Soft Singing and other questions

I am a male and my comfortable range is A2-A3. B3 in warmed up voice in somewhat comfort range. C4 and above often struggling. If I engage breath support and push a bit I can do those pitches in good days. If I try to sing them a bit unsupported, somewhat lightly they buzz and sputter and crackle.

I don't enjoy loud screamy notes. If I record they sound okay but the body/throat feels tensed.

I would like to be able to sing B3-G4 softly. I cannot do this now. The pitch doesn't come clean.

Can you please share any links if you have covered this topic. When I search I find one by Abram but I can't get to that page.


Second question is about breath support. I researched this enough from many teachers and it is still a mystery to me.

Some say, after inhaling deeply, ribcage expanded etc. then before the first phonation is made lock in your abdominal muscles. When we sing the zzz or ssss sound with our tongue and teeth this pressure can be felt. Once locked in this engagement need to be maintained until the next inhalation.

But then I also hear that breath support is about steady control of breath. Not too low, not much just right and consistent.

Question is if the 2nd can be done by other means is that locking in (apoggio) is really needed? High notes the engagement will automatically happen. There is no way around it. For low notes, the lower it is the engagement is almost non-existent. So why do we need to do anything consciously about this engagement.

And if this engagement is not needed what are other ways to learn breath support? That is how do train myself for steady consistent exhalation for phonation?

Hi Naushad, great questions!

The first step in singing B3 and above will be accessing your head voice / falsetto function in any way that feels natural to you. See below for links to courses on that:

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/intro-to-vocal-registers/1

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/building-stronger-falsetto/1

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/head-voice-and-falsetto-for-male-singer/1

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/developing-each-vocal-register/1

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/range-extension/1

And as for breath support, I'd never recommend "locking in" the abs, as that can lead to muscle tension and rigidity not conducive to free, flexible singing. As you mentioned, breath support is fluid and changes depending on the demands of the song/phrase/range/dynamic, etc. Please see the courses below for more exercises & instruction on breath management:

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/breath-control-like-a-pro/1

https://www.30daysinger.com/tutorial/practice-better-breathing/1