Here's some vocal advice
Ok..sounds like you're singing from your throat/head, and not your chest...
-When you sing, don't hunch..keep your back straight...hunching is like bending a flute..
- Don't stretch your neck
- Don't raise your chin to get out the high notes..keep your head as level as possible <without stretching/straining your neck>
- Open your MOUTH! Stick your 2 fingers farthest from your thumb in your mouth..that's how far you should be opening it.
- Open the space inside your mouth..raise your soft pallete..when you breathe in from your mouth, try to feel the cold spot on the roof of your mouth..that's your soft pallete..breathe in and focus on how that goes up..learn to raise it and keep it raised when you sing.
- take your fingers and put them on your 'temples' by your ears..the spot right next to the pointy thing on your ear that's not your lobe..open and shut your mouth until you find the spot where your opens/closes..open it all the way until your 'feel' its open..keep your mouth open that much <a tad more than 2 fingers, for me>
- Raise your chest when you sing..breathe in deeply..do you feel your 'pec' area go up/down..keep that raised
- find your 'natural voice'..let out a SIGH, but make a noise when you do it..go OOOoooooooh, starting from the highest possible sound you can make to the lowest..your voice is now going to be at it's 'natural' spot..
- Breathe ALL THE WAY..most people just breathe enough..if you're going to sing, you need to learn to breathe properly..breathe in as FAR as you can and then go some more..put your hands on your lower stomach..feel it come out when you breathe deeply? thats how you always have to breathe...Now put your hands on your lower back area, right above your ass..breathe in deeply..and go some more..you should feel some movement back there..you need to use your full lung capacity.
Some other things..
Don't clear your throat reallllly loudly before you sing..that hurts y our voice..avoid lots of caffeine, and/or artificial sweeteners..drink warm tea with honey, not sugar..don't whisper when you talk if you know you're going to have to sing that day..that strains more than speaking..speak, just keep it down a little if you need to do somethin..wear a scarf in the winter if you're going to have to sing at all that day.
FORCE yourself to do all these things EVERY TIME you sing..<Except for the bottom paragraph>..and when you're singing, don't forget them! THINK..ok, I have to breathe properly..am I raising my chin on those high notes? Do I have my soft pallete up? Can I fit 2 fingers in my mouth? Etc etc..
And..once you've learned to breathe deeply, you'll be able to fill your entire lungs fast, in like a second, just like if someone was gonna take a quick breathe..
Some people just have 'thin' sounding voices, but you can get the 'most' out of what you've got if you do that stuff..
PS..sing with vowels, unless you're trying to add some character or somethgin.
Also, if you're going for a very very high note..sing with an AH vowel, don't try to sing the word, try to sing the vowel, and then add some consonance to it as you release it..
If you concentrate on the vowels of words, you will add depth to your voice..
Instead of hoMMMMME <home> say H *OH* me...etc..
--Sal
