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LLEEGGAALL DDIISSCCLLAAIIMMEERR

Instruction and opinions herein are not a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. The

Vocalist Studio shall not be liable for any complications, injuries, loss, or other medical problems

arising from, or in connection with, the use of, or reliance upon any information in the training

system, "The Four Pillars of Singing: Definitive Techniques for the Modern Vocalist". Information

provided is for informational purposes only. Every effort was made to provide information that is

correct and constitutes healthy and safe vocal technique and practice; however, no warranty is

offered as to its accuracy or completeness.

UUSSEE GGOOOODD JJUUDDGGEEMMEENNTT

Vocal training is an athletic endeavor and you must always warm-up before you begin to train and

sing. Some modern styles can challenge the performance envelope for the modern vocalist,

therefore you must build physical strength and coordination to produce these modern vocal sounds

properly to prevent injury and remain healthy. Never, under any circumstances, sing by "pushing"

or forcing your body to do things it is resisting. Gripping, tightness, constriction, and all forms of

tension must be prevented at all times. If you are experiencing any results that are anything other

then complete freedom from tension and gripping, then your not executing these techniques properly

and you are not using your voice in a healthy way and should stop immediately. Singing with

distortion can be dangerous if you are not trained properly on the techniques to do it in a healthier

way, you can injure yourself.

If you are susceptible to throat injury, have a history of throat illness, smoke, or have not been

approved by your doctor to train modern vocal techniques, you should consult a medical

professional prior to working out with The Vocalist Studio training.

By participating in The Vocalist Studio program, you agree that there are inherent risks in vocal

training and singing aggressively. The Vocalist Studio is not responsible for your occupational

hazard and your choice to sing. If you ever feel pain, tension or gripping at any time before, during,

or after singing, DO NOT CONTINUE TO SING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. If pain

persists, see a medical professional.

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT ©© TTRRAADDEEMMAARRKK ™™ && DDMMCCAA PPRROOTTEECCTTIIOONN

All content within ―The Four Pillars of Singing‖ is protected by International copyright law. All

content is protected and monitored by the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). It is a crime

to produce and disseminate technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent digital rights

management (DRM). The DMCA heightens the penalties for copyright infringement on the internet.

That means, please do not upload ―Pillars‖ content to torrents and file sharing platforms or the

perpetrator will be prosecuted with International jurisdiction. Please don‘t let others steal my

property without paying for it… Thanks, Rob.

Dedication

Inspiration and work that went into producing The Four Pillars of Singing:

Definitive Techniques ForThe Modern Vocalist is dedicated to:

Roan Lunte Love does prevail. I look forward to the day I can introduce you to the art of

singing and the joy of being a musician.

Jim & Kathleen Lunte Without your support early on, I would have never been able to share my talents

and gift for teaching voice to others.

Maestro David P. Kyle You showed so many people how to believe in themselves and were one of the

world‘s greatest vocal pedagogues of all time. Your pedagogy is alive at The

Vocalist Studio, inspired, influenced, and I am honored to do my best to

continue your legacy. You will never be forgotten, all TVS students will know

who you were and your significance to the world of voice pedagogy.

The Vocalist Studio “Vocal Athletes” It is a privilege to be your coach. Together, we have created one of the most

significant and innovative vocal pedagogies in the world. The journey has not

been solo, you have been there with me, every step, every innovation, every new idea, learning together and unraveling the complicated secrets to singing with

great power and presence. You have been and will continue to be part of a

movement that is taking contemporary vocal technique to amazing new levels of

athletic standards. You are all champions in training.

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The Four Pillars

Of

Singing

Definitive Techniques for the Modern

Vocalist

LEGAL DISCLAIMER 1

USE GOOD JUDGEMENT 1

COPYRIGHT,TRADEMARK & DMCA PROTECTION 1

Foreword 6

Robert Lunte: biography & credentials 8

Maestro David P. Kyle Quotations 10

Maestro David P. Kyle Lecture 13

The Modern Vocalist 18

Summary 19

The Modern Vocal Application 20

Bridging the passaggio 20

Adduction in the head voice 20

Vocal Flageolet Or Whistle Register 20

Vocal Grott 20

Extreme screaming 20

Vibrato 21

Summary 21

Modern Applications vs The Classical Tradition 22

Summary 24

The Singing Voice vs The Speaking Voice 25

Summary 26

The Four Pillars of Singing 27

Pillar 1: Respiration 28

The Vocal Tract 28

Inhalation: ―High Volume‖ 29

Volume 30

Exhalation: ―high velocity‖ 30

Velocity 31

Cardio vascular exercise 32

Summary 33

Pillar 2: Phonation 34

The Creation of Sound Waves 34

the vocal folds 34

Phonation 36

The vocal muscles 36

The Cricothyroid Muscle (CT) 36

The Thyroarytenoid Muscle (TA) 36

Adduction 41

Adduction 42

Abduction 42

The Vocal registers 42

Musical/Scaled Registers 44

Physical Registers 45

Chest Register 45

Head Register 45

Falsetto 45

Flageolet or Whistle 46

The Passaggio 46

Summary 47

Pillar 3: Resonation 48

producing Overtones 48

Overtones 48

The resonators 49

Summary 51

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Pillar 4: Visualization 52

The Power of Mental Programming 52

Psychosomatics 52

The innovation of VOCAL MODES AND understanding LARYNGEAL

CONFIGURATIONS 54

Speech. 56

Sob 56

Opera 56

Belt 57

Falsetto 57

Distortion 58

Twang 58

Summary 59

Putting it all together 60

Summary: 72

FOREWORD

I‘d be tarred and feathered if I sang in choir the way I do now.

Few disciplines are shrouded in greater mystery than rock singing. After every

show I attended I racked my brain with how vocalists could unleash gravelly

screams and not developing nodules the size of marbles, let alone make careers

out of doing so. The fact remains that there are few places in the world one can

actually study to be a rock singer—somehow most music conservatories lack a

division to compliment opera and jazz. There are few resources available to

singers in this vein; fewer yet both describe and demonstrate the science of rock

vox. Hence this teaching system is so unique.

All my life I listened to rock singers (particularly the Seattle-spawned variety)

pushing the limits of the human voice. Unlike other genres, in rock I heard something honest, like the sounds were an exact expression of what the singer

felt-- raw passion instead the contrivance of most popular music. However,

believing the myth that screamers are doomed to destroy their instrument, I

sought to sing ―correctly.‖ Like many singers, I studied Classical/Operatic

Voice with the impression that the technique would be universally applicable.

While learning Classical Voice taught me a tremendous amount, the more I

studied the more I realized that the sound bore little relevance to where I wanted

to go. Furthermore, using classical technique in rock just didn‘t work. . I could

sing the ―Man in the Box‖ aria but not the song; throwing a dark

mezzo/contralto at rock butchered both genres.

In the Classical world, I found grave intolerance for anything outside of traditional Western voice pedagogy. Frustrated, I went to teacher after teacher

who claimed to teach rock singing. In my search, I inevitably came across either

a complete lack of knowledge or an absence of appreciation for the genre itself.

I did not find a single instructor who even listened to what they were claiming to

teach! One even went so far as to tell me that before learning rock I would have

to spend months in jazz and ―work my way up‖ to musical theatre, because

―rock is just a derivative of musical theatre anyway‖ (Last time I checked,

―Even Flow‖ sounds nothing like ―The Sound of Music!‖). Without fail, I found

that instructors were simply teaching variations of Classical technique.

Unfortunately, this the dead end innumerable singers face in the quest for

getting the sound they want with healthy technique. In this situation, a huge discrepancy remains between what a student aspires to learn and what they end

up learning—it‘s a shame really. But by chance, I heard of Maestro David P.

Kyle who had taught some of my idols how to sing. A light bulb went on inside

my head, I thought of some of my favorite singers. If they had a teacher, then

this aggressive of an approach could be taught. He passed away before I could

beat down his door, but through following his trail I found TVS.

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What first struck me about TVS was the fact that I didn‘t have to explain (or

worse yet, justify) where I wanted to go artistically. On the contrary, facilities I

knew that this studio was something different. Instead of the typical student,

teacher, piano format, I was in the element working with a full P.A., voice

processing, and microphone while on stage. Working with the tools of the trade

makes the training relevant – what you learn centers around practical application. Immediately upon entering, I was respected as an artist, which I

believe to be integral in building the singer. The attitude starkly contrasted my

experience of the voice student lingering as a musical peon until Maestro deems

otherwise. My first lesson was a musical awakening; I learned a completely

different way of using my voice – methods I had never touched upon in the

Classical world – at last! And unlike the competitive nature of the Classical

world (to be fair I think that competition in the specific realm is perfectly

legitimate, but not always conductive to learning), at TVS I encountered unique

community of vocalists who support each other‘s art on and off stage. Some of

the best singers I‘ve heard, famous or not, train on this stage.

Though often labeled as the wayward child of the vocal world – understandably

so to a degree as I don‘t know of any opera singers who stage dive or incite mosh pits – rock singers don‘t get nearly enough respect. I‘m comfortable

arguing that the techniques we use are among the most complicated and

demanding of any vocal pursuit. That‘s not including the added feat of putting

the work in context: performing on stage with ear-splitting volume among other

challenges that simply aren‘t an issue for other genres. This type of singing

requires unflinching dedication. But I‘ve found that the reward is immeasurable:

the voice transforms into a formidable instrument. For myself and countless

others, training here has meant incredible vocal freedom. Through diligence I‘ve

been able to do things with my voice that I didn‘t know were possible. And so

will you.

Sydni Indiman

TVS Screaming Pillar

ROBERT LUNTE: BIOGRAPHY & CREDENTIALS

Initially inspired by artists such as Steve Perry, Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson

and Geoff Tate; Robert Lunte sought a voice teacher who understood the

techniques required to sing with hyper-extended range and power. The pursuit

led Robert to eventually meet the legendary Maestro David P. Kyle of Seattle,

WA.

Maestro David Kyle taught for over 25 years in New York, 4 years in San

Francisco and nearly 30 years in Seattle. He was the preeminent private coach

for rock and metal singers of the 70s, 80s and 90s; artists such as, Geoff Tate

from Queensryche, Ann Wilson from Heart, Chris Cornell from Soundgarden &

Layne Staley from Alice in Chains are just of few of his accomplished students.

Robert‘s home base for his own vocal studio is in Seattle, WA. So named The

Vocalist Studio (TVS), the technique is inspired by Maestro Kyle. The cutting-edge strategy of TVS incorporates positive mental imagery, training with

amplification, and developing head registers, so singers learn to bridge the path

from chest to head voice with pop sensibility and metal edge. Robert Lunte

continues the Maestro‘s legacy, pushing the envelope by incorporating new

ideas and research into the TVS techniques and knowledge base.

Robert received a BA in Business/Industry and Vocal performance from the

University of Miami. He trained with the talented artist and teacher Dr. David

Alt. The Classical training provides Robert a perspective on how to incorporate

modern techniques in a cohesive manner. Robert founded The Vocalist Studio™

in 1994.

Key to TVS is teaching vocalists to ―bridge & connect‖. Modern singers develop strength and coordination to seamlessly present a full voice from the

chest into their head register and enable a 4 to 5 octave range. Singers develop

incredible power, and the freedom from the tension that can happen when

transitioning through vocal bridges from the chest to head register. TVS is

recognized as one of the leading contemporary studios in the world for their

expert training in any genre, especially the modern vocalist looking to develop a

rock/pop style.

To assist vocalists who cannot train privately in Seattle, WA, or enhance their

personal lessons, Robert and his elite vocal athletes, ―The Screaming Pillars‖,

have produced a detailed book, CD and DVD training system called, ―The Four

Pillars of Singing: Definitive Techniques For The Modern Vocalist‖. TVS is also pioneering real-time training over the Internet via web cam media delivery,

and offers regular ―Training Vocal Athletes‖ workshops in Europe, making the

technique accessible to an International market of singers and voice enthusiasts.

Robert Lunte is also the founder and CEO of The Modern Vocalist.com, an

interactive website that offers members a cutting-edge social network that

connects vocalists, musicians and lovers of the voice with subject matter

experts. The Modern Vocalist.com is the only international social network

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community exclusively dedicated to singers. Robert was also the Director of the

TC-Helicon Voice Council whose mission is to produce educational content for

singers about voice technique and technology. Robert is an active member of

The Voice Foundation, the world‘s oldest organization leading in voice

medicine, science, and education.

MAESTRO DAVID P. KYLE QUOTATIONS

―Good singers sing and listen, Great singers listen, then sing‖

―Good speech is half sung, but good singing is not half spoken.‖

―Wear the world like a loose garment. Don‘t let it tighten in on you.‖

―Suppose you were learning to drive a car. Would it be better to learn on a road

with no obstructions?‖

―Every negation is a blessing in disguise.‖

―The art of the art is the art that conceals the art.‖

―He who would know aught of art must first learn and then take his ease.‖

―When you open up you should be able to see light from both ends.‖

―Feel like you are singing with your whole body.‖

―Your reflexes respond to your image.‖

―The reflexes respond to the imagination.‖

―Listen away from yourself.‖

―Sing on the balls of your feet, like the American Indian.‖

―Burn Bridges and don‘t look back.‖

―Listen away from yourself, right out into the auditorium.‖

―Singing is both a science and an art. All art is all imagination and you cannot

fix that.‖

―You have to believe you will receive before you receive and then you will get

it.‖

―Visualize you are already what you want to be. Act as if you are that, and you

will become it.‖

―If you always notice what you are while trying to get there, you‘ll never get there.‖

―Start as if the sound begins before the breath.‖

―The end is in the beginning, and the beginning is in the end.‖

―It‘s not a game I‘m playing! If you think that you‘re short changing yourself.‖

―People don‘t get tired of their work; they get tired of the resistance to their

work.‖

―Forever diet the voice. Diet the voice; diet the mind; diet the spirit; diet

everything but your income!‖

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―Feel like your whole self is all a part of the sound, like the full violin is just

vibrating.‖

―Imagine the sound you want, picture the sound you want.‖

―Open up the entire body and see the light through both ends!‖

―Breath, pause, release the jaw, visualize the sound you want, and sing to the

back of (Carnegie Hall).‖

―We don‘t let attitudes control us, we control them!‖

―Only babies are victims of moods!‖

―Let the sound flow right over the roof of the mouth into the masque.‖

―Bowels up, vowels forward.‖

―Some day you‘re going to stand up and say, ‗This is me‘ and go!‖

―We tend to become as we act.‖

―Attitude is everything in everything.‖

―Every time you find your thinking going to the strain or the resistance,

immediately create mentally the sound that you want, hear what you want.‖

―And remember you have a beautiful voice. At your worst you sound better

than many of them at their best!‖

―Just don‘t sound like everyone else!‖

―And tell it your singing marvelous, you‘re singing wonderfully!‖

―Sing Away from yourself, to something‖

―Listen, then sing!‖

―Way to go Baby!‖

Robert lunte Quotations

―Lighter, Brighter, Wider!‖

―Finesse‘ and Press‖.

