DON'T Sing From Your Throat - #1 Vocal Exercise to Unlock Powerful High Notes

Summary

In this video, vocal coach Isaiah Harris shares effective vocal warm-ups and exercises to eliminate throat tension and improve vocal range. He explains the importance of a 'disconnected voice' and how to achieve a smooth, connected sound through the discovery of one's unique 'golden spot.' By focusing on specific notes within this range, singers can unlock greater power, higher notes, and avoid common vocal pitfalls. Isaiah also introduces simple techniques like power humming and combining vocal exercises with physical movement to push vocal limits, leading to lasting improvements in voice control.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tension in your throat while singing is often caused by a disconnected voice, where your head, mix, and chest voices are not working together.
• 😀 Self-awareness is essential for vocal control; top singers have a high level of self-awareness about their voices, similar to experts in other fields.
• 😀 The key to overcoming voice tension is to find your 'golden spot,' a unique range of seven notes that helps connect and refine your voice.
• 😀 To find your golden spot, sing a simple note and gradually raise the pitch until you feel a break, crack, or strain. This will pinpoint the center of your golden spot.
• 😀 After identifying the break or strain, count seven notes down and seven notes up from that note to define your golden spot range.
• 😀 The golden spot acts as the foundation for improving both lower and higher notes, unlocking better control and range in your voice.
• 😀 Basic humming exercises in your golden spot range can significantly improve your singing, even if you haven't specifically practiced higher notes.
• 😀 While humming through your golden spot range, focus on keeping the sound smooth, with as little strain or break as possible.
• 😀 As you practice, aim to push yourself to the limit of your breath, similar to how you would push yourself in a physical workout to increase vocal strength and capacity.
• 😀 Adding simple exercises like squats while humming helps further push your vocal growth by increasing stamina and encouraging more powerful, effortless high notes.
• 😀 Consistent, focused practice of your golden spot range, combined with pushing your air limits, will lead to dramatic vocal improvements over time.

Q & A

What is the main cause of throat tension when singing?

Throat tension is primarily caused by a disconnected voice, where the muscles of the head voice, mix voice, and chest voice are in constant conflict with each other. This disconnection prevents the singer from achieving self-awareness of their voice, leading to tension, cracking, and strain.

How can a disconnected voice affect your singing performance?

A disconnected voice makes it difficult to control and feel your voice, leading to issues like tension, cracking, and strain. Without a connected voice, it becomes harder to sing smoothly and achieve higher vocal notes effortlessly.

What is a 'golden spot' in vocal training?

A 'golden spot' refers to a specific vocal range unique to each individual, consisting of seven notes. This range is essential for connecting different parts of the voice and helps overcome singing problems. Finding and refining this golden spot can significantly improve vocal performance.

How do you find your unique golden spot?

To find your golden spot, start by singing a note that feels comfortable. Gradually increase the pitch until you experience a break, crack, strain, or shift in your voice. Then, count seven notes down and seven notes up from that point to determine your golden spot's range.

What role does self-awareness play in singing?

Self-awareness is crucial for good singing. It allows singers to understand and control their voices, ensuring they can sing with more precision, avoid tension, and perform with greater ease. Top singers are highly self-aware of how their voices work during performance.

Why is humming through the golden spot so effective for vocal training?

Humming through your golden spot helps to connect the different parts of your voice (head, chest, and mix voices) and improve control over your vocal range. It builds awareness and strengthens the muscles involved in singing, leading to greater vocal power, range, and smoothness.

What is the significance of working on the golden spot in vocal training?

Focusing on the golden spot allows singers to address core vocal issues by strengthening the connection between different voice registers. This makes it easier to sing higher or lower notes, enhances vocal power, and eliminates tension, ultimately leading to improved singing performance.

How does vocal training relate to physical fitness principles?

Vocal training shares similarities with physical fitness, particularly in how pushing yourself to your limits leads to growth. Just like lifting heavier weights in the gym increases muscle strength, pushing your vocal limits during exercises like humming helps develop vocal endurance and power.

What are some common mistakes singers make when working on vocal exercises?

One common mistake is rushing through vocal exercises without proper focus or pushing beyond one's limits. Another mistake is not maintaining consistent self-awareness of the voice during training. However, even with these mistakes, progress can still be made, especially if singers stick to the fundamentals like humming through their golden spot.

How can adding a squat to your vocal exercise enhance results?

Adding a squat while doing vocal exercises helps engage your body more fully and pushes your vocal capacity further. This combination maximizes air usage and increases endurance, promoting better vocal control and strengthening the connection between the voice and body.