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Vocal lesson 3
Support exercise
Support exercise
Support exercise
Try tensing your diaphragm without breathing. Expand your ribs outwards and backwards, draw your stomach in around your navel, contract your back muscles and tilt your pelvis backwards to straighten the curve of your back. Practise this until you understand how each muscle works and how all these movements can be combined into a single sensation.
Swing your body from side to side while holding your breath. Place one hand on your solar plexus and the other on your stomach around your navel. Pull your stomach in, keeping the area around your solar plexus slightly protruding. Rock your solar plexus and stomach forwards and backwards in turn.
Exhale, then inhale. As you exhale, make a soft ‘sss’ sound with your tongue. The ‘sss’ sound should be steady and last as long as possible, so hold your breath as you exhale. Feel the bulge in your solar plexus area gradually grow larger and larger as you maintain the ‘sss’ sound. The bulge should not shrink, but remain expanded. Remember to keep your ribs expanded all the way round and gradually draw your abdomen in around your navel; straighten the curve of your back and keep your back muscles contracted. Maintain the sensation of holding your breath as the air gradually escapes. You should continue the practice until the ‘sss’ sound lasts for one minute.
Place your hands on your lower ribs, breathe in and feel your lower ribs pushing your hands outwards. As you breathe out, make a soft ‘sss’ sound or sing. Follow the instructions for the ‘sss’ exercise. Keep your lower ribs expanded for as long as possible whilst making the ‘sss’ sound or singing.
Stand with your back against a wall so that your lower back, shoulder blades and the back of your head are all touching the wall at the same time. You can bend your knees and place your feet a short distance from the wall to make it easier on your abdominal muscles. If your head is jutting forward or your upper back is too rounded, place a small pillow behind your neck for support. Now try to move your feet as close to the wall as your abdominal muscles allow, ensuring that your lower back remains in contact with the wall. It is important to be able to hold this position without too much effort. Say the sound ‘sss’ and feel your core muscles working, as in the previous exercise. By focusing on the parts of your body touching the wall whilst singing, you’ll get a good sense of your support. This is also an excellent way to work on your posture if you feel it’s necessary.
You can also check your support by holding a small piece of tissue in front of your mouth. Breathe out, breathe in, and then breathe out slowly and evenly. The tissue should not move as you breathe out; this is exactly how you should be able to control the flow of air. Follow the instructions for the previous ‘sss’ exercise. Physically strong singers can practise support by lifting something heavy and holding it at a distance from the body, maintaining the ‘sss’ sound. Be careful not to arch your back; keep the area around your navel drawn in, and the bulge in the solar plexus area pushed out. You can start by standing with your back against a wall, pressing your head, shoulders and lower back against it. Once you can hold this position, step away from the wall and repeat the exercise. Follow the instructions for the ‘sss’ exercise.
Two singers practising together can pull against each other whilst holding the ‘sss’ sound. Stand facing each other and hold hands. Place one foot in front of the other and bend your knees slightly as you pull against each other in a STEADY, EVEN motion. Do not make any sudden jerks; pull smoothly, as if playing tug-of-war. The longer you hold the position, the stronger the pull becomes. Feel the points of support: the bulge in the solar plexus area protrudes, the abdomen around the navel is drawn in, the back muscles contract, and the lumbar region is drawn in. Follow the instructions for the ‘sss’ exercise.
Energy
Singing requires energy
It is important to understand that, regardless of the vocal technique or musical style, healthy singing requires energy. The myth that EVERYTHING in your body must be relaxed and loose when you sing has done a great deal of harm. In my experience, more vocal problems arise from using too LITTLE physical energy than from using too much.
When beginners struggle to hit high notes, it is often because they are afraid to use physical strength, or simply because they lack it. They mistakenly believe that singing must be a relaxed process, simply because they have been told so. Once they learn to use more strength and to sweat whilst singing, many problems disappear. It is a mistake to believe that singing is a relaxed process that requires no physical strength! To sing with a rough, raw or powerful tone, even more physical strength is required.
