.)
Thank you so much!!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Hi Karyn. Great presentation. Thank you very much for that. When you mentioned about retraining the larynx for those people who have very active 'inner highway muscle', excuse my spelling for that but thats the way i heard it. So i seemed to get the idea, though i'm not sure if this is what you meant, that they need to do slow deep breathing for a period of time before they start to sing again, to relax and retrain the larynx to once again take on a neutral position as it should do. If this is what you meant, how long should one wait before they start to sing again. Thanks for your time, and take care.
The infrahyoid muscles are those that help the larynx (via the hyoid bone) descend when we inhale deeply and yawn. The suprahyoid muscles are those that raise the larynx (via the hyoid bone) when we swallow. Some people have a really strong swallow reflex, even when speaking, and so those suprahyoid muscles are overactive all the time. So, they need to retrain the vocal tract into new patterns of behaviour. When we practice deep inhalation for a time, we're learning to release those suprahyoid muscles and allow the infrahyoid muscles to take over more. Then, we can inhale deeply and imagine that we're singing (without actually speaking/singing the words - just mouthing them - either on the inhale or exhale), without allowing the swallow reflex to take over. Then, we try vocalizing. Our instruments will tell us when we're ready to move onto singing. If the old habits start to creep back in, then go back to retraining the vocal tract in silence, even it's only for a few minutes. The more you do it, the more habitual and second nature it will become - the vocal tract will just automatically start to assume this posture. But don't allow yourself to reinforce the old habits. Stop and reset as soon as you feel the former habits (that you're trying to eliminate) creeping back in.
Brilliant. So clearly written. Yes, the supra hyoid muscle. Thats the one. Inner Highway muscle, what was i thinking? I'll just add this note. I'm not really sure what my problem is exactly other than every time i start to raise my pitch while singing, though it doesn't appear to happen when i'm talking, but while singing, my larynx almost ejects straight out of my mouth. So this is a problem for me. So much strain. What i should do is sign up to your site, and see if you do Skye lessons. I imagine your completely run off your feet so would understand this not being possible. i'll check it out and see as i need some guidance. Really detailed and generous response, so many thanks once again.
Please put all in playlist.
If I can figure out how to do that, I will! They always seem to play back-to-back when I watch them, but if they're not all playing for you, then maybe I need to change a setting.
Hm my larynx rises slowly with the pitch.. Meaning the higher the pitch I start with the higher will my larynx' position be. And then going up the scale it slightly rises up, not like shoots up but rises a bit. Plus I don't really get how to lower the larynx when inhaling, and even if I get it to lower with a yawn, it'll rise back up when I begin the pronation.
Ok I learned how to lower it when inhaling, so that's one good thing.. But it still rises slowly and steadily with the pitch
So it is relatively higher when phonating in my higher range than in my lower range
Some laryngeal elevation with ascending pitch is normal - it's instinctual. However, it simply might not serve us well in singing. If the larynx gets too high, the voice will sound squeezed and feel tight. But some slight elevation, especially when singing in a high chest mix and belting (F1/H2 tuning), isn't necessarily a problem, unless you're singing in classical styles. You should, however, be able to manage that elevation to prevent it from becoming too high, and you should be able to also sing with a low or neutral larynx so that you have more options and can also know how to stabilize the larynx to avoid it getting too high. I suspect that you are probably singing in a yell coordination as you ascend, which is usually when the larynx keeps rising. If the higher larynx serves you well for the style in which you sing and if it doesn't feel uncomfortable, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. But if you don't like the sound or how things feel, then gradually start coaxing the larynx down over time. It will probably take a fair bit of time and some conscious thought.
singwisevocals you really seem to know your stuff) and you're right that does make me sound really squeaky in my mix especially really high mix that sounds also loud squeaky and tight... even though i try hard to relax everything... i could send you an example of what i'm doing, i'm not necessarily yelling, cuz singing success kinda helped me to fix that i used to yell before tho.. but now i'm thinning out, but it's still really tight in high mix notes..(
i'd really appreciate it if you gave some tips on how to lower the larynx and keep it naturally low, i did watch your video, but the concept of inhalare la vocce is really hard.. plus th eonly thing that really does lower my larynx is a yawn, but i can't sing crazy high notes while yawning it just hurts hah
I love your blog!
Thank you so much! I"ve got a lot from your video on open throat singing. Wondering if it might be possible to ask you a few questions in a private email? experiencing some vocal tension and am looking for some more help. :)
Of course! You may e-mail me at karyn@singwise.com - or private message me on the SingWise Facebook page. (The URL is in the description section above.) Hopefully, I'll be able to help.
