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.


The Voice Connection - Sound Off
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Placement

Hi everyone.

Just a question about placement.

Basically I'm struggling to maintain correct placement when I sing. I can find the nudging in the soft palate through doing the owl hooting noises but as soon as I vocalise, especially on higher notes I loose it. I slip into a kind of tinny, whiney voice.

Was wondering if anyone has any tips?

Thanks,
Joe

Re: Placement

Losing the placement may be a symptom of a greater problem. You may simply be undersupporting, which will cause your larynx to shoot up and give you a very tight, whiny tone with no body to it. Work on maintaining a meaty sound on the sirens from bottom to top. What should happen is that you feel the resonance shift up to the head but you still feel you are in your chest voice. The vowel should naturally darken a little so that the tone can remain big and meaty. Don't let the vowel become splatty and squashed.

If you could post an audio clip I could tell you for sure what is going on.

Good singing to you,

Phil Moufarrege
Grow-The-Voice.com
TheSingersHub.com

Re: Placement

Hi Phil and thanks for your reply and sorry for the delay in getting back. Just got back to normal after Xmas.

I will try and get hold of something to record with. I have a feeling it may be more than placement to be honest. I think a lot of it is to do with me being a chronic mumbler and not "letting go" so to speak.

Anyway thanks again and if it's still cool I'll find a way to get something recorded in the next couple of days.

Re: Placement

Page 255 in RYV has a "7 week workout plan"
These basic exercises teach proper breath, support and placement.
There are also MP3 examples of the exercises available for download (the instructions are in the book).
Improperly performing the exercises is just as harmful to progress as NOT practicing.

I find it helpful to periodically re-read chapters, as experience with the technique helps more things "click" and fall into place - especially if you are struggling.

Always strive for tonal quality in the exercises, don't just fly through them. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is vocal muscle or technique.

If you still have issues you can ask the man directly through a Skype lesson, or join the VVA and send an MP3 of you doing the exercises through the critique option for Jaime to listen to - or - join us in one of the Monthly Google Hangouts with Jaime.