The dilemma between appearance and physical strength
To meet commercial standards of attractiveness, female singers are often expected to be unnaturally thin. Many female singers spend their lives on the brink of starvation, which runs counter to the physical fitness required for singing. Male singers do not usually face such problems, as it is fashionable for them to be physically fit. On several occasions, I have been called upon to help a singer with a difficult vocal task, but in the end I have had to conclude that it is impossible until the singer becomes physically stronger. This applies to both genders.
Another problem is that many female singers do not use their physical strength because they believe they must look pretty. When you ask them not to conform solely to the ‘pretty’ aspect of the female role, a different, more direct sound emerges.
When beginners struggle to hit high notes, it is often because they are afraid to use physical strength, or simply because they lack it. They mistakenly believe that singing must be a relaxed process, simply because they have been told so. Once they learn to use more strength and to sweat whilst singing, many problems disappear. It is a mistake to believe that singing is a relaxed process that requires no physical strength! To sing with a rough, raw or powerful tone, even more physical strength is required.
The dilemma between appearance and physical strength
To meet commercial standards of attractiveness, female singers are often expected to be unnaturally thin. Many female singers spend their lives on the brink of starvation, which runs counter to the physical fitness required for singing. Male singers do not usually face such problems, as it is fashionable for them to be physically fit. On several occasions, I have been called upon to help a singer with a difficult vocal task, but in the end I have had to conclude that it is impossible until the singer becomes physically stronger. This applies to both genders.
Another problem is that many female singers do not use their physical strength because they believe they must look pretty. When you ask them not to conform solely to the ‘pretty’ aspect of the female role, a different, more direct sound emerges.
Using support
Developing the connection between support and sound
Cost savings on support
An important part of support is knowing how to conserve it. It is important to conserve your energy so that you have enough support to give the final words and notes in a phrase a good sound. Try to use 100% of your support. Feel, for example, in your lower back, the physical sensation ranging from 0 to 100%. Your arms move approximately 3–4 cm in each direction. Then try to use support gradually, starting with 10%, then 20%, then 30%, and so on. Make sure you haven’t reached the maximum possible movement before you need 100% support. During this exercise, most singers realise how easy it is to waste support before it is actually needed.
The importance of support
The concept of ‘support value’ is a measure that can be used to determine how much energy is required to sustain a particular note. It is not a physical measurement, but a relative scale that can help you quantify the amount of support needed for various vocal tasks. The support value depends on many different factors, including pitch, volume, vowel, timbre, time (since the last breath) and vocal mode. Singers differ in their physique, strength, energy, stamina and vocal control. Therefore, the amount of support required for a given note varies from singer to singer. Every singer’s work with support involves becoming familiar with their individual support requirements and always being able to produce the necessary amount of support energy for each note or phrase.
Place your hands on either side of your ribs at the base of your ribcage and feel how the ribs almost always remain extended throughout the entire sustain, provided it is performed correctly. At the same time, push the muscles of the solar plexus and waist in a gradual outward physical movement whilst you sustain the note. Sound production should automatically be linked to a steady, continuous outward movement in the solar plexus or waist area. This should help you develop a connection between support and sound. Once you become familiar with this sensation of support in a steady, continuous movement, as if working against resistance, you can use this sensation to check whether you are providing support effectively.
Cost savings on support
An important part of support is knowing how to conserve it. It is important to conserve your energy so that you have enough support to give the final words and notes in a phrase a good sound. Try to use 100% of your support. Feel, for example, in your lower back, the physical sensation ranging from 0 to 100%. Your arms move approximately 3–4 cm in each direction. Then try to use support gradually, starting with 10%, then 20%, then 30%, and so on. Make sure you haven’t reached the maximum possible movement before you need 100% support. During this exercise, most singers realise how easy it is to waste support before it is actually needed.
