Expert: Sean Martinfield - 6/24/2011

Question
Hey i've been a pretty loud belter since i started singing as a kid, I'm getting worried because i'm thinking about it so much it's verging onto being yelling are there any tips so it doesn't seem like i'm screaming to be heard also to aide my vocal cords?

Answer
Hello, Carolyn –

Thank you for the question.

When was the last time you recorded yourself? By now, you should be the best judge if your delivery sounds like shouting rather than music.

Belting is something that happens occasionally through a song that needs it. Even for Ethel Merman. Phrases or particular notes that are belted happen here and there, usually during strategic moments that are emotionally cathartic or musically climactic.

The well-trained singer is one who can convey "normal" without a microphone in a sold-out standard size theater. By contrast, the not-so-well trained singer – or one who is rusty and out of practice – may feel as though they are shouting just to be heard past a few rows.

All singers need a daily and reliable vocal workout that exercises the complete breadth of their range. Some may take as much as a half hour to warm-up, others longer. You have to get ready first before launching into a performance-version of your most challenging material. My job as a professional vocal coach is to show you how. It's not enough to simply tell you to sing more scales. It's HOW you are singing them that makes the difference. It's all about placement – from one note to the next and especially around the area between 2nd-line G and 4th-line D or 4th-space E-flat. That is where most belting-type opportunities are going to happen. Without a proper warm-up before learning or reviewing big guns material you run the risk of trashing your vocal cords. And as the years go by – it becomes increasingly essential to maintain a smart work-out. You want to know – before you walk out the door to perform or audition – that you have exercised your voice to at least a whole step above and below the range of your material. Having that in place will inspire confidence.

If you have a sample of your work available on-line I will offer you some feedback.

I am a vocal coach to working singers in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm also the Editor and Publisher of SanFranciscoSentinel.com All my articles and interviews provide a link to my personal e-mail.

Below are links to my articles and youtubes on San Francisco's entertainment and cultural scene:

THIS GUN FOR HIRE, 1942 – Looking at "Now you see it, now you don't" sung by Veronica Lake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI26A6HdnWY

"My Silver Dollar Man" – from MARKED WOMAN (starring Bette Davis, 1937)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJMuY8aKFV8

"Would You Like A Souvenir?" – Sean Martinfield and Janet Roitz explore a song from Film Noir classic NORA PRENTISS (1947)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOiqTp0tjvg

HEIDI MELTON – An Interview with “Sieglinde” in San Francisco Opera’s DIE WALKÜRE, 6/29
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=136787

"MANGUS!" – FRAMELINE35 – Great comedy at the Castro Theatre
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=136577

UNTIL THERE’S A CURE FOUNDATION – meets “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=136565

LUCY WOODWARD – Replaces China Forbes in Pink Martini concerts with SF Symphony
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=136212

AUDITIONS – San Francisco Opera holding auditions for boys
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=136035

“BECOMING CHAZ” – Chaz Bono coming to the Castro Theatre, Thursday, 6/23
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=135860

“WISH WE WERE HERE”, Genie-ous Comedy at NCTC
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=135371

GÖTTERDAMMERÜNG — A World Premiere, Today At San Francisco Opera
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=135137

FRAMELINE35 — Sunday, 6/19 – The Muppets Take Manhattan, Spork, Hit So Hard, Cho Dependent, and Ausente
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=134993

"DAS RHEINGOLD" – The slippery steps to Valhalla
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=134597

"BILLY ELLIOT" – Leaps Into the Orpheum June 27th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=134002

PICASSO — Now at the de Young Museum
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=133151

OLYMPIA DUKAKIS – Will Host “Tales of the City” Benefit on June 24th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=132644

THIS GUN FOR HIRE, 1942 – Looking at "Now you see it, now you don't" sung by Veronica Lake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI26A6HdnWY

"My Silver Dollar Man" – from MARKED WOMAN (starring Bette Davis, 1937)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJMuY8aKFV8

"Would You Like A Souvenir?" – Sean Martinfield and Janet Roitz explore a song from Film Noir classic NORA PRENTISS (1947)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOiqTp0tjvg

“THE RAMBLER” – A World Premiere from Joe Goode Performance Group
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=132462

SANDRA BERNHARD – “I Love Being Me, Don’t You?”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=132407

JOHNNY MATHIS and "CASABLANCA" – In the Summer Line-up with SF Symphony
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=131581

SONDHEIM’S “ASSASSINS” – Ray of Light Theatre is right-on target
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=132084

