How to Sing Without Tension
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- čas přidán 16. 03. 2024
- This week’s video is a discussion about tension in the voice and some methods for working out where it’s coming from, or being able to even notice it in the first place. 
I've put this out unedited, to save time. Stick with me. Hope it helps.
#howtosing #singinglessons #howtosingwithouttension
www.singingmatters.co.uk
A few year ago i started trying to make sure that my abdomen/stomach was relaxed when i was singing and I immediately started to sound better to myself, i could sing with more range, hit high notes more comfortably and i started to genuinely enjoy singing, something that i can't say i always did in the past. However, as you say, bad habits can start to creep back in and i have started to experience tension in my abdomen again while singing and often forget what i've learned so thanks for the reminder, i'll endeavour to relearn that lesson in the future 👍
It might be that you’re short of breath, losing all your breath or not resetting your support very well in some way. There needs to be some core engagement in your lower abs. But that’s different to the body forcing the note out and throwing it.
Have a watch of my breathing video ! Good luck
The longer form unedited videos on your channel are super helpful to me. I like the feeling that I have to really sit down and digest all this information. Your explanations are thorough and really sink in. Looking forward to more content!
Also the straw method is the missing piece I needed for my tongue tension, thank you!
A lot of the jaw and tongue tension I’m working through rn are emotional based, there’s those who speak up and those who hold things inside and holding for 20 something years has caused me to completely relearn how to even speak correctly not just singing. But on days when I free myself up I feel like I can sing so easily and it’s such a relief! It feels like I’m letting the notes go instead of controlling them! Per Bistows program really helped me, but this is a great vid highlighting singers biggest and unknown issue thank you for this vid!
I felt that. learning to sing actually taught me how to speak better.
This is incredibly relatable
dude yes. emotionally based. sing the alphabet song and the star spangled banner untill you got them down packed
Wow. Same.
I can totally relate
Normally coaches don't have their students grasping at straws. This time, it's a useful exercise. Thanks for the lesson!
I’ve been practicing Pilates with some really great teachers for the past two years, and one unexpected result for me is that I have so much more interoception in my lower abs and ribs and using the breath with the movement and all of this la gauge about letting the note out vs putting it out finally makes sense to me. I can feel the breath and the placement so much more clearly in my self now, and it feels so good.
You have so much tension in your natural voice.
In the spoken voice? Yeah my speech is terrible. Unless I think about it. I’ve caused my voice a lot of damage over the years . It’s been through an operation. It’s sung for fifteen years without gaps and with bad technique. So it’s been on one hell of a journey. Yeah , absolutely, I’ve experienced most voice issues one way or another. I agree.
Superb lesson dude 👌🏼🤟🏼 awesome content, keep it coming man.
Thanks from oz mate . You are a great educator . You break it down in way that is easy to understand.
I'm binging your videos right now, these are really, really, really good stuff. You mention that lessons hit differently at different times but you make it REALLY CLEAR and no messing what you need to do and the reality of singing. You can tell that you know what you are talking about because you have actually had to overcome challenges yourself, so much CZcams stuff is people with some nice voices slightly refining them and not telling you about the big journey you need to make and how incremental it is. And how psychological it is. THANK YOU!
Thanks for this, I really feel like you're talking to me as I keep pushing for bigger vocals to sound like some of the music I listen to, but ultimately feel weak and powerless. Hopefully I can grasp a more effortless take and still get there
Metaphorically what you are talking about sounds like the problem I had while trying to play legato on guitar , I was putting too much into it , it sounded so intense when other players done it, my brain just could not accepted that less was required, so the tension in my fingers and the over picking was actually making it impossible for me
Amazing advice told in such a relatable way , honestly brilliant content these tips are a life saver keep it up 👍
This is Brilliant mate,you articulate things in a great way that elimaantes some of the sorcery 😮 Very much appreciated
I figured out things like you have described, thank you for being yourself, we need more people like you in the world. You helped me brother, wish you all the best. Cheers from Brazil!
This channel is great!!!
One of the best channels on teaching people to sing!!!! Thanks for breaking things down so simply.
This really means a lot to my little self in my new channel here.
Thanks for the lesson. I have been speaking and singing with throat tension and squeezing so hard many years due to my language and bad habits. Recently I am figuring it out left and right, still trying to set myself up with less tension vocalizing. I agree with what you said so much, the bad things will always try to creep back in when you don't pay attention. Good to hear your points on: what we hear is not exactly how we THINK its produced.
