Here's a pile of stuff I've collected from the getsigned.com website, all about vocal technique. Enjoy.

Mark Baxter’s vocal columns

Singing Lessons December 1, 2003: "Dear Mark, How Can I Sing Like Audioslave & Soundgarden?"
by Mark Baxter

A: Start at a low volume and practice on single vowels like EE and AH. Allow your voice to crack and break up when going through the break. The trick is to dial in the right amount of air -- which changes as you rise and fall. Cracking doesn't hurt you physically, but most singers clamp up when they sense it's about to occur and that kills everything. Until you find the right balance (sing through the break) it's best to keep the volume low. Raise the volume only when the lower volume is successful. In the end your reflexes should be adjusting the air to automatically accommodate the change of registers. That's what Chris and David have going on. If you are afraid of cracking you will over ride the reflexes and force the voice not to change. It ends up sound wimpy.

Q: Hi Mark. I can't seem to hold notes as long as I use to. Has that got to do with my smoking?

A: Yup.

Q: Do you use all of your chest voice before you go into head voice, or do you switch out the top head voice notes with low head ones? --Thanks, Sean

A: This depends on the quality of sound you are looking for. What's important is that you can switch into different registers at different times. That leaves you with options that let you express a multitude of emotions.

Q: I have an okay voice, but not the best. I was wondering can I learn to sound better or is that something that just has to be naturally there? --Thanks, Tina

A: There's no such thing as "the best" voice. The sound of a voice is the result of many things. The biggest influence is personality. What you believe sounds good dictates muscle behavior. The mechanics of singing in pitch and with dynamics is easy to train in. Tone is also an adjustable issue. Most people, though, don't quite produce the sound they were going for when they sing. In turn, this makes them think the sound is less than desirable. The truth is: no one knows exactly what a singer was "going for" -- only what they produced. Most performers are unhappy with themselves after a show even though their fans thought the show was great. It takes courage, not a love of your voice, to sing for others and let people form their own opinions. Be brave and sing!

Singing Lessons 9/2003: "Dear Mark, How Do I Sing While I'm Sick?"
by Mark Baxter
Sep 5, 2003, 08:55 PST
©2003 Getsigned.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Question: Hi Mark, after being sick for about a month (nasal congestion and a little throat irritation), I have now come back to my singing. I kept humming while I was sick, but could not sing. Now that I am back to my regular singing regimen, I have a hint of airy-ness to my voice...what can I practice to get a more solid voice again?? Thank you, Courtney

Answer: Good job humming through the illness. You must still have residual swelling which is causing your airy-ness. A good way to coax the folds to close properly without forcing them is a vocal frye. The frye is an extremely under-energized crackly sound, often used at the beginning of sexy R&B phrases (Think Britney singing, "Oh baby, baby," where she kind of drags the voice into pitch at the beginning). The value of making this "creaky door" sound is that your air pressure must reduce down to a trickle. See how slow you can make the "ticks." The slower the better. Notice how little air is coming out by putting your hand up in front of your mouth. Obviously, if you hear extra air or feel like you are forcing things it is not the sound you are looking for.
Question: What's up Mark? Thanks for all your help! In a previous Getsigned.com column, you touched on singing heavy through your chest. Any exercise you can recommend for developing inner chest muscles? Thanks, John

Answer: Chest voice gets its name from the fact that lower, louder notes trigger the windpipe to resonate. It feels like the voice is coming from the chest but every sound we sing originates from your larynx (your Adam's Apple). To build stronger vocal folds, which make it easier to sing louder, sing a series of short He's in a row. Your air-stream should be continuous and the abdominal muscles should not pulse or contract to make each "He." Keep the speed of the H's fairly fast (about 4 per second). If you get dizzy you are dumping too much air.

Question: Is there any secret to getting phlegm out of the way? Thanks much, Tom

Answer: Please see my other articles about this subject. But in a nutshell, the 'secret' is to not produce phlegm in the first place. Because so many things can trigger this reaction, you may have to dig deep to discover the problem. The diet is the first place to look. After that the bedroom can host many molds and irritants. Osha root can do a good job clearing the throat but most times I gargle with a warm salt water solution. The salt brings up the phlegm, so you can expel it without forceful clearing and hacking.

Question: Sometimes when I sing I tend to yawn in the middle of it. What kind of breathing techniques could I use to prevent this? Thanks a bunch! David

Answer: Run a mile before you sing. Really, I'm serious.

Question: I have three very young girls who are determined to become a pop group someday. For now they are taking some vocal lessons from a local instructor, but I am very concerned about them learning the best way. They are 7,8 and 9 years old. What is the best way to teach them at this young age? Thanks, Eileen

Answer: Keep it fun. The biggest problem for child singers is over bearing-adults. Kids are often unfocused. While this may not be the best thing for advancing their abilities, it is the expectations of others that usually inspires the tensions I view in child singers. Listen for raspiness in their speech after rehearsals (there should be none) and look for over-animated faces and straining necks. The best thing for them to develop now is an understanding that singing is not hard work. As their instruments develop, they'll be able to harness their full potential.

Question: Hey Mark, I can't figure out what the difference is between the chest voice and head voice registers. Is there an exercise to figure out which is which? I am pretty sure what the falsetto register is. Is the chest voice register at the lower pitches of my range? Is the head voice at my comfortable range?

Answer: Yes. Chest voice is the lower end of your range. Head voice is the upper end, before you slip into falsetto.

Singing Lessons 8/2003: "Dear Mark, How Do I Sing In Key?"
by Mark Baxter
Aug 18, 2003, 10:45 PST
©2003 Getsigned.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Question: Hi, Mark. I am an R&B singer and I wanna know how to clear my throat of phlegm so I wont sound 'stuffy' when I sing. Thanks, Stu

Answer: Dear Stu, a gargle with warm salt water will draw up mucous and clear the throat. Mostly, though, it is your technique that stimulates the surface mucous or not. You may notice some vowels or pitches sound clear when others sound rough. There's no way the folds can clear themselves for one pitch and then become stuffy for the next. Use the clear areas as your guide. Start there and sing up and down practicing to maintain clarity. A proportionate balance of air pressure is what keeps the voice sounding clear, even if there is some congestion.

Question: Hi Mark, I'm in a Zeppelin/Soundgarden type of band of the melodic kind. I've been singing for 4 years now and for a long time now I'm getting more or less off key during gigs. Sometimes the music sounds too grungy on stage so I can blame it on the monitors and the sound tech guy but more often I have the feeling that especially with the lower frequencies I can't get the right key the guitars are playing in. Unfortunately, the same problem occurs in the rehearsal room. (In studio I always get the right note.) I was thinking about purchasing an ear-monitor system but I'm sure that won't solve the problem in itself. Are there any techniques to improve my hearing on stage or is it the question of practicing more? Thanks for your attention. Peter

Answer: The less in touch you are with any instrument the more you'll need to hear what you're doing to control it. The irony with singing is that our body is the instrument. You would think there would be this automatic Zen-like connection with our voices. Rather than in ear monitors, I use ear plugs when singing with loud bands. Not only is it a real threat to your hearing (which in ear monitors don't alleviate) but it will allow you to focus on your internal sensations rather than struggle for external feedback. I also recommend you get into a vocal exercise program. Singing songs does not challenge enough. You are out of touch with the way your voice operates and that's causing you to take shots at pitches. The best you can be than is lucky.

Question: G'day Mark! What things do I look for when considering a good singing teacher? Thank you, Joseph

Answer: Inspiration. More than anything, a teacher should motivate you to explore your potential. The answer to all your questions can be found in books and on the web. It takes a relationship, though, to drive you to improve.

Question: This isn't really a question but more of a comment. I'm a singer and I'm pretty experienced and I wanna explain to everyone that your vocal folds are about the length of the tip of your finger. If you scream too much YOU WILL DAMAGE THEM. A little for effect is ok but if you make that "your sound" your voice will fall apart and suffer PERMANENT damage. Listen to Steven Tyler on "Dream on" and on "Janie's got a gun" The difference is obvious. He has damaged it badly. Even just hear Kurt on Nevermind and then In Utero. He wouldn't have lasted much longer vocally. I love the sound he got but if you plan on doing this for a living for a long time don't sing that way. Thanx for letting me talk about this. Mark is dead on everybody! Thanks, Glen

Answer: I just want to add to Glen's point my saying most of us overcompensate the amount of pressure required to sing with rasp. As Glen states, the vocal folds are very small. It doesn't take much to overload them. While the sound of rasp always indicates irritation, reducing the amount of air pressure applied to the minimum you can get away with and still produce the sound you want is the most prudent way to approach a rock voice. I work with plenty of singers who produce aggressive sounds and have absolutely no damage. You don't need to sacrifice your body to sing with passion.

1) How come when I have attempted to record my singing on a tape and I play it back it sounds nothing like me?
2) Can bulimia nervosa hurt your vocal cords/ singing abilities?

Thanks, Nicole

Answer: The voice you hear when you sing is a mixture of what's vibrating inside your head and what's projected out. You inner ear picks up the internal sounds while your outer ear registers the sounds which escaped your mouth. A tape recorder can only pick up what projected out. Everyone is amazed the first time they hear themselves back on tape. It always sounds thinner. After a while, you'll get used to what you hear and learn to work with it. For a richer sounding voice, relax your tongue, jaw and throat.

Bulimia not only destroys the voice, it ravages your teeth, gums and all the membranes inside your throat and mouth. The acids from the stomach are extremely strong and not meant to ever make contact with the rest of your body. Vomiting bathes the larynx, throat and mouth in these acids, causing them to swell and burn. Bulimia is a very serious problem for adolescent girls. I know singing is low on the totem pole of importance, but the voice can sometimes be a positive motivator to start taking care of your health.

Question: What would you recommend for better vocal longevity during treacherous recording sessions? (I am looking for a concoction of some type, if you know of any)

Answer: Room temperature water. Anything else is deceiving. If you are working hard you should take breaks to avoid swelling. I will do some vocalizing (scales, exercises, etc.) every now and then during long sessions to "reset" myself.
Vocal Coach Mark Baxter answers your questions about singing, August 2003
by Mark Baxter
Aug 4, 2003, 13:53 PST
©2003 Getsigned.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Question: Hey Mark. I'm thinking of starting 2 bands, one punk and one thrash. One problem, I don't know how the screaming will affect my voice and how long I can do it for. Is there any way to make it hurt less and do less damage and still scream like Slipknot? Also, is there anyway I can play double gigs with both bands the same night, or is it way to much vocal stress?

Answer: No to both questions.

Question: When I'm singing with my band, I've found that my voice can only hold out for about 90 minutes before my voice starts to crack and squeak. I lived with a smoker for about a year and before that I was able to sing for what appeared to be forever. I figured that it was just the smoke that was hampering my singing. But that has been about 2 years since and I'm still having trouble. I need to know if there are some exercises I can do to strengthen my voice. I'm about a midrange leaning more toward a tenor. Thanks, Jim

Answer: Hi Jim, I'm guessing you're not big on vocalizing, so I'll just say that any exercises will help you at this point. It never was the smoke and I'm glad you came to that conclusion on your own. It's important we singers take responsibility for our behaviors. A thorough warm up routine would do wonders for you by allowing muscles to slowly warm into activity. I also recommend singing with ear plugs. I suspect you are competing with the volume of the band and becoming rigid in the process.

Question: Mark, it is common knowledge that in black gospel we sing with "power" behind our voice. My partner and I are working on various vocal exercises with our singing group. The problem is the other members do not come from a gospel background like we do. Can someone project in singing without screaming? Thanks, Amanda

Answer: They project pretty well at the Metropolitan Opera without screaming. Projection requires strength and independence. The throat needs to stay open and relaxed as the vocal folds work hard. It's my experience that people need to open up before they can strengthen their voices. The Gospel mentality is that you are testifying, and God loves you no matter what your voice sounds like -- so let it out! Some people are shy about the "letting it out" part. They would like to -- but it doesn't sound good. Providing an environment where it is alright to sound bad is the quickest way to sound good and powerful. Screaming is the body's way of imitating strength, only it's not fooling anyone.