―Singers are floppy…‖

―When training, channel Steve Perry…‖

―Light Mass Onsets begets Light Mass Phonations‖

―… A little Fry/Cry, Cry/Fry in the morning…‖

―Create the illusion to the audience, that your singing in your chest voice‖

―Silence the Noise, put your face to the wind, sing out to your future‖

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MAESTRO DAVID P. KYLE LECTURE

Those sounds which seem to ring the most are usually the best. Those which

seem the roundest are usually the best. Those which seem to resonate are

usually the best. Those which seem to echo are usually the best. So listen out

into the theatre and see if they are echoing, and if they are round, and they are

resonant. Connect your notes and don‘t be afraid.

There are two kinds of stars. There are ―stars‖ and there are ―superstars.‖ The

star no matter how he tries he just can‘t seem to become a superstar. He‘s great,

great, great, great, but along comes a Caruso, or a Lanza, or a Gigli, and he can‘t

quite get over the hurdle. It‘s because of one simple thing. The star sings, and

when he‘s singing he listens to himself; and while he‘s listening he shapes it;

and he opinionates it; and he shapes it around. If it isn‘t round enough he

rounds it more. And that sounds logical doesn‘t it? It‘s wrong! The superstar pictures the sound and knows what he wants to hear before he makes it!

Singing is more the concept than anything. If we‘ve got the right idea, then the

muscles as they train more and more they become like a reflex and the reflexes

respond to the image. Even if you‘re trained beautifully and your image is a fear

that you haven‘t got high notes and it‘ll never get there the reflexes won‘t

respond no matter how well trained you are. The epitome of it is you can say

singing is absolutely mental. In the process of getting to realize that you have to

take a lot of physical steps before you begin to see it, but it is true!

The singer has to be in the consciousness and the mood. How does one establish

a consciousness and a mood? You tend to become as you act. So if you pretend

and try to get your feelings to act as you think they would act if you were doing it, then you‘re getting in the consciousness. But if our consciousness is only on

body and physical things then our mind is trapped in matter. And that is disaster

and death!

When a ballet dancer is spinning around and around he has to find a spot way

out there at the back of the theatre. And with his imagination‘s eye he has to see

that spot. Every time he spins around he‘s got to see that spot. If he doesn‘t he

loses his sense of balance. So singers like Pavarotti and those singers at the Met

have to picture a spot way out at the back of the auditorium and mentally every

sound soft or loud goes right there.

Never tell a singer he‘s sharp or flat. Because if you tell them they‘re flat they

try to make it sharp. If you tell them sharp then they try to make it flat, and that spoils it too. The best thing to do is to tell the singer he‘s out of tune because

then he has to listen. Because it‘s his lack of listening that causes it.

It‘s the subconscious that grows the voice. The subconscious mind thrives on

praise. So when you‘re singing well, tell it so! Just like the soul thrives on

beauty, the subconscious thrives on praise. And the whole nervous system, if

you put doubt to it, it cringes. Confidence is to ―confide‖ in yourself. So people

that haven‘t confidence have confided in themselves all the time that they think

they haven‘t got it. They keep confiding to their inner self doubts and fears and

so the poor little thing in there just cringes. But you shouldn‘t confide in it

telling it you‘re doing great when it isn‘t! There‘s a difference. But for every

bit of improvement, every bit of flowing ness, every bit of beauty, you give it

full recognition.

The voice resonates in different areas of the body. The lower and middle notes are (in the chest). As we start getting further up the registers of the voice, then

the sound begins to go into different areas, into the head. As it goes further and

further and further and further and further and further (up into the head) to the

performer (you) it begins to sound like its getting thinner and thinner and thinner

and thinner and thinner until it almost becomes almost inaudible to you because

the auditory nerves are located (at the ears) and they are used to hearing only our

speech and lower areas. When it begins to bypass then our hearing is not aware

of the overtones. Since we are not aware of it we try to save ourselves and pull

it down where we can hear it, and there comes the fight. Now as the singer

trusts it more and more and more and he gets into those areas, then little by little

as he trusts them he begins to gain the awareness of those overtones. You can‘t

learn them; you have to become aware of them. Much like suppose a man was a coal miner and he worked under ground eight, ten, twelve hours a day and then

went home and worked and worked and then one day he went to a concert hall

and heard a violinist play. If he‘s not used to hearing it, then to him the violin is

just a scratch box. It‘s nothing but noise and distortion. It‘s not that he doesn‘t

have the hearing, but his hearing is not aware of the overtones.

It‘s very much like, for instance in Carnegie Hall when you stand there to sing,

and the singer performing doesn‘t hardly hear himself. The sound all leaves and

goes way out there and then it comes back almost like remote control. The

singer, because he has the microphone he holds it there, because he thinks the

louder he hears it the better it must be doing. That is not true. More times than

not, that which is smallest to you is biggest to your listener, and that which is biggest to you is smallest to your listener. It‘s almost like lighting. If you stand

on the stage and the flood lights are all down on top of you the lights are bright,

bright. But on the other hand if it‘s a spotlight it‘s small here but the further you

get away from it (if it is projected right) the wider the picture, so small to you

and big out there. But because we are self conscious, and we‘re listening inside

of ourselves and we‘re locked up inside ourselves we hold everything here

thinking, ―Well that‘s good, that‘s good‖ but it‘s all anchored. Let it leave like

that.

It‘s not the volume that I‘m talking about. I‘m talking about the overtones, the

resonance, the projection. Otherwise it‘s just the same as the violinist who

thinks the harder he saws on the strings the more sound he is getting. That‘s not

the idea. He shouldn‘t be listening with this ear. He should be listening out here and hear his sound spinning way out in the hall.

High notes are very much like a ballet dancer learning to spin on his toes. You

have to coach him, instruct him. Then when he gets his sense of equilibrium

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and balance then he‘s got it. It isn‘t something he learns, he discovers it. And

he begins to see it, and then it is his. But he can‘t get home just by stretching on

his toes and trying to stand on his toes or he‘ll break his foot.

In other words, no matter who the singer is, Geoff Tate or Terry Young or any

of those singers, at least 75-80% of their practice should be in the lower registers

and then maybe 15-20% in the other. The tree does not depend on the highest branches, it depends on its roots. But all the singers want all the branches but

they don‘t want to build the roots, but they do!

Any interferences of any sort, don‘t ever be afraid of them, be glad for them,

because that‘s the only way you learn. If everything goes smooth all the time

what kind of an experienced singer are we going to be? The wonderful thing is

that each thing you get over, as a rule, you don‘t have to face those things again.

An actor in control of his own attitudes is in control of the part, the play, and the

audience. A singer in control of his own attitudes is in control of his voice, the

performance, and the audience. An individual in control of his own attitudes is

in control of his own life.

We always start with the humming because we are trying to get the breath which

is the support, the voice which is the noise maker, and the resonance to integrate.

The less body conscious the singer is the better, listen to the buzz of the tone,

listen to the resonance, listen to the quality. Don‘t keep trying to see how it

feels in the throat, and how it feels in the mouth, and how it feels in there.

That‘s your mind stuck in your body. Try to get your mind right out of your

body and put it on the qualities of the sound.

Say ―Sing out,‖ ―Ring them bells,‖ ―Mama makes ice cream many times,‖

―Spring is coming in England.‖ Those are your models for your speech.

When we have allergies and tonsillitis problems and pharyngitus problems then

our nervous system and our muscular system become educated to the problem.

Long after the problems are cleared up the habits of the muscular system and the nervous system remember. And in remembering they recreate similar

symptoms, until we are confused whether we have gotten rid of the original

allergies or not. When we know this, we are patient, and as long as we do what

is right in our singing and our habits then the old way will gradually fade away.

―We may be done with the past, but the past is not done with us.‖ As you re-

educate and keep yourself on the right level then little by little the mind will

forget, and then we will say we are cured!

What alters it is not trying to correct the negative. That‘s where it‘s wrong. The

affirmative position automatically erases the negation. Suppose a person had a

lawn and the lawn was full of clover, which are weeds, and the fellow said, ―I‘m

going to tear up all those weeds‖ (the negation) ―out of the lawn.‖ He goes out

there and he starts pulling the clover out, and pulling it out, and getting rid of it. He feels great, he‘s getting rid of all of the negatives! Then when he gets half

way through the job and looks back the clover is more! It‘s more! And more!

The harder he tries to clear the negation out the more negatives he gets! The

world would like to have us thinking if you have negation (and we all have it in

one form or another) all you have to do is kick it out. You can‘t kick it out.

What do you do? Feed the grass! That‘s the positive. Keep feeding the grass,

and it will push the other out. Light dispels darkness. So when you find yourself faced with these little suggestions tell yourself, ―I know that I‘m

better,‖ ―I know that I‘m cured,‖ ―I know that it‘s improved,‖ because then you

are watering the grass. I don‘t say that there are not weeds there. But handling

the weeds will only give you more weeds.

The convex of what we said earlier is also true. When you‘ve learned

something well and you‘ve been trained right that never slips. You never lose it.

It‘s like a person that has perfect manners, they may move away from those

manners for two or three years, but when they are back in the right atmosphere it

is right there.

Ninety percent of the things that interfere are NOT noticeable to your audience,

so don‘t start getting a conscience. If everyone on stage bothered with

everything that happened to them they would all have a heart attack before the day was over.

About the m-i-m-e-m-a-m-o-m-u-m w/counting 7, 9, 11, 15, and 21 exercise, the

most complete of all the exercises. If I could do only one vocal exercise it

would be that one, because it entails everything. There‘s no way to strain the

throat; no way to strain the voice. Whatever strain is all upon the abdomen, the

diaphragm, the intercostals muscles. There‘s no way to strain the throat.

Trust it, it will be there. I wouldn‘t assign something to you (that you could not

do). I don‘t experiment. I don‘t have to experiment. In other words, if I assign

a note that means it is in your voice. You have to trust that. I don‘t say to

myself ―Well, I‘ll try another one and see if it‘s there.‖ I know that it‘s there or

I wouldn‘t be working at it.

If it doesn‘t come the first time or the second, don‘t do it over and over again.

Otherwise, the human mind has a habit of always remembering the disaster, and

when we go for it we picture the disaster and then it keeps making it worse. If it

doesn‘t come, then just wipe the brain clean, go as far as it‘s comfortable and

then try the next one. If it doesn‘t come right then and there then try again later

in the day.

I‘ve explained the principal of how muscles are developed? Like a long

distance runner, suppose he is used to running six miles a day. Then one day he

should force himself to run seven miles. Then after doing that he shouldn‘t run

for two days. The next day he should run, but he should run the same seven

miles, not six again. Because when he runs the seven that‘s a strain and it

causes a deterioration of the cells in the muscles. After that assault the body will build up a resistance in case of another assault. If you rest it for two days the

resistance will get strong enough. However, you have to do the same thing so it

17

will stay there. Supposing the first day you ran the seven miles, that‘s

deterioration. The next day you run the same seven miles, that would be

deterioration on top of deterioration, and then it‘s a downhill procedure. That

very basic principal runs through all the things we do vocally or muscularly in

any way. So all assaults are not bad as long as we take the time afterwards to let

the resistance build up to that.

Imagination is the key to it all. The reflexes respond to the image. Picture you

are in Carnegie Hall or the Paramount. Ignore the rest.

In my early days of studying, very early days, I used to leave my teachers studio

and I used to sit on the hydrant a half a block from the studio. I couldn‘t move!

Almost week in and week out he used to say in the middle of the lesson ―Aren‘t

you tired?‖ and I‘d shake my head.

The subconscious mind of man, the emotions, and his spirit THRIVE on

appreciation, compliments, and affirmations. They CRINGE under criticism,

doubt, fear, and mistrust. Like if you‘re singing wonderful and I tell you you‘re

singing wonderful and you say ―but I could do better,‖ the ―I could do better‖

makes it cringe.

I have more trouble with people‘s names. I‘m much better, I‘ve improved. See, for years and years I had three secretaries and Mr. Miller. They handled

everything for me. When I used to lecture in Carnegie or conduct and all that,

one of them would stand on my right or my left and people would come up and

they‘d whisper ―this is Ron Thompson,‖ and I‘d say ―Hi, Ron!‖ like a politician

you know. I didn‘t even bother to try to remember people‘s names. You see I

always had prompters with me every day. In my studios I used to handle two

thousand pupils a week at least! I used to have classes of two or three hundred

in a class. I used to teach from six or seven in the morning ‗til twelve or two the

next morning, every day of the week. I had phones all over the place. They

used to set the classes up like I‘d have a class here, and then I‘d have an

interview in the other office, like a doctor going from one room to another. All enterprises have management systems. This was all my own. It was marvelous

for 32 years. What a setup! When I tell people I‘m retired they don‘t know

what I‘m talking about. This is just lovely! What I‘m trying to say is, I‘m not

trying to be a big-wig; I forfeited my memory for names, you see, because I just

gave up. I didn‘t realize that I gave up. I didn‘t even try. I never wrote

anything, I never even signed my name for about twenty, twenty-five, or thirty

years. So when I gave all that up I was quite set back! I didn‘t realize, I had

gained so much, and on the other hand lost certain little things which were quite

amazing.

