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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Skullsplitter
Jul 2, 2006 - 5:30AM
Re: Attacking the soft pallet

Sensei Vendera,

I have a question.

Is there a specific exercise to strengthen the muscles that raise and lower the soft palate?

Several years ago I lost my voice, and noticed that my soft palate and uvula had dropped quite a bit while I was sick, and periodically I wake up and they are "relaxed" or low, and I can literally take my finger and push the soft palate back up from the inside of my mouth and it will stay up after that.

Is there a specific exercise to control the soft palate, and is there any vocal/tonal benefit to being able to raise and lower the soft palate? I have read Raise Your Voice five times all the way through - and I may have just missed this issue in the book, but I didn't recall it coming up.

I know that if you "snort inward" (like a "pig grunt" through your nose) it vibrates the soft palate(as long as your sinuses are clear), and that is what got me thinking about this.


It may just be a stupid idea/question, but what the heck - I'll ask it anyway.



Thanks,
Tim

j
Jaime Vendera
Jul 2, 2006 - 9:34AM
Re: Attacking the soft pallet

Actually, I am developing a new vocal system for a company that will be released by the end of the year and one of the new exercises I am using is the Gargling exercise. You remeber the gargling tone warmup with water? Well, go to the lip bubbles exercises from the Members section and instead of lip bubbles, practice gargling WITHOUT using any water. Also apply the yawning sensation when you do this. Now, when you gargle, the whole soft palate will vibrate and move in waves. This will help you develop your vocal placement into the soft palate. It kinda sounds like a cat purring. Give it a try:)

JV

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