Top 10 Vocal Tips That Improve Your Singing Voice, Increase Tone, Power and Longevity

GET ACCESS TO MY UPCOMING FREE WEBINAR: This post helps you get started, but it’s only the beginning. What would it feel like to finally reach your vocal potential and feel an actual transformation in your voice? I’ve laid out all of the steps to building the right foundation for building a world-class voice in my upcoming Masterclass: Building a World-Class Singing Voice: The Ultimate Steps to Vocal Mastery, Precision, and Excellence. Click here to get free access.

The top vocal techniques to improve tone, increase power all while promoting longevity are encoded inside the vocal technique you use to sing from.?

Singers without vocal training will inevitably end up with vocal problems, because when the voice is not used correctly, it will start breaking down.?

The first signs are regular wear and tear of not recovering after a gig as quickly as before. Then a slow deterioration of high notes, diminishing range, added hoarseness that creeps in and suddenly your voice is not what it used to be.?

But it doesn’t have to be that way. And truthfully — it should never ever be that way.

There is an answer! The solution is to use a vocal method that is a complete vocal system, that includes healthy vocal production and has the biomechanical techniques that builds all of the features of a world-class voice.

I’ve spent over 38 years refining this special vocal technique into a complete master holistic method. And now, I’m bringing it to you, putting the power back in singers hands to take control of their own vocal destiny!

Are you ready to experience the difference?!

Here are 10 of the top vocal techniques taught inside the Cole Vocal Method? that bring out the absolute best in your voice. Soon, following these steps and immersing yourself inside the method taught in The Vocal Freedom Circle and The Vocal Mastery Program, you’ll be singing better than you ever imagined possible. What would it feel like to perform at your peak? Click here to learn more about The Cole Vocal Method?.?

1. Laying the right foundation?

Many vocal techniques function by only adjusting the surface sound of the voice. This leaves the singer constantly adjusting the sound but never addressing the core function of the singing voice which is where the real foundation lies.?

When you manipulate sound on the surface, it can be compared to window dressing. It looks good in the window, but the foundation is faulty. The CVM? gets to the root of the voice addressing the biomechanics improving the root strength and core mechanics of the voice dramatically improving all qualities and components of the vocal instrument.

The Cole Vocal Method? (CVM) is different from other techniques because it is a complete vocal method that addresses the biomechanics and health of the singing voice, based on 40 years of vocal science. The CVM works as a foundational technique or works alongside other vocal technique programs to accelerate results.?

Try this:??

• Stand in front of a mirror and sing a scale or a phrase of a song with a bit of volume.
• Notice any movements in the head, neck or facial muscles.
• Do you see your chin lifting up as you raise in pitch?
• Do you see your facial muscles tightening or eyebrows lifting as you sing?
• Do you see your neck muscles tensing or bulging as you sing?
• All of these are accessory muscles that interfere with the sound constricting and damping your voice.
• Now practice sing without any of those movements.?

Learn more about The Cole Vocal Method here .

2. The secret to real breath support starts with expanding the rib cage?

The goal to better breath support is to breath deeper into the lower triangles of the lungs.?

The lungs are shaped like triangles. To access a more complete breath to fuel the singing voice sufficiently, you need to access the lower parts of the triangle. This is what is meant by “diaphragmatic breathing”.?

The diaphragm is a muscle that sits underneath the lungs. As you breathe diaphragmatically the diaphragm moves downward sucking air into the lungs. The further the diaphragm goes down the fuller the breath. The diaphragm doesn’t have any nerve endings so we can’t feel the muscle, but we can control it by controlling the surrounding muscles.?

The muscles to target are the ribs, upper stomach, abdomen and back.The ribcage is surrounded by 28 muscles that surround the ribs called the intercostal muscles. These muscles need to stretch outward as you breathe. The ribs swing slightly outward making room for the diaphragm to descend, getting the air into the lower triangle.? Imagine you have a hula hoop circling your body just underneath the chest. As you breathe this hula hoop expands outward.?

Start with this:??

• Put your hands on your ribcage.?
• Exhale and squeeze your ribs together.?
• Slowly inhale into your hands and avoid breathing into the chest. Did you feel the ribs swing outward??
• Now press the fingers of one hand into the upper stomach while keeping the other hands wrapping around your ribs.?
• As you inhale try to get the upper stomach and the ribs move outward together.?
• Often the upper stomach goes inward. Focus on gently puffing out the upper stomach as you fill it with air.
• Continue to practice until you can move the ribs and the upper stomach outward.?
• This frees the diaphragm to move downward collecting more air in the lower triangles.