THE MODERN VOCALIST

This book is a training system for training the contemporary vocalist. The

techniques, scales, and methodology practiced at The Vocalist Studio are a

system to train any voice for any genre. The Four Pillars of Singing: Definitive

Techniques for the Modern Vocalist addresses the fundamentals of vocal

respiration, new innovative laryngeal configurations, bridging the Passaggio,

and building a resonant tone through the entire spectrum of the vocal instrument

providing complete freedom throughout a four to five octave range.

From my experience as an artist and teacher, I absolutely believe that any

vocalist that can achieve the athletic feats demonstrated by the trained

contemporary vocalist that know these extreme singing techniques will have

developed the muscle memory and strength to command total creative control in

any genre.

The trained extreme vocalist drives the human voice to its performance

envelope. Common applications include: transporting high volumes and high

velocities of air through the vocal tract, excessive melodies that require

Passaggio bridging, maintaining vocal fold adduction with smooth bridging in

all the vocal registers, extraordinary head voice development, extreme scream

pitch (ESP), and extreme screaming distortion (ESD). Extreme singing training

is to the vocal artist as running sprints are to a track athlete. These vocalists are

the Olympic athletes of voice.

The modern vocalist is commonly overlooked by mainstream genres and

misunderstood or snubbed by many traditional practitioners. Yet today‘s

modern vocalist faces the task requiring them to execute extremely complex technical applications and vocal tricks that, until recent history, were not

attempted. Consequentially, the applications referred to in this book may be

new to many ears that have not heard or had the fortune of exposure to them.

Some early pioneers that utilized these vocal applications were Ian Gillan (Deep

Purple) and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin). These early screamers inspired the

next generation, vocalists such as Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Bruce Dickinson

(Iron Maiden), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Ray Alder (Fates Warning), and

James LaBrie (Dream Theater) to name a few, who took the art form to a new

level of precision. Today the art form lives on. Further refining and exploring

these techniques is a new generation of voice pedagogues and artists who care

about their craft, demonstrating an increasing amount of technical skill and musicality.

19

The Vocalist Studio in Seattle, WA

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

Contemporary genres have cultivated a 21st century approach to using the voice.

One that is healthy, disciplined, and breaking new ground in the areas of increasing

range, maximizing potential in the head voice, and inventing new creative vocal

applications.

THE MODERN VOCAL APPLICATION

While many modern vocalists have thorough vocal training, information

available to the average vocal student that properly explains modern vocal

technique has been painfully limited. However, new voice pedagogy is

demystifying the methods used in modern singing. On the front lines of this

new breed of teacher, is the work of Robert Lunte, founder of The Vocalist

Studio (TVS) in Seattle Washington. At TVS, student‘s train on a live

performance stage, utilize amplification, and master the following modern vocal

applications.

BBRRIIDDGGIINNGG TTHHEE PPAASSSSAAGGGGIIOO

The Passaggio (an Italian word meaning passage) is the range of notes that

denote a change from chest to head voice. Trained singers work to create the

illusion the chest and the head voices are a single seamlessly connected voice.

Under-trained voices will ―break‖ or ―yodel‖ at the Passaggio as the voice

cannot handle the increased tension that result as pitch ascends.

AADDDDUUCCTTIIOONN IINN TTHHEE HHEEAADD VVOOIICCEE

Adduction is the process of bringing the vocal folds together. In the context of

the modern vocalist, we are concerned with training the muscles that control

adduction and maintain adduction throughout the entire spectrum of the

vocalists range. Adduction is essential as the vocalist bridges the Passaggio and

enters the head voice. The artistic objective is to develop a resonant ―cut‖ and to

have a full voiced texture in tone, in what would otherwise be Falsetto. This is

achieved by calibrating respiratory velocity with Pharyngeal contractions.

VVOOCCAALL FFLLAAGGEEOOLLEETT OORR WWHHIISSTTLLEE RREEGGIISSTTEERR

The flageolet or whistle register is the highest register of the human voice. It

refers to pitches above E6 on the piano. The ability to produce pitches in this

range is rare and requires a great deal of expertise. However, pitches in the

flageolet register around E4 and E5 are commonly utilized in Rock and Metal genres for singing expressive musical punctuation.

VVOOCCAALL GGRROOTTTT

Raspy vocal sounds are a popular texture and are pervasive in the Rock genre.

These sounds, referred to as Grott, are fundamentally a distortion of the vocal

folds induced by laryngeal gripping. Grott requires proper training to enable the

modern vocalist control of this application for effect without damaging the delicate vocal folds and laryngeal muscles.

EEXXTTRREEMMEE SSCCRREEAAMMIINNGG

Extreme screaming is when the vocal folds produce dist sounds caused by

excessive velocities of air to create an excessive amount of Grott. Extreme

screaming can be dangerous; however, there are innovative techniques to train

21

the modern vocalist how to get this effect without neither developing nodules

[read calluses] nor straining so hard that the vocalist ―snaps‖ their Cricothyroid

muscle.

VVIIBBRRAATTOO

Vibrato is an effect where the voiced frequency quickly oscillates over a small

distance. It creates a natural chorusing on the vocal tone. Vibrato is often

naturally expressed do to a balance in support, an exact equilibrium of airflow is

achieved in the vocal tract. Vibrato used in classical voice is not necessarily a

derivative that modern vocalists utilize, thus it is a modern application, but not a

modern innovation.

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The TVS Method is a voice training methodology that at its core pushes the

envelope of what can be done with the human voice.” At The Vocalist Studio we

train vocal athletes for real world applications; we equip vocalists with the tools and

knowledge they need to have a singing voice that can produce near super human

capabilities.

MODERN APPLICATIONS VS THE CLASSICAL TRADITION

The first formal voice lesson experience of the majority of students is from a

pedagogy rooted in the Classical tradition. Given that Classical influenced voice

pedagogy is so pervasive in society, why does the Classical approach fall short

of solving the needs of the modern vocalist? Here are some thoughts on how

modern pedagogy is different from the Classical tradition and why the modern

vocalist is best served through modern techniques.

1. There are several technical reasons for this:

The Classical tradition is weightier, which further impedes extending range into

the head voice. The modern vocalist is better served by singing with a slightly

raised larynx and learning to produce pharyngeal sounds.

The Classical tradition ignores training head voice skills for men. Most classical

voice teachers simply do not know how to because head voice adduction is unknown for men in the Classical tradition (the rare exception being

―countertenors‖ who use the head voice more than usual to sing a higher range

than the typical Classical male voice). A countertenor trains himself to adduct

the vocal cords, similar to the Rock and Metal vocalists, but with significantly

less pharyngeal contraction.

The Classical tradition trains women to use breathy, ―choir girl‖. timbres in the

head voice, instead of training vocal fold adduction and pharyngeal contractions.

The Classical tradition neither teaches nor accepts Grott in the vocal sound.

2. Every year thousands of University educated musicians graduate with degrees

in music education and vocal performance. Many of these graduates teach voice

as their vocation. For every great private voice fortunate enough to learn a modern vocal technique to share with their students, there are a hundred that

learned their skills and developed their attitudes about singing from the Classical

pedagogy. Consequentially, just by the sheer weight of numbers, there is a huge

resource of people teaching voice that are Classically oriented.

3. The artistic and performance values are vastly differ for vocalists in these two

genres. The Classical artist trains to sing the richest and fattest overtones they

can possibly produce. They do not ―break the rules‖ or sacrifice tone for tricky

―stunts‖ involving the head registers. The Classical vocalist also holds high

value in the pursuit of preserving and accurately interpreting ancient music for

an audience with high regard for performing what the composer intended. This

results in the audience being more academically critical of the singer's performance and therefore the Classical vocalist must adhere to a rigid set of

technical and performance expectations. On the other hand, the modern vocalist

is most likely working with original compositions in an uncontrolled,

spontaneous environment where freedom and expression make up a large part of

their performance values. For the modern vocalist, the mission is simply to do

whatever it takes to ―shock and awe‖ a modern audience, whose expectation is

23

to be impressed with new ideas and sounds. The artistic objectives pursued by

these two vocal artists and the audience expectations are worlds apart.

You can find a teacher in every major city in the United States advertising voice

lessons. Chances are these instructors are teaching their students habits that at

best would only serve their students at a Classical recital, choral group, or

possibly a musical theater production. Too many Classically oriented teachers are providing a service to their students that ―ram-rod‖ their biased perspectives,

then when questioned insist that their way is the ―only way.‖ Unfortunately, an

elitist attitude is at play in these cases.

From my first hand experience, a student is not likely to find many teachers

serving at today‘s Universities that ―get it” or are even open minded enough to

try. It is my opinion that this attitude has truly become a sad affair, as this is

preventing influential institutions from embracing important innovations that

could be passed on to students. They are denying the student relevant and

applicable tools that would enable their students to be more versatile and better

prepared for performing in genres outside of the very narrow confines of the

Classical art song. Shame!

Before I wrap up this chapter, I want to clearly state that for the record, I love Classical vocal music and have an enormous amount of respect for artists who

practice this genre. I studied Classical technique for solo voice and was a

member of a concert choir for four years at the University of Miami in Coral

Gables, Florida. I always enjoyed the beauty of singing this ancient music.

Great art songs and aria have measures of sophistication in their melody that not

heard in modern music. It is hard to beat the level of beauty or the experience of

being part of a performance of Carl Orff‘s ―Carmina Burana,‖ or John Rutter‘s

―Requiem‖ with a group of fifty to sixty blended voices.

From a technical perspective, there are fundamentals that can be learned from

Classical singing lessons that benefit the modern vocalist such as: developing

proper breathing habits, an appreciation and skill for text interpretation, singing proper vowels, and approaching music with academic discipline and

professionalism. Classical vocal artists should be honored for their dedication to

preserving this ancient art form and their keen musicianship admired. However,

step outside the protective environment of the conservatory and you will find

there is a multi-dimensional world of colors and innovation that is being

completely ignored.

Many teachers of Classical voice are failing their students. They don‘t listen to

or understand the modern vocal genre or techniques and worse, they are

unwilling to recognize its merits. Such ignorance contributes to an endless cycle

of frustrated students who can clearly hear in their music collections that there is

merit to the modern genre, but fail to locate a teacher to help them learn the

modern techniques.

Classical Countertenor, Werner Lamm, and Rock vocalist, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) may have

more in common in the way they use their head voice registers than either one of them would care to

admit.

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The Classical method will only frustrate modern vocalists, especially in the Rock

and Metal genres. Classical techniques were developed for very different

applications, for a different genre, and appeal to an audience with different

expectations. Classical singing has its place and will persevere in all of its elegance

and beauty, but the elitist attitude of many of its teachers are providing a disservice

to people whom desire to sing in other styles. If you are one of these student singers,

take comfort in knowing you do not have to hurl 16th

century techniques at 21st

century applications! There is a better way!

25

THE SINGING VOICE VS THE SPEAKING VOICE

At The Vocalist Studio, we do not ―warm up‖ our voices, more accurately, we

―get into our singing voices.‖ If vocalists want to achieve a profound increase in

range and enjoy overtones with freedom from gripping and physical ticks, the

modern vocalist must learn how to get into his/her "singing voice" and get out of

the speaking voice. The speaking voice and all the bodily responses that

produce speech are not a platform for producing the singing voice.

When a singer lacks the knowledge of proper voice technique, the brain will

send creative commands from the right brain that cannot be executed because

there simply is no learned behavior or coordinated muscle memory response to

drive the singing voice. When this happens, an internal battle between the well-

intended signals of the right brain and the untrained body are out-of-sync. Yet,

―the show must go on‖ and the body responds by hurling the speaking voice at complex melodic ideas that require the muscles normally facilitated for speech

to respond in an extraordinary way they are not prepared to do. Such an

approach is inevitably doomed.

Consider this perspective, the Human larynx evolved to produce speech, not

vocal overtones at excessive volumes definitive of a ―singing voice.‖ Unlike

animals born to produce vocal overtones such as whales and birds, the ability to

produce powerful vocal overtones, thus the ability to project our

communications great distances was never critical to the survival of the human

as it is in animals. Thus, students of singing must expend great amounts of

energy training to facilitate the physics that will transform their bodies into wind

instruments capable of producing overtones at excessive volumes. The process of learning and teaching singing is an abstract endeavor. However, with practice

and physical vocal workouts, the human voice can be trained to produce the

most beautiful overtones of all animals on Earth, transforming a mechanism

facilitated for speech into the most beautiful instrument of all.

It is widely agreed by musicologists and lovers of music from all points of

reference that the human singing voice, when properly aligned, is the most

beautiful and most versatile instrument of all, capable of producing athletic feats

that no other musical instrument can.

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The singing voice and the speaking voice are two very different kinds of vocal

systems. The speaking voice and the physical attributes involved in producing

speech are insufficient to drive the singing voice to support modern vocal

applications. Getting into your singing voice is an abstract art form. Therefore, in

order to train a modern vocalist, we must work to develop new muscle memory

responses as well as increase muscular strength in key areas of the larynx in order

to transform a vocal system evolved to facilitate speech into a system that can sing.

27

THE FOUR PILLARS OF SINGING

The Vocalist Studio has metaphorically divided the physical attributes that must

be coordinated to produce the singing voice into four components. The goal is

remove the abstract from both the learning and teaching processes and

presenting information in a manner easier to comprehend. These four

components of singing are adeptly named ―The Four Pillars.‖

PPIILLLLAARR 11:: RREESSPPIIRRAATTIIOONN

TTHHEE VVOOCCAALL TTRRAACCTT

The singing voice is a wind instrument requiring air to be played. The modern

vocalist must manage inhalation and exhalation of air to properly drive the

singing voice. Regarding good voice technique, it is always emphasized that the

singer needs to isolate the lower respiratory system and gain physical freedom

from muscular gripping and other distracting physical barriers. While this is

very true, it is important to point out one exceptional nuance. In Pillar #1,

respiration, the singing voice gains the energy necessary from support of air through the tract. Breathing originates in the lower respiratory tract, comprised

of the lungs and trachea, powered by contractions from the diaphragm. The

lower respiratory system is the engine that powers the modern vocalist‘s singing

voice.