Question: How can I develop my falsetto voice to be as strong as my 'regular' voice? The range is there, but the volume is only half or less as loud as my chest voice. Help! --Harold

Answer: My suspicion is that you are over driving falsetto. People often use the same air pressure to sing in that upper range when the folds actually require much less. The best you can do is dial in a balanced amount of pressure. The sound should not be breathy. Once clear, make sure you are not clamping your jaw or tensing your throat which would absorb sound and thin your tone.

Question: What type of home remedies or over-the-counter products will help the vocal cords in preparation for singing? Thanks, Peaches

Answer: I think you are referring to times when you are ill. If so, try Echinacea for the beginning stages of a cold. It activates the immune system, fights infections, mobilizes white blood cells. Golden Seal to reduce mucous membrane inflammation due to sinusitis, hay fever and allergies. Osha Root to loosen mucus. Slippery Elm soothes sore throats. Wild Cherry Bark is a good expectorant. Collinsonia reduces irritation in the pharynx (upper throat). Licorice Root is also good for sore throats and has mild anti-histamine properties. Astragalus Root is the best at preventing colds. It increases production of interferon and helps resist viral infections if taken daily before cold season.

If you do not have a cold, your good health is all you need to sing. The best environment for the vocal folds is to be well rested, hydrated and mucous free. It's important to view your body as an instrument you keep with you 24/7. If you feel you are not in the best shape possible, you should address the condition whether you are scheduled to sing or not. This approach is important for two reasons. The first is that you should be intimately familiar with the nuances of your voice. Allowing it to be sub par for days on end translates to countless missed opportunities for discovering cool things it can do. The second problem with rituals before a performance is anxiety. As calming as it may be to have a cup of your favorite tea before a show, it will be equally upsetting if the routine is missed. The connection between the things we swallow and the condition of the voice is mostly psychological. All I need to sing these days is just the spit in my mouth. I have whittled my list down to nothing (from the days when I carried a doctor's bag full of placebos) and now I feel I am ready to sing at all times.

Question: I love singing and I need help. I want a voice like Gwen Stefani. You know, how it's shaky. I don't know how to do that. Is there any way I can learn to do this or do you have to be born with it? Thanks, Stephanie

Answer: Things like the shake in Gwen's voice are more personality-based than a special technique. It's far better to accentuate what little things define who you are rather than imitate what others do. I know it's hard to appreciate what you got when you have yet to sell a million CDs, but Gwen's voice wasn't always considered cool. She made it cool to be her by not imitating others.

Vocal Coach Mark Baxter answers your questions about singing, October 2002
by Mark Baxter
Oct 21, 2002, 16:31 PST
Q: I WANT TO HAVE A POTENT VOCAL. I'M A FAN OF STEVEN TYLER. I WANT VOCALS LIKE STEVEN TYLER. PLEASE HELP ME! THANKS.

A: People ask me this all the time as if I taught him how to be Steven Tyler. I did not. No one could. Your voice is an extension of your personality. He really is that intense, that competitive; that driven. His voice had a hard time keeping up with him -- that's where I stepped in. He has said, that in his early days he would pretend to be a "rock star." Many of his stage antics were inspired to hide his singing. He didn't like his voice. These days he feels like he's grown into the act. It's common to have an alter-ego, a part of you that's kept inside. Often, this side of the personality is more daring and adventurous. The stage is a great place to let that out. After many years of constant performing, people like Steven Tyler become their alter ego. The transition is the hard part. It's hard to be flamboyant when you still have to flip burgers at McDonald's to pay the rent.

Warm up your voice every day and then explore your limits. The cool stuff you like about other people's voices is usually what they don't like about their own voices, believe it or not! So you may not like the end result but other people may be moved. Rock and roll singing is more about capturing an attitude. For that, you need to loose your inhibitions. Training the voice helped me drop my guard; Steven used training to keep his voice in shape. Whether you do it before or after, at some point your going to want to get some lessons. They won't make you sound like Steven -- that's got to come from inside --but they will let you get to the edge.

Q: Dear Mark--How do you make your voice sound "squeak" like Mariah Carey or Kelli from American Idol? Thanks, Jen.

A: Dear Jen, the squeak is called whistle register. It's the highest vocal register and it gets its name because the vocal folds are held tightly and then literally whistle to produce the notes. Many people can't access this register, Mariah developed it when she was very young. It requires a tension in the vocal folds (which you can't feel) and a release of the surrounding area (which you can feel). So if you just go pushing to get those high notes your throat will close in defense and shut down the voice. Work at low volumes when exploring -- imitate a sea gull or kitten to trick the folds into this register. It will be extremely delicate at first but in time you can get control over its pitch.

Q: WHAT'S UP MARK...OKAY I'M IN A SINGING GROUP AND WE SING 24-7.. BUT THE ONLY THING IS THAT WHEN I PUSH MY VOICE TO HIT A HIGH NOTE I GET A LITTLE DIZZY? WHAT SHOULD I DO?

A: Stop pushing.

Q: Dear Mark, Great column! I am trying to increase my upper register range, like all those '80s hair band singers, but it's hard to do it with a full voice and not a falsetto. How did they all do it? My speaking voice is pretty mid range. Thanks!

A: Not once has an award been handed out for singing glass-shattering high notes. Likewise, no song has ever become popular simply because it contained some birdcalls. Yet, we singers tend to fixate on range as if it’s the reason we’re not winning awards and selling piles of CDs. True, there is an emotional lift when a melody soars upward, but the pitches should always be proportionate to the instrument. Sing at the height of your voice’s potential and your audience will assume your abilities are limitless. Sing beyond your boundaries and you merely call attention to your limitations. This does not mean you are stuck with the measly dozen or so pitches you sing well these days; rarely does a singer access his or her full genetic range without some training. It does mean, though, that before you worry about expanding, it helps to embrace what you have.

Vocal range is a lot like the range of motion of your limbs. Can you drop down into a split without warming up? Even after warming up? For most, the elasticity necessary for a move like that requires a long program of stretching. The same is true for your voice. The vocal folds are membranes (a little smaller then your eyelids) that close over the windpipe. When air streams through the tiny opening they create, their edges vibrate. The vibration is nothing more than a microscopic wiggle. Look closely at a guitar string after it’s played and you’ll see them same thing. The speed of the wiggle, or vibration, is called the frequency. We refer to frequencies, or pitches, by their beats per second. The pitch, for instance, that an orchestra uses when tuning is A 440, meaning the frequency wiggles 440 times in one second (the larger the number, the higher the pitch). To sing high, your vocal folds have got to vibrate fast.

The action required to sing different notes is very much like tuning a guitar. Muscles surrounding the larynx pull or release the folds to create high and low pitches. The amount of movement required for your entire range is microscopic. I suggest you reread that previous line about a thousand times until it is embedded in your subconscious. The root of all vocal problems is that we perceive the activities involved with singing as big events. They are not. We ball our fists and load up enough air pressure to create an aneurysm just to get through the chorus of a song. The automatic reaction to such force is resistance; the body braces for the assault. Rigid muscles surrounding the larynx deny flexibility and lock up the vocal folds. No flexibility, no range it’s that simple.

The key to singing high notes is volume. Reducing the volume of your voice removes the burden of excess air pressure so your folds can become more elastic. Just as it takes a little stretching every day to get your legs into a split, vocalizing daily at a low volume will allow you to visit higher notes without stress. It’s best to sing scales rather than songs at first; the memory of a song’s performance will lead you to pushing. Allow you higher notes to venture into falsetto or head voice. It’s okay if the transition cracks or skips out; this is just a symptom of your imbalanced ways. Don’t worry that the light voice you vocalize with is not up to performance standards. Only after you are completely comfortable with producing a note at a low volume should you attempt to raise the output. Increasing the volume in very small increments will allow you to monitor muscle independence. If facial or neck muscles join in to support a note, you’ve added too much air pressure. Your controllable range for the day lies waiting at the balance point between force and flexibility. And as always, tomorrow is another day.

Q: How do you keep a high note steady?

A: A note is held steady by keeping it free of external tension and feeding it a proportionate amount of air. If the note is breathy, it won't last because the air is leaking; the singing is inefficient. If the note cracks or chokes, it's because the air pressure was too much. The balance between too much and too little air is the difference between having control of your voice or not. Practicing at lower volume levels is the best way to cultivate this balance. It's not that loud singing is harmful, it's just that we tend to get into bad habits easily. Once you have control at a low volume, gradually increase your volume without sacrificing form.
Vocal Coach Mark Baxter answers your questions about singing, August 2002
by Mark Baxter
Aug 19, 2002, 16:27 PST
©2002 Getsigned.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Q: Mark: Is it true that some people will NEVER be able to sing and sound good no matter how hard they practice? How much do biological factors enter into this? Thanks, Denise

A: Genetics don't factor into art because "good" is subjective. Period. Mostly, the singers that become famous are natural born performers and promoters--not necessarily the world's greatest singers (although some are blessed with great singing abilities and balls to perform whenever and wherever). Don't ever stop believing in yourself. And always accept constructive criticism. It will better you.

Q: Dear Mark, My vocal teacher tells me I have a great voice, but I need to be louder. Nothing has worked, I'm nervous when I sing in front of people and I think this is why I'm quiet. I want to be louder and to be able to sing in front of others, but I just don't know what to do. Thanks, Sarah

A: You're correct in relating your volume to your shyness; they are connected. What I tend to do is get people moving to help them let go. Jumping on a rebounder or trampoline while singing is a great way to release the muscles holding back your voice. If you don't have either of those available, jumping on your bed will do. Try falling backwards on to your bed while singing the song. Jumping rope or singing while on a treadmill, stairmaster or ski machine will also demand more from you and translate to a louder sound. Using these as references can help when performing (since you won't be doing these on stage) by comparing the volume you achieve when active as opposed to standing stiff. Singing in a room by yourself but knowing others can hear you in other rooms is a good way to bridge the performance anxiety. Do this for a while and then walk into the room while people are while singing. It takes time to break the mental barrier of nerves -- keep at it and you'll overcome the nerves.

Q: Hi Mark-- When you sing, how do you hold your tongue to make it relax during the "hold time". Thank you, Nyshera

A: The tongue does not stay in one place the whole time you sing. Vowels and consonants are formed by the tongue--so there will be movement. It is air pressure that is to blame for keeping the tongue too tight. Back off and discover that it's much easier to articulate your words if you don't push air.

Q: Dear Mark, I'm afraid to sing high notes because I have a feeling that it hurts. Do I have to concentrate to sing the high notes? If so, where shall I concentrate my energy? I think sometimes I concentrate too much on breathing, maybe I take too much air in the lungs while I'm singing. How can I know how much air I can take in while singing? ---Best Regards, Fatima

A: Singing never has to hurt -- ever. Some people choose to drive and push and strain when singing high notes. It's not necessary. The best way to practice singing high notes is to concentrate on relaxing all your facial muscles. Don't let your neck, tongue or jaw become locked. Do this no matter what it sounds like. In time you will find control without the need of external muscles. The breath you need for high notes will be automatic if you don't think first about taking a big breath. What makes our bodies over react is that we demand sound performance quality from the very first time we attempt things. Allow your voice to explore (translation: sound bad at first) and not only will you never hurt yourself but you will also find a simpler means of vocal control much quicker.

Q: Hi Mark. I am only 12 but I have been to so many auditions for singing and I have been rejected for all of them and it gets me so down. My mate Alex got accepted and I didn't. I really would like to become a singer or something. I have written to all the major record companies and I have not had a single reply from any of them. Why am I getting put down all of the time? Thanx. Love, Sammy Jo

A: Sammy Jo: Believe me when I tell you there's a whole lot of people that can relate to the way you feel! The whole reason they built Getsigned.com was to help people like you feel like they have a chance. And you do! The problem is you're not using the great information given here. Read through ALL my past columns, read through ALL the columns that have been posted here over the past 5 years, for that matter.

