Singing Tips for IF-SRGMP contestants - Page 3

excellent points Sahana, Barnalidi. very well-written too. thx for the article Adi.

Sahana, Baranalidi, thx also for reminding me of the relaxing effects of music. have to somehow find time for it...

thanks sahana ji excellent post.Iam going through all the posts by all of you and iam learning too .

Adi, I found this line in your article interesting! I have noticed this myself.

Many Americans speak at a lower pitch than is optimum for their voice, and with a tight jaw.

Originally posted by: punjini

Adi, I found this line in your article interesting! I have noticed this myself.

Many Americans speak at a lower pitch than is optimum for their voice, and with a tight jaw.

Yes, you are right, about this one. They do speak at a lower pitch thjan is optimum for their voice Wonder why do they do that- to make the voice sound richer,huskier or sexy...dont really know.

By the way, did you know that a simple thing like mint can actually help in clearing your voice before a performance or sooth the throat after a performance...it also aids in clearing congestion .

Here is an article on the therapeutic uses of mint .......read on..:

MINT

Description

Mint is a popular spice, used extensively in Indian cooking. It is an erect, branched perennial herb with underground modified stems. The Shoots produced from these stems are four-­angled, and bear oval-shaped leaves which are simple, delicate, thin, dark green in color and fragrant.

Mint contains plenty of vitamins and is rich in several minerals. The fresh and dried leaves are used for mint sauce and jelly and to flavor foods. Mint oil is used in chewing gum, tooth paste and in confectionery and pharmaceutical preparations.

Benefits and Curative Properties

Mint is much valued as a carminative which relieves gastric discomforts, stimulant, antispasmodic which relieves muscle strain and stomachic for improving appetite. It forms an ingredient of most drugs prescribed for stomach ailments because of its digestive properties It is good for the liver and helps dissolve gravel in the kidneys and bladder.

Digestive System Disorders

Mint juice is a good appetizer. Fresh leaf juice of mint mixed with a teaspoonful of lime juice and honey is given thrice daily with excellent results in the treatment of indigestion, biliousness, flatulent colic, thread worms, morning sickness and summer diarrhoea.

According to father Kneipp, the well-known Naturopath, "A cupful of mint tea taken every morning and evening assists the digestion and gives a fresh and healthy appearance. The powder renders the same service, if one or two pinches are taken daily in the food or in water." He also considers that mint, prepared in milk or tea and drunk warm, removes abdominal pains.'

The seeds of mint are also beneficial in relieving severe abdominal pain due to indigestion in older children. The child may be given a quarter teaspoonful of the seeds to chew and swallow with water in such conditions

Respiratory Disorders

A teaspoonful of fresh mint juice, mixed with two spoonfuls of pure malt vinegar and equal quantity of honey is stirred in four ounces of carrot juice and is given thrice daily as a medicated tonic during the treatment of tuberculosis, asthma and bronchitis. It liquifies the sputum, nourishes the lungs, increases body's resistance against infection and prevents the harmful effects of anti tubercular drugs. It prevents the asthmatic attacks and reduces congestion in air passages.

Disorders

Fresh leaves of mint, chewed daily is an effective antiseptic dentifrice i.e. tooth paste. The chlorophyll combined with other antiseptic chemicals in the mint, kills all the germs causing harmful odour. It strengthens the gums by providing the required nutrients and thus prevents tooth decay, pyorrhea, pre-mature fall of the teeth etc. It also keeps the mouth fresh and improves the sense of taste in the tongue.

Hoarseness

Gargling fresh mint decoction with salt cures hoarseness due to shouting or singing loudly. It keeps the voice clear if used before singing. Therefore, it is a boon to singers and orators.

Disorders

Application of fresh mint juice over face every night, cures pimples and prevents dryness of the skin. Juice is also applied over insect stings, eczema, scabies and contact dermatitis.

Birth Control

In Ayurveda, powdered dry mint is regarded as a harmless herb for birth control. It is believed that the woman who swallows 10 grams of this powder a little before the sexual intercourse will be free from pregnancy so long as she continues this practice. The mint should be dried in a shady place and then powdered and bottled.

The Healthy Singer

You only have one voice. You can't abuse it and then expect a doctor to make it right again, because it may never be the same. Another thing that people forget is that when the voice doesn't feel right we tend to compensate with habits that are not ideal. These new (or old) bad habits may stick with us after the voice should be healthy again.

Here are some things that are harmful to your voice or just plain taxing. How many do you do?

