What kind of sound do you sing with?

How is it that singers can make so many different kinds of sound with the same body parts?!

Seriously! The vocal folds are super dynamic and create the array of sounds you hear in all different kinds of singing. 

Pop, heavy metal, opera, jazz….these sounds, it’s just SO GREAT.💃🏼

When you’re thinking about singing with your own voice, ask yourself this:

“What kind of phonation do I need for this style?”

What is phonation?

Phonation is the vocal folds vibrating. 

And because the vocal folds are so dynamic, they vibrate in certain ways to create different kinds of sounds.

👉🏼Any of those sounds is a balance of air pressure and air flow.👈🏼

For our purposes, there are three different modes of phonation.

1. Breathy Phonation

This occurs when the vocal folds adduct (come together) to vibrate, but they don’t fully approximate, leaving extra space for excess air to flow through. This results in a - well it’s just as it’s labeled - breathy, whispery sound.

Breathy phonation has too much air flow and not enough air pressure.

It’s quite a nice sound, especially for affect. 

Breathy phonation is utilized in an array of styles - pop, jazz, indie singer/songwriter…

Think of artists like Norah Jones, John Mayer, Lana del Ray, Jack Johnson, and Sarah McLachlin.

The nice thing about singing a breathy sound at a microphone is you can still sound loud, because everything is turned up electronically.

So when you’re listening to artists you want to replicate and they have a breathy sound, be sure to remember your raw, breathy vocal will never be as loud as their finished, breathy vocal. 

It can’t be because the vocal folds aren’t vibrating fully. Air is flowing too quickly to get a ton of volume. That’s not a YOU problem; that’s a science problem.🧐

And be sure that, when you’re intentional about that breathy sound, get close to the mic so your sound still gets amplified.

2. Pressed phonation

Pressed phonation is on the opposite end of the spectrum from breathiness...

...it occurs when the vocal folds are adducted too tightly for air to flow through the vocal folds smoothly and efficiently. 

So the sound has too much pressure and not enough flow.

Maybe you’ve heard a singer sound like they were trying unsuccessfully to poop?💩

That’s pressed phonation. #yourewelcome

Pressed phonation seems to be everywhere these days, pop, country, heavy metal…

Think Adéle, Billie Joe Armstrong, Reba McEntire, and Kurt Cobain.

Pressed phonation can create a dramatic or bold sound, but can cause fatigue quickly.

Even in heavy or distorted styles; there is a way to sing those styles efficiently without excessive pressed phonation.

I’ve seen year after year after year singers singing with a growing tendency to utilize pressed phonation.

My hunch is with all the compression being used in mixing, the average singer’s default volume is TOO LOUD. And volume helps pressed phonation, they often go together.

But you’re too smart to do that, aren’t you? 😘

Remember, overcome pressed phonation by singing in a medium volume, 80% of your max volume is a great place to stay.

3. Balanced phonation

And balanced phonation is what I want you to hear TODAY.

Balanced phonation occurs when the vocal folds adduct smoothly and efficiently and vibrate.

The balance between air pressure and air flow is optimal in balanced phonation.

Think Dolly Parton, David Draiman, Usher, Samara Joy…

How bizarre is it that these four artists can all sing with balanced phonation, even though their styles are soooo different?

It’s wild.

But it’s a good thing.

It’s good because you need to always be able to sing with balanced phonation. 

Even if you use other modes for stylistic nuance.

When you warm your voice up and down (because you are singing a vocal warm down, right?), you must be able to sing with balanced phonation.

This will help to ensure vocal health, stamina, strength, power, and agility in the short term AND long term.

So if you aren’t using a vocal warmup, you need to.

And if you are, be sure to listen to your sound as you sing. Is it clear, is the vowel inteligible, do you sound like you just woke up?

If so, clear up that sound!

Modes of phonation are helpful tools for you to think about and use as you grow in your singing capabilities and artistic expression.

The more intentional you are here, the more compelling you’ll be as the amazing vocalist you are.

Have fun singing!