Hi! Just picking up on this quote from the 'good voice' thread and didn't want to hijack. This is a very interesting point and I think I know what you're referring to, but would you mind explaining the difference between these two from a technical point of view, please? Thank you in advance!

Hi Maria!

Pop Belt is usually a much thinner sound - not in terms of "screechy" (although it can be screechy at times ), but in terms of vocal fold mass.
It can still sound very powerful, but it is usually more of what some people call a "mix" (10 singing teachers, 10 different words). The CT space will be smaller, and the folds thinner than in Broadway Belt. I actually prefer this if I have the choice, probably because I did classical singing for so long.

Broadway Belt on the other hand is much closer to a real yell or shout, so the folds are really thick, and the CT space is bigger (Estill used to teach this is down to a cricoid tilt, but the jury is still out as to whether this is actually true). The closed phase is also much longer than in the more mixed qualities, that's why it's so dangerous to drive breath when you are Belting. It requires a real holding-back-the-breath-support-fest, so if you are having a sh'itty, weak day, you are usually better off cheating a bit.

It's not really that one is better or worse than the other. The important thing is that you have a good idea what's required for a certain part. A lot of the more contemporary shows want a Pop sound - you should just be able to do the other one if they want you to

Thanks very much for the explanation, Dugazon. I understand what you're saying - very helpful. Just wanted to clarify.

Excellent post again Dugazon. Could you maybe illustrate this with some singers who sing in both styles so that Maria and the rest of us can listen to them and hear what you mean.

eg pop-belt = Whitney Houston Broadway Belt = Elaine Paige
pop belt = Robbie Williams, Broadway Belt = John Barrowman or Michael Ball.

Hardly any singer sings in one vocal quality exclusively, so this is really a rough guide to get the idea. A couple of girls just from the top of my head:

= female "Pop" Belters/Mixers: Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys (although all don't really have great technique because they frequently try to push too much volume for what they are doing), coincidentally Elaine Page (she hardly ever uses Broadway Belt), Barbra Streisand most of the time, the ABBA girls (especially Agneta sings very piercing, but with actually very little vocal fold mass)

= female "Broadway" Belters: Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Liza Minelli, Linda Eder, Whitney and Celine occasionally (they just really do it on single notes), Ethel Merman of course

Am I right in thinking Idina Menzel would be broadway belt? And would Lea Salonga be more of a pop belt?

Yes, although I personally don't think Idina has great vocal control, her high belt is rather unstable. I do like her as a performer though, she really created that role.

If you listen to a concert version of Lea's Defying Gravity ton the other hand, you can also tell that the way she sings it doesn't quite work for that particular role, so it's really horses for courses.