Screaming, talking forcefully all the time, talking in the car, lots of laughing Doing funny voices Dry air, not enough water intake Glottal attacks and throat effort in your speech Breathing very cold air Poor diet, lack of sleep, stress Cheerleading Allergies Allergy medications Aspirin, ibuprofen Caffeine, alcohol Smoking, especially marijuana
• Talking, singing or whispering when you have laryngitis

Sure, some of these are hard to avoid. The singer must spend a lifetime working to minimize the stresses on the voice, though. If you have allergies, for example, do everything you can to be good to your voice in other ways, like drinking lots of water and eating properly.

Eating just before bed is a favorite ritual for some of us, but this can lead to acid reflux when you lie down, which is very hard on the voice. Eating spicy foods for dinner or eating too much of anything within a few hours of bed are best left to the non-singers. If you tend to have heartburn and stomach problems and if your voice is rough in the morning and improves through the day, you should ask a doctor about reflux.

Wintertime Immunity

Singers have to stay on top of their health at all times. A little cold can leave you with a cough, irritated vocal cords, or a sinus infection for weeks, making singing an unpleasant activity and perhaps leading to more serious damage to the voice.

In order to avoid illness as much as possible, be sure to eat well, get regular sleep, and be a bit fanatical about washing your hands, disinfecting doorknobs, and steering clear of sick people. Vitamins might help keep you strong, and water has a beneficial effect, too. Some people like to take herbs like echinacea and garlic, but these work best if taken when you've been exposed to a bug but haven't gotten sick yet. They may not help at all after the sore throat has begun. At that point you might try breathing steam to clear out your respiratory system and help the entire respiratory system heal.

And if you do come down with something, consider the following.

The Advantages of Being Sick

No, it's not crazy . Think about this:

1.When you're sick you don't expect so much of yourself. You tend to expect the singing to not sound good, so you relax and let it go without employing your usual extra effort. The result is free singing that you normally wouldn't allow yourself. And if you can't stand what you hear, put your fingers in your ears!

2. If your throat hurts, you'll work extra hard to get the sensations (effort) away from it, which is always good. This is a good time to go for the forward placement.

2. At the beginning of a cold you often sing better because the mucus is thinner on your vocal cords.

3. Sometimes the congestion in your head is situated just right so that the focus is really obvious.

4. You can learn a lot by working when the voice is just a little under the weather, since old habits tend to come back and you must work them out again.

5. This is a great time to concentrate on expression and character.

Don't push too hard for high notes, perfect clarity or long rehearsals, and you should be okay. But remember to do no singing (or speaking, whispering or even whistling) when you have laryngitis.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR VOICE

THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS OF SINGERS

All singers are different and their problems vary, however the most common problems are (in alphabetical order):

ARTICULATION * ATTACK * BREATHING * CONFIDENCE DISCIPLINE * ENDURANCE * HEALTH * LIMITATIONS

POSTURE * TASTE * TIMING * TONE

1. ARTICULATION: As it pertains to singing, it is the ability to communicate the song in a technically correct, yet natural manner. Various things affect the articulation of singers, the primary culprits being tension and natural physical problems.

Tension affects every vocal performance. The vocal chords, which are muscles and the muscles of the jaw, lips, inner mouth etc. tighten resulting in poor tonal quality and articulation. Certain speech habits also affect articulation.

One common problem involves singers dropping or not emphasizing certain letters at the end of certain lines. They may, for example, not emphasize a "V" when singing the word "love" or the "T" sound on the word "didn't." These are only two of thousands of possibilities. Another articulation problem may be substituting and "H" in words with soft vowel sounds – for example, the word "you" will become "you hoo hoo," or the word "me" may become "me hee hee," or the "fly" becomes "fly hi hi." You must learn to power through these words keeping the integrity of the vowel in tact and not using the "H" sound as a power crutch.

These are just a couple of examples of poor articulation. There may be a physical problem which would cause poor articulation as well. A lisp is a major problem for a singer, especially in the recording studio where sensitive microphones pick up every nuance.

2. ATTACK: This problem presents itself in two forms – too much attack or not enough attack. Too much attack is simply singing too hard. It happens when singers begin to sing and "try too hard" and push and force notes through the vocal chords. Too much attack can result in the formation of vocal cord nodules which are one of the singer's greatest fears. The opposite problem is when excessive air is released prior to singing. While this soft attack rarely has an adverse effect on the vocal cords, it does causes a breathy sound, which may be used in certain situations. It may also be utilized to help correct a hard attack.

3. BREATHING: One of the most common problems for singers is breathing and breath support. Singers who "gasp" for air, and exhibit shallow breathing patterns are not and cannot sing effectively. Professional singers primarily use diaphragmatic breath support. The muscles of the diaphragm, lower back and abdomen are consciously used. Breath should be used to support the vocal performance and there should be little tension on the vocal chords or larynx. There may be too much breath support or not enough breath support and each individual singer must find their own niche.