“TALES OF THE CITY” – Totally Sensational, Totally San Francisco
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=130807

“THE STOPS” – At NCTC – Come On and Get A Faith Lift
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=130572

BRENDEN GUY — British Clarinetist In Concert, June 2nd
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=130065

BLUE MAN GROUP — Best show in town!
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=129943

FRAMELINE35: SF International LGBT Film Festival Opens June 16th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=129288

SFMOMA — The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso, and the Parisian Avant-Garde
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=128921

THE 2011 FRESH MEAT TOUR — 4 Festive Days of Everything Transgender and Queer
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=128719

SILENT FILM FESTIVAL – Opens July 14th with re-discovered film by John Ford
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=127988

“ASSASSINS” – Ray of Light Theatre presents Stephen Sondheim’s controversial musical, June 2–25
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=127713

WEEKEND AT THE RRAZZ ROOM — Anita Cocktail,  Poppy Champlin, Julie Goldman, and Fortune Feimster
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=127183

MISSA SOLEMNIS – Christine Brewer to appear with the SF Symphony, June 23–26
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=126924

VICE PALACE – All Singing! All Dancing! All Hedonism!!!
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=126590

SEEING GERTRUDE STEIN: FIVE STORIES
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=126116

SF GIRLS CHORUS — At the Conservatory of Music, June 9th and 11th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=125872

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS – Coming to A.C.T.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=125577

ELIZABETH BISHOP – To sing “Fricka” in Wagner’s Ring
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=125552

THE MAGNA CARTA — Now on view at the Legion of Honor
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=125076

PICASSO: At the de Young Museum, Tickets on sale 5/11
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=123946

THE LITTLE MERMAID – Fabulous Revival by SF Ballet, ends Sunday, 5/8
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=123601

BETH WILMURT – A stunning “Alma” in The Eccentricities of a Nightingale, at the Aurora Theatre
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=123309

TENOR JAY HUNTER MORRIS – Replaces Ian Storey as “Siegfried” at SF Opera
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=122595

THE PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER – Les yawns, les sighs
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=122148

CD: ZUILL BAILEY, Cellist – Brahms Works for Cello and Piano
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=121932

NO EXIT: A Helluva Great Time at the American Conservatory Theatre
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=121768

AUDITIONS: San Francisco Opera seeks physically fit male supernumeraries for Wagner’s Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=121242

TIIT HELIMETS – An Interview with “Prince Edvard” of SF Ballet’s THE LITTLE MERMAID
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=120731

KIRK DOUGLAS – On stage at the Castro Theatre, July 24th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=120434

54th SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – Presents Midnight Award to Clifton Collins Jr.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=120042

LORENA FEIJÓO – SF Ballet Star To Appear on “Dancing with the Stars”, 4/12
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=118952

CD: DAVID RUSSELL — Isaac Albéniz: Spanish Music on Guitar
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=118412

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER – Announces 2011-12 Pride Season
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=117780

NEW PUBLICATIONS: PUBLIC TRUST BETRAYED. An Interview with author and real estate appraiser, James E. Manning
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=117374

MARVELOUS MENAGERIE: A Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel – At the Legion of Honor
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=116876

PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA & CHORALE – Announces 2011-2012 Season
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=116217

VICE PALACE: The Last Cockettes Musical – Opens April 29th
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=115816

JOAN and SANFORD I. WEILL – Contribute $12 Million Dollars to Sonoma State University for Green Music Center
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=115431

BALENCIAGA AND SPAIN – At the de Young, 3/26–7/4
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=114917

AUDITIONS – SF OPERA Needs In-Shape Men and 40 Kids For WAGNER’S RING
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=114691

COPPÉLIA – A Gorgeous New Production at San Francisco Ballet
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=114535

NEW ON CD – Icicle Creek Piano Trio: Haydn, Turina, Shostakovich
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=114131

NATALIE DESSAY – Is “Lucia di Lammermoor” in HD at Sundance Kabuki Cinema
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=114075

NEW CENTURY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA – Presents “Mastery of Schubert”, Featuring Soprano Melody Moore, 3/24–27
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=113791

SF CONCERT CHORALE – Presents Herbert Howells’ Requiem and Arthur Honegger’s King David
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=113695

"THE HOMECOMING" – A Home Run at A.C.T.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=113481

FLORAL DESIGNER NATASHA LISITSA – Creating the Fantastical in the Wilsey Court for “Bouquets To Art 2011″
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=111892

EDITOR'S CHOICE — HÉLÈNE RENAUT, Vinyl Release Celebration at Cafe du Nord, 3/7
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=111697