Thank you for your efforts!
This is so cool, thanks a lot!
Excellent video! Really insightful as a beginner, thanks!
I am a 52yo beginning Bari Sax player. I hurt my voice by doing all of the tension things you are talking about here. I had to stop playing months ago. I finally got into voice therapy and am doing the straw technique along with others. It is really helping. Put the straw in water and I could even tell when I was forcing notes through pure muscle power with no air (there were no bubbles). I am gonna end up a better sax player, flute player and singer.
Very good video! Good insights! You talked about things that very few coachs do...
Have to thank you. Thats brilliant mate. And bs free. Thanks again. Greetings from Berlin, G. 👍
Good stuff man. The setting the breath up and just getting just enough air flow and closure to make the note really helped me. Trying to get support down and getting frustrated has led me to really lock up at times when I’m just trying it over and over again and it’s not working. I think I just learned to feel it in a new way thanks to you.
That's amazing to hear. I'm really pleased. Yeah. I think it's sometimes necessary to do a lot of work to get the support working but actually at the same time. its way easier than it may seem. and much more subtle. I hope you can keep coming back to what you learned here and begin to change those habits and get it right.
Great lesson mate some really superb stuff
I saw a video from a girl years ago that I can’t find now. She mentioned some things that just really clicked for me and I wish I could see the video again.
This video is very helpful for me. I’ve trained myself to strain and I am working in undoing the bad habits.
Oh wow. 15:27 17:20 This literally just made something click for me lol. Thank you
20:33 for daily use.
For some reason I need to hear how you do it and see how you do it to be able to do it myself for now.
Awesome, thanks dude
Thank you for this video!!
Great explanations 👏👍
Great class ! thanks!! Working hard to improve the tension in my voice! This class fit like a glove! Thanks!
I'm really glad to hear it.
I just started sharing my music. I'm starting to relax and get more confidence but I always whisper sang so full volume has me with a few sharps and flats but I find this so true. As I relax more it sounds better.
Thank you so much for your videos!! 🎁🎁🎁🎁 so valuable to me!! Really appreciate it!
Ah thanks so much, this really means a lot.
I have the opposite problem. I'm a happy baritone that has to switch to a light head voice around Bb3, which I find easy enough. But trying to get a powerful 'thick' C4 that doesn't sound like tinkerbell is off the menu (for now). It's fine for recording, but if I'm unmiced with a guitar, I need to get louder acoustically. I'm working on it! Good video, I'm going to use the straw and work on my range.
Great video
Im finding your content very helpful and engaging, in this one the explanation on the vocal chords movements and how they come together wrong if there is excessive pressure has opened my eyes...
Speaking of one underrated topic I seldom seen covered is how to implement vocal rest effectively, sounds like an odd question but I'm genuinely at a loss, how do one go about "resting" the voice? What if I can't get 8 hours of sleep...or can't afford to spend an entire day without talking?
You seem like a good dude.
Alright, Im subscribed.
Lets see where you can take us
Thanks very much! Very relevant and helpful. Always had a naturally darker heavier and louder voice . I felt like a bull in a fine china shop. Good to know I have some tools now to get some control.
I'm really glad to hear it ! Thanks so much and good luck
Thanks for this video it helped a lot! However I still don't get how to achieve volume without "effort" or some kind of strain?
What I'd love to hear is how to sing with expression and even grit while feeling relaxed. When I focus on feeling no tension at all, my voice tends to sound weak and expressionless.
Good! Ha ha. If that means you’ve removed any tension then great! First things first. Singing comfortably , always good! So it’s about bringing those textures in in a comfortable way … you could try two three or more levels of intensity . Sing one note , very light, light , medium, then compressed. Try to bring in a stronger core closure gradually! Get used to the different levels available to you, making sure to sing all without strain. Try that sort of thing. Take one word or phrase and sing it incrementally more compressed . Experiment with that a lot . Within one line you can then choose to create dynamic between the words and not sing everything exactly the same .
@@singingmatterscalder a video on healthy compression and the difference between that and strain wouldn’t go amiss! Thanks so much
This makes sense to me and I have experienced it now and again… Does the diameter and length of the straw matter?
I watched the entire video, and subscribed. Thanks for some of the very valuable information!
Looking at thumbnail, reading left to right: "How To Without Sing Tension"?
