subject: Singing Tips - How To Expand Your Vocal Options [print this page] Let's say you are a talented artistLet's say you are a talented artist. You started working with crayons as a teen, and now you do amazing
work as a crayon artist. You're the "crayon guru". Then one day you see a wonderful painting done with
acrylics. But when you try to use acrylics it doesn't work for you, and you go back to those comfortable crayons.
You have similar experiences with other art media: oil, pastel, sculpture, etc. Nothing seems to work for you except crayons, so you keep going back to them to express your creative self. You're a crayon expert.
Obviously you're stuck in your comfort zone and can't get out. So you begin to work with a teacher who shows you how to use the other kinds of media. What happens? You're expanding your creative options. You have choices as to what media to use for a particular painting. You become an "painting guru" rather than a "crayon guru."
Let's apply this to singing. Let's say you've been singing with a deep throaty soft sound ever since you began. You're the "deep throaty soft sound guru". But you know there are other ways to sing, so you go to a singing teacher to expand your options. The teacher shows you how to sing with a more powerful, bright sound. Then with a thin, peaceful sound. She shows you how to sing higher by thinning your sound up there and using less volume. You learn how to growl without damaging your voice. You learn how to sing with a full-out "operatic" sound. You learn how to sing the blues.
So, during all this study, do you lose your original sound? No. You've just added options you can use whenever you creatively choose. You may or may not choose to use them in a song, but you have that choice.
Often my pop-rock-country students ask "why are you asking me to try for a bigger, more "operatic" sound?" Because you might need that sound someday in some song when you are trying for a very powerful ending chorus. Does that mean you'll be stuck with using that sound on all songs? Of course not. But when you are able to sing that way, you have another option to make your singing better.
How many times have you been working on a song and wished you were able to add some higher or more powerful notes, but you can't so you don't' If your singing options are limited, start expanding them now. Find a good teacher or singing course. Begin singing songs which take you out of your comfort zone. Find ways to make them work. Listen to what other singers are doing. You can't have choices if you only do something one way.