4. CONFIDENCE: Singing with confidence may be the singers greatest tool. Having the confidence that what they sing will always come out the way they intend makes a good singer into a great one. Many times the slightest deviation in the vocal chords can result in momentary loss of vocal control, and singers hold back in order to maintain control and relieve that anxiety. If everyone sang with the same confidence as their "shower vocal" they would soon find their level of expertise would increase dramatically. Despite the anxiety, singers do gain confidence through regular performance and rehearsing difficult songs until they are able to sing them. It is better to "go for it."

5. DISCIPLINE: The professional singer is, in a sense, an athlete and as any athlete knows, daily practice is imperative to compete at the professional level. Most singers do not believe daily training, exercise and diet are important in their careers. Some singers are reluctant to accept the advice of others, especially when that advice may be contrary to the singer's personal beliefs and work ethic. The singer's practice and performance regimen must be both sensible and productive. Working too hard can be as damaging as not working hard enough, but daily practice will produce results.

6. ENDURANCE: Vocal training in the 1700's and 1800's placed much emphasis on vocal endurance. Part of that training required a singer to perform rapid scales. The use of these rapid scales helps to develop a relaxed, yet strong vocal performance, and that contributes to the development of increased vocal endurance. Vocal endurance allows the singer to sing for long periods without tiring, and is part of the daily routine of practice. A tired vocal will always show in the recording studio and singers tend to sing off pitch when tired vocally and physically.

7. HEALTH: The very nature that singing is entertaining creates many situations which are unhealthy for the singer. The physical demands placed on a singer require the singer to get adequate rest, perform effective aerobic exercise, eat a proper diet (including an understanding of the effects of alcohol consumption), learn proper use of over-the-counter and prescription medications, and abstinence from smoking. By the nature of some singing environments, singers test the limits of their vocal health by overindulging in "partying", alcohol or drugs, and yelling. Some singers are aware of the care of their singing voice, but abuse their speaking voice.

Professional singers who travel are frequently confronted with changes in climate, allergens, sleep habits, and eating patterns. Traveling singers should avoid talking excessively, especially on airplanes that are both noisy and dry. Performing in dry, dusty, smoke-filled venues increases the chances of vocal fatigue and infection. A minor cold or allergy can be devastating to a professional singer, who is has to perform with swollen vocal cords. Every singer should practice good vocal hygiene, exercise good travel habits and good judgment.

8. LIMITATIONS: All singers have limitations. The boundaries on limits such as range can be stretched with practice, however the secret to avoiding damage is in knowing those limitations and not exceeding them. Typically, the untrained singer has a much narrower pitch range than the trained singer, and it is mainly due to lack of both high and low register development.

9. POSTURE: Good posture is imperative to a good strong vocal performance. The biggest problem faced by singers is the collapse of the chest and rib cage that affects breathing and vocal power. There may also be a corresponding downward fall of the head and neck or a hyper-extended, "stiff" posture that results in tension throughout the entire body.

10. TASTE: Knowing what to sing and when to sing it is a major problem for singers, especially if they have copied their favorite singers all their lives. When you copy a successful singer, there are pros and cons. A singer learns a lot of great vocal tricks, but they usually have a problem developing their own style. They sing each song the way the original singer does, but when given an original song with no vocal blueprint they have a problem knowing what to sing and when to use the tools they have developed vocally. Knowing what to sing, how hard or soft to sing, what vocal tone to use, whether or not to use vibrato or other "trills" is called "singing with taste." It is imperative to learn to sing with taste before going into the recording studio with original material. A good producer or vocal coach is recommended.

11. TIMING: Since singing is normally accompanied by music, timing is very important. The impact of a song is sometimes determined by the placement of certain words on certain beats with the music and "working with the band" vocally. A singer with poor timing ultimately loses the ability to be effective with regard to certain songs. Singing out of time can also be an effective tool with some songs, however an understanding of the timing is imperative to making this skill work as well. Working with a metronome on a daily basis will help set your "internal clock" and make you more aware of the importance of timing when singing.

12. TONE: A singer's tone may be described in many ways. It may be "rich," "resonant," "gravelly," "breathy," or even "nasal." Tone is a highly subjective term with relation to singers, as it becomes a matter of taste. Some people like "gravelly" voices, some people like "breathy" voices. It is all according to the singer, the style of the song and the personal preference of the listener. The problem with tone becomes apparent when the singer is not using tone tastefully. For example, a guitarist would not use a heavy metal distorted tone on a soft ballad. Singers should sing songs that compliment their natural singing voice and develop the ability to change their tone just as a guitarist would. A breathy tone, for example, may be used to perform an "intimate" or "sexy" song. Other tones may be used as a trademark by a singer such as the "gravelly " sound of Michael Bolton or the "nasal" sound of Willie Nelson.

