Thursday, February 08, 2007

Singing and 'The Yawn'

One of my 'Seven Principles for an Integrated Voice' is "The Yawn". If you feel a tightness in your throat when you sing, and feel you have to use a lot more effort to sing high notes, you're probably suffering from a common problem in singers, a raised, or jammed larynx.

In an article by Zainab Al Naji, he states that "when we yawn, yawns consist of an expansion of the chest, descent of the diaphragm and larynx, elevation of the nasal and soft palate, downward and backward movement of the tongue, abduction of the vocal cords, and a wide opening of the mouth."

In plain-speak, simulating the beginning of a yawn simply opens your throat, lowers the larynx, relaxes the tongue, drops the jaw; all of which help to produce a warm, round, open and relaxed tone without any constriction or tension.


It feels good to sing correctly, and this is the best indicator of whether you're employing proper technique or not. If you get hoarse; have an ache in the back of your throat; have to push to get volume; have a tight jaw, or just feel any discomfort at all when you sing - you're doing something wrong.

Conversely, if your voice flows out effortlessly with beauty and ease, with no tension or exertion; if singing is easy and feels good - you're singing correctly! A very easy barometer of your progress!

Watch for Volume One of my "Joyful Singing Series" coming soon! Contact me for more information!