Taming the voice

Techniques in Voice Culture
The technique of voice production for singing are more complex, in the sense that singing requires a more delicate control over the muscles. Effective control of breath, flexible speech organs, adjustments of resonators, wider range, mental perception, and so on, are the features by which the voice can be trained.

Voice culture for singing consists of other features also, in which fields the voice has to be trained. They are like the shape of the mouth, effective pronunciation of the words, adjusting the voice to different tempos or speeds, controlling of volume or amplitude as the background of presentation demands, vowel pronunciation and a very important feature of developing imaginative power to improvise.

The voice has to be trained according to the style and type of singing one chooses, e.g. classical, light, folk, pop, semi-classical, etc. This is because each type of music demands a different style of voice production. The male and female voice-producing organs differ. So, the training style will also differ.

The voice is the only living instrument of music. Every individual is unique, so is every voice. Though there are individual limitations differing from person to person, it is very important to note that this is the only instrument, which can be cultivated, improved and cultured, by variation of pitch, intensity and timbre (tonal quality) and all the above mentioned features.

The four basic steps of voice training include:
1. Hearing.
2. Control of Breath.
3. Practice.
4. Physical and Mental Fitness.

Hearing:
Imitation is the first step towards learning. This statement applies to voice training, too. Concentrated listening is the basic requirement. By listening more and more, the brain creates and stores a mental image of the music. The notes, the tunes, the rhythm, the speed, the words, the volume, the tonal quality of the voice or instrument, etc. are stored in the brain.

When we try to sing, this mental image co-ordinates with the laryngeal muscles to produce the music required. Thus, it can be easily understood that, the more we hear, the more we listen, there will be a better ability of voice production. We should listen with all the aspects of the musical form in our minds - like, tonal quality, phonetic quality, time intervals, the microtones (shrutis), expressional effects of the voice, etc. The more deeply we listen, the better quality of music we will sing. Better the mental and physical co-ordination, better will be the voice production. Though this is the first, basic fundamental and unavoidable step towards learning, we should remember that this is not the only step. It is not enough by itself.

Control Of Breath:
This is also a very important step towards voice culture. If we can master our breath, we can easily master our voice for singing. Breath Control gives fine-ness, clarity, steadiness and confident phonation to the voice. There are four types of breathing: Clavicular (shoulder), Costal (chest), Diaphragmatic and Abdominal. Clavicular breathing is useful to sing very shrill notes. Costal breathing is used to sing high-pitched notes. Diaphragmatic breathing is useful for every singer. When a singer cultivates this type of breathing, unnecessary and unwanted wobbling or shaking of voice can be controlled. Abdominal breathing helps to sing the lower notes effectively. Also, this type of breathing helps a singer to reach the subtler heights of singing.

Practice
Everyone knows - 'Practice makes a man perfect'. Practice should be divided into two types:
1. Trying that which we cannot sing but want to sing.
2. Repeating that which we already know and bring it closer to perfection.

By regular practice of singing, we give physical training to all the muscles and the voice production system on the whole. This training will vary with the type of music chosen for singing. The aspects of the voice, phonation, articulation, pitch control vary with the style of music, so will the factors to be emphasized during practice vary.

The time period that should be given for practice will again vary with the expected time period of the performance. In classical types of music where improvisation is a part of the performance, it is necessary to devote more time, even 2-3 hours at a stretch.