How To Build Confidence? (Singing Teachers)

[Eliza Fyfe]

Thanks Kat! Also, could you describe the difference between the cry sound, so tilting the larynx, and the pharyngeal sounds? Because tilting the larynx isn’t necessarily dropping it like a yawn, is it?

[Eliza Fyfe]

Also, I’m working on that exact thing (the flip) with a woman atm who is very belty but in a theatrical/diva way, and we are trying to introduce more twang which is working really well, but she hates how she still flips into head voice when going even higher! I have told her she can and should still allow this, but maybe make the sound more narrow and breathy so it doesn’t sound too “heady”. She’s doing Think by Aretha. Perhaps the cry would help here..?

[Kat Hunter]

So… this get’s a little crazy, but here’s what I believe to be true.

– bratty and witchy sounds both adduct and thin the vocal folds with a higher-than-normal but stable larynx position.
– a sobbing sound (or a cry if it sounds sobby – sometimes it’s hard to know we’re talking about the same sound!) again adducts the vocal folds but with a somewhat lower larynx position.
– a dopey sound only lowers the larynx without necessarily causing more adduction (in fact in many cases it will lessen adduction. In other cases it will simply deepen the level of adduction so that more of the “belly of the fold” (vocalis muscle) is used in vibration).

Now… the word tilt is really kinda misleading. The fact is that your thyroid cartilage will tilt whenever the cricothyroid muscle is used. And this is the main method of stretching the vocal folds (ie. making a higher pitch). So really, regardless of the quality of the tone, the cricothyroid muscle is primarily involved in pitch-making. But I’ve heard a lot of people with estill backgrounds talking a whole lot about “tilt”, so maybe there’s something going on here? You’d have to explain it to me:)

[Kat Hunter]

As for your student, it’s hard to say without hearing. But as far as I know, Think is in Bflat, and it’s reeeallly high.
The top “freedom” notes are around F5, which is truly getting into second bridge/passagio! So if she’s not totally comfortable in middle voice yet, getting into head voice may just take time.
My only thought is that given how many Bflats are in this song, that’s dangerous territory for a really chest dominant singer unless she can mix well (I think Adele would just about keel over!). But like I said, it’s hard to know what’s going on without hearing her, and if she’s using twang to thin out and keep the folds adducted, chances are you’re definitely on the right track!

[Eliza Fyfe]

Great – that just about makes sense – thanks. Yes – Estill people love the tilt!