THE VOICE CONNECTION
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.


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j
John Bayne
Apr 11, 2013 - 5:29AM
Breathing technique

Hello everyone!

I'm now into the third week of the 7 week program and the TT exercise is really kicking my butt! In a good way though, I hope.

A query about breathing...

There is a lot of talk in the book about keeping your ribs expanded. I got singing tuition from a classical teacher back in high school who was really big on really forcing your ribs to stay out all the time. This gave me a very strong and heavy vocal sound, but it also is becoming more apparent that this habit of breathing it was is causing me to have chronic tension in my neck, upper back and even throat.In fact I think it is this habit that has largely been responsible for me barely gaining a semi-tone of range in the first 4 years I sang.Despite all my efforts I just can't expand my ribs without raising my shoulders slightly.

I am capable of forgetting about my ribs and just breathing in a fashion that gets the breath low and stomach moving out. However if I do this the power of my sound is lessened dramatically and my ability to sustain notes is hammered.

I am determined to become an 'expert' breather, but at this stage I don't know whether to keep going as I am and hope things like the power push and shooting into the palate fall in place. Or if I have to go back to square one and put up with a puny sound for a number of months as my breathing apparatus strengthens and I can isolate things better.

What a mess I have written! Hope it makes sense.... what are your thoughts?

I'm planning on getting my hands on UBW once I have finished the seven week program :)

Peace

j
Jaime Vendera
Apr 11, 2013 - 10:15AM
Re: Breathing technique

Don't let it overwhelm you. Th ribs and stomach do cave in as your breath is used up during the singing process. So, I mainly mea focus on keeping them expanded just to hold on a little longer, but let them return to a normal position naturally. As for neck tension, use the NO movement to check for extra stress. If you pick up the Breathing book, you might wanna check out the video as well.

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