you are seriously the best vocal teacher on youtube!! please keep making more videos on the topics you have on your website, i love the scientific approach you have to teaching!
Weeeell! Been doing the complete tongue out exercise for a bit now and still I managed to create some kind of tension inside, just discovered you, your channel and this exercise and I can ALREADY feel a freer and more open voice ,only did it maybe 10 minutes or less. Definitely my new fave exercise. Just on time as I'm starting a summer contract with loooots of singing for the next 6 months. THANK YOU 💖
I use this all the time. it was good to hear you describe it so clearly. you simply are so precise and easy to follow. Well done once again. This is why I don't need a TH-cam channel teaching the voice - you have done it all for me.
Also, another thing a lot of singers overlook is the neck position. It shouldn't be completely straight as that jams the tongue root down; instead it should have a 'slight curve' at the back, it simultaneously also makes it easier to employ the gentle chew of the jaw. Another reason to try to not look down. Sorry for posting so much!
The tongue tension singing example was perhaps too mild and was presented without the good example. Some people would not be moved from their native muscle tension patterns. Otherwise, I'm very happy to hear someone treating the problem.
Hi Karyn! Love the videos. So I'm now fairly certain that my problem is related to tensing of the throat and the tongue as well. I noticed something when using this exercise though; usually my tongue doesn't wiggle around and move when my mouth is closed and biting down as you describe, but it does wiggle around when my mouth is open in this same position (tongue on lower lip, etc.). Am I doing something incorrectly? If it's wiggling wheen my mouth is open does that mean it's doing the same when my mouth is closed, only that I can't see it?
Great exercise, gonna jot it down! But during singing, do you think it is a good idea to 'attach' the sides of the tongue to the upper molars? David Jones teaches that technique, unless I misunderstood...
I think you've understood Maestro Jones correctly. When the tongue body is relaxed (tension free), it is wide. When the tongue root is forward against the anterior wall of the pharynx, the 'hump' of the tongue is higher than it ordinarily is for speech. This typically puts this 'forward humping,' fat and wide tongue body at the level of the upper molars. I wouldn't use the word 'attached,' because that, to me, implies a fixed position, but yes, when the tongue body is in a good position, it very often makes contact with the upper molars.
Hello Karyn, I've been searching and searching for the answer to this problem and haven't been able to find anything. The problem I'm having is that the back of my tongue tends to raise while vocalizing some vowels, especially the "Ee" bowel. The sound sounds blocked and kind of muted. What can I do to keep this from happening? I've brought this up to my vocal coach and she said to stick my tongue out a little and lift the soft palate. Doing this feels unnatural and it doesn't seem right. What do you think I can do?
Tongue height does differ from vowel to vowel. It's highest on /i/ (EE) and lowest on /a/. If your /i/ vowel sounds muted and distorted it may be caused by a few things: a tongue 'hump' that is too high and/or too back and/or a soft palate that is lowered and/or tongue root tension. With the /i/ vowel, the sides of the tongue 'hump' should be very lightly touching the insides of the upper molars, while the tongue tip makes gentle contact with the backs of the lower front teeth. Keep the tongue root leaning forward on the front wall of the pharynx by ensuring that the tongue's 'hump' isn't too far back. The lips are lateral, but don't over spread them and tense up the facial muscles. Practicing inhaling and exhaling in this posture and keep the tongue really lose and relaxed. When you inhale in this /i/ posture, you should feel the air cooling the hard palate just in front of the tongue's 'hump' (because that's where the inspired air is encountering the narrowing due to the higher tongue posture). Then, when you phonate, see if anything changes in terms of how the tongue feels or responds. Sometimes singing speech-like words containing the vowel (e.g., 'me' and 'be') can be helpful in finding the correct posturing of the articulators. If this doesn't improve matters, feel free to send me an audio or video clip of you singing the /i/ vowel that demonstrates/highlights the sound that you're describing and I'll try to help you figure out what's going on. Send it to karyn@singwise.com.
Also, apparently for some people, using behind the upper front teeth as the home location helps relax the larynx and the tongue root. Maybe called 'tongue compression' or something? I think Domingo has this trait. Not sure why, maybe for people who have shorter tongues?... 0.o
According to most speech-language pathologists, the 'at rest' position of the tongue tip (when the mouth is closed) - where the tongue tip natural wants to settle - is behind the upper front teeth. This might be why it works for some people. This posture obviously wouldn't work for singing vowels, so in singing, we say that the 'home' position for the tongue tip is behind the lower front teeth, where it should be for the formation of all vowels.
you are seriously the best vocal teacher on youtube!! please keep making more videos on the topics you have on your website, i love the scientific approach you have to teaching!
I really appreciate the encouragement! Thanks for watching.
Weeeell! Been doing the complete tongue out exercise for a bit now and still I managed to create some kind of tension inside, just discovered you, your channel and this exercise and I can ALREADY feel a freer and more open voice ,only did it maybe 10 minutes or less. Definitely my new fave exercise. Just on time as I'm starting a summer contract with loooots of singing for the next 6 months.
