WHAT IS A ‘CONNECTED’ VOICE?

First of all, it’s important to understand how our bodies produce sounds. To explain it in a few words, your vocal cords are like your body’s own string/wind instrument. The vocal cords are two muscular folds located in your throat, more specifically, your larynx. When you sing, your cords come together as air pressure is pushed through from your lungs. The cords open slightly to let a small amount of air through before closing again. This process is repeated many times and at a really fast pace in each sound we make. The higher we sing, more and more of these cycles happen per second.

Our vocal method places a great deal of importance in your larynx remaining stable. This eliminates muscular tension in the throat and greatly aids in preventing vocal straining. Keeping your larynx stable may perhaps sound an unusual concept, as we feel we have no control over it. An experienced Vocal Coach will be able to give you proper exercises and guidance to understand, explore and stabilise your larynx.

A healthy, connected voice means the vocal cords can remain closed during your entire vocal range. And that your larynx will remain stable and relaxed. Cord closure, hand in hand with a stable larynx, form the magic combo that produces a healthy mixed voice. We need this mixed voice to transition smoothly between the different areas of our register and produce a clean, powerful and effortless sound.

WHY DO I NEED THIS TECHNIQUE?

Most singers are able to realise when they are straining and damaging their voice. However, they struggle to figure out why and how to avoid it. When we sing, we usually engage our muscles much more than we need to. Especially when trying to produce higher or longer notes. This leads to unnecessary muscle tension and an involuntary rise in the larynx as our bodies attempt to ‘reach’ for those notes.

Implementing our vocal technique in your singing will help you gain more control over your larynx and make you aware of exactly what is going on inside your throat. Knowledge is power, and we believe in a practical AND theoretical approach to singing training. We encourage our students to combine their understanding of theory, at whichever level they may be, with guided and tailored practical exercises, bringing about a well-rounded understanding of Vocal Technique.

Perfecting your technique will allow you to perform at a higher level during longer periods of time. This will allow you to access places in your voice you never knew you had. You’ll have a stronger and clearer voice with a far more interesting tone. As with any other skill, once you’ve mastered the technique, we can start incorporating stylistic choices to work within the genre(s) that you’re interested in. As this technique is focused on an in-depth understanding of your Vocal Anatomy, it is suitable for most singing styles, so the sky is the limit when it comes to your musical self expression!