SINGING, A FACTUAL APPROACH 

Unless you’re born with some physical defects that prevent you from speaking normally, you already have the necessary tools for a good singing and speaking voice. Understanding how the voice works allows you to refine and improve these vocal tools effectively and quickly. Virtually any one can develop a good voice in just weeks by applying the factual approach illustrated in section I of this book.

In addition to learning tone production skills, you will also come to understand the main principles of artistry.  Good vocal techniques and artistic concepts combined will make your singing extra special. 
It takes both skill and artistry to become a good singer as you will see in section II.  So, lets get started!

Section I - Tone Production

Chapter One: How the voice works

Most of the sounds we use in singing and speaking are made by the vocal cords (aka vocal bands) located in the middle of the throat, housed in a bony box called the voice box (larynx).  The vocal cords are also the gate of the windpipe.  They open to let air in and out of the lungs when we breathe and close when we swallow or hold our breath.  They can also vibrate using air movement in the throat to make sounds.  Controlling the vibration of the vocal cords is the foundation of tone production.

The muscles that push the air upward through the vocal cords are called support muscles.  There are two important facts about muscles we should know; muscles work as a group (never alone), and muscles can only pull (not push). The group of muscles (often referred to as musculature) is always resisted by it's opposing musculature. Try inhaling deeply, then hold your breath.  While holding your breath, try to push the air out lightly, then harder, but don’t let any air out.  Note that some support muscles are pulling outward (mostly the lower abdominal) while others are pulling in (mostly in the stomach and chest area).  These support muscles control the force of air movement through the vocal cords when we sing.  Your ability to control these muscles will greatly effect your voice. But don't worry, you already know how to control them unless you don't know how to cough, yell, lift heavy objects, etc.

The clear and efficient sound made by the vocal cords is called the focus sound.  It's bright, resonant and almost piercing similar to the sound of a bagpipe. (Listen to CD Ex. 1).  (Just as we can focus a camera lens to make an image clear or blurry, we can do likewise with our voice by manipulating how the vocal cords vibrate.) 

Try maneuvering your vocal cords on a scale of 1 to 10;
1 = completely closed with no air escaping (as if holding your breath while lifting a heavy object).
2 = make a screechy sound allowing very little air through the vocal cords.
3 = allow a little more air through creating a less screechy sound (as in grunting).
4 = imitate the sound of a bagpipe, being forceful and bright.
5 = keeping the bright sound, relax the vocal cords slightly, allowing air to flow with less obstruction.
6 = start with the sound of #5 and open the vocal cords slightly more, allowing the pitch to lower.
7 = make a moaning sound, notice how more air is escaping through the vocal cords.
8 = sigh with a breathy sound, notice how quickly the air supply is used up.
9 = whisper, notice how the vocal cords are hardly moving, if at all.
10= open your throat and just let the air out.

The focus sound lies between #4 - 6 and makes very efficient use of air flow allowing us to sing longer phrases.  Because the focus sound is produced by highly compressed air, it has the energy to travel over great distances.  Ever wonder why the bagpipe can be heard over such great distances? (Sounds made by higher air compression will travel further because it has more acoustic energy.)

To help you find your focus sound consistently:
1.  Inhale deeply but comfortably.
2.  Close your vocal cords (as if holding your breath).
3.  Initiate the "ee" sound by letting the air gently part the vocal cords.
4.  Increase air pressure while moderately resisting with the vocal cords.
5.  When you've reached the focus sound, maintain sufficient air flow and cords resistance.
6.  A steady vibrato is a good indication of a good balance between air flow and vocal cords flex.
7.  Virtually every vowel should be initiated this way for consistent result.

Scooping up to a note is common because of this process. However, with practice, scooping can be unnoticeable when steps 3 to 5 is done rapidly. Singers often scoop noticeably for artistic reason, so scooping is not always bad. However, scooping should be a matter of choice, not necessity. When you can initiate virtually every note you sing in this manner, you'll have consistent control of your voice. You'll also have good efficiency of air usage because very little air is wasted between notes.

Good efficiency also expands the vocal range (both upward and downward) and increases vocal stamina.  To find your focus sound, say and sustain “ee” making it as bright as you can.  If you have trouble finding it, try it at higher/lower pitches. It may take several attempts before your vocal cords warm up to the task. Use your support muscles to moderately push air through your vocal cords and experiment with flexing your vocal cords until you reach the point when the tone is bright.  Now try to find your focus sound at various pitches (in your comfort zone) and with the 5 vowel sounds--ee, eh, ah, oh, oo (refer to CD Ex. 1 as often as is helpful).  Your ability to find your focus sound consistently is a giant step toward managing your voice.