ZHENG CAO – A Conversation with A Miracle Artist
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=111219

MELODY MOORE – Soprano shines in SF Ballet’s “Nanna’s Lied”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=110816

MARNIE BRECKENRIDGE – An Interview with “La Princesse” of Philip Glass’ Orphée
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=109326

AVENUE Q – A Totally Fabulous Place To Be
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=108981

ORPHÉE – Ensemble Parallèle Presents SF Premiere of Opera by Philip Glass
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=108569

CONSTANTINE MAROULIS – Comes to the Curran Theatre in “Rock of Ages”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=108426

EDITORIAL – A confession about ballerina Lorena Feijóo
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=107690

PULP FASHION: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave at the Legion of Honor
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=107453

YURI POSSOKHOV'S RAkU — Stunning World Premiere At San Francisco Ballet
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=107256

CLYBOURNE PARK – A Bright Debut for Director Jonathan Moscone at A.C.T.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=106753

GISELLE – And the Legend of the Wilis
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=105461

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA – Opens September 9th with with Iréne Theorin as “Turandot”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=104443

BUDRUS – A Documentary on uniting Palestinians and Israelis
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=104134

LORRAINE HUNT LIEBERSON – Featured Artist On Philharmonia Baroque's New Recording Label
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=103202

CAMERON CARPENTER – Organist signs with CAMI Music and Konzertdirektion Schmid
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=102415

A Conversation with Elza van den Heever
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=99268

HEART OF A SOLDIER – SF Opera Commissions New Work
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=98518

SF SYMPHONY – Announces 2011/12 Centennial Celebration
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=97495

SHREK THE MUSICAL – Ogres and Freaks and Spells, “Oh, my!”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=96975

THE BLACK SWAN – Don’t Save The Drippings
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=96580

CD: MAHLER’S “Songs With Orchestra” – SF Symphony Completes Mahler Recording Project
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=95840

KARITA MATTILA – “Viva To The Diva!”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=95163

CLUB FOOT ORCHESTRA – A Conversation with Richard Marriot
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=94863

WEST SIDE STORY – Most of it, anyway
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=93786

PLÁCIDO DOMINGO – An Interview with the Tenor turned Baritone for “Cyrano”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=93275

Dr. ELISA STEPHENS – My Visit with the President
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=90791

TENOR RAMÓN VARGAS – A Worthy “Werther” At San Francisco Opera
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=88856

AÏDA – Spectacular Opening Night At San Francisco Opera
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=88247

CUBAN BALLET – An Interview with Octavio Roca
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=86049

A Look At "Giselle" with Ballerina Lorena Feijóo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33-a6Oa-0j4

DOLORA ZAJICK – Internationally Acclaimed Mezzo To Receive Merola Distinguished Alumni Award
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=85363

SABINA ALLEMANN – Former SF Ballet Ballerina Returns In A.C.T.'s "The Tosca Project"
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=76516

CD/DVD Release: CAMERON LIVE! – Organist Cameron Carpenter
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=76093

THE RUFFATTI ORGAN & CAMERON CARPENTER at DAVIES HALL
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=76169

JEANETTE MacDONALD – Hollywood Diva Remembered at the War Memorial Opera House
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=75637

AMANDA McBROOM – A rose for new CD, "CHANSON"
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=68879

CAMERON CARPENTER – Stellar Organist Returns to San Francisco
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=68311

HANDEL'S "ORLANDO" – An Interview with Conductor Nicholas McGagen
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=67774

CAMERON CARPENTER – At Davies Symphony Hall
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=64126

PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI – An Interview with Russell Blackwood
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=63625

PIANIST MISHA DICHTER – A Conversation
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=59695

ZUILL BAILEY – A Conversation
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=58241

DAVID PERRY – On the “Dos and Don’ts of Social Media”
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=56487

NATHAN GUNN – Sings Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=56056

CAMINOS FLAMENCOS – A Conversation with Yaelisa
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=51761

A CONVERSATION WITH LUCIE ARNAZ – This Week At The Rrazz Room
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=51605

JANE MONHEIT – An Interview
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=48083

DIANE BAKER – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=32007

CAMERON CARPENTER – An Interview with Seán Martinfield
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=24462

AT LAST! – ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY – An Interview with Seán Martinfield
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=27122

A Conversation with Ruben Martin Cintas, Principal Dancer with SF Ballet
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=22107

Best regards,
Seán Martinfield
SanFranciscoSentinel.com
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?cat=65