Anyway, at 12 years old, it's hard to understand that the rejections are not personal. The things you auditioned for were looking for something different than you. Your mate Alex got lucky -- because he/she auditioned for something that could their unique talents. Read through the articles all over this website and think before you write to another record company. You're not ready yet -- that's why people are rejecting you. Spend some time practicing. You'll have plenty of chances to show your talent in the future. Right now you should be exploring different kinds of music and instruments -- see if there's something you really love doing. Once you define who you are a little better, you'll be able to choose which auditions are best suited for you. Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something with their lives if they enjoy the work.
Q: Hey Mark, my question is if I have the talent, the looks and the passion to be a pop singer, how do I get started? How can a small town girl get recognized in a big city like New York, L.A., London, etc. ? How do I get an agent? Are there any shows or talent contests that I could get on like when Britney Spears, Christina A. appeared on Star Search or were on the Mickey Mouse Club? Thanks, Krystie

A: I hate to sound pessimistic, but there were lots of people on Star Search and the Mickey Mouse Club who didn't become stars. Britney and Christina were extremely determined. To get recognized in the big cities you've got to go there -- Britney dragged her mother to New York and was rejected by everybody. You don't need an agent, you need the courage to leave your small town and risk falling flat on your face. You need to believe in yourself so much that you can't see anything but the prize. There's plenty of great advice on getting started right on this web site. The contacts will materialize when you start telling the world about yourself. Oh yeah, if you're not eighteen yet, finish school first. Then pursue your out-of-state musical dreams with a solid plan for success.

Q: How can proper breathing help your singing?

A: Every breath you take should be in proportion to need. Many singers overcompensate in this area. It is not necessary to completely fill the lungs for every phrase. The vocal folds are small membranes which do not require much force -- even at loud volumes. The exact amount of pressure needed is determined by the pitch, volume, quality and vowel you are singing. As these factors change, the air pressure should change as well. This means split second adjustments are required by the diaphragm, rib and abdominal muscles in order to maintain just the right stream of air at all times. It sounds complicated, and it is, but no more so than the way our feet and legs adjust to maintain balance. If the air pressure is too great, muscles around the larynx will tense. When the neck, jaw and tongue lock up, abdominal muscles answer the resistance with even more force. A cycle begins that’s difficult to break; the harder the abdominal muscles push the more rigid your throat becomes. There are many tricks and techniques for singing through this mess but none better then sending up the right amount of pressure in the first place.

Q: Mark, I loved your take on the smoking voice. I have been making a living out of playing and singing for the last 22 years. Most of the throat problems I read about in your column at Getsigned.com I have had to deal with myself. I've been a smoker all my life, but I stopped 3 weeks ago after yet again another battle with bronchitis. It's taken me this long to stop hurting my throat, now I'm going to use all that extra BREATH to funnel passion instead of smoke--Thank you, Pat

A: Congratulations, Pat. I know quitting is hard -- but the reality of living as a smoker is even harder.
Q: Hello, Mark, I'm Norwegian, so please excuse my English. I'm a soprano, and a lead singer. My band plays varied music. It's metal/hard rock oriented, but also has some calm and pop-influenced parts. Sometimes I go on like Johnny Rotten or a death metal singer, and other times it's really nice and quiet. I often scream, and my voice sounds strongest when I sing high notes. Actually I'm quite good at sounding mad/hurt/angry, maybe because I AM mad/hurt/angry! I love to sing lower notes as well, but live they tend to disappear in all the noise. I know I can practice microphone techniques, but I'd also like to broaden my vocal range.

Another problem I have: Somewhere in the mid range of my voice "something happens". I don't know how to explain this, but it's holding me back. It's almost like a "weak spot" between my lower and higher notes, if you know what I mean. Trying to sing these notes loudly strains my voice. When I scream or sing high notes, there's no problem. How can I sing powerful mid and low notes (that get heard) without straining my voice? Is this possible for a soprano?

A: Technically, classifying yourself as a soprano means you can't hit the low notes; your larynx is too small. You can always rearrange your music so the sound doesn't swallow you up when you sing low. The weak spot you refer to is called the "passagio", and it's every singer's dilemma. Singing smoothly through this area requires coordinated air pressure -- that's what lessons are all about. Most singers avoid the area and write their songs around that spot. I recommend getting some training because it seems you won't be happy unless 100 % of your instrument is available to you.

Q: Hi Mark. My name is Andrew and I am very interested in proper vibrato, and how to go about obtaining it. I would love to have a slower controlled vibrato, but that's a hell of a lot harder then just letting a fast quiver come out. For example, Brad Nowell usually had a very fast quivery vibrato that I really didn't like, but when you listen to '80s style singers, like the singer from Yngwie Malmsteen, they tend to have a slow, powerful type of vibrato. If you could maybe suggest some exercises or something to that effect that would steer me in the right direction, I would very much appreciate it. Thank you.

A: The mechanics of vibrato are simple and reflexive, which is what makes it so elusive. Picture the fret hand of a guitarist sustaining a note. The finger movement alters the length of the string creating a slight waver in pitch. Things are just a little more complex with the voice. Like a stringed instrument, the tension of the vocal folds is varied rhythmically, creating movement in pitch. Along with this tension change, though, is a variation in the thickness of the vocal fold. The combined movements of pitch, volume and tone are what set vibrato apart from tremolo (change in volume only) and wobble (change in pitch only). Tension squashes vibrato. Not just the obvious neck bulging stuff, but subtle everyday stiffness can neutralize it as well. Like the freedom required to wiggle your finger when sustaining a note on guitar, vocal vibrato requires muscle independence. Backing off the air pressure is the first step to releasing your voice. Let the ability to produce vibrato be your guide. Lay down flat on your back and place your hand on your belly button. Breath so that your hand rises and falls. Now sing a comfortable note and look for the presence of vibrato. If the pitch is stiff notice what your abs are doing. Are they contracting to drive the note? Check the behavior on various pitches. If you push too much from your stomach, the muscles surrounding the larynx will brace and vibrato will be lost. Reduce the volume and try again. The goal is to reduce the air pressure to the point where flexibility is found. Don’t be alarmed if this only happens at very low volumes. With practice, you’ll be able to increase the volume without loading the neck with pressure. Strike the proper balance during a song and vibrato will blossom. That’s why it tends to come in at the ends of notes; once we feel safely on pitch, we ease off the pressure a bit.

Another check for vibrato-eating throat tension is to rotate your head in a small circle when singing. Pretend you are tracing the outline of a quarter with your nose. Does the rotation stop when you begin to sing? Is it stiffer on high notes? Again, reduce the volume until you find the correct air pressure. Neck tension is not a requirement of singing loud or high. We often see singers so locked up in the neck that they literally have to shake their heads or jaws in order to create vibrato. In the same way, a guitar player who needs to shake the guitar to move a note must be applying a death grip on that fretboard. There’s nothing wrong with using force to make a strong statement. Too often, though, the statement it makes is that we are overcompensating to mask weakness. Be brave and do the dirty work in private. Use vibrato as your guide and discover the power within.
Q: Hi Mark,
First off, great column! You've always got prudent and relevant advice. Thanks for that! I play lead/rhythm guitar in a rock band and have been getting into more and more backup vocals. I really enjoy it but I have a problem with timing when I do both. Particularly when the vocal part does not follow the rhythm stroke-per-stroke. I'm the only six string in the band so the boys keep me very busy. Can you recommend some techniques to help improve this deficiency? Much thanks in advance, Sean

A: Start by rapping the lyrics instead of singing. The syncopation is in the consonants. It's the age old question of whether it is better to learn each hand separate on the piano or both at the same time. Even though it's sloppy at first -- I'm a believer of the two hands at once method. Slow the tempo if the rap is difficult. Singing is nothing more than extending the vowels of the rap, so once the coordination is down -- extend the voice. If there are other issues like cracks or pitch problems, they should be addressed away form the guitar.

Q: Hello Mark, please could you give me some tips on warming up the voice before singing?
A: What you sing to warm-up is not as important as how. I recommend the simplest sounds. Your attention should be on physical freedoms rather than quality of sound. Release your breath with several long, low volume hisses. Then, loosen your face and neck while humming with a wandering, siren-like, motion. Don’t allow your face to change to reach for pitches. Alternate the hums with an extended "zzz" sound and gradually change this to an "EE" vowel and then an "AH". Keep your melodies sweeping. I don’t recommend singing songs quietly because there are usually tensions programmed into them. As you loosen up, turn up your volume -- but not before. As you get louder, stay with an "EE" or "AH". The point is to wait until the body gives you permission to increase the load. The length of a warm-up should be in reverse proportion to the need. Long gig --short warm up, but if you’re doing a single song on The Letterman Show, you should warm up and then sing for an hour for that, trusted, middle-of-the-set feeling. The hardest part about warming up is making the time and finding a place. I used to be embarrassed to make the funny sounds required in front of others hanging in the back room -- if there was one. Now I choose the dirty looks over the frustration of having a set end just as my voice is waking up. Be inventive; head out to the car or van in the warm months or, in winter, hang in the bathroom or stand in the middle of the crowd if there’s a band before yours. No one will hear a thing -- I do it all the time.

If you’re running late, warm up while driving to the gig or rehearsal. The best routine is to warm up slowly all day. Every chance you get, lightly vocalize on hums and "zzz" sounds. Just remember, for any style singing, starting with a loose, flexible instrument will allow access to your full potential. Where you take your voice from there, is up to you.

Q: What is your opinion of the singing technique of modern R&B singers, e.g. Usher?

A: I think they're all a lot richer than I am!

Q: I'm a singer in a heavy metal band and scream in my upper register almost always. How can I make my upper register stronger?

A: Stop screaming. You're damaging your voice.
Q: I've sung professionally for many years now but always had a problem with falsetto. Plain and simple, I just don't have one. I'd like to develop that Michael Macdonald-type vocal approach. I have a natural tenor going on, but no falsetto. Help!!!!!!!!!!!

A: If you are truly a tenor then you will not have much falsetto in the first place. Your chest voice range will cover what a baritone would have to sing in falsetto.
Q: Hi Mark,
I am singing in a band, we don't play a lot, but when I do I have to suck on Vick's cough drops to prevent me from losing my voice. Have you ever heard of this?

A: Sure. Most singers have some sort of habit that makes them feel ready to sing. The thing is, they are all placebos. That doesn't mean they're harmful, it just means they're not necessary. My view is, the less I need to sing the smaller the chance something can go wrong. I used to rely on cough drops until I was caught without them and had to sing. I recommend you experiment without them -- you'll feel more empowered.

Q: Dear Mark, I feel when I sing in the higher register it sounds nasally. How can I develop a clearer more open high register like Celine Dion?

A: The nasal sound is due to too much air pressure. You will have less tendency to push if you hold your nose when practicing in your upper register. Singing high notes requires much less air than you think.

Q: Hey Mark, I'm 17 and in a band. Is it bad for your voice to sing in a rough, hoarse kind of way (kind of like Oasis)? Is it alright to do that or should I just stick to my natural, clean voice?

A: Nothing is bad in small amounts. That said, nothing is worse than a singer applying rasp in place of real emotion. It's easy to hide behind vocal effects but they usually end up backfiring. Most seventeen year-olds haven't lived enough to rough themselves up to the point where the voice reflects a hard life. Even if you were good at creating a raspy sound, there has to be a history behind it for it to be legitimate. Otherwise, you're just a poser. Physically, I have found there to be less damage when singers are inspired into a raspy sound because of the lyrics verses those who push their voice to sound angry or whatnot. Stick with your clean voice for now, as you become more adventurous with your emotions, you will find a little rasp sneaking in.
Q: Hey Mark, I have a question. When I listen to singers like Brian McKnight or Mariah Carey, their voices seem to make a vibrating sound. I am told its called "Vibrato". How can I develop that? I feel like I am straining when trying to put that in! Please answer this for me! (by the way, this site is GREAT!!)

