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Can I Really Sing with a Cold?
40 More of Your Most Pressing Questions about Singing,
Answered
By
Copyright © 2013 by Jaime Vendera/Vendera Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form,
by any means, electronic or otherwise, including photocopying, scanning,
downloading, or by any data storage system, without written permission
from the publisher.
Vendera Publishing
Interior Design and cover design by Jaime Vendera
Hello again, and welcome to 40 MORE of your most pressing questions about
singing. I’m glass shattering vocal coach Jaime Vendera. You may know me from
shows like MythBusters where I’ve shattered glass by voice alone, or from one of
many of my books, such as Raise Your Voice, The Ultimate Breathing Workout, and
Unleash Your Creative Mindset, or you may have even heard about me through
some of my well-known students and vocalists who have used my Raise Your Voice
techniques, such as James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Terry Ilous (XYZ, Great White),
Clayton Stroope (Thriving Ivory/Midnight Cinema), Myles Kennedy (Alter
Bride/Slash), Kevin Martin (Candlebox), and many more. As well, you may have
read Can I Really Sing Higher? 40 of Your Most Pressing Questions about Singing,
Answered.
Can I Really Sing with a Cold? 40 More of Your Most Pressing Questions about
Singing, Answered, came about quickly due to the bombardment of emails I
received from singers around the world saying, “Hey Jaime, I got your 40
Questions booklet but you forgot to answer “insert question here.” Why didn’t you
answer that question?
I honestly thought I had covered all the bases, but apparently I missed quite a few.
So, I referred to the emails, sifted through the endless pages of posts on my Raise
Your Voice member’s message board at jaimevendera.com and revisited many wall
posts on my various fan pages to come up with answers to 40 more of your most
pressing questions. FYI- my answers in this book contain many gold nuggets, so
read each answer thoroughly. As well, I should note that there is no “40
Questions” member’s section with accompanying videos for this booklet. However,
to appease my readers, I will, over time, post each question in video format
through the Vendera Vocal Academy at venderavocalacademy.com. So, here they
are; straight-forward answers to ease your singing mind. Let’s get started.
1. Can I sing with a cold? YES you CAN! Usually, inflammation from a cold isn’t taxing enough on
the voice to prevent you from singing. Yes, your voice may feel sore,
and yes, we tend to shy away from singing when we feel sick because
of the pain in our throat. But the infection that causes pain we feel is
generally located in the surrounding muscles and tissue as opposed to
the vocal cords, which means you are fully capable of singing with
normal tone. Think of a cold as the singer’s challenge, the perfect time
to test your vocal technique. You CAN sing through the pain if you
know your voice and have mastered my techniques. The only time I
would suggest to refrain from singing, even cancel a show, is if you’re
positive that it is an infection of the vocal cords or it is so painful that
it feels like you’re swallowing razor blades with each gulp, such as
when you have strep throat or laryngitis. Sadly, it’s these times when
managers will push a singer to do something drastic such as take
steroid shots into the throat in order to do the show. If your voice is
shot, don’t take drastic measures to do a gig, or else you could end up
with permanent vocal damage. However, if it’s a cold or allergies, you
can do it! Turn to my Voice RX book and warm up mp3 to regain your
voice. Create a fixer elixir as explained in Raise Your Voice, flush your
sinuses with a Neti pot, add X20 (singerswater.com) and some drops
of colloidal silver to your water. As well, drink lots of hot water to help
reduce vocal cord swelling, and increase your vitamin C intake to boost
your immune system for a speedy recovery.
2. Why do I have to sing all my high notes in falsetto? You don’t. You either think you do or you were told by someone such
as a vocal coach that you have to sing high in falsetto. FYI- falsetto is
produced when the glottis (the opening between the vocal cords) is
wide. How hard do you really think is to narrow the glottis a sliver of
an inch to transform your tone from falsetto to full voice? Well, it’s not
hard at all, especially if you’ve been practicing my Transcending Tone
exercises from Raise Your Voice. It is actually healthier to sing in your
full voice than in falsetto because there is less air being released
which can possibly aggravate the vocal cords. So, start performing my
Isolation Method routine from Raise Your Voice, which features the
Transcending Tone exercise, and those high falsetto notes will become
full voice notes in no time flat!
