How many voices do you have?
It may sound like a strange question, but think about your honest answer.
Is it three - one for each vocal register (chest, middle, and head)? Maybe it is two (your chest voice and head voice)? Or perhaps it is four (chest, middle, head and falsetto)?
What if I said you have ONE voice. That’s right. One.
When I was studying Bel Canto I felt that I did not have to worry about the registers too much. Yes it is important to recognise them and have an awareness of what they are for, but I never needed to obsess about them or manipulate my voice in any way as I sang through my range.
Do you find yourself constantly thinking any of the following thoughts as you sing through a song - “Am I in my chest or mixed register?” or “How do I mix my head/chest voice?” or “Where am I in my register for this phrase, then this one, and the next…” or “How do I make my chest/head voice sound like [insert your favourite singer’s name here] – or others? Are you regularly searching for online videos about these topics? There is nothing wrong with exploring and being curious about your voice, but all of that fretting about the registers sounds exhausting. With Bel Canto, this magically disappears with time and practise.
Once we learn Bel Canto mechanics we come to understand that any prior over-preoccupation with our registers as we traverse up and down our range simply melts away. We still need an awareness of managing vocal weight in our sound, but in Bel Canto we approach our voices differently rather than as separate fragments needing to be micromanaged. Isn’t that a relief? Why should singing be complicated or a burden by aiming for anything else but unity?
The beauty and brilliance of Bel Canto has, amongst other side benefits, the goal of ONE, strong, seamless, balanced, connected, resonating voice. We focus on the beauty of this naturally unforced sound in our performances and a cycle of positivity ensues. This is the all-in-one singing solution which resolves so many issues singers have.
We learn to blend all of the registers across our entire range, all of the time. The name of the game is vocal alignment and smoothing out our passaggios. This Italian word translates to ‘passageways’, referring to the transitional areas between the registers. When you learn with me you will begin to feel how this works in your own unique voice.
The initial great shift with this is in the brain and mind, particularly when it comes to the concept of the ‘vocal break’ or simply ‘the break’ and our registers.
If we think about the chest register and head register only, for example, as singers we often feel this awkward area when our voices crack or flip on certain notes as we ascend or descend through our notes. These areas between our registers (chest to head) can feel challenging and uncomfortably odd to sing. While we cannot wish them away – and remembering that we also have our middle register to help us through – we can begin to address the imbalance we feel in these passages by remembering a few words.
When I heard my Bel Canto teacher say this (who heard it from her Bel Canto teacher, and who probably heard it from his Bel Canto teacher and so on), it blew my mind:
There is no such thing as a break because nothing is broken. Your voice is not broken.
I recall the moment when I passed this on to one of my own students during a lesson, who had quite a profound 'a-ha!' moment, and everything fell into place!
Always remember, your voice is whole, not broken.
While consistent, dedicated work is necessary to achieve one voice, Bel Canto is not complicated. After more than twenty years of singing publicly and trying various techniques I can honestly say that, as seen in the video below, Bel Canto is the best methodology for singers that gets results. It keeps improving the more you do it! And this is for everybody, regardless of your singing style (not only opera or classical).
VIDEO: Student Testimonial - Liam, Australia. Results.
When I started my Bel Canto training my intention was to dig deeper into the mystery of this transformative, centuries-old method - how it worked to produce consistent results, effortlessness, vocal longevity, amazing resonance, and much more. Along the way I knew that I did not want to stop uncovering this treasure! This led to me changing my career so I could keep growing in my own voice and help other singers.
If your interest has been piqued, begin your vocal transformation today. You are also warmly invited to register for a Free Discovery Consultation to chat about your vocal goals and the best training options for you.
Thank you for reading and always remember,
Be Free To Sing,
Be Free To Sing is a proud member of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS) Limited.