THESE THINGS HURT YOUR VOICE AND PERFORMANCE

SMOKING in any form (tobacco, marijuana, or any other form)

RECREATIONAL DRUGS

ALCOHOL in any form the day before or the day of a performance

COFFEE before a performance

STRESS avoid it

SHOUTING, SCREAMING, CRYING

TALKING TOO MUCH on the day of performance

TALKING TOO LOUD AND HARD over loud music or environmental noises like buses, airplanes, jack hammers etc.

TALKING IN AN UNNATURAL VOICE The "hmmm" pitch (expressing mild surprise) is the pitch at which you should be speaking!

SNEEZING WITH SOUND or vocalizing a sneeze
Note: This does not mean you should stifle a sneeze -- never do that! Go ahead and sneeze, just don't make a noise other than the natural passage of air while doing so.

YAWNING WITH SOUND

OVER EATING OR EATING DAIRY PRODUCTS before a performance

LACK OF REST

OUTDOOR SINGING especially in poor air quality and / or high allergy conditions

COUGHING or CONSTANTLY CLEARING THE THROAT

SINGING WHEN THE THROAT IS SORE

SINGING WHILE DEALING WITH A COLD OR LARYNGITIS

SINGING BEYOND YOUR RANGE LIMITATIONS

OVER-SINGING (if you are hoarse after singing, something is wrong)

WHISPERING LOUDLY OR FOR LONG PERIODS

VOCAL ABUSE - Abusing your voice in a rock band without vocal training to do so

WEIGHTLIFTING

CHEERLEADING

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW AND DO AS A SINGER

EAT RIGHT

TREAT YOUR VOCAL CHORDS AND BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT

HUMIDIFY THE BEDROOM ESPECIALLY IN WINTER MONTHS

DRINK WATER - 8 glasses a day

PEE CLEAR – SING CLEAR -- your urine should be clear -- yellowness means you are dehydrated unless caused by vitamins (the more yellow it is, the worse)

SURGERY NOTE – If undergoing surgery insist that intubations be performed by someone well acquainted with the risk to the voice

SUPPORT YOUR SPEAKING VOICE just as when singing

• BE HAPPY AND LAUGH A LOT but with good support

This last article you have posted is by far the best one - Adi. I hope all the contestants are reading it.

"TALKING IN AN UNNATURAL VOICE The "hmmm" pitch (expressing mild surprise) is the pitch at which you should be speaking!"

I always speak in the 'hmmm' pitch. But when I skype with certain folks with awful speakers and non-existent acoustic support, I have to raise my voice!! 😡 And then there are others, who refuse to hear 😈

I think 'Baba Ramdev' will make a good singer 🤓 😍

😆-Gosh, you are funny, and now I am laughing without making any noise, I hope that is good for my throat...😆

Originally posted by: Ethnos

"TALKING IN AN UNNATURAL VOICE The "hmmm" pitch (expressing mild surprise) is the pitch at which you should be speaking!"

I always speak in the 'hmmm' pitch. But when I skype with certain folks with awful speakers and non-existent acoustic support, I have to raise my voice!! 😡 And then there are others, who refuse to hear 😈

I think 'Baba Ramdev' will make a good singer 🤓 😍

Originally posted by: punjini

This last article you have posted is by far the best one - Adi. I hope all the contestants are reading it.

Hello to all ...

I posted a question on style of singing ! Punjiniji did answer me to some extent !

< TOPIC - Needed some tips on style of singing >

Points made were good ! Thanks for it but after so ,the post is totally ignored.

So I had to jump in here !

So far discussion in this post is very detailed and technical ! Replies by Adi are also gr8 !

But problem on my side is that I quickly fuse up when I see a looooong Article !

The level of discussion you guys are having is really admirable👏👏!

I would be pleased if you can find answers to my questions from A2Z Singing post or from any good source !

So what I ask is a favor from punjiniji & Adi & other knowledgeble people here !

>>>What is a technique to

a. produce sound from bottom of the stomach i.e. to sing powerfully !

please tell the exercise / technique for above in most simple & short words !

b. Fine tune/Expand range of voice

>>>What is a tone/quality of a singer's voice ?

We hear it from almost all judges in competetions about a tone or quality of voice , What actually it means !!

How can we beautify the same !

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Thanks all ! Have a nice day !