THE VOICE LESSON - MEN

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Listen to how the pure "o" vowel pulls in the head voice on the top note of the scale. If our student had pulled his chest voice too high, and missed his head voice, broadened the vowel and splatted, it would have sounded like this - play example: 6 (Real Player) Play example: 6 (Mp3 format) You can probably tell that was not a pure "o" vowel. It was much more of an "ah." If he'd let go into falsetto, it would have sounded like this - play example: 7 (Real Player) Play example: 7 (Mp3 format) If he'd hooked or covered the tone it would sound like this - Play example: 8 (Real Player) Play example: 8 (Mp3 format)

Let's say that our "no" didn't work. We may try "new," or "goog." Both of these, if sung with the pure vowel sounds, should trick our student into his head voice. Listen to "new" sung correctly
- play example: 9 (Real Player) Play example: 9 (Mp3 format) Now listen to "goog"(as in good) sung correctly- play example: 10 (Real Player) Play example: 10 (Mp3 format) Usually, unless there is damage, or very stubborn habits, this will work quickly to help our student experience the release into head voice. At this point, we might see if our student can sing an arpeggio, beginning in his chest voice and ascending into his head voice, and then back to chest voice. Beginning on the B natural just under the C, below middle C, ascending to the F sharp, an octave and a fifth above, which will put our singer right in the middle of his first bridge. Let's hear this done correctly, using the word "new" - Play example: 11 (Real Player) Play example: 11 (Mp3 format)

When done correctly, this vowel encourages the vocal cords to make their proper adjustments, which allows the resonance to shift into the head. When done incorrectly, the vocal cords cannot make their proper adjustments and the resonance, rather than moving into the head, gets stuck in the mouth. The vowel is distorted and splats into a yell. That sounds like this - Play example: 12 (Real Player)
Play example: 12 (Mp3 format)

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