A: You're increasing your air (pushing) when you attempt vibrato and that's why you feel the strain. Notice how the singers you mentioned don't sound strained when they produce vibrato. That's because their air pressure is very minimal during those times. Whenever they do push -- they lose their vibrato just the same. So back off and practice moving a pitch very quickly at a very low volume. Vibrato requires freedom and low volume is the place to find it.

Q: Mark, I have been singing since a little girl and I am now 26 years old. When I decided that I wanted this to be my career I sought the help of voice coaches who all emphasized singing from the diaphragm--something that I had never heard of or understood prior to going to them. What has happened is I've become completely confused by this. As a result, my voice often cracks or my teacher tells me that I'm releasing too much air. I never had this problem prior to going to these three voice teachers who have all had a different way of teaching how to sing from the diaphragm. Please help!!! I have a show in less than a month and I don't want to be embarrassed by cracking on high notes.

A: I would go back to your old behaviors if I were you, since you didn't crack before you started training. However, I'm assuming there was a reason you went for help, like better pitch control, range, projection, and those things will still be in need when you revert to your old ways. Singing from the diaphragm simply means sending up a proportionate amount of air per every moment you're singing. It doesn't mean drive from your abdominal area, which lots of people end up doing. Support doesn't mean give it your all -- it means fill in when necessary. Your air should be responding to the larynx, not the other way around. It takes time to develop a reflexive relationship between larynx and breath. It's like two dancers: one has to lead and the other has to follow. Your voice cracks when the air steps on the toes of your larynx. Let yourself crack away when you vocalize and you'll discover a beautiful balance -- but for the show's sake, I suggest you deal with it after.

Q: Dear Mark,
I have a baritone voice but I would like to improve my range. I have tried to sing at higher pitches, but all I end up with is a sore throat. Is it possible for me to sing higher? Also how do I work my breathing so I can hold a note loudly.

A: Baritones have to develop their falsetto first before gaining access to higher notes without strain. Allow anything that threatens to tense your throat to go into falsetto instead. As you become comfortable with the switching, more volume can be explored. The way to approach volume would be to relax your breathing as much as possible and produce a loud sound. I know that sounds backwards, but runners don't tell their legs to move fast -- they tell themselves to relax as they run. Your body already knows how to produce a loud sound, what it needs to learn is how to relax doing it.

Q: Dear Mark,
I have seen a couple ENT specialists now. I have taken vocal steroids, but my voice always seems to be very weak. My voice gets tired too quickly, and I am soon unable to do a falsetto, which is one of my better qualities as a singer. I use to not have this problem a couple years ago. I don't know for sure what my range is, or if I am ever going too far above it, which might hurt my voice. I drink plenty of water, but I always seem to need to clear my throat, which I've been doing a lot. What is a good amount of time for vocal rest? I'm an acting major and a singer, and I need help. What do you think?

A: Steroids don't make your vocal folds stronger, they temporarily reduce swelling. A weak voice combined with high-end loss indicates tension around the throat, jaw and tongue. The constant clearing can either be a symptom of acid reflux or that you are applying too much effort to project your voice and fatiguing your folds in the process. The doctors are prescribing the steroids to alleviate the swelling but that won't change your behavior. The same goes for vocal rest. What you need is training. The human voice, like a trumpet, is a loud instrument. Behaviors can get in the way, though, and absorb the sound before it has a chance to exit. A solid warm up routine and some pointers about independence should be enough to bring back your falsetto.

Q: Mark, I have just started exploring my vocal range recently. I can sing some Aerosmith and Radiohead songs with ease (fairly high range). Basically, I'm wondering how I can get a "Steven Tyler" scream without destroying my voice. I don't want to do this often, but just when I do, how can I do it "correctly" and make it sound ok. Thanks, love your column.

A: Here's the deal with screaming. If you're driving a car and take a corner too fast, the tires screech because of the friction on the tires. This is not good for the tires. If you're a stunt man and make tire screeches for a living, you learn everything about your car and the road surface in order to create that sound with the minimum amount of speed -- just enough to get the sound. If you're a reckless teenager and want to impress your friends, you take a corner at dare-devil speeds, screech the tires, and usually get yourself in lots of trouble.

Screaming is the sound of over-loaded vocal folds. This is never good for the larynx. However, your body can certainly handle moments of stress and live to tell about it. The ideal is to use as little push as necessary and still get the desired sound. Experiment. Don't let face and neck muscles join in and look for aggressive sounds. You probably will get some tickling and itching in the throat -- maybe even trigger a cough or two. As you get better at dialing in the right pressure, you'll be able to drive your voice and sustain the minimum damage. You are assuming that your favorite singers have this down. They do not. They scream despite all the warning signals their body has thrown up. It hurts every night when they tour. They cancel dates and undergo surgery. Many people underestimate how much it hurts to play professional sports and sing hard rock. Most who play and sing are just willing to put up with the pain. Some take it seriously and develop their bodies and technique to avoid as much injury as possible. Guess which ones enjoy long careers?

So, you're looking for incremental increases in air pressure. Yes, it's bad for the vocal folds. Yes, it's pushing from the abdominal muscles. But when done with a focus on sound rather than force, you can sustain some control. No matter how good you get at screaming, though, it will not be emotional-- unless you are. Good luck and always warm up.

Q: Mark: I have been having problems off and on with vocal stamina. We have been playing a lot--a three hour set lately and my voice starts to die near the end of the show. It almost feels as though I am killing my voice. What can I do to prevent my voice from giving out at the end of these long sets and what techniques are good to prepare my voice for these grueling shows?

A: Three hours is a long time to sing without a break. I would pace myself during the show to allow the body to coast. Make sure you're not spending energy when you don't have to spend it. Reducing the amount of push and drive in your verses and other times that are not emotional peaks of the song would be the first place you could save yourself. Athletes do this all the time; they pour it on when needed but know when to coast otherwise. My suspicion is that you are still a little insecure about your singing and therefore over compensate with the physical output. To get through the long shows, you're going to have to be brave and just stand there sometimes. Try it and you'll be surprised how much easier it is to sing. Also notice how the audience respects it. We often put pressure on ourselves to be madmen/madwomen up there -- but it's just that -- self pressure. Let the show rise and fall with energy and you'll be standing at the end.

Q: Hey Mark, just ordered your book and video, and I cannot wait! I'm hoping you can help me with this, it's a big problem I have: MUCUS. I have it on my vocals folds/chords all the time. I am constantly clearing my throat and have to literally fight through a wall of it to finally get my voice to sound clear. I went to the ENT and he said I have a post-nasal drip and gave me spray but it doesn't seem to work. I drink plenty of water, I eat lemons. I don't know if this means anything but I do eat a lot of dairy-- especially cheese and breads. Is there any sure way of getting rid of excess of mucus in your throat?

A: Get rid of the dairy and you'll get rid of the mucus. Dairy has a sugar called Lactose that is difficult for humans to break down (cows have three stomachs to do it). The digestive system coats the trouble making sugar with mucus and sends it packing. It always shows up at the mucus membranes -- like the nasal passages. Cut out diary cold turkey and let your body clean out. If you really miss the stuff you can introduce it again very slowly to discover what amounts your body can handle before protecting itself with mucus again.

Q: Mark, Any tips on the prevention and treatment of hoarseness (non flu related)?

A: For treatment: Vocalize on an "EE" vowel at a very low volume. Start on the highest note you can get without straining or adding any facial muscles. Bring the pitches down slowly.

For prevention: Always warm up and don't sing until you're ready. Take voice lessons and stop trying to wow everyone with power.
Q: Mark, I sing rock/alternative music and I know I have a really good voice but I know that sometimes I don't sing properly. At shows it's hard to hear me over the instruments. I was wondering if there's something in particular that I can do at practice and on stage that will help me gain more control and power without forcing air and my voice.

A: Most likely you are tensing your throat and jaw when you sing. This absorbs the voice. Loosen up. Make sure you do a thorough warm up before singing. Jump up and down and shake your body when warming up to release as many external muscles as possible. If find it difficult to do this when other people are around you've just discovered the real problem. Volume is an extension of personality. If you are a mild mannered regular guy, you will view it as an effort to project your voice, whereas loud mouths have trouble whispering. Force yourself to shake and make hoola-hoop motions with your hips while others are watching. Go outside yourself and realize the reluctance was unfounded. If you're going to front a rock band --you've got to be willing to take some emotional risks. Voice lessons will help straighten out the technique, but it's still going to require you to loosen yourself up to make it connect.

Q: Mark, how do singers like Kurt Cobain get such a growl with their voice? How can I sing like him? Please help me out!

A: You can make your voice growl lots of different ways. Kurt just pushed until his vocal folds gave way. The people who have the best growls are not concerned with what it does to their voice. They are intense and are willing to pay the price. It is not necessary to push so hard to growl, but I often find that as soon as you're thinking about growling it loses its effect. It's also not necessary to growl in order to be intense. Get behind what you're singing and the result will be authentic -- growl or no growl that matters more.

Q: Hi Mark -- LOVE your column. How can you tell if you've done permanent damage to your voice, and 2) If I've done any damage to my voice, are there any steps I can take to reverse it?? VERY worried!

A: Damage will prevent you from producing a high note softly. So, if you can't, you should work towards that goal. If you have damage, vocalizing on high notes without tension at a very low volume is good therapy. Don't push to fix any breaks or cutouts -- it will come around in time. Warm ups are crucial for every singer, but especially those prone or nursing damage.

One, two, three strikes you’re out.

Many singers approach the stage as if it were home plate in a little-league game. Standing there like a kid donning an over-size batting helmet, they often squeeze their eyes and lock their muscles in anticipation of tough pitches. It’s a self-defeating stance.

Here's why:

Once the body becomes rigid, it’s almost impossible to make the minute adjustments required to connect on target. When the inevitable misses start adding up, suggestions from coaches like relax and breathe are wiped out by panic. The downward spiral continues as all attempts at maintaining a balanced form are abandoned in favor of a full-out attack at each pitch. While poor mechanics are certainly an issue, the mind is far more at fault in these situations. Singing is mostly reflex activity, which means the muscles know what to do. However, where the mind goes the muscles will follow. Ironically, if you want to sing in tune, stop thinking about pitch.

We tend to forget that there’s more to singing, and baseball for that matter, then hitting pitches. Dynamics, tone, duration, note placement and interpretation of lyrics all play a vital role in music just as fielding skills do in baseball. What great singers and players do is focus on a bigger picture. When performing, the mind-set of a singer should be on the sentiment of the song. What do you want to express to your audience? What do you want them to feel? Are you in the song? Is your head in the game? These questions are the ones to address when you feel you’re losing control. Taking the focus off the physical aspect of singing not only provides a better environment for your reflexes, it also allows the audience to stay with their emotions. Unlike baseball, singing is an art. No one is counting the misses unless the singer draws attention to the problem. Remember, where your heart goes the audience will follow.

There are steps you can take to prevent the distraction of an occasional foul note. A good warm up is essential. Your muscles respond much better when activated slowly. Cold muscles are rigid and require more energy, which throws off the delicate balance needed to be in tune. Another way to promote accuracy is to vocalize every day. The best hitters in major league baseball never miss batting practice. They do this so they can concentrate on where to hit the ball during a game, not how.

Vocalizing gives you this same opportunity to focus on technique in order to free your mind during a performance. The goal is to simplify things so there’s less to deal with when under pressure. On stage, while we tend to work extremely hard when singing high notes, in reality, the muscles responsible are as small as those which move your eyes. It is impossible to feel the vocal folds stretching for a note -- any note. When you practice, work on reducing the physical effort associated with pitch, no matter how inaccurate it makes you at first. Allowing yourself to sing out of tune is vital when exploring how little it takes to be on pitch. Obviously, this is easier to do in private than on stage.

What you can do when performing is dig deeply into the lyrics. Even if no one can understand a thing you’re saying, let the words move you. If something unintentional slips out, keep in mind that the audience has no idea what you intended to sing. Own the blunder if it worked. Have you ever seen a baseball player not take a base because he didn’t mean to hit the ball to right field? It’s just as important to learn to get over a missed pitch. No one bats a thousand.
"I would love to be able to sing better but I’m not sure if training would be worth the effort."

