Twang, belt and all that stuff!
Posted on | March 4, 2008 | 7 Comments
I finished a short series with a singing team in Brisbane last night and the issue which seemed to be of most interest with the singers was how to get the power and strength of belt and twang into their voices. I gave general instructions, but I recommend working through these with a teacher one on one. Group exercises are great, but they ignore the fact that every voice is different and needs individual attention when developing these qualities.
Who belts and twangs when they sing? Who doesn’t! Christina Aguilera, Bernadette Peters, Darlene Zschech, just about any TV jingle!
One of the biggest issues I found with the singers was a lack of breath connection. Until the breath is efficient and connected to the release of the abdominal muscles on the inhalation, often the sound is unsupported. Once this is established, then belt exercises are great for developing strength and power in the voice. However, the breath required for belt is a fine “thin” line of air, NOT a big push of breath. Too much breath causes the folds to work to hard, and can cause damage (like nodules – yuck!). Less air will give a clear tone. Conversely, some singers need more breath flow – this is why generalisations are difficult and one on one work with a teacher is recommended.
Now, as for twang. Belt needs twang. Twang will keep the voice healthy and help unify the registers. I am not talking about nasalised twang (country sound), but a focused sound which often feels “buzzy” in the front of the face. Some students don’t feel anything, though, so don’t worry if you don’t “feel” your voice. Twang doesn’t need to be belted, but belt sure needs twang! Belting without twang for any length of time often results in vocal damage. Specific twang exercises help encourage this in your voice, and you can then learn to switch it on, or off, or use a little bit, or more as required by the style of the singing!
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May 3rd, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
Hi, I was just wondering if you could get back to me on a few of these twang exercises. I am really trying to increase (and pretty much build up my belt voice from scratch). I have just recently had my heart opened to musical theatre, sadly i’m kind of a late bloomer… But I still want to learn! I have had a few years of classical choral training, and I am a mezzo soprano. I can belt a little, but my range stops at about an A… if that. And my vibrato on these notes is almost impossible. I need alot of help!! Any tips, and exercises would be fabulous!!!
May 7th, 2008 @ 9:03 pm
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for your comment. To develop twang it is important to keep your tongue in a forward high position. Try keeping the base of the tongue against the back of your lower teeth, and between the molars. The idea here is to keep the back of the throat open with space, but the front of the mouth in a more closed position. Twang often sounds ugly to the singer’s ear, so be prepared for an ugly bright sound.
One exercise I use is “SING-AH-NG-AY-NG-EE-NG-IGH-NG-OO-NG-OO”.
I sing this through from C4 to G4, just to get the feel of twang in my voice. The idea is to keep the buzzy, forward position of the NG throughout the sound as you change to the vowel sounds. When you say “sing” you will feel the back of the tongue and the palate touch, and as you sing the vowel you should feel the palate lift off the tongue for a free open sound. You sing the whole thing through on one note, then move onto the next note. Obviously this is very difficult to describe and is usually done WITH a teacher! However, if you get the twangy forward focused feel in your voice, then try singing your songs with this sound and keeping the twang throughout your range.
Also, remember twang doesn’t need belt, but belt ALWAYS needs twang, or tension will occur – especially in the upper range of your belt. Be very careful with your belt exercises, building up the ability of the folds slowly and carefully, or voice damage can occur. Good luck!
May 24th, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
I can never seem to NOT use a twang, I can never seem to get a clear note and my throat always sounds and feels like its closed up. I’ve been singing for all of my young life now without really knowing how to, so I’m hoping I won’t get nodules when I’m older, talk about crushing. any tips for this wannabe singer?
January 26th, 2010 @ 3:05 am
Hey Dale, I know you posted this ages ago but I was wondering if I the excersizes you gave courtney would be suitable for me aswell? I’m a 15 year old girl and i’ve just passed my musical theatre grade 8 with distinction. I love legally blonde and I want to sing it but im not sure i could reach the notes :]
July 4th, 2010 @ 11:04 am
Hi Courtney,
Working with a teacher who is experienced in teaching belt is really important when “crossing over” from classical to a more contemporary sound. From everything I have read and listened to and learnt, there are a lot of conflicting views on belt out there in the world. here are my thoughts – but you may find your teacher disagrees. I would say to you, when you are belting, if it hurts, it isn’t right! Belt doesn’t necessarily need lots of breath and around A there is a kind of “passaggio” feel with belting. I find here is where many students will tighten up and use too much breath to kinda “push through” into a bigger belt range (and often end up flat). Belt needs a slender column of air, and quite a lot of space in the back of the mouth. Lift the palate, think “north south” rather than “east west”. Keep the space at the back, but don’t open the lips too wide. Often when we open our lips wide, the back of the throat closes and the voice feels “tight”. Try singing off a fry feel, using twang. Keep that sound forward, don’t let it get “froggy” in the back of your head, but imagine it is forward forward forward. I often practice the muscle work in speech repetitively before trying to sing in the way, setting up new muscle habits using the imagination before singing.
I use step by step guidance in the studio, every student is different. This is just general advice and I know that teaching is most effective when one on one. If you are trying this and it isn’t working, go to your teacher. Please don’t hurt your voice by “pushing through” which can lead to voice nodules. Rehabilitation from bad technique in belting is not fun!
July 4th, 2010 @ 11:10 am
Hi there,
Thanks for your question. It sounds like you need to open up your throat a bit more. Practice stretching to the beginning of a yawn feel (not to a yawn, just opening up) and feeling the stretch in the soft palate. Lifting the soft palate in the “beginning of a yawn” feel when you are not singing is the start. Practice stretching these muscles, and keeping them open for a while. Then do this as you prepare to sing (ie, breathing in) and sing with this stretch in place. Another thing that may be closing off your throat is a tongue which is pressing backwards – try stretching it out of your mouth and yawning on an ah. Is the sound more open? This advice should really be followed up with a singing teacher – our ears are trained to listen for these issues and to help you learn how to free up your voice. Keep singing
July 23rd, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
Hi Fleur, I think you should work with a teacher experienced in teaching belt and twang. At 15 your voice is not mature, and sometimes adolescent voices are still changing and growing, so my advice is never to sing higher than you feel comfortable. Certainly there is such a thing a safe belting and dangerous belting. I would strongly recommend you work with a teacher for your own vocal safety, but a good teacher should be able to help you increase your range and power. Good luck!