I know this is probably a very late comment but, when I heard you speak of the restrictions in voice coming through, potentially coming from a place of protection, I became really emotional, this doesn't usually happen and I felt really silly but at the same time it made sense. Whenever I try to sing in public or reach for higher notes or even just attempt a note outside of a very limited range or volume, it's like my throat instantly shuts it down. Listening to what you said took me a very long way back and brought up memories I had buried, I will not go into them but will just say, it makes sense and perhaps I needed to hear exactly what you just said. Thank you, I think it's well past time I unburied some things.
Really appreciate you sharing this with me. For me, singing just happens to be the main modality that was used to heal me, and I find that I get to walk beside my students on a getting-whole-and-better path through song. What a privilege. I hope there's a lot of satisfying and joyful singing in your future. Thanks again for sharing this.
Thanks so much -- appreciate that. It's been so important for my own singing and understanding. I even teach some things differently since I uploaded this video -- I think Kerrie Obert has some of the most interesting research and teaching on this (and vocal tract shaping) -- just search interviews with her on here, terrific stuff.
@dancallawaystudio I'll check her out. And I'm definitely gonna watch more of your stuff. As a vocal coach and singer myself I feel it's so important to have the correct info regarding our craft.
I love how these things seem to fall in my lap when I’m on to something. Call it divine if you like. I had a nice free tone when I was younger and something happened along the way that introduced a sound to my voice that made me sad. I thought my voice was just changing into something that I no longer liked. But it was THIS. My tongue trying to protect me from something or whatever. I now hilariously associate singing with the feeling of very gently licking my bottom teeth and my sound is exciting again! It just so happens that your approach has come along with a compassionate look at the psychology of it all. It makes so much sense that things would creep in with all the chastisement and self criticism. Anyway, God bless.
I love that this got to be part of some divine life pattern for you. I also love that you found this out; a lot of folks think something's changed on a holistic/unalterable level. Love your bottom teeth licking cue -- effective and silly, great combo. I'm very familiar with self criticism piling on to tension that's already trying to solve a problem -- glad to hear you're on this part of the discovery road. God bless you back.
Yeah, I used to love it when tongues fell in my lap, too... 😮😮😮 HAHAHA 😂😂😂 jk Yeah, it's funny how you think about your tongue position and then a video pops up a half hour later!!! The simulation is simulating
I've been into metaphysical and energy Qui-Gon meditation legit for about 10 years. LEGIT. I believe in Divine timing however I'm also aware of what these smartphones do. 🤯
The other day I was singing the lyrics psychic spies from China trying to steal your minds elation. Didn't even type nothing in and then when I opened up RUclips totally unrelated video to Red Hot chili peppers popped up that was titled the cia's psychic spies revealed LOL. A little bit off tangent but I thought you'd find it interesting.
Dude it's actually crazy to think about this not even just for music like how we represent ourselves with the way we talk and speak. Each different tongue placement represents a different energy we show
absolutely true -- I've found it to be really important information. And that you can consciously shape your tract in a way that communicates your values and being.
Thank You. This is amazing. I can't begin to tell you now how this is hitting me in such a profound and relatable way. It's like you know my life's story. Your descriptions are awesome - "meat pillow"🙂
I'm so glad to hear this -- this is why I make these. So many of our life stories share so many similarities; I think if more of us knew that the world would be a kinder, more loving place. Thanks for sharing this. Keep floating the meat pillow on out of your pharynx :)
I agree, and I'm glad you find this helpful -- the tract finds its shape inside who the person believes they are. My tract and body energy as an erudite linguistics professor will be very different than if I were embodying my rural North Carolina farming grandfather. Just asking "Who do I believe I am" answers a lot of questions about style and shaping.
@dancallawaystudio it's like a certain tonal quality in the voice unlocks a certain feeling in the listener regardless of the notes being sung. My main musical style is rock, and in rock music there are rock singers and then there are rockstars who may or may not hit those high notes but they always seem to transcend the act of singing and with their voices connect with their audience almost spiritually
@@AndyIntharaphithak yep -- I notice this as well. It's very chicken and egg. But yes, a spiritual agreement seems so send a vibration that folks can feel to their core. Even yesterday in church my wife and I both noticed when a singer started improvising and singing, his communicative energy completely shifted, the natural beauty of his voice emerged. Learning to let that in the moment creation flow through rehearsed music is part of the art form.
i was wondering if you could also do a video on jaw placement or the larynx position. i really enjoy your approach and this tongue exercise has really helped me ❤
You read my mind -- there's a video uploading today about laryngeal position. I don't talk about the jaw so much in it, but of there are aspects of jaw coordination that you're struggling with, let me know, and I'll see what I can cook up. I'm so glad the exercises here helped you.
