Singing Pop After Classical Training

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Let’s See Some Tools In Action During A Live Lesson

Meet Lisa.  Lisa was classically trained and had a wonderful opera career on the big stage in Europe for 20 years.  She currently teaches classical singing, and some contemporary styles, so we focused on finding a more contemporary “pop” sound using Adele’s song “Skyfall”.

Lisa is a Mezzo soprano, so she naturally had more depth in her lower register and her chest voice has a little more weight in it. 

Watch me demonstrate some acoustic strategies, vowel adjustments and tools that helped her even out her range, keep more resistance in her mix, and find a more divergent vocal tract shape.

Lisa’s Lesson

0:55 - Lisa’s singing background

2:00 - Beginning of live lesson

3:10 - Adding a "cry" to the high notes

4:15 - Using the Pharyngeal or Twang sound

4:55 - Using a straw to even the range and balance airflow

6:05 - Describing chest voice and where you feel it

6:35 - Why talking the lyrics helps connect chest voice to the high notes

7:20 - Using the Pharyngeal to "NUH" and "NO"

10:10 - Optimizing vowels

13:45 - Final take!

14:25 - Lisa's thoughts

Tools I used with Lisa

Twang or pharyngeal 

You can find this by making witchy, bratty or nasty sound. Often times it’s used in vocalizes by using a bratty NAY.

  • Tends to be on a bit of a raised larynx or at least neutral

  • Thins out the folds

  • Thickens falsetto

  • Assists in moderate adduction to smooth out the connection

Ring

In a mezzo soprano it can be common to use an acoustic “Ring” to cut through the orchestra. This is also called “squilo” in Italian.

On a physical level the root of the tongue is pulled back slightly which narrows the opening of the space right above the glottis or vocal folds.  By making this space slightly smaller it resonates higher frequencies and can really carry the sound.

This same strategy can be used in pop, but we want to make sure it’s not too much or it can start to sound classical or manipulated.

Cry

This is just what it sounds like. You add a little cry or pout while you sing.

  • Tends to lower the larynx without imposing it and it thins the folds

  • Maintains adduction while allowing the larynx to rest

  • Thins out too much weight

  • Thickens up lighter/breathier vocal production

  • Reduce airflow and air “push” 

Straw Exercises

I used the straw to thin Lisa out at the vocal fold level and also find a more consistent vowel, so she would feel more connection between her lower and upper registers.

Would love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment if you have any questions or thoughts you’d like to share!