Thank you so much Dan. This is what I have never been taught or been encouraged to explore. I am a gigging Rock, Oldies, and Motown singer who always took mode 1 way, way up. Now I have to actually train myself to take my foot off the gas and hang out in mode 2 more. I'm excited to play with mode 2. I was always apprehensive I would lose girth if I went too heady.
I'm so glad to hear this -- yep, it's the overall balance of the voice, seeing how much M2 can relate to M1 and vice versa -- sensing the overlapping qualities of each that help you navigate and balance within both. It's so funny -- somewhere in vocal training, we get this "you're face will get stuck like that" mentality, if we sing in another coordination or style, we'll get muscular amnesia about how to make other sounds. Everything informs everything else -- you just have more knowledge to connect things to.
I really needed some mode 2 exercises! I’m a male that sings a lot in contralto and mezzo territory with mode 1 because I have a very high set voice, but my head voice is lacking especially above E5 since I don’t sing above that often. These exercises have helped me get up to C6!
So glad to hear this and derrrrng C6 :) Yeah -- for you, vocalizing Mode 2 as low as you can will be important as well so that you're always balancing. If you look at the place where I'm trying to do Gethsemane in M2 low, it's soft, but it's so important to vibrate both registers so you have an easy continuum. I've always been so impressed with countertenors who have that beautiful head dominant mix into their lows. Thanks for the comment and letting me know.
Nice video! Well, this is sort of related, but I think it is something that may help people who want to sound chestier on high stuff. And I am still working on this, so please feel free to tell me if I am wrong! I think "oo" as in "you" and "ee" as in "beat" are good to work for that mode 1 mode 2 connection, but won't help you sound chesty up high in the long run. Better vowels to work on, imo are "eh" as in "egg", "ih" as in "sit", "uh" as in "but" and "ou" as in "book". These are vowels that can work well anywhere in your range. Once I get to a certain point in my range, "ee" as in "beat" or "oo" as in "you" do not work if I want to sounds chesty. but "eh", "ih", "uh" and "ou" seem to work well. These seem to be the popular vowel modifications which makes them really useful for navigating the passaggio and beyond. So what I like to do is siren up on those vowels and make sure they sound good all the way up to let's say D5 or E5. The other thing I like to do is use those vowels and make an exercise based on the "g" consonant. So "geg" as in "egg", "gig", "gug" as in "bug" and "goog" as in "book". Z What I do not like is the "nay" exercise that is so popular. It is a diphthong that starts on the "eh" sound, but then changes to an "ee" sound which will take you right to a weak head voice sound. So I think it is ultimately counterproductive for me. I mean this when referring to a long, sustained note. The same thing goes for "oh" as in "boat". It is also a diphthong which will take to a hooty "oo" sound, which most people don't want. Of course, you don't have to make "oh" a diphthong, but that is the way people typically pronounce it. And that version seems useful. Does this all make sense?
Thanks for the comment -- all of this sounds accurate to me. You're right -- ee and oo are great had voice vowels. Since this video is focused on head voice/mode 2, those are the ones I use to help you yodel up and connect. Closed eh, ae like cat, and ih like sit are terrific for chest voice/mode 1 that need a lot of twang, and uh, oh, and open eh are terrific for mode 1/chest sounds with more open qualities. I personally don't love nay nay nay exercises for my own reasons, but in a case like that, you can always modify the diphthong vowel from ee to ih, and on a word like boat, you'd modify the oo /u/ in the diphthong to the /ʊ/ as in book or put. You definitely have a teacher's curiosity and hunger for investigation. Thanks for sharing and reflecting.
@@dancallawaystudio thanks! And I hope it doesn't sound like I am knocking a well developed falsetto. It is definitely something I want to work on more so I can sing some of those 1970's Michael Jackson songs!
I know you probably don’t think about this anymore if you ever did, but was training your tongue not to recoil away from a relaxed and forward position ever part of your journey to getting your technique to where you wanted it?? I’ve been doing that this week and it’s seeming like it was a huge missing link in making the tone I want and being able to control airflow in the way I want. It would be nice to know if this isn’t just a fluke.
@@petersoar2886 I think about this all the time -- in fact I was sitting in church yesterday thinking -- I need to make a video about what to do with your tongue, so your comment is timely. The tongue and your ability to manage it is HUGE, so you're right on. The tongue can be a tremendous help in leveraging your acoustics and also a mystifying inhibitor -- I'm glad you're finding out how useful it is to know about. Thanks for the comment and question -- confirms I'm on track with the answers I want to provide.
Wow - that A♭5. I got there but it sounded like my vocal folds were breaking apart! I think I'm finally strong enough to properly get the G5 though. I don't think that's at all bad for a bass-baritone! Thank you for playing a part in my personal journey!
I'm glad these are helping -- I find a lot of bass baritones have terrific access into high mode 2, and even more stretch than I do as a tenor. The more you play and let your folds stretch, you'll have more experience, evidence, and confidence with what you can do -- Take it slow and listen to your body, of course. It should always feel comfortable and repeatable. Appreciate the comment.
![10 Singing Techniques To Improve Your Voice [Easy Step-by-Step Vocal Tips]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vd8HnWERhWo/mqdefault.jpg)
can't believe you're making these videos available for free. THANK YOU for taking the time to really explain the why and how of everything!
I'm so glad these have been helpful for you -- it's why I do them. Thanks for letting me know
Man, I just followed this whole video in the car while my girlfriend is getting her hair done. You’re an excellent teacher, thank you for this.
