Day 3: Widening Your Vowels

From: 14-Day Pop Vocals Course With Camille
by Camille van Niekerk
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Description:

Today, we start working on our belt! Let’s first define what belting is, and what it’s not. Belting is a style, or a quality of sound. It’s not a specific register, like chest voice or head voice. But you might still hear some singers or teachers use the term “belt voice” or “singing in your belt”. The first step to adding belt style is to widen our vowels. You may have already noticed how wide some singers’ mouths are when belting – there’s a reason for that! A wider mouth posture creates a “megaphone” shape, which helps to boost high frequencies in our sound and give us that “pop” of energy.
 
Try this with me, and listen for that energy boost: on the same pitch, move from UH to A as in CAT. We’re not trying to sing louder on the A vowel – it just naturally sounds louder as the result of that megaphone shape. 
 
Our exercises today use this slightly wider shape on the word WHEN or WEH . Same pattern you already know! Feel free to play with the wideness of this vowel. If you want more chest quality, go wider. If you’re getting shouty or feeling out of control, narrow back in and go for a dark, rich EH.
 
Exercise 1: WHEN/WEH 13531
 
Time to sustain! Same as before, we’re sustaining the top pitch. If vibrato comes in, cool. No need to force it! 
 
Exercise 2: Sustained WHEN/WEH 135—31
 
Alternate syllables to try are WOW and WAY. Please use what works best for you!
 
Let’s apply this to our songs. First, we’ll sing on your syllable of choice: WHEN, WEH, WOW or WAY. Then, we’ll widen the vowels in the actual lyrics.
 
Song work: Sing choruses on WHEN/WEH

This is the time (chorus)

Gm             Eb        Gm.       F
This is the time to lay it all out
Gm             Eb    Bb
This is the time, make it worth it
Gm                     Eb           Gm        F
Will answer the call, without any doubt
                   Eb      Bb
This is the time 

Never leave you (chorus)

Bb
“I will never leave you
F
I’ll always hold you tight
Gm
Love you and protect you
Eb
I will never leave you”
(Bb)
 
Song work: Vowel modifications (widen vowels within song for more belt quality)

This is the time (chorus)

Gm             Eb        Gm.       F
This is the time to lay it all out
Gm             Eb    Bb
This is the time, make it worth it
Gm                     Eb           Gm        F
Will answer the call, without any doubt
                   Eb      Bb
This is the time 

Never leave you (chorus)

Bb
“I will never leave you
F
I’ll always hold you tight
Gm
Love you and protect you
Eb
I will never leave you”
(Bb)

Please try this in your own song work for homework: first, sing a belty section on a wider syllable like WEH; then widen the vowels slightly and listen for the resulting energy boost! And remember: if you feel shouty, too heavy, or out of control, narrow the vowel back toward UH.

Audio:

Pop Course Day 3 Exercise 1
Pop Course Day 3 Exercise 2

Lessons:

Instructor: Camille van Niekerk

Camille van Niekerk is a singer, writer and vocal instructor in Southern California. Camille began studying voice and performing in musicals at age seven. In 2010, Camille began working towards her BA in Music Education at Azusa Pacific University. She then earned her teaching credential from San Diego State University and taught classroom choral and instrumental music. Shortly after moving to LA county, Camille began her private vocal studio, providing vocal coaching, ear training, and recording for students of all ages. She is constantly refining her skills and methods for greater versatility and effectiveness. When she is not teaching, Camille enjoys singing with the L.A. Choral Lab and Ensoma Creative. She lives in San Diego with her husband and loves going to the beach, practicing yoga, reading, and cooking.