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As my studies and teaching in singing have progressed I have been made aware of particular problems with singers who sing in a choral setting (particularly within Cathedral settings) often experience and was of combatting these particular problems. What I would like to do here is identify a couple of the issues that people often face, to let you know you are not alone in these problems and that there is a solution to them all.
Problem One: Struggling and straining to produce notes high in pitch.
What it feels like: When singing notes that sit in the bridge between mid and head voice or above the throat becomes constricted and the sound does not want to come through, often resulting in a nasal, breathy or cracking sound.
Often experienced by: Sopranos and Tenors, although not exclusively. Usually this affects big voices, when trying to 'blend' your sound with other lighter voices, and trying to sing more quietly. Often accompanied by trying to keep the sound in tune with other singers.
Other problems it causes: This problem can cause people to lose confidence in their voice as it is not doing what you expected it to do. It causes bad habits which are then repeated on every high note, making high singing difficult and strained, and can cause health problems such as sore throats after a lot of this type of singing. Often singers stop singing as it becomes too difficult and they feel that they cannot achieve what they want.
Can it be solved: Yes! With corrective techniques and a better understanding of how to work with your voice this problem can be avoided, corrected and solved. Most of all - do not lost confidence, if you have a big voice your quiet sound will not be as quiet as other people, it takes more than one type of voice to make a choir!
Problem Two: A nasal, muffled quality to the voice.
What it feels like: to the singer this can often cause other problems, making some notes difficult to pitch. The sound is nice internally to the singer, but often unpleasant to external listeners. It can also make the sound much quieter, and cause clenching and tightening at the back of the throat.
Often experienced by: Can be experienced by all singers, but is often present with choral tenors and counter tenors. The problem occurs when the singer attempt to make the internal sound of their voice fit with the 'classical' sound they hear from other people.
Other problems it causes: This can cause low self-esteem as the reception of the sound is not what the singer expects. It can cause problems in the upper and lower ranges, making these particularly hard work and can cause tightening and straining at the back of the throat. Can cause a loss of the voice at an early age.
Can it be solved: Yes! Working on mouth positioning, the placement of the tongue and ignoring the internal sound can actually reduce and resolve this particular quality issue, and often reveal a bigger, easier sound.
These are just a couple of the multiple problems that can be experienced by singers, and the solutions are by no means simple or quick, but they are extremely effective. With dedicated practice, and the right techniques often these problems can be corrected and improved in around 6 - 24 months, depending on the level of the singer.
