| Published: February 23, 2021 |
Your Voice is Always Mixing. Wait – What?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always thought of my “chest” register and my “head” register as two very separate things. One feels strong and the other feels light and pretty. Men, you are even more likely to feel like your chest voice and head voice are in different worlds than women. This is why it blew my mind, many years ago, when I learned that you can mix the two registers, in what is known as mixed voice. Some singers sing easily in a mix with no training or thought. It’s just natural for them. Furthermore, some people’s speaking voices are a perfect mix with no effort.
Others of us, however, find that coordinating a mixed voice is clunky and results in a lot of cracking, because we live entirely in one register and the other is not very developed (both registers must be well developed in order to produce a mix). Most people who struggle with this live mainly in their chest register, but for me it was the opposite. As a classically trained soprano, I neglected to learn how to produce a healthy and well-coordinated chest voice, as I was always busy singing all those high Cs!
Singdaptive instructor, Kim Greenwood and I were chatting the other day, and she articulated an insight that can help “unstable-mixers” mix better: You are always mixing! Technically speaking, the chest voice muscles and the head voice muscles are always engaged to some degree when we sing a clear tone. Learning the mixed voice, then, is not worlds away, but rather a small adjustment in how those two muscle groups are working together. That sure seems less daunting, doesn’t it?
Kathy Alexander
VP Curriculum, Singdaptive
Understanding Cracking & Registration
Our full-access subscribers can now take the lesson: Understanding Cracking & Vocal Registration by Voice teacher and Professional Singer Kim Greenwood.
To learn more, upgrade to premium and check out the lesson, Understanding Cracking & Vocal Registration to understand vocal registers and the function of muscles in the larynx.
Why Singer-Songwriters Need Vocal Technique
Be true to yourself but explore all the possibilities of your instrument – says Berklee Voice Professor, Anne Peckham, in Why Singer-Songwriters Need Vocal Technique.
Wow – Lianne La Havas
| The Singdaptive Team has been moved by the soulful singing of Lianne La Havas – Enjoy! |
Singdaptive is the new way to learn singing and reach your singing goals. You’ll receive personal one-on-one coaching through video exchanges with a lead instructor who is supported by a multidisciplinary instructor team. You will do this at your own time and pace. Because we have a diverse team, you can work on any singing-related goals from technique, to performance, recording, vocal health, vocal effects, promotion and more…