As a modern vocalist, you must learn to isolate your inhalation and exhalation to

the area below the rib cage in the front, sides and into the back. It is critical the

singer keep his/her musculature above this area relaxed, as tension above the

lower abdominal muscles results in tension creep into the vocal mechanism. If a

trained singer is working hard, a sore abdomen may result from all the

abdominal contractions required to drive the singing voice. Meanwhile the

upper body, namely, the upper torso, shoulders, neck, and face must remain completely relaxed.

As a wind instrument, the modern vocalist must understand some basic physics

at play in producing the modern singing voice. The first one is the study of the

causes and effects of air moving through a tract.

29

The Lower & Upper Vocal Tract

IINNHHAALLAATTIIOONN:: ““HHIIGGHH VVOOLLUUMMEE””

So much about maintaining a good singing voice depends on your ability to

properly manage or to eliminate physical ticks and tension creep which

compromise the singing voice by disrupting the steady flow of air through the

vocal tract.

The first muscle memory / physical habit the singer must develop is learning

how to inhale ―deep and low,‖ isolating all breathing to the area below the rib

cage. Improper, high breathing is best illustrated by the kind of breathing we all

do when we go to the doctor‘s office and asked to ―take a deep breath.‖ Most

people take Herculean breaths, resulting in a raised chest and shoulders. When

singers breath ―high,‖ it significantly decreases the volume of air they are able to inhale; also, it significantly handicaps their ability to generate ample kinetic

energy to engage the physics producing the singing voice (Bernoulli‘s

Principle).

The best way to develop this new breathing muscle memory response is to

watch yourself in the mirror while you slowly take deep and low breaths. As

you inhale, you can help facilitate a deep breath that is isolated below the rib

cage by pushing your stomach out as you inhale. This will create a vacuum and

train the body to put the air into the lower parts of the lungs instead of filling the

upper regions of the lung and chest. When done properly, you should feel

expansion into the lower back. Put the tips of your fingers on your lower back

verify you feel expansion as you inhale. If you feel expansion, and your upper

chest and shoulders are not moving, you are creating a deep and low breath.

Keep practicing this for several minutes each night in the mirror for several

weeks, and you will begin to develop it. It is a fairly simple muscle memory

skill to develop.

Breathing deep and low enables the modern vocalist to increase the mass of air

they use to blow through their vocal tract. The greater mass of air at your

disposal the more versatility and power you can call upon when you sing.

See TVS Breathing Exercises

VVOOLLUUMMEE

Volume is the mass of air inhaled and moving through the vocal tract.

EEXXHHAALLAATTIIOONN:: ““HHIIGGHH VVEELLOOCCIITTYY””

The exhalation is where you will trigger and execute the physical inertia

required to maintain the air pressure to support the singing voice. High volume

air needs to be launched at high velocities; this support is primarily produced by

contractions from the diaphragm which squeezes the air out of the lungs and

send it on its way through the vocal tract.

Here is a method for developing a strong, supportive exhalation. Make the

sound that an American football quarterback might make as he is getting ready to ―snap,‖ or hike the ball on offense. Vocalize the sound, ―Hut, Hut, Hut‖ as if

you are calling out the play and about ready to hike the ball. Put your finger tips

on your diaphragm and feel how when you say ―Hut,‖ your diaphragm will

assertively produce an inwardly and upwardly contraction. Now try it on a ―Ma,

Ma, Ma.‖ Did you feel the lower abdomen assertively contract again? Did your

diaphragm flex in a quick and asserted manner? If so, that is the idea. Practice

saying, ―Hut, Hut, Hut,‖ and after taking a high volume of air, you will begin to

develop this muscle memory response so that each time you sing a vocal tone in

your workouts, your diaphragm and stomach will have this asserted response.

(Note, for softer, more intimate singing, you may not need this ―snappy,‖

assertive exhalation response from the diaphragm, but we are working out here).

31

VVEELLOOCCIITTYY

Velocity is the rate of speed by which the air moves through the vocal tract.

The “Deep and Low” Inhalation is followed by an assertive exhalation with no movement in the

shoulders or chest at all. Keep it isolated below the diaphragm.

The diaphragm during inhalation and exhalation. Notice the contraction of the diaphragm pushes

on the lungs to propel air through the vocal tract.

Breathing ―high‖ results in two unfavorable outcomes:

Inefficient Breath Support

If the singer can not get enough air to drive the singing voice into the resonators,

resonant tone will fall out of the resonators and dump back into the throat. You

have to have high velocities of air pressure to keep the sound waves placed in

the resonators.

Self-Induced Physical Tension

Breathing high activates the chest, shoulder and neck muscles, which create a lot

of physical tension that will impede the singers ability to be physically relaxed.

Working in concert with the diaphragm, the singer absolutely must learn how to inhale and exhale correctly to drive the physics that will drive the singing voice.

One common misunderstanding that people have about how the vocal folds

work with the vocal tract is that a stream of air is traveling through vocal folds

and continuing into the resonators. This theory is incorrect. Activity inside the

resonators is purely raw sound wave oscillations, but not a stream of gaseous

fluidity (air) as you might imagine.

Understanding that the singing voice and the speaking voice are very different

from each other, it makes sense to conclude that the use of air for each is equally

different. Consider this final point, if I simply let air ―fumble‖ and ―tumble‖ out

of my mouth with the least possible effort, I am essentially facilitating speech.

Speech does not require high volume, high velocity airflow through the tract. Take a moment to consider the amount of air that is moving through your vocal

tract (trachea) when you speak. As you can see, this may be enough to converse

but it is not going to be enough air mass or speed to effectively support modern

applications. The modern vocalist must produce high volumes of air by

mastering coordinated, deep and low, breathing that will then be supported at

high velocities required to drive modern vocal application.

CCAARRDDIIOO VVAASSCCUULLAARR EEXXEERRCCIISSEE

The modern vocalist is literally an athlete in training. There is no doubt that if

cardio vascular exercise has such profound benefits to the respiratory system,

then implementing a regular routine in your vocal training is going to reap

fantastic benefits.

When the heart rate increases for prolonged periods, muscles draw on oxygen in

the blood as well as fats and glucose to build strength in the muscles. Cardio

vascular exercise does not just get you in shape. Like no other form of exercise,

it immediately calls upon the body to work at its performance envelope clarify

―work at its performance envelope‖. This results in very rapid strength building.

In order to endure regular cardio vascular exercise on a regular basis, the body‘s muscles, lungs, diaphragm, and mental focus must improve exponentially.

33

Cardio vascular exercise quickly pushes the body to its performance envelope in

many areas simultaneously.

Benefits to the modern vocalist from regular cardio vascular exercise:

Exponential increase in volume and velocity in the vocal tract.

Exponential increase in lung capacity to maximize vocal sustain and endurance.

Increased coordination of rhythmic breathing.

Strengthening of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm, resulting in more

powerful contractions to move high velocities of air.

Increase in blood flow in and around the larynx, improving the flexibility and response of the vocal folds and CT/TA.

Increase in flexibility.

Increase in the ability to induce deep concentration and meditative states of

mind.

Exponential decrease in body fat, improving appearance and self-esteem.

In order for cardio vascular exercise to be worthy enough for the modern

vocalist to enjoy the benefits, the vocal athlete should maintain an exercise

routine of 30-45 minutes at least 3 to 5 days a week. Running is best because it

makes the body work the hardest, but biking, swimming, and aerobics are also

good.

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

Respiration is the source of the energy that will drive the modern vocalist’s wind

instrument. Achieve proper breathing by producing high volumes and high

velocities of airflow through the vocal tract. Cardio vascular exercise is the best

thing you can maintain a superior respiratory system that provides the fuel and

drive for the modern vocalist.

PPIILLLLAARR 22:: PPHHOONNAATTIIOONN

TTHHEE CCRREEAATTIIOONN OOFF SSOOUUNNDD WWAAVVEESS

Phonation occurs when steady air pressure excites the vocal folds, causing them

to oscillate and produce sound waves. As a wind instrument, the "singing voice"

utilizes the vocal folds located in the larynx to create sound waves, much like a

reed in a reed instrument such as a saxophone Generating sound waves with the

vocal folds is critical because the vibrations can be transported without

interruption and processed to the resonators, thus creating overtones. Let better

understand vibration by reviewing the complex anatomy of the larynx along with some of the delicate membranes and muscles the modern vocalist trains.

TTHHEE VVOOCCAALL FFOOLLDDSS

The vocal folds, which are two muscular membranes that connect from the

inside front to the inside back of the larynx, produce sound waves. The

mechanism is made up of cartilage, ligaments, and muscles that rest on top of the trachea. The vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords, are composed of

twin folds of mucous membranes stretched horizontally across the larynx. They

vibrate, modulating the flow of air being expelled from the lungs during

phonation. The sound of the human voice, no matter what the pitch, is

essentially a lot of small puffs of air, many per second, separated by the closure

(or partial closure) of the vocal folds between each puff of air. However, if

there are enough puffs of air per second, we cannot hear the individual puffs;

instead we perceive a continuous sound.

35

PPHHOONNAATTIIOONN

Phonation is a physiological process where the energy of moving air in the vocal

tract transforms into acoustic energy in the larynx.

TTHHEE VVOOCCAALL MMUUSSCCLLEESS

The two muscles we are concerned with the most as modern vocalists and require strengthening to sing modern ―applications‖ are the Cricothyroid and the

Thyroarytenoid muscles. These are also the muscles controlling the process of

adduction and abduction of the vocal folds.

TTHHEE CCRRIICCOOTTHHYYRROOIIDD MMUUSSCCLLEE ((CCTT))

These are the vocal fold lengtheners. They pull the thyroid cartilage down and

forward on its hinge, increasing the distance between the arytenoids and the thyroid notch (the Adam's Apple), and thereby lengthening and tightening the

vocal folds. This movement causes the folds to vibrate faster, thus raising pitch.

TTHHEE TTHHYYRROOAARRYYTTEENNOOIIDD MMUUSSCCLLEE ((TTAA))

These are the muscles forming the body of the vocal folds themselves. They

shorten the vocal folds by pulling the arytenoids (back) end of the vocal folds toward the thyroid (front) end. This shortens the vocal folds and bunches them

up, which causes them to vibrate more slowly, thus lowering pitch.

The Cricothyroid (CT) & Thyroarytenoid (TA) Muscles These are the muscles moving the vocal folds to enable speech, and move to much greater extremes

and sophisticated coordination for singing.

They are often referred to as the “CT” and the “TA.”

37

Falsetto is not your head voice!

In my experience as a teacher and coach for modern vocalists, I have found that

there are ways to describe or define similar ideas in the language of voice

pedagogy. In a world of differing vocal dialects, the most propagating and

confusing is the notion that the cavities in the head that support resonation is the

―Falsetto‖. Falsetto is a timbre that a vocal artist chooses to use. Falsetto is

physically produced in the head voice; it is not your head voice!

Jaime Vendera called me and asked me to write a piece for his second edition of,

―Raise Your Voice II‖. We agreed, my article should be a spearhead to try to

help people clarify the confusion around the semantics of ―Falsetto‖ and ―head

voice‖. This semantic mess creates distractions that can stop a new singer‘s ability to progress and master the techniques of bridging the Passaggio and

inducing vocal fold adduction. It is driving me crazy just writing about it…!

Let us cut to the chase.

Falsetto is not a place. Falsetto is not a register one sings in. Falsetto is not the

physical cavities in your skull that house the resonators, where high notes

resonate. Falsetto is a timbre. It is a term to describe the sound produced when

the vocal folds are not adducted, causing too much air to pass. When singers

sing in their Falsetto, they are employing a unique stylistic timbre in the head

voice.

The head voice is the physical register where high notes are produced and

resonate. I have observed too often that people refer to the ―Falsetto‖, in the context of the physical placement in the upper vocal track and the resonators.

They really mean to say ―head voice‖.

Do you still question what you learned from your choir teacher years ago? Let

us consider the formal definitions of these vocal terms.

Definition of Falsetto:

singing whereby the tone produced has a light, "head voice" quality; this use of a

"false" voice, which is what the term really means, enables a bass or a baritone

to imitate a female voice, for example.

What we read is, ―singing whereby the tone produced has a light, ―head voice‖

quality…‖ ―Tone‖, is the key word here. This definition properly points out

that Falsetto is defined by its timbre in a stylistic sense.

39

Definitions of head voice or head register:

Singing using the upper range of the voice.

The upper register of the singing voice.

head register: the higher ranges of the voice in speaking or singing; the

vibrations of sung notes are felt in the head.

In this definition, the proper references to ―registers‖, ―ranges‖ and ―…notes

are felt in the head‖ are describing a physical sensation and the infrastructure of

the upper vocal tract.

Figure 1

Falsetto

The vocal folds abduct allowing excess air to

pass and results in a breathy timbre.

Figure 2

Vocal Fold Adduction

The Vocal Folds adduct. The surface area

of vibration when singing in the head voice

shortens.

However, this does not mean singers cannot develop full-voiced tones that

match the palate resonance (chest voice). Show me a singer that does not want

to know how to sing full voiced tones in their head voice registers and ill eat my

microphone! The creative objective is to produce a sound that creates the

illusion to the listener that the upper and the lower voices are one. I am sure we

can all generally agree that this is of critical interest for all singers and is what the audience prefers to hear.

There are two main coordination‘s that must be trained to transcend from

―good‖ singing to ―great‖, from a technical perspective, they are:

Seamless bridging of the Passaggio so that the singer can produce a smooth

transition between the palate resonance (chest voice) and the upper voice

without ―yodeling‖ or ―breaking‖

The ability to induce the process of vocal fold adduction, or ―zip up‖ the vocal

folds to transform Falsetto placements into sounds that have a ―cut‖ and match

the timbre of the palate resonance (chest voice).

