Voice coaches? Or professional singers?

Question

I need some very good exercises for "belting". I need to improve chest voice as well. Anyone have some techniques/exercises that I can do daily to improve this? Please only reply if you've got training.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You really want to be careful about learning how to belt without a teacher... it's very easy to mess up your voice permanently by doing it incorrectly. So if you can, find a teacher who teaches healthy belting. Ask them specifically about this, and make sure they have real experience in teaching belting techniques.

That being said, if you can sing an easy natural line without "pushing" out your voice, try a very relaxed five-note scale (Do re mi fa sol fa mi re do) on 123454321. SING them, don't try to push your speaking voice out through them. If you are doing it correctly, it should help to bring your chest voice up as you move up the scale. Start on middle C to G, go down by half steps, and then go back up, until you feel where your voice wants to switch back into your head voice, and take it ONE step further staying in your chest voice. Don't go farther than one step though. Then go back down again. If you are doing it correctly, you'll notice your "belting" start to come a bit easier.

Also, be sure to warm up your entire voice with various regular exercises, (lip and tongue trills, scales and such) avoiding too much chest voice and concentrating on what probably will sound like a more classical sound. Believe me, it will make your "belting" voice stronger if you train classically while you are doing other types of music.

You have to be consistent, and if you are serious about it, get a teacher so you don't hurt yourself. Singing is a lot about being relaxed and letting your natural voice come through, so be sure not to push at all.

Good Luck and I hope this helps!