Full Version: Straning Your Voice In Ensembles
I noticed recently when I sing solo I never hurt my voice at all but sometimes in group singing I get a sore throat. I've tried singing quieter, different registers...you name it but I can't see what the problem is. I try to sing exactly as I would solo but not hitting the prblem. I also find the same when I hum...confused. Any thoughts?
It's almost certain that the problem is due to the fact that you're trying to harmonise your voice with other people - maybe you're trying to stand out less, blend more or quite the opposite - sing louder to make up for a weak section.
Without hearing you it's hard to give you a remedy, but try singing as you would when you sing solo and isolate why that doesn't work in a group - does the voice carry too much ? If so, the answer is less formant ring. Does the voice not carry enough to fit in with other loud section members (or make up for quieter ones) - if so the answer is almost certainly to ensure your throat is open (deconstricting false vocal folds by holding the feeling of a silent laugh whilst you sing will help with this) as will some twang (too complex to explain here).
You need to isolate the problem before you can resolve it but try to bear in mind that, irrespective of the singing situation, you shouldn't be working harder than necessary to produce any given sound - don't over breathe (too much breath is anathema to good singing) - don't support more than is necessary (it will cause you to constrict your throat otherwise) and never push volume - use projection instead.
It may even be a simple case of you not hearing yourself as clearly as you do when you sing solo, so you're pushing your voice to hear yourself - if so, learn not to do this and to trust the overall sound you hear coupled with the feeling in your throat.
I'll never say it enough - singers need to be aware of what's working when they sing, so they can feel and avoid potential problems.
If you want to record a bit of you singing the way you do in ensembles, then I'm sure someone on here can give you a solution.
Without hearing you it's hard to give you a remedy, but try singing as you would when you sing solo and isolate why that doesn't work in a group - does the voice carry too much ? If so, the answer is less formant ring. Does the voice not carry enough to fit in with other loud section members (or make up for quieter ones) - if so the answer is almost certainly to ensure your throat is open (deconstricting false vocal folds by holding the feeling of a silent laugh whilst you sing will help with this) as will some twang (too complex to explain here).
You need to isolate the problem before you can resolve it but try to bear in mind that, irrespective of the singing situation, you shouldn't be working harder than necessary to produce any given sound - don't over breathe (too much breath is anathema to good singing) - don't support more than is necessary (it will cause you to constrict your throat otherwise) and never push volume - use projection instead.
It may even be a simple case of you not hearing yourself as clearly as you do when you sing solo, so you're pushing your voice to hear yourself - if so, learn not to do this and to trust the overall sound you hear coupled with the feeling in your throat.
I'll never say it enough - singers need to be aware of what's working when they sing, so they can feel and avoid potential problems.
If you want to record a bit of you singing the way you do in ensembles, then I'm sure someone on here can give you a solution.
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