Click here to learn the Cole Vocal Method?

3. Build the right support?

The support for the singing voice is provided by a series of muscles in the trunk of the body. Strengthening the support of these muscles helps to unlock the power and resonance of the singing voice. Starting with the pectoral muscles, they help to anchor the laryngeal muscles and give it more strength and power against the air pressure from the lungs and breath.

Sternum and chest position (alignment) is also paramount to singing loudly without strain. I want to mention the position of the sternum and chest here because without a high position here, the voice will always fall into the throat. Keeping the chest lifted (in a natural way) provides additional support and frees the diaphragm. We use specific techniques within The Cole Vocal Method? to establish the use of the chest and sternum in supporting the singing voice.

Next the Intercostal muscles particularly in the back provide more support for the voice. Using these muscles in a “wing” like expanded fashion keeps the diaphragm down, keeping air in the lungs. This is a more advanced technique once alignment and breathing are restored and the ribcage and diaphragm are more free.

Singing requires using the abdominal muscles quite a bit in vocal production. The overuse of the abdominal muscles before the chain of muscles above is utilized correctly can result in a tense, hoarse and nasal voice. Once the correct support is established the abdominal muscles can engage in a way that strengthens the sound and power of the voice.

Chest Press Exercise 1:?

• Lift the chest upwards towards the chin and keep the back flat.
• Activate your pectoral muscles by squeezing the insides of your upper ams to your body like a hug.
• Relax the back of your neck while you do this.
• Exhale while flexing the pectorals without letting the chest fall.
• This is a physical exercise that overtime will teach your body how to not drop the chest during singing. This action will produce more power in the voice.?
• Follow up with Chest Press Exercise 2 in #3 below.

Tip: Daily pushups will help strengthen your pectoral muscles that need to be strong for a good “belt” voice. The best pushups for singers are done into a door jam where you can stretch the pectoral further than you would on a regular pushup. These are performed to stretch the pectorals while you strengthen them.?

4. Coordinate the balance of air and muscle

It is common to overuse muscles when singing especially to get volume or try to “project” the voice to an audience. However this can result in tensing the instrument which only constricts and thins the sound.?

It’s about finding the balance between air pressure and support and the surface tension of the voice. Finding the balance between air and muscle in singing that will unlock the sound and tone..

Sing with tone, instead pushing air is the hallmark of a great singing voice.

Using too much muscle interference will constrict the voice and thin the sound. Vocal strain will constrict or limit volume. The more you can train to open up your voice (using my Cole Vocal Method? taught in my Vocal Freedom Circle) the more volume and power you will experience in your singing voice.?

Try this:? I use this technique inside my method that really helps to improve volume.?

• Put your hand out in front of you with your fingers facing your face.
• Lift your chest upwards toward your chin to elevate the chest during singing.
• Sing an “AHHHHH” keeping your chest raised and move the fingers towards you imagining that you are “drinking the sound”.?
• Let the sound come “towards you” instead of pushing it outward.?
• Do you notice that the sound comes out a little easier??
• This technique is one of the many techniques inside my method that help singers learn how to sing with more volume and sound with less effort.?

5. The point of resistance or “appoggio”??

One of the keys to volume and power stems from where you establish “resistance” or the pressure you feel during singing. You don’t want to belt from the throat as that will destroy your voice over time if not immediately. The best way to take the belt off the throat muscles is to use the strength of your body instead.

In vocal technique, the “point of appoggio” refers to the point of maximum muscular tension experienced during singing.Many singers who do not have a good established vocal technique feel the “point of appoggio” at their throat or back of their neck (or both.)

In correct vocal technique, you practice feeling the “point of appoggio” at your sternum/chest area which takes the pressure/tension off of the throat, neck and jaw.

We accomplish this with a technique called the “sternum / chest press.” We apply pressure on the chest plate about 5” down from the collarbone in the middle of the chest. Press your fingers on the chest with the backs of your fingers together pointing on the chest. Apply that pressure against a lifted chest (without arching the back) while maintaining relaxed shoulders that are dropped back and down and a soft relaxed neck/throat. In other words, the only tension you want to feel is the pressure at your chest while the head and neck remain free of tension.

