You've got to learn to walk before you can run,
and you've got to learn to speak before you can sing.
So how do we ensure out everyday speaking
isn't detracting from our singing?
Well, I've got a few ideas coming right up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hey there.
I'm Dr. Dan.
Welcome to Voice Essentials.
Now, we spend a lot of time here at Voice Essentials working
on our singing technique.
And that is super important.
But there might be one thing that
could be bringing all of our hard work undone.
Did you know that even the busiest professional singer
still uses their voice for speech approximately 85% to 90%
of the time?
Your spoken activities are the foundation
of your singing activities.
Let's make sure your speech is efficient and sustainable.
To start, we're going to locate your money note.
Now, to find your money note, we are
going to use a descending glide of an R vowel.
It'll sound something like this.
(SINGING) Arrrrrr.
(END SINGING)
Now, as you descend on the [? sigh, ?]
take note of where your voice feels most comfortable.
Is it at the beginning, the end, or somewhere in the middle.
Now, do it again, and this time, stop at the point
where the voice feel comfortable and balanced.
(SINGING) Ahhhhhhhhrrrr.
(END SINGING)
That's about where it is for me.
When you've found the sweet spot,
I want you to say the word money.
(SINGING) Ahhhhhhh, money.
(END SINGING)
Now, do it a few times and experiment,
until you find the optimal position for your money note.
[CHEERING]
Central.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Now that we've found your money note,
I want you to count to 10, separating
each number with the word many.
We're going to speak the phrase on the newly-found sweet spot
of your voice.
Try your best to do the activity using one breath,
and make sure your voice doesn't drop off the money
note you just identified.
Now, when I say the exercise, it's
going to sound a little bit like this.
(SINGING) [? Me is ?] my money note.
One many, two many, three many, four many, five many, six many,
seven many, eight many, nine many, 10 many. (END SINGING)
You can hear the position remains quite consistent.
Of course, your money note, or sweet spot,
is likely to sit in a different place to me.
So quickly pause the video, and try the exercise for yourself.
[CHEERING]
Central.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHEERING]
Before we finish today's tutorial,
I've got one more activity for you.
But before we continue, I'd love you
to hit the Thumbs up button, and let the YouTube gods know
you're enjoying the video.
[CHEERING]
Central.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHEERING]
OK.
We found our money note for your speech,
and we've spoken a monotone phrase onto that sweet spot.
Now, it's time to workshop the voice in a more realistic mode.
I'm going to say five phrases, and I
want you to repeat each phrase after me
in a similar conversational manner.
Now, remember to repeat the phrase,
using your spoken sweet spot as a constant point of reference.
Here we go.
(SINGING) Here's my money note.
You find your money note.
Not that money note necessarily, but you get the point.
(END SINGING)
Good evening.
Nice to meet you.
Hello, hello, hello.
I will be happy to meet with you.
Hmmm, isn't that interesting.
You'll notice that your voice will probably
want to speak a little lower than the sweet spot
that we identified earlier.
The key is to continually reorientate your voice
back to the sweet spot.
For many of you, the new-found position
will likely be a little higher than you're used to.
So try and implement it into everyday conversation
and monitor the general condition of your voice
as you do so.
I will be keen to hear how these exercises
assist your spoken activity.
So leave a comment below, so that we can all
hear how you're getting on.
And if this is your first time here at Voice Essentials,
we would all love for you to subscribe to the channel
and join our ever-growing community of passionate singers
from across the globe who, just like you, want
to raise their voice in song.
I look forward to seeing and hearing you again soon.
I'm Dr. Dan.
Sing well.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]