It’s so important to look after our instrument and one of the best ways we can do that is to have a good routine. A good routine will make the complicated coordination the voice needs to go through to make a good sound, familiar. And it’s great when good singing is familiar to the voice, as it means that sounding great is normal!
I’ve discovered this little principal is essential to a great singing routine. No peaks or leaks – it’s the best way to start off your singing day.
So what are peaks? For a lot of singers, singing higher means adding lots of extra stuff that isn’t necessary – pressure, muscle effort, volume! It’s important that the body learns that these “peaks” aren’t necessary. Start small, maybe a 3 note scale up and down and really focus on balancing volume and the way it feels. When I’m working on this, I like to focus less on what I can hear, and much more on what I can feel. Is it even or does it feel less comfortable at the top. Once you’ve achieved it, take the scale higher, working through your comfortable range. It’ll make a huge difference!
“Leaks” or “breathiness” aren’t great for getting the ultimate tone, plus it can be quite fatiguing for the voice. The key is not to start your phrases lazily but make sure that your first starting note is clean and pure and it’ll help you to work through the rest of the phrase in the same way. Keep your jaw at ease and add a little bit of a “cry” effect if it’s not working as well. You’ll find your voice works better for that day and will continue to improve over time as well.
No peaks or leaks – it’s a winner every time!
