The Ultimate Vocalist PART 2

 Position

Position your larynx properly. Many are the problems associated with high larynx singing.  Make sure you learn how to relax the muscles in your throat and neck.  When the larynx rides up, it creates tension and also squeezes up against the trachea making the area you have for air and tone flow in the throat—much smaller.  The throat can be a great source of resonance leading right into the chest area, but not if the larynx rides high and cuts it off.  When that happens, you are relegated to only being able to sing with a resonance from the jaw upward.  Therefore you’re much more likely to have a thinner resonance (upper head register)   with a high larynx.  Most of us prefer the richer sound of a lower register (chest) or would at least like to have the option of choosing between the two. When you constantly sing with a high larynx you have fewer options.

Additionally, keeping the larynx low not only eliminates tension, but it paves the way for extending your range because of it. So learning how to relax and master this technique will really help you in your quest to deliver your songs with the tone quality that you want.

Perceive

The mind is an amazing thing. Scientists tell us that we only use about 10% of our brain; I can only imagine what capabilities lie locked inside.  I just know that I wish I could use what I have more effectively! When it comes to singing, there is much that we can do to get our mind working for us rather than against us.

Take stock of the many mental messages that play over and over again n your head with regard to your singing—or singing a particular song, or even a specific part of a song.  Often the messages coming from within are not always helpful or encouraging. We need to take hold of these thoughts (…taking every thought captive) and make a decision about whether or not they are helping us accomplish our goals.

I want to just look at one common thought process and it’s regarding pitch. Most of us think of pitch as something that goes “up” (or down).  We tend to envision the pitches we sing in this way. As we do so, oftentimes we begin to react physically to what’s going on mentally and we may tend to tense up. Perhaps we’ll raise our eyebrows, or stand on our toes in an effort to “reach” the pitch. All of this goes against what we should be doing; which is relaxing.

I try to think about pitch as rolling put in front of me on a slight decline. That way when I picture the pitch, I’m actually “stepping down” in my mind to scoop up the pitch: I’m not reaching up for it. This has a significant effect on my whole body—but it’s my mind that’s controlling it.

There are so many aspects to this particular application that there is no way to cover it in a small section here.  I do ask you to try and take an inventory of your personal thoughts with regard to your singing though and don’t let them get the better of you—take control and you that fabulous brain of yours! 

Present

Presenting your song is probably the most critical part of the whole process. Why? Because even if you have done everything else I’ve listed but fail to present your song well, it could be all for naught. On the other hand, even if some of the other things don’t get handled as well as you might have liked, there are certain things you can do with your presentation to help smooth over some bumps. . Because of the importance of this topic, I will deal it more fully in my next article.

See ya next time! Until then, keep on singing for Him!

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