 We all know that vocal self-confidence stems from a series
of successes. When a series of successes has been established in
the practice room, then the singer begins to build confidence, creating
a stronger vocal self-esteem. Usually the solutions to the questions
above lie in the practice approach itself. In an art form where
technical ability establishes consistency, how does a singer learn to
practice correctly without the teacher's listening ear? In this article,
we will investigate how a singer can build confidence and achieve the
goal of moving forward from the practice experience. Virtually every
professional singer strives to develop a series of exercises that work
best for his or her voice. Obviously since this profession requires a
great deal of travel, rigorous rehearsal schedules, and working with
directors and conductors from stage, it is critical for a singer to develop
vocal confidence through practice skills that enhance a strong vocal
technique. Singing daily in many different acoustical environments can
be confusing and developing and sustaining a strong sense of healthy
vocal sensations can be the absolute anchor for a singer. If a singer
can develop a high level of vocalism technically, then concentration
can be focused on other critical areas of performing.
Auditory Feedback:
 One excellent tool in self-monitoring is that of using a tape
recorder or mini disc recorder. Achieving good auditory feedback that
is clear is important in order for a singer to get a true concept of
his/her sound. Learning to listen to one's own voice can be emotionally
challenging because when played back, it never sounds as it does to the inner
hearing. The inner hearing is always different than what
plays back on tape or mini disc. I call this the acoustical deception or
the false sound that we all receive inside our head. Listen with
a critical neutral ear. After listening back look for vowel problems,
registration issues, or breathe issues. Often a singer can develop
the ability to "hear feelings". In other words the singer develops
the ability to hear when the jaw is too forward or the soft palate is
too dropped or the larynx too high. This ability will heighten the singer's
self-awareness and develop important feedback that can assist in professional
growth.
Neutralizing the Ear:
Learn to neutralize the ear by listening to several recordings of an
aria or song before listening to your own voice. Make lists of what you
liked and did not like. Then listen to the recording of your own voice.
ALWAYS listen with a critical ear but NOT a judgmental one. After listening,
list the positive aspects first. Then allow yourself to hear what needs
to be altered or corrected and make a list. Beside this list write ideas
of how to vocalize within the piece of music to achieve your goal. For
example, if you hear that your 'a' vowel is too spread you could write: "Check
mouth shape, larynx position, and vocalize the 'u' vowel into the 'a'
vowel."
Consider Room Acoustics:
 Remember that IF you are recording your voice in a small room, you will
NOT get many of the higher overtones that will occur in a larger hall. The
sound will be on the dry side. Realize that you then are listening for
the fundamental sound, not the total sound. Every voice needs a hall
or larger environment in order for overtones to expand the acoustical
beauty of the instrument. When listening to your own vocalizing, be sure
to begin by recording only about 5 minutes at a time. Then that
time frame can be increased gradually. Learn the skill of developing
a diagnostic ear. In other words, learn to hear problems and
accompany that ability with a problem-solving exercise or concept.
Visual Feedback:
 Many singers do not like visual feedback, but it is one of the most
critically important aspects of self-practice. In my instructional CD, "An
Introductory Lesson with David Jones; A Resource for Teachers and Singers",
there is a logical sequence which allows the singer to become more self-sufficient.
Correct posture is near the top of the list in terms of priorities. It
affects breath and breath management (whether the breath is low and the
support can engage with the lower body muscles), whether a singer can
achieve a lower larynx position, and whether the singer can achieve a
perfect attack or onset. Posture is the critical skill of opening the
body and for setting the environment for healthy vocalism. (David Jones'
instructional CD may be purchased at www.onesoulrecords.com.)
The following check list is quite useful in self-supervision of posture.
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Head Posture: ears should be approximately over the shoulders.
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Knees slightly bent.
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Hips unlocked with a slight feeling of sitting while standing.
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Jaw slightly down and back.
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Body weight balanced so that the singer can lean or use
the appogio if necessary.
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Long neck (no crunching of the neck on the spine)
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Open front and back rib cage.