3. Will tuning down for a live performance help to save my voice? Tuning down is an age old concept many tout will help singers sing
night after night. Yes, tuning down a half or whole step can help when
you’re in a desperate situation, but this is still not addressing the
problem, nor is it the end solution. When I worked with Thriving
Ivory/Midnight Cinema singer, Clayton Stroope, he was considering
tuning down a whole step for live performances because his voice was
failing him on the road. He figured it was his high range and by tuning
down he should easily be able to sing his own songs. After three
Skype lessons, he dropped the idea completely because his technique
had improved so dramatically that he gained the ability to hit all the
notes that he sang in the studio with as much power and vigor on
stage, night after night. So, it all boils down to vocal technique and
strength training. With that said, sometimes tuning down can give the
song a heavier feel, so if that is what you’re going for, tuning down is
fine. However, don’t rely on that half or whole step drop for a vocal fix.
Master your vocal technique so that you never have to consider tuning
down as a throat saver and only tune down when the overall sound
calls for it.
4. Should I use my own microphone? FYI- EVERYBODY should own and use their own microphone. Using a
venue microphone or borrowing another singer’s microphone means
you have everyone’s spit and germs to contend with. I mentioned this
in Can I Really Sing Higher? but apparently it needed addressed again.
I’m not trying to turn you into a germaphobe, but you can get sick
from someone else’s microphone germs. Okay, so you already know
you can sing with a cold, but let’s not make ourselves easy illness
targets for the sake of proving we can do it. The goal is to stay healthy
as much as possible, and using your own microphone will help. As
well, get some Mic Wipes from travelwellness.com to clean your
microphone of your own germs before and after every gig.
5. Why do I have to taste blood to get the best scream sound? I get SOOOOO angry when I hear this. Listen up; QUIT watching every
YouTube video posted, especially the ones about screaming, because
many of these so-called “coaches” are giving horrible advice. If you
watch a video of someone explaining grit or screaming for any vocal
style and they mention that they taste blood, have to grunt really hard,
feel pressure in their skull in order to get the perfect scream, or you
can see the veins in their neck getting ready to explode, stop the
video and move on. There is plenty of grit/screaming information in
Raise Your Voice and the Extreme Scream series to keep you
screaming effectively and safely.
6. What is the best vocal technique? Bel Canto, SLS, Estill? I get asked this question a lot. Honestly, I haven’t studied any
particular method enough to make such a such a bold statement as to
claim one is better than the other. I have tried various techniques and
when they didn’t work for me, I moved on until I found what did work
for me. That doesn’t mean any other style is beneath my approach to
voice. It just means that the other styles I tried early on in my vocal
development personally didn’t connect with me. Yet, even if I had
studied ALL of these methods in great depth, I would still not make
such a brazen claim as to say one is better than the other. Sadly, I’ve
heard vocal coaches boast this claim, stating that only their approach
was the best, and in some cases, only their particular way of training
through one on one lessons with them personally was best. While, I
choose to avoid the path of arrogance I will make this statement. We
are physical instruments and as such we each respond differently to
different training. All I can say is that my method, which has its basis
in the root of the original Operatic vocal production methodology, is
what has worked most effectively for me. That doesn’t mean it is best
for you. While, I can guarantee that if you follow my techniques, your
voice will thank you, I cannot guarantee that you’ll learn best from me
because I am a visual teacher as opposed to an analytical teacher. I
tend to stay away from training singers like I am preparing them to
enter medical school to become an ENT. I prefer to use as little
terminology as possible while focusing on sensation and visualization.
Though I do explain the basic vocal mechanics, I will not be asking you
to tilt your cricothyroid, but I will be asking you to concentrate on the
buzz of your voice throughout your body. So, if you need a more
analytical approach that is fine. If you are about visualization and
physical sensation, my approach is right up your alley.