THANK YOU 💖
I use this all the time. it was good to hear you describe it so clearly. you simply are so precise and easy to follow. Well done once again. This is why I don't need a TH-cam channel teaching the voice - you have done it all for me.
Thank you, Charles!
This is my biggest vocal issue, and this exercise has given some minor but nearly instant results. Awesome video! Liked and subbed.
So glad to hear it! Keep working at it. It takes time, but it will be worth it in the end.
Also, another thing a lot of singers overlook is the neck position. It shouldn't be completely straight as that jams the tongue root down; instead it should have a 'slight curve' at the back, it simultaneously also makes it easier to employ the gentle chew of the jaw. Another reason to try to not look down. Sorry for posting so much!
Yes. I plan to do a video on posture at some point.
The tongue tension singing example was perhaps too mild and was presented without the good example. Some people would not be moved from their native muscle tension patterns. Otherwise, I'm very happy to hear someone treating the problem.
Ure my fav teacher.thanks so much
I spend so much time to translate ure video.
Because my languege is weak😥
Works for me! This is my biggest problem
Thank you!
thanks, really waiting for that open throat video because I still feel it's blocked
Hi Karyn! Love the videos. So I'm now fairly certain that my problem is related to tensing of the throat and the tongue as well. I noticed something when using this exercise though; usually my tongue doesn't wiggle around and move when my mouth is closed and biting down as you describe, but it does wiggle around when my mouth is open in this same position (tongue on lower lip, etc.). Am I doing something incorrectly? If it's wiggling wheen my mouth is open does that mean it's doing the same when my mouth is closed, only that I can't see it?
Great exercise, gonna jot it down! But during singing, do you think it is a good idea to 'attach' the sides of the tongue to the upper molars? David Jones teaches that technique, unless I misunderstood...
I think you've understood Maestro Jones correctly. When the tongue body is relaxed (tension free), it is wide. When the tongue root is forward against the anterior wall of the pharynx, the 'hump' of the tongue is higher than it ordinarily is for speech. This typically puts this 'forward humping,' fat and wide tongue body at the level of the upper molars. I wouldn't use the word 'attached,' because that, to me, implies a fixed position, but yes, when the tongue body is in a good position, it very often makes contact with the upper molars.
THANK YOU.
You're welcome.
Hello Karyn, I've been searching and searching for the answer to this problem and haven't been able to find anything. The problem I'm having is that the back of my tongue tends to raise while vocalizing some vowels, especially the "Ee" bowel. The sound sounds blocked and kind of muted. What can I do to keep this from happening? I've brought this up to my vocal coach and she said to stick my tongue out a little and lift the soft palate. Doing this feels unnatural and it doesn't seem right. What do you think I can do?
Tongue height does differ from vowel to vowel. It's highest on /i/ (EE) and lowest on /a/. If your /i/ vowel sounds muted and distorted it may be caused by a few things: a tongue 'hump' that is too high and/or too back and/or a soft palate that is lowered and/or tongue root tension. With the /i/ vowel, the sides of the tongue 'hump' should be very lightly touching the insides of the upper molars, while the tongue tip makes gentle contact with the backs of the lower front teeth. Keep the tongue root leaning forward on the front wall of the pharynx by ensuring that the tongue's 'hump' isn't too far back. The lips are lateral, but don't over spread them and tense up the facial muscles. Practicing inhaling and exhaling in this posture and keep the tongue really lose and relaxed. When you inhale in this /i/ posture, you should feel the air cooling the hard palate just in front of the tongue's 'hump' (because that's where the inspired air is encountering the narrowing due to the higher tongue posture). Then, when you phonate, see if anything changes in terms of how the tongue feels or responds. Sometimes singing speech-like words containing the vowel (e.g., 'me' and 'be') can be helpful in finding the correct posturing of the articulators. If this doesn't improve matters, feel free to send me an audio or video clip of you singing the /i/ vowel that demonstrates/highlights the sound that you're describing and I'll try to help you figure out what's going on. Send it to karyn@singwise.com.
Tounge tie? Any hints?
Absolutely amazing. and TY very much
If I can recover my voice. .suffering from vocal chord paralysis
Also, apparently for some people, using behind the upper front teeth as the home location helps relax the larynx and the tongue root. Maybe called 'tongue compression' or something? I think Domingo has this trait. Not sure why, maybe for people who have shorter tongues?... 0.o
According to most speech-language pathologists, the 'at rest' position of the tongue tip (when the mouth is closed) - where the tongue tip natural wants to settle - is behind the upper front teeth. This might be why it works for some people. This posture obviously wouldn't work for singing vowels, so in singing, we say that the 'home' position for the tongue tip is behind the lower front teeth, where it should be for the formation of all vowels.
How can we do stop the tongue coming back when you go higher in pitch?
Hello madam! I have ponatory gap how to cure it?
Ohh I think i have been pushing when it comes to high pitches so i can hit the pitch. I think thats why the tongue root is having tension. 😭😭