Using the mirror as a tool: One of the great advantages
of visual feedback is that the singer can begin to spot problems in body
alignment almost immediately. Since head and neck posture can effect
laryngeal position, therefore effecting tonal quality dramatically, this
is a critically important skill for any singer to develop. The study
of the Alexander Technique heightens a singer's body awareness, especially
when it comes to the alignment of the spine. On the other hand, it is
also critical to develop the Italian 'appogio' or leaning of the sternum
forward. (Not upward) Visual feedback is the only way a singer can be
aware of how he or she is practicing or if the practice is correct. Few
of us enjoy looking in the mirror, but this is a necessary part of self-
monitoring. The most beneficial environment in a practice room is to
have two mirrors in a corner at about a 90-degree angle. This allows
for the singer to look directly at full front view and at the profile
while practicing. This kind of practice approach will answer most of
the following questions:
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Does your jaw release at the onset or as you take your breath? It
should NEVER push slightly forward as you take breath or as you create
the onset? (The desirable jaw position is released slightly down
and back.)
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Are your ears aligned directly over the shoulders, or does the head
thrust forward as the sound begins or as the breath is taken? The ears
should be over the shoulders.
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Is there a slight bend at the hip sockets and knees? This is desirable.
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Does your jaw wrap slightly down AND back after each consonant when
pronouncing text, allowing for a slight dropping of the larynx? This
is a skill that all great singers achieve.
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Is your lower body relaxed enough for the breath to drop fully? Low
breath is the key to releasing the upper range.
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Does the rib cage slightly suspend, allowing for the front rib
cage to be slightly shorter than the back rib cage? This is a desired
posture of the rib cage. (Remember that breath management should
be controlled mostly by the muscles below the rib cage.)
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Can you achieve your posture and your position for inhalation without
the rib cage hyper-extending or pulling up too high or too wide? (Hyper-extension
creates over-breathing.)
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Is your back rib cage open with the slight shape of a cobra head?
This takes pressure off the lungs and is a desired function.
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Do you use a slight resistance under the sternum at the onset and
does it intensify as you ascend toward higher pitches? (The resistance
under the sternum helps create resistance in the lower back and side
waist muscles.)
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Is your facial posture correct? Lifted cheeks under the eyes (Italian
inner smile), sunken cheeks at the back molars (creates open back wall
behind the tongue), and slightly back jaw position (allows for laryngeal
release.)
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Does your larynx slightly descend when breath is taken? (Remember
that the tongue should be in the ng position using the middle
of the tongue to form the ng at inhalation.)
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Is the back of the head dropping and crunching the neck at consonants?
This is NOT a desired function. (The crunching of the head on the spine
will disrupt any legato line and close the back of the throat.)
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Does your body resist at the very top of the solar plexus at the
onset or attack, making proper compression for the vocal folds to come
together efficiently? Every singer needs this efficiency at the vocal
folds.
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Do the back muscles resist at the onset in order to help with compression?
(Flagstad used to speak of this as the core of her healthy singing;
singing "from the back to the ring".)
 In 1938 and 1939, my former teacher Alan Lindquest befriended Jussi
Bjoerling. It was during this time that they were both studying with
Joseph Hislop. Because the two colleagues became quite friendly, they
often had conversations regarding posture and use of the mirror to find
the balance in posture. Bjoerling was about 10 years younger than Lindquest.
However, they became quite good colleagues and lived in the same apartment
residence during that time period in Stockholm. Visual feedback was a
topic of discussion and both singers knew the importance of it. Flagstad
was sent to the Dalcroze School of Dance in order to learn slow and controlled
movement of her body. As in many dance studios she was forced to look
in the mirror. She attributed much of her vocal control to the control
of the body. Vocal concentration and body awareness worked together to
help her achieve what might be called the perfect onset. When she first
went to Dr. Gillis Bratt he told her that she had the voice of a child
it was so small and breathy. However through the use of his vocal exercises
to achieve a healthy adduction of the folds and her learned body connection,
Flagstad was able to achieve what translates as "body hook-up" or
complete connection between the body and the voice. When Flagstad
achieved this she once said, "I feel my body and my voice are one
entity. No longer does my voice feel separate from my body, but they
are one feeling." Lindquest learned this concept in the voice studio
of Mme. Ingebjard Isene, teacher of Flagstad from 1929 to 1939. The Kirsten
Flagstad Museum has a video of Flagstad's life story. On this video
it is easy to see how she uses her body to guide her voice.