It's very counterintuitive, especially when we were taught things like open throat or make things open. Often we tried to create this big open space throughout, and we don't understand that narrowing in some places actually creates more acoustic freedom and actually opens up the places we want to be open (like releasing the phaaryngeal muscles). If you want to singers, you see their tongues, floating, quite high. I always say it's just a matter of having the choice. If you want your tongue to be down, you can put it down and if you wanted to float it high, you can float it high. I find for me, I always need the float high -- otherwise, my intonation suffers. I tract likes to make things flat :-)
Dan!!! Thank you so much for this video and your fresh and inspiring, and supremely holistic approach to vocalization. Familiar with Internal Family Systems therapy? "What does that part of me need, or want me know in it's level (overly eager :o)) of engagement here?" Great work I must say. I really look forward to learning more from you. I'm a guitar player steeped in the blues and old school R&B. I've struggled with my voice so much over the years (close to full on spasmotic dysphonia 20 years ago) but slowly gaining more freedom and proficiency. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for this kind comment. I have encountered IFS for sure -- I don't understand it deeply, but it makes absolute sense to me. I find what I do understand about the framework to be instrumental in teaching and learning. Very glad to hear about your own path with singing and increasing freedom. If you ever have specific questions you think I could answer, send them my way. I'm so glad you're here.
You're hilarious and amazing imitating various vocal sounds, and your knowledge and insights are inspiring and very helpful, not to mention your communicative abilities. Thanks so much! I wish I had had a teacher like you in the past. It's been a long, hard and often frustrating struggle to understand it all. There were so many secrets and charlatans it was so easy to get lost.
Yes, very easy to get lost. I certainly understand. The voice is a very tricky thing to communicate, and we've also inherited a very master to student tradition rather than someone who is experienced something or walked down the road and is circling back to walk with the singer. I try to be the latter. I always try to tell students that when I give them a tool, they should test it out like they're experimenting with it in the lab. That's the only way that they can know and that I can know if it's working for them. And yeah, I love to try to keep it fun and light. I have a strong temptation to take myself too seriously so adding humor in my life, and in my teaching, helps me to relax and usually helps the students to have fun. We learn best when we're having fun because then we feel safe and also it reminds us why we sing in the first place right? Thanks for your kind comment and I'm very glad you're here.
Sure thing -- would love to know what aspects of it are most challenging for you so I can make sure it's helpful. This is a good topic -- lots of pitfalls with softer dynamics.
Seem ti be late, too.... but sooo happy having discovered this video. Thanks a lot, this is so helpful. 👍 Musical theatre is not really what I'm very interested in, but I guess it helps in all styles
I'm so glad this video was helpful for you, and thanks for letting me know. And yes you're exactly right -- the principles apply in all styles. Glad you're here.
My undergrad vocal pedagogy class in combination with self-study/practice of other vocal styles was & continues to be an absolute game changer. LOVE this video, THANK YOU for putting all of this out there- invaluable information for all of us singers. Also 5:22 is giving Rainn Wilson and I love it
I WILL be coming back to this video (and your whole channel tbh) as reference for teaching voice, I have yet to find another singer/teacher be able to put these concepts into such a clear & concise lesson, presentation, and understanding. Just amazing stuff man
I'm in this club with you -- understanding structure and function was a game changer in giving me confidence and momentum with technique. And style diversity -- it's crazy when you start to see the innumerable overlaps. And yes hahahaha -- total Rainn energy there.
@@iconoclastic-fantastic Thanks for this kind comment. I'm so glad this is helpful to you, and glad you're here. I feel like the world just has to be a better place if more folks had access to their voices and knew a little more about how to enjoy singing.
Funny synchronicity, the day you posted this, i watched a production of La Forza del Destino (I think from the Met) and it was so clear that both the tenor and baritone pulled their tongues up and back. A "violation of the rules" but i couldnt argue with the glorious performances both gents gave! Thank you for helping me question everything 😁
@@dorefromDetroit hey! Yep absolutely. If you watch old school Plácido too his tongue comes way up. Different tracts and different strategies -- Hope this one helped you
This is gold! Even with the tongue out od mouth, my tongue root still does weird things😂 coloring the sound.. so difficult to understand what is the correct sound, so i can then memorize thst feeling regarding the tongue root.. but alot of good tips! I also feel like when i add power, the tongue does alot, to support the resonance, and it ends up tensing more and more to hold on to that ball of air in the mouth.. so i catch myself constantly having to "release" the jaw and tongue mid vowel.. but then it goes to dull, so finding thst middle ground is soo hard
Thanks for this comment. I hear you. If you just google the intrinsic muscles of the tongue, you'll see how many things you're dealing with and hopefully cut yourself some slack. These coordinations take time. There are so many sounds possible, so really it's about what song you're singing and what you want to convey, and then is that coming through with balance and efficiency. I'd have to hear you, but when you talk about adding power, it sounds like you might be hitting it with a lot of support, maybe more air pressure than you need, so then the folds and tongue root press down to manage that energy blast. I forgot to include this in the video, but try hooking your index fingers on your chin and then massaging your tongue root with your thumbs (under/behind the mandible), do some gentle humming ensuring that those muscles there at the root tongue are soft-ish as you sing. You're training the root of the tongue to be soft and nimble while letting the top of the tongue move all over the place for articulation, etc. Hope this helps.
You're heaven sent. Thank you for this video. This is helping me see singing in a better light. Hope to see more on how to control all the complex parts.
Dan, I found this video profoundly insightful for me and I thought your vocal impressions quite brilliant. The dominant, or tyrant parenting of all our vocal muscles and body parts used in singing is cruel and disrespectful. If we don't love and respect our body's ability to reveal things, then how can we as singers project to an audience the joy and love of song. Thanks for the video and I will be waiting for more from You. 🙂
So glad to hear this. It's definitely been my experience -- learning to turn toward myself with curiosity and openness. In undergrad I would literally slap myself when I made a mistake or couldn't make the sound I thought a teacher wanted. And if I can't tune in to my inner environment with gentleness, I'm going to have a hard time offering that outward. Appreciate your kind comment. Glad you're here.
