I get a lot of emails and messages from people asking me “what do you think of this person”, usually with an attached video/link. One of the things I see a lot of is younger guys/girls doing YouTube covers of modern pop songs, or maybe original songs, but performed in a way that is highly reminiscent of a current pop singer. And here is what I’ve noticed, especially in relation to technique and vocal style… Continue reading “Style vs Hyper-style”
Do I have to sing in chest voice?
“I was wondering whether I HAVE to sing in chest voice? I feel like when it’s only chest voice it’s a bit monotone and lacking variation”
Many students ask or wonder this when they first start with the technique and approach that we utilise in lessons. Just for a bit of context, often these kinds of singers are capable in their originals or own artistry, but it’s important to note that such singers are relatively fledgling in their vocal development. Continue reading “Do I have to sing in chest voice?”
Why can’t I sing as high as I used to? a.k.a. How a voice can go downhill
“Why can’t I sing as high as I used to?”
THIS is a question I get asked a lot. I’ve extensively covered the effects of aging on the voice in this article I previously wrote, but in this article I want to use some actual examples of voices that are golden voices in their own genres, but that have perhaps gone on to find their voices have gone downhill compared to their golden years.
It’s also helpful to hear these to realise that EVERYONE has their issues. I’m not picking on the following singers because I think they are bad (far from it!) but merely to remind us that they are human, and we all have peaks and troughs over time and day to day.
In each of these cases however, I’d put this down to issues in their technique that maybe weren’t backbreaking at age 20, but at age 30, 40, 50 or older become back-breaking technical issues for each of them.
The Allure of Youth
Note: It’s always easier to sing high and sound fresh when you’re young. This isn’t the primary sign of vocal ability, it’s a hallmark of youth. The challenge lies in building one’s voice so it gets stronger and fuller as you get older rather than getting run into the ground through bad habits and poor technique.
This is especially problematic when singers acquire commercial acclaim based on an unsustainable sound. Let’s go through a few examples I think show this issue well: Continue reading “Why can’t I sing as high as I used to? a.k.a. How a voice can go downhill”
How different is your singing from your speaking voice?
One of the key principles that our technique is built on is using the natural calibration of your speaking voice (i.e. chest voice) as a roadmap to build our singing voice. The greater the deviation from our speaking voice co-ordination/calibration (evidenced by a different sound), the greater the level of issues singers tend to encounter.
Such issues can be physical, acoustic, and/or psychological. Let’s get into the first one now… Continue reading “How different is your singing from your speaking voice?”
Voice pedagogy – has teaching become more about science than singing?
A question was asked relatively recently in a voice forum by someone who had picked up on recent trends for voice teachers to dive heavily into voice research as opposed to practical vocal development.
“Has voice pedagogy become study ABOUT the voice rather than how to TEACH singing?”
This is a fascinating question, and one I think about a lot. I posted the following response in the forum, and a number of people suggested I follow it up as an article on my site. Here are my thoughts in response to the above question:
In my opinion, I think there has been an excessive shift towards pure intellectual knowledge over practical application. More importantly, there has been a drift away from a more objective and concrete understanding/appreciation of what makes good singing. Having objective science seems to matter very little if there isn’t something objective to apply it to, i.e. what does good singing ACTUALLY sound like? Continue reading “Voice pedagogy – has teaching become more about science than singing?”
How to sing when recording?
I received an email this week asking about how to sing when recording. I’ve re-parsed the sentences in the email so that the questions flow for the purposes of this article.
“Hi Mark,
Do you have any articles [or advice] on how to sing when recording? I feel like my recorded voice sounds both harsh and dull.
I wonder whether I sing too forcefully to try and get emotional intensity. Do I need to improve my loud singing? Or is it about singing differently when recording?
When I listen to my favourite artists’ recordings they sound alive, intense and still have nice higher resonances going on. Would getting a mic that can deal with louder singing help with not losing the higher resonances?”
What can we do?
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with your vocal recordings. I happen to spend a lot of time recording and working on this stuff, so let’s dive into it… Continue reading “How to sing when recording?”
A problem with trying to teach good singing using only vocal science
Reading time: 3 minutes
I had a coaching session last week, and the topic of vocal science came up. Now I am ALL for further understanding of science: it is an incredibly helpful tool.
However, whenever I see a new idea presented in vocal science, or some aspect that is preached heavily by various teaching methodologies, there is invariably a problem. Science can only – at best – explain why something has happened, it does not inherently create a roadmap or set of helpful instructions for others to follow. The key question we must always ask with anything to do with voice, is how do we apply something helpfully in a singers voice.
What’s the point?
I have met some incredibly knowledgeable vocal coaches over the years. Some of them are excellent coaches and apply what they know effectively in tools, but others seem to be acquiring knowledge for knowledge’s sake.
The voice is incredibly complex, and it is worth pursuing understanding. But, so what if you understand formants, can name every aspect of vocal musculature, measure or manipulate laryngeal tilt, etc… If a coach or singer can’t leverage that knowledge into making a voice better effectively, what good is it? Continue reading “A problem with trying to teach good singing using only vocal science”
Recover your singing voice after illness – 6 Expert Tips
Knowing how to recover your singing voice after illness can be a royal pain in the bum. Singing after illness or after bouts of vocal fatigue (especially when viruses, colds, sinus issues, or mucous-heavy bugs have hit you) can frustrate and annoy even the most skilled singer.
