- I think most singers at some point
have experienced tension, especially in their higher notes.
This tension, also known as constriction,
can leave a singer feeling strangled with their notes,
sounding tight and narrow.
What's causing all this muscular stress
and more importantly, how can we sing our high notes
with more freedom?
I've got all the answers coming right up.
- [Announcer] Sound check. (electronic whirring)
Check one, check two. (cheering and drums)
- Hello everyone, welcome back to Voice Essentials,
and if you're new here, G'day.
My name is Dr Dan,
and I'm a contemporary singing voice specialist.
It's my job to help you realize the full potential
of your singing voice.
I do that here on YouTube at least twice a week
with new videos designed to develop your voice,
and improve your sound.
So take a quick moment to hit the subscribe button,
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and talk about our mutual love for singing.
Today we are going to discuss and workshop
that pesky pest known as singer's tension,
or some vocal pedagogy refer to as constriction.
I think most of us can relate to those notes,
often found at the top of our range,
that feel like they're almost strangling us as we sing.
The term constriction is taken
from the label constrictor
which refers to the group
of muscles that assist with swallowing.
The primary role of the constrictor muscle is
to direct and move food and fluid
down into the esophagus.
Dr Scott McCoy in his celebrated book,
"Your Voice: An Inside View," goes on to explain
that the constrictor muscles "wrap around the posterior
of the pharynx, connecting to the cricoid
and thyroid cartilages, hyoid bone,
stylohyoid ligament, mandible and skull.
While they are intended by nature to assist with swallowing,
narrowing the pharynx to held direct food
into the esophagus, they are also important
in the concept of the 'open throat'
for singing and speaking.
Maximal opening is only achieved
through the release of tension in the constrictors.
That's the key point right there.
You can only make an open throat by learning
to release the muscular tension of the constrictors.
But as we already know,
that's easier said than done.
- [Announcer] Sound check.
(drums and cheers)
- We have three pharyngeal constrictor muscles,
the superior or upper pharyngeal constrictor,
the middle constrictor,
and the inferior or lower pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
You can feel the activation and constriction
of these muscles when you swallow.
Try it with me now.
With your head in a balanced position,
simply swallow your own saliva.
As you do so, be aware of the muscles
at the back of your throat.
You should feel a tightening from top
down to bottom the muscles are constricting
in sequence to move, in this case your saliva,
down into your esophagus.
Try it again.
Now these constrictor muscles are the very same muscles
that for many of us will want to tighten and constrict
when we sing higher notes.
Actually there are a few others as well,
including some immediately above the vocal chords,
but for now, let's just focus
on the pharyngeal constrictors.
Some estimates suggest
that we swallow nearly 600 times a day.
This means that your pharyngeal constrictors
have a propensity to activate and constrict.
That's their job.
When we start to sing, for many of us,
the constrictors will trigger,
causing a narrowing in the pharynx.
The same space that we often want to be broad
and open to achieve warmer and fuller vocal tone.
I want to take you through a couple of helpful exercises
that will workshop better control
of your pharyngeal constrictors.
But before I do, please hit the thumbs up button
if you're learning something from today's video.
(crowd roars)
- [Announcer] Sound check. (drum flourish)
- Now it's not only high notes
that activate the pharyngeal constrictors.
Uncontrolled loud singing will also
cause these muscles to initiate.
As we work through the following exercise,
I want you to ensure you are only using a middle
of the road volume, neither loud nor soft.
I've taken both of the following exercises
from Dr. Matthew Edwards book "So You Want
to Sing Rock N' Roll."
I've mentioned this book a number of times before.
It is so good.
I've added an affiliate link in the description below
under the heading recommended reading
just in case you want to purchase your own copy
which I highly recommend.
Every purchase helps to support my channel
with a small commission when you use the affiliate link.
The first activity that Dr. Edwards recommends
is called covered mouth singing.
Essentially we're going to sing a single note
on an 'ah' vowel while covering our mouth.
I'm going to add my own instruction
to also pinch the nose while we do the activity.
So with mouth covered and nose pinched,
sing a single note in the middle of your range,
and as you do so, move your hand paying attention
to any muscular sensation at the back of the throat.
(sings 'Ah' tone)
What did you experience?
Do it a few more times, and aim for a free and open pharynx.
Once you've got a free and open throat,
start singing with the same setup over a five note scale.
Also be sure to keep your tongue
in behind your bottom front teeth.
Don't let it pull back into the pharyngeal space.
(sings five note scale)
For those of you who don't own a keyboard,
you can always download the first track
from my singing exercise CD for free.
It'll provide you with a fun backing
when singing the five note scale.
A second exercise that Matthew Edwards offers
is called the drinking position.
Start by tilting your head so that you're looking
up to the ceiling and then swallow.
Uncomfortable, hey!
When we tilt our head all the way back like that,
we cause the pharyngeal constrictors to fully elongate.
This, as Dr. Edwards explains,
is called stretch weakness.
When the muscles are stretched right out
to their overall length, they become weak,
thus removing their ability to activate and constrict.
When trying to learn to sing with less constrictions,
this tilted head position can be beneficial.
Try to sing an ascending five note scale
while looking at the ceiling.
(sings ascending five note scale)
When you feel like you're able
to keep the pharyngeal constrictors well behaved
while singing into your upper range
with an even dynamic,
try increasing the difficulty by singing a three note scale.
(sings three tones)
Now of course, we never perform
with our heads tilted right back,
so once you feel like you're gaining control
of the pharyngeal constrictors,
bring your head back to level position
and try to emulate the very same
back of the throat sensations you experienced
in the slanted head position
while you sing five and three note scales.
(sings five note scale)
(sings three note scale)
Both exercises may prove to be challenging,
and it may take some weeks and months of practice
before you start to feel the release
of your pharyngeal constrictors.
Be patient though.
It's important for your sound and vocal health
that you learn to manage your voice's predisposition
to create tension where it's not wanted or needed.
I've also placed a link below to a play list
of other videos that I think you'll find helpful
when learning to sing with less tension.
Give them a watch because each video has other exercises
that will compliment the ones we've done today.
I certainly hope today's video has been super helpful.
Leave me a comment below outlining
how you enjoyed the exercises.
Don't forget to subscribe for more videos
just like this one.
Hitting the bell icon will ensure you get notified
each time I go live for our Q and A sessions.
I look forward to seeing you again soon.
I'm Dr. Dan, sing well.