Most singers would like to learn how to belt stronger. When we sing low notes, the TA or thyroarytenoid muscle is more active- just like it is when we speak or shout. So singing in the lower register is like “calling out”. Tricia Grey, MM, founder of Sing Like a Star Studios shows you an “Easy Call” exercise that will develop your lower register belt voice.
Hi, I’m Tricia Grey, founder of Sing Like a Star Studios, here today to talk to you about singing low- particularly singing low with power. OPen when young female singers come into the studio they present a very breathy and weak sound in the lower register. They ight have been used to singing in chorus where the idea is to blend so you sing with a lot of air flow (demonstrates). Very nice, very blend-y, but not very good for singing with power if you want to sing styles like musical theater, pop, rock, or R&B. So how do we address those low notes, particularly for weak singers?
If your low voice is breathy or weak, you might be singing with too much airflow. Choral singers oPen sing with excessive airflow in an attempt to blend with the group. But to sing with power for musical theater, pop, rock or R&B we need a stronger sound. The TA (thyroarytenoid) muscle is more ac4ve in speaking and in singing in the lower register. This muscle causes the folds to be more square so they meet at the bottom of the fold and stay together longer, providing more power.
Singing in the lower register or belt is a lot like energized speaking or “calling out”. If you call out to your friend across the street “WHOA!” or “HEY”, you are using the same muscle activity as singing in belt voice. Singing in the chest voice uses the same muscle configuration that speaking uses. There’s a muscle called the TA or Thyroarytenoid muscle that is more active in the lower register. This makes the vocal folds squared so they meet at the bottom of the vocal fold, giving us more power.
A great way to experience powerful lower register singing is simply to pretend that you are “calling out” or shouting to a friend across the street. You see your friend crossing the street and there is a car coming so you shout “w[o]! That’s all you have to do. Then take it up a step.
If you really want to increase power, start with a hiss: SS-SS- w[o]! We want a nice projected, clear sound.
Another way to do this is on the syllable “hey”! SS-SS- hey! Don’t go up too high, because you will start to “push chest” (take the chest register too high).
Only take this exercise as high as it feels comfortable. When you start to feel like you are straining- stop. We don’t want to turn you into a chest pusher.
At Sing Like a Star, we specialize in developing a strong belt register. Sing Like a Star provides the world’s most effective voice lessons both in-person and on Zoom!