To help you find a good interaction between air movement (support) and the vocal cords, try imitating the sound of a mooing cow (CD Ex. 2).  You should feel a sense of grunting without too much muscle tension and hear a sound that remind you of a fog horn.  You should feel some air pressure build up in your chest and vibration from your throat to your forehead.  Try varying the pitch up and down as well as changing the dynamic from loud to soft. Notice how your support musculature intensity changes as the pitch and dynamic change. Proper support should be flexible and responsive to the activities of the vocal cords. When you can do this consistently, you have made another giant step forward.

Pitches are determined by the vibration speed of the vocal cords.  Faster air movement through the vocal cords produces faster vibrations and vice versa for lower vibrations.  Thus, pitch is determined by air speed.  Air speed is similar to water coming out of a garden hose nozzle. It depends on the water pressure in relation to the opening—when you squeeze the nozzle, pressure builds up and shoots the water across the lawn (as in singing higher notes).  Instead of squeezing the nozzle, you can also cause this action by turning up and down the faucet although the effect is not as dramatic. 

We regulate air speed in singing by increasing and decreasing support intensity (air flow control) along with regulating the aperture (size of the opening) & flex of the vocal cords.  How high and low you can sing depend on how good you are at controlling your support and vocal cords aperture as well as the physical capability of your muscles.  So, your singing range is determined by your skills and physical condition.  For an adult male voice, approximately 2 octaves is average.  For an adult female voice about 2 1/2 octaves is average.  Children voices vary a great deal and averages do not apply.  Vocal range can be expanded significantly through training and conditioning, both technically and physically (similar to any athletic activity).

Loudness and softness (dynamic) is determined by the volume of air passing through the vocal cords on any given pitch.  To sing louder, open the vocal cords more while increasing air flow, maintaining the focus sound.  To sing softer, decrease your air flow while closing down the vocal cords, maintaining the focus sound.  (Air flow increases and decreases can also effect pitches depending on how the vocal cords are reacting to the air flow changes.)

Tone color changes can also create the impression of dynamic changes up to a point. Tone color is effected by the flex of the vocal cords. More muscular flex will yield thicker tone while lighter flex will yield lighter tone. Experiment by making different tones (bright, dark, warm, breathy, screechy, pretty, etc.) and observe what it takes in terms of support and vocal cords behavior to produce these tones. Experimenting is a great learning tool if you note the results and learn from it. (If persistent pain exists, stop! While singing is athletic and soreness is common, it is not a martial art form where pain may also be common.)

Another great tool for learning is imitation.  Find some singers you like and try to mimic their tones, artistry & feel.  If you have a low voice, don't pick artists with high voices and vice versa.  (You can still imitate their artistry but not their voices.) Pay close attention to details and try to figure out what they're doing. Use the principles you've learned so far about tone production to help you imitate them. The vocal cords are incredibly versatile in making many types of sound. (With adequate study & practice, anyone can do many voice impersonations of people with similar vocal cords sizes. It would be difficult for a person with large vocal cords (low voice) to impersonate one with small vocal cords (high voice), etc.)

Even though the vocal cords is (are) the origin of all vowel sounds and tones, resonators such as the voice box, throat, mouth and sinus areas play major roles in the final result. In general terms, the larger the space, the larger the tone & vice versa. Operatic singers are taught to open all the resonators as wide as possible to produce the large tones customary to the tradition. The same spaciousness would not work in pop music because the tone would not be appropriate.  Resonators will be discussed later.  For now, it's important to know that if the sound source does not put out the right sound, no amount of resonators maneuvering can correct the deficiency.  Since all tones originate at the vocal cords, mastering of tone production must begin here.  Good beginning will allow good ending.  But, a bad beginning has no future.

In addition to vibrating, the vocal cords can also assist in creating another tone we frequently use in speaking and singing known as the falsetto (false voice). This lighter tone is caused by the whistling effect of air moving through the slightly open vocal cords (similar to the whistling of a water kettle as steam forces its way through the small opening). The falsetto extends our vocal range upward, especially when singing high notes lightly. With proper training, we can significantly improve our control of the falsetto and increase it's dynamic and tonal range as well.

Thus far, you have learned how air movement (support) interacts with the vocal cords to produce various sounds, dynamic and vocal range.  Controlling this interaction is the basis of effective tone production.  This is achieved by maneuvering your support musculature to push air through your vocal cords, vibrating them to produce a focus sound (as well as other sounds).  At first, there are usually a lot of tension and effort.  As these muscles become stronger and more coordinated through practice, (as in any athletic activity) tension and effort will decrease until you can do this with relative ease.  If you feel pain along the way, ease up so you don’t risk injury.  Some soreness after rigorous practicing is a good sign that your muscles are toning up, much like what you should feel after a good physical work out.  But, sharp pain indicates high risk of injury.

