Microphone Grips : How To Hold The Microphone

The way singers grip the microphone is a worthy consideration that is rarely discussed. At TVS, students are encouraged to train and sing with one of two TVS microphone grips. The primary benefit of adopting these microphone grips is it reduces the risk of “tension creep” or unwanted musculature cramping and constriction that will take over a singer’s ability to sing more freely. In addition to these microphone grips, ergonomics is an important consideration when purchasing a hand held microphone. Microphones with ‘hour glass’ shapes to them as demonstrated in this video, are designed to fit the singer’s hand more comfortably.

The Microphone Grips Demonstrated By Robert Lunte

Microphone proximity is the distance from the microphone element, or diaphragm to the lips. Too often, singers hold the microphone too far from the mouth. When you sing with a microphone, make sure that the microphone is close to the grill or mesh of the microphone. Singing with a close proximity to the microphone diaphragm will really make a microphone come alive and its the best way to maximize its performance.

Try these unique microphone grips and improve your singing immediately.

This lecture is on of 40+ lectures found in the popular TVS training system, “The Four Pillars of Singing”. Click HERE for more information:

http://www.thevocaliststudiostore.com/The-Four-Pillars-of-Singing-25_p_27.html

Robert Lunte during a vocalize demonstration from the popular vocal training program, “The Four Pillars of Singing”.

Print PDF

Vocal Registers: Head Voice & Chest Voice Defined by Vibratory Mechanism

Let’s talk about how we define vocal registers: having made a defense for the ubiquitous benefits of the ‘chest/head’ metaphor, one thing that it is not, is it is not good science. Therefore, at TVS we embrace another, more scientific set of definitions for vocal registration that enable our discussions to include the closer reality of what is really happening in and around the laryngeal region at a physiological level. This system is known as the “Vibratory Mechanism” definitions of vocal registration.

First brought to my attention by our TVS MCI, Stephanie DUMOUCH from Toulouse, France , this system has its origins from France. The French research team of Roubeau, Henrich, and Castellengo, have given us a simple and accurate description of our laryngeal vibratory mechanisms. It is based on what the vocal folds/cords are doing, or how they are vibrating and making sound when singing. The very real registration changes we all feel are very much to do with what is happening with inside the larynx. We will expand again on the vibratory mechanism definitions later, but know this, it sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.

The final conclusion with TVS is that you don’t have to make a choice on vocal register definitions. The classic ‘chest/head’ metaphor is fine so long as you understand that it is referring to imagery, picture words to help singers, but has the risk of  keeping students thinking about singing high notes as something that is a struggle of “up & down” and “low & high” which encourages pushing and constriction. The Vibratory Mechanism definitions are not any more difficult to understand than the ‘chest/head’ metaphor definitions. They are just new, but they offer a better path for more exploration into the physiology and acoustics of singing. The Vibratory Mechanism approach is excellent; the ‘chest/head’ metaphor is only adequate.

Vocal Registers: The Vibratory Mechanism Definitions

Here are the four Vibratory Mechanism Registers, definitions and their counter-parts in the traditional chest/head metaphor in a matrix to illustrate the idea of the two different kinds of register definitions:

The Vibratory Mechanism Matrix

The Vibratory Mechanism Table and graphic explain the definitions of the four

vibratory mechanisms, a scientific alternative to the traditional ‘chest/head’ metaphor.

The TVS Vocal Registers

This content is from the best selling vocal training program from The Vocalist Studio, titled,  ”The Four Pillars of Singing”

Watch The Video & Read The 100% 5-Star Reviews on

Amazon.com & The Vocalist Studio Store!

Contact:

Robert Lunte at:

robert@thevocaliststudio.com

001.425.444.5053

Print PDF

Head Voice Techniques : The 7 Specialized TVS Onsets for Building Musculature for Singing

How can you improve your head voice techniques with the TVS methodology? Because TVS Methodology involves a lot of focus on calibrating and tuning the onset package and then putting those balanced components on the move with sirens, it tends to put both singer and voice teacher right in the face of what the immediate problems are. Training onsets and sirens like we do at TVS, is like getting under the hood of a car and really examining the details of the problem. The wonderful insights gained by training this way put me squarely in front of my student’s challenges. In regards to onsets that occur in the head voice above the Passaggio, these onsets are more exotic and less intuitive then onsets that occur in the chest voice. Additionally, the physical development requirements and acoustics needed to phonate successful onsets in the head voice are under developed. Muscles are weak, confused, not coordinated. Simply put, onsets in the head voice are harder then onsets in the chest voice. I am assuming that this is not news to you, even if you are a beginner to singing technique.