Thank you for this in depth light shedding video on the complex subject of our tongue and it’s role in making sound. As a wind player the position of the tongue obviously is crucial for sound and the way you articulate “attack” the note. Equally misleading concepts of pushing it down to create more “space” The idea of bottleneck by letting it float up towards the hard palate makes absolute sense. I realise that I subconsciously always pulled the tongue back just a little bit - for fear it would interfere with my embouchure. To my surprise I have come to understand it doesn’t. Still rests behind the teeth. The idea of keeping the pharynx open does resonate- pun intended. Also the emphatic holistic approach vs creating another “exercise” makes sense and is warmly welcomed. At the end this is what we want to do when making music. Express our emotions thereby affecting and engaging with the emotions of the audience in a meaningful and constructive way. And yes this sometimes can feel completely counter intuitive especially when we have had the experience that the expression of our feelings has not been welcomed by our surroundings- or even culture. This will go into my folder of important videos . 👍🏼🙏🎷
Thanks so much -- love this reflection, and I'm so glad this video was helpful. I teach a wind player, and I just learned from him the importance of oral cavity and pharyngeal resonance contribution when playing -- such terrific info. Grateful this vid found you and harmonized with you.
Good video! Although, I was disappointed when you did not say "tongue" instead of "ton", lol. The impressions seems like they really help exploring this aspect of singing. On a random note, due to your other videos, I have been exploring CVT technique, and it is the best. It answered so many questions about singing that I have been wondering about for almost 20 years. I found out that I was mostly singing in some type of neutral throughout my range, when what I really needed to learn was "edge" to get where I want to be. And "edge" needs to be loud, from my experience to learn. So back to woodshedding. One video I would like to see something on different vowel choices when singing high to get a connected sound. Like "edge" uses "eh", "ih" and "ae" But what happens when you want to sing an "ah" an "uh or a "oh" as in "boat"? I think this would be a pretty helpful video for many people!
Thanks so much for these suggestions. And I'm so glad to hear you're getting great answers for yourself from CVT. I've found a lot of their tools to be tremendously helpful. I'm putting your suggestion in my calendar. And the great thing about edge is that is has all kinds of possibilities for high or low density. I'm glad you landed on a way of understanding the voice that's so helpful.
@@dancallawaystudio yeah, I am starting to realize that the CVT modes are really a good way to learn how properly sing each vowel in various places in your range. Wanna sing "eh", "ih" or "æ" high in full voice? Use Edge! Wanna sing "uh", "o" or "oo" in your passaggio? Use curbing! But now, I got figure out what to do about "ah"!
@@donrogg Yes yes all those are options -- and you don't have to adhere to mode rules so strictly sometimes, and that's terrific. I remember when I was at CVI one of my teachers was like -- "ok, now forget all about modes!" What I mean is that if you want to take oo up through your passaggio but not curb, you can lower the jaw a little and modify to ʊ like "book." And /a/ and /ɑ/ don't have to be as tricky as you think. (I've done enough crying over them for everybody.) For me, always leaning toward /a/ or /æ/ and then shaping with other parts of the tract is the way, at least for me. If I don't add bright color, my particular tract tends toward flat. Love that you're discovering so much for yourself. It's always exciting info, and I'm always like "Dang that works!"
@@dancallawaystudio yeah, I still new to CVT so in the very early stages of figuring it out. But it is certainly helping. I sang "Spirit of the Radio" the other night and while the E5 at the end was no problem and easy, the G#4 that starts most lines of the vocals is still a little difficult for me. But I figure that is something I can work on. And since it uses edge vowels, it could make for an exercise that has quick results!
@@donrogg Yep G#4 has a lot of mode options, so that place can be tricky, esp to begin a phrase. Sounds like you're figuring a ton out, though, and have the passion to investigate and keep trying. That chorus (emotional feedback) I'd try Ih-mae-shae-nael fihd-baeck :) and experimenting with a light support feel. See how that helps. If I'm talking about the right spot.
Extremely helpful Dan! My teacher gave me an exercise of singing with a pencil between my teeth. Do you think it's similar to the exercises you listed and equally helpful?
I'm so glad this helped. The pencil in the teeth can accomplish a few things -- the primary purpose of it in my experience is to feel what kind of resonance you get with your teeth only a pencil width apart -- folks are often surprised at the acoustic leverage they get when they may have thought they had to open wide all the time. Teachers have used corks, pinkies, ends of thumbs for the same purpose. The pencil in the teeth MAY help the tongue to relax beneath/against it, but I wouldn't use it as a way to train management of your tongue. There are some times when having the tongue lower and down are what you want, but for me, over 90% of the time I like for mine to float high like it's filling the mouth so that my pharynx is open for resonant business. Make sense? Ask questions if that's confusing in any way.
@@dancallawaystudio thanks, the pencil between teeth def helped me find better resonance since it helped me to overcome the tendency to over-open my mouth. I have a slightly unrelated question as well, would appreciate if you could shed some light :) I recently found out that blocking one of my ears while singing helps my technique a lot and I'm better able to do different colours intuitively but i've heard some people advice not to do it and rely on it as a crutch.