😉
Lmao how long I tried to sing like someone going through a billion compressors.
Singing through a microphone with those same processing techniques was really an eye opener for me. Hearing in the moment that indeed didn't have to force an incredible amount to send the same on a record.
Yeah it's a really important thing to remember when listening to recordings isn't it. Glad it makes sense.
What does it mean when you get uncontrollable vibrato using straws?
on the topic of how things look intense, that might be a bit related to the infamous "stank face" bassists make. Which I think happens because of the musical intensity that we feel we must tense up, but to prevent the working bits from tensing up, that tension ends up in other parts of our bodies we're not worrying about keeping loose and functional.
Ha ! Yes, exactly that kind of thing! Love it
I'm 21 and have been singing for 1 year. I am sad because my whole life I saw singers as magical but I was so insecure and unguided I never tried.
Thank you for the solid videos, my man.
Mr. Bubby, your whole life is ahead of you. 20 or 21 is a great time to really learn a new skill that you can work toward improving throughout your whole life. Practice healthily, find a vocal coach or instructor, and SING!
@0num4 Thanks, man. I actually have a vocal coach. She's awesome. I guess I just see other younger students who are miles ahead, and it makes me feel worthless.
@@MrBubbyG_Official remember that they have lived different lifes than you. They might have been privileged, either by their parents pushing them to take lessons early on, or maybe just privileged by having a supportive environment that encouraged them to sing carefree. There are so many factors that led to you starting later, factors that caused you to develop different strengths. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. Afterall, if you get good, no one will care if you reached that level at 25 or 12.
@basslightyeah Are you still making bass covers? I looked at your channel but didn't see anything
Recently I feel my back muscles inflating and around my armpits too.
It may sound silly but it feels like I'm a 'vessel' that is like a wine glass with the stem shaping the bowl above and below.
Wow that’s interesting, I am trying to get my head around that analogy but whatever works for you, honestly . Dont over inflate is my only worry there . We don’t need tonnes of air. Once you’re used to using the right part of you. But yeah, the back and sides can all be involved in expanding for breath for sure!
hi there im jon ive been a singer for about 25 years with no problem with hitting high notes until recently i gave it a break for nearly a decade. recently i did myself a vocal booth /studio to practice again and ive noticed im more tense and struggling with notes i never used to struggle with. is it over ??? ive never had a singing lesson in my life. its pissing me off to be honest wtf do i do great content by the way please help i did not catch your name thanks jon
How do I hit higher notes like G4 as a baritone without losing a full sound in my voice. I flex my diaphragm especially lower in my waist to get the right pitch.
I found that singing in head voice a lot (the kind of thin trumpet quacky sounding voice, not light breathy falsetto) and just playing around with it eventually worked for me!
At first it sounded kind of silly like a crow, and I'd feel it as a light, arched sensation in the top back of my throat. Over time as the related muscles developed or whatever, it started to sound more full-bodied, and I could connect it to my chest voice more seamlessly.
I gotta say though, I have no professional training and know for sure that I'm not using proper breath support. My throat gets tired quicker than it probably should. I struggle to produce natural vibrato. So take all this with a grain of salt, but hey, maybe some part of this will resonate with you.
Here's a question - obviously at some point you are going to run out of range and it's going to feel "hard" to hit something. How do you know what the top of your range actually is? If it keeps feeling free and easy as you go up, you'd think there would never be a limit, but obviously there is.
Yeah there is a limit and you can tell the cords are stretched to their maximum and you are allowing the voice to go right up into head … you can tell it’s reaching its peak and there aren’t really any notes accessible but you’re not straining for it still!
Next, how to live without tension?
😂😂 let me know if you get anywhere with that!
...so you mean my eyes are *_not_* supposed to pop out before my head explodes???
That sounds very familiar. And yeah, if you experience something that makes you say that, there is a lot you can undo to get control. And need to if you’re singing a lot! 🙏
I have my phone volume maxed out but I can barely hear you. *_EXTREMELY_* frustrating. 😫
The audio is very loud and clear , it must be something at your end . I hope you can sort it out.
@@singingmatterscalder Been listening to CZcams videos all morning with no issues.
Maybe I'm dying.
Wouldn't be surprised.
Gosh! Well, I hope not !
The audio is fine
Superb lesson dude 👌🏼🤟🏼 awesome content, keep it coming man.