7. How do I find the right vocal coach? Finding the right coach can be tough. I suggest checking out a vocal
coach’s credentials, speaking to several of their students, and
speaking to the vocal coach directly to learn what style they teach. Ask
your potential vocal coach questions such as, “Will your training help
to extend my range?” or “Will you be requiring me to sing songs I
don’t like, such as Opera?” Make a list of the important questions
pertaining to your vocal needs. If you are satisfied with the answers
you receive and if it feels right, try a lesson. After the first lesson your
voice feels great and you feel comfortable, and then stick to your new
learned regimen for a week, book another lesson the following week
and give your new coach a shot. All in all, your coach should be
positive and encouraging. You should feel comfortable with your coach
and excited, not frightened, for your next lesson. However, if your
coach belittles you, tells you that you’re stuck with you current range,
tries to sway you to sing a certain style which you do not like, or if
your throat feels like hamburger after the lesson, I’d say that it’s time
to move on to another coach.
8. Your breath support approach hurts my throat. What’s wrong? Trust me; it’s not my approach to breath support that is hurting your
throat. The way that I have my singers add breath support by pushing
down to tighten the abdominals actually alleviates excess pressure on
the vocal cords and helps to minimize breath release. So, it could be
that you are still in the habit of forcing too much wind, or you may be
grunting, tightening the throat and neck muscles as you sing. These
bad habits will disappear as long as you follow the techniques outlined
in Raise Your Voice for correct breathing, support, and placement, and
by using little tricks like moving your head side to side as explained in
my book series. FYI- I would not still have a voice after breaking those
hundreds of glasses with my voice at over 100 decibels if not for my
method of support. So, if your voice feels a little worse for wear when
attempting to push down, you need to look at your overall approach to
vocal technique.
9. What is the pharyngeal voice? Pharyngeal voice is a term that has been around for hundreds of years
but has been made popular as of late, especially in the rock genre, for
describing a certain piercing, powerful tone that doesn’t sound quite
full voice, but not a pure falsetto tone either. I often refer to it as
reinforced falsetto. One could say it is a sort of mix tone with bite and
power, a tone used by singers such as Robert Plant and Axl Rose. This
is the same tone I use for breaking glass with my voice, though my
glass breaking foghorn tone is a bit too harsh to use in actual songs. I
was taught how to make this particular sound, a sound somewhere
between falsetto and full voice, yet with extreme power, by my vocal
coach, Jim Gillette. Jim used a simple exercise of swelling the falsetto
on an “E” vowel until it was very loud. I dubbed Jim’s exercise the E-
Scream exercise, which is basically the Transcending Tone exercise on
an “E” vowel. But instead of transcending from falsetto to full voice,
we transcend from a tiny falsetto to a loud falsetto with lots of ring to
it, and at times, sliding down an octave and back up to the original
pitch. This helps to build the muscles surrounding the vocal cords so
that you can sing in the upper register without fully narrowing the
glottis as you would for full voice, yet, not leaving the glottis wide as
you would in falsetto. This creates that banshee wail, baby cry sound
heard by many rockers, such as Robert, Axl, and even David Coverdale
on Whitesnake’s Still of the Night. So, if you want this sound, you’ll
need plenty of E-screams. As well, check out James Lugo’s book, Vocal
Insantity.
10. What vocal methods can I combine? I am not here to tell you what you can combine, that is for you to
discover. However, as I stated before, any book I publish by a vocal
coach is a coach that I approve of my students using alongside my own
methods. I often have students use exercises by James Lugo, Elizabeth
Sabine, and Valerie Bastien, coaches who are published through
Vendera Publishing. As well, I support using Thomas Appell’s and Jim
Gillette’s programs, as I consider both to be major icons in my own
vocal path. There are many other great coaches with great scales you
can use. Bottom line, if mixing up programs seems to make a
difference in your voice, helping you to progress, then go for it!
11. Why does my voice get shaky after a couple songs? It could be a sign that you still lack vocal strength and stamina, or
have yet to truly master your vocal technique. As well, those nerves
can still be bothering you subconsciously. If this happens, please pay
attention to your technique. Are you raising your shoulders, is your
breathing shallow, are you tightening your jaw or neck? If you
answered YES to any of these questions, it’s time to hit Raise Your
Voice again and correct your bad habits. Or, maybe you’ve eliminated
those bad habits, BUT you’re forgetting to apply your newfound
technique while on stage. This happens, but in time the technique
should become second nature. Spend more time in vocal practice
working on correct technique until it is a way of life. If you suspect that
it is still a nervous issue, make sure to use Rescue Remedy along with
breathing exercises, visualization, etc. all of which are explained in my
other books. A few sprays or drops of Rescue Remedy WILL help to
calm the mind.