The importance of support
The concept of ‘support value’ is a measure that can be used to determine how much energy is required to sustain a particular note. It is not a physical measurement, but a relative scale that can help you quantify the amount of support needed for various vocal tasks. The support value depends on many different factors, including pitch, volume, vowel, timbre, time (since the last breath) and vocal mode. Singers differ in their physique, strength, energy, stamina and vocal control. Therefore, the amount of support required for a given note varies from singer to singer. Every singer’s work with support involves becoming familiar with their individual support requirements and always being able to produce the necessary amount of support energy for each note or phrase.
It is important for a singer to be aware of their energy levels so that they can produce the precise amount of support required for each note in every context. In this way, they can always maintain control over their singing, just as all other musicians need to be familiar with their instruments. Find out how much energy you have. Assign a value to it. When you are using no energy, the value is 0. When you are using all the energy you have, the value is 100. Now practise becoming aware of the gradations between 0 and 100. Start by dividing your energy into ten equal parts. Practise finding the exact level of energy. Later, you will be able to be even more precise with the gradations. This work will give you an excellent understanding of your body and energy. When you are aware of the exact level of support required for a note, it becomes much easier to achieve.
Pitch
If you find it difficult to sing high notes, this is often because you are not using the necessary amount of supporting energy. It is important to practise and develop a conscious understanding of the energy required for different notes. If notes do not receive the necessary support, this causes uncontrolled tension, and it becomes difficult to sing the notes as required. The high and low registers of your voice usually require more energy than the middle register, and are therefore often considered more difficult to sing. Assign a specific level of support to each register. Singers should be well aware of the minimum support required for each note.
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-1-An exercise for sustaining high notesAll notes should be sung at the same volume, but allow the metallic tones to become louder as you sing higher. Make sure you do not cause uncontrolled constriction. Feel how sustaining higher notes requires more strength. Assign specific support values to your efforts, such as 1, 2, 4, 8, etc., and familiarise yourself with your own support values. Transpose the exercise upwards (repeat the exercise, starting a semitone higher each time)
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-2-An exercise for sustaining low notesSing a scale from the middle of your range down five notes, regardless of the key. Ensure that all notes are sung at the same volume. Notice how more effort is required to support the lower notes. Assign a specific support value to this effort and familiarise yourself with your own support values. Transpose the exercise downwards. - -3-Exceptions
The level of support required varies from singer to singer. For example, a very ‘light’ soprano often finds it difficult to sing in the middle register, and therefore requires extra support in this area, unlike many other singers for whom this register comes very easily and therefore requires no support in this area. You need to be well aware of where you need support and what your individual support requirements are.
Exercise to determine the support values for volume
Support is NOT the same as volume, but singing at a higher volume often requires greater support. This becomes more noticeable the higher or lower you sing. Up to a certain point, if you choose a high volume setting rather than a low one, the support value for any note usually increases. Assign a volume value from 1 to 10, where 1 means very soft (‘pp’ or ‘pianissimo’) and 10 means very loud (‘ff’ or ‘fortissimo’). The support values required for the notes must be multiplied by the volume values. In other words, if you choose a volume of 10 instead of a volume of 5, the support values for the notes must be five times greater. Therefore, if a note with a volume of 5 requires a support value of 8, a volume of 10 will require 40. Don’t forget to take into account the volume of the modes. Transpose the exercise up and down.
Singers need considerable strength to hold a note that is both high-pitched and loud. This is where a singer’s physical fitness and stamina come into play. A singer’s work involves not only being aware of and controlling their body, but also physical training to build strength and stamina. That is why strong, fit singers can sing higher and with greater power than weaker ones. Note that singing very softly (pp) is technically very difficult and requires a disproportionately large amount of energy to sustain.