At TVS, I refer to these skills as ―bridging and connecting‖. If you can “bridge

and connect‖, you will enjoy freedom of expression and fantastic range of 4-6 octaves!

Let us take a closer look at the actual moving parts and science so we can better

understand and appreciate why ―bridging and connecting‖ is so critical to

modern vocal bliss.

When a singer is singing a Falsetto tone, the vocal folds are blown apart and a

permanent oval orifice is left in the middle between the edges of the two folds

through which excessive volumes of air escape. This is the posture the vocal

folds assume that result in the familiar ―breathy‖ tone associated with Falsetto.

Adduction is the result of the vocal folds coming back together, or ―zipping up‖,

while singing in the head register. Adduction is the shortening of the oval orifice

by bringing approximately 1/3 or more of the vocal folds back together as pitch increases. As there is less area of the vocal fold vibrating, it's much easier for the

folds to vibrate faster.

The body‘s natural posture for vocal tonality in the head register is Falsetto. The

laryngeal responses evolved to assume the Falsetto posture as a means to

prevent laryngeal injuries. One would have to resort to screaming at the top of

their lungs to survive in the early days of mans evolution. Many a pre-historic

hominid may have snapped a tenoid muscle while warning his colleagues to start

moving his feet as a hungry saber-toothed tiger targeted his prey. Apart from

the fact that, meat eating beasts could probably smell early hominids a mile

away.

Fortunately, we no longer only live to survive and can now use the vocal

mechanism in new, artistic ways, such as singing. A vocalist can build the strength and coordination required to produce full-voiced tones in the head voice

41

with a voice teacher who has the experience training bridging and connecting

techniques.

The modern vocalist has two primary tools to use to induce adduction;

Increase respiratory velocity.

Train the ability to induce adduction, or ―zip up‖ the vocal folds to transform

Falsetto tone, into sounds that have ―cut‖ and will match the timbre of the palate resonance (chest voice).

This is the technique used by every great singer that can vocalize extreme,

super-human high notes in their head voice, without sounding Falsetto.

Adduction is the secret.

Modern vocalists require the ability to create the sounds that their music is

requiring. Who would prefer to not have the ability to use 5 octaves and remain

under-utilized, by using only half of their range? Would you rather drive a

Chevy or a Porsche? Bridging and Connecting turbo charges your vocal

abilities and blows people away with amazement and makes you feel super-

human as you are singing.

Forget the notion that some people are born with certain anatomical advantages

that allow them to scream C4, ―face melters‖ and others are not. This is another popular vocal myth that is just completely bunk! From first hand experience,

people can learn to achieve truly amazing vocal stunts, even ―bridging and

connecting‖ with just a little bit of concentration and about 90 days of practice

on the technique. Frankly, the biggest challenge is simply finding the right

teacher that understands these techniques and knows how to train them.

Adduction, extreme screaming, vocal grott and other applications are cutting

edge, 21st century innovations that need to be taught for 21st century genres. Be

weary of 16th century doctrines designed to coach proper interpretation of

ancient music, this will not be your most successful path to modern vocalist

enlightenment. The argument can be simplified by stating that new genre‘s

require cutting edge vocal applications. Cutting-edge vocal applications require legitimate, modern vocal techniques. Look for a voice teacher who lets the

service of helping their clients get the sounds they want to make, lead to push

the boundaries of technique and method. Be weary of ―ivory towers‖ of elitism

that turn their nose up at other genre‘s and cultish vocal organizations that insist

that their method has every answer, for every genre and every application. Most

of all, if someone refers to the head voice as Falsetto in the context of physical

registers and not timbre, run like hell because Falsetto is not the head voice!

AADDDDUUCCTTIIOONN

Key to the issue of vibration is a process called ―adduction‖ and second only to

bridging the Passaggio, adduction is the most critical skill a modern vocalist

must develop-- especially the Rock and Metal ―screamer.‖ Numerous times you

have read about ―adducting in the head voice‖ in this book. As we explore the

merits of vibration, this is the best place to clarify exactly what adduction

means.

Simply stated, adduction is the process of bringing the vocal folds together. The

modern vocalist is concerned about adduction because the vocalist needs the

vocal folds to remain together to create full voiced tones throughout the entire

range and all bridges of the singing voice. The muscles that are most responsible for adduction are the Cricothyroid, the thyro-arytenoids and the pharyngeal

constrictors. Without building strength and coordinating these muscles, the

singing voice will not be able to adduct the vocal folds, leaving the modern

vocalist with the breathy Falsetto tone. (Review the modern vocalist

applications). Developing the coordination and strength of the Cricothyroid,

the thyro-arytenoids and the pharyngeal constrictors to adduct in the head voice, creating

full voiced vocal tones is essential to be able to “torque” or “press” Falsetto

tone into a full voiced tone.

AADDDDUUCCTTIIOONN

Adduction is the process of bringing the vocal folds together to create full voice

tones in the head register.

AABBDDUUCCTTIIOONN

Abduction is the process of opening, or relaxing the vocal folds to induce a

decrease in vocal pitch.

TTHHEE VVOOCCAALL RREEGGIISSTTEERRSS

Vocal registers are differences in voice placement which can be sustained over a range of pitch and loudness. The differences between the various registers are

created by many factors, including the balance between the activity of the

Cricothyroid and the Thyroarytenoid muscles, the balance between adduction

and abduction (closing/opening) of the vocal folds, the amount of the vocal folds

that is in vibration, and the shape of the vocal tract.

Now let us explore how a listener hears the differences between registers, and

how singers create them.

43

This is the Four Registers and Bridges matrix from the training system, ―The

Four Pillars of Singing!‖

Registers III & IV lay in the head voice. Adduction takes place primarily in

Register III and transforms Falsetto tones into full-voiced, adducted tones.

MMUUSSIICCAALL//SSCCAALLEEDD RREEGGIISSTTEERRSS

The following is a matrix of where the four registers, the Passaggio, and the

associated bridges between the registers commonly occur for most voices in the

context of the piano using C4 as middle C for reference:

Men

1st Register

1st bridge ~ around Eb4

(above middle C)

2nd Register

2nd bridge ~ around A4 (above middle C)

“The Passaggio”

3rd Register

3rd bridge ~ around Eb5 (above middle C)

4th Register

Flageolet or ―whistle tones‖

Women

1st Register

1st bridge ~ around Ab4

(above middle C)

2nd Register

2nd bridge ~ around Eb5

(above middle C)

“The Passaggio”

3rd Register

3rd bridge ~ around Ab5

(above middle C)

4th Register

Flageolet or ―whistle tones

45

PPHHYYSSIICCAALL RREEGGIISSTTEERRSS

Often, vocal registers are referred to in a more subjective description, more

related to vocal timbre and where the sound waves are oscillating in the

resonators. Here is the general definition of vocal registers in the context of

timbre and laryngoscope views of the vocal folds.

These photos are really helpful. They show you clearly what adduction looks

like as vocal fold membranes vibrate in each register.

Chest Head Falsetto Flageolet or Whistle

CCHHEESSTT RREEGGIISSTTEERR

Perceived when the timbre is richer or heavier. This quality is produced when

the singer contracts both the CT and TA muscles at the same time but the TA is

more active, thus the folds tend to shorten and produce a lower pitch range. The

overtones are stronger than higher overtones in chest voice and a large amount

of the vocal fold will vibrate. Also, the vocal folds are usually closed through more than half of each cycle of vibration.

HHEEAADD RREEGGIISSTTEERR

Perceived when the timbre is lighter or thinner. Both the CT and TA muscles are

contracted, but the CT muscle predominates. Therefore the range of pitch for

head voice is higher because the folds are lengthened, thinned, and stretched. A smaller portion of the folds is in vibration in head voice. This is the voice that

follows the Passaggio and is where the majority of the modern vocalist‘s work

to develop muscle coordination and strength is concerned. In this visual, the

vocalist is adducting in the head voice, resulting in a full voiced tone. The vocal

folds are ―zipped‖ up about 2/3rds of the length of the vocal folds.

FFAALLSSEETTTTOO

Falsetto is a term commonly used to describe the fluty, often breathy tone

produced in the female head register range by adult males. Females are also able

to produce this timbre, and it is sometimes referred to as the flute register in

females. In this register, the TA muscle relaxes completely, so the length of the

folds depends solely on the degree of contraction in the CT muscle. The folds

are open for a very large portion of each cycle, usually over 70%.

As the modern vocalist ascends in pitch, there will come a point in the scale or

song where the voice begins to tighten so much that it can no longer gracefully

increase pitch. This is the result of the Cricothyroid muscle maximizing its

ability to lengthen the vocal folds. It can only lengthen so far, before the

anatomy of the larynx reaches its performance envelope and ca not lengthen the

vocal folds any further to protect the larynx from damage, the nervous system

will send a response to the larynx to relax the lengthened posture and this is

when the vocalist experiences a bridging to the head voice. For the untrained vocalist, who has not built the muscle memory or strength to induce adduction in

the head voice, a ―break‖ or ―yodel‖ will be the outcome, resulting in the

production of a Falsetto tone.

Most vocalists will agree that the Falsetto has very few practical applications. In

fact, the Falsetto is actually a style of singing, it is not a ―thing‖ clarify thing or

an anatomical component of the singing voice. It‘s a timbre. Too often, people

confuse ―Falsetto‖ with ―Head Voice.‖ Outside of some character voicing and a

few other exceptions for tonal contrast, the use of the Falsetto has little value for

the modern vocalist. Certainly, in my experience as an artist and a teacher of

voice, it is not a sound that anyone is particularly impressed by. Therefore, the

modern vocalist must learn how to turn Falsetto tones into full voiced tones that

can be blended to the chest voice creating the illusion that the chest and head voice are seamlessly connected.

FFLLAAGGEEOOLLEETT OORR WWHHIISSTTLLEE

The highest head tone notes. Notice how the vocal folds are almost completely

―zipped.‖ More common with women, but men can also develop impressive

Flageolet notes. This is an important, modern vocal application found in a lot of Rock and Metal music for punctuation at the end of certain musical passages.

TTHHEE PPAASSSSAAGGGGIIOO

Much has been written about the Passaggio, meaning ―passage‖ in Italian.

Without a doubt, no other challenge that the modern vocalist faces is more

profound and wrought with frustration than how to maneuver around ―the break‖ as it‘s commonly referred to.

The Passaggio is the region that resides between the modern vocalist‘s chest

voice and head voice. The chest voice is where any singer can produce a

powerful sound, and the head voice is where a powerful and resonant sound is

accessible only by training the Cricothyroid muscle to adduct the vocal folds. It

is absolutely critical that the modern vocalist develop the muscle memory

responses to seamlessly bridge the Passaggio on ascending and descending

scales as well as in their music. It can safely be said that great vocal technique is

largely defined by the vocalist‘s ability to properly manage the Passaggio.

Mastery of bridging the Passaggio will open up the entire head voice to the

modern vocalist, is an important part of developing hyper-extended ranges of

over four octaves, as well as eliminating vocal gripping and tension around the larynx.

47

The frequency of oscillation, F0, is the number of back-and-forth movements made per second.

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The 2nd pillar concerns itself with the intricate “moving parts” responsible for

producing sound waves. The vocal folds are the primary organ that produces sound

waves while the Cricothyroid and Thyroarytenoid muscles are the outer muscles

that lengthen and relax the vocal folds during the process of increasing or

decreasing vocal pitch. As such, it is critical that through extensive vocal work-outs,

the modern vocalist develops new levels of coordination and strength in these

“moving parts” so that they can maintain a steady vibration through each vocal

register. The key to the success of maintaining vocal fold vibration in the head voice

and flageolet registers is the process of bringing the vocal folds together and not

letting them assume a Falsetto posture. This process is called adduction. Together

with the ability to seamlessly bridge through the Passaggio, the break between the

chest and head voice, these two skill sets are arguably the most important

techniques to master as a modern vocalist. Mastery of these skills will require the

most work, but will return the greatest benefits to the modern vocalist.

PPIILLLLAARR 33:: RREESSOONNAATTIIOONN

PPRROODDUUCCIINNGG OOVVEERRTTOONNEESS

Of all the ―Pillars,‖ the 3rd Pillar is where most of the magic happens. It is

where the speaking voice and singing voice transcend. Resonation is also where

sound waves are processed from the vocal folds, producing overtones.

Previously, we discussed the physical properties of air through a tract. Now let‘s

review the physical properties and the process of creating overtones.

OOVVEERRTTOONNEESS

Overtones are the spectrum of the higher-pitched frequencies that accompany

the fundamental (root note) of any pitch and will determine its tone color They

are formally defined as, Tones of higher pitch that are present in every musical

sound and whose presence determines the quality, or some believe, the measure

of beauty in a musical sound…Or, the spectrum of the higher-pitched

frequencies that accompany the fundamental of any pitch and determine its tone color.

Overtones give an ordinary sound aesthetic beauty or qualities perceived to be

pleasant to the human ear. Dogs barking and ordinary speech lack sufficient

overtones to make any aesthetic impression to the listener… violin strings,

plucked guitars and trained singers all share a common quality: the production

of overtones. This is the main reason the sound waves created by these

instruments sound ―good. It is interesting to also point out that overtones are the

physical properties that allow whales to communicate through miles of ocean,

birds to communicate through miles of forest and, if trained… singers to be

heard to the top of the most distant Mezzanine deck of an arena or to back of a

loud noisy club, regardless of how obnoxiously noisy the band is. Vocalists who

produce overtones can project, be heard, and be felt. Their voices simply are beautiful and powerful.

Singers that can‘t produce overtones are not into their true singing voices and

are always struggling to be heard, regardless if their volume knobs go to ―11‖ on

the PA system. This is the result of something not being coordinated: not enough

air velocity, pulling the tongue back, not opening the mouth and ―lifting‖ the

check muscles to open the sinuses more, or failing to coordinate the first three

pillars in their warm ups, to name just a few. When a singer knows how to

create overtones in their sound, there is literally a ―ring‖ and a ―cut‖ to their

voices in the PA system. Overtones are a coveted virtue at The Vocalist Studio--

a staple in how we train-- we listen acutely to maximize them in our practicing.

