Nasality- How much is too much?

When thing you need to consider is artistic choice and the tone/colour you want to produce.

For example, some singers like to play on the overuse/ lack of nasality as a recognisable characteristic feature. However, healthy technique still needs to be considered. Pay attention to whether these adjustments are causing you to strain and be cautious of your laryngeal placement and projection.

 

Singers like Cher base the colour of their voice through the lack of nasality and low laryngeal placement. However, musical theatre singers such as Idina Menzel sing with more nasality as it is a common characteristic within that style of music. This proves that the tone and nasality of your voice can be intentionally altered when considering the colour of your voice.

 

If you’re unintentionally more nasal sounding, you may be singing from your diaphragm but your enunciation may be forcing it into nasal tones. Try singing a simple verse of a song, exaggerating the nasal sound, and pay attention to how your mouth is forming the words. When you notice which vowels are the main offenders for you try positioning your mouth in different ways while singing these vowels. For example; if you sound particularly nasally when singing short "a" sounds as in APPLE. Practice the "a" sound with a rounded mouth instead of widening your you lips as you sing it.

 

Healthy Vocal Distortion: GROWLS AND SQUALLS

These are more difficult sounds to produce and kind of replicate the noise of a moter bike. It is a common technique used in popular music which initially rooted from gospel.

 

Singers to look at when exploring this technique involve:

Jessie Mae Renfro

Marion Williams

Louis Armstrong

Christina Aguilera

Aretha Franklin

 

Growls create a false layer of richness and weight to the voice and is produced at the back of the throat. There is controversy on whether this is a healthy technique, but with control and awareness of when things don’t feel comfortable in the throat will inform will naturally inform you when you should stop. If you wish to incorporate this technique into your own ability, I recommend listening to the singers above to then try and replicate the noises they are producing. Only you can find the right space in your throat as only you know what feels right and what feels uncomfortable.

 

 

Singing When Unwell

First of all- do all that you can avoid it and know when to say no. Sometimes there is nothing you can do apart from cancel or find a replacement and that is ok. Although it is frustrating, you need to consider the long term maintenance of your voice. If there is no way out of it, here are a few tips on how to aid your performance ability.

 

Avoid taking numbing medication- You could be doing more damage by singing incorrectly and you wouldn't notice because you can't feel how your muscles in your throat are sitting. I recommend throat lozenges as encourage production of saliva which will work as a protective soothing sheet before you sing.

 

Keep the throat lubricated and stay hydrated- Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid alcohol and fizzy drinks. Water is best but avoid drinking freezing cold water before you sing, as it creates a shock and gradual build in more saliva.

 

Steam Vapour Rubs!- Have a hot shower and sit in the bathroom with the windows closed or get your hands on a face steamer. Not only do you feel refreshed, but this aids in clearing your sinuses whilst relaxing the surrounding muscles

 

Avoid coughing if you can- Swallow instead. The harsh clashing of muscles in the throat may seem like a quick fix when removing excess mucus but what people don't know is that it will reappear just as quick.

 

How Can I Become A Better Performer?

 

Have confidence and be aware of the natural movements and actions you make. Emotions can sometimes get the better of the performer and in some cases it is used as an advantage, but you have to be careful and avoid closing yourself off from the audience. For example- Closing your eyes! I had no idea I was closing my eyes through so much when I started singing  and how un-engaging that can be to an audience member.

 

Utilise the space you have onstage with consideration into how you want to present yourself. Understand the importance of posture and how much of a difference something as simple as what you are doing with your hands can make to a live show. The way you present yourself on stage can enhance your how confident and comfortable you look, making your performance more enjoyable to watch. Watch out for annoying traits like leg shaking and too much movement of the arms. This is something I struggled with and still stay cautious about when performing.

 

Stay Professional- There will always be times when you feel under the moon or something has gone wrong. Leave your issues off the stage or it will negatively Impact your performance. It is easy to read a person's true emotions from an audience's perspective. There could also be moments when there is a fault within the music. For example, a wrong chord could be played or the drums could randomly stop. Stay in character and don’t make this an obvious fault with facial expressions towards the ensemble. Most of the time, audiences don’t notice these errors and with a sustained sense of professionalism it can be passed off as intentional.