The modern genre is very different from classical styles
First of all, if you’re a classical student, and love the genre, then listen to your teacher if he/she advises you against singing modern genre songs. Classical singing is very different from modern genre singing, and it might end up by being vastly confusing. If your technique is strong you won’t be harming your voice, but, in my experience, it takes a completely different set of ‘emotional chops’ (i.e. skills). In other words, the thinking is very different. So once you’ve learnt to sing within the modern genre, it might take some re-adjustment to go back to classical singing.
My own experience has been with classically trained singers who’ve already made the decision try modern genre songs, so they’d made the decision to move away from classical and try something new. A couple of them did, indeed, switch between the two with no apparent problems, but that risk is always there, if you’re a committed classical performer.
The most common genre that classical singers wish to try is jazz so let’s start there. All of my classically trained students had the same experience: because classical training is often so thorough, they found it hard to ‘loosen up’ and get with the beat, daddio. I think the reason for this is that our bodies learn habits fast and they can be tough to change, especially when classical singers usually start their training so young. For example, a classical technique often requires pure head resonance and a round vowel for the pure note, but a jazz voice is focused on chest resonance and a more breathy tone, or using a pure voice to a breathy voice, with a ‘wider’ shaped vowel at the back of the mouth. A ways away from each other. Also, jazz singers are often behind the beat, Billie Holliday coming to mind, who was often so far behind the beat she was about to slide off the edge of the world. And eventually did, unfortunately. Classical singing demands ‘perfection’, which means being more in the center of the beat. In fact, as an observer, classical is like the creation of a perfect vase, going from one perfect moment to another. Contained and clear. Once again world’s apart. I’m sure some singers can manage this easily, but all of my experience so far points to it being a challenge. So here’re a few tips that helped my particular students:
First of all, get to grips with the rhythm. Clap the rhythm. First in straight time, i.e. 4/4 if that’s the time signature then getting faster and faster, i.e. crotchets, quavers and semi-quavers, then clapping in syncopation. You should have a much better feel of the time when you come back to singing the song. Start with basic 4 beats to the bar if it’s in 4/4, then the 8ths, then the 16ths. Then clap the 2 and 4. Most modern genre music accents the 2 and 4. Then try 1 and 3. Then try switching between 2 and 4 and 1 and 3. Then syncopate the clapping, like you’re performing a drum solo. Remember to feel the rhythm in your body as you’re performing the song, even if it’s just clicking you’re fingers or tapping a toe. This’ll help with phrasing. The spaces in between are just as important as the notes you sing.
Like as not, you have a level of technique from your classical training. So the challenge often isn’t purely technique, but also how you are thinking of using your instrument. This is where the rhythm also comes in. If we imagine that the diaphragm is not only just the breathing instrument of the voice, but also where the feeling comes from (you might already be connected to this theory), i.e. the emotion of the song. Listen to your instinct from there. It’ll tell you what to do. If it tells you to move your body in a different way, then try it out. If it feels wrong, then you are on the way to doing it the right way. If it feels right, odds on you’re truly expressing the song. It’s the whole body expressing the song, balanced. If you’re voice is centered, and you’re using your core energy, it’s OK to move around because you know where you’re going back to.
A jazz singer is, at best, part of the whole band. Music is always a sum of the parts put together to make music, and this is especially true in jazz. So listen to the other musicians, if you’re in a band. If not (and maybe also), start listening to some jazz. See if you can hear the difference between the musicians. And how they interact with one another. Hear the bass line. Hear the feel of the drums. Hear if the drummer and bassist are playing together, and are ‘locking in’ or ‘tight’ (daddio ho ho).
You can take this further and learn a few jazz solos. Ella Fitzgerald is a great one, since not only being a stunning singer and musician, she also often sang more in the center of the beat. Look out for her scat on ‘How High The Moon’. Or find a solo that you love and put words to it. It’s amazing how quickly the subconscious learns the language of jazz, and how this will transform your performance. You’re having to think on you’re toes, ‘out of the box’.
Record yourself. What we hear in our heads is often not what an audience hears. I’ve often found that you can ‘get it’ when you hear what you’re truly doing, or at least know the next step forward.
Choose songs that you love, and that mean something to you personally, let the audience come to you, rather than you reaching out to them, and commit to the song completely. You then stay in the meaning of the song while staying centered. The diaphragm is not only the breathing apparatus, but also where we primarily emote (i.e. the term ‘gut reaction’). So it can help to relax your diaphragm every time you breathe in, i.e., the feeling of smiling, or feeling happy, and at that moment open yourself to your inner musician. This also helps root your voice, while centering both your performance and voice.
One last technical thing that can be helpful, to help connect you to your chest voice, imagine that there’s a metal plate that goes from the note to about an inch below your collar bone that is curved outwards, i.e. towards the back of your neck. If you reflect the sound from there, you’ll open yourself to your chest voice and this will, in turn help to take the focus away from head resonance. As a rule of thumb, modern genre singers use chest rather than head resonance, especially for the high notes.
Practice singing a pure to breathy note, and vice versa for the breathy Jazz type voice. And soft to loud, loud to soft. Round shape to wider, more oval shape and back again, using more air from the diaphragm for the emotion.
For some improvising ideas, the ‘How To Ad-Lib’ article contains some basic improvising ideas and samples.
Once you’ve tried the technical stuff, forget it and surrender to the song, and the feeling and story of the song. See if the body takes over, now that you’ve started to re-program it, and if you’re singing the song differently as you’re focus changes.
Pop and rock genres can be a little easier, in that the song is usually felt more in the center of the beat. Really good, classic rock singers have often had some classical training along the way, and rock is akin to opera. You HAVE to have the chops to make it work, but you also need to be loose. Once again, phrasing and feeling the rhythm is key.
Pop singing often uses a different type of resonance, i.e. the mask around the eyes, but using chest resonance at the same time. Think almost a ‘square’ shape at the back of the mouth, which gives a slightly metallic sound (think of classic ‘bubble gum’ pop – ‘Micky’ by Toni Basic, for example).
Soul singing is very much the same thing. Round vowels, but using a pure to breathy tone for dynamics, and using chest resonance for tone.
‘Opening up’ is an incremental thing, and isn’t going to happen overnight. I think, bottom line, it’s giving yourself the permission to follow your instinct and to take risks. Feel the rhythm, and let yourself MOVE. Not just for the sake of it, of course, but within the context and feel of the song. An audience won’t care if you perform cartwheels (actually, they’d probably love it), although if it’s in the middle of ‘I will always love you’ it might not quite resonate.
Tags: ad-libbling, classical singing, improvising, jazz singing, rhythm, technique, vocal instruction