Expert: Wanda Reinholdt - 6/27/2008

Question
ok, this might seem like a silly question but it's something i've always wondered: how do people like jim morrison or so many other rock singers literally shout and are always in tune? take paul mccartney singing 'i've got a feeling', for example...this has to be really hard, almost impossible in my opinion because, like i said, it remains in tune but seems to be coming straight from the throat. is there a specific technique for this? if so where can i find out more about it?...whenever i shout songs by the strokes, for example, i end up soaring real bad and my voice gets weaker and weaker, i can't even perform for 45 minutes. but these people do it on tour every single day, right? hope to hear from you soon, thanks in advance :)

Answer
Hi there, Giankarlo!  And thanks for writing.

This is not a silly question.  Honestly, the way they sing, it's amazing that they can still do it.  Bryan Adams' voice has changed seriously over the years because he sings from the throat all the time.  It truly is a risky business.  

It's never recommended when you go to voice workshops or take voice coaching or the like to use your throat.  There are specific risks to doing this.  The probability of nodes or losing ones voice for lengthy periods of time or damaging the cords is great.  

Throat singing is not breath supported for the most part.  It's basically from the cords only.  Sound is pushed through the cords and out comes quite a harsh sound.  

When you support your singing with breath and diaphragm, it enables the cords to do what they were created to do - buzz with the sound and breath.  They were not meant to be the sole power of the sound.

Again, that they do this, they probably drink a lot of warm water and honey and soothe the throat with drugs or certs or the like.  That's the only way they could possibly doing it.  It's not something that a singer should respect or try to do.  

Does that help you?

Wanda