TOP TEN FAQ’s FOR SINGERS

9.   How can I “Close The Gap”?

I am often reluctant to teach people who are going through puberty as they are going through so many changes in

their body, that they don’t need me to come along and give them advice on their voice, which can be good one day

and bad the next depending on the length of transit through puberty One thing I will say to them is to enjoy the

changes and to please please please, try and retain the head voice or ability to sing high, for both young men and

women. As our voices don’t really mature until our mid to late thirties (and then can still keep improving right through

if we put the work into it), lets try and retain those beautiful high notes we had as a child as we go through puberty so

that they are still there later on. It is important to work on all aspects of our voice as we study singing. I have had very

few students who have ended up with a perfect transition from their chest to their head voice; there is almost always a

gap, and often it is that gap which can destroy a person’s confidence in singing especially if it is in an area where other

people are finding it easy to sing. God gave us all unique voices which is great, but he also gave us the ability to learn,

improve and strive for greater things. So how do we close that gap? Practice singing in that area, quietly in both voices

(head and chest) and then lifting the volume to increase your strength. Try singing scales and deliberately picking an

area to work through that is in your gap. Slow down as you get through that area and try different tone structures as

you do it. Many young men come to me and don’t want to use their “boys” voice but then complain like crazy when

they can’t get the high notes in a song. Often it is a matter of stubborn pride and what they don’t realize is that if

they leave it too late they may never be able to achieve those lovely notes at all. Likewise I have teenage girls that

come to me and don’t ever want to use their “girls voice, ever again” then try to shout the top notes because they’re

too stubborn to work on the gap and try to change over into their high head voice range, often completely wrecking a

song and their voice. So, work at closing the gap, but, also work at your attitude to the process and the end result.

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