Singing questions?!
Question: Singing questions!?
What is belting and when you're belting, are you supposed to feel vibrations in your throat or chest!?
Is it dangerous to belt without a voice teacher and can you teach yourself!?
Oh and how do you get a vibrato!?
(I'm 15, if that helps anything!.)Www@Enter-QA@Com
Is it dangerous to belt without a voice teacher and can you teach yourself!?
Oh and how do you get a vibrato!?
(I'm 15, if that helps anything!.)Www@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
Hi Aurora!. I am a voice teacher and I am not a fan of what many "consider" belting!. I agree with the person above!.!.
I believe if your natural instrument has the ability to carry that kind of power, then to me, it isn't belting!. Its just a natural gift that a person has in their voice!. It isn't forced at all!. It isn't created or formed to emulate someone else!. It doesn't sound strained, and a person who carries this "powerful" instrument can sing like this all day long and their vocal chords will never feel strained or abused as time progresses!. Examples of these types of singers are Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson!. These types of singers really don't use much effort to make what some call a "belting" sound!. It is just a natural part of their instrument that they were born with!. If this is you, its ok to try these things!.
Then you have those who were NOT born with these powerful type instruments, and they create a belting sound that isn't conducive to their instrument!. They mimic a soulful sound which is really "yelling" for their instrument trying to sound as if they naturally have that gift!. These singers eventually find themselves with horrible vocal problems over the years, and permanent vocal damage!. In many cases, an uncontrollable wobble comes in as they get older, and the voice sounds "old" if that makes sense!. There are many wonderful singers who don't have this natural type of power who sing incredibly well and have great careers!. Many pop singers don't have belting sounding voices and even gospel singers, and that is ok!. You can still sound powerful without being born with it!.
Heres a perfect comparison!. Whitney Houston has this gift, but her cousin Dione Warwick doesn't!. However, they both sing wonderfully, and nothing is wrong with either instrument!. Mariah isn't a belting singer, contrary to what people think!. She does have a powerful voice, but it isn't a belting Jennifer Hudson sound if that makes sense!. But does that make Jennifer a better singer!? No, Mariah has had a wonderful career singing without trying to force her instrument to sound like Aretha's!. Same for my sisters and I!. One naturally has this sound while the two of us (my other sister) don't!. Yet, all three of us can sing!.
IN other words, know your instrument!. I have a big sound and I am loud!. BUT my instrument isn't like this!. I could force it, but I would cut my career short!. If you know you were born with such a powerful instrument, go for it!! Most of these types of singers have vibrato and a huge sound in their instrument at an early age!.
If not, thats ok too!. You can still sing powerful songs without trying to force a belt sound!. Most singers do not posses such an instrument!. Most pop singers like Justin Timberlake, Prince, Micheal Jackson, none of them are belters!. They are still loud and know how to work with what God gave them!. They also know what their instrument is capable of!.
I would suggest seeking a voice teacher to see what kind of instrument you have!. They can help you develop the type of power that your instrument naturally possesses!. My fear of doing it without guidance is damage!. I went to college with a girl who knew she didn't possess such an instrument, and insisted on belting anyway!.Years later, her doctor forced her to quit her music teaching job, and she can no longer perform!. She is permanently damaged, and can no longer do what she loved!. The doctor told her to stop or loose her voice permanently!. I always knew she was blowing out her instrument everytime I saw her hollering on stage when we were in our late teens early 20's!.!. And it caught up to her!. That's what's heartbreaking and that's one reason why I do what I do!.
I had another friend who told me her story!. She belted for years and it took her 10 years to undo damage!. At one time, she could barely talk and they thought she might have been permanently damaged to the same point of the other person I described above!. She said she isn't 100% back, but it took her 10 years or therapy with a doctor and voice teacher to get back to being able to sing!. She too, started out without voice lessons!. Had she would have gotten with the right teacher before hand, those nodules could have been prevented!. However, her whole 30's were filled with recovery!. Such time is now lost!.
As far as vibrato, you are still young and it may not have developed yet!. So give it a little more time and make sure you are using proper breath support!.