Notice that most all of the questions in the list above are directly
related to finding healthy body, head, and laryngeal posture when singing
correctly. Use of the mirror in visual feedback can be a great tool for
any singer and will help develop body awareness. Alexander studied
his body in the mirror for years to see what issues came to the surface.
The study of the Alexander Technique along with use of the mirror makes
for an in depth partnership for learning.
Video Camera as a Tool:
 One of the most useful tools in a practice session is that of the video
camera. Not only can a singer see all angles and movements of the body
during the act of singing, but the opportunity of playback is offered
as well. Captured on tape, a singer can review body behavior over and
over. Again it can be emotionally more difficult than looking in the
mirror. However when used consistently, it opens the opportunity of an
extremely important study. Use of the video camera can offer the advantage
of the study of the profile and the jaw and head posture, plus the advantage
of the study of stage presence and personality.
What Kind of Vocal Exercises?
One important consideration for the singer is "What kind of exercises
should be employed?" Any group of vocal exercises should include
the following:
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Exercises that involve body stretches before singing. Use yoga stretches
that allow for a physical awakening of the body. The Alexander floor
posture is also important for those who have studied it with an Alexander
professional.
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Each vocal exercise should create a desired physical result, not
just warm up the voice: (i.e. laryngeal pivot in the middle register)
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There should be a sequence of vowels used that create balance in
registration, working all the registers of the voice.
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Use of breath and breath management exercises should be reflexive
and inspire the body to draw the breath low. Panting exercises are
excellent for this purpose. Also slow breathing exercises are useful.
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Articulation exercises that separate jaw/tongue function. Use Italian
syllables that require dentalized or flipped consonants. This way the
tongue and jaw will learn to work separately.
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Facial posture study is critical in that it effects interior throat
posture. Use exercises that remind the facial muscles to lift directly
under the eyes while sinking the cheek muscles at the back molars.
Remember that the jaw should be relaxed slightly down and back. (i.e.
joyful surprise breath)
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Coloratura exercises are extremely important in order to develop
agility. (This includes all voice types because this kind of learned
agility awakens the thin edge function of the folds.) The Sieber Vocalises
are exceptional at helping flexibility and balance of registration.
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Free jaw exercises should be employed. Lindquest used the
concept of the gentle chew as in chewing soft food.
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A cool down should end each practice session. It is especially
important to use staccato exercises that awaken the thin edge function
of the vocal folds, especially after heavy singing. This is an excellent
way to end a practice session.
 Over-singing: It is quite a well-known fact that larger
voiced singers tend to over sing. I had a friend named Elizabeth Howell
who sang with Kirsten Flagstad in 1939 at the Cincinnati May Festival.
While rehearsing for the performances of "Flying Dutchman",
Flagstad took the opportunity to advise Elizabeth by leaning over in
a rehearsal and saying, "Remember Dear, we large-voiced singers
tend to sing loud all the time and we are the ones that do NOT have to".
This is a powerful statement; one that many singers need to consider
if their nature is to over sing or push the voice with too much breath
pressure.
There are tools to avoid over singing. One major tool that I offer my
singers is to go for only about 60% of the sound they get in the voice
studio. This will discourage over singing and begin the very necessary
process of becoming a self-sufficient singer. Every professional
singer needs a certain amount of independence by learning to vocalize
his/her own voice independent of a teacher's ear. The best scenario
is to have a good set of ears, but this is not possible all the time.
When a singer needs to work independently, he/she needs to demand that
their primary guide be sensations and feelings, NOT listening
too much. As I say to most singers, "What is beautiful to the singer
in his or her inside hearing is usually unattractive to the
audience. What sounds unattractive to the singer sounds beautiful
to the audience or listener. True resonance can often sound somewhat
like a noise in the head or, as Sandra Warfield once said, "A rattle
in front of the face." Avoid trying to make a pretty sound inside
the head. When a singer is really on the perfect breath flow and
using a resonant sound, the inside tonal quality can sound truly ugly
to the singer inside the head. Feeling the sound instead of
listening was a philosophy that Alan Lindquest used consistently in his
teaching. Two of my later teachers, Dixie Neill and Evelyn Reynolds,
both teachers of the Old Italian School, are also examples of fine teachers
who are still teaching this approach.
