Vocal Tips by Larry Bridges

"Why should I study voice if I plan to sing rock? Will singing lessons ruin my style?" I often get this question.

If you want a "hard-core, raw" sound, are limited to only one style of music, and only plan to be around for a few years, then maybe you don't need to study. If you want to use your voice for the rest of your life, then you should study classical voice technique. If you want to learn how to get the most sound with the least amount of effort, then you should take lessons. Simply put, the classical vocal technique deals with much of the following: shaping the mouth for each vowel sound; controlling the diaphragm to control the amount of air supplied to the vocal cords; bringing the vocal folds together to produce the most sound with the least amount of effort and strain on the voice; becoming aware of using only the muscles that produce a beautiful tone; learning to control vocal dynamics; and interpreting lyrics to create real meaning. A study of some classical vocal literature is also helpful, even if you don't plan to become a classical singer. In particular, Italian art songs are good for the beginner. Italian is the best language when it comes to singing "pure" vowels. A "pure" vowel is one specific vowel sound with one mouth position. The word "day", for example, is made up of a "diphthong", which is composed of the "pure" vowels "eh" and "ee". In addition to learning the fundamental of breath support, shaping and holding "pure" vowels is one of the most important factors in learning how to sing beautifully.

As far as "ruining" your rock style by studying voice, it all depends on your teacher and how you interpret these classical rules. Your goal is to protect your voice for abuse, and to learn to get more power and control with less effort. Articulation is important in classical voice technique, but generally does not translate well to rock or blues styles. Hopefully your teacher will help you learn which rules you need, and which ones you can break.

Copyright 2006 Larry Bridges.