Do you know that situation where you’re in the shower and singing seems the most easy thing to do? That you don’t have to think about it and that the notes feel so natural and easy? How is that possible? Why are we sometimes able to sing like that whereas at other moments we feel like singing feels like chocking?
In this blog I share my insights on the voice. Every week has a different theme. At my Insta account you’ll find all tips & tricks.
05-08-2020
lax vox
We go back to 1988. I was on a vacation with my parents and sister and we were on a terrace in a European city. My sister and I got a bottle of soda with a straw and instantly started making bubbles in our drinks. The challenge was to make the bubbles as big as possible without blowing them out of the bottle. Recognizable?
In our search for semi silent vocal exercises we can’t pass lax vox. One of my favorites!
Grab a small bottle of water (halfly filled) and a lax vox tube. This is a silicone tube of 35 cm long (13-14 inches) and it has a width of 9-12 mm (0.35-0.47 inches). It’s time to blow some bubbles! You can do this at any spot at any time. Blow bubbles in the water through the lax vox tube on a comfortable pitch. Make sure the pressure is not too high. If you experience too much pressure lift the lax vox tube a bit out of the water. If you don’t have a lax vox tube you can also use a straw. Make sure the pressure is not too high when you bubble!
The bubbling causes a semi occluded vocal tract (SOVT), a counterpressure in the oral cavity (and pharynx) that helps the vocal folds to vibrate from above.
Also a very helpfull exercise for kids!
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04-08-2020
/m/ for president
One of the exercises I first learned when I started as a vocal student was humming on /m/. For me, that’s one of the most basic ways of vocalising.
Choose a coomfortable pitch around your speaking range and start humming on /m/. Choose the pitch that gives you the most buzz in your face or most ring in the sound. Let it be. Don’t judge. It might sound wobbly, unstable, cracky or sometimes off pitch. Sometimes gunk comes up. That’s all completely fine.
Check if a half step below or above is more resonant. Kepp humming and start moving your head forward (turtle neck) and backwards (bad selfie). Choose a point where you experience the most ring in the sound.
Now start moving your jaw down and up without opening your mouth. Choose the jaw position that gives you the most ring in the sound.
Last start moving your lips from spread to protruded and choose the lip position that gives you the most ring in the sound.
What do you notice to your voice after these exercises? Are the neighbours still happy? It’s a great warm up exercise!
#fsvoicestudio #semisilentvocalexercise #vocalexercise #vacationvocalexercise #happyneighbours #mforpresident #hummonm #support #vocalfolds #singer #voice #voicecoach #voiceteacher #vocalcoach #singingvoice #speakingvoice