Summary:  Understanding the components used in tone production and how these components interact enable you to learn to control your voice.  Being able to control your voice will enable you to sing artistically and consistently while expanding your vocal range and stamina.

Important things to strive for at this point:
Practice making the focus sound, keeping the tone bright.
Observe the muscular activities necessary to produce the focus sound.
Memorize the sensations in your throat and support musculature that produce the focus sound.
Note how the air is moving through the vocal cords as you make the focus sound.

Chapter Two: Sounds used in singing

The sounds we use in singing are divided into two categories, consonants and vowels.

CONSONANTS:  Go through the alphabets (b, c, d, f, etc) and sound each consonant clearly and slowly.  Note what’s involved with each sound--the teeth, tongue, lips, parts of the mouth, air movement, etc.  Some involve the vocal cords such as “n, m,” and are called sung or voiced consonants.  Others like “b, d, g, k, etc.” are known as plosive and “f, s, v …” are known as aspirated.  You already know how to form these sounds but it helps to be aware of how they are formed and the terminology helps later on when they are referred to.  Consonants are extremely important in good singing because they create drama and clarity in what you’re singing about.  Think of how they are used in good story telling, providing sound effects and interest.  They should do the same in good singing.

VOWELS: There are many shades and variety of vowel sounds but they all come from six primary sounds; ee, eh, ah, oh, oo, and uh (as in her, girl, fur, etc.).  Once you have a good handle on the primary sounds, the rest will soon follow.  All vowel sounds originate at the vocal cords and it’s important to note that the vocal cords change position slightly as you make different sounds. Recognizing the vocal cords various positions and the sympathetic movements in the throat, tongue & mouth as each sound is made is vital. Good singers make these adjustments quickly and accurately for consistent result. Practice each sound repeatedly until you can find them at will.

Record yourself so you can hear how the vowel sounds compare with each other.  Do whatever it takes to make every sound bright and similar (refer to CD EX. 1).  Mostly, it’s a matter of keeping your vocal cords from opening too wide and pushing air through with different degrees of forcefulness.  Experiment until you can do this consistently.  Being able to focus all your vowels equally well is one of the greatest skills you can have as a singer.  Remember that this may require a lot of effort and muscle tension at first but will eventually ease up with practice. Being able to sing any vowel with any tone is an advanced skill. Each vowel naturally favor different tone but can be adjusted with skill to be sung with any tone. (ee can have the same quality as ah or oo, etc.)

Many voice teachers will urge you to sing with an open throat.  This is mostly desirable but, don’t confuse open throat with open vocal cords.  While the throat should not be constricted (unless you want that particular tone for artistic reason), the vocal cords need to vibrate properly according to the sound desired (smaller aperture for higher and/or lighter notes and larger aperture for lower and/or louder notes).  Excessive opening of the vocal cords decreases efficiency and wastes air, so it should only be done for artistic reasons.  Less efficient vibration also tires the vocal cords more quickly.

Summary:  Consonants and equally focused vowels create clarity and drama in singing.  A good singer uses both consonants and vowels like a good storyteller would.

 Chapter Three:  Support

Support is one of those confusing and hard to define term in singing.  Simply put, support is the muscular activities of the torso (chest, stomach, abdomen, and back) that pushes air up through the throat, vibrating the vocal cords to produce the sounds you want.  Because air and vocal cords action are interdependent, it’s hard to talk about one without involving the other.

The process of good support begins with inhaling.  The more air you have in your lungs, the more air you have to sing with.  So, learn to fill your lungs to the max.  Though maximum inhalation is not always necessary, being able to fill up your lungs at will, gives you the option of singing longer phrases any time.  The lungs are like balloons--they fill up in all directions.  When you inhale, allow your torso to expand down, up and out.  The more your torso (chest to abdomen) can expand, the more air you can get into your lungs. Visualize filling up a large balloon in your torso that wants to expand in all directions. If your torso is rigid, it'd be like blowing up a balloon in a cup. It can only expand so much. But if your torso is flexible, the balloon can be completely filled.

When you sing (or talk) your support musculature (abdomen, stomach, chest and back) push the air upward through your throat and vibrate the vocal cords.  It’s natural that forceful movement triggers more resistance from your vocal cords while gentler movement triggers gentler response from your vocal cords. Therefore, support should never be a fixed intensity.  It should change according to the tone you want.  It should be responsive to the work load, much like the gas pedal of a car.  You press down when you speed up and ease up when you slow down.  Trying to sing with a fixed support is like driving a car with a fixed point for the gas pedal and using the brake pedal to regulate the speed of the car—not the most efficient way of getting it done.

