Simple inability to sing with any volume? A physical thing?

Is it possible that someone (me for instance) who can sing nicely and fairly well when singing softly just cannot physically sing at all when forced to sing loudly? I fear this may be the case for me.

I just find it so difficult to sing with much volume. I feel like I’m pushing myself but when I hear it played back, it’s lethargic and soft and one-dimensional still. It’s not full and whole-sounding. I think this is 90% my technique, but what if I just can’t physically be loud or strong? What if there’s some fault with my voice or something?

I remember back in school when we had to sing as a whole school sort of thing, and because it was so loud we sort of ended up half yelling the words, my voice would be almost cracking and sounding terrible and not even as loud as the others, and yet when we could sing quieter, I sounded good again.

Also, I can’t shout words very well. My voice cracks again, sounds odd and unattractive. But when I shout unintelligible sounds, like AH or OW, it comes out strong and easy. Also, I can scream really well. All those classic, bloodcurdling horror movie screams, they’re me. (obviously not really, but you know what I mean, lol) So I assume this may be technique again, as maybe it’s the consonants (in shouting words/sentences) that are tripping me up, and the vowels (AH and OW and screaming) are ok.

But is it possible that someone who can sing nicely when they sing soft just doesn’t have the physical capability to have that same nice sound and control when singing loud?

A qualified voice teacher will be able to help you better than I could, but all other things being equal, I wouldn't think that you should have problems sustaining a good volume IF you are using a good, sustainable vocal technique to do this.

Here is why: getting and sustaining a good volume is more about resonance than about pushing large amounts of air through your pipes. You SHOULD be able to achieve a clear, reasonably loud sound with a small amount of air.

So, you should NOT have to shout at all to do this. Think of your diaphragm/lungs/larynx as parts of a bellows. (not bellows as in "shouts"... bellows as in...

You should be able to get air INTO your "bellows" fairly quickly, without strain, and then the idea is to release the air slowly and evenly, letting the vibration produced by your vocal folds, and the resonance of your head and sinus cavities produce a "loud" sound with very little air.

Now, the idea with your vocal mechanisms in the larynx is to allow the vocal folds to naturally restrict the amount of air coming through. It can SEEM like a bit of a paradox, because you should work toward this restricted airflow WITHOUT tension or any "artificial" feeling techniques. The paradox is that your singing should FEEL and SOUND open, while at the same time, your vocal folds are allowing a small amount of air through, under light pressure from your "bellows" mechanism.

Have you ever blown up a balloon, then instead of tying it off, you pull the two sides of the valve stem apart to get that LOUD squeak? This operates on the same principle as what I am describing for your voice. Very little air is actually coming through the balloon's valve, yet the vibration produced is VERY loud and piercing.

It can take a lot of practice (and ideally, regular instruction) to find that "place" in your voice where you can project consistently and with little air usage.

In this case, I really do recommend that you find a good voice teacher to help you find this part of your voice, because trial and error may only end up frustrating you, when even just a few lessons could quickly put you on the right path.

Thanks for the advice! I hear you, I really do.

I am going to see a voice teacher, at least for just one session to see what they say. I now know pretty much what issues I have and so I just want their advice as to how to overcome them...

One thing though - the thing about blowing up a balloon. I can't even blow up a balloon!!! I've never been able to! I blow into it but nothing happens, even though I'm blowing as hard as I can. I've had my lung capacity tested...it's better than average, but I can't even blow up a lousy balloon!!! Maybe my problems really ARE physical! lol

Oh, and yes, it is already frustrating me, this aspect of my voice. I've never been able to work it out and wasn't even 100% aware of it until I started recording myself on a regular basis.

I think also, with me, a lot of the other things (tuning, vocal licks, imitating other people, range to an extent) have come fairly easily just by listening and copying others, and just singing for my own enjoyment. This part is difficult and it's annoying me greatly! lol

Report back.

I would say a vocal coach should be able to help.

I've always been a very softly spoken person, and could never make myself loud without wearing out my voice. When I started singing a few years ago, I sorta just stumbled on how to make my voice bigger by accident. Volume I'd never imagined was possible with my voice.

I still can't make the connection when I'm just talking though. I don't know why it's different, but I just fall into the same habits when trying to talk loud.

You know what, I also think this is my issue partly as well - this mindset I've got stuck into since I was little. I'm not overly quiet when I speak, but I've been singing and had whatever basic speech and singing patterns deeply ingrained into my head for basically about 30 years, so...yeah. It's hard to get out of it I guess.

I actually find talking loudly not too difficult, but only sometimes and only to a certain level of volume. And only some sentence-types. Some things, if I yell them, they seem "trapped" inside my head and can't project out. Other things come out so easily and effortless and are SO loud I hurt my own ears. lol. It's also the type of voice I use as well...I do this Southern American sort of piercing Roseanne crossed with Mr Hanky the Christmas Poo (Southpark) voice as a joke, and it's SO loud. But I don't want to sing like that, do I!? ... or DO I? LMAO.

You need to learn to use your diaphram, and not your throat, to power your voice, and use your oral cavity as a resonator (like the hole in an acoustic guitar). Practice holding a note with a 'AAAAHHHH sound, and experiment with using your diaphram, to 'push' out the note. Put your hands on your diaphram as you sing and try to 'feel' the contractions. Alter your mouth position to see what gives you the best projection. Do this for a half-hour each day, and you will begin to see some improvement as your diaphram strengthens. The diaphram is a muscle, and responds to exercise just like all the others.

You might also try some mild running to strengthen your air.