49

Sound Waves in the Overtone Series

The illustration demonstrates how the simultaneous, harmonic overlay of frequencies in the overtone

series is a multiplier of the Fundamental pitch (the pitch that the singer is intending to sing).

Overtones are what give a sound its aesthetic beauty, and are the source of a sound’s ability to

project over great distance. So how are overtones created? Overtones are created when the sound waves

created by the vocal folds (Pillar #2) are transported by high volumes and high

velocities of air (Pillar #1)into open cavities of the face and skull (mouth, nose

& sinuses). In singing these cavities are referred to as the resonators.

TTHHEE RREESSOONNAATTOORRSS

Resonation is defined as the tendency of the mouth, nose, and sinuses to absorb

more oscillatory energy when the frequency of the oscillations matches the

cavities natural frequency of vibration, resulting in the production of overtones.

Resonation can also refer to the quality of the voice as regulated by the soft

palate and cavities of the head. These spaces create regions that have their own

natural frequencies. The natural frequencies of vocal tract generally occur

around 500, 1500, and 2500 Hz. The frequency of speed is determined primarily

by the vocal cords. The vocal tract frequency response further shapes the

singing voice, acting like a filter that amplifies the frequencies produced by the

vocalist‘s unique vocal tract.

Amplification occurs when the natural frequency of the vocal folds is at or near

the natural frequency of the vocal tract. This is called resonance. Here lie the

important resonators in the upper respiratory tract in which the modern vocalist

places sound waves to excite resonation. The modern vocalist must train to balance different ―cocktails‖ of resonation amongst the general regions of the

mouth, nose and sinus cavities, in order to command their vocal range. Once the

sounds are amplified by resonation, it becomes increasingly pointless to sing

with laryngeal gripping.

You will hear singers referring to ―Placement‖ or ―Masking‖ to describe this

process. Masking is what frees the throat from gripping and ―weight‖ associated

with trying to sing extended vocal melodies that are high in the vocalist‘s range

using only the chest register or worse, the speaking voice.

You can safely say that resonation IS the ―singing voice. All other muscle

memory development is trained to develop this end result. Resonation is final

destination of the air that moves through the vocal tract, starting from the

respiratory systems from Pillar #1. Just look at the complicated placements that modern vocalists must learn to coordinate.

Again, it becomes increasingly clear why the speaking voice is inadequate for

singing. Attempting to use the speaking voice to sing is like driving a race with a

covered wagon when you could drive your singing voice with a sports car. I will

cut to the chase, if you don‘t resonate in the mask when you sing, or you‘re a

vocal ―chump‘ and your voice will have no aesthetic quality and your technique

will inevitably leave you fatigued.

51

The Resonators

These diagrams illustrate

the lower and upper

respiratory tract, or

known to modern

vocalists as the

Resonators. Different

variations of air velocity,

at different degrees, will

be “placed” into these

“masked” regions to

achieve vocal register

and produce overtones

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The capability of the modern vocalist to place sound waves in the resonators

through a process of “placement,” or “masking” is the “trick” behind transforming

the speaking voice into the singing voice. The vocal folds produce sound waves.

Transported on a steady stream of high volume and high velocity air which goes

through the vocal tract, these waves are then sent to the resonators where they “cut”

off the edges of the bone and cartilage in the cavities in the skull (mouth, nose &

sinuses). This processes the raw sound waves into beautiful and powerfully

projected overtones. Getting into your singing voice literally means, getting the

sound waves to the resonators to produce overtones.

PPIILLLLAARR 44:: VVIISSUUAALLIIZZAATTIIOONN

TTHHEE PPOOWWEERR OOFF MMEENNTTAALL PPRROOGGRRAAMMMMIINNGG

Visualization is the attempt to bring about improvement in the singing voice by

the power of mental imagery, mental concentration and meditation. At The

Vocalist Studio, you will become well-versed in recognizing how powerful the

inner voice and positive mental programming can be-- to directly impacting the

quality and execution of the singing voice. It cannot be emphasized enough the

amount great singing closely relates to the successfully managing negative self-

talk, coupled with positive visualization techniques. Especially in singing, psychosomatics plays a huge role in training the body to not develop distracting

―ticks‖ as well as helping the vocal sound project, be seen, heard, and felt. The

modern vocalist must be conscious of a phenomenon known as Psychosomatics.

PPSSYYCCHHOOSSOOMMAATTIICCSS

Psychosomatics refers to bodily symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance. The ―mission critical‖ issue of managing body tension, controlling

physical "ticks" for singers as they ascend higher in range (for example, sing a

particular difficult passage of music), is almost entirely brought on by

Psychosomatic barriers. Fortunately, practicing good visualization habits can

eliminate such ―ticks.‖

I often compare the process of preparing to sing well to preparing to play a great

game of golf. Both require acute mental focus, a silencing of the mind and

visualization of the result you want before you execute the action. For example,

before Tiger Woods putts, you know he has already visualized the path the ball

will travel and the force at which he needs to swing the putter. By repeating this

process thousands of times when he plays the game, he has literally transcended

the meta-physical into a real neurological connection in his brain. When he putts, his body knows just exactly how to align his itself to hit the ball with near

perfection. Modern vocalists must do the exact same thing each time they sing,

whether it be in practice or performance.

Great vocalist‘s ―hear‖ the sound in their heads with visual imagery before they

sing it. Not just any sound, but the best sound they know you can create. In your

practice and study of voice, there will be times when as a beginner, you will be

able to produce a perfect singing tone that has strong support, doesn‘t grip the

neck, and produces beautiful overtones. Use these moments as your benchmark.

Don‘t forget what it sounded like; take a mental picture of how it felt. Each

time you open your mouth, regardless of if it‘s the most interesting passage in

your original music or the most boring scale in the work out session, strive to achieve this level of success in your vocal execution and tone. A multitude of

tiny incremental improvements repeated over and over again result in very large

improvements. And note, because singing is intimately connected to our bodies,

the neurological connections that become aligned for consistency will develop

53

relatively quickly once the body is programmed for this consistency, great

singing becomes intuitive.

Here are some great visualization ―mantras‖ you can repeat to yourself as you

sing to insure that pesky physical ―ticks‖ and substandard vocal projection,

doesn‘t take control of your singing:

Sing to something away from yourself… pick a target in the distance and sing to it-- a distant light in the corner, a person in the crowd at the back of the club, the

top row of the Mezzanine deck…

Good singers sing then listen… Great singers, listen and then sing.

Keep your eyes open and off the floor. Look to the distance and listen to your

sound in the ―house,,‖ venue, and practice room.

Never forget that you are a champion in training, a ―vocal athlete…‖ an elite

member of the community of awesome modern vocalists who care about what

they are doing and are willing to pay the price of practice, drilling boring scales,

and hard work to achieve great things.

Watch your thoughts; they become the ―pilot‖ of the body‘s movements.

Repeated bodily responses become your muscle memory. The quality of your

trained muscle memory becomes the measure of your skill as a vocalist. Your skill as a vocalist becomes an enabler or handicap in your ability to

communicate the artistic message.

TTHHEE IINNNNOOVVAATTIIOONN OOFF VVOOCCAALL MMOODDEESS AANNDD

UUNNDDEERRSSTTAANNDDIINNGG LLAARRYYNNGGEEAALL

CCOONNFFIIGGUURRAATTIIOONNSS

TVS Pedagogy embraces the innovation of teaching voice in a context of vocal

modes. Vocal modes are the scientific categorization of specific physiological

―configurations‖ of the larynx that produce unique overtones, colors, and frequencies for the purpose of understanding how the larynx and surrounding

anatomy can help the vocal artist achieve the vocal sounds they seek to achieve.

There are many vocal modes. The human larynx can be manipulated into many

different configurations to produce a unique vocal result. However, the

scientific community and a couple of existing vocal organizations, namely, Estill

and CVI have helped to bring the idea of vocal mode categorization to the

consciousness of vocal pedagogy. As follows:

The 6 EVTS Vocal “Qualities”:

Speech

Sob

Opera

Belt

Falsetto

Twang

The 4 CVI Vocal “Modes”:

Neutral

Curbing

Overdrive

Edge

However, it can be argued that both systems lack a complete system to

categorize vocal modes. Estill ignores ―distortion‖ sounds which are critically

important to any contemporary vocalist. If a pedagogy is going to frame its talk

track around the pedagogy of vocal modes, then it cannot limit itself to any

finite number of possible modes. CVI does not provide the specific

configurations that Estill offers. For example, there is no recognition of speech

mode or opera mode which are both popular vocal sounds people are

accustomed to hearing, Opera mode characterized, among other things as the result of lowered laryngeal settings in the pharynx. CVI chooses to categorize a

―blend‖ or mix of what would otherwise be several specific EVTS vocal

qualities in their purity. For example, CVI does recognize distortion vocal

sounds as important configurations for vocal study, but it is a combination of a

55

cocktail of their ―overdrive‖ & ―edge‖ vocal modes. Another example would be

CVI‘s complete disregard for Falsetto mode which, although is not a popular

vocal quality for singing, is critically important to singers in their training

process. Falsetto mode helps the singer to find their head voice and it is the

starting position for calibrating into the most important vocal mode for extreme

singing, twang. In summary, Estill offers a study of all potential most vocal qualities that the

human voice can make regardless if it is a sound that can be used in singing or

not. Many speech pathologist find value in Estillian study for the strong

physiology understanding. CVI seems to cater only the context of the art of

singing. CVI will create hybrids of pure Estillian modes and categorize them for

singers, with less medical-like talk track. Estill ignores contemporary vocal

sounds that must be understood such as distortion.

Because of these helpful, but flawed categories, TVS proposes a 3rd vocal mode

categorization to frame a contemporary vocal pedagogy around.

The 7 TVS Vocal Mode System:

Speech

Sob

Opera

Belt

Falsetto

Distortion

o ESDI (Extreme Scream Distortion – Inhale)

o ESDE (Extreme Scream Distortion – Exhale)

o Classic Distortion (Constrictors)

o Others … TBD

Twang

Waiting To Be Discovered…

You will note that not only is distortion an important new vocal mode that must

be understood, it arguably may prove to be the most sophisticated study of all

the vocal modes. It‘s the latest in popular music and is still evolving. Some

would argue that perhaps distortion is a ―vocal effect‖, this definition is

reasonable, but because distortion is produced by manipulating the physiological

configuration of the larynx, distortion really belongs in the elevated status of a

legitimate, pure vocal mode worthy of the others. Distortion is just the latest in

what may prove to be more unique vocal mode discoveries yet to be understood

because of the advance of vocal research technology and science. Vocal mode

study is like searching for new rocky planets in far off solar systems, we know they exist, but are yet to be discovered due to the limitations of current

astrological telescopes.

SSPPEEEECCHH..

Speech mode assists the singer the least. Speech mode is our most familiar

vocal mode, we live with it each day. However, the laryngeal configuration for

speech mode does not facilitate the complex movements and coordination

required for extreme singing. Singing in speech mode is akin to reciting poetry.

It is speech, as such, it generally is ―weighty‖, ―whoofy‖, ―heavy‖ and does not

produce efficient phonation for singing. For TVS pedagogy, speech mode is

referred to when discussing the opposite of what we want to do with our voice when singing. A common anecdote is, ―the speaking voice is an enemy to the

singing voice. It fatigues the singing voice‖. The reason for this is the

configuration is lower larynx, phonation is not very efficient comparatively and

resonation and overtone production are throaty for most people.

SSOOBB

Characterized by the sound we often make when we are weeping. Sob has

limited value in TVS pedagogy except for embellishment in the art from time to

time. It is encouraged to create a ―feel‖ of sobbing or desperation in a lyrical

interpretation.

OOPPEERRAA

Opera obviously is an important vocal mode to understand and appreciate for

both its beauty, historical significance in singing and to understand that its

massive propagation into the world of voice pedagogy is actually a detriment to

most contemporary singers. Those that strictly teach Classical vocal mode do

so, because that is what they were taught and there is an obsolete message in the

world of voice pedagogy that ‗Opera Technique‘ is the ultimate and best vocal

technique for any singer. That if you are training ―Opera Technique‘ that you are

somehow aligned with the best practices of all things singing. Perhaps, if we

were still living in the 16th century when there was one genre‘ of music, no

amplification, no microphones and no where near as much invention on the

sounds the human voice can make as there are in modern times! So allow me to

politely cut to the chase and put a stake in it! Classical vocal technique is really, Classical vocal coaching for a specific genre‘, Classical. If you are not a

Classical singer, singing Classical repertoire, would like to have amazing vocal

range into the head voice, play with distortion and on and on, then studying a

lowered laryngeal vocal mode configuration that is Classical, is going to do

exactly the opposite of what you want to do! If you are not a Classical singer,

the lowered larynx configuration of Opera mode will anchor the larynx and trap

the contemporary vocal artist preventing bridging and bluntly killing the ringy‘r

overtones needed in all things contemporary singing. A TVS mantra states,

―Sing lighter, brighter, and Wider‖. Also, ―Sing from the top down‖. ―Through

the mask and resonators‖. These anecdotes have a lot to do with lifting the

voice from lowered configurations. The beauty that Opera mode creates is due to the increase in space in the pharynx and indeed, it is a beautiful set of

overtones that is produced, but that is not what we are going for in TVS training,

57

nor what we are talking about when any good contemporary voice teacher refers

to contemporary voice technique. Contemporary voice technique is much about

singing through the resonators, new inventive laryngeal configurations like

twang, belt, bridging the head voice and special effects like distortion and

extreme scream distortion. Classical music and its vocal art form, Opera are

beautiful, but it is rather the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. Therefore, it is no surprise that there is so much confusion and frustration in the

world arising from contemporary singers that want to sing contemporary sounds.