As you push air upward (support), regulate the opening (aperture) of your vocal cords so that it’s optimal for the tone you want.  Too much opening produces a breathy tone and wastes air while too small of an opening produces a screechy tone.  Experiment until you find your optimal balance between air movement and vocal cords opening.  The fact that “ee” produces a brighter tone naturally demonstrates that the vocal cords are more closed for “ee” than the other vowels.  Therefore, learn to sound the other vowels brightly by closing down on the vocal cords to offset their natural tendencies to widen.  Remember to allow the vocal cords to shift and maneuver while experimenting with the force of the air flow until you find the bright focus tone for every vowel.  This balancing act between support and vocal cords is the most critical skill in tone production.  However long it takes, work at it until you have it!  If you can’t master it after a few days, rereading Chapter One might be helpful.

Try grunting and/or shouting at different intensity level.  You’ll find that this helps to focus the vowels.  There’s almost always some degree of grunting and/or shouting present when we sing efficiently.  That’s why it’s easier to sing louder and higher (up to a point).  As you sing softer, remember to close your vocal cords accordingly to maintain the bright focus tone that projects your voice. It also gives your support some leverage in your throat.  It’s easier to push air when there’s something to push against.  You can’t support properly if the vocal cords let the air through too easily.  To have leverage, the air in your lungs and throat needs to be resisted to some degree.  So you need to keep your vocal cords closed enough to resist the air flow, yet open enough to vibrate properly.  Once you find this magic balance for all the vowels at different dynamic levels and pitches, you’d solve virtually all tone production problems.

Proper support is similar to lifting weight.  You hold your breath and activate the muscles in your torso to different degrees depending on how much weight you’re lifting.  Heavier weight requires more intensity in your torso and throat while lighter weight requires less intensity.  Improper support and lack of vocal cords control hampers your ability to control your voice.  Conversely, proper support and focus allows you better control.

In discussing support musculature, the involvement of the diaphragm is often misunderstood. The diaphragm is a strong sheet of muscle that separates our torso into upper region (thorax) and lower region (abdomen). It's located just under the lungs, separating them from the organs and intestines. It contracts downward during inhalation to expand the thoracic cavity, assisted by the rib cage (intercostal) and other thoracic muscles, pulling air into the lungs from the vacuum created in the lungs. During exhalation, it acts as an antagonist to the exhalation musculature to help regulate the force and rate of exhalation. Like all muscles, the diaphragm can only pull, not push. So, to say that the diaphragm pushes air out when we sing would be incorrect. The support musculature during singing (exhalation) are mostly the work of the exhalation muscles located in the abdomen and thorax. The resistance to the exhaling air when singing should be mainly the function of the vocal cords. This is why support musculature must supply the appropriate air pressure for the vocal cords to function effectively, no more and no less. This is why we call the management of exhaling air during singing "support"--it provides the vocal cords with the proper air pressure and movement, thus lending proper support for the vocal cords to function effectively.

Summary:  Proper support in singing is the ability to regulate the air flowing out, vibrating the vocal cords to produce the desired tone for any pitch, dynamic level and vowel.  The intensity of the support should vary according to the demands of the tones.  Support and vocal cords control are interdependent (changes in one requires matching changes in the other).  Balancing these two components enables you to control your voice.

Let’s do more singing (CD Ex. 5)
Find and maintain the compression in your throat (grunt a little). Keep the tone bright.
Keep the air moving but use the vocal cords to partially resist the air movement.

"The water is wide, I cannot cross o’er.
Neither have I the wings to fly.
Give me a boat that can carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I." 

(A violinist controls tones by controlling the pressure and speed of the bow against the strings. Likewise, a singer can control the tones by controlling the air movement against the vocal cords.)

Chapter Four: Primary Resonators

The tones we use for speaking and singing result from the vibrations (and whistling) of the vocal cords. These vocal cords activities are resonated by 3 primary resonators in our head and throat areas; voice box (larynx) in the throat to which the vocal cords are attached, mouth & middle throat (oropharynx) and nasal cavities (nasopharynx). Each resonator add specific tonal colors and help to shape the sounds we use. In general, hard material resonate sound while soft material dampens sound. In our body, bones (and to some extent, flexed/stretched muscles) are hard material while relaxed muscles and flesh are considered soft material.

