The confusion of differing vocal training methods

I've had a lot of queries about my vocal lessons which start with the question "what method of vocal training do you use?" A fair enough question, but more complicated to answer than you might think.

I teach my trademarked method "Power, Path & Performance". It is a three-pronged approach to training voices that I have developed revolving around breath, open throat and authentic communication of message. I find that when I can help a vocalist maximize their abilities in these three areas, they have all the voice they could ever need, and it almost always surprises them how much voice this is. These three areas are synergistic, meaning if something is wrong in one area, it will affect the other two as well. Thus, if you have a tight throat you are not able to focus on communication and you will have tight breath as well. If you have not taken enough breath you will tighten your ribcage which pushes the vocal cords and the throat tightens against the pressure... well, I think you get the idea. The opposite is also true-- get something right in one area and other areas will benefit.

The teaching points that separate my method from others are: my focus on this synergistic action, and that my emphasis on how authentically you deliver the message ("Performance") is equal to my focus on how you breathe and how open your throat is.

Now, there are all kinds of different issues vocalists bring to these three areas of vocal technique. There are also all kinds of ways to correct the problems, strengthen and coordinate the muscles and relax the counter-productive tension that frees the voice. Here is where the "art" of vocal training comes in. I have to ask myself what this particular student needs help with, and how best can I facilitate that help.

Most of my training ideas come from my years of observation of my own and others' voices and what makes them stronger, safer and more effective in practical application. However, I use concepts from any training method that works. I've studied all kinds of methods and teachers, and have pulled vocal secrets from everything I study. I'm still studying and intend to for the rest of my life. It is my belief that this is true of all other intuitive, responsible and effective vocal coaches.

The teachers whose products I have in my vocal training library include such diverse practitioners as Van Christy, Jeffrey Allen, Jamie Vendera, Billy Purnell, Anne Peckham, Melissa Cross, Jeannie Deva, Robert Lunte, Lisa Popeil, Joanna Casden, Dena Murray, Seth Riggs. The latest discipline I've been fascinated to discover is the body work of Feldenkrais Method and the Alexander Technique. My hat's off to AT practitioner Ethan Kind, with whom I've double-teamed some students. I learned so much from this master.

There are all kinds of methods of training voices. Here's the truth: If there is a singer (or speaker) giving a great vocal performance to a room full of vocal coaches, each coach better see his or her training method in that performance. It's that simple... vocal training must work in practical application, or it's useless!!

Here's my two-part challenge to encourage sharing vocal knowledge:

1. Do you have a particular teacher, vocal training method or vocal training product (book, cd, dvd) that you would recommend for study?
2. Do you know (or are you) a teacher whom you believe could benefit from studying "Power, Path & Performance" vocal training?

Is Your Voice Too Breathy? Here's a simple test (very simple)

I have noticed something in many of my students who are overcoming breathiness that I'd like to pass on to you. If you are practicing correctly to eliminate this voice-stealing and possibly damaging habit (speaking or singing too breathy), you will notice this:

Your throat will be much less dry so you will find yourself needing to drink much less water during speaking or singing performances.

This is because you are not dehydrating your vocal cords with too much air passing between them. Simple enough test! Drink lots of water between... not so much during... performances!

Vocal Training: Should We Train the Intellect or the Senses?

There is a point and counterpoint dancing among teachers of voice. Some say it's best to teach the intellect, using facts, logic, the left brain, so to speak. Others say the way to go is to teach the sensory system... with imagery and subjective "feeling" of concepts. Like many, I think the answer lies in the mix. Teaching is always a team sport, and needs the input and energy of both teacher and student to really make a lesson come alive. This becomes especially true in the art and science of teaching voice. Observation of the student as he or she tries to apply teacher's suggestions, insight and creative approaches to problem-solving are vital as factual knowlege of anatomy and effective, healthy and proven effective vocal technique.

I believe it is healthy, protective and empowering at vocal lessons to train on two fronts: Intellectual and sensational.

1. Intellectual vocal training deals with our thinking brain...the hemisphere commonly referred to as "left brain" ... which uses a mathematical and analytical processes to learn a technique such as vocal support.
   
2. Sensory vocal training deals with more abstract "right brain"... more visual and artistic in it's processes... which considers feelings and sensations that go along with ways to do something. Paradox: The sensations our nerves present us with often do not correlate with anatomical movements, i.e. a vocal break is "felt" in the back of the soft palate, but is happening in the larynx. The power of breath, when properly applied, should be "felt" as coming from the pelvic floor instead of the diaphragm or lungs. Consider the phantom limb syndrome, when a felt body part is not really there.

Some reasons both intellectual and sensational training is needed (and I speak from experiential success with my students and clients and my own professional vocal experience) is that both hemispheres are necessary for working the voice. In fact, according to Natasha Mitchell's webpage;

Every single cognitive function has right hemisphere and left hemisphere components. - neuropsychologist Associate Professor Michael Saling

When you use the intellect to understand how your anatomy is supposed to function, you can use the imagery that goes along with sensation to much better effect. You can protect yourself from what your intellect knows is damaging, even if you sense no damage (pushing when you're so used to it you don't even feel it).

But intellectually studying and understanding anatomy is not enough. Case in point: A math geek who understands the science behind throwing a ball might make a poor baseball player due to limited muscle coordination and under-rehearsed (or wrongly repeated) muscle memory.

For sensory training I find it often very effective to find out what physical activity is familiar to my client's body. Many times performing an athletic skill can be correlated to a vocal technique. If the singer plays basketball, golf, baseball, does karate, etc, I can suggest that they power their voice from the same center that they do their physical activity. This unlocks the naturalness of good support without eliminating the necessary effort for breath support and control. At the same time, I teach the student what should be going on vocally, and I call attention to a harmful sensation that might be right in a physical skill, such as tightening the neck and shoulders for dance or weight training.

Even though there is tension involved in low abs, butt & back for breath support, I call it a "power center" instead of a tension center. It is also not like a solid foundational stone; the vocal power center has to change shapes to support our voices, because singing is not static. It is a living, moving thing. It should become so natural to power our voices from this center that one is not aware of even using it. It should feel instead that our voices just resonate out of us, even when we up the volume or scream metal.

This dance of teaching both sides of the brain is a tricky and sometimes sneaky thing. Sometimes I still get puzzled as to where the source of the incorrect tension lies in my student. This is where, as a voice teacher, I find concepts and insights from the Alexander Technique, as well as the Feldenkrais Method, highly useful. When mysterious vocal inabilities don't respond to my usual methods, I try to be creative. I constantly study other reputable teachers' techniques. I am always looking for new ways to defeat vocal challenges. Sometimes it can be as simple as addressing the other side of the amazing brain!