12. What is a bare basic maintenance routine for your exercises? There are already many routine outlines for how to maintain your voice
every day with exercises in my books, Raise Your Voice and Raise Your
Voice 2. But just for the sake of it, I’ll spill it out here. At minimum,
first thing in the morning, I would perform the Vocal Stress
Release/Vocal Stage Prep combo as you simultaneously vocalize along
to one of my mp3s like Voice RX , or if you prefer, you can use a
keyboard or pitch wheel as explained in Beyond the Ultimate Vocal
Warm Up. After your warm up (or even sometime later during the day)
perform a set of the three Isolation exercises from Raise Your Voice or
the Ultimate Isolation exercise from Raise Your Voice 2. As well, (these
are optional) you can add the Ultimate Breathing Workout exercises
and non-vocal exercises such as tongue pushups.
13. How do singers from bands like ACDC sound the way they do? The ACDC/Cinderella tone is accomplished by starting with a strong,
clean pharyngeal/reinforced falsetto tone and then adding the effect
of vocal grit. You MUST apply correct vocal technique, have perfected
that pharyngeal/reinforced falsetto sound with plenty of E-Screams ,
and then have a thorough understanding of how grit is produced and
felt in the roof of the mouth before attempting this sound. Otherwise,
you can end up losing your voice, possibly gaining vocal nodules in
the process.
14. How can I become a better lyricist? This goes well beyond buying a rhyming dictionary. Sometimes it’s
more than just the rhyme and has more to do with phrasing as
opposed to rhyming. Every word you sing should slide off your tongue
smoothly, connecting to the next word like a painted picture. I spent
years writing song lyrics, and I kept plenty of notebooks along the way
for various lyrical ideas. Over the years I’ve used bits and pieces of
lyrics from my notebook stash for different songs. I suggest to simply
start writing, writing, writing. Songs are stories and need to be told
with the right words and emotions. If you’re writing a love song, it may
even help for you to write a 2-3 page fiction story about the love affair
you wish to share in your song, to get a deeper connection to what
you’re trying to express. As well, you could read a fiction story and
attempt to sum up the entire book in a song. If you need a short book
to read, check out 711press.com. These books can be read in two to
three hours from start to finish. Pick a genre, read a book, and write a
song to explain the entire book in three to four minutes. You have my
permission to use these books as influence to write a song for this
exercise, as I am co-producer for 711 Press. In the end, don’t be so
connected to rhyming and don’t feel like you need 27 words in a six
word space. Say what needs to be said, poetically, in a conversational
style, and you will improve over time. SAVE all your lyrics. Your ideas
may not work at this particular moment, but they may be great for
another song down the line! Here is a small section of a song I wrote
called Lisa, which is a true story about my aunt’s passing and how I
felt my uncle saw it:
I can’t take the silence, do with me what you will
I can’t claim her innocence, and face the coming storm
Wailing up with anger, as I’m crying out at God
If religion is the answer, then save from myself
As you can see, there is no rhyming whatsoever in my lyrics, but it
flows poetically, especially in the context of the vocal phrasing of the
song. Bottom line, say it and sing it with conviction and passion.
15. I’m always stressed when I practice and rehearse. Any ideas? You’re thinking too much, upset because your voice isn’t up to your
expectations at this exact moment, wanting it all right now. Know that
all those bad notes, cracks, and other problems are simply potholes in
the road on your vocal journey. As you progress, you’ll avoid those
potholes. Take a few drops or sprays of Rescue Remedy before vocal
practice and band rehearsal to calm your nerves. If you think
negatively about your voice, it will affect you mentally and physically.
Say to yourself, “I am in great voice” over and over again before each
rehearsal to stay positive. Keep a thorough diary of your daily vocal
workout sessions to track how low and high you sing. Review it at the
end of the month and compare it to the first day to see how much
you’ve progressed vocally. This is precisely why I created The Ultimate
Vocal Workout Diary.