As I say, developing the head voice is a big part of the “sport of vocal training”. Therefore, I started combining research and experimentation with my students to help them to trouble-shoot and develop better head voice onsets. Out of this work, I developed an innovation for helping singers that is immensely helpful for vocal training, “The 7 Specialized TVS Onsets for Building Musculature for Singing”.

The following specialized onsets and the supporting matrix attempts to make sense of these onsets in writing, but to really appreciate their potential and what they can do for you, nothing beats a private lesson with me to make sure your doing them correctly.

Video: Head Voice Techniques And Special Onsets

To learn more about TVS techniques, check out

“The Four Pillars of Singing” on Amazon.com!

Click HERE

“Pillars” enjoys a 100% 5-star reviews on Amazon.com!

The TVS Training Media Interface

Print PDF

Why female singers can sound much better by lowering the larynx using the intrinsic anchoring set explained from the difference between the male and female vocal tract.

As I began working to develop what we refer to as “The Intrinsic Anchoring Set” in TVS pedagogy, something very profound began to be revealed to me. I realized female singers benefit from intrinsic anchoring, possibly more than men do.

Intrinsic Anchoring is so important to producing an amazing vocal tone that I have to emphasize again that both genders must learn to engage it. However, because of the physiological differences between male and female vocal tracts, I have to admit and feel it is my duty to inform the fairer sex that without intrinsic anchoring, you run a high risk of sounding either like a choral girl or too screechy on your belts and head tones.

The Female Vocal Tract vs Male Vocal Tract

Though it is not preferred, men can sing without lowering the larynx when belting. The resulting tone quality will sound “splatty”, but if that is what they chose for the moment, it is ok. This sound seems to be marginally acceptable in heavy metal, but not so much in other genres. For female singers, there is usually little choice in my view. Women simply must engage intrinsic anchoring well into their low belts, maintain through the Passaggio and into the head voice. The laryngeal lowering of the intrinsic anchoring set is the main issue here. Women need to increase the resonant space in their vocal tracts slightly more than men do, and lower in their ranges, in order to amplify the second formant that singers train to calibrate for to get the optimized aesthetic and stability in their singing. Female singers should begin applying the intrinsic anchoring set early on into their belts, approximately around E4, but this is not a hard fast rule. It seems that women should begin intrinsic anchoring about the same time men begin bridging into their head voices.

Vocal Techniques for Women Benefit Female Singers!

Female singers who learn to master intrinsic anchoring will stand out in a crowded world of often times, too much screechy and windy female singing. Ladies, do you want to really capture the imagination of your audience and absolutely differentiate yourself from all others?  Do you want to amaze the audience, making them remember you long after they go home? Do you want to be the talk of the town? Master intrinsic anchoring and change your phonations from being windy, choral sounds or screechy quacking, to rounded, boomy, formants that have color and depth. People will absolutely love your voice and you will be making a world-class sound that a very few women ever have the opportunity to grasp, train and enjoy. 

TVS certified instructors know how to teach women to sound amazing!

Video: The Benefits of Lowering The Larynx in Singing

Video: Learn to Tune the Vocal Tract for Singing

Vocal Workouts For Women!

The Vocalist Studio Offers Vocal Piano Scales Tuned for Female Singer’s Voices

PURCHASE AT THE TVS STORE

To learn how more about TVS Method to working with female singers, please contact The Vocalist Studio. We look forward to hearing from you. 800.269.9040 / robert@thevocaliststudio.com.

Print PDF

The Voice Foundation Symposium

2012 – Robert Lunte & Top Voice Experts

Robert Lunte recently visited The Voice Foundation Symposium and met some of the most prominent experts on voice in The United States at this time. Here are some photos of these encounters.

Robert Lunte & Dr. Ingo Titze

Dr. Robert Sataloff & Robert Lunte

Mary Klimek & Robert Lunte

Robert Edwin & Robert Lunte

Robert Lunte & Cathrine Sadolin

Dr. Sundberg, Dr. Ronald Scherer and Robert Lunte

About The Voice Foundation

The Voice Foundation is the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice medicine, science, and education. The Foundation is committed to enhancing the gift of vocal communication through research, an annual symposium, producing scientific publications and educational videos and disseminating information through the media to raise awareness of voice care. Robert Lunte is proud to be an active member of The Voice Foundation.

Learn more about The Voice Foundation

Print PDF