People often toss me this statement to see if I’ll throw back a sales pitch about voice lessons. I never do. I figure, if someone refers to improving skills as effort, then they have no passion. What good is any artistic adventure if there is no passion?

What I do offer is a different perspective on the voice lesson issue. We all know of someone who has an incredible voice and never had a bit of instruction. These people just open their mouths and it comes out great. Lucky for them. However, the common belief that some people are born to sing doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to sit on the sidelines. Anyone can improve the sound of their voice. My advice is to think of it as un-training. Pay a visit to a maternity ward and it’s obvious that we are born with the ability to produce sound. Crying is reflex behavior. Singing is crying -- minus the tears. Within a short time after birth, our personalities emerge and influence this basic instinct. Some babies cry louder and more often. As toddlers, we begin to experiment with different vocal tones and the responses they provoke. When two year-olds whine enough, they will either get another cookie or be sent to their room.. By the time we reach six, the results of these experiments have heavily influenced our personalities.

We establish core traits which stay with us a lifetime. If you doubt this, visit a senior center and notice how much a bingo game looks like a kindergarten class. It’s not that the seniors are acting childish, it’s that they are being themselves, again. What this means to potential singers is that, from a very early age, we have trained our muscles to produce sound in a particular way. Your particular way may, or may not, interfere with singing. If it does, then you’ve got some un-training to do.

Most vocal problems can be traced back to speech. As kids, we’re taught the meanings of words and how to pronounce them, but not how to efficiently use our muscles when speaking. This is expected to happen naturally. It usually doesn’t. Normally, emotions dominate our motor reflexes and shape the way we talk. Speech becomes an extension of our personality. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they talk, not what they say. There is a difference, though, between normal and natural. Natural is efficient; normal is what we are used to. Unfortunately, we are so accustomed to the way we speak that our trained-in tensions go unnoticed until we start to sing.

Sit at a piano or pick up a guitar and the instrument is ready to play. Musicians tend to take this for granted, but starting with a pre-balanced, consistent, instrument is a huge advantage when learning to play. Open your mouth to sing and any number of obstacles can compromise range, tone, volume and flexibility. In other words, in order to learn to sing, you got to build an instrument first. Most instruments we play today are the result of many years of refinement. As techniques for making pianos and guitars improve, their sound and ease of play improves as well. Instruments basically stay the same from day to day. This provides a great foundation for developing the skills need to play. We don’t have that advantage with our voices.

Many things can interfere with the playability of our voices, from talking all day to tension held in the jaw. Since most of these are not genetic or limitations, they are removable. Building an instrument requires nothing more than clearing a path from inspiration to phonation. Whatever is blocking the flow needs to be un-done. I’m not suggesting it’s easy, we worked hard to achieve these rigid states and the body is not going to be happy to let them go. What I am suggesting is that you don’t have to except your voice as is. The laws of sound are the same for everyone. Release your throat and you’ll have a great tone. Allow your vocal folds to stretch freely and you’ll have great range and accuracy. Return your breathing back to a reflexive, natural, state and you’ll have dynamic control.

Think of it as un-training and you’ll have a big head start on the process.

Don’t you wish your voice had a volume control? Imagine if you could just twist a knob on the side of your neck and blow everybody away! I’m dreaming, I know. I just think it’s a crime that the vocal is the focus of every song but the least audible element when bands rehearse. Since the voice is an acoustic instrument, you would think everyone would adjust their levels accordingly. I guess I’m still dreaming. Shouting is not the answer, unless that fits your music. In most cases, shouting is counter productive to singing loud. Driving your vocal folds with more pressure than they can handle forces them to split apart and allows air to escape. The throat then braces in response to the leak, narrowing the area around your larynx. The extra muscle activity resists the pressure but also absorbs lots of overtones. The sound becomes thin and distorted rather than loud and rich. You also wind up with a pair of very swollen vocal folds in the process.

Volume, or amplitude, is measured by the height of a sound wave. The taller the wave, the more sound pressure it delivers. To make your voice loud, muscles inside your vocal folds contract to make them thicker. Like strumming a guitar with heavy gauge strings, the thicker folds require more energy to vibrate but produce a much larger sound wave as a result. However, just as heavy strings require greater finger strength, thick folds are less flexible and require more internal strength to control. This is usually where we screw things up and cross the line into shouting. Since we cannot feel the muscles inside the vocal folds, we tend to turn on neck, jaw, tongue and facial muscles instead. This external blockade is what misguides us into overloading the larynx with too much pressure.

To discover what your folds can handle, deny the outside involvement. Open your mouth and sing any pitch. Gradually increase the volume without letting any visible muscles join in. Don’t let your jaw lock, your tongue roll back or your eyes bug out. Don’t be discouraged if this test reveals a weak result. The muscles within the folds are like any other in the body; they can be exercised to handle more load. Repeat this crescendo exercise daily to learn to use proportionate pressure. In time, you will be amazed at how relaxed you can be when singing loud. Unfortunately, singing songs isn’t the best way to develop this. When you gig, the focus is on performance rather than form. The advantage of vocalizing is that you can stimulate the folds slowly by asking for a little more volume each day, rather than irritate them with the instant demands of competing with the band. There’s no denying that your muscles will get stronger if you hit the road for a while, it’s just often the wrong muscles.

Volume is also a perceived quality. The energy of a high frequency excites the ear more than the slow wave of a low note, and so high notes are perceived as louder For singers, this means promoting higher overtones will make your voice seem louder without working any harder. This is another reason not to shout. If unburdened, the throat can contribute a series of overtones, adding brightness which projects the voice. The highest overtone, which occurs between 2,500 and 3,200 Hertz, is what allows an opera singer to be heard above an orchestra without a microphone. To a non-classical singer, the added overtones allow your voice to cut through the mix when at a moderate volume.

The combination of stronger folds inside a relaxed throat cavity is the best situation of all. It enables you to chose a dynamic based on the lyric rather than which notes are difficult to sing. Shouting every note of a song will numb your audience, like a mother who always screams at her kids. Singers who are able to vary the dynamics and reserve the aggressive stuff for appropriate moments keep their audience engaged. So relax your throat and develop your instrument to handle the load of singing loud without stress, and save the shouting for band meetings!

How To Save Your Voice From Permanent Damage
by Mark Baxter

Make no mistake; singing is an athletic event. Think of choral music as synchronized swimming and hard-core as tackle football played in the nude on a parking lot strewn with broken glass! Each vocal style requires a specific physical ability and mind-set and, like sports, comes with its own risk of injury. It bears repeating that you should always warm up before singing. Even so, most singers will push themselves past their capabilities until mother nature steps in and shuts them down. The words “vocal damage” are feared by all as the kiss of death. Don’t panic. There are many ways in which the vocal folds can be impaired (not just by screaming), but very few cause permanent conditions. Like an athlete playing with an injury, though, the risk of greater damage increases the longer you sing with vocal fatigue. To make an intelligent decision regarding canceling or continuing, you’ve got to know the facts. This means becoming semi-knowledgeable about the voice and being examined by a doctor. When it comes to the voice, what you don’t know CAN hurt you.

Every musician knows where to take their ax should repairs be needed -- the same professional attitude should apply to singers. Find a doctor before trouble occurs. This may seem overly cautious, but it’s the best way to weed out the cranky old bastards who think that anything other than classical is devil’s music. We singers are often in denial about the way we feel after singing, hoping a condition will clear by itself. Regular exams will not only allow you to avoid potential career-halting problems, but will also erase any unfounded worries and let you focus on your art. If you have a strict health plan, you’ll have to start with your general practitioner. If you don’t have insurance, beg for a discount. Don’t be proud. You’d be surprised what you get when you ask. If you’re dead broke and your voice is gone go to an emergency room.

Using a light and a mirror, any doctor can peer into your throat and report on the condition. If anything out of the ordinary is viewed and you’re told you need vocal rest, especially the day before a show, start asking questions. Doctors tend to dismiss club singers as weekend athletes. They don’t understand how long it takes to build a following. Ask if the edema (swelling) would be better handled by therapy rather than rest. Ask if there is any evidence of reflux (digestive juices which burn the vocal folds) or a build up of mucus (a sign of dehydration). Do the right and left folds appear to be operating equally? Are the folds hyperfunctioning (beginning stage of trouble) or hypofunctioning (late stage of trouble). And, of course, ask about the formation of vocal nodules or polyps. If you cannot get answers to these questions, ask to be referred.

An ENT, or otolaryngologist, specializes in vocal ailments and is qualified to perform surgery on the larynx. They have incredible diagnostic equipment which can detail every nuance of your condition. Don’t be intimidated by the gadgets -- they are nothing more than the oscilloscopes and things used to tweak a Marshall head. Your visit to an ENT might include a videoendoscopic examination. This allows the doctor to view your folds with a tiny video camera. A strobe light slows the movement of the folds, exposing any abnormalities missed by the naked eye. An electroglottography estimates the presence of muscular tensions, in both the larynx and throat, and an aerodynamic test reveals the amount of pressure used while singing.

What doctors observe most is swelling or edema. Friction from over-active muscles heats things up inside and makes your throat sore, triggering an increase in circulation to the area. As the vocal folds enlarge, they allow more air to pass through and the voice becomes hoarse. This is commonly known as laryngitis. A little swelling is okay. It’s a natural result of muscle use, especially when singing nightly with a band. You should become concerned, however, if the condition does not dissipate by three o’clock the following afternoon. If you’re rolling your eyes because your voice is always hoarse (or maybe because you’re never awake by 3:00 P.M., ) you should inform your doctor that you are suffering from chronic laryngitis. This may be a symptom of allergies, respiratory infection, acid reflux or vocal abuse, but, more importantly, it sets the stage for bigger problems. I understand that many of you like to sing with force. Just be aware of the difference between sounding dangerous and being a danger to yourself.

The next level of damage is a haematoma, or bruise, on the edge of the fold. Forcing a hoarse voice grinds the folds together. If a doctor warns you that your folds appear very red, it’s time to take the warm-up and warm-down routines seriously. You’ll notice a big reduction in flexibility (range) and control (pitch) when your folds are bruised. Do not ignore this condition. If you continue to irritate the area, a lesion (bump) will develop which may possibly require surgery.

There are two types of growths that form on the folds. A vocal nodule, or node, is basically a callus. Normally occurring in opposing pairs, they provide a layer of protection (think of the tip of a guitar player’s finger), but interfere with the functions of the voice. If caught in time, therapy can reverse them. If they become hardened, a relatively simple surgical procedure can shave them down and return the fold to a healthy condition. However, it’s important to note that surgery does not remove the behavior which caused the nodes. The second type of growth is a polyp, which is more mysterious in origin. Polyps have a stem which makes them resemble tiny mushrooms. They can be found anywhere inside your mouth, nose and throat but only cause problems when they block a sinus or form directly on a vocal fold. Although it’s hard to pinpoint their cause, early detection is always the best medicine.

The worst stage of damage can come about the quickest. Occasionally, screaming from a cold start will rupture a blood vessel within the vocal fold. This magic moment is marked by an immediate shut down of your voice. If unattended, scar tissue will build around the injured area. Scar tissue is a curse for singers because it is inflexible -- and permanent. Imagine if you could never change the strings on a guitar or the head of a drum. The tone produced from scarred folds may be distinctive (remember Ton Loc?) but easy enough to imitate without destroying yourself.

So there you have the downward spiral. It is not my intention to scare you with this information -- quite the opposite. Bumps and bruises, aches and pains are common occurrences for those of us who use our muscles with passion. It is strength and conditioning which allows professional athletes to rebound quickly, along with a host of experts to accurately diagnose a problem. For the same reason, it is important for every singer to exercise their voice and make occasional pit stops into a doctor’s office. Pro-athletes are very aware of the risk of injury. Instead of backing off, though, they train hard and surround themselves with experts. I recommend the same for singers who want to stay in the game
Q: Hello Mark, I really like your articles. I have a strong midrange and have always wanted to front my own band. Is there anything I can do to get a little higher range out of my vocals? Any advice you can give would be invaluable. --Charlz

A: Start fronting that band and you'll find more about your voice than you will sitting at home. Especially with an original project, the songs should be wrapped around your voice. There is no need to hit any pitches you are not comfortable with.