Classical vocal doctrine has been tirelessly pounded into them with the fear of

God to never raise the larynx, distort, belt, etc… the contemporary voice student

in this situation just shuts down, conclude that ―they cant do it‖ and hangs up

their vocal spurs. Sad, very sad. Personally it frustrates me to no end that these

students deserve better.

How did it come to this? Too many voice teachers only know how to teach

opera modal configurations, but ironically, most of their students wish to sing

contemporary music. Right off the bat, there is a polar opposite conflict. Opera

mode was invented for ancient Operas, art songs and Classical singing that

prefers the darker, lowered larynx sound. Sadly, there are far too many students of singing that become disappointed in their vocal training because the operatic

coaching they are receiving is not preparing them for contemporary singing.

Opera voice training has really become more about Opera voice coaching,

whereby a teacher coaches a student to produce Opera-like overtones required

for Classical singing the Classical genre‘. Good Classical voice training should

also deal with text interpretation and proper diction of foreign languages for

English speakers. There is much to learn from Classical coaching, but it is not

the final word in ―proper‖ vocal technique any longer. It is only one of two

legitimate vocal paths to take, Classical and the brave, exciting new world of

contemporary pedagogy.

BBEELLTT

Belt is one of the four vocal modes that we dedicate quality time with at TVS.

Belting is described as a general term meaning the use of speech-like or yell-like

sound in any number of vocal styles, including, but not limited to rock, metal,

jazz, country and R&B. While this is not technically the case, at TVS we tend

to imply in our ―talk track‖ that belting is singing in the high chest voice. To be sure, belting is an important vocal mode that must be mastered and close

attention to properly training it is critical to the TVS instructor. Primarily, belts

play with fire. When we belt in the high chest voice, it flirts with the ―red zone‖

(see the ―Pillars‖ IV Registers chart) and as such teases the constrictors and false

vocal folds to tighten. Also, it is in the belts that the TVS singer bridges to head

voice. So belts are a ‗close run thing‘. It requires a balance of proper

respiration, wide jaw dropping, lift/bite and resonance.

FFAALLSSEETTTTOO

A voice teacher or student of extreme singing techniques may conclude that

Falsetto is a vocal mode that we would not spend time training or understanding

compared to others like Belt, Twang or Distortion because it produces a breathy,

feminine quality of sound in the head voice that simply has few applications to

the art. However, the truth is actually far from that. Because Falsetto is in fact

the opposite of what we are working to coordinate in the head voice, twang

configurations, it must be understood and its appreciation as a training tool has

to be underscored. Falsetto mode is used to help a singer find their head voice. Surprisingly, some students have so rarely phonated in the head voice, that

Falsetto is very foreign, how it sounds and how it feels. Others can do it, but

choose to avoid it like the plague because they hate the way it sounds.

In the beginning of ―connectivity‖ training, the student should start by finding

their head voice and finding placement of resonation in the head voice. They do

this by playing with Falsetto. Once the head voice has been squarely felt and

understood, the TVS instructor then begins the calibration and messa di voce

workouts to help the student change Falsetto laryngeal configurations into twang

configurations. Once the student can produce a strong twanged phonation in the

head voice an amazing realization overcomes them, and that is, Falsetto and

strong twang phonations ―sit‖ in the same place in the head voice. They share a

common resonation or placement and that the secret to getting full sounding head tones is all about Pillar II, phonation, what we do with the larynx, not Pillar

III how we place sound into the resonators. Falsetto and Twang sit in the same

place in the head voice and the objective is to learn to replace Falsetto vocal

mode for twang mode. Falsetto being the natural, attractor state for the head

voice in most people and twang representing a learned, trained skill. The ―trick‖

is twanging in the head voice.

DDIISSTTOORRTTIIOONN

As stated above, distortion is not recognized by the originators of vocal mode

pedagogy, Estill and CVI who adopted a similar vocal modal categorization

considers distortion to be a cocktail of other pure bred modes. Leaving the vocal

student confused on both ends. Why not recognize distortion as a separate and

unique vocal mode in its own right and leave it be? At TVS, we propose that

distortion is a separate and unique vocal mode worthy of study and

understanding of physiology. However, since distortion is both the latest vocal

mode to emerge into the spotlight, it has the least amount of understanding and

research to define it. Further, the study of vocal distortion quickly becomes a ―rabbit hole‖ as there are numerous ways to distort phonation, some are barely

understood and others have yet to even be looked at in any serious nature.

Constricted vocal distortion sounds are produced very different then false vocal

fold distortion sounds. In the book I will elaborate on distortion mode, the

current research and will even propose sub-categories of distortion to further

categorize this most intriguing vocal mode.

TTWWAANNGG

Twang is arguably the most important vocal mode to master for the TVS vocal

athlete. Twang provides the singer with numerous benefits. When executed

properly, twang will:

59

Help provide smooth Passaggio bridging.

Induce vocal fold adduction and bring the vocal folds together out of an open

glottis.

Amplify a 2kh – 4kh frequency in the head voice to make the vocal tone ―cut‖

and loudly project.

Aggressive calibrations of twang eventually morph into healthy, ―top down‖, ―overlay‖ distortion in the head voice.

Learning to train twang, particularly in the head voice is one of the cornerstones

to TVS pedagogy

SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The singer’s inner voice and positive mental imagery will directly impact the body’s

response to vocal commands. Great singing is closely related to hearing the sound

before you sing. The successful management of positive mental imagery will reduce

distracting physical tension and mental “noise”.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

In the previous essays, we have examined the differences between modern

pedagogy and the Classical tradition. We have also pointed out that the modern

vocalist has unique requirements and must be able to produce certain

―applications‖ to enjoy complete artistic freedom. In order for the modern singer

to produce these ―applications,‖ we need to transform the speaking voice into a

system that facilitates singing. We must get out of the speaking voice and get

into the singing voice.

The sequence of coordinated skills is as follows: the modern vocalist manages

air through their vocal tract by increasing and decreasing air pressure through

the upper and lower respiratory tracts (Lungs and Trachea for singers) Doing so

provides the kinetic energy required to assist in the vibration of the vocal folds,

achieved by maintaining consistent adduction, to produce puffs of sound waves that transport to the upper respiratory system (Mouth, Nose & Sinuses). The

purpose is to excite the resonators into processing sound waves into overtones.

this will create a vocal sound that aesthetically beautiful and can ―project.‖ be

heard, be seen, and be felt.

This process requires the singer to understand that the voice is essentially a wind

instrument. Therefore, the physics related to moving air through a tract and

producing overtones must be aligned to produce the singing voice. This requires

good management of air-flow through the vocal tract training key muscles

around the larynx to produce sound waves, primarily the Cricothyroid and the

Thyroarytenoid muscles. The vibrations that produce the sound waves must be

consistent through each vocal register, which is achieved by maintaining closed vocal folds in a mission critical skill called adduction. Once adduction is

maintained throughout all of the vocal registers, the modern vocalist can then

transport these sound waves to the resonators where the sound waves are

processed into overtones, resulting in powerful singing voice.

In the end, no amount of physical coordination and strength building will help a

vocalist if their head is not in the game! The first three pillars are the physical

―brawn;‖ the fourth pillar is the ―brains quotient‖ of the operation. The final

critical step for the modern vocalist to master is to learn how to silence the

mental ―noise‖ and negative self-talk, replacing such handicapping disruptions

with effective visual imagery and positive programming. Don‘t sing like a

―chump,‖ ensure that psychosomatic behavior is advancing and enhancing the performance, not hindering it.

Copyright 2010 by Robert J. Lunte / The VocalisT sTudio™

Printed and distributed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this book, images, audio

CD or DVD may be reproduced in any form,

by any means, including electronic distribution, photocopying, scanning, downloading,

uploading to distribution servers,

streaming or by any data storage system, without written permission from the publisher,

producer and owner.

61

TVS respiratory exercises

These exercises should be practiced at least 3-4 times a week. The

objective is to strengthen the

diaphragm and abdomen so that the

vocalist can support the vocal

instrument properly, rapidly

developing high velocity and high volume breathing.

Inhale deep and low through the nose or mouth. Hold the breath for 60 seconds.

As it becomes easier, increase the holding time.

Inhale deep and low through the nose or mouth and then exhale completely.

Hold still for 30 seconds. As it becomes easier, increase the holding time, but

do not exceed 60 seconds.

Inhale deep and low through the nose or mouth and then exhale completely. Begin to count out loud very quickly so that there is no break in the airflow.

Inhale deep and low and hold the air. While holding your breath, recite the

alphabet at a controlled rate. Work to get through the alphabet as many times as

you can.

Inhale deep and low through the nose or mouth and then exhale completely.

Strengthen the abdomine by pulling the stomach in (flexing), and then back out

(relaxing). Continue this movement as many times as you can until you feel real

muscle fatigue. Repeat this exercise three times.

Do some abdominal crunches or sit-ups. Three sets of ten.

WARNING These exercises are very serious. If at any time you feel dizzy, stop immediately and

catch your breath. Continue with caution.

Copyright 2010 by Robert J. Lunte / The Vocalist Studio™

Printed and distributed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this book, images,

audio CD or DVD may be reproduced in any form, by any means, including electronic

distribution, photocopying, scanning, downloading, uploading to distribution servers, streaming

or by any data storage system, without written permission from the publisher, producer and

owner.

63

FFoollllooww tthhee iinnssttrruuccttiioonnss bbeellooww aanndd uussee aass aa

gguuiiddee WWiitthh tthhee vviiddeeoo ttuuttoorriiaallss..

1. Establishing The Resonant Tract (The Semi-Occluded Phonation):

Balance sub-glottal & super-glottal air pressure for more efficient phonation.

(Make the vocal folds phonate better by balancing the air pressure below and

above the vocal folds).

Lay a ―resonant track‖ through the Passaggio to train the body to maintain more

efficient phonation through the Passaggio (vocal break).

Get out of the speaking voice and get into the singing voice. Lift the voice out of

a dark, weighty, whoofy, throaty ―bottom phonations‖ and into light, bright, masky, excited resonators, bridging, heady placements, all virtues of ―top down

phonation‖

You are laying a foundation for a successful work out and performance. The

objective is to ensure that your resonant track (the ―buzz‖ sensation) remains

consistent in all registers and through all the passaggio bridges. As you do this

exercise, make sure that you keep the buzzing sensation as you pass through the

Passaggio. In doing so, you will keep the voice in a healthy phonation and will

be less inclined to break into the less desirable Falsetto mode.

Never push! Most students want to push and lean too heavy into the resonant

tracking, do not do this. Make your resonant tracking very gentle, soft, just

enough to feel your lips tickle and vibrate. You will want to ―buzz‖ through the Passaggio, if you are driving the resonant tracking too hard, you will trigger

constriction around your Passaggio. A gentle ―buzz‖ serves a gentle and

successful bridge to the head register.

The warm up should always be done before attempting to sing and a fanatical

commitment to warming up each time you intend to sing. Failure to do so, will

result in the physics not being aligned to facilitate the singing voice, which will

result in throatiness, laryngeal gripping, vocal breaks, ―pulling chest‖ and

general frustration as you try to bridge the chest to head registers.

Do not ―hum‖, ―buzz‖. There is a difference. Humming is whoofy, windy and

very much ―bottom up phonation‖. Use the vibration you feel in the lips when

properly laying resonant track as your guide to whether or not your humming or

65

buzzing. When you lay resonant track, your lips will vibrate and tickle. Not all,

but some people report having their nose tickle as well. Any excited sensation in

the ―mask‖ is a good sign and is considered ―top down phonation‖. You want to

do what you need to, to maintain and even accentuate the excitement of the

resonators and mask region at all times frankly, but particularly when warming

up with the resonant tracking. As you approach your Passaggio, use your ―lift up / pull back‖ technique to go around the Passaggio, not straight through it. It may

seem contradictory to maintain resonant track while at the same time, lifting up

and pulling back to navigate the Passaggio, however, it is a balancing act that

must be mastered.

One more note here, resonant tracking is also part of a set of vocalizing we refer

to as ―singercizes‖ with a stint of humor at TVS. A ―singercise‖ is a vocal

workout that you don‘t have to have the CD, DVD, amplifier and mic in hand to

practice. They are simple phonations that you can do ―in the shower, in the car‖

to supplement your daily routine with full serious facilities about you.

Alternate: “Hummm” / “Hunn” / “Hung”

2. Track & Release: (Set and Release – Resonate, Registrate, and Release)

Balance respiration, establish efficient vocal fold activity and release the singing

voice from a “top down” resonant placement:

Having warmed up your singing voice and established ―top down phonation‖,

with efficient vocal fold usage, you will now release the singing voice from the

new healthy, resonant placements staged by your buzzing.

―Buzz‖ the first scale and then on the second scale, you will release the singing

voice and sing an open vowel (for beginners, an ―A‖ vowel is best to begin with,

than move to ―Ah‖. Never work out in closed vowels ―Ee‖ and ―Oo‖). Let the

masked/placement you feel in the ―buzzing,‖ hand off to the open vowel you

release into. It will maintain the ―masked‖ and resonant placement. It will feel very ―top down‖, not throaty, shouty and ―bottom up‖. The rhythm of the

vocalizes is a gentle ―tracking‖ then a vigorously supported ―release.‖ The

process will not change as you bridge the Passaggio although, as most

phonations are in and around the Passaggio, this phonation will be more difficult

to coordinate.

It is critical that when you release the singing voice, you go to the TVS training

formant of ―A‖ (drop jaw, bite/lift to show the upper teeth/canines, tongue

forward and blow air). Too many students get lazy and fail to drop jaw and bite

into the sound and I too often repeat myself, ―drop jaw, bite!‖. Don‘t be one of

these students. Decide right here, right now that you are going to release your

singing voice with a big, wide, open, ―splatty‖ ―A‖ vowel and show your

canines (bite) into the sound, at least in the beginning stages of your training.

You will have to develop four key four muscle memory responses; drop jaw,

lift/BITE, tongue forward (TIP OF THE TONGUE BEHIND THE BACK OF

THE BOTTOM TEETH) & increase velocity, BLOW MORE AIR! Alternate

between the three open vowels, ―Ah,‖ ―A‖ and ―Oh‖.

