Find your voice
Singers have an array of sounds to choice from in their voice; to voice their emotions. All of these sounds are available to ALL VOICES with a bit of practice.
In the world of singing, teachers and students may use different terminologies to explain the varied sounds/timbres/colours, but what genuinely counts is not so much the words we use, but rather our ability to produce the sounds we desire freely. This is something singers have been doing for millennia.
Bear in mind, most singers effortlessly transition through the array of sounds within their vocal range, which is something you too will learn to do. But the example artists frequently use the specified sounds below, consider these merely as helpful rough guides or references.
SIGH (soft, whispery, intimate) Eminent examples: Billie Eilish, Prince, Marilyn Monroe, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Sinead O’Connor, Sade, Dusty Springfield, Suzanne Vega, Barry White.
CRY (compressed, sweet) Notable examples: Kate Bush, Sam Smith, Neil Young, Michael Jackson, Mary Poppins, Aaron Neville, Blondie, Seal, Ella Fitzgerald, Joan Baez, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell.
WHINGE (complaint-like, restrained, mix) Popular examples: Sia, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Miley Cyrus, Eva Cassidy, Sheryl Crow, Kurt Cobain, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Jimi Hendrix, Sting, Mariah Carey, Elvis Costello, KD Lang, Michael Stipe, David Bowie, RnB, Lady Gaga.
SPEECH (speech-like) Renowned examples: Johnny Cash, Whitney Houston, Cher, Etta James, Bob Marley, Freddie Mercury, Liza Minelli, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Jennifer Holiday, Tracey Chapman, Etta James, George Michael, Dolly Parton.
TWANG Great examples: Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Tramaine Hawkins, Freddie Mercury, Liza Minelli, Barbra Streisand, Chris Cornell, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Sebastian Bach.
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IMPORTANT NOTES: Always listen to what your body is telling you. Singing should be a pleasant experience both during and afterwards. Even when working on the above sounds, it's critical to maintain the fundamentals of vocal technique. For example, being aware of the effort your larynx is making, maintaining an open (de-constricted) throat, keeping good postural alignment, engaging your body, and managing breath use. At Expressive Voicework®, we teach these sounds only after a singer has learned how to navigate their full vocal range. All the sounds above can be created with lighter or darker tones, and effects can be layered on for diversity. Elements like opening/closing the nose, leaking breath, reshaping the mouth, altering the vowel, changing larynx height, tongue position, adding distortion, growl, vibrato, creak, and altering offsets can all come into play. While we can create all the sounds mentioned above with variations in sound colour, it's vital to remember that vocal sounds tend to get lighter as they ascend in pitch. As the voice rises, there are transitions of register (stretching and vibrational change) and shifts in resonance. With good coaching, you'll learn to navigate these transitions smoothly. Every voice is unique and has its own limitations. You don't have to be able to produce every sound everywhere in your vocal range. Your limitations and choices shape your distinctive, beautiful style. Your vocal capabilities will expand over time, but the size and shape of your instrument won't change, so it's essential to celebrate what you have.