Q: Dear Mr. Baxter,
I'm the lead singer for my band and I feel that I have a pretty good voice. It has really improved within the past 2 years. I feel like I'm stuck at this point. I heard that when you sing your not suppose to breathe at all. Is this true and how would I go about doing it? Where am I suppose to place the air that I inhale? The range on my voice is extending, but it harder to hit those higher notes because I guess I'm not breathing right so I was wondering I would go about doing that. --Thanks, Mike.

A: Singing IS breathing. Your inhale can only go one place -- in your lungs. We tend to place so much focus on breathing that we forget it is a reflex activity. We breathe fine all night and then wake up and screw with it. The breathes you take to sing should be proportionate to task, this will happen naturally if you let it. Think of running. You know you'll start panting if you run for a while, so do you begin panting before you run to prepare? Of course not. Make sure you are warming up your voice and challenge your body to be as loose as it can -- that's where your range is hiding.

Q: Mark,
I realize the key to having vocal stamina is to take care of it and do all the right things to prevent getting torched, but in my experience, as I'm sure you are aware of as well, sometimes it just happens. Whether it is a lack of rest (which is the most frequent for me), or any combination of other factors, it sometimes is unavoidable. So, with that in mind here's my question: what do you do when you have 10 shows left, and you're already past the "torched" stage. What kind of exercises, treatments, or any other tricks, can get you through those shows with a maximum of quality with your voice? I have heard and applies as many wives tales as you can think of-lemon juice, steam, cough drops, hot tea- are any of these legitimate? Thanks a lot.

A: Vocalizing is your ticket home. You should vocalize your voice back to flexibility as best you can each day. Too many times we are silent, feeling we already abused the voice so it should rest it, when light, low volume exercises will bring it back the best.

Q: Hello Mark,
My question is, I am 17 years old, and am dying to break into the music business. I can write songs, produce beats, and I feel that I can sing pretty well. How can I increase the strength of my voice? How can I take away any raspiness? How can I increase the range of my voice? Thank you for your time, and I await your reply.--Dont'e.

A: These are interconnected issues. In general, explore your voice at a lower than performance volume to learn balance. Slowly, increase the volume while watching form. Don't let external muscles join in to add beef. Think of volume as weight. When you're in the gym, you should start with less weight and go for form. As you workout, you gradually add on weight--which would be volume to singers.

Q: Mark, I am a 15 yr. old female who lives in a small city in Ohio. My problem is I know for a fact I'm not going to make it anywhere in the musical industry without going somewhere else to be discovered. Do you have any advice on what I should do? --Thanks, Felicia.

A: Keep singing until you're old enough to move. Don't wait until you're old enough to take yourself seriously. The momentum of singing for years will carry you later in life.

Q: I want my voice to sound fatter--with less highs in it. Is that something a voice instructor can show me or something I can do on my own? --Kathy.

A: Yes, you got to open your throat. The more space you create inside you, the bigger your voice gets. Think of a grand piano. They are over six feet long for a reason. No matter how hard I play my upright, it will never sound as rich as a grand. For that tone -- you need space. Lower your jaw and relax your face. Practice this in the mirror. The looser the visible muscles are the looser you'll be inside. Remember: Loose means big.

Q: Mark: Some of our songs would sound great with a falsetto backup vocal part. What are some things I can do to strengthen my falsetto voice, or should that be avoided?

A: Don't ever avoid falsetto. In fact, that's how you strengthen it -- by not avoiding. Make sure you're not adding any facial or throat muscles when you feel yourself switching over. Too often, falsetto gets a bad rap for sounding thin, when it's really the way it's being played. Think of falsetto as the high EE string on a guitar. Yes the folds are thin, but the wood resonates the same on a guitar no matter what string is played.

Q: Dear Mark,
I am a 36 year old singer/songwriter and I've been performing live since I was 12. My problem is I smoke and drink during gigs and have done so for years. I know my behavior is destructive and I have slowed down in recent years, but have noticed a slight scratch to my voice at times that was never there. I have a really deep speaking voice to begin with, and I would like to ask if there are any exercises (or other things) that would ease some of the damage I'm doing. --Thanks, Rob.

A: Yes and no. Without removing the real culprits there are no tricks that pack enough healing power to reverse what's going on inside you. It's not impossible to quit smoking -- so keep trying. In the meantime, massage your voice by humming very softly all the time. Don't push if some notes don't come out. You've worked hard for that damage -- no reason to punish your folds for not being able to sing a note. The humming is necessary to thin the folds and return some elasticity. As always, get at least two liters of water in you every day.

Q: HEY MARK, I HAVE BEEN SINGING IN A BAND FOR 5 YEARS. WE PLAY REAL HEAVY MUSIC. WE USED TO HAVE A '80S METAL SOUND. BUT NOW WE ARE LIKE SEPULTURA. MY QUESTION IS: I HAVE SUCH A GOOD VOICE, BUT I HAVE BEEN SCREAMING A LOT SINCE WE CHANGED OUR SOUND. WILL THIS DAMAGE MY VOICE IN THE FUTURE? JUST CURIOUS. THANX, MAX.

A: If you keep singing on your off hours you will retain your voice. It's like cross training. It's good to focus on a single sport, but that doesn't mean that you can't play any others. The bigger the variety of styles and sounds you sing the better it is for your instrument. It's the career that suffers from too many styles -- so save the other styles for the car.

Q: Mark, I recently visited your web site and I read all of the advice you gave, and they sounded like great tips and I want to buy your book and tape, the only problem is that I don't sing rock and roll, I sing R&B and Jazz. Can your book and video still help me. --Savanna.

A: Definitely. The only reason I chose that title was to attract singers who felt neglected by classical books. A voice is a voice. Just think of a piano. It can be a jazz, rock, soul, classical, boogie, blues, atonal, R&B and gospel instrument. It all depends who's playing. What makes for a good piano, though, is up to the laws of sound. That's what my book addresses. How to make you instrument comply with the laws of sound.

Q: Should I look like Britney Spears or Christina Aguilerra before I even THINK about promoting my voice talents? I'm a little overweight and want to know if I should lose some. I've never seen an overweight singer. --Ashleigh.

A: Here's the sad truth as told to me by many A&R people. A female sends a package and they look at the picture first. If she's looks good, they listen. A guy sends a package and they listen first. If it sounds good, they look at the picture. BUT there's always exceptions. Jill Scott refused to send a picture and play that game. Truth is, if you've got the goods -- there's always a way.

Q: Greetings fearless leader. I have read your column for quite a while now and you have been very enlightening and helpful. From time to time I experience what I call a "cramp" in the back of my tongue. It doesn't really hurt so much as it seems to lock up. I use some pretty fast phrasing in spots and toward the end of the set it gets pretty difficult to get all the syllables poppin'. It doesn't happen all the time but maybe once or twice a month. It's really damn annoying. Got any suggestions? Also, as I'm sure you've heard this one countless times. At practice, friggin' Pavoroti right? Then at the show, third song, "wheeze, wheeze". Should I like be running marathons or something? If you have any helpful hints, that would rule. Thanks for you're time and I hope to hear from you soon. --Matthew.

A: You should focus your vocal exercises on releasing the tongue. You are using it to regulate your air and articulating vowels and consonants at the same time. Poor thing. It's severely over worked. Sing some scales on an 'AH' vowel while placing our finger on your tongue. Make sure it doesn't move. No matter how bad you sound, it's important to become independent of tongue tension.

About the stage breath. It seems you would benefit greatly from putting down the bag of chips and running a few laps around the block before rehearsal. Your vocal stamina is based on aerobic conditioning. You don't have to be a hero -- I try to get a couple miles in every other day.
Q: Mr. Baxter,
My voice is very nasally sounding. I can't seem to shake it. Do you have any exercises that will help me sing clearer and without this burden? --Thank you, Jeremy.

A: Hold you nose when vocalizing. Sing so you don't feel you fingers buzzing. Nasality means you are using the nose as a catch-all for air pressure. Singing breathy is also a counter measure, but that may not be the vocal effect you're looking for. Reduce your volume as you experiment.

Q: Hi Mark, I can achieve high notes in my normal voice, but I have a problem doing falsettos as my voice tends to crack up. What can I do? --Thanks, Mark.

A: Cracks between chest voice and falsetto are the result of an air/resistance imbalance You are pushing too hard in your upper chest range so by the time you "surrender" over to falsetto, there is too much pressure for the thin folds to handle. Start looking to slip into falsetto sooner rather than later. It's not a booby prize -- just another string on your instrument.

Q: Mark, will the vocal chords heal after some time or will they stay scarred and damaged? --Gabriel.

A: Depends on the damage. Like any other part of your body, the folds can repair themselves. However, your body doesn't care if you sing or not. Sometimes the body's solution for a damaged fold is to wrap it in scar tissue for extra support. That just happens to kill the voice but the larynx is not inside you to sing -- it's there to protect the lungs. Keeping flexible by vocalizing is your best defense against scar tissue.

Q: My daughter, age 11, is a vocalist who performs hour long shows several times a month and rehearses every day for 2 hours. Although her vocal coach cautions her about straining she continues to belt high notes without, seemingly, too much effort. She continually reaches to stretch her range beyond 4 octaves and I am concerned in the long run this will damage her voice. Do you have any tips for strengthening her 'head' voice and any words of wisdom to keep her from belting beyond her range? She's been singing for 9 years. Also, any advice for how to build stamina to sing and dance at the same time? Thank you, Emily.

A: Keep an ear out for raspiness in her speech -- there shouldn't be any. The body is very resilient at her age, so she should be fine. The problem is, as she ages, she will have to accommodate for growth spurts and physical shifting that may alter that range. When young adults defiantly force themselves to sing what they could as a child, there's bound to be some problems.

Practice is key for singing and dancing. Have her talk through the songs as she rehearses dance routines and then graduate to singing and dancing.

Why do some singers cut through a mix loud and clear while others struggle to be heard?

The difference is tone.

Some people are born with an instrument which produces a full spectrum of harmonics; the vocal version of a grand piano versus an upright. These harmonics, or overtones, ring simultaneously in a series above the original note you’re singing. It’s not only the number of overtones present but the volume of each frequency which gives a voice power and projection. The size and shape of your internal cavities determines which overtones are amplified and which are snuffed. Unfortunately, singers are stuck with an instrument created by a genetic lottery. Technique, however, is also an important factor of tone. A great musician can make an inferior instrument sound good. So, for those not blessed with a Steinway voice, adjusting the way you sing can greatly improve your tone.

The characteristics of sound are so consistent we call them laws. There are many examples of these laws shaping our daily lives. For instance, low frequencies travel in long, slow waves which penetrate walls and piss off neighbors. High frequencies are fast waves which excite the ear and are perceived as loud, instigating many fights between singers and guitarists.

Low end requires lots of expensive power and large cabinets to amplify; high end needs very little. A smooth surface will reflect sound, giving it more resonance and making us believe we have talent as we sing in the shower. A coarse surface, on the other hand, will absorb resonant tones, which is why blankets and carpets line the walls of our rehearsal spaces.

These same laws apply inside the body. The space above the larynx, called the pharynx, is a crucial component to a big vocal sound. In last month’s article Anatomy 101, I explained that this cavity is lined with constrictor muscles which reduce the diameter when stressed and expand the area when released. If the larynx is raised and the pharynx is tight, there will not be enough room to amplify rich, low overtones. Muscle walls within the throat also become coarse as they tense, and so the high, projecting, overtones are absorbed before they have a chance to exit. Think of how a speaker and its cabinet work together. A speaker (the larynx) will sound papery thin if placed in a small enclosure (a tense throat) as opposed to a large box (a relaxed throat). Then, think of the lifeless sound of a stereo in a heavily carpeted room versus the bouncing harmonics at a high school dance. No matter what you were born with, a booming voice requires your throat duplicate the properties of a gymnasium with freshly polished floors.

