Starting from scratch?..

[Jeff1979]

Ive decided to learn to sing, after playing guitar for 20 years i need to sing aswell!!.

 

I can sing in tune but sound very nasal in my tone..How do you overcome this??

[Jersey Jack]

Good, every musician should sing!

 

First, if at all possible, take some lessons. Even if you take only a few lessons to get the fundamentals of breath support and vocal articulation, you'll get a dramatic head-start and shorten the journey to a good, solid voice considerably. Lessons are well worth the investment of some $$$.

 

Other than that, take a few songs and spend some serious time learning the melody. You may think you know the melody already, but you need to develop an active knowledge--i.e., learn how it feels to sing the melody.

 

Play scales or notes on a keyboard or guitar and work on matching the pitches.

 

Good luck!

[Jeff1979]

I had lessons a few years ago, had to quit due to lack of money She gave a me CD with vocal exercises on which i still have, but it still doesnt stop me singing with my head sound? It may just be me but the tone of my voice puts me off.

I can sing Blues ok, but anything else souinds lame...

[ido1957]

nasal voice is a type of speaking voice characterized by speech with a "nasal" quality to it. It can also occur naturally because of genetic variation. In vocal context, the opposite of nasal is adenoidal or denasal.

 

Nasal speech can be divided into hypo-nasal or hyper-nasal.

 

[edit] Hypo-nasal speech

Hypo-nasal speech is a lack of appropriate nasal airflow during speech, such as when someone has a bad cold. Sounds produced by hypo-nasal speech are known as denasals.

 

Causes of hypo-nasal speech include anything that causes nasal obstruction including, but not limited to:

 

adenoid hypertrophy

turbinate hypertrophy

allergies

sinus infections

viral upper respiratory infection

deviated septum

 

 

 

Reducing Excessive Nasality by Candice M. Coleman, Ph.D.

 

 

“There are three nasal consonants , and [ng]. (..) The problem

comes when they're produced with too much strain and tension. Think of

the title character in The Nanny television program. There's nasality

at it's worst”

 

(..)

 

“To reduce excessive nasality, you need to understand a little bit

about how those sounds are made.”

 

(..)

 

“The soft palate is a membrane from which the uvula hangs. When you

breathe, the soft palate is lowered so that air from your nose can get

into your lungs and back out again. When you speak most sounds, the

soft palate lifts, closes off the nasal passage and air moves out

through the mouth. However, when you make the three nasal sounds the

soft palate lowers and the air comes out through the nose.”

 

 

“Hum for a moment. (You're making the sound.) Your mouth is closed

so the air is being released through your nose. Now, pinch your nose

closed. See how the sound immediately stops? If you had said and

closed your nose, it wouldn't have made any difference because the

soft palate is lifted and the air is being released through your

mouth.”

 

Here is an exercise that will take the shrillness and nasal quality

out of any voice and lend it to a lovely mellowness.

 

“EXERCISE: Yawn. Hold your throat open and repeat the word 'mood' very

distinctly three times, pitches as low as you can without growling or

producing a false tone. Imagine that the 'oo' sound comes from your

chest. This vowel opens your throat. Now with your throat in the

position it took to say 'mood' repeat the word 'ice' three times.

Again 'mood' three times ~ then with the throat in the 'oo' position

say 'ice' three times. Do this ten times. Now say 'mood' three times;

with the throat in the 'oo' position say 'early' ~ then substitute the

words 'regular,' 'Mary,' 'pie,' 'fancy' and 'three.' Always say 'mood'

first and be sure to pronounce distinctly. This exercise will take the

shrillness and nasal quality out of any voice and give it a lovely

mellowness. Do this regularly and whenever possible and as long as you

can without tiring unused muscles. Practice using the principles of

contrast in conversation.”

[YeahDoIt]

I alternate, singing the sounds "ng" as in sing and "ah". This teaches me to recognize how I make the nasal "ng" sound and how I make the chest "ah" sound. Then when I sing I try to stay with the chest sound.