Over-singing and Repertoire Choices: Remember
that one of the major causes of over-singing is bad or inappropriate
repertoire choice. Many younger singers who possess larger voices
want to study heavier repertoire too young. Remember than many
larger voices do not mature until age 35 to 40. The singer is caught
in a vicious cycle with the music business and its attitude toward hiring
younger singers. This practice is obviously an outgrowth of the
classical video industry. Look at what this promotional attitude did
to a young singer like Charlotte Church who now sings with no vocal protection
on her voice and can barely hang on to ends of phrases. Voices
need time to mature along with good guidance technically. The ideology
that "the younger the more hirable" is a ridiculous misunderstanding
by those in a position to hire. Obviously their understanding of the
voice is limited at most. If those in a position to hire could
understand that it is much more advantageous to hire someone with maturity
of voice and experience, then possibly this trend would reverse.
In my article "The Dangers of
Singing Heavy Repertoire with a Lyric Instrument" I outline why is it so dangerous to sing heavy repertoire
before the voice is mature. Often singers are invited into this trap
when an instructor becomes excited about their mature vocal sound. However
it is not the singer's job to satisfy or entertain the ears of an overly
exuberant instructor or audience at too early an age. If a singer is
encouraged to sing inappropriate music by family, friends, and/or teacher,
where is the sane voice in all of this? More than likely there is NOT
one. Every singer has to take responsibility for his or her vocal health
and realizing that over-singing is a major problem in young singers is
the first step.
Concepts for Correcting Over-singing:
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If you have trouble singing softly and connected to the body, do
the following exercise. On one single pitch, sing from the ng to
the o vowel to the ng again. Try not to use more air pressure
for the vowel than the ng. Learn to match this function in all vowels.
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Use the Old Italian School's concept of singing with your hand
in front of your face. A small and even air stream is healthy,
but if you feel large expulsions of air, you are pushing too much
breath pressure.
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Practice against a wall with your back to the wall. When beginning
the first tone (onset or attack), be sure that you press the lower
back into the wall. You will find that the amount of air you
need to produce a tone is diminished greatly.
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Often with a history of too much breath pressure in singing, the
result is confusion in the muscular coordination of the singer. Check
under the chin with the thumb to be sure the root of the tongue is
not pushing down to beginning of the first tone (onset or attack) or
at a crescendo. This is extremely dangerous to the folds and creates
a gag reflex at the root of the tongue, making beautiful sound impossible.
Often tuning and registration problems result.
 Under-singing: If your nature is to pull off the body
or disconnect the voice from the lower body muscle support, then you
need to learn how to vocalize soft AND connected. Under-singing can
be just as damaging as over-singing. Under-singing leads to
high larynxed vocal production, a major cause of vocal fatigue, vibrato
problems, breath issues, and intonation problems, which distort proper
tuning. High-larynxed singing can be directly connected to a major cause
of vocal cord nodules. Many 'under-singers' or 'crooners' suffer from
high-larynxed singing.
Examples of this kind of singing can be heard when listening to singers
who consider themselves 'authentic' Baroque or Early Music singers. Over
time their voices become wooden and non-resonant. The beauty of the voice
is sacrificed for an ego-centered attitude connected with being 'authentic'.
This kind of arrogance is not only non-productive, but also extremely
dangerous over the long term. Teachers who teach this kind of sound need
to take the responsibility to check the larynx position. If it
is too high, it is the teacher's responsibility to alter instruction
so that the larynx can be released. (without depressing it with the root
of the tongue) Freedom in singing can then be achieved much more readily.
Under-singing is often found in pop or music theater singers
because they have now been relegated exclusively to using sound systems
and microphones. The process of supporting a softer approach in
singing is rarely taught these singers, therefore they loose access to
healthy singing technique. How does one correct this problem? Why
is this issue rarely addressed? The way to correct this kind of problem
is to develop and work with exercises that demand that the body support,
even as the singer is singing a softer sound. In actuality, most singers
need more support to sing soft than loud. The instinct for the body to
get under the voice is more present when singing louder than softer.