@@Theprogressivemusician Yes -- earplugs or blocking an ear help you to emphasize your internal hearing, bone conductivity, etc. It's really our most helpful listening focus as singers. I think it's a great way to start trusting what you hear from inside, and eventually you'll start to trust that hearing more and more. And re: crutches, if that crutch is going to help you become a better singer, then use it. Thanks for the question
I fell on my arm a long time ago and I started to get knots on my muscles in the neck and on the Scalenes. (I am sorry for my written english. I am Swedish). No one could help me until I met a chiropractor . I am starting to get ok but I still have problems with my neckmuscles getting tired and it makes it hard to use my twang and the front of my neck. Do you know what I mean? What are your thoughts about my problem? Thank you!!
@@katarinasjolin5674 thanks for your question and I assure you your written English is substantially better than my written Swedish :). I'm glad you were able to find some help through a chiropractor those can be game-changers. My instinct is to play around with different sounds while you lie down on your back or lean back against the wall with your head resting against it and aligned over your shoulders -- give your neck muscles the scalenes and your upper shoulders the trapezius etc gentle massage so that they relax and make sound as you do that. Even massage around the larynx and move it side to side while you sing. I could be wrong but I think you'll find that the muscles that cause the pharyngeal narrowing you need for twang will activate independently of the neck and shoulder muscles. Of course they inter-relate as you sing but I have a feeling you may experience some freedom and Independence of function you might not have expected. Let me know how this goes for you.
Your tutorial is accurate try to minimize the repetition of reoccuring words during explanation it makes Ur videos longer main purpose of this video started from 13min of the video u can make it shorter
yes absolutely -- you're right. Tongue tie limits your range of motion. I'd see how much movement you can manage, like how high can the dorsum of your tongue float up etc, and see what kinds of advantages that gives you. I teach a regularly working singing actor who also navigates tongue tie and finds a lot of ways to still leverage tongue position even with very ample frenulum :)
I have been struggling for some time with this very topic. What can we do if we have an extra long-term I find myself putting the tip of my tongue, tongue way below my bottom teeth past the gum line in order to move it out-of-the-way. Is this OK?
As long as what you're doing helps singing feel balanced and efficient, making sounds you feel are authentic and live well within the style you're singing, a lot of coordinations are possible. I just heard a great interview with Kerrie Obert where she talked about how multi-able the tongue is. Maybe try putting your tongue tip just behind the teeth and see how that feels -- if it puts it in a favorable location, you might be good to go. Our younger son has a super long tongue -- we joke that he's going to front a KISS cover band one day.
@@LetstidytogetherI hear you and I know that must be frustrating. Since I can't hear you sing I can't speak completely accurately but please know that many masterful singers work with all kinds of different aspects of varying physiology, so I hope you'll keep at it and keep singing because it's worth it.
Thanks so much -- for real, though, I was a little self conscious when recording, so I couldn't sink fully into Kermit identity, and when I was editing,, I thought, "I sound like Jordan Peterson." :)
I know this is probably a very late comment but, when I heard you speak of the restrictions in voice coming through, potentially coming from a place of protection, I became really emotional, this doesn't usually happen and I felt really silly but at the same time it made sense. Whenever I try to sing in public or reach for higher notes or even just attempt a note outside of a very limited range or volume, it's like my throat instantly shuts it down. Listening to what you said took me a very long way back and brought up memories I had buried, I will not go into them but will just say, it makes sense and perhaps I needed to hear exactly what you just said. Thank you, I think it's well past time I unburied some things.
Really appreciate you sharing this with me. For me, singing just happens to be the main modality that was used to heal me, and I find that I get to walk beside my students on a getting-whole-and-better path through song. What a privilege. I hope there's a lot of satisfying and joyful singing in your future. Thanks again for sharing this.
At last someone who knows the importance of the tongue! Love the Li ya ga👌👍
Thanks so much -- appreciate that. It's been so important for my own singing and understanding. I even teach some things differently since I uploaded this video -- I think Kerrie Obert has some of the most interesting research and teaching on this (and vocal tract shaping) -- just search interviews with her on here, terrific stuff.
@dancallawaystudio I'll check her out. And I'm definitely gonna watch more of your stuff. As a vocal coach and singer myself I feel it's so important to have the correct info regarding our craft.
4:54 😂😂😂 the ‘wall street alpha male’ and ‘chill mind-body expression of the universe of yoga instructors’ had me 😵☠️ 😂
glad I could provide a chuckle
I love how these things seem to fall in my lap when I’m on to something. Call it divine if you like. I had a nice free tone when I was younger and something happened along the way that introduced a sound to my voice that made me sad. I thought my voice was just changing into something that I no longer liked. But it was THIS. My tongue trying to protect me from something or whatever. I now hilariously associate singing with the feeling of very gently licking my bottom teeth and my sound is exciting again! It just so happens that your approach has come along with a compassionate look at the psychology of it all. It makes so much sense that things would creep in with all the chastisement and self criticism. Anyway, God bless.
I love that this got to be part of some divine life pattern for you. I also love that you found this out; a lot of folks think something's changed on a holistic/unalterable level. Love your bottom teeth licking cue -- effective and silly, great combo. I'm very familiar with self criticism piling on to tension that's already trying to solve a problem -- glad to hear you're on this part of the discovery road. God bless you back.