The voice box (larynx) is the most significant of these 3 because it is directly attached to the vocal cords. It's primary function is to amplify the sounds made by the vocal cords. It does not add to nor take away from the quality of the cords' activities. Every type of sound made by the vocal cords is faithfully amplified by the larynx. It is mostly a hard, bony box but also include some soft bones (cartilage) and connective tissues (muscles, ligaments, etc.). It is constantly shifting and moving sympathetically with the vocal cords. The front end of the larynx protrudes slightly from the front of the throat (commonly known as the Adam's apple).

Excessive muscle tension in the throat area will hamper the vocal cords ability to perform effectively. So, keep the throat relatively relax while singing. Any muscle tension should be limited to the effort needed for the vocal cords to perform effectively. Try to localize and confine tension to the immediate area of the vocal cords.

The mouth (oropharynx) includes the teeth, tongue, soft & hard palates. (The lips, though involved with shaping consonants are not included as resonators. However, they do have significant effects on the palates and should not be ignored.) The teeth naturally resonate sounds as any bony structure in the body would. However, this is a passive function and very little control is possible.

The tongue, in addition to helping with sounding some consonants, can effect the size and shape of the space inside the mouth. This can make the tone brighter/darker & favor different vowels. Say and sustain each vowel to see how the tongue helps to form each vowel properly. Perhaps the most critical aspect of the tongue is that it's root is near the vocal cords muscles and any tension around the root of the tongue will be transmitted to the vocal cords. Coordinating tongue movements without excessive tension, especially in the root of the tongue, is one of our biggest challenges. Work diligently to prevent excessive tension in the throat and your singing will benefit greatly.

Because the vocal cords vibration (and whistling) are air movements, we can direct these movements into various region of the mouth and sinus areas to take advantage of the distinctive resonance of these regions. This may sound difficult, but we actually know how to do this already. We can all imitate a nasal sound, a trumpet sound, a yawny sound, etc. Being able to make any of these sounds is not the challenge. The challenge is to be able to control various combinations of these sounds to shape the final sound we choose to sing with.

The roof of the mouth is divided into 2 regions; hard palate toward the front and soft palate toward the back. Hard palate is mostly bony with a layer of protective muscle tissues. By directing our vocal cords activities to this region, we can brighten up the tone (trumpet like). We can further enhance the brightness by turning our lips outward to stretch the muscle tissues in the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is mostly muscle tissues and tend to dampen sound creating a darker quality. To minimize this, we lift the soft palate (as in yawning) to stretch these muscles and make them harder. Again, the muscles involved in lifting the soft palate can cause sympathetic tension around the vocal cords and coordination skills are needed. For many people, turning the lips outward can also help lift the soft palate without excessive tension around the vocal cords. By directing vocal cords activities toward the lifted soft palate, we can also darken the tone because this region of the oropharynx is softer even when stretched.

The sinus cavities and nasal passages combine to form the nasopharynx. The sound color is distinctively nasal when vocal cord activities are directed here. The nasal tone is the tone of choice in many Asian vocal arts as well as American Bluegrass & traditional Country & Western vocal music. In European opera, this tone is used with other combinations of tones to give operatic singers the volume and strength often needed when performing for a large audience without the benefit of microphones and PA systems (and often accompanied by a sizable orchestra). The main benefits of this resonator are enhanced projection of sound and making high notes somewhat easier to sing.

The fixed spacious size of the nasopharynx combined with small openings for air to escape make this a natural region for air to become compressed. Singing higher and/or louder requires more air compression (more support and vocal cords resistance). By having an area of compressed air above the vocal cords in the nasopharynx, the task for the vocal cords is somewhat easier in regards to resisting the additional air pressure generated by the support when singing louder and/or higher. Simply put, the compressed air in the nasopharynx augments the vocal cords effort to resist air pressure generated by the support. (Similarly, in scuba diving, we blow more air into the ears to help offset the added water pressure.)

Explore the different tone colors possible by employing the 3 resonators in different proportion. This discovery process will lead you to many tonal options available to you.

Summary:  The vibrations of the vocal cords create air movement which can be directed into the various regions of our throat and head. The use and control of these resonators further enhance and shape the tone we choose to sing with. Additionally, the air compressing capacity of the nasopharynx can significantly reduce the stress on the vocal cords.

Chapter Five: Useful vocalies

Vocalies are tone production exercises that enhance singing skills and promote physical and technical developments.  Some vocalies are also helpful in warming up your singing muscles.  You will learn more about “warming up” later. The variety of vocalies commonly used is endless. Depending on your need, you'll find some vocalies helpful and other ones useless.