If you don‘t drop your jaw

and lift there are countless

problems that can interfere

with you producing the

sound and feeling you seek

to produce with your TVS

techniques; blunted, dull

overtones, late bridging

that will trigger constriction, clunky

bridging through the

Passaggio, fold closure

releasing and the voice

breaking and on and on.

No other concept from

TVS is simpler to master and at the same time, is more user friendly to the

singer, paying big dividends. This alone, will immediately help you to sing 20%

better all the time. Commit to it! Practice in front of a mirror if you need to, to

insure that your formant has great drop jaw space and bite in it.

If you don‘t put your tongue forward, your overtones will be snuffed out and the sound will be dark and wont ring.

If you don‘t increase your velocity (the speed of air flow), in the vocal tract the

sound will fall back to the throat.

Once you have the coordination of releasing to an open vowel out of a semi-

occluded ―buzz‖, begin to listen for your singing voice. Your ―singing voice‖ is

characterized by a brighter, ringy overtone, increased amplification and volume,

a more desirable aesthetic (It just sounds better…) and a more pleasurable

physical sensation. If you hear and feel that, you are probably dialing into your

signing voice.

The ―buzz,‖ or resonant track, is gentle so don‘t push! But as you move to the

open vowel, release the increased velocity of airflow and let the sound project as

67

big as you can. Track and Release is a great ―singerciser‖, do this ―in the

shower‖, ―In the car‖.

Alternate: “Hummm” – “A” / “Hummm – “Ah” / “Hummm – “Oh”

3. Bridge and connect exercise I

Bridging Passaggio, Connecting Registers And Adduct

Now you should be getting into your singing voice. When you release, you

should be hearing the overtones ring which is a great indication that you are well

placed in the resonators and overtones are being produced. On exercise three,

you will begin to do the work required to build strength and coordinate muscle

memory responses. This is imperative to learn so that you can smoothly bridge

the Passaggio and maintain a resonant track into the head registers.

Make sure that you are starting at the top end of Register 2 or your chest

voice/belts, so you are immediately bridging through the Passaggio. Alternate between the three open vowels: ―Ah,‖ ―A‖ & ―Oh.‖ Follow the piano, as you

get higher, you will engage your Passaggio (―break‖). Do NOT push or try to

muscle your way through the Passaggio, as we have already discussed, this

approach will fail you. Finesse the transition between the top end of Register 2

with the bottom end of Register 3.

If the ―inner‖ voices tell you to push, your response should be the opposite. The

more you hear ―push‖ in your inner voice, the more you must relax and simply

let Register 2 bridge into the bottom end of Register 3. If you are gentle enough

and are maintaining your resonant track, you will feel the transition through the

Passaggio move smoothly. If your coordinated in the mask with the proper

amount of respiratory velocity, your sound wont be Falsetto, it will have a full

voiced tone to it. As we say at TVS, it will ―cut‖ and you will be inducing the process of adduction.

Alternate: “A” / “Ah” / “Oh”

4. Merrily We Roll Along with a song in our heart

Phrasing, Legato & interpretation

At this stage you should be into your singing voice, bridged and connected.

While you worked with the physics to facilitate the singing voice, you must

begin to engage the fourth Pillar, listening for the beauty in your voice.

Be conscious of trying to be musical. This means that you‘re working to make

your melodies expressive and shape your lines with legato. The point here is to

overlay a little bit of text on top of the aligned, bridged and connected singing

voice. The consonants inside of text/lyrics have a tendency to interrupt the air

flow and can ―trip‖ the singers otherwise smooth transitions through the bridge,

if not practiced. Just singing scales and open vowels in a linear and academic

fashion is not good enough, we must begin to communicate with text and

interpretation.

“Mer-ri-ly We Roll A-Long, With A Song In My Heart…”

5. Bridge and Connect exercise II

Bridging Passaggios, Placing Resonators and Adducting

This is one of the most advanced TVS workouts. The objective is essentially the

same as exercise three, but we are adding a major 3rd leap in the scale. This

additional melodic interval helps the modern vocalist to bridge and registrate

more aggressively. The modern vocalist must be able to bridge the Passaggios

and adduct in the head voice, both by smooth transitions, as well as via melodic

leaps/intervals.

Again, be sure that you are starting at the top end of Register 2, (or your chest

voice) so you are immediately bridging through the first Passaggio. Alternate

between the three open vowels; ―Ah,‖ ―A‖ & ―Oh.‖ Follow the piano, as you get higher, you will engage your Passaggio (―break‖). Do NOT push or try to

muscle your way through the Passaggio, as we have already discussed, this

approach will fail you and you will be singing like a ―chump.‖ Finesse the

transition between the top end of Register 2 with the bottom end of Register

Alternate: “A” / “Ah” / “Oh”

6. Merrily We Roll Along with a song in our heart

Phrasing With Melodic Intervals

Same as exercise four, but with the melodic 3rd interval. Be sure that your ―e‖

vowel on ―…we,‖ is thinned out. We DON‘T sing a big open ―e‖ in

contemporary voice technique. In order to effectively get bridge and connect to

the head registers, you must train yourself to be able to ―cover‖ our E‘s and thin

them out. In this exercise, the E‘s are not a vowel we are trying to sing. We are

using the ―e‖ to set placement in the mask, (just like exercise two on ―set &

release‖). Use the E to set your placement and then release to the open ―Oh‖

vowel in ―Roll.‖ This is fairly complicated to master, please view the video

tutorials to understand what we are talking about here. You must be able to

master this ―closed/thinned-out‖ E. If you do not, you will ―pull chest,‖

laryngeal gripping will ensue and you will be singing like a ―chump.‖

“Merrily “We” Roll A-Long, With A Song In My Heart…”

7. Vowel Coordination

Open and Closed Vowel Coordination

Another great work out for the closed vowel, ―e,‖ and its ―set & release‖

relationship to open vowels.

An open ―e‖ vowel is commonly trained for Classical and Choir groups, but

intended for blending with other voices. The Vocalist Studio is training soloists,

therefore your closed vowels need to be able to ―cut‖ in the upper registers and be set in the mask to facilitate the open vowels. Open ―e‖ and ―u‖ are simply

much more difficult on higher notes than in the lower voice, if not covered. On

the other hand, at The Vocalist Studio, we train that the ―singing‖ vowels are the

open vowels: ―Ah,‖ ―A‖ & ―Oh.‖ Because of their spacious shape, they

69

facilitate the air velocity and release overtones much easier than the closed

vowels, ―e‖ & ―u.‖ Of course we will have to sing E‘s and U‘s , but for the

workouts we are developing a healthy working relationship between the closed

and open vowels by making the closed vowels set the placement in the

resonators and for the open vowels to unleash the overtones, and beauty, of the

voice. When applied to your art, you should be able to more effectively navigate our closed and open vowels. You should be able to make tactical

decisions on how to sing each vowel, allowing you remain open and fluid in

your singing instead of letting consonants trip you up and induce ―tension

creep.‖

The higher you go, the thinner you need to shape your E vowel. You will need

increase your velocity to facilitate the open vowel. Consistent with the first two

work-outs, embrace the head voice as you get higher and work on bridging

Register 2 with Register 3 through the Passaggio.

Alternate: “Kee” – “A” / “Kee – “Ah” / “Kee – “Oh”

8. “The Hero”

Optimize The Performance Envelope, Calibrate velocity, Fine Tune Overtones and

Phrasing

Lets wake up the neighbors by taking the voice to its performance envelope.

The objective is to maintain your equilibrium of volume and velocity so you can

produce the biggest sound you are capable of. The four muscle memory

components of open vowels are at play here: drop jaw, lift, tongue forward, and

increased velocity.

Make sure that the open vowels are still in the mask, use these sustained lines to

fine tune your overtones and calibrate your air velocity. Your tone is never

good enough, always strive to maximize your overtones even when they‘re

already sounding pretty good. When you‘re working out your voice at its performance envelope like this, don‘t settle for ―good enough,‖ that‘s what good

singers do. Great singers are obsessed with perfection, even when they are

working out. Great singers see themselves as vocal athletes in training. Are you

working out or just going through the motions? In a split second, determine

how the next scale could be better than the last by imagining the perfect sound

with all its components a spilt second before you sing: velocity calibration, drop

jaw, lift, fine tuning overtones, inducing vibrato, inducing some stylistic grotto

if you want to, et cetera. Do these sound like the principles of Pillar # 4? Great

improvement will ensue from many small, incremental adjustments.

Many students experience a lot of growth from working out on this scale. Its

fun, let it inspire you, be musical and expressive! Bridge and connect to the

head registers as you get higher. By now you know the drill.

“Mee – Aaa – Ohh …”

9. Solfege

Managing Respiratory Resources, articulating vowels and Developing

diaphragmatic punch

This is a variation on the Classical Solfege exercise. This is an ―advanced‖

work out and you should be physically when you have completed your work

here. your diaphragm should be especially ―worked-out‖ because of all the

support from the octave leaps and sustained velocities.

When descending on the La don‘t move your jaw… keep your jaw static and

simply use your tongue, and make sure that you only use two breaths. Breathe

in the beginning and then at the end of the ascended Si, Do so take your 2nd

breath right before you begin your descending ―La, Las.‖

Properly manage your limited resource of air after the second breath in order to get through the descending major scale and back up to the octave (top note).

At TVS we say, ―See,‖ not ―Tee.‖ ―See‖ does not interrupt the airflow, ―Tee‖

does.

(Breath) “Doe Rae Me Fah Soe Lah See Doe…,”

(Breath), “Lah Lah Lah Lah Lah Lah Lah Lah….(Ascend 1 octave & back)

10. octave registrations and pharyngeal contractions

Bridging Passaggios and Adducting The Head Voice

The Same rules apply as in exercise 10 and as in many of the previous workouts.

This is just another variation of the siren work we drill on at TVS to build

bridging and connecting strength and coordination.

At the top of this slide, make sure that you have set on a strongly sustained open

―Ah‖ vowel using high velocity and high volume.

Remember, we are building the strength of the upper register, so sing at your

performance envelope with assertive but calibrated velocities of air support.

However, moving through the Passaggio is not going to be any easier, you will

have to learn to make that transition in a split second with having less time to

―finesse‖ than in exercise 10. Continue to build strength and coordination in

your Cricothyroid and be sure to not sing your head tones like a choir-girl or boy

soprano. Torque and ―press‖ the head tones to induce adduction. An overage of

―torque & texture‖ will create more aggressive, ―witchier,‖ tones that are

appropriate for Rock and Metal. But be careful with ―torque & texture,‖ it does take a slight toll on your larynx. ―Torque & texture‖ is for advanced singers and

must be respected and used in a responsible manner.

Alternate: “A” / “Ah” / “Oh”

11. Cool Down (Nine note scale)

Reinforce Register Connectivity, Passaggio Bridging, and Vocal Fold Adduction

Cool down… easy open vowel work. Don‘t just abandon the head voice here…

cool down the Register 2 & 3 bridging as well.

71

Alternate: “A”… / “Ah”… / “Oh”…

SSUUMMMMAARRYY::

Always “drop jaw,” “lift,” move your tongue forward, and increase velocity on open

vowels. These positions facilitate open the resonators. Without consistency in

remembering these four things, you’re just going to be working against yourself. No

amount of great warm up nor coordination of the first 3 Pillars will help you if

you’re not opening your resonators and are instead “snuffing” out the overtones by

swallowing your tongue. Strict discipline quickly turns into consistent muscle

memory. A helpful TVS mantra states, “Sing Lighter, Brighter and Wider.”

Remember to always thin out your “e” vowels the higher you go. Closed vowels are

a challenge, this is how we work around them.

Take big breaths. Breath “deep and low.” Don’t breath high (chest and shoulders

raising)! Pillar 1 is the engine that drives the kinetic energy. “High Volume, High

Velocity”!

When your inner voice says, “push,” respond by relaxing and using finesse,

especially when you’re a beginner. This too will quickly turn into muscle memory

and your new habits will develop. Good Pillar 4 principles.

Each scale, needs to be better than the one before it. Hear the sound you want to

produce a split second before you sing it. This concerns Pillar 4.

Sing away from yourself... sing to something. Pick a distant target to sing to it. Stop

listening to yourself inwardly… listen to your voice “out there,” in the theater. Be

conscious of the way your voice sounds in the room/club/hall, etc. Hear the note

before you sing it. Good singers sing and listen/analyze, great singers listen then

sing what they heard in their head. “Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Felt.” Pillar 4.

Trust your technique; don’t be afraid to turn up the Repertory velocity to achieve

the note and stability you need. If you have coordinated the first three Pillars and

are “Masking,” it won’t grip you! 90% of the time, most singers are not blowing

enough air and the TVS Method advocates blowing more air then other voice

techniques to drive volume and the adduction process. You have to begin thinking

of yourself as a vocal athlete and work harder… below the rib cage, of course! If

you can’t train like a vocal athlete, then your singing with mediocrity. This is “high

volume, high velocity” singing!

Most importantly, always be masking-- it’s the only way… otherwise you’re trying

to sing from your speaking voice.

73

At the end of working on your technique, be sure to work on your music! The new

skills your developing don’t mean anything if its not applied to the art… and after

all, its the fun stuff and reward after working out on the scale.

Copyright 2010 by Robert J. Lunte / The VocalisT sTudio™

Printed and distributed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this book, images,

audio CD or DVD may be reproduced in any form, by any means, including electronic

distribution, photocopying, scanning, downloading, uploading to distribution servers, streaming

or by any data storage system, without written permission from the publisher, producer and

owner.

CREDITS The Vocalist Studio™ is a company of vocalists. I want to personally

thank everyone’s generous contribution in time and content to help make “The Four

Pillars of Singing” the best training system for the modern vocalist in the world.

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Mark Grubb – his professional assistance in the valuable editing and evolution of Pillars

Nathan Burch – transcribing & sharing notes from his lessons with Maestro David Kyle

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