[Matt Pocock]

Nice! Though I would definitely recommend finesse over force when it comes to belting.

[Matt Pocock]

(For those unanointed by the holy water of Estill, the thyroid tilt can be engaged by cry-y, whiny, sobby qualities. Check out Gillyanne Kayes’ book Voice and the Actor for a great explanation.)

[Matt Pocock]

Oooh, one of my favourite topics. Chris is definitely right in recommending that there be no grit/distortion/breathiness in a belted sound. The twang is a crucial component, although I wouldn’t recommend nasality for belting. It gets the student to over-associate belting with nasality, which will lead to confusion in the long run.

I’m a big fan of using a good deal of thyroid tilt in a belt to make it safer. It thins the folds, demanding less power while also increasing note accuracy. It’s a kind of magically easy way of making notes easier – a proper Yoda move.

And it can still sound crazy awesome.

[Matt Pocock]

Don’t use the metal end.

[Matt Pocock]

Hey guys, often the male falsetto failing to come out is simple lack of muscular practice. The cricothyroid muscle is just not strong/well-co-ordinated enough to take the strain of phonation, so what comes is a weak/breathy sound. Tell them that only brute amount of practice will solve it. I had a student who I saw for a year or so that started with zero falsetto, but by the end was singing Jeff Buckley songs!