Diaphragm Vs. Mask - Registers Vs. No Such Thing! - Lowered Larynx Vs. Mid-Position

Are they incompatible?

Is it possible to blend the two some how?

Can mixed voice be sung through the mask?

What's your view?

Unless I am mistaken,

Diaphragm = Chest Voice (low notes)

Mask = Head Voice (high notes)

So, mix would be when you use a little of both, in the middle of your range.

I think I've just realised I've been trying to sing ALL my notes in my head voice...but I'm not sure. *completely lost*

I wouldn't say they are incompatible, but think bout it this way.

Most "pop" singers sing in a SLS type of style. It's conversational - the voice sounds just like it does when you talk, and you aren't normally getting really loud.

With an Open throat there is a sound that is added due to the extra resonance and harmonics that are created because your throat is opened.

Think Geoff Tate.

There is no reason you can't switch back and forth between the two, and I would venture to say you are going see more and more of that because more and more singers are training or are interested in training these days. During the 80's, there were singers training, but you had to search far and wide to find a vocal coach who REALLY knew what they were doing. That was how I first heard about Al Koehn - our moderator - when Midnight came out, people were going,"Oh My God, who trained this guy?" and Al's name got around - at least in the Metal Scene anyway.

I trained locally with an Opera insturctor, but she knew I had no interest in Opera whatsoever, so rather than forcing me to sing songs in Italian, she analyzed bands that I liked and worked up a series of exercises for me to work on thatI could apply to Metal. After all, I didn't want perfect diction or any of that - that is how you end up sounding like Florence Henderson singing Country music (mom from the Brady Bunch, so trained vocally that she speaks ev-er-y syll-a-ble per-fect-ly.

So, I would say no - the two are not incompatible.

Your Vocal Cords only work two ways - correctly or incorrectly.

Both "styles" teach you to protect and strengthen your vocal cords.

Both teach you to breathe correctly.

As long as you are doing those things, you're on the right path.

Actually, the higher I go in pitch, the more I use my diaphragm by pressing down, and the sound should always be directed so that the mask vibrates.

That is easy enough to find out.

Put your hand on top of your head.

Put the other hand on your chest 2" below the neckline.

Starting with a high note, slide down.

When you leave head and enter chest, you wil feel your chest start to resonate.

So do that while you are singing, and you'll basically be able to tell what is in chest and what is in head.

THIS WOULD BE A GREAT STICKY!!

Oh look. Another SIGN!

Yeah, atm I'm trying to get head voice reverberating in the mask without sounding like a twat (crude way of putting it, but you get the idea)

I like to:

Lower my larynx for a more resonant, operatic sound.

Leave it in mid-range for a conversational sound.

And raise it slightly for a belting or raspy sound (the latter being achieved via vocal fry)

Attention!

The Diaphragm has absolutely nothing to do with registers. It's breath support, therefore should be completely independent of pitch.

The rasp comes more easily with a wide open throat and diaphram management. Raised larynx is a no-no. The same with the vocal fry.

The chest (actually mouth at that point) voice blends with head right above middle C for most guys, up until A, same octave; hence the term "singing in the mask".

Whew!... it's amazing how obvious bad advice surfaces at the snap of the finger...

I've tried the hand on chest, hand on head thing. I never get any vibrations from my head, ever, no matter how high I go. I do get vibrations from my chest, but they go away fairly early and then there's nothing.

Right above middle C??

Doesnt that depend on your voice type? You really should state that, that applies to tenors mostly.

We baritones transition on middle C.

In that some voice teachers may tell people to 'sing from the diapgragm' and others may tell them to 'sing from the mask'.

A slightly raised larynx is a the best way to get a strained, belting tone. The only other would be to just shout.

I wish I knew what this thread was about!

While you are right that the Diaphragm has nothing to do with pitch, it can have a lot to do with POWER. When I press down on the diaphragm while tightening the PC muscles (Jaime Vendera calls it the "Power Push" I learned it from Elizabeth Sabine - she is the one who taught it to Axl Rose) - it gives me tons of power in my higher registers.

I should have been more clear in my posting (I was working 20 hour days and trying to catch up on postings while on the phone - I work in Graphic design and the last 2 weeks have been cruch week - I finally got a few days off.)

So, looking back over the last week's worth of postings, I probably shouldn't have posted at all.