16. How can I stay motivated to practice? Someone asked me, “How do you stay motivated? I cannot even find
the motivation to do my vocal exercises.” WOW, that person must not
really want it that bad! Still, I understand that doing vocal exercises
can be boring, but if you are seriously passionate about anything,
whether it’s race car driving, martial arts, playing guitar, OR singing,
you WILL be motivated. So, you should ask yourself if singing is really
what you want. If you truly feel it is, yet you still lack motivation,
maybe it is due to slight depression because you aren’t seeing any
improvement from your prior workouts. Re-read Raise Your Voice, to
make sure you’re doing every step correctly. As well, apply the mental
techniques from Unleash Your Creative Mindset to wipe out
procrastination and revved up your motivational motor!
17. Are breath support and volume connected? Yes and no. Breath support (pushing down) can help to increase
volume, but please note that you can push down until you crap your
pants and still speak right above a whisper. Tightening the abdominals
doesn’t mean instant decibels. Speaking at your lightest volume while
pushing down as hard as you can proves this point. Volume occurs by
using the entire body as an amplifier to create stronger, resonant
sensations to produce a wave of sound that cranks out the decibels. If
you get loud every single time you push down to tighten the
abdominals, you are definitely doing something wrong. Most likely,
you’re adding to much breath and over-tensing the entire body. Re-
read the breathing explanations Raise Your Voice and consider starting
my breathing exercise routine from The Ultimate Breathing Workout
book and the companion video, Beyond the Ultimate Breathing
Workout.
18. What the heck is the Inhalation Sensation? If you’ve heard this saying, yet you have yet to read my book, Raise
Your Voice, I guarantee you are confused. The inhalation sensation is
my reference to how effortless it should feel when singing, so
effortless that it’s as if you’re breathing in each note. However, it’s is
not something you can learn from an exercise, it is something that you
must experience on your own. Just so you understand the concept,
(though I am sort of repeating myself) the inhalation sensation occurs
when you reach a state of vocal freedom that is so effortless that is
feels as if you are inhaling every single note and word as opposed to
expelling breathing to create a pitch or sing a phrase. It will happen
once you’ve become accustomed to my techniques. One day soon,
you’ll have that “Aha” moment and the inhalation sensation will stay
with you for the rest of your life.
19. What are Isolation exercises and are they better than scales? It’s funny that I waited this long to answer this question, but even after
Can I Really Sing Higher? I figured you’d understand my exercises.
Though I’ve already mentioned the Isolation exercises several times
already in this book, you may still be confused. Basically, Isolation
exercises are non-scale exercises performed on pitch slides, volume
swells, and tonal shifts from falsetto to full voice in order to work the
vocal muscles and vocal cords adductions for every single frequency in
your vocal range. They are performed slowly while vocalizing Yah, Yay,
Yee, Yoh, and You. Isolation exercises reveal all your vocal strengths
and weaknesses. As well, I believe they are ten times more beneficial
for strengthening the voice and increasing range than vocal scales,
which is why 90% of my teaching focuses on Isolation exercises.
20. All my high notes sound pinched, but I don’t feel any strain? You may not be feeling strain, but that doesn’t mean you’re not
constricting the throat. You could be lifting the larynx a bit too high or
squeezing in the neck muscles in a subconscious attempt to “help”
make the pitch. Both of these bad habits not only create a thinner,
pinched sound, but create vocal fatigue as well. Switching to the
Ultimate Isolation exercise from Raise Your Voice 2: The Advanced
Manual can help to alleviate this excess stress by strengthening the
muscles and helping enhance the resonance so that you sound much
fuller and singer freer, thus eliminate the pinched, thin sound.
21. My throat is sore after my workout. What am I doing wrong? Well, how sore is sore? Is it sore for a few minutes, an hour, or for a
day or more? Your answer is very important. Soreness right after your
vocal workout, that last for only a few minutes to an hour before your
voice returns to normal is simply vocal muscle fatigue, which is nothing
to be concerned about. It shouldn’t happen all the time and when it
does happen it should pass within a few minutes. However, if it lasts
longer than an hour or two, it could be the result of vocal strain. And if
it lasts for a day or more, you are in serious need of a vocal technique
overhaul. Looks like it’s time to head back to Raise Your Voice or The
Ultimate Vocal Workout.
