Many singers are trying to develop the range of their voices, both high and low notes. Singers are more versatile if they have a wider range of voices so that more potential is open to them. While most vocal exercises focus on perfecting the high notes, a deeper voice can also be achieved. In addition, techniques that produce a full, rich sound can give the impression of a deeper sound, even when the original pitch remains unchanged.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Understanding the Basics
Step 1. Build good technique
Singers usually train for years to perfect their voices. Make every effort to master your current voice range before trying to expand it.
- Study with a vocal tutor whenever possible. A good vocal teacher has a lot of experience and can show you the right ways to improve your voice.
- The tutor can also teach you methods to protect your voice and prevent your technique from weakening. This is very important, especially if you want to increase your voice range, because your voice range will be tested.
- Browse the internet to find the right vocal tutor. Ask for recommendations from your friends and acquaintances, then narrow your search by selecting a tutor who specializes in the area you want to improve. Meet with at least 3 tutors beforehand to determine the best match for you.
Step 2. Perfect your breathing
Singers must maintain a balance of breathing. Breathing that is too shallow will prevent the singer from keeping the tone, while breathing that is too deep will strain and depress the voice. This pressure will reduce the range of your voice.
Regular aerobic exercise will increase lung capacity so it is very beneficial for singers. Aerobic exercise before singing has been shown to have a positive impact on the efficiency of sound warming
Step 3. Use a personal humidifier to moisten your vocal cords
Your vocal cords will relax and loosen up when you sing lower notes. To maintain its condition, use a humidifier before starting to warm up. You can also use this tool again after practicing your vocals. It acts like a sauna for your voice and will help maintain its condition.
Step 4. Do a sound warm-up
Before singing, always warm up. Heating the sound releases tension and prepares the sound to use its full range.
- Take a few breaths. Keep your posture straight and relax your shoulders and chest. Breathe normally and focus on the muscles in your chest, neck and shoulders. Are these muscles tense? Watch your breathing and focus on relaxing these muscles.
- Practice singing scales. Sing several notes, starting on a low note and ending with a high note. Repeat, but start on a high note and end on a low note. Do this with a variety of sounds (such as "oo," "me," and "e").
- Imitate the “kazoo” sound. Round your lips, inhale, and exhale while making a single “woo” sound. There should be a slight buzzing sound. Do some scales this way.
Step 5. Accept your limits
While there are several steps to practicing your voice, the range of your voice does have limits. The range of your voice is determined by your anatomy, and this cannot be changed. If you're a natural tenor, you may not be able to hit the low notes that bass singers can sing. Instead of chasing the impossible, maximize the reach you have.
Keep in mind that vocal range is largely determined by the length of your vocal cords and is usually related to neck length. The longer the vocal cords, the deeper the range of the voice. Men tend to have larger vocal cords than women. Therefore, males usually have a lower voice
Part 2 of 3: Singing with an Open Esophagus
Step 1. Don't forget to keep the larynx relaxed and limp
The larynx usually descends naturally on inhalation. Maintaining this down position is an important part of the singing technique often called "open throat".
- Keeping your larynx relaxed will help you make full use of the potential of your low voice range. Many lay singers sing with the larynx raised. This results in a higher, softer and shallower sound.
- The second major aspect of the open esophagus technique is elevating the throat. However, this method is more important for singing high notes than low notes.
- The larynx is also known as the voice box. The larynx is a complex organ that regulates vocal cord tension and affects singing. Adam's apple (a bulge on the neck of men and some women) is part of the larynx.
Step 2. Avoid techniques to control the larynx
While a lowered larynx will produce a slightly deeper sound, controlling the larynx directly will damage your voice. It is not recommended to force the larynx to descend unnaturally. Instead, practice controlling and relaxing the muscles around the larynx.
- Another common mistake is using the tongue to press the voice box down. While this technically lowers your larynx, it actually tightens the muscles in your esophagus, impairing sound and range of sound.
- Do not forget that the ideal open esophagus is not strained at all. If you feel a tight throat, reevaluate your technique.