No question: more tone is better. Any engineer will tell you it’s easy to subtract from a vocal sound but impossible to make it more than what you’re producing. The absence of overtones makes a voice bland and difficult to hear. Guitars, keyboards and cymbals all compete in the same harmonic range and block out the subtle tones of the voice. This is another frustrating law of sound. If two instruments are producing the same frequencies, the louder of the two will be all the ear registers. Guess who wins the volume war between guitar and voice? However, the wider your harmonic spectrum, the better your chances of popping through any holes, or notches, in the band’s overall sound. I know it feels like a step in the wrong direction to relax when your voice sounds thin. A more normal response would be to sing louder. Overdriving the larynx, though, usually triggers all the wrong behaviors in the throat. It’s ironic that a desire for a bigger sound is what inspires the push, creating the very tension which robs the voice of precious overtones.

A more productive solution is to achieve independence between the larynx and the rest of the body. While it’s true all laws are meant to be broken (or at least tested), understanding why your voice sounds the way it does gives you options. Since there is no plea bargaining with nature, if you want a bigger voice you’ve got to obey the laws and relax.

Singers: Defining 'It'

“How long does it take?” “Don’t you have to be born with it?” “How does (fill in famous name) do it?” By far, these are the three questions I am asked most. The attitude illustrates the reason why most of us feel like we’re spinning our wheels. We say we’re willing to do whatever it takes to “make it,” but most times are unable to say what it is we’re striving for. Without a clear target, the best intentions lead nowhere. In order to move forward, you’ve got to define every “it.” Picture a musical career as many parallel journeys. Vocal development, musicianship, song writing skills, band chemistry, wealth and fame all run on separate tracks. Excelling in one area does not necessarily lift the others. An artist breaks into the public’s attention, or makes “it,” as a result of many elements. Luck and timing are factors, but yield nothing without hard work, market savvy and good old promotion dollars. Just as your popularity is built by focusing on many small, obtainable, goals, the same actions can improve your voice if you’re longing for more.

When people say a singer has “it,” they’re usually talking about a mixture of elements. Personality traits such as presence and creativity, and physical factors like pitch, tone and phrasing combine to create an individual style. Realistically, a singer will be dominant in a few of these areas. Occasionally, people are born with them all. Ironically, what connects every popular singer has nothing to do with their sound, but rather their soul. Each has found a way to let their heart and soul, their essence, shine through every word they sing. The results are as varied as the population. If you don’t feel your true identity is reflected in your voice, don’t despair. Every compromising element can be reduced by training. Pitch, tone and phrasing are dependent on physical condition and muscle coordination. Just as working-out in a gym improves overall muscle performance, vocal exercises isolate and develop target areas bypassed during routine singing. Your skills provide the avenue for creativity. What begins as a heart-felt vocal line can be detoured by physical inability or insecurity.

We try too hard or think too much and lose sentiment behind a wall of pretense (the things we do to sound or look cool.) The goal of training is to develop your reflexes to create the shortest path from inspiration to microphone. If you are brave enough, or work hard enough, you can strip away the physical and mental barriers and tap into your soul. This is the “it” other singers possess, and it comes naturally when you do nothing. This may sound easy, but most of us began conforming ourselves from day one, so there are quite a few layers to break through. Singing without adding anything artificial highlights individuality. You automatically stand out from the pack. That is the “it” the industry drools over.

How do “they” do it? Many performers rely on drugs and alcohol to break down the barriers. Others, develop the physical act of singing to the point that their bodies perform without thinking -- bypassing doubt. The second way requires time and practice, but produces much more consistent results. To speed things along, keep your targets clear. When working on your voice, the “it” is physical form. When performing, the “it” is exploring what’s in your soul. The combination of the two will be the best damn singing you’ve ever done.

Every Breath You Take . . .
by Mark Baxter

Every breath you take is a gift. From the moment your doctor held you by the ankles and spanked your behind, the gift of life has allowed air to flow in and out of your lungs without thought. Physical and emotional demands govern the frequency of each breath. Exert yourself or become excited and your breathing becomes heavy. Lay still or sink into a depression and your lungs barely inflate. You would think this unconscious activity would integrate smoothly into singing. It does for some. The rest of us interfere with the flow and suffer the consequences. Ironically, we have to train to learn to breathe naturally.

Every breath you take should be in proportion to need. Many singers overcompensate in this area. It is not necessary to completely fill the lungs for every phrase. The vocal folds are small membranes which do not require much force -- even at loud volumes. The exact amount of pressure needed is determined by the pitch, volume, quality and vowel you are singing. As these factors change, the air pressure should change as well. This means split second adjustments are required by the diaphragm, rib and abdominal muscles in order to maintain just the right stream of air at all times. It sounds complicated, and it is, but no more so than the way our feet and legs adjust to maintain balance. If the air pressure is too great, muscles around the larynx will tense. When the neck, jaw and tongue lock up, abdominal muscles answer the resistance with even more force. A cycle begins that’s difficult to break; the harder the abdominal muscles push the more rigid your throat becomes. There are many tricks and techniques for singing through this mess but none better then sending up the right amount of pressure in the first place.

Every breath you take should release the body. Just as a rest in written music provides a moment to breathe, a breath provides a moment to rest. Place your hand over your navel and inhale. The area under your palm should move out slightly. This motion is caused by the diaphragm descending and shifting the organs below (remember, your diaphragm is way up inside your rib cage). Diaphragmatic breathing is not as simple as sticking your tummy out -- the movement must come from within. Releasing your abs during an inhale helps flush away tension. Your neck, jaw and tongue cannot let go if your abdominal muscles are tensed up like a crunch. Generally, people who drive their abs when singing keep them engaged all the time. This forces the chest to heave upwards for a breath, reducing the intake and tensing the neck. It tires the body to work so hard. The next time you’re at a show, keep your fist clenched tightly for the entire length of each song. After fifteen minutes or so, your hand will become weak and your arm will ache. Then try relaxing your grip every time the singer breathes. Notice that releasing, for just a moment, allows circulation to reach stressed muscles and revives the strength of your grip. Regardless of how much tension you summon when performing, release your body when inhaling. Think of each breath as pushing a reset button.

Every breath you take makes a statement about you. We all breathe pretty much the same when asleep. When awake, our personalities take control. Extroverts and optimists take big breaths while introverts and pessimists hardly breathe at all. It’s true loud personalities make for natural singers, but lots of artistic people are introverts. If you constantly struggle to project your voice, it may be that you are not inhaling enough After all, the voice is a wind instrument and, like a trumpet, doesn’t care about your outlook on life. You don’t have to change your personality, but you do have to provide enough energy to play the instrument. To gain the momentum of a bigger bag of wind, you must first empty your lungs. Blow out all your air until your body is squeezing hard. Then release all the muscles which where used to push. Notice that air comes rushing back in as you relax. That’s because your squeezed body is no different then a vacuum-packed jar of pickles; open it and air rushes in. To incorporate this when singing, always remember to release your body after every phrase. Let the air rush in first and then continue to inhale.

Make sure you feel this as a two step process. After some practice, your inhale will automatically be deep -- regardless of your personality. Do this every day and your voice will start to sound more substantial.

So remember, whether you are seeking more sound or less fatigue, an opportunity for change awaits in every breath you take.

Complacency Kills The Chemistry
by Mark Baxter

Imagine if Ricky Martin joined Limp Bizkit or Courtney Love accepted a position in Destiny’s Child. While these are clearly disastrous singer/group combinations, the not-so-obvious scenario may be the very band you’re rehearsing with tonight.

Often, we singers become complacent in situations which do not highlight our assets. Either we don’t want to rock the boat or don’t think enough of our talent to search for something better. A common misconception is that if you’re good, you should be able to sing in any situation. The truth is that it takes the right circumstance, matching personality with genre and vocal quality with instrumentation, to make a so-so singer sound good or a good singer great. To find your perfect formula, all it takes is a little musical alchemy and a willingness to shake things up.

First bands are formed by friends. Your best bud picks up the guitar and knows a guy down the street who got a drum set for his birthday. So you dub yourself a singer and announce to the family that you’re arena bound (as soon as a bass player moves onto the block). If you’re extremely lucky, your new band will create a sound which complements all that is unique about your voice. U2 is a good example of this; they began as a bunch of neighborhood wanna-be’s who just happened to provide Bono with the perfect musical backdrop. I’m not suggesting he alone made them famous, simply that the band’s sound allowed him to shine -- and no project is going anywhere unless the singer shines. Unfortunately, odds are that you and your neighbors are not the next U2, which means you need to venture beyond the familiar. It means leaving the convenience of rehearsing down the street and using the drummer’s van for gigs. It means being demonized by your friends for breaking up the band and branded an egomaniac for thinking that the music should revolve around you. Well, it should.

The only way to find your sound is to experiment. Do you feel more comfortable singing with acoustic or electric guitars? Does a piano complement your tone better than an organ? How about rapping over congas and cowbells instead of drum loops? These are questions that need to be answered before you consider who’s available to play with. There is no substitute for the lift provided when singer and band complement rather than compete. A student of mine in Los Angeles looked for an entire year before finding a cellist to join her band (she fell in love with the sound while recording). It would have taken twice that time to stir up the buzz she is now enjoying had she compromised. It is equally important that bands looking for vocalists wait for the singer rather than a singer.

Simon Apple, a highly acclaimed band from Pennsylvania, searched nationwide for months without success. At one point, they had over 500 submissions. There were plenty of good singers -- just not the right singer. Years ago, the drummer for Godsmack became so frustratedduring their singer search that he took the position and found a new drummer instead. Their refusal to settle has obviously paid off.

Do not confuse this chemistry with a roommate search. This is the quest for an inspiring blend of sounds, something which propels you as a singer. If you happen upon some nice people along the way, consider it a bonus. I know a lot is written about the importance of surrounding yourself with good people, but I’ve never seen the evidence. Every legendary band has legendary internal rifts. If the music is good, or the money is flowing, people will always find a way to work things out.

It’s also tough to leave when there’s a friend involved. My first band was formed just like the one I described above. One guy in particular had become my best friend. That was many years ago and we are still best friends (although there were a few months of hurt feelings). We write, we jam, we’re just not in the same band anymore. If someone cannot support your need to find the best vocal environment, than he or she is not a friend. As a performer, you have the potential to take the audience anywhere you want. When the ingredients between you and the music are just right, your voice will be free to explore. Don’t let your soul be boxed in. Don’t let complacency kill the chemistry.

THE ALTERED STATES OF AMERICA
by Mark Baxter

From ferocious biker dudes to soccer moms, everyone reaches for a substance every now and then to alter their state of being. In the music world, classical singers quietly swallow beta blockers like blues-hounds throw back shots of whiskey. Since the body does not distinguish between legal and illegal, coffee can be categorized loosely with amphetamines, chocolate with heroin. What the body does distinguish, therefore singers beware, is the line between use and abuse. Cross this line with any substance and your system, and therefore your voice, will be compromised.

Let’s start with pot. It was not included in last month’s article on smoking because it is more damaging to the vocal folds than cigarettes. Since joints don’t have filters, the inhaled smoke is much hotter. Commercial cigarettes also contain a tremendous amount of filler; weed is uncut and (hopefully) sticky with resins. When the throat is stripped of lubrication and coated with resin, the vocal folds can’t vibrate effectively. To your larynx, one joint equals a pack of cigarettes. If you must partake, anything which cools and filters the smoke helps. A water bong does the best job. Notice, though, how coated the inner walls of the bong become within a short amount of time. Picture a set of guitar strings with that much gunk on them, and then imagine their tone. I’ve heard that toking through a hole pierced in an apple not only cools the smoke but also gives you a little vitamin C (which you lose when smoking). Consider this my friend, if you’re using an apple as a pipe rather than eating it, you’ve officially crossed the line between use and abuse. Put the apple down, and slowly back away.