I'm so glad this was helpful, and you're very welcome -- thanks for the kind comment.
Thank you so much Dan. This is what I have never been taught or been encouraged to explore. I am a gigging Rock, Oldies, and Motown singer who always took mode 1 way, way up. Now I have to actually train myself to take my foot off the gas and hang out in mode 2 more. I'm excited to play with mode 2. I was always apprehensive I would lose girth if I went too heady.
I'm so glad to hear this -- yep, it's the overall balance of the voice, seeing how much M2 can relate to M1 and vice versa -- sensing the overlapping qualities of each that help you navigate and balance within both. It's so funny -- somewhere in vocal training, we get this "you're face will get stuck like that" mentality, if we sing in another coordination or style, we'll get muscular amnesia about how to make other sounds. Everything informs everything else -- you just have more knowledge to connect things to.
You’re brilliant! I haven’t seen anyone on RUclips that can explain and demonstrate things as well as you!! Thank you
@@SebastiansTake thanks for letting me know -- I'm so happy this helped you
I really needed some mode 2 exercises! I’m a male that sings a lot in contralto and mezzo territory with mode 1 because I have a very high set voice, but my head voice is lacking especially above E5 since I don’t sing above that often. These exercises have helped me get up to C6!
So glad to hear this and derrrrng C6 :) Yeah -- for you, vocalizing Mode 2 as low as you can will be important as well so that you're always balancing. If you look at the place where I'm trying to do Gethsemane in M2 low, it's soft, but it's so important to vibrate both registers so you have an easy continuum. I've always been so impressed with countertenors who have that beautiful head dominant mix into their lows. Thanks for the comment and letting me know.
So good! Such an amazing teacher! God bless you
Thanks so much -- I'm so glad this helped you. God bless you back.
Nice video!
Well, this is sort of related, but I think it is something that may help people who want to sound chestier on high stuff. And I am still working on this, so please feel free to tell me if I am wrong!
I think "oo" as in "you" and "ee" as in "beat" are good to work for that mode 1 mode 2 connection, but won't help you sound chesty up high in the long run.
Better vowels to work on, imo are "eh" as in "egg", "ih" as in "sit", "uh" as in "but" and "ou" as in "book". These are vowels that can work well anywhere in your range.
Once I get to a certain point in my range, "ee" as in "beat" or "oo" as in "you" do not work if I want to sounds chesty. but "eh", "ih", "uh" and "ou" seem to work well. These seem to be the popular vowel modifications which makes them really useful for navigating the passaggio and beyond.
So what I like to do is siren up on those vowels and make sure they sound good all the way up to let's say D5 or E5. The other thing I like to do is use those vowels and make an exercise based on the "g" consonant. So "geg" as in "egg", "gig", "gug" as in "bug" and "goog" as in "book". Z
What I do not like is the "nay" exercise that is so popular. It is a diphthong that starts on the "eh" sound, but then changes to an "ee" sound which will take you right to a weak head voice sound. So I think it is ultimately counterproductive for me. I mean this when referring to a long, sustained note.
The same thing goes for "oh" as in "boat". It is also a diphthong which will take to a hooty "oo" sound, which most people don't want. Of course, you don't have to make "oh" a diphthong, but that is the way people typically pronounce it. And that version seems useful.
Does this all make sense?
Thanks for the comment -- all of this sounds accurate to me.
You're right -- ee and oo are great had voice vowels. Since this video is focused on head voice/mode 2, those are the ones I use to help you yodel up and connect.
Closed eh, ae like cat, and ih like sit are terrific for chest voice/mode 1 that need a lot of twang, and uh, oh, and open eh are terrific for mode 1/chest sounds with more open qualities.
I personally don't love nay nay nay exercises for my own reasons, but in a case like that, you can always modify the diphthong vowel from ee to ih, and on a word like boat, you'd modify the oo /u/ in the diphthong to the /ʊ/ as in book or put.
You definitely have a teacher's curiosity and hunger for investigation. Thanks for sharing and reflecting.
@@dancallawaystudio thanks! And I hope it doesn't sound like I am knocking a well developed falsetto.
It is definitely something I want to work on more so I can sing some of those 1970's Michael Jackson songs!
@@donrogg no lot at all -- and you're right on about what vowls help what modes
10:02 13:00
helpful markers, thanks
I know you probably don’t think about this anymore if you ever did, but was training your tongue not to recoil away from a relaxed and forward position ever part of your journey to getting your technique to where you wanted it?? I’ve been doing that this week and it’s seeming like it was a huge missing link in making the tone I want and being able to control airflow in the way I want. It would be nice to know if this isn’t just a fluke.
@@petersoar2886 I think about this all the time -- in fact I was sitting in church yesterday thinking -- I need to make a video about what to do with your tongue, so your comment is timely. The tongue and your ability to manage it is HUGE, so you're right on. The tongue can be a tremendous help in leveraging your acoustics and also a mystifying inhibitor -- I'm glad you're finding out how useful it is to know about. Thanks for the comment and question -- confirms I'm on track with the answers I want to provide.
Wow - that A♭5. I got there but it sounded like my vocal folds were breaking apart! I think I'm finally strong enough to properly get the G5 though. I don't think that's at all bad for a bass-baritone! Thank you for playing a part in my personal journey!
I'm glad these are helping -- I find a lot of bass baritones have terrific access into high mode 2, and even more stretch than I do as a tenor. The more you play and let your folds stretch, you'll have more experience, evidence, and confidence with what you can do -- Take it slow and listen to your body, of course. It should always feel comfortable and repeatable. Appreciate the comment.