- If you've clicked on this video, then you're probably
looking for some singing tips that make your singing easier,
tips that help you to improve the overall quality
of your sound and help you to sing longer.
Perhaps you've spent hours watching countless YouTube clips
that promise with world, but at the end of it all,
you're simply more confused by the seemingly immeasurable
conflicting advice you've found online.
Looking for some clarity?
I'd like to think you've found it.
Hi, my name is Dr. Dan.
Welcome to another voice essentials quick tip.
- [Girl] Sound check.
(band practicing, crowd cheering)
Check one, check two.
(gentle bass guitar music)
- In this video, we're going to tackle the hotly debated
and often misunderstood topic of twang.
I suspect you've heard this term used a lot in reference
to contemporary singing, but if you're like most singers
who step into my studio for the first time,
you're probably confused by what twang is,
and how it's developed.
Well, it's time to dispense with your confusion
and finally understand the voice essential
contemporary technique of twang.
(electronic music)
I think most people associate the word twang
with a guitar string, like (twang sound),
or country music, (singing) D-I-V-O-R-C-E,
(singing) I left my man to die.
That whiny sound that you can easily detect is nasality.
And that's what most people think twang is, nasality.
But it isn't.
Any sound that travels through the nasal cavity,
is by definition, nasalized.
But twang is different.
Twang is produced in a much lower section
of the vocal tract, directly above the vocal folds,
in a space called the laryngopharynx.
Now the laryngopharynx is shaped by the epiglottis,
and a sphincter muscle around it's edge,
the aryepiglottic fold.
Often referred to as the twanger,
the aryepiglottic sphincter narrows the laryngopharynx
and forms a resonant chamber, enabling the formation
of a clear focused resonance, twang.
The effect that the twanger has on your sound is similar
to adjusting the nozzle on the end of a garden hose.
The broad spray, while appropriate for some tasks,
is generally weak and soft.
Narrow the focus of the spray,
and suddenly you have a powerful jet stream of water
that doesn't require more pressure from the tap.
The singer, like a gardener, can learn to adjust
how much focus is needed dependent on the song
and the phrase that they're performing.
(gentle bass guitar music)
So how has twang been so easily associated,
albeit incorrectly, with nasality?
Well, that's probably because twang, similar to nasality,
does have a bright clear sound, that the singer might feel
empathetically reverberating through the hard palate
and into the nasal passages.
But the advantage of twang
is that it can be predominantly directed through the mouth,
which in turn affords the singer far more depth of tone.
Now this simply means that a singer using twang
can take advantage of the focused resonance
that twang provides, while forming deeper hues of color
that simply can't be developed with nasality.
Additionally, research has shown
that singers who employ twang,
achieve up to 600% more volume for no more effort.
Now that's nearly 20 DB more sound, and that's cool,
but the reality is, most contemporary singers
don't require 600% more sound,
because they use amplification via microphones.
So let's say that we're happy to settle for
300% more volume,
well, on a scale of efficiency, you can reduce your effort,
and that's the kicker; Twang is highly efficient.
Not only does it require less effort over time,
it requires less air, in fact,
twang doesn't work well at all if you're using
too much air pressure.
So, learning to employ twang is simultaneously a lesson
in managing your breath pressure.
If you're interested in developing a clear, focused
resonance with the added benefit of vocal efficiency,
then you need to start developing twang.
Check out my exercise CD, Dr. Dan's Voice Essentials,
particularly exercises four and five.
I think you'll find these two exercises
really helpful in developing twang.
You can order the CD via my website.
I've written a link in the notes sections below.
(gentle bass guitar music)
If you're a contemporary vocalist singing rock, pop, county,
music theater, or indie, then twang is a voice essential
that will save your voice a whole heap of effort,
while simultaneously focusing the sound
with a clear, focused resonance.
It's my hope that this video has cleared away
many of the myths and misunderstandings about twang.
If you've got any further questions,
you might like to have a read of my article,
Belt that Twang, or simply leave a comment below.
In the mean time, why not subscribe to my YouTube channel,
share this clip with your friends via Facebook and Twitter,
and join my free email list
via the homepage of my website, djarts.com.au
I'd love you to join the ever-increasing djarts family
of informed singers who, like you, are actively seeking
the most current information available
for contemporary vocalists, who want to learn to sing
with a technically proficient voice
and stylistically appropriate sounds.
Believe me, you can have both.
Well, until our paths meet again, I'm Dr. Dan, sing well.
(Guitar squeals, crowd cheering)