22. I cannot hear myself when rehearsing. How can I hear myself? As explained in Raise Your Voice, cupping the ear towards the mouth
will help you hear when you don’t have in-ear monitors or decent
monitors. As well, attaching a VAM (vocal acoustic monitor from
vamacoustics.com) to your microphone is like adding a waterslide for
the sound of your voice, delivering your sound right to your ear as you
sing. Still another way to hear yourself is to cut off your sound with
earplugs, forcing you to listen on the inside and discover how each
pitch feels within your body when produced. Bottom line, you MUST
find a way to hear and/or feel your voice or you risk the chance of
over-singing and blowing out your voice. Try all three and use what
works best for you.
23. Where should I place my larynx when singing? Quit trying to “place” the larynx in any position. Any methodology that
has you attempting to control the larynx by forcing it into a low or high
position is only creating vocal tension. Many times the larynx (aka, the
Adam’s apple) uncontrollably rises, like swallowing, on high notes. As
well, some singers are taught to forcefully lower the larynx down on
low notes in an attempt to sing lower. Both positions are taxing on the
voice. In the end, you want the larynx to stay fairly neutral, though it
may rise or lower as you sing, but only ever so slightly. Non-vocal
exercises like Bullfrogs and tongue pushups will strengthen the anti-
constrictor muscles in the neck so this is not an issue.
24. Do I have nodules and can I get rid of them without surgery? Let me state that I am not an ENT, but I do get asked this question a
lot. From what I understand, if for an extended period of time your
tone remains harsh, raspy, occurring roughly around the same pitch,
you may be developing a nodule. The rasp can occur low or high in
your range, depending upon where the nodule has developed.
Nodules can occur from overworking the voice, abuse, and incorrect
technique. If a nodule is discovered early, I do believe you can reverse
it as the nodule is basically a callus on the vocal cord. What I suggest
is a break from singing and excessive speaking if possible. To aid the
voice in recovering, increase your water intake, and vocalize with lots
of tiny humming and singing through a small section of rubber tubing
into a sink full of water as I suggest in one of my useful tips in Raise
Your Voice. It might be easier to simply use a straw in a 16-20 ounce
bottle of water, but only half full. Also, I’d prefer you find a larger
diameter straw than the typical size. Blow on the straw into the water,
vocalizing softly on octave slides both up and down, not going
anywhere near any low or high range where you feel the slightest
onset of tension. However, you do want to work through the raspy area
in order to create the vibrations needed to massage the callused area.
Consider this rock star rehab for the voice. Do this exercise as many
times a day with 5-10 slides per session to help work through the area
in your range where you hear the rasp from the developing nodule.
25. My Isolation exercises sound breathy. How can I correct them? Refer to the last question. Using the straw on Isolation exercises is
amazing for the voice. By using a straw to make water bubbles you put
a lid on the amount of breath released as you vocalize. I believe that
the sound of your voice carries down the straw into the water and then
reverberates back up through the straw until it reaches the vocal cords,
creating an internal massaging effect. You’ll discover that Sirens,
Falsetto Slides, and Transcending Tones are much easier, more
controlled, and free of cracks and breaks when using the straw.
26. No matter how much water I drink, I’m still dry. What can I do? I’ve known singers who claim to drink one ton of water and pee two
tons out. Sometimes the body may not absorb water as efficiently as
you wish. If you feel dry, no matter how much water you drink, you
might consider making a sole as explained by my friend, Ocea, creator
of Vocal Eze Spray. Or, you could use X20 sachets from
singerswater.com which will actually make your water almost feel
wetter, and allow the body to better absorb water. As well, steaming
will help to hydrate the vocal cords. Both a humidifier at night and a
hot air steamer during the day are singer necessities. As well, a 20-
minute steam inhaling session in a hot shower works wonders.
27. How many times can I practice per day? A warm up, workout, singing session, and cool down will suffice, but
the voice is quite resilient and contrary to what other coaches have
said, you CAN work out more than once per day if you so desire. My
own coach, Jim Gillette, worked out for twelve hours per day on vocal
exercises for nearly six months when he was training to expand his
range. His hard work got him all the way to a Soprano F. I have some
students that use Isolation exercises in the morning, breathing
exercises in the afternoon, and more exercises and singing in the
evening. Bottom line, figure out what works for your voice but please
work out at least once a day, six days per week for substantial gains in
your singing abilities.
