Hey,
so for the whole last year, after I learned to breathe properly, I was learning placement. I tried every known technique know to learn it - chest/mix/head, twang, singing into soft palate, singing in the mask, forward placement etc etc... and all that thinking didn't helped me at all.

So few days ago I decided to trash all that thinking about placement, stop thinking about it all together, and concentrate only on proper breathing.
I must point out that I sing mostly popular music, like rock.
After I stopped thinking about placement/resonance, and concentrating only on good diaphragmic breathing, I made more success then with any of placement techniques. It gave me freedom in singing that I didn't have before.
So is there a chance that learning placement/resonance can be disadvantage. Can it somehow stop you from doing it all naturally with proper breathing.

Or maybe if you sing styles like rocks, singing into the mask and similar concepts don't go. I will mention singers like: Chris Cornell, Mike Patton (Faith No More), early U2 stuff ... I sing their songs better when I don't think about placement at all, only think about breathing. If I try to sing it with mask placement, or any similar, it will stop me from singing that notes full and clear.

Thoughts?

Hey.. What I found was that you should never focus on those things alone but rather work on knowing and getting that sensation..
I still have to work on mine though but after "feeling" around for those sensations I found it's much easier to sing and I know that there is a lot less strain. As Jaime say, "NEVER feel it in your throat". But as long as your doing it and not feeling any strain..

Maybe now you've come to a point where you don't have to think about it but it happens subconciously :)

I've only been on for a month so now a hundred% sure on this though:)
Hope it helps.

Just like the band TOOL said:

"Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind"

Hehe =)


I had a similar experience recently. About a month ago, I just stopped trying so hard for the highest notes in a couple of the songs I practice to. Something just clicked for me, cuz ever since then I've been able to effortlessly hit even the highest stuff. I can nail Queensryche's "Take Hold Of The Flame" and "The Lady Wore Black" or Triumph's "Fight The Good Fight" every time, no problem. No more tension in the throat that I used to experience when I went for the high stuff, and I'm not vocally "tired" after those songs either! Whatever I learned to change is just like magic! I've heard others here describe it as just "letting go" and I didn't really know what they meant, but now I understand!

I agree sometimes thinking too much comes in the way. Trying to relax is more important :))