Singers need considerable strength to hold a note that is both high-pitched and loud. This is where a singer’s physical fitness and stamina come into play. A singer’s work involves not only being aware of and controlling their body, but also physical training to build strength and stamina. That is why strong, fit singers can sing higher and with greater power than weaker ones. Note that singing very softly (pp) is technically very difficult and requires a disproportionately large amount of energy to sustain.
Exercises
The time elapsed since your last breath is also a factor in calculating support. The longer the time since your last breath, the more the diaphragm will try to expel air. In other words, the longer you hold a phrase or note, the more support energy is required to keep the diaphragm down. It is important to conserve energy so as not to use too much of it at the start of a note or phrase.
Sing a note, regardless of the vocal mode, and hold it for a long time. Feel how much support energy is required to avoid uncontrolled constriction at the start of the note. Assign a support value to this energy, for example 5. Feel how, as the note continues, the support value of 5 gradually becomes insufficient.
Now you must factor in time, and the overall support value must increase (from 5 to 6, 7, and so on) to avoid uncontrolled constriction in the throat. Consequently, the longer the note is held, the higher the support value must be.
Now you must factor in time, and the overall support value must increase (from 5 to 6, 7, and so on) to avoid uncontrolled constriction in the throat. Consequently, the longer the note is held, the higher the support value must be.
Sing a smooth legato scale from the middle of your voice up and down an octave in any vocal register. Ensure that all notes are sung at the same volume and that you do not cause any uncontrolled narrowing of the vocal tract. Remember to allow the higher registers to become louder as you sing higher. Notice how the higher the notes, the more physical strength the support requires. The time factor gradually comes into play, so descending the scale requires higher levels of support. Generally, the level of support peaks at the highest note of the scale, and this level must be maintained throughout the descent.
An experienced singer must be aware of the appropriate support for each individual note, taking into account pitch, timing, volume, vowel sounds, and so on. You must practise these support techniques until your body, through muscle memory, instinctively understands what level of support is required for a given note in a given situation. This is the primary aim of vocal exercises. Once the correct support is firmly established in your muscle memory, you will generally only need to focus on it if something isn’t working.
Learn to feel the connection between the note and your support. Pay attention to how you can avoid uncontrolled tension. The bulge in the solar plexus area or the lower back muscles should move outwards, as if working against resistance, when you reach and hold higher, more powerful notes. You will find that when you fail to maintain support, and the muscles in the solar plexus or lower back relax, the notes become weak or restricted.
You can practise sustaining notes by humming up and down the octave scale. Don’t forget to save your energy for the highest note and the descending scale. Make sure you have enough strength to push the bulge in your solar plexus or waist muscles outwards, as if you were working against resistance, as the notes get higher. Many singers find humming difficult because even the slightest tension can cause uncontrolled tightening that makes the notes fade away, but humming is a useful exercise; you can instantly detect uncontrolled tightening. If the note doesn’t come out right, try again, with a little more support or with greater emphasis on conserving energy for the higher notes. Transpose the exercise upwards.
Once you have mastered humming across one octave, you can extend the exercise by humming across two octaves. Hum the scale up and down across two octaves. Ensure that all notes are roughly the same volume and that you do not cause uncontrolled narrowing. Note how important it is to conserve your breath support. Transpose the exercise upwards.
Conclusions
• The more difficult a note is to produce, the more strength is required to sustain it.
• The higher the note, the more strength is required to sustain it.
• The lower the note, the more strength is required to sustain it.
• The longer it has been since your last breath, the more strength is required to sustain the note.
• Practise sustaining any given note.
• Learn to conserve energy to ensure sufficient sustain for the entire phrase.
• The higher the note, the more strength is required to sustain it.
• The lower the note, the more strength is required to sustain it.
• The longer it has been since your last breath, the more strength is required to sustain the note.
• Practise sustaining any given note.
• Learn to conserve energy to ensure sufficient sustain for the entire phrase.
Manfred Scmitz
Boogie Fever
Vlad Eremeev
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