Yeah, I used to love it when tongues fell in my lap, too... 😮😮😮 HAHAHA 😂😂😂 jk
Yeah, it's funny how you think about your tongue position and then a video pops up a half hour later!!! The simulation is simulating
@@jeffgarrison7056😂😂😂
I've been into metaphysical and energy Qui-Gon meditation legit for about 10 years. LEGIT. I believe in Divine timing however I'm also aware of what these smartphones do. 🤯
The other day I was singing the lyrics psychic spies from China trying to steal your minds elation. Didn't even type nothing in and then when I opened up RUclips totally unrelated video to Red Hot chili peppers popped up that was titled the cia's psychic spies revealed LOL. A little bit off tangent but I thought you'd find it interesting.
that’s me! i love ‘ah’ so easy, i must really need this. at least ah is easy for passaggio
Dude it's actually crazy to think about this not even just for music like how we represent ourselves with the way we talk and speak. Each different tongue placement represents a different energy we show
absolutely true -- I've found it to be really important information. And that you can consciously shape your tract in a way that communicates your values and being.
Dude! 🙏🏾U so much! Subscribed 🎶
You're very welcome -- I hope this was helpful for you
Thank You. This is amazing. I can't begin to tell you now how this is hitting me in such a profound and relatable way. It's like you know my life's story. Your descriptions are awesome - "meat pillow"🙂
I'm so glad to hear this -- this is why I make these. So many of our life stories share so many similarities; I think if more of us knew that the world would be a kinder, more loving place. Thanks for sharing this. Keep floating the meat pillow on out of your pharynx :)
thank you sir
@@DylineOsi You're very welcome if that thank you is for me
Those are some pretty good pointers. Big thanks!
@@mr.owatson9150 you're very welcome -- hope this was helpful
Just subscribed after following a few episodes. I enjoy the clear explanations, applications friendly information and your professional demeanour.
I'm so glad these have been helpful. Thanks so much for your kind comment, and welcome!
Thank you, loved the approach! So insightful
You're very welcome -- hope this helped you. Thanks for the kind comment.
Dude! You did that alpha voice and I immediately puffed my chest out in response to your attempted assertion of dominance. Very well done!
🤣 -- what a difference a tract shape makes, right?
WOW! I'll be absorbing & integrating these keys this month! Thank you, much appreciated. Music🎶IS LoVe! ❤ JoY☺🎶😇
I'm so glad this was helpful for you -- thanks for the kind comment
Loved the Elphaba imitation 😂🤌🏿
@@ClaudiaVictoriaBurgosGomez just open your mouth and pray :) 🧹
The point about the vocal track being the persona we want to portray, this is so "crucial" in developing a unique sound for singers
I agree, and I'm glad you find this helpful -- the tract finds its shape inside who the person believes they are. My tract and body energy as an erudite linguistics professor will be very different than if I were embodying my rural North Carolina farming grandfather. Just asking "Who do I believe I am" answers a lot of questions about style and shaping.
@dancallawaystudio it's like a certain tonal quality in the voice unlocks a certain feeling in the listener regardless of the notes being sung. My main musical style is rock, and in rock music there are rock singers and then there are rockstars who may or may not hit those high notes but they always seem to transcend the act of singing and with their voices connect with their audience almost spiritually
@@AndyIntharaphithak yep -- I notice this as well. It's very chicken and egg. But yes, a spiritual agreement seems so send a vibration that folks can feel to their core. Even yesterday in church my wife and I both noticed when a singer started improvising and singing, his communicative energy completely shifted, the natural beauty of his voice emerged. Learning to let that in the moment creation flow through rehearsed music is part of the art form.
You sound just like Zoolander at 5:20 😂 great vid
@@SimonLim-jh3zc 🤣 you're right -- I unconsciously downloaded some Blue Steel there. Hope this vid was helpful to you
i was wondering if you could also do a video on jaw placement or the larynx position. i really enjoy your approach and this tongue exercise has really helped me ❤
You read my mind -- there's a video uploading today about laryngeal position. I don't talk about the jaw so much in it, but of there are aspects of jaw coordination that you're struggling with, let me know, and I'll see what I can cook up. I'm so glad the exercises here helped you.
Yes, where the dorsum meets the hard/soft palate is the key to freeing the tongue and consequently the sound. This took me a long time to understand.
It's very counterintuitive, especially when we were taught things like open throat or make things open. Often we tried to create this big open space throughout, and we don't understand that narrowing in some places actually creates more acoustic freedom and actually opens up the places we want to be open (like releasing the phaaryngeal muscles). If you want to singers, you see their tongues, floating, quite high. I always say it's just a matter of having the choice. If you want your tongue to be down, you can put it down and if you wanted to float it high, you can float it high. I find for me, I always need the float high -- otherwise, my intonation suffers. I tract likes to make things flat :-)
Absolutely brilliant. Thank you for this wonderful video.
You're very welcome -- I'm glad to hear it was helpful. Appreciate the kind comment
Dan!!! Thank you so much for this video and your fresh and inspiring, and supremely holistic approach to vocalization. Familiar with Internal Family Systems therapy? "What does that part of me need, or want me know in it's level (overly eager :o)) of engagement here?" Great work I must say. I really look forward to learning more from you. I'm a guitar player steeped in the blues and old school R&B. I've struggled with my voice so much over the years (close to full on spasmotic dysphonia 20 years ago) but slowly gaining more freedom and proficiency. Thanks again!
my handle should be @alharris88 :o) not @norieharris
Thanks so much for this kind comment. I have encountered IFS for sure -- I don't understand it deeply, but it makes absolute sense to me. I find what I do understand about the framework to be instrumental in teaching and learning. Very glad to hear about your own path with singing and increasing freedom. If you ever have specific questions you think I could answer, send them my way. I'm so glad you're here.