Put simply, there is a certain amount you cannot control — you often have to let an illness run its course. However, there are also things you can do to minimise the derailing effect of symptoms during that course. There are also simple things you can do to ensure your voice is as good as it can be once the virus has finished its run.
In this post, I’ll take you through six key tips I use as part of my regimen to:
- Get my voice through a tricky throat virus or cold-based sickness
- Alleviate how the symptoms can further aggravate the voice
1. Drink more water, reduce diuretics like caffeine
When you’re in the full throes of a bug, you need to stay hydrated. Particularly with excess mucous, the more water you provide your body with, the easier it will be to shift. A doctor once advised me that the reason flu capsules make you feel better so quickly is not because of the paracetamol or other drugs, but because of the caffeine. It naturally makes you feel better when you’re rough, so go ahead and enjoy a coffee or tea.
However, at the tail end — when it’s the last bit of mucous left — caffeine’s diuretic effect really affects my ability to shift it. The mucous gets thick, difficult to clear, and promotes extra coughing. Try to reduce caffeine, coffee, tea, and soft drinks, especially as you recover.
2. Sleep and vocal rest
When you get sick, or hit the wall with vocal fatigue, you need rest. Exercise and general energy expenditure prevent recovery. You can’t heal if you’ve already drained your reserves (cortisol, adrenaline, etc.).
In one recovery, I forced myself to bed at 9pm every night and added a 2–3 hour nap in the day. A lot of people return to singing far too quickly, before they’ve even recovered.
So if you get sick, seriously — go to bed.
But what if your night-time rest is disrupted? Or the ailment worsens at night? That’s where the next point comes in.
3. Beware of post-nasal drip
This one is a colossal pain. The cold can often be minor, but as they end, post-nasal drip begins. Infection remnants lingers in the sinuses and drip onto your vocal folds and chest at night. This can lead to a heavy chest in the morning, but can often create morning voice issues, swelling and dysfunction, etc.
I had a particularly bad instance of this a few years ago. I’d go to bed with a normal voice, wake up in the night with a burning throat, and rise in the morning with a swollen, wrecked voice. It felt like I’d screamed myself hoarse each night.
It took nearly a week to recognise the signs and intervene. This was so damaging I had to cancel over a week of sessions. To illustrate just how bad this is, I’ve recovered to a functional level from laryngitis in two days. Post-nasal drip was significantly worse.
What helps:
- Stay hydrated and rest (see points 1 and 2)
- Prop yourself up at night with extra pillows to reduce drip landing on vocal folds
- Nasal irrigation — clears infected material; only with sterilised water, never straight from the tap
- Steroidal nasal sprays — e.g. Beconase (Beclametasone dipropionate), used sparingly and per label instructions
Standard disclaimer: I am not giving medical advice, just sharing what I personally use. Post-nasal drip can be minor, or it can wreck your voice. Take action if it persists.
If you’d like help fixing your voice that’s been badly affected by illness, and putting together a bespoke plan to help you keep your voice on track, you can book an initial consultation with me right here.
4. Reduce mucous-stimulating foods and inflammation triggers
Your vocal folds have a natural mucosal lining, but throat bugs often lead to excess production. This creates that gungy horror in your throat. Don’t add fuel to the fire: milk, eggs, chocolate, yoghurt, and similar foods can make it worse for many people.
Inflammation is also an issue, so avoid excessively hot food or anything that mildly triggers your allergies. It takes experimentation to know what matters for you.
Extra tip: A chemist client who worked on Boots’ chesty cough mixture told me the key active is guaifenesin. A 400mg dose helps thin mucous, making it easier to clear.
5. Stop coughing so damn much!
We all cough and clear our throats far too often. Constant coughing is damaging. Instead, carry a bottle of water — when you feel the urge, take a sip to soothe instead.
Sometimes you will have to cough, but it’s rarer than you think. Once you stop over-coughing, your voice recovers faster and stays less irritated.
6. Lip bubbles and semi-occluded exercises
Lip bubbles are a type of semi-occluded exercise. They create gentle back-pressure on the larynx and are low-impact. If I can vocalise, I use them to:
- Keep my voice ticking over during illness
- Shake off mucous gently without coughing
- Rehabilitate the voice as it returns
One winter I had a throat cold that lingered for over a month. Once the worst passed, I spent a full day rebuilding my voice. 60% of that practice was lip bubbles or similar exercises, retraining my voice to move correctly. They’ve also helped with post-nasal drip recovery.
Wrapping up
These are my six main tips for coaxing a voice back after a bad throat bug. They’re what I find most helpful, and most singers find at least some of them useful too. You may discover other strategies with experience.
I don’t personally subscribe to singers’ teas or throat pastilles. For me, rest, diet, respect for your body, and correct application of technique are enough to return to singing after illness.
If you’re finding you regularly struggle with illness or wear-and-tear taking out for your voice for long periods, I’d love to help you rectify that. Book in an initial consultation to start work with me and we can address those issues. We can build a simple repeatable routine to help get your voice back on track – and keep it there.