Practice this while conducting a simple breathing exercise of 10 slow inhales and exhales without dropping the chest. Let the pressure from your fingers do the work to keep your chest lifted. The harder they press the easier it will be for your chest to remain up. Maintain the high chest throughout inhalation and exhalation. This is a great start to programming the correct muscle memory for your singing voice. Remember to relax the back of the neck while you maintain pressure on the chest.

Try this:?

Chest Press Exercise 2:?

• Lift your chest up towards your chin to maintain a high chest and at the same time, flatten the back to avoid arching.?
• Press the fingers of both hands on the chest at the level of the bottom of the pectoral muscles?
• Sing through an octave scale on the AH vowel using the “AW” pronunciation to create more depth.
• Go up and down maintaining pressure at the chest and keeping the head and neck free.
• Use more pressure to help to smooth out the passaggio.?

6. Get your voice out of your throat?

When the voice is in the throat the sound can sound: thin, too breathy, strained, squeezed, pinched, throaty, raspy, hoarse, too tight or too dark or heavy sounding.?

The singing voice is a coordination of the right balance of air and muscle. When the voice is more ‘muscled” (tense, tight), the singer is tightening muscles around the neck and throat to produce sound. This is an incorrect technique that over time will burn out the voice (the voice shouldn’t operate under so much pressure.?

Dr. Peak Woo (an internationally recognized laryngologist, clinical research scientist, and author of Stroboscopy) said that the physical effect of a 45-minute vocal performance is equivalent to a 2-hour football game for a linebacker. The impact of a live concert, the strain on the voice, is irrefutable. Like athletes, it is imperative that singers train or they are going to inevitably end up with injuries or issues. You can avoid all of that.

Try these steps to get your voice out of your throat:

• Set up your alignment in #1 above.?
• Use the “chest press” to take the pressure off the throat so it can “ring” more freely. Press your fingers into your chest about 5″ above the sternum.?
• Sing a long note on “ah” using about 5-10 lbs of pressure on the chest keeping the chest elevated and the back of the neck free (not tense).
• Start with 3 lbs of pressure moving to 5-10 lbs of pressure halfway through the note to the end.
• Practice this a few times.??
• Do you notice how you have more sound with less pressure on the voice and more pressure on the chest??

You can practice the chest press technique in my Cole Vocal Method. The first step in the method is the Singers Gift Vocal Warm Ups. Click here to learn more.

Click here to learn the complete Cole Vocal Method?

7. Separate the action of the tongue, jaw, and larynx?

Until a singer separates the action of the tongue, jaw, and larynx they are vulnerable to interference from the incorrect motions and tensions inside these muscles individually that constricts and destabilizes the voice. Inside the Cole Vocal Method ? we practice core mechanical movements that separate the action of the tongue, jaw, and larynx, freeing the voice, stabilizing the laryngeal muscles and securing a full, rich and resonant tone and sound. We also improve overall vocal production and all of the attributes of a strong and healthy voice.?

Try this:??

• Gently hold your jaw down about 1.5 inches.?
• Keep the tip of the tongue glued to the inside of your lower lip.
• Say KAH without closing your mouth or letting the tongue pull back in.?
• To help, focus on lifting the back of your tongue to say the KAH instead of closing your mouth.?
• Repeat until you can do it.?

It may take some time as this is a movement you have to work into your voice. This is the beginning of separating the action of the tongue, jaw and larynx which overtime helps to stabilize the voice.

8. Build the legato line

The legato line refers to a smooth, seamless, and flowing connection between notes, where the sound appears to be continuous and unbroken. To achieve a good legato line, singers must focus on maintaining a consistent tone, pitch, and volume throughout the phrase. This requires a strong understanding of breath control, vocal placement, and articulation. The goal is to create a sense of continuity and connection between the notes, rather than a series of disconnected sounds.

Try this:??

• Sing from the bottom of your voice upwards through the scale slowly on “ah” and notice where your voice shifts into a different “sound” or texture. For example start on A below middle C and move upwards an octave and a half through the notes. Did you notice the voice shifting??
• Do it again and see if you can identify the notes your voice typically shifts on.?
• This is called your “passaggio” or “break”.?

For the female singer:?

• The lower register is called “chest” voice.?
• Upper register is called “head” voice.?

For male singers:?

• The lower register is called “chest” voice.?
• Upper register is called “head” voice.
• Above head the voice gets super breathy – this is called the “falsetto” register.