@@dancallawaystudio Roger that Dan. Thanks so much for the reply. Here's to liberating all of our voices. BTW, I love the humor!!
You're hilarious and amazing imitating various vocal sounds, and your knowledge and insights are inspiring and very helpful, not to mention your communicative abilities. Thanks so much! I wish I had had a teacher like you in the past. It's been a long, hard and often frustrating struggle to understand it all. There were so many secrets and charlatans it was so easy to get lost.
Yes, very easy to get lost. I certainly understand. The voice is a very tricky thing to communicate, and we've also inherited a very master to student tradition rather than someone who is experienced something or walked down the road and is circling back to walk with the singer. I try to be the latter. I always try to tell students that when I give them a tool, they should test it out like they're experimenting with it in the lab. That's the only way that they can know and that I can know if it's working for them. And yeah, I love to try to keep it fun and light. I have a strong temptation to take myself too seriously so adding humor in my life, and in my teaching, helps me to relax and usually helps the students to have fun. We learn best when we're having fun because then we feel safe and also it reminds us why we sing in the first place right? Thanks for your kind comment and I'm very glad you're here.
Appreciated Dan. So well explained.
You're very welcome -- glad this was helpful
Would you do a video about quiet singing?
Sure thing -- would love to know what aspects of it are most challenging for you so I can make sure it's helpful. This is a good topic -- lots of pitfalls with softer dynamics.
Training at 19:00. Good theory, particularly the concept of close coordination between body and mind when singing.
Thanks -- Hope this video was helpful for you.
Seem ti be late, too.... but sooo happy having discovered this video. Thanks a lot, this is so helpful. 👍 Musical theatre is not really what I'm very interested in, but I guess it helps in all styles
I'm so glad this video was helpful for you, and thanks for letting me know. And yes you're exactly right -- the principles apply in all styles. Glad you're here.
Thank you for these precise explainations. This vid is dyn-O-mite from 21:36 on. I will listen to the last 15 minutes over and over again;-))
@@suzannetevlin8439 thanks for this kind comment -- I'm so glad this was helpful for you
My undergrad vocal pedagogy class in combination with self-study/practice of other vocal styles was & continues to be an absolute game changer. LOVE this video, THANK YOU for putting all of this out there- invaluable information for all of us singers. Also 5:22 is giving Rainn Wilson and I love it
I WILL be coming back to this video (and your whole channel tbh) as reference for teaching voice, I have yet to find another singer/teacher be able to put these concepts into such a clear & concise lesson, presentation, and understanding. Just amazing stuff man
I'm in this club with you -- understanding structure and function was a game changer in giving me confidence and momentum with technique. And style diversity -- it's crazy when you start to see the innumerable overlaps. And yes hahahaha -- total Rainn energy there.
@@iconoclastic-fantastic Thanks for this kind comment. I'm so glad this is helpful to you, and glad you're here. I feel like the world just has to be a better place if more folks had access to their voices and knew a little more about how to enjoy singing.
Your tips are exceptional! Impressions would be a great side gig for you, as well. 😂
I'm glad to hear they've been helpful -- thanks for the kind comment. I'll have to start planning my impression side hustle :)
You kill me! Awesome video. Thank you. Joe
:) I'm glad you enjoyed -- you learn better when you play. Thank you!
Thank you. Very insightful
you're very welcome -- I hope this was helpful
Funny synchronicity, the day you posted this, i watched a production of La Forza del Destino (I think from the Met) and it was so clear that both the tenor and baritone pulled their tongues up and back. A "violation of the rules" but i couldnt argue with the glorious performances both gents gave! Thank you for helping me question everything 😁
@@dorefromDetroit hey! Yep absolutely. If you watch old school Plácido too his tongue comes way up. Different tracts and different strategies -- Hope this one helped you
This is gold! Even with the tongue out od mouth, my tongue root still does weird things😂 coloring the sound.. so difficult to understand what is the correct sound, so i can then memorize thst feeling regarding the tongue root.. but alot of good tips! I also feel like when i add power, the tongue does alot, to support the resonance, and it ends up tensing more and more to hold on to that ball of air in the mouth.. so i catch myself constantly having to "release" the jaw and tongue mid vowel.. but then it goes to dull, so finding thst middle ground is soo hard
Thanks for this comment. I hear you. If you just google the intrinsic muscles of the tongue, you'll see how many things you're dealing with and hopefully cut yourself some slack. These coordinations take time. There are so many sounds possible, so really it's about what song you're singing and what you want to convey, and then is that coming through with balance and efficiency. I'd have to hear you, but when you talk about adding power, it sounds like you might be hitting it with a lot of support, maybe more air pressure than you need, so then the folds and tongue root press down to manage that energy blast. I forgot to include this in the video, but try hooking your index fingers on your chin and then massaging your tongue root with your thumbs (under/behind the mandible), do some gentle humming ensuring that those muscles there at the root tongue are soft-ish as you sing. You're training the root of the tongue to be soft and nimble while letting the top of the tongue move all over the place for articulation, etc. Hope this helps.