1.     (CD Ex. 6) Try to match the tone and pitches as closely as you can.  (Because of the difference between male and female voices, find the range that best suit your voice.  If it’s too low, sing it up an octave.  If it’s too high, sing it down an octave.)  This vocaly is called the five tone scale with the “ee” sound.

2.     (CD Ex. 7) The five tone scale with different vowels—eh, ah. oh, oo, and uh.

3.     (CD Ex. 8) Arpeggio of the major chord. (ee, eh, ah, oh, oo, uh)

4.     (CD Ex. 9) Major scale ascending and descending. (ee, eh, ah, oh, oo, uh)

Summary:  Vocalies are helpful in promoting singing skills and warming up the voice.

 (As your skills and muscular conditioning improve, you may want to repeat the songs thus far and note the progress you've made.)

Chapter Six: Scales

Although there are many scales used in music, only the most common ones are listed here.  Being able to recognize them and sing them accurately are very helpful with intonation and artistic expression.  Take the time to at least become familiar with them.

Major scale (CD Ex. 10)
Minor scale (CD Ex. 11)
Harmonic minor scale (CD Ex. 12)
Melodic minor scale  (CD Ex. 13)

Knowing music theory is not critical to good singing and many singers don’t take the time to study music theory.  However, it is a definite plus to have a good knowledge of music theory.  Many good books are written about scales, modes, harmonic principles and other facets of music theory. 
(Refer to my Music Theory pages if you'd like to learn more about music theory.)

Learning to play an instrument such as keyboard and/or guitar is a great way to learn more about music.  Many good singers are also accomplished on other instruments.  Many play multiple instruments as well.  The more instruments you can play, the more you’ll understand music.  Each instrument helps you see music from a different vantage point.  Collectively, they will enrich your artistry.

Summary:  Recognizing scales and being able to sing them accurately are very helpful.  While music theory knowledge is not necessary in order to sing well, it is a big plus. 
 

Chapter Seven:  Warming Up

As in all athletic activity, warming up is important because muscles have to make certain adjustments before they can perform at peak level.  Singing is similar to sport activities because it uses muscles--lots of them from your head to your torso, and to a smaller extent, to your feet.  So, getting your muscles to function at their best requires warming up. 

Two of the most significant result of warming up are: increased blood supply (bringing more nutrients to the muscles) and increased elasticity/flexibility.  When the muscles are warmed up, they perform better and longer.  It's also significant that the vocal cords enlarge somewhat because of the increased blood supply facilitating a fuller tone and better lower notes in addition to being more elastic, which facilitates higher notes.  During inactive periods, blood flow returns toward normal and the benefits of being warmed up diminish.  If you need to stay warmed up between singing periods (as in choir rehearsal, theatre production, and/or concerts where you're not singing for lengthy periods of time), do some light singing and/or vocalies to keep your vocal cords engaged as the situation allows between singing periods.

Also during the warming up process, phlegm in the vocal cords area are loosened from the vibrations and can be either swallowed or expelled. Phlegm can interfere with the vocal cords ability to vibrate freely and/or cause itchiness in the throat during singing. So, it's a good idea to get rid of them during warm up. However, phlegm is a natural secretion our body produces to keep the vocal cords moist (lubricated). Since we get rid of them during warm up, it's a good idea to take frequent sips of water to keep our vocal cords moist in the absence of phlegm. If we neglect to do this, our body will naturally try to secrete new phlegm to protect our vocal cords from dryness.

Warming up should not take very long but do vary from person to person as each human body is different.  Generally, you should take 10 to 30 minutes to warm up depending on whether you’re working out lightly or getting ready to do some serious singing.  Talking counts toward warm up—if you’ve been talking for a while (but not too much).  It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes for you to get ready to sing, but may take longer for more demanding performances.

The warm up process involves two phases:

Phase 1. 

Getting your vocal cords focused—finding the bright “ee” sound for all vowels. Find the comfort zone for each vowel in your throat (remember that each vowel has it's own posture). Once all vowels (ee, eh, ah, oh, oo) are focused and manageable, sing them up and down through your comfortable range. Begin with vocalies you’ve found to be most helpful and progress to singing phrases from songs that seem to work consistently well for you.  You should discover from experience that some songs, or parts of some songs are consistently easier to sing well.

Stretch (loosen) your singing muscles (vocal cords, throat, facial and support muscles) so you can sing low, high, soft, loud equally well and articulate your consonants.

Phase 2.

Begin singing songs efficiently without working your voice too hard. Find the groove you want to be in so you have comfortable control. Progress to more demanding songs, and/or sing louder as well as softer (increase the dynamic range). Push the boundary of your range either with vocalies or song passages. Once you have reasonably good control of your voice, your muscles are ready. Begin your normal singing.

