This month I should like to answer three of the many letters that have come in. I expect that many readers will have similar problems and I hope that they may also be able to make use of my suggestions.

Thank you all for writing.


Dear Tona,
I found your article in this month's IM & RW very interesting. I am working hard, singing on two projects at the moment, and I am wondering how I can sing louder and reach notes that I cannot yet reach.

Would it help if I go running in the morning or go swimming once a week?

I would be grateful if you could give me some ideas. Do you think that your Vocal Exercise Cassette would help?
Yours, Christian Godard

Tona replies: Yes physical exercise is necessary for singers, as it is only when one is really fit that one can use all the muscles that are needed to support the voice.

You might well find the cassette useful. After all, whatever you do, whether you are athlete, cook, or politician, you need to practise your skill! And power and range will both increase with use, ie. correct practice.


Dear Tona,
I'm in a band up here in North Wales and we're experiencing the usual difficulty of finding a singer. It's particularly frustrating because I feel that we've got potential.

I was thinking of doing the job myself, while playing bass. I do have some sort of singing voice, but I tend to sing flat (without noticing) and I sound rather nasal and weak. Reading your article in IM&RW has prompted me to ask your advice.
Steve H. Jones

Tona replies: Thanks for your letter. I think you could probably do with some good old fashioned Welsh voice tuition! Your country is full of terrific voices and I bet there's a male-voice choir in your neighbourhood full of singing teachers! Certainly the conductor or accompanist would be knowledgeable about voice production and might well be willing to help.

I realise that you are probably playing Pop music, which sounds very different from Folk or Church music. But all sorts of singing needs a firm grounding, and you can't do better than learn a solid "Bel canto" technique. Once that technique is secure, you will be able to make use of it in your own music.

You say you sing flat without noticing it. So, listen to the accompaniment and, more particularly, use your deep breathing and diaphragm support to give energy to the sound. Maybe the pitch isn't honestly too bad. Sometimes a dull sound can seem flat, learn to put meaning into the words and you will give them life and the tuning will be better.

Sing with an open throat, think of a yawn as you breathe in and try to keep the throat open as you form the words, then you will find that the tone doesn't vanish into the nose. There is a lot of useful resonating space in your mouth and throat. Make use of it. It means over-doing the acting a bit. Experiment with different mouth shapes and practise in front of a mirror so that you can check that you're not making terrible grimaces! Given space and energy you voice will gain power.

One other thing, find roughly what range you have and don't pitch the songs higher than you can comfortably sing them.

Dear Tona,
I started singing in my husband's band when I was 17, but I was very shaky and straining terribly. I stopped to have some training with my husband and when I rejoined the band my voice felt fine, breath control seemed okay and my range was good. I sang through two pregnancies, but stopped when only five months gone with the second, as I just couldn't sing with body or quality. I find my range has dropped now and I can't get the breathing right, also I've lost a lot of the confidence I had to just let rip. I've been to an ENT specialist and my throat is alright.

Can you advise me on how to relax my throat and control my breath again please. I am singing in a band just now and would like to do what I do without strain and with tons more confidence.
Muriel

Tona replies: The first thing to do is to strengthen your tummy muscles — if you can find time to go swimming, do! It is a wonderful all-over exercise and will help with the breathing too. You should also do sit-ups (with the legs bent, not flat on the floor). The scissor exercise lying on the floor and the bicycling one are good too. Begin with one or two of each and add more as your muscles strengthen. Do lots of deep breathing exercises too, breathe in slowly and very deeply letting the tummy muscles go and feeling your ribs swelling out beneath your arms, remember to keep your shoulders relaxed too. As you breathe out pull the tummy muscles slowly in and let the lungs gradually empty out.

When you take a breath before beginning a song, remember to breathe in through your mouth silently. Give yourself enough time to take the breath so that you can relax the throat (think of yawning, that works wonders!) And then use your middle to support the sound.

Use common sense during a song. If you have a short phrase to sing, take a small breath, if the phrase is long, breathe deeply and use the breath wisely, deciding where the most energy is needed, which words need bringing out and so on.

Daily exercises both for the body and the voice will get you right back on form again. But they must be regular and progress can often seem slow. Try not to worry, it's well worth the effort!

Make a definite time during the day when you can do at least 20 minutes of concentrated practice, don't sing songs during this time but use vocal exercises as a sort of 'work-out'. Range and stamina will certainly improve, and as they improve, you will find your confidence returning and you'll be able to let rip just as you used to!


Christian, Steve and Murial all need to learn how to get their muscles working. The diaphragm and the lower abdominal muscles are the power-house of a voice. Think of the old-fashioned church organ. When the lad at the bellows faltered or stopped, the music stopped! But when the air poured steadily into the instrument, the open pipes filled the church with glorious sound. Use your bellows, keep your throat open and your voice will soar out! Who needs amplification? Not you!

Tona de Brett gained an ARCM in teaching at the arts centre at Dartington Hall and has taught at many adult education establishments including City Lit. She now teaches solely at home and her pupils have included Rick Parfitt, Amazulu, Lorna Wright, Curt Smith, Strawberry Switchblade and John Lydon. For information re vocal exercise cassettes and book write to Tona including an SAE at (Contact Details).