Day 12: Vowel Strategies Moving Through Registers
From: 14-Day Range Extension Course With Camilleby Camille van Niekerk
Description:
Today we’ll learn 3 different vowel strategies for moving through registers; Vowel stretching, neutral vowel release, and vowel glides for helping us bridge the gap between registers. For most singers, navigating through the middle of their voice is the most challenging skill to learn. Think of this lesson as a way to prepare each register to move into the next and integrate everything we have worked on so far.
Exercise 1: Wah, Weh, Wee 1-8-1 x3 chest up
Anti-spreading technique
Keep EH and EE in shape of AH
Feeling neutral placement (slightly dopey)
First let’s talk about vowel stretching from our chest voice upwards into a mix. I’m using 3 different vowels, starting with a Wah, then a Weh, and lastly a Wee. Try to make the vowel change mostly with the back of your tongue and keep the front of your face as relaxed as possible. The W with each sound will help you relax your jaw down and build up some resonance to start shaping.
Now let’s try internally stretching each vowel towards an UH as we go up to our highest notes. Think UH as you breathe in and let your facial muscles stay soft. I know it’s subtle, but pay attention to the sensation and space inside your mouth as you sing. It should all feel like shades of UH.
Exercise 2: WEE/OO to UH 568–6 5 head voice down
The following exercise helps us go in the opposite direction: from head voice to more of a chest dominant sound. If you’ve struggled to find your chest voice strength again after spending time in head voice, this exercise is for you!
The vowels will help guide us, as EE or OO help you find head voice function, and UH helps bring in more chest voice quality. Let your face completely relax as you land back into chest voice. As a general rule, UH is your best friend when it comes to finding your mix, whether you’re coming from head voice or chest voice!
Exercise 3: Huh 5-8, Yah 10-8, up then down
For this next exercise we are going to use our Y glide for the process of finding a balanced mix very quickly on an unprepared high note. This is one of my favorite tricks and it allows you to just pick a note out of the air and drop in from seemingly nowhere.
Use a neutral vowel to get ready to stretch upwards towards your mix. Then allow the Y sound to defy gravity and help your voice feel like it’s dropping into the highest note from above. The first part of the glide pulls in high partials from the resonance, especially if we think of it like the tall EE we’ve practiced earlier in the course.
Keep the vowels tall throughout. It should feel floaty and expansive! As for volume, let it be whatever comes naturally. Since range extension is our goal, use whatever volume allows you to produce these higher pitches with ease.
Awesome! These three strategies can help you get in and out of different registers more easily. As you work on songs, you can start to plan your resonant strategies ahead of time so that your voice doesn't get stuck shifting between gears or crack when it encounters an unexpected shift. I know this can feel like a lot of mental effort in the beginning, but the more you do it, the quicker it becomes muscle memory.
Lessons:
- Day 1: Welcome And What To Expect
-
Day 2:
SOVTs
-
Day 3:
SOVT’s Into Vowels
-
Day 4:
Low Chest Voice Extension
-
Day 5:
High Chest Extension
-
Day 6:
Low Head Voice Extension
-
Day 7:
High Head Voice Extension
-
Day 8:
Tension Release Strategies
-
Day 9:
Finding Balanced Mix
-
Day 10:
Head-dominant Mix
-
Day 11:
Chest-dominant Mix
-
Day 12:
Vowel Strategies Moving Through Registers
-
Day 13:
Advanced Sweeping Exercises
-
Day 14:
Congratulations!
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.