I'm waiting for our "little friend" to call the larynx a fraud. LOL ""This is a nice explanation of the flexibility of the movement of the larynx. Too many singers hear "neutral" or "stable" larynx and think it shouldn't move at all.
I've come across some coaches that use the "hold the tongue" technique. I never understood the relative purpose.
Thanks for your comment, Kevin. I think a lot of the classical-oriented literature is often misinterpreted. It's often written off as incorrect and misleading because it's assumed that a stable or comfortably low larynx is being used as a synonym for a stiff or rigidly positioned/held larynx. There are a lot of well-researched writers on the subject of the classical singing voice who understand the science and know that the larynx does move for different phonemes (Richard Miller, for example), and yet because their writings are geared toward classical styles, they're dismissed as irrelevant to CCM. And if CCM is the teacher's focus, any mention of a 'comfortably low or stable larynx' is scoffed at, especially by 'our little friend' who has his own bias and refuses to accept that the comfortably low and relatively stable larynx is a viable position for some styles of singing. It may not be applicable to CCM, but it is to classical, and many people are still studying classical voice. It's like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Pixel King - Absolutely! There is a range of laryngeal movement that is healthy and normal. But there are, in fact, differences between genres. X-rays and other tools have shown that the larynx, overall, is lower (not fixed in one position for all phonemes, but remains within a given height range that is overall lower) in opera than it is in CCM, in which the larynx is permitted to rise more dramatically and noticeably with pitch. Even if the larynx rises with pitch (which it also does in opera in the extreme upper range), it will still be lower for /u/ than for /i/. So when we write or speak of laryngeal stability, we're really just referring to keeping it within a general range of 'normal' to meet both our phonetic and stylistic or timbral needs.
little friend 😂😂😂
Hi Karyn, can you make a video about breath management?
I plan to soon!
Thank you, that would be great :)
deep throat! :0
thank you 😇
Wow she's chucked the technical kitchen sink at this but she knows what she's talking about. God knows what an inexperienced singer makes of it 😂. Posture, preparation, low inhalation helps establish a great base for healthy and beautiful singing.
When will you do an inhalare la voce video?
I'm thinking really soon!
Kyran hey there.
iv been trying to connect you through Facebook. yet you didn't replay. please check your messages inbox,I nees your advice.
Sorry about that! I'm a little behind on messaging and e-mailing this week. I'll take another look right now.
Ok :) thanks.
💜
Honestly, I was shocked when I first read about this backward/downward tongue pressure and that singers do it and it is being discussed all over youtube! Why do all that when singing which you are not doing while speaking, when singing is only an extension of speaking, albeit with a bit more focus on doing certain things right? In fact I tried doing this tongue depression just to see how it feels and ended up choking and coughing and was like MY GOODNESS WHO IN THE WORLD WOULD THIS ON PURPOSE? This is a classic example of too much of scientific dissection coming in the way of what you are used to doing naturally!!!
I have been singing since I was a teen albeit in false voice and only started singing in my original voice when I turned 42 and been training on and off and singing the last 8 years, yes, I am 50 now but I still keep going. It keeps coming back sometimes that I wasted 20 years (22 to 42) without seriously attempting or thinking about singing in my original voice once, wow, SERIOUSLY??? BUT YES IT IS TRUE!!! There is a lot of information on inhaling the voice imagery in this video and I am going to focus on it.. Sorry couldn't help saying what I wanted to say above on tongue depression.
3:55 13:38
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á poggio sounds in spanish like an American sayin "A Chicken"
16:21
Informative, but definitely not for beginners. If you are a beginner looking for tips, this is absolutely not the video or teacher for you.
I find it interesting that you're making a judgment about me as a teacher (i.e., whether or not I'm a suitable teacher for beginners) based on this video. I work with a lot of beginning singers and adjust my teaching approach according to their learning styles and needs.
Nooooo! Have you ever seen an opera good singer with the tongue out; stop nonsence if you can't give a decisive explanation, please
So simple; how do you get the tipical impostacion of the voice.
All this fancy talk no help
Thanks for your feedback. Do the exercises in the last half of the video (and the instructions in how to perform them correctly) make things at all easier to understand and apply?
singwisevocals i'll try thanks for your help i'm currently stuck with a throat voice which makes me hoarse . So im trying to bring my voice more forward but so hard to get used to
I have several videos on vocal twang and resonance that's felt 'forward.' Maybe one of these might help. Here's one: th-cam.com/video/atPid_sPeHo/w-d-xo.html