Article #4
- FAQ – Can You Fix the BREAK In My Voice??!
That word really is an ugly one - “BREAK.” I hear pain in it. The "break" in the voice is not painful physically and yet the singer faces the break with fear and trepidation. While some singers have made their fortune capitalizing on the "break", (without the “break”, where would Leanne Rimes be? No break-no yodel- it wouldn't be Leanne!) the yodel is what most singers fear. Why does this happen? What is the "BREAK"?
The Italians have a much nicer word for it: "Passaggio", or, the passageway. That is exactly what it is-passing from the lighter mechanism to the heavy mechanism, head voice to chest voice. It is interesting to note that the transition is made more easily descending than ascending. Start in the high register and use descending exercises. Strengthen the upper voice so that there is not so great a difference between the high and low voice texture and timbre. Use sounds like "preh" that roll the "r" and engage the masque. It feels like walking a tight rope - you know you're going to fall you just don't know which direction. The trick is to relax and let the voice go where it will. Wherever it falls, support it with air.
The octave from middle C up is called the bottle neck octave. It is somehwere in this octave that everyone's voice adapts and where the passaggio occurs. Some people can point to a note and say “that's where my voice breaks.” Focusing on just one note does more harm than good. Rather, think of that note and the pitches a step on either side of that note as the "Danger Zone" or The "Pay Attention" area. It is in this spot where you need to relax and allow the voice to "sit" where it wants. This transition will grow smoother as you play with it. Use exercises that move step wise, and cross and recross the "Zone". For example: 123, 234, 345, 456, 543, 4321. Sing the exercise using various vowel sounds. Walk away from the keyboard and move your voice randomly. Eventually the "danger" will diminish and the passaggio will be like driving a car with an automatic shift. Your can feel the gears shift but you are really not involved.
Remember:
1. Every voice has a break, or transition point. We all handle the vocal transition point differently.
2. Pushing the lower mechanism too high will magnify the break.
3. Sing easy and often to strengthen the passaggio.
4. Remember that patience and persistence are the success factors leading to a well trained voice.
By:
Darlene Rogers
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