Why does my voice cut out at the top?
Your vocal coaching expert says…
[Warning! Anatomy videos below (not for the faint-hearted)…]
Answer: Constriction.
What is it?
Simply, constriction is what happens when the false (ventricular / vestibular) vocal folds above the true vocal folds tighten, which impedes the natural movement of the true vocal folds to make a clear sound.
This can happen in both the singing and in the speaking voice.
Rear view (cut) of the larynx
Stars of our show: vestibular fold and vocal fold (featuring the vocalis muscle)
The abdominal tension that kicks the false vocal folds into (unwanted) action can be due to nerves, trying to push sound out, or sports / dance technique!
How does it sound?
When your voice…
cracks
sounds ‘foggy’ or less bright / ringing / clear
cuts out completely at certain ranges (especially at high ranges)
feels pushed
or includes *unwanted distortion in the tone
…constriction is likely at play.
Some artists use it heavily in stylistically appropriate ways, like rock singer Jon Bon Jovi.
Interestingly, later, Bon Jovi sings live versions of this song without the heavy rock distortion from the 1980s version above: 2005 and 2012…
Has he had vocal coaching lessons?
Videos (scroll past for troubleshooting tips - video c. shows constriction)
a. Here is a handy scientific video on how the muscles in the larynx work - top view.
b. Here is a video of healthy (female) vocal folds (stroboscopy):
c. Here is a video of a laryngoscopy (camera down the throat), showing healthy singing and constricted false vocal folds (listen out for the zombie sounds!):
Question: How do I fix it?
Answer: Retraction.
How do I create retraction?
Here are a few steps / ways to retract the false vocal folds so that they are pulled away to the side, allowing your true vocal folds to move freely. This will require a release of the upper part of the rectus abdominis (top two beers in your ‘six pack’), AKA the solar plexus.
The Diamond of Support
The Diamond of Support, as coined by Janice L. Chapman.
Illustration by Bret Syfert, in This is a Voice (2016) by Jeremy Fisher and Gillyanne Kayes, Wellcome Trust.
The trick is to engage the correct muscles, without over-effort.
We can work with all of these exercises in your Solo Vocal Lesson, where we will find the techniques that work best for you:
1) Silent Breath
Starting with the basics, work, at first, to be able to breathe silently.
The best way to do this is to induce a yawn. You will notice that you feel your lower abdomen expand, after which (if it’s a big yawn) the breath fills the lower rib cage, which opens out like angel wings. If you breathe even more deeply, you can feel the upper rib cage expand.
You may notice your breath is completely silent, with no ‘H’ present. This means your vocal folds are not engaged at all.
You may also notice the back of your mouth (soft palate) feels like it’s stretching upwards. This is an added bonus. (See previous blog post - Mona Lisa and the Rainbow of Power.)
2) Chuckling
Another way to get your false vocal folds retracted is by chuckling.
Imagine a kitten wanders up the aisle in the middle of a church wedding. You’re dying to laugh, but you know it would disrupt the wedding!
That inner / silent chuckle will get your lower abdominal muscles engaged, but you won’t feel that ‘effortfulness’ and over-engagement in your solar plexus (upper rectus abdominis).
It takes some concentration to chuckle while singing, so be patient, and reset with a pant (see below) if you can’t quite get it yet.
3) Tipsy flirting - ‘Woo!’ (best for women)
Try singing higher notes as if you’re flirting! Start with lots of high ‘woo’, as if you’re cheering at a football game or careening down a rollercoaster. Switch to ‘yoo-hoo’, as if you’re waving drunkenly across the room and wiggling your fingers at someone (This will create a simultaneous / smooth onset - more on onsets later!).
Women: you should feel in your light voice (head voice / falsetto - Estill), with no sense of ‘push’ of air. It should feel really easy (called Mode 2).
Men: you will also feel lighter (male head voice) or go into a supported falsetto (both Mode 1) or unsupported falsetto (sounds womanly - called Mode 2).
4) Nonchalantly hitting on someone - ‘Hey, there’ (best for men)
I call this the Frank Sinatra approach. It works well at the lower ranges if you’re getting an overworked, pushed, forced, or breathy tone.
If you watch Sinatra singing ‘My Way’, you can see how he ‘phones it in’ as if he weren’t making any effort at all. He uses a spoken quality in this song, though he does add a bit of ‘cry’ / calling at the top of his range to help with those high notes. He soon returns to that nonchalant, effortless vocal delivery.
You get the sense his breathing is low, but when he engages his support, it’s never from the upper abdomen (solar plexus). His voice does crack a few times, which could indicate minor constriction / distortion or a little phlegm. (It works with the pathos of the song, though!)
5) Panting like a dog
A way to release the upper abs and reset when you find yourself constricting is to pant in shallow bursts. You should feel the solar plexus releasing - moving in and out - as you pant.
Then, move into the yawn breath and whatever you like from above.
This is an easy one to implement in a choir or ensemble. See how we can help clean up your choir’s sound through our Ensemble Vocal Lesson.
6) For falsetto range - speaking like Mickey Mouse
Try a little “Hello, boys and girls!” in your best, cartoon-y, Mickey Mouse voice. Then, move to a sadder tone, “Oh, no, boys and girls! Minnie is feeling sad today!” The slight tilt in your larynx will help bring a clear tone to the falsetto range. Make sure you feel like you’re speaking / singing to yourself, rather than trying to make a loud sound.
Less is more, here!
For dancers / aerialists / sports people…
7) Release your perineum.
I learned from a client (I learn something new every week with my awesome students!) that, not only do dancers struggle with the release of the solar plexus (which I knew from my own dancing days - “Why can’t I breathe more deeply?”), but they also find that: the perineum / pelvic floor engagement - needed for their sport - creates tension vocally.
Try releasing these muscles by wiggling hips and shoulders side to side (sitting or standing) in addition to the above techniques.
Troubleshooting further…
Be patient!
It may take some time to ‘unclench the fist’ of your false vocal folds, if your muscles are used to creating grit whenever you phonate (sing/speak). Really try to replace your habitual grit with the sensations you get from doing the above exercises, rather than ‘trying not to’ add grit.
If you’ve tried all the above for a while, and you’re still struggling, it might be tongue root tension that is hindering the flexibility of your larynx (or both constriction and tongue root tension! Double whammy!).
Check out our blog post on Tongue Toot Tension to troubleshoot with this.
Click each link for more information on vocal coaching lessons or on your vocal coaching expert Dr Anikó Tóth.
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