Jaime,

What do you know about "Open Throat" singing, and does your program create this style of singing?

I know there are certain exercises to train specific muscles of the vocal tract, such as "The Bullfrog" and the Tongue Push-ups you describe in your book - what I'm asking is this:
Do these exercises simulate the Open Throat technique that's been used down through the ages?

A friend of mine is an Opera Singer and she told me that typically, an Opera singer trained for seven years, and then was an "understudy" for seven more before they ever really were "given a shot at the big league" in the Opera world.

Brett Manning claimed on one of his home video's that when instructors tell you to "pretend you're trying to swallow a golf-ball" that it's a recipe for a sore throat - yet many Classical/Opera singers are taught to sing in this, or a similar, manner.

So, what gives?

Thanks,
Tim

Oh, and speaking of Nodes - When Ian Gillan recorded Black Sabbath's 'Born Again" record - he had Nodules.

I'm wondering about Eric Adams from Manowar, because Eric seems to get these screams that are... almost multiple notes at once - yet his singing voice can be light and crystal clear in the same song. He's pretty much my favorite singer; his style is definitely "breathy" at times - yet I know that he HAS to be doing the Power Push, but I'm wondering if he isn't allowing too much air through. The flip-side of the coin I that he has already had a 20+ year career singing as he does, and his voice seems to be just as strong as it was in the beginning.


BTW, I've exchanged a few E-mails with Ron Keel, and he was one of Sabine's earliest metal students, and he's still going strong. I was worried about losing my voice from doing the Power push, and He said that using her techniques gave him tons of power, and he never suffered from any negative side-effects from using the technique - it only has positive results when done correctly. These days he's doing a sort of a "Southern Metal" thing ...kind of a cross between Metal and Country. The idea sounds funny, but I think his band is killer.


Tim

I preach an open throat approach as you'll learn in the book by the yawning sensation. But that stuff about7 +7 years is totally stupid. I know that is the way theyt do it but come on....14 years to be a pro??? When I did GMA, I was at least 20 decibels louder than every Opera singer who tried out for the spot of my oppnenet. Rought20 girls and 2 guys. Some of them lost their voices during practice, I never flinched because I was keepiung a relaxed open throat and using the Power Push. Eric could have nodes on the upper end I'd have to hear. I can do mutli tonal screams, so it might not be nodes at all.

Jaime V

Jaime,
Thanks -I thought those exercises trained the throat to remain open, but just wanted to confirm it.


I don't know if that still holds true about the Opera training or not - but that's how it used to be. I guess it's really not that bad if you think about it - the probably started them at age 7, so that by the time they were 21 they were ready to head for the stage. When she told me that, I was thinking "14 years is more than many rock singers entire singing careers!"


Okay, now let me ask this - do you HAVE to Yawn before you do each "Bullfrog", AND are you better off doing it as many times as you can, or should you hold it as long as you can?


Tim

Tim--part of the reason that opera singers used to (and some times still do) spend so long training is that they used exercises that were not as effective as some of the ones we have today, so it took longer to get results unless the person had a naturally very good sense of how to sing.

Another reason is that a lot of the opera music is damn hard! It's one thing to sing with power through the highs and lows of your range, but it's entirely another thing to give each note the exact same coloring. Rock/pop/jazz/etc. singers don't have to give each note the same 'sound'. Actually it sounds really bad if they do [:)). But the way that opera was intended to be sung, you absolutely have to.

Also a lot of those songs require heavy singing that twenty-somethings aren't really ready to handle so much.


Mostly, it's a technique thing. A lot of opera singers had, and have, bad technique. If their voice isn't fully matured, trying to sing a lot of those operatic songs would just tear their voices apart.

Believe it or not, Eric Adams insists that he's never had any formal training. That's pretty impressive, seeing as how his voice sounds stronger now than it did in the early 80's. Listening to their live stuff, he holds notes live as well as anyone I've heard.
Just a natural I guess.

I think he just adds gravel to his high notes for the style. But he always has perfect vibrato so I'm pretty sure his technique is pretty good. Jaime would have to say for sure. Adams is right up there with Halford as far as screamers go, although Eric is definitely a better singer overall. (Sorry Halford fans).