Step 3. Start feeling your voice box
Gently place your hand on the ballot box. If you can't see the larynx, feel for a small bulge in front of the esophagus under the jaw. Make sure your fingers are only slightly touching the larynx without putting too much pressure on it.
Step 4. Sing a few notes with your hand still touching the voice box
Watch for changes in the position of the larynx. Does the larynx move as the pitch increases?
- If you feel your larynx tilt or twist a bit instead of moving upwards, you have mastered this technique. The larynx must move slightly for the pitch of your voice to change.
- Never hold the larynx with your hands. This technique can cause bruising and seriously damage your voice.
Step 5. Try singing “without” raising your larynx
The position of the larynx can be seen as a barometer to see the tension in the esophagus. Keeping the throat relaxed is the key to a quality sound and is essential for achieving deep notes.
- If you have trouble keeping your larynx down, try breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale slowly while feeling the larynx with your hands. When your larynx is low during inhalation, pay attention to which muscles in your esophagus and jaw relax. Try to imitate this state when singing.
- Mastering this technique properly takes a lot of time, especially if you are a beginner. Don't be discouraged if you can't do it right away.
Step 6. Massage your esophagus
the only way to keep the larynx low is to relax the muscles associated with it. If you have trouble keeping your larynx low, try using both fingers or an electric massager to massage your esophagus.
- Press your fingers or the massager firmly but without force. Gently move your fingers from side to side.
- Start with the hyoid bone, which is between the chin and the larynx. Massage this area and the muscles that surround it.
- Massage the larynx using both hands and breathing exercises. Place your hands on either side of the larynx and move them gently from side to side. Then, use your hands to hold it to the right and take a few slow breaths through your nose. Do the same by holding the larynx to the left.
Step 7. Resonate the sound in the chest
Place your palms on your chest, just below your collarbone. Relax and then sing some low notes. Use your palms to feel subtle vibrations in your chest as you sing. Make sure this resonance sound does not appear at a location higher than the esophagus.
Practice holding low notes so that the resonance reaches your chest
Part 3 of 3: Increasing Your Low Voice Range
Step 1. Determine the basis of your voice range
So that you can safely learn to sing in low voices, first find the lowest note you can sing. Use a recording tool on the internet or ask a friend for help with the piano. Start at C4 and try to sing the note. Keep lowering the pitch until you reach a note you can't sing. The pitch before your voice limit is the basis of your voice range.
Since it's generally difficult to accurately assess your own voice, it can be helpful to have the help of a vocal teacher or other vocal specialist
Step 2. Start slowly
Try to practice one note below the base of your vocal range. Practice on a scale that contains several notes including the note you are going to practice. Sing one scale every day for 30 minutes. Stop the exercise if the sound starts to get heavy.
- Practice singing low notes at a leisurely pace every day to improve your vocal flexibility. The vocal cords are muscles. So, practicing more often can help strengthen it, and as a result, you'll be able to sing lower notes over time.
- For example, if C2 is your current lowest note, try singing B1 next.
Step 3. Fine-tune the tone before continuing
Before singing lower notes, you need to be able to master your lowest notes. If you can't sing one low note, you won't be able to sing the lower note.
If your voice cracks a lot during practice, it's a good idea to rehearse the notes above and master the notes first
Tips
- If you start to feel uncomfortable or your voice becomes hoarse, stop the exercise and rest. Repeated loads will seriously damage your voice.
- There is a misunderstanding about the definition of a "low" larynx. Some vocal teachers describe the natural position of the larynx on inhalation as "low", while others call this position "neutral." This is the ideal position to maintain while singing. Meanwhile, the terms “low” and “stressed” are usually used when forcing the larynx into an unnatural low position. This position will seriously damage your voice.
- Maintaining a low larynx at first is quite difficult because we often use the high larynx for daily speech. When lowering the larynx, the singer must work against muscle memory.
- Stop when the voice is hoarse as it descends. Without a vocal teacher, your voice can be seriously damaged.