You're heaven sent. Thank you for this video. This is helping me see singing in a better light. Hope to see more on how to control all the complex parts.
@@Charactographies you're very welcome, and so glad to hear this was helpful -- thanks for the kind comment
Dan, I found this video profoundly insightful for me and I thought your vocal impressions quite brilliant. The dominant, or tyrant parenting of all our vocal muscles and body parts used in singing is cruel and disrespectful. If we don't love and respect our body's ability to reveal things, then how can we as singers project to an audience the joy and love of song. Thanks for the video and I will be waiting for more from You. 🙂
So glad to hear this. It's definitely been my experience -- learning to turn toward myself with curiosity and openness. In undergrad I would literally slap myself when I made a mistake or couldn't make the sound I thought a teacher wanted. And if I can't tune in to my inner environment with gentleness, I'm going to have a hard time offering that outward. Appreciate your kind comment. Glad you're here.
There's a "tongue" of confusion 🤣 I'm here all night ! And a Bel canto tech vocalist ! Cheers mates!!!
Can't believe I missed that pun in plain sight. Cheers back
A total tongue masterclass! Thanks Dan!
You're very welcome! appreciate it
Thank you for this in depth light shedding video on the complex subject of our tongue and it’s role in making sound.
As a wind player the position of the tongue obviously is crucial for sound and the way you articulate “attack” the note. Equally misleading concepts of pushing it down to create more “space”
The idea of bottleneck by letting it float up towards the hard palate makes absolute sense. I realise that I subconsciously always pulled the tongue back just a little bit - for fear it would interfere with my embouchure. To my surprise I have come to understand it doesn’t. Still rests behind the teeth. The idea of keeping the pharynx open does resonate- pun intended.
Also the emphatic holistic approach vs creating another “exercise” makes sense and is warmly welcomed. At the end this is what we want to do when making music. Express our emotions thereby affecting and engaging with the emotions of the audience in a meaningful and constructive way.
And yes this sometimes can feel completely counter intuitive especially when we have had the experience that the expression of our feelings has not been welcomed by our surroundings- or even culture.
This will go into my folder of important videos . 👍🏼🙏🎷
Thanks so much -- love this reflection, and I'm so glad this video was helpful. I teach a wind player, and I just learned from him the importance of oral cavity and pharyngeal resonance contribution when playing -- such terrific info. Grateful this vid found you and harmonized with you.
Thanks
you're very welcome -- hope it was helpful
Good video! Although, I was disappointed when you did not say "tongue" instead of "ton", lol. The impressions seems like they really help exploring this aspect of singing.
On a random note, due to your other videos, I have been exploring CVT technique, and it is the best. It answered so many questions about singing that I have been wondering about for almost 20 years. I found out that I was mostly singing in some type of neutral throughout my range, when what I really needed to learn was "edge" to get where I want to be. And "edge" needs to be loud, from my experience to learn. So back to woodshedding.
One video I would like to see something on different vowel choices when singing high to get a connected sound. Like "edge" uses "eh", "ih" and "ae" But what happens when you want to sing an "ah" an "uh or a "oh" as in "boat"? I think this would be a pretty helpful video for many people!
Thanks so much for these suggestions. And I'm so glad to hear you're getting great answers for yourself from CVT. I've found a lot of their tools to be tremendously helpful. I'm putting your suggestion in my calendar. And the great thing about edge is that is has all kinds of possibilities for high or low density. I'm glad you landed on a way of understanding the voice that's so helpful.
@@dancallawaystudio yeah, I am starting to realize that the CVT modes are really a good way to learn how properly sing each vowel in various places in your range.
Wanna sing "eh", "ih" or "æ" high in full voice? Use Edge!
Wanna sing "uh", "o" or "oo" in your passaggio? Use curbing!
But now, I got figure out what to do about "ah"!
@@donrogg Yes yes all those are options -- and you don't have to adhere to mode rules so strictly sometimes, and that's terrific. I remember when I was at CVI one of my teachers was like -- "ok, now forget all about modes!" What I mean is that if you want to take oo up through your passaggio but not curb, you can lower the jaw a little and modify to ʊ like "book." And /a/ and /ɑ/ don't have to be as tricky as you think. (I've done enough crying over them for everybody.) For me, always leaning toward /a/ or /æ/ and then shaping with other parts of the tract is the way, at least for me. If I don't add bright color, my particular tract tends toward flat. Love that you're discovering so much for yourself. It's always exciting info, and I'm always like "Dang that works!"
@@dancallawaystudio yeah, I still new to CVT so in the very early stages of figuring it out.
But it is certainly helping. I sang "Spirit of the Radio" the other night and while the E5 at the end was no problem and easy, the G#4 that starts most lines of the vocals is still a little difficult for me. But I figure that is something I can work on. And since it uses edge vowels, it could make for an exercise that has quick results!
@@donrogg Yep G#4 has a lot of mode options, so that place can be tricky, esp to begin a phrase. Sounds like you're figuring a ton out, though, and have the passion to investigate and keep trying. That chorus (emotional feedback) I'd try Ih-mae-shae-nael fihd-baeck :) and experimenting with a light support feel. See how that helps. If I'm talking about the right spot.
