This week, I am sharing a couple of exercises with you that will help you to feel and use your vocal resonance. Proper vocal resonance, supported by the diaphragmatic breath, ensures the health and longevity of your voice. Connecting the resonance with your breath support will keep your voice fresh and strong.
Those of you who want to develop a good, healthy belt sound or who sing rough, earthy rock sounds with a band will find these very gentle resonating sounds invaluable. This is the basis upon which I have built a series of vocal exercises that increase vocal range and power, without stressing the throat.
Hum through the Teeth Ridge
This first basic resonance exercise is built on the exercises I shared with you in the last two weeks: strengthening the diaphragm; and stretching the soft palate and releasing tongue tension to increase the vocal range through articulating vowel sounds. Try to imagine that your vocal sound is already in the room, in front of you. Don’t think of your voice as inside your mouth or originating in your throat. Instead, imagine that your sound is traveling through the bones in your face, over the hard palate and on top of the teeth ridge. In the video above, I demonstrate how to find this spot.
Place your index finger just below your nose, and press your finger into the indentation you will find at the top of the teeth ridge. Relax into your low breath, and do a bit of a yawn. Keep the tip of the tongue anchored just behind the lower teeth and the back of the tongue feeling as if it is moving forward. Put your lips together in a relaxed manner, and hum a short sound. Be sure that your diaphragm moves up toward your back and up into the rib cage as you initiate this short humming sound. Relax the diaphragm to stop the sound.
Different Pitches
Now you are ready to try the hum on a different pitch. Did you feel a buzz under your finger when you were making the humming sound? Try the short hum on a high pitch. Relax. Then try the hum on a mid pitch. Relax, then try the short hum on a low pitch. It is important to relax the diaphragm between each pitch you sing so that you can then engage the diaphragm to initiate each new sound. This way, you are strengthening your ability to control your sound with breath support. Experiment with lots of individual pitches on random notes. Imagine a pitch first, then hum what you imagine. Learn to sing from your inner ear’s imagination, rather than trying to feel the pitch in your throat.
Try Humming a Song
Finally, try humming a tune. Feel the buzz under your finger. Relax the diaphragm as often as you need to, then re-engage the diaphragm when you find you need more breath to finish a phrase.
