Singing FAQ View Source Talk History Diff ?

Singing FAQ

The Classical Music Geek Answers Your Questions

Jump in. Try to stump me or just get the answer to something you've always wondered about.

Some questions may, over time, be moved to a different page, like the "Rarely Asked Questions" or "Really Obscure Questions", or some name I may come up with in the future like, "Why in the World Would You Want to Know That?" page.

Have fun!

Q. How do you sing from the diaphragm? How do you keep from singing from the throat? (and many similar questions)

A. This is a misconception. You cannot sing from your diaphragm, nor from your throat. You cannot breathe without involving your diaphragm. As we see in this wikipedia entry,

It [the diaphragm] is not responsible for all the breathing related to voice, a common misconception espoused by many teachers but few great singers. One has more control over the abdominals and intercostals than the actual diaphragm, which has relatively few proprioceptive nerve endings. By training proper posture and balance in the rest of the body, the diaphragm naturally strengthens and works in concert with surrounding structures rather than in isolation.

What you want is first, freedom of the passage of air (there should be no friction and the ability to inflate your lungs fully). This is explained in the following paragraph but please do not do this without the assistance of a qualified teacher!

Stretch your intercostal muscles (the ones between your ribs) as far apart as you can. In order to do this, raise your arms above your head until you feel the pull on the muscles between your ribs. You will have to hold these muscles expanded while you then place your hands on the crown (not the top, not the back, but the crown) as if you are putting on a beanie. Tuck your elbows back until they are parallel with the line of your shoulder and you will feel those muscles stretch the other way. Keep them stretched while you relax and lower your hands to your sides. With your mouth open, breathe through the nose. Make sure the air goes through the nose--you will feel a tiny lift in your soft palate, and a small lowering of the larynx. Do not exaggerate these movements. Otherwise, you should be so relaxed you feel as if you're about to start drooling on the floor. If there is any hissing when you breathe, either in or out, you are not relaxed enough.

I do not give any advice further than this except in person. You should not attempt to sing on a regular basis without the help of a qualified teacher who can listen to you in person and give you immediate feedback, and make 100% sure you understand what you are supposed to do. If your teacher is still talking about "breathing from the diaphragm," find a teacher who understands physiology.

Q. On a related question, what about those singing CDs, DVDs, YouTube videos?

A. In more than twenty years' teaching, I've refined my instructions over and over again. Just when I think that no-one can possibly misunderstand what I've said, someone finds a new way to understand it. When you think that just a few weeks of singing with unnecessary tension can give you vocal polyps or nodes, or both, and may require expensive and painful surgery, it's just not worth the risk to save a few dollars or a little time. Hire a qualified professional teacher who understands the dangers of RSI and do exactly what they say. It's more important than you can imagine because of the phenomenon of neuroplasticity; the brain will rewire itself to start using a technique within twenty minutes, so even that short amount of time of singing with the wrong technique will set back your progress considerably.

Q. How do I become a better singer or musician without taking lessons?

A. You might stumble onto something that might improve your technique, eventually. You might also seriously injure yourself physically. The fact is, teachers are professionals who are paid to train you to sing or play properly. As in any field, there's a lot of incompetence and misinformation, so get yourself a good teacher. To find a good teacher, I've written an ehow article for you. If finances are a problem, most reputable teachers have full or partial scholarship positions or work-study.

Q. How should I practice?

A. Your teacher is the best judge of that. If your teacher does not give you specific directions, I've written an ehow article on how to get the most from your music lessons and how to practice efficiently.

Q. My throat hurts when I sing. Help! (Or, I think I ruined my voice!)

A. You must:

Stop using your voice NOW!. No talking, whispering, singing, anything until it quits hurting.
See a doctor to get an evaluation.
If the doctor sees no evidence of vocal damage, find a qualified voice teacher. You've just proven to yourself that you need lessons. Here's a list of questions to determine if a prospective teacher is qualified.

Q. What's a good song to sing for my audition?

Soprano :

For flexibility and range, "Lob des Hohen Verstands" from Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler

Tenor :

For flexibility and range, any Neapolitan-style aria, such as "Every Valley" from Messiah

Bass :

For flexibility and range, any Neapolitan-style opera such as "For He is like a Refiner's Fire" from Messiah or "Nasce al Bosco" from Ezio

Q. I'm so nervous when I sing! Help!

A. There's really only one solution for this. "Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong." If you practice to the point where you cannot get it wrong, no matter what, even if someone hurls a Boston Terrier at you on the second beat of measure 154, your nervousness will disappear. At that point, nothing will phase you!

Q. I don't really want to sing professionally, so I don't need voice lessons, do I?

A. If you play a wind instrument, you really want to check out this video by Robert Dick.

In any case, you use your voice for speaking as well, and learning how to use your voice properly increases your overall vocal health (which in turn, contributes to a higher energy level, and increases your overall health).