Cocaine is another bad vocal offender. The white stuff causes the sinus walls to produce excess mucus in order to flush the substance away. This creates a drip which slides down your throat, numbing everything in its path. Anything you snort will cause this same reaction. Hydration is the main problem with all medications. Antihistamines, for instance, dry out mucous membranes. Unfortunately, the drug cannot distinguish between good and bad mucus so your vocal folds are left without vital lubrication. The list of offenders is not exclusive for cold and allergy remedies.

Prozac, a very popular prescription these days, also causes dry mouth and slows muscle response. The bottom line is that singers have to be aware of negative side effects before swallowing anything. Duration and amount are also important factors when riding the line between use and abuse. Just as a tiny bit of arsenic won’t kill you, neither will an occasional lost weekend. But, when every gig becomes a party, the voice gets beat up fast. History shows that artists who rely on drugs for creativity lose their muse. Either their ideas go flat or their vital signs do. As usual, less is more. If you’re seeking a different head-space in which to write, you’ll get a much better result from a drug if used infrequently. If you want relief from stage fright, beta blockers, which block the hormone epinephrine, do a good job of squashing nerves but reinforces your fear. If you have to take a pill to get on stage, what happens if you’re caught without them? Sooner or later, you’re going to have to fly without any aids.

My advice is to learn to sing without needing a thing but water. Yes, it’s hard at first, but in the end, you’ll feel more like a singer than a chemist
A 'Smoking' Voice
by Mark Baxter

It seems every new year begins the same way -- promises, promises. In our effort to improve, we vow to quit something. Smoking, drinking, drugs and junk food are usually at the top of the list. Instinctively, we know these are bad for singing, but by the time March rolls around, the resolve for a new lifestyle turns out to be as empty as that bag of Doritos under your bed. There is a very scientific reason for this: smoking is cool, drinking is fun and Doritos taste better than peas. That’s why we start these habits, but after a few years, that’s not why we continue. Once the body adapts to a routine, even a bad one, it becomes the norm.

Ironically, quitting something unhealthy will make you feel worse for awhile. Your voice will also take a temporary down-turn. Even more disturbing, we all know of someone who smokes, drinks, parties and still has an incredible voice. Life is not fair. The only thing that matters, though, is what your body and mind can handle. I am not one to preach about lifestyle, nor do I advocate denial. Learn the facts; then live with your choices.

Here’s how cigarettes affect the voice. Your throat narrows like a funnel above the larynx. Tars, resins and, worst of all, the heat from inhaled smoke is concentrated as it passes through the folds. These are very sensitive mucous membranes and are easily irritated. Think of the reaction if someone blew smoke into your eyes -- over and over again. The degree of irritation is proportionate to the amount and brand you smoke. Once the protective lubrication is burned off, the folds will heat up and swell quickly. Swollen folds perform like a leaky valve; much air is wasted in the production of sound. The body senses the loss of air and works harder to drive the voice, creating more friction and, therefore, more swelling. In time, many of the muscles around the larynx become rigid from fatigue. This lack of flexibility reduces range. The end result is the classic smoker’s voice, low and husky. Lots of people like this quality and claim they smoke to maintain the sound. Not necessary. Consciously over-driving air pressure will also make your folds rigid and swollen, creating the same sound with far more control. If the throat becomes fatigued, you can always back off the pressure and save your voice. When a smoker’s voice is spent, there are no options.

The physical burden of smoking is most apparent on the road, where staying healthy is paramount to a cost-effective tour. Smoking saps vitamins, reduces your aerobic capacity and interferes with restful sleep. The body has a hard time repairing itself. Heavy smokers catch more colds and suffer more severe symptoms than non- smokers. The expense of a pack-a-day habit also deserves a reality-check. Three bucks a day can translate easily into a better diet, a four-track recorder at the end of a year, or, better yet, voice lessons!

If you are newly inspired to become a non-smoker, don’t quit...just yet. Instead, force yourself to eat more fruits and vegetables, pump vitamins and herbal supplements, exercise daily and flood yourself with water. This new behavior will seem repulsive to your body at first. Stick with it and smoking will gradually become less attractive, less necessary. Gradually backing out of the habit helps avoid the shock of cold turkey and the inevitable relapse. Little by little, it’s better to slice the vice away for a truly 'smoking' voice!

Q: I have very little problem singing in front of large crowds because I really don't have to "see" the audience, especially if it is dark. But I do alot of singing for weddings and I have to be right there in front of everybody in bright lights and the smaller the crowd, the more my anxiety grows. In the past few years I have developed a lip shaking problem. It is horrible. I get myself so worked up, especially in front of family members. It used to never happen. I competed in HS where it was just me and judges in a room and never had this happen. My bottom lip starts shaking and my nerves just snowball because of it. Again, I am fine in a dark room or in front of a huge crowd in the daylight but it's when I really have to "face" my audience that it happens. SCARY! I find myself turning down jobs because of it. Please help!

A: The only advice I have, besides being extremely well rehearsed, is to face your fear. Don't turn down those gigs! You're letting the lip become a monster. The only way it will disappear is if you continue to sing in those intimate situations. I would seek them out if I were you. Organize something a little less stressful than a wedding for practice.
Q: Hi, Mark. I'm a 14-year-old male who loves to sing, but I can't tell if I have a good voice. I would love to perform, but I don't know if I sing well. People have told me that I do, but I'm not sure that I do. How can I tell if I sing well?

A: The only way to tell whether you can sing well is if people tell you so. They have. You don't believe them. What can I possibly say? Keep singing and your voice will get stronger. Once you get stronger you still won't like your voice, though. It's a disease we singers have. You just have to sing anyway. You'd be surprised who doesn't think they have a good voice (I'm talking superstars)!

Q: I had a gig last night...and I flopped. Problem was that at the time of sound check, I hadn't eaten yet--this was 7pm. I didn't warm up either, but I sounded ok--got the notes I needed to get. Then I ate--not too much 'cause I know that eating before the gig is bad. RIGHT? Anyway, I warmed up a bit vocalizing on an 'eee' sound and siren like sounds as well as 'zzz' sounds, too. When I hit the stage I was bloated and tired. I just couldn't get into it. I have another gig tonight and my voice is extremely fatigued. AND I have had a bad cough for about 3 months...2 bouts of medication can't shake it. It's back to the doctor Monday to look further into it. I just couldn't get the notes I'd been hitting all week in rehearsal and on my own--and in sound check.

A: You've got to write off that bad gig -- you just screwed your schedule up, that's all. You mentioned a 3 month cold, but you were singing perfectly at sound check and all week at rehearsal -- so the cold can't be that bad. Don't over medicate. Food rules the body. When we eat, blood is channeled to the digestive system. Strength and coordination will definitely be compromised. The timing on gig day is important. Can't be too hungry or too full -- also can't rely on others to care. It's the singer's responsibility to be ready to sing.
Q: How come when I sing I like the way I sound, but when I record myself, I don't like it, it sounds different and not as good?

A: When you're singing you are listening to two sounds, an internal one and an external one. The inner vibration give our voice body and richness but don't project outward -- they stay inside you. Only the external sound makes it on tape. That's why it's so different. All this means is that we singers can't judge the way we sound when we're singing. We are the only ones who don't hear the sound correctly. We have to wait and listen back. Feel, attitude and sentiment, however, are what we should be addressing as we sing. Those are things which we don't need to hear.

Q: Dear Mr. Baxter,

As I read your articles, I realize that I was born with a horrible voice. I stay up night after night with it like a disease trying to cure it. Trying to sound better to have the distinguishable tone the music industry looks for. I am very good at guitar but my music, requires a voice as well. I must allow others to sing my music and lyrics until I understand this tedious process. Did you feel the same way? How can I make my voice stronger and allow whispered tone to not require me to pass out in the process. Can you please give me some hints on what you mean by "release all facial muscles". How does it pertain to the voice? I need that industry sound. How long did it take you to get the voice you always dreamed of? Thanks again!

A: It took me about ten years to get the voice I wanted. It finally came around when I stopped trying to get an 'industry sound'. You see, what you hear on the radio today was in the works about two years ago -- and it was not a popular sound then. What the industry is working on today won't show up on the radio until about two years from now. In other words: just be yourself. The industry wants individuals -- not copies.

Releasing facial muscles prevents you from locking in too many muscles just to hit a pitch. Watch yourself singing in the mirror and pretend you're a ventriloquist. Can you still hit all your pitches? Denying help from outside muscles is what will build strength in the internal ones. Your whispers will be less draining as well. It takes time, but it's well worth it.

Q: Hello Mark:

I just recently purchased your "survival manual" and you are awesome! I have a question regarding my breathing. During the day, while I am breathing, there are times when I a take a deep breath and my chest will rise. I am talking about a deep breath that begins down low in my abdomen. I am not speaking of a shallow breath were my shoulders rise. I ask this question because I frequently get the sensation that I have not taken a full breath until I take this "deep breath" causing my chest to rise. This happens even as I am laying down to sleep. I think it has something to do with the fact that my mother smoked cigarettes while she was pregnant with me. It's just a theory and I was wondering about it. Does this action promote shallow breathing?

A: The need to stretch the ribs is caused by a collection of CO2 at the top of the lungs -- not your mother's smoking. Without the stretch, the lungs do not fill completely with air -- which is rich with oxygen. It's perfectly natural.

SINGING IS RELIGION
by Mark Baxter

The holidays are coming. If you’re a member of a church choir, you’re busy rehearsing. If you’re a multi-platinum selling star, you’re gearing up for a huge bash in your hometown arena. If you’re somewhere in-between, though, you’re bracing for the inevitable inquisition at the family gathering. “So, are you still singing in a band?” asks the aunt you see but once a year. It’s a seemingly harmless question, although you can’t help but notice the inflection placed on the word still. “Yeah, still going at it,” you reply. “The band’s got some interest from labels. We just need to find a drummer and we’ll be signed for sure.” After a few years of the exact same reply, you begin to dread the question, and then begin to question your path. And that, my friend, is a sin.

Singing, or any artistic pursuit, is a journey -- not a destination. Forgive those around you (parents, significant others, landlords) for not buying this, but it simply isn’t possible to advance your talent or career on schedule. As long as you’re actively vocalizing, writing and performing, you will continue to develop. You see, art, like religion, is an internal calling. Have you ever heard of a priest or rabbi quitting because they never rose above the local scene? Because it is possible to sing for a living some people assume a lack of cash, or fame, means you’re no good. Not true. Timing and talent are driven by different elements yet must peak at the same moment in order to capture the public. The bottom line, though, is that nobody needs to make an excuse for following their heart. There’s nothing wrong with simply living to sing.

Singers, more than other musicians, operate on faith. There are so many invisible, reflexive, seemingly intangible elements involved in the performance of a song that the process collapses without a belief of ability. Range and power, to name a few, are sapped by self-doubt. Think of the difference between singing to a receptive versus an unreceptive audience; the same songs feel extremely different. Faith is your armor. It protects against “constructive” comments which, even if well-meaning, can hurt. Faith is the vehicle which carries you through the valleys between creative highs.

Faith is also contagious. Believe in yourself, or your songs, and others will too. The biggest challenge to faith is reality. People will use your current reality, ability, band status, income, etc., as indicators of your talent. (This is when you must remember the journey part.) Your faith is a much better gage. So, use the reunions and band hiatus this holiday season to re-new your faith. Convert all non-believers, including yourself, by telling them how much you love to sing -- not by making bold predictions of success for the coming year. Failed vows become cracks in your armor. Just keep doing your thing.

Remember, faith does not require the support of others. Acceptance of your chosen path comes once people understand you’re in it for the long haul. Respect . . .comes once you stop borrowing money. Happy holidays to all.
Q: I'm an 18 year old male from the UK, by no means am I a good singer, but its something I like to do. The thing that has been bugging me is that I have a problem singing in my "natural voice", I can sing songs in a high pitch, or a low pitch, but I can't sing in a normal voice very well.... Can this problem be corrected, or will I always sound like either Barry White or Jimmy Sommerville ?

A: Sing