SOUND OFF
Welcome to The Voice Connection Sound Off; a forum for users of books like Raise Your Voice, Melody to Madness, The Ultimate Breathing Workout, and Unleash Your Creative Mindset, as well as a place for Vendera Vocal Academy members to interact.
This message board was created so that singers could come together and "sound off" to help support each other during vocal development and the creative process of unleashing the creative spark that occurs when writing and producing music. Currently, myself and vocal coaches Ben Valen, Ray West, and Ryan Wall are here to respond periodicially to your questions, with new vocal coaches coming soon. But, feel free to help each other too:)
This board is here for you to ask questions about my and my fellow coach's books, videos, and MP3 programs, as well as offer others help with our vocal techniques. You may also post videos of yourself and your band to share your music and ask for critiques.
Please refrain from negative comments, profanities, spamming, and inappropriate criticisms of vocal methodologies, vocal coaches, and singers. All negative posts will be deleted and subject to banning without question. I will not respond to negative posts, because, as Mark Twain once said, “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” With that said, positive criticism is welcome because that is how you'll grow as a singer during the training process.
Okay, so I was doing scales with my opera singer mom the other day, and she kept telling me NOT to alter the sound as I went up the scale. But altering the sound was sort of instinctive to me, because I had been doing this in an extremely light head voice for years. So every time I approached my break, I would "hold back" and apparently my sound got "back into my throat". She also told me to keep my pharynx open, and trust myself to keep the sound big. So after a few tries, I did it! I focused on pressing down in my belly (power push), while keeping my throat open. And then I felt a sensation I had never felt before: as I went into my passagio, the sound really stayed big...bigger than I had ever produced before! And it was all seamless. It didn't feel like there was a shift at all. And I ALSO felt a strong pressure against my soft palate! Just like what Jaime always talks about. It was as if a weight was balanced on a small, circular point on my soft palate, only coming from below. I went right up to a strong, clear, big B4, and then stopped, because I wanted it to end on a good one 
But I think with this new experience, it will be easier to tap into this feeling again and take it even higher! And I've also finally understood the whole concept of "pressing down, expanding the ribs, and focusing in the soft palate". It really works!
Just thought I'd share.