Extremely helpful Dan! My teacher gave me an exercise of singing with a pencil between my teeth. Do you think it's similar to the exercises you listed and equally helpful?
I'm so glad this helped. The pencil in the teeth can accomplish a few things -- the primary purpose of it in my experience is to feel what kind of resonance you get with your teeth only a pencil width apart -- folks are often surprised at the acoustic leverage they get when they may have thought they had to open wide all the time. Teachers have used corks, pinkies, ends of thumbs for the same purpose. The pencil in the teeth MAY help the tongue to relax beneath/against it, but I wouldn't use it as a way to train management of your tongue. There are some times when having the tongue lower and down are what you want, but for me, over 90% of the time I like for mine to float high like it's filling the mouth so that my pharynx is open for resonant business. Make sense? Ask questions if that's confusing in any way.
@@dancallawaystudio thanks, the pencil between teeth def helped me find better resonance since it helped me to overcome the tendency to over-open my mouth. I have a slightly unrelated question as well, would appreciate if you could shed some light :) I recently found out that blocking one of my ears while singing helps my technique a lot and I'm better able to do different colours intuitively but i've heard some people advice not to do it and rely on it as a crutch.
@@Theprogressivemusician Yes -- earplugs or blocking an ear help you to emphasize your internal hearing, bone conductivity, etc. It's really our most helpful listening focus as singers. I think it's a great way to start trusting what you hear from inside, and eventually you'll start to trust that hearing more and more. And re: crutches, if that crutch is going to help you become a better singer, then use it. Thanks for the question
@@dancallawaystudio thanks for answering again! That clarifies a lot of things for me.
So many times, I have found my tongue in the craziest positions and the strangest places!!! 😮😮😮 HAHAHA 😂😂😂
I fell on my arm a long time ago and I started to get knots on my muscles in the neck and on the Scalenes. (I am sorry for my written english. I am Swedish). No one could help me until I met a chiropractor . I am starting to get ok but I still have problems with my neckmuscles getting tired and it makes it hard to use my twang and the front of my neck. Do you know what I mean? What are your thoughts about my problem?
Thank you!!
@@katarinasjolin5674 thanks for your question and I assure you your written English is substantially better than my written Swedish :). I'm glad you were able to find some help through a chiropractor those can be game-changers. My instinct is to play around with different sounds while you lie down on your back or lean back against the wall with your head resting against it and aligned over your shoulders -- give your neck muscles the scalenes and your upper shoulders the trapezius etc gentle massage so that they relax and make sound as you do that. Even massage around the larynx and move it side to side while you sing. I could be wrong but I think you'll find that the muscles that cause the pharyngeal narrowing you need for twang will activate independently of the neck and shoulder muscles. Of course they inter-relate as you sing but I have a feeling you may experience some freedom and Independence of function you might not have expected. Let me know how this goes for you.
@@dancallawaystudio Thank you so much! I will try that today.
Your tutorial is accurate try to minimize the repetition of reoccuring words during explanation it makes Ur videos longer main purpose of this video started from 13min of the video u can make it shorter
appreciate this feedback -- thank you
Tounge tie effects all this, what to do?
yes absolutely -- you're right. Tongue tie limits your range of motion. I'd see how much movement you can manage, like how high can the dorsum of your tongue float up etc, and see what kinds of advantages that gives you. I teach a regularly working singing actor who also navigates tongue tie and finds a lot of ways to still leverage tongue position even with very ample frenulum :)
Thank you…..that’s an interesting approach.. but probably need some help with that!
@@sacredcowyoga7672 Sure thing -- if you ever want to book a free 15 minute chat with me, we can look at some strategies that could help.
I have been struggling for some time with this very topic. What can we do if we have an extra long-term I find myself putting the tip of my tongue, tongue way below my bottom teeth past the gum line in order to move it out-of-the-way. Is this OK?
As long as what you're doing helps singing feel balanced and efficient, making sounds you feel are authentic and live well within the style you're singing, a lot of coordinations are possible. I just heard a great interview with Kerrie Obert where she talked about how multi-able the tongue is. Maybe try putting your tongue tip just behind the teeth and see how that feels -- if it puts it in a favorable location, you might be good to go. Our younger son has a super long tongue -- we joke that he's going to front a KISS cover band one day.
@@dancallawaystudiome too my tongue is so long, so it really makes singing difficult
@@LetstidytogetherI hear you and I know that must be frustrating. Since I can't hear you sing I can't speak completely accurately but please know that many masterful singers work with all kinds of different aspects of varying physiology, so I hope you'll keep at it and keep singing because it's worth it.
I just realized I do all this naturally. I barely even move my jaw when I talk. I'm all tongue lol
Maybe a side hustle in ventriloquism? There are men I grew up around in NC who had this same skill haha
Starts talking like Kermit the frog, my mind: Oh, Jordan Peterson! jk
Joke aside, good video!
Thanks so much -- for real, though, I was a little self conscious when recording, so I couldn't sink fully into Kermit identity, and when I was editing,, I thought, "I sound like Jordan Peterson." :)
Sometimes the exercises are very uncomfortable, a bit painful…anyone else?
@@sacredcowyoga7672 which ones are causing discomfort? Describe and I'll try to help -- these should never bring any kind of ouch
A great explanation, thank you.
@@mauricevanschoonhoven1984 you're very welcome-- I hope this was helpful