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Acting in Plays, Singing/Belting
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Question
When belting long notes, how do you add vibratto at the end of the note? I've been using the diaphragm but a friend told me that's unhealthy. Should i change the placement of the sounds to the mask? or is there another way to avoid the monotone sound on a belt note?
thanks in advance!
Hi, Saul –
Thank you for the question.
Vibrato is a completely natural experience. Sing in front of a mirror! If you are in training and don't evidence a vibrato it's because you are creating and/or holding onto tension. It may also be that you are not opening your mouth wide enough. No matter the volume or the specific note within a phrase, you should be able to hold onto a tone and have the vibrato come forth.
Speaking in treble clef, let's say you're holding 4th-line D for eight counts on a volume of mezzo-forte and it's on pitch and on an open vowel such as the sound of "ah" as in "hot". You will probably notice the sensation of the vibrato in both your chest and on the roof of your mouth. Take a breath, come back in on that exact same location and with those same production elements.
I'm not sure what you mean by "using the diaphragm". In standard pop music it is very common to hear singers sustain and belt a climax note – within a phrase or at the end of the phrase – and suppress the vibrato until the final beats. Letting it go translates to relaxing tension. It's always about placement and location. It may include relaxing a tight grip on the abdominal muscles. Once you experience these various sensations, then you can anticipate how to turn the vibrato on or off. My job is to show you how.
I came up with the term "vocal choreography" to describe a well-learned song. That means – knowing absolutely how to re-create a song that has been learned to your advantage. "Monotone" does not necessarily refer to the lack of vibrato. It's more about the overall qualities of the singer's presentation and their ability to hold an audience's attention. In other words, the vitality, the musicianship, the emotional qualities (the story-line), etc. At some point it's all about – what's coming across and how to fix it.
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Answers by Expert:
Sean Martinfield
Expertise
I am a professional vocal coach in San Francisco. In addition to answers from a previous web site (Askme.com - where my "tag" was "VocalCoach") I have published over 2000 responses related to vocal training - particularly as it relates to Musical Theatre and Opera. I have 24 years of experience as Personal Trainer to singers and actors in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sang professionally for 20 years and know what it means to live the life of a musician. I can determine your voice category, i.e., Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Alto Belter, etc., and how to broaden and strengthen your range. Need an audition song for a Broadway Musical? I will give you suggestions that are appropriate to your vocal category and to requirements specified in the audition notice. I have also created a vocal methodology, "The Belter`s Method". It will enable those in Musical Theatre to practice more efficiently because it focuses on the demands of professional performers as well as to those auditioning for school and community productions, and as University and Conservatory performing arts majors. If what you want is a better voice and more control over your career moves and choices, contact me. Also, as the Editor of SanFranciscoSentinel.com, it is my privilege to review productions at the San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, as well as Broadway National Tours booked into San Francisco's Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theatres. I also review works by A.C.T (the American Conservatory Theatre) and Magic Theatre. I cover select films, tributes and retrospects, and various international film festivals – particulary those booked into The City's opulent Castro Theatre – including the LGBT Frameline Festival, International Film Festival, Silent Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival, etc. For private vocal instruction, I can be contacted through SanFranciscoSentinel.com. Look under: Seán Martinfield, Sentinel Editor and Publisher.
Experience
As a vocal coach, I work primarily with singers and actors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. My students range from absolute beginners to working professionals, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The vast majority of my clients come to me through recommendation. I know how to identify any singer's vocal category, i.e., soprano, tenor, alto, baritone, etc. I know how to muscle-up every singer's vocal range and to expand it beyond conventional definitions. I have developed a vocal methodology for those who want to know how to belt, THE BELTER'S METHOD. As a singer who spent half of his career doing Bel Canto, I know that classical or Italian methodologies do not work in Standard American music. Bel Canto cannot be "adapted" to meet the needs of contemporary American music, including the demands of the Musical Theatre.
There are a number of major components to my work as a vocal coach. The first is to identify the client's vocal category and to strengthen and maximize the vocal range accordingly. Then it's about teaching a reliable vocal workout that will enable the client to gain better control of their musicianship. That includes scale work to expand the vocal range and to improve placement, breath control, and diction. Then we work on material for the audition portfolio, the immediate job or assignment, a recording session, etc. My task to is to better equip singers and actors who are hoping to or relying upon their performance skills and vocal endurance to maintain a career in the Performing Arts. My clients regularly appear in cabarets and musical productions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some have worked in New York and gone on National Tours. For more information, Contact me at: Broadwaybelters@yahoo.com
Education/Credentials
San Francisco State University – BA in Theatre Arts; graduate work in Theatre, Philosophy, and Comparative Reiligion.
Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley – Graduate work in Ethics
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