Be sure that you maintain vocal focus (bright sound).  Feel the “buzz” at your vocal cords and remember to allow your vocal cords to shift slightly as it adapts to different vowels, dynamic and pitches.  Concentrate on having a good aggressive air flow. 

This whole process can take anywhere from 5 – 30 minutes, depending on your physical state and skills.  If you just woke up, it should take 20 – 30 minutes.  If you’ve been talking for a while, it should only take 5 - 15 minutes. Remember, this can vary from person to person.

Unless you’re warming up for a performance, you needn’t worry too much about warming up fully.  Singing itself is a great warm up provided you don’t stress the voice before your vocal muscles are fully loosened up.  You only need to warm up fully if you want to sound your best. 

Summary:  How much you should warm up before singing depends on your physical state and purpose--more for performing and less for normal practice session. Vocalies and easy songs are great for warming up.  You warm up to avoid injury & maximize muscle capabilities as you would before engaging in strenuous exercise. When you are sufficiently warmed up, you should have good control of your voice.

Section II  -  Artistry

 Tone production skills enable us to use our voice to express our musical ideas. The more flexibility we have (tone, dynamic, range), the more options and nuances we have to express with. Just as a painter uses colors, brush strokes, variety of brushes and media, a singer uses every sound (& even silence) to paint musical pictures.

Chapter 1:  The accompaniment

The accompaniment is much more than something to keep time and keep you on pitch.  It helps to establish the style and feel of the song.  Pay attention to it as you sing.  When your interpretation of the music is enhanced by the accompaniment, your singing becomes one with it.  Together, your music becomes much more effective.  Good singers draw ideas and inspiration from good accompaniment.

When you have a choice, choose accompaniment that spurs you on by providing the feel you want to give the song.  If you’re stuck with a particular accompaniment, adjust your interpretation of the music to it.  Don’t try to superimpose one idea on top of a different one.  For example, if your accompaniment is bluesy, don’t sing it like an upbeat country song.

Professional singers often find good arrangers to create appropriate arrangement and orchestration for each song they perform.  Likewise, good arrangers keep in mind who they’re arranging music for.  In the classical music tradition from 1800 on, composers went to great length to integrate melody and accompaniments for the songs they wrote. Ignoring the composers' hard work will deprive you of the full potential of the composition.

Computer technology has made good accompaniment available to just about everyone. Search for midi files on the internet at www.musicrobot.com and other similar sites. Find midi files for songs you like to sing. Often, the same song is available in several styles and arrangements. Once you've downloaded the files you want, (some are free, others for a small price) use a good midi player to customize the key, tempo and instrumentation to your preference. You can get a free karaoke/midi player at www.vanbasco.com or shop online for sophisticated ones. Some midi files are also available as kar files. Kar files are midi files with the lyric displayed much like a karaoke setup.

More sophisticated midi players allow you to select the instrumentation for each track, giving you an endless variety of sound combinations. Other features include individual track volume adjustment for balance control, doubling of any track so a particular track can be played by multiple instruments, converting midi signals to musical notation for scoring purposes and adding additional midi tracks. Many music stores now sell music computer software and can be very helpful. Computer technology has made high quality home music production very affordable and accessible.

Chapter 2:  Embellishment and Improvisation

Like accompaniment, embellishment and improvisation should fit the style and mood of the music.  Too much can hurt rather than help the song.  There are plenty of opportunities to show off (if you want) in most songs without exercising bad taste.  This is subjective and reasonable minds can disagree.

Be sensitive to your own abilities and limitations so that you enhance your singing and not hamper it as you embellish and/or improvise.  It really pays to listen closely to artists you enjoy and see where and how they embellish.  You’ll find that there are general schemes and clichés with each artist.  Learn from their schemes and clichés and use those that can help improve your artistry.  Leave out those that don’t fit you.  Practice the ones you’re weak on and perform them only after you’ve mastered them.

Here's a short suggested list of singers to listen to: Brian McKnight, Alicia Keys, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, James Ingram, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Al Jarreau, Janis Joplin, Clint Black, Patsy Cline, Tony Bennett, etc. The list of artists that display great embellishment and improvisation artistry is seemingly endless. The names mentioned here are just a very few example.

Some embellishments are actually camouflage for troublesome passages while others are used to smooth over rough areas.  Singers frequently improvise to hide problems such as high or low notes when their voices are tired.  It’s also a great cover up when you forget words or don’t really know a section in a song.  You might want to practice pulling off some of these tricks even when you don’t need to, just for those occasions when you need to.