I encourage you to sing and have a ball!. Just be careful!. Don't become a victim as I've seen with several people trying to be something vocally they're not!. Sometimes the damage is unrepairable!. Again, know your own instrument, work with a professional, and go from there!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I believe if your natural instrument has the ability to carry that kind of power, then to me, it isn't belting!. Its just a natural gift that a person has in their voice!. It isn't forced at all!. It isn't created or formed to emulate someone else!. It doesn't sound strained, and a person who carries this "powerful" instrument can sing like this all day long and their vocal chords will never feel strained or abused as time progresses!. Examples of these types of singers are Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson!. These types of singers really don't use much effort to make what some call a "belting" sound!. It is just a natural part of their instrument that they were born with!. If this is you, its ok to try these things!.
Then you have those who were NOT born with these powerful type instruments, and they create a belting sound that isn't conducive to their instrument!. They mimic a soulful sound which is really "yelling" for their instrument trying to sound as if they naturally have that gift!. These singers eventually find themselves with horrible vocal problems over the years, and permanent vocal damage!. In many cases, an uncontrollable wobble comes in as they get older, and the voice sounds "old" if that makes sense!. There are many wonderful singers who don't have this natural type of power who sing incredibly well and have great careers!. Many pop singers don't have belting sounding voices and even gospel singers, and that is ok!. You can still sound powerful without being born with it!.
Heres a perfect comparison!. Whitney Houston has this gift, but her cousin Dione Warwick doesn't!. However, they both sing wonderfully, and nothing is wrong with either instrument!. Mariah isn't a belting singer, contrary to what people think!. She does have a powerful voice, but it isn't a belting Jennifer Hudson sound if that makes sense!. But does that make Jennifer a better singer!? No, Mariah has had a wonderful career singing without trying to force her instrument to sound like Aretha's!. Same for my sisters and I!. One naturally has this sound while the two of us (my other sister) don't!. Yet, all three of us can sing!.
IN other words, know your instrument!. I have a big sound and I am loud!. BUT my instrument isn't like this!. I could force it, but I would cut my career short!. If you know you were born with such a powerful instrument, go for it!! Most of these types of singers have vibrato and a huge sound in their instrument at an early age!.
If not, thats ok too!. You can still sing powerful songs without trying to force a belt sound!. Most singers do not posses such an instrument!. Most pop singers like Justin Timberlake, Prince, Micheal Jackson, none of them are belters!. They are still loud and know how to work with what God gave them!. They also know what their instrument is capable of!.
I would suggest seeking a voice teacher to see what kind of instrument you have!. They can help you develop the type of power that your instrument naturally possesses!. My fear of doing it without guidance is damage!. I went to college with a girl who knew she didn't possess such an instrument, and insisted on belting anyway!.Years later, her doctor forced her to quit her music teaching job, and she can no longer perform!. She is permanently damaged, and can no longer do what she loved!. The doctor told her to stop or loose her voice permanently!. I always knew she was blowing out her instrument everytime I saw her hollering on stage when we were in our late teens early 20's!.!. And it caught up to her!. That's what's heartbreaking and that's one reason why I do what I do!.
I had another friend who told me her story!. She belted for years and it took her 10 years to undo damage!. At one time, she could barely talk and they thought she might have been permanently damaged to the same point of the other person I described above!. She said she isn't 100% back, but it took her 10 years or therapy with a doctor and voice teacher to get back to being able to sing!. She too, started out without voice lessons!. Had she would have gotten with the right teacher before hand, those nodules could have been prevented!. However, her whole 30's were filled with recovery!. Such time is now lost!.
As far as vibrato, you are still young and it may not have developed yet!. So give it a little more time and make sure you are using proper breath support!.
I encourage you to sing and have a ball!. Just be careful!. Don't become a victim as I've seen with several people trying to be something vocally they're not!. Sometimes the damage is unrepairable!. Again, know your own instrument, work with a professional, and go from there!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I'm 15 too, and I have never had a voice teacher!. But I taught myself, and I think the most harm you could do by belting repeatedly is just straining your throat and making it sore!.Www@Enter-QA@Com