9. Develop vocal fold closure for better vocal production, tone, and control

Vocal tone is your unique sound quality. The sound, color or timbre of your singing voice. Every voice has a specific color, which can be described as warm, dark, or strident, nasal or throaty. Two singers singing the same song may sound different — the reason is tone. Vocal tone and timbre comes from the size and shape of your vocal resonators and the mechanics of your voice —how you use your muscles during singing–your vocal technique and the closure of your vocal folds.?

One of the biggest issues with singers who have not had training is the lack of correct vocal production and vocal fold closure. When the vocal folds are too far apart this results in an overly breathy voice and a lack of overall control.

Sometimes the singer is even unaware of the breathiness in their voice. Because the ears are far back from the mouth, the singer mostly hears the sound from inside their head and not the actual sound that is being produced coming out of their mouth. That is why your voice sounds slightly different on a microphone or during recording listening in headphones where you hear all of the subtleties.

Additionally, when the vocal cords rub together aggressively the result is a “raspy” or “hoarse” sound. With the right vocal therapy techniques we can get them to stop rubbing and eliminate hoarseness altogether. Raspy voices struggle with early fatigue, so fixing this issue is important for the longevity of the voice.?

Try this:?

• To more accurately hear your voice first sing and “AH” without cupping the ears
• Then sing an “AH” while cupping your ears with your hands. This brings the sound from your mouth directly into your ears. You will hear your vocal tone more accurately— as if under a microscope.??
• Cupping the ear is not a habit you want to establish, but it is useful in this exercise.?
• I use a device called “Hearfones” worn during vocal technique exercises that allows the singer to hear the voice more accurately. As you hear the voice more accurately, you will automatically self-correct the tone of your voice.?
• Ultimately tone is developed and improved correctly with specific vocal techniques taught in my Cole Vocal Method that includes The Singers Gift Vocal Warmups, The Vocal Rescue Kit and my Master Voice Building exercises taught inside my Vocal Freedom Circle.?

Click here to learn The Cole Vocal Method?

10. Build the bridge or passaggio, connecting the registers

Passaggio refers to the transition or “break” between lower and higher vocal registers (often called “chest voice” and “head voice”), that singers may choose to enhance (as in yodel) or to smooth out (as in classical singing). Singers blending the passaggio require a combination of proper breath support, tongue placement, and vocal technique to smoothly transition between their chest and head voice.?

Key points to consider:

• Breath support: A stable larynx is crucial for a smooth passaggio. This is achieved by starting with the breath, not the larynx. Proper breath support helps to stabilize the larynx, allowing for a seamless transition between registers.
• Tongue placement: A forward tongue placement is essential for blending the passaggio. This helps to engage the correct muscles and support the vocal production.
• Vocal technique: Singers need to develop a strong, consistent tone quality across the passaggio. This can be achieved through exercises that focus on building vocal strength, agility, and control

Breath support is integral to be able to execute smooth register shifts. When breath support is not well established, the passaggio (or break) will be bumpy and hard to control. You’ll also notice a vast difference in sounds in the chest and head voice registers.?

This leads singers most times to “push” air to control the register shifts, but what you really need is to alleviate the pressure felt at the vocal muscles by gathering air below the vocal folds in the sub-glottic area and using the “trunk” of the body to support the sound.?

To do that we need to gather and manage air below the laryngeal area in the “sub-glottis” area we need to breathe down into the diaphragm, release the ribs, and expand the intercostal muscles. Yes ‘breathing down into the abdomen’ heads you off in the right direction, but it’s really the ribcage movement that frees the diaphragm suctioning air deeper into the lower triangle of the lungs where the reserves of breath are. .

Try this:??

• Lift your chest (sternum bone) up towards your chin without arching your back or raising your shoulders.??
• Press your fingers of both hands on the sternum at the bottom of your pecs to keep your chest lifted during inhalation and exhalation.?
• Exhale gently without dropping your chest.
• Work on maintaining this position throughout singing.

WEDNESDAY LIVESTREAM with Cari Cole:

JOIN ME EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 12 pm Eastern for my Weekly Livestream: Join me on YouTube (and Instagram, Facebook)– where I discuss the Blog of the Week followed by a short Q&A where you can ask me questions.

This post helps you get started, but it’s only the beginning. What would it feel like to finally reach your vocal potential and feel an actual transformation in your voice? Come join the thousands of singers who have already transformed their voice and vocal health with the?Cole Vocal Method? . Set your voice free in only 20 minutes a day with these transformative vocal techniques found only here! Click here to find out more .?