On my instructional CD, "An Introductory Lesson with David Jones:
A Resource for Teachers and Singers", I cover the subject of breath
and breath management on the first CD. It is critical for EVERY
singer to learn to support soft sound.
Exercises to Correct Under-singing:
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Again, check in the mirror to see if you are 'holding' your voice
with a tight and forward jaw. If so, then take your fingertips
and relax the jaw slightly down and back. Also place fingertips
at the back molars and see if the jaw muscles just behind are thrusting
forward at the onset or attack or as a crescendo is attempted.
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Be sure to engage the support muscles of the lower body by using
a hissing exercise. Then go from the hiss to a tone on a hum
or ng. Be sure to sing this sound softly, but feel the lower body muscles
stay engaged. You will feel the nasal resonance in the cheekbones
as a result.
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Make an agreement with yourself that you will work the voice at all
dynamic levels, p, mp, f, ff. This will establish your sensations in
all of your levels of sound. Try developing a phrasal approach using
crescendo and decrescendo. First do this on middle voice pitches and
then move up the scale.
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Be sure to feel a slight resistance at the muscles beside the nose,
as though you are feeling a pre-sneeze feel. This
I learned while studying with Virginia Botkin and with Dr. Evelyn
Reynolds in New York. If you keep that feeling at the different dynamic
levels, you will feel less disconnection from the body.
Creating a Public Performance Setting as Practice:
 One very effective practice tool is that of singing for friends and/or
family in a performance setting. Many singers do not have frequent audition
opportunities; therefore it is important to create similar circumstances
by singing for friends, colleagues, or family or any mixture of those
populations. This will assist in finding what specific technical or emotional
issues come to the surface in a performance setting. After some
self-evaluation (recording the event would be advised), then the singer
can list what factors worked well in the setting and what did not work
well. LISTS are important in order to set goals.
Most often singers will experience some degree of nervousness in front
of others. It is a good tool to find at what level you are singing under
pressure. Use of a tape recorder, mini disc recorder, or video camera
to recapture the experience is of great importance. Public singing is
an extremely important tool in order for the singer to evaluate whether
he or she has the professionalism to pursue a career. If you use a video
camera, evaluate your stage presence. Compare it to videos of career
singers. Remember that there are thousands of singers out there competing
and it is critical that you find what specifically YOU have to offer
that most others do not.
Acting Class as a Tool: Many singers do not find the
importance in the study of acting and its role in career development.
Years ago I remember a colleague of mine named Elizabeth Howell once
said, "Take an real acting class, NOT acting for singers!" As
I said before, she had sung with Kirsten Flagstad in 1939 at the Cincinatti
May Festival when she was only 23 years of age. After having quite a
career at Chicago Lyric Opera, she moved to New York in 1950 where she
continued her career in musical theater. Ms. Howell played the role of
Mother Abbess in "The Sound of Music". After first arriving
on the New York audition scene in 1950, she soon learned that she needed
an acting class in order to compete with all the excellent actors against
whom she was auditioning. In the Operatic World today, acting as a skill
is a requirement, not an extra ability one might offer or not offer.
Every singer must learn the skill of acting in order to audition and
get singing employment. When a singer begins to develop these skills
then again the mirror is a great tool to use for character development.
It is critical to see if the character is mirrored while singing. Maria
Callas was certainly hailed as a great actor and this ability was the
core of her stage presence: a presence that drew audiences to her performances
and established her as a favorite singing actor.
Final Note: Remember that you must try to be
as objective as possible about your own talent. Many singers are not
realistic enough about their singing and spend years focusing in the
wrong areas. Remember denial is a tremendous force in the human
psyche and it is difficult for anyone to be realistic about his or her
own abilities. Evaluate your talent without becoming emotionally involved
and use the eyes and ears of someone who is not emotionally invested
in your success, but rather your truth.
*This article was first published in Classical Singer Magazine/Oct./2004
All concepts of this article are included in "An Introductory Lesson
with David Jones, A Resource for Teachers and Singers", available
on the home page of this site
(c) 2004 by David L. Jones
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