How do I sing louder?

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 08:59 AM

sing from the diaphragm, develop deep breathing, the following exercise is good, take a deep breath using the diaphragm, exhale out very slowly, take another deep breath exhale out very quickly[cleansing breath] this ia yoga technique that maharashis use to develop beautiful tone, it helps with volume. Richard Bridge is taking crap, singing teachers are useful[ not for style] but for stopping singers damaging their voices through bad technique. I know I am a singer.
think about your posture

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: foggers
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 08:08 AM

Singing is a form of physical skill where you are using muscles that run from your diaphragm, your lungs, rib cage, throat, vocal apparatus, tongue, lips, and nasal cavity. Like any other physical activity there are many ways to do it and some ways could cause damage if you try to push your voice harder without understanding some of the mechanics. Muscles do matter, but its not the kind of "six-pack" musculature we associate with being "fit". This is why some peeps with great voices can be distinctly porky!

I agree that some good coaching could be what you need; it is not possible to give you helpful advice without having seen and heard you sing, because there can be any number of factors affecting vocal production. Whilst some teachers may have a narrow focus (e.g. Stage musical style) there are teachers who are knowledgeable about many styles and are interested in helping you to develop your unique voice.
999 has made a good offer; you could start with that. Good luck and enjoy the journey!!

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 04:46 AM

I'm a bit embarrassed to be coming anywhere close to telling people how to sing: I'm very aware of my own shortcomings - but...

Be VERY wary of singing teachers. Mostly they do not understand folk at all and just want to turn out opera or operetta singers.

I'm a bit iffy about this stomach muscles business - many folk and sounds-like-folk singers including some of the loudest, you'd need a JCB to find the stomach muscles.

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: Ann N
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 02:52 AM

would it be worth paying for a short course of lessons with a qualified singing teacher, just to brush up on the best breathing and voice projection techniques for you? Even established Opera singers go to singing coaches improve their voices and delivery :)

all the best with your singing career

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 09:30 PM

Common thread here? Breath and how you control it?

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 09:23 PM

Learn to breathe. The act of singing has to be--at first--conscious. Singing is a method of getting air through your vocal cords. The air comes from your lungs. How that air is put from the lungs through the vocal cords is what differentiates mouth singers, throat singers, chest singers and abdominal singers. If your 'belly' muscles aren't in shape, you won't last.

If you post your e-mail, I will send you two cuts that demonstrate the differences.

If you do post your e-mail, do it with at instead of @ and dot instead of . (I thought that was pretty clever.)

PS Let me know how old you are if/when you write.

Bruce

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: Gurney
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 09:19 PM

What Richard Bridge said.
Practise at concert volume, not quietly. Otherwise you may find that you can't get enough volume when you are onstage, in the key that you have chosen.
If you REALLY can't sing loudly, perhaps you should watch DVDs of Melody Gardot and Diana Krall. They sing noticeably quietly, and are very popular.

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: Bert
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 05:29 PM

Enjoy your singing. It is enthusiasm and energy that count. So get up there and have fun, let the microphone do the rest.

Sing TO the audience and connect with them, make eye contact and smile when it is appropriate.

Sing in your own natural voice, don't try to emulate that horrible high pitched nasal twang that some folk singers think is the way to sing.

When singing a cover and you can't seem to get away from the original artist's version; try speaking the words a few times until you can sound like YOU singing.

If you consciously try to sing louder you could ruin your voice.

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 04:44 PM

Getting it in the right key is pretty vital. One is usually loudest (or at least capable of being loudest) not quite as high as one can go - if you can just make top G as a harmony when someone else has the tune you will probably be loudest about C or D.

It may be worth asking yourself how loud you can shout to encourage your team at your preferred sport. Obviously if you try to sing like that all night you will frazzle your voice and not get a very pretty tone - but it's a question to ask yourself.

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: GUEST,jude
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 04:22 PM

Make sure when you breathe you connect with your belly (like when you sigh) - and try and keep the back of the tongue down and some space between your back teeth. The space in your pharynx, mouth and the front of your face (nasal cavities, sinus etc.) all amplify the vibration from the vocal chords so more space is more volume. Try to sing on open vowels - m, n and the ng sounds (eg something, singing etc) are not as loud as the open vowels.

Subject: RE: How do I sing louder?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 04:15 PM

Stand up when you sing. Exercise. Exercise. Exercise.

And stop smoking?... SirCoughsalot?

Subject: How do I sing louder?
From: GUEST,SirCoughsalot
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 04:09 PM

Hey guys. You may have seen me around before. I am a young folksinger from WV. I am starting to record and play live shows now. However, I have a problem: I ain't loud enough. Especially playing a big place. I mean, I know microphones are there to help, but I'd like to be able to muster up some more volume on my own. So does anyone have any advice at singing loud and clear?