28. My teacher says I should focus into the mask. Is this correct? There are lots of different philosophies on “where” to “feel” the voice.
Use what works for you. As far as my approach, if you breathe,
support, and place the voice up into the palate as described in Raise
Your Voice, you’ll automatically feel the buzzing sensation of your
voice in the area known as the mask, which consists of the front of the
face (cheeks and nose). Therefore, you will not need to consciously
focus on the “mask”.
29. What is exercise stacking? Exercise stacking is an advanced technique covered in Raise Your
Voice 2: The Advanced Manual, which stacks my three main warm up
exercises and three main workout vocal exercises for a six-exercise
stack that builds strength on one individual pitch at a time by
repetition of that pitch. It has produced amazing results giving many
singers a bigger range, more resonance, and a stronger voice.
30. Why do you say to go slower with Isolation exercises? Think of your voice as a car in a school parking lot. Many schools and
colleges have bumps in the asphalt and speed signs that warn to slow
down. If you hit the speed bump going faster than the suggested
speed, your car will jump and shake. You do the same thing to your
voice when crossing the areas in your range where there are “gear
changes” also known as vocal breaks. By slowing down, you’ll smooth
out these speed bump areas and over time you’ll eliminate these
speed bumps altogether no matter how fast you fly through your notes
from your low range to your mid-range to your high range. Slower is
better as far as I am concerned when performing my exercises.
31. I cannot practice because people are around. What can I do? I absolutely understand, especially when doing exercises like full voice
Sirens. In fact, I developed my method by practicing in my truck on the
way to work just so I wouldn’t bother my wife with my vocal exercises.
Using your car or truck to practice during your commute is a great use
of your time. If practicing while driving isn’t feasible, yet practicing at
home is an issue as well, I suggest finding the farthest place in your
home away from other ears, whether a corner bedroom or the
basement of your house and make it happen. To dampen the sound,
you can purchase heavy duty moving blankets that have sound
dampening properties. In fact, my Skype teaching studio is in my
basement and my walls are lined with sound dampening blanket that I
purchased on eBay. As well, you may consider purchasing a portable
vocal booth such as the Vocal Booth Pro from EditorsKeys.com. I
personally use this exact vocal booth for recording vocals for my songs
and vocal training programs, and believe it to be very useful in
combination with the dampening blankets for reducing sound levels
during practice. When you feel your voice isn’t bothering others, you’ll
have more confidence and freedom to practice.
32. My voice needs a jumpstart in the morning. Any tips? Many singers complain of not having a voice in the morning. When you
go to sleep the throat relaxes and the larynx drops lower, thus giving
one a groggy sound upon waking in the morning. I suggest starting a
morning workout routine. At minimum, perform the Vocal Stress
Release program while vocalizing to a warm up like Voice RX during
your shower. The stretching, vocalizing, and steaming will wake you
up. As well, take a tablespoon of coconut oil after your workout and
allow it to rest on your tongue for at least a minute as you breathe
normally. After the minute is up, swallow the coconut oil. Its medicinal
properties alone are great for soothing the voice.
33. How do I sing in tune? Rule number one, master your vocal technique! When you support
correctly, you’ll tend to stay in tune. However, if you feel you still have
intonation problems, it’s time to pull out the ole tuner. There are tons
of apps for tuners as well as standalone tuners. Sing a note and watch
the tuner, focus on keeping your voice dead center of the tuner on any
given note. Pay attention to your support and placement. How does
your voice feel on that particular note? Many singers say they can
associate each pitch with a color. Does a middle C feel like it is blue,
red, or yellow to you? Whatever you need to focus on to maintain a
perfect pitch in the dead center of any note, use it.
34. Are there any foods that are bad for my voice? Some singers are affected by dairy products, their cords feeling more
phlegm, while others are affected by spicy foods, and others even
react very negatively to caffeine. You already knew most of this if
you’ve read my other books. We are each different, so you need to
pay attention to how your voice feels with everything you eat and
drink. After all, we ARE our instrument.