Improvisation is also a good way to make songs more interesting for yourself after you’ve sung it to the point of boredom.  This is one area where knowledge of music theory can be very helpful.  It certainly opens up your options of possibilities.

Good embellishment/improvisation wows the audience. It's also part of the musical style. Without the proper cliché or sound, it just wouldn't sound like R & B, country, jazz, etc.  But overdoing it can also ruin a good song.

Many singers alter parts of songs to personalize it or to avoid sounding like the original recording.  Many singers are also song writers and enjoy reinventing songs. 

Aside from listening closely to a wide selection of singers, knowing music theory can enhance your skill of improvisation.

A final note on embellishment—if you can’t pull off what you want, reevaluate your vocal technique.  With the right technique, you can do most anything.  Revisit Section I and see if something there can help you find the appropriate technique.

Record yourself often so you can hear what you really sound like. It's one of the best learning tool that'll speed your progress and keep you on the right track. Many computers have great recording capability.

 Chapter 3:  Vibrato

Vibrato is the slight fluctuation of pitches used to enhance the overall quality of musical tones. A good singer should be able to control the intensity, amplitude and speed of the vibrato. Proper vibrato also enhances artistry and promotes relaxation of the vocal cords. In singing, there are 2 types of vibrato: natural & imposed.

Natural vibrato is caused by the rhythmic nature of air movement. When air pressure and vocal cords flex are matched and allow steady air movement, vibrato occurs. In general, vibrato speed is naturally faster when vocal cords flex is light and slower when flex is heavier. Intensity varies from voice to voice. For each voice, intensity and amplitude (the width of the vibrato) can be effected by a combination of air and/or vocal cords flex increase or decrease. It pays to experiment and explore how you can effect changes in your own vibrato. There's no standard technique that works equally well for everybody, so each singer must explore and discover what works best for oneself. Being able to manage your vibrato is a definite plus!

Vibrato can also be super imposed by pulsating the air flow with the support muscles, often referred to as diaphragmatic vibrato. It is done by pulsating the air rhythmically as in chuckling or giggling. The speed, amplitude & intensity depends on the way the air is pulsated. A vast range of diversity is possible. In general, this type of vibrato is used when more intense or dramatic vibrato is desired.

Air pulsation can also be regulated by moving the jaw up and down, changing the space in the upper throat--larger/smaller alternately. This technique is rarely used because few singers can acquire this coordination without interfering with vocal cords activity. Some people also consider this movement of the jaw distracting during performance.

Chapter 4:  The Essence of Each Song

Every composition has certain elements that are critical to its success. These elements include beautiful melody, nifty rhythm, intriguing harmony, outstanding lyric or message, fascinating story, great vibes, etc. Most of these are fairly obvious but some can be obscured and only uncovered with great effort. When these elements are properly displayed during performance, musical moments happen.

For example, when there's a great story to tell, make the lyrics easily understandable. Having to strain to make out what you're singing about deters from the enjoyment. Too much or inappropriate ornamentation can also call more attention to your voice and distract from the story line. In songs featuring great harmony, work on tone colors and balance of parts to coax out all the magic.

Some songs work best within a small range of tempo. Singing it too fast or too slow can diminish its quality. Songs with beautiful melody will only be beautiful if it's sung in tune. Take time to intonate each note carefully with regards to pitch accuracy, tone color, use of proper vibrato, musical phrasing, etc.

Take the time to discover these special elements as you learn the song. Then, find the right artistic expression to bring them out. You and your audience will rewarded by the experience.

Chapter 5:  Notes and Words Are Not Created Equal

As you learn a song, take the time to find the right key for you. Singing a song in a key that's too high or too low for your voice will prevent you from sounding your best. Words can have different tonal quality at different pitches. Only through trial and error will you find the differences.

During this process, recording yourself is a must. Other people don't hear you in quite the same way you hear yourself. You're physically connected to your instrument which allows you to hear more resonance from the vibration of your voice. Also, you're mentally preoccupied with different priorities while singing which keeps you from noticing some of the things that are happening musically. During playback, make notes of things you like and dislike. Work to improve them, then rerecord. This process will fine tune the quality of your singing and hasten your progress dramatically. Most of all, recording yourself regularly will prevent you from forming bad habits that'll require additional time and energy to correct.

Singing (and whistling) are nature's gift to all of us. While some people seem to be gifted with better instruments then others, all of us can enjoy the instrument we're given. The intent of this book is to help each person improve upon the instrument we've been given regardless of its quality. Any measure of success you derive from this book will hopefully enhance your enjoyment of music. Thank you for taking the time to read this book. It has been my pleasure to share it with you. 

Comments, questions, suggestions are welcome. I am also available for private or group voice lessons.

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