35. I haven’t figured out how to zip my cords. How do I do it? My vocal coach, Thomas Appell, author of Can You Sing a High C
without Straining? claimed that the zipping actually occurred at the
vocal break, which was typically around an E above middle C for males
and the A above middle C for females. In truth, we have many breaks in
the voice and the breaks can be shifted depending upon how hard or
soft we attack our voice with volume and power as Thomas went on to
explain in his book. However, there are many thoughts on the truth of
zipping, as to where it actually occurs, whether at the first break or
much higher, or even if it occurs at all. In truth, who cares? I prefer to
use the thought of zipping cords as a visualization. So, when you
reach your highest note, where you begin to have trouble, you may
wish to think about the cords zipping. In time, it may feel as if they are
zipping, and that is fine. In the end, use it as a visual tool and allow
the voice to climb higher without worrying about whether you can feel
it happening or not.
36. My voice failed me at rehearsal. What’s going on? Vocal exercises will only get you so far. Singing by yourself will only
get you so far. You MUST put yourself in a rehearsal environment
suited for your stage performance. If you only rehearse with your band
once every few weeks, don’t expect to sound like a rock star. You need
to rehearse routinely to notice a difference in your singing abilities.
Bottom line, your voice will grow stronger the more you rehearse.
37. My throat tickles on certain notes. What’s wrong? The tickling/tingling sensation is definitely a sign of strain. There are
many factors involved. It could be that you are releasing too much
breath, thus irritating the vocal cords, or tightening the neck muscles,
or even lack of support. Tools like the side to side neck movement,
correcting support, and other tips for stress release from my books
should be applied.
38. I can’t find the time to work out or warm up. What do I do? You make time, PERIOD! Quit looking for the time, quit making
excuses; make practice a priority, PERIOD!!! I answered a question
earlier about finding the motivation to work out. If you want to become
an amazing singer, you WILL make the time to work on your voice. With
that said, I know life can be busy with work, kids, life in general, so
remember this saying- “Every time you breathe out, you should
vocalize, otherwise it’s a waste of breath.” Make it your mantra and
apply it. Even if you have two minutes here and there throughout the
day to perform some lips bubbles, use the straw for Isolation
exercises, or perform a Siren or two before your spouse gets home, it
ALL counts toward building a better voice. ANY time you can work the
voice, you’re adding reps towards building muscle.
39. I just don’t feel like a singer. Any suggestions? First of all, you ARE a singer. Just because you aren’t where you want
to be at this very moment doesn’t make you any less of a singer. A
guitar is a guitar even when not being played. Keeping in the thought
that you are your instrument, remember that you are always a singer.
For a daily motivational boost, another great mantra to use is, “I am in
great voice and I am a great singer!” Repeat it a thousand times a day
if needed. Stay focused, work hard, and you’ll reach your singing
goals.
40. Why don’t you answer all my emails? Ha-ha, I had to add this one for my last question. Listen, I try to
answer all your emails, I really do, but please know I am extremely
busy. If you are one of my students or a user of my books you can get
help through the member’s section of jaimevendera.com and the
Vendera Vocal Academy. As well, please note that I have a duty to my
fans and students; they are my first priority. If you aren’t a user of my
methods, a student of mine, a member of the Academy, or owner of
one of my books, I simply will have to push your questions to the back
of the line and answer questions from singers who are my students,
whether in-person, online students, or users of my books, videos, and
audio training programs. My goal is to help as many singers as I can,
but time is limited, which is why I am forced to prioritize.
I hope this little Q&A has helped to bring some clarity to your thoughts on singing.
If you are ready to take vocal training seriously, you can check out my products at
jaimevendera.com. As well, don’t forget that I will be posting videos for each of
these questions at the Vendera Vocal Academy. I hope to see you at the Academy
where we’ll help you develop the voice you’ve always dreamed of, to help you
make it to the top! If you have any questions concerning my products, teaching
methods, lessons, or the Vendera Vocal Academy, feel free to email me at
Jaime@jaimevendera.com.
RAISE YOUR VOICE AT JAIMEVENDERA.COM
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