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The vocal lessons that use the Free Voice or Speech Level techniques take students through learning the interacting relationships that exist between pitch, intensity, and vowel. The relationship that exists between these three provides them with as realistic opportunity to gain volitional control over the involuntary muscles of the larynx. To readily access the upper and lower register muscles, one must know and understand these relationships. This is key to correcting the coordinative action of your singing instrument. The relationships are clearly defined and, when properly employed, desired vocal responses are both predictable and realized.

The fundamental principles that govern vocal development are almost identical for both male and female. There are some noticeable dynamic differences. One worthy of mention is the position of the break. “Free Voice” vocal lessons teach that intensity increases as the pitch ascends higher in pitch. The break between registers is located at E above middle C for both male and female. Therefore the break for the male singer falls in the upper part of his range where intensity is very high. Female voices are naturally positioned an octave higher than male voices causing the break to fall in the lower part of the range where intensity is much lower. This makes for some interesting differences between male and female challenges as related to the development of the registers.

A more comprehensive understanding of these interactive relationships of vowel, pitch and intensity is needed if we are to pursue effective voice manipulation. When you have this understanding, you are better equipped with essential tools for manipulation of the voice and more pointedly the registers. It is important to note that the muscles responsible for the intensity, pitch and character of tone, the Arytenoids and Crico-Thyroid are involuntary muscles! So, it is not as if you can simply decide one day to exercise these muscle groups!

The answer then is found through the interacting relationship of vowel pitch and intensity. Look at the heart for example; it is an involuntary muscle that does not respond to any direct command. Nevertheless, if you increase your physical activity it will respond with increased productivity. You have now increased your heart rate not by commanding it but by changing the demand on the heart with increased activity.

The following are a few of the physical requirements for students who are taking vocal lessons need to exercise the muscle groups that control the registers.

Lower Register

Relationship 1- For the lower register to be engaged and exercised the arytenoids muscles need the following conditions to be met within the given guidelines:

INTENSITY-Very high or fortissimo, loud singing VOWEL- “AH” vowel pure PITCH- Start no higher than E above middle C, Descending scales

SIDE NOTE: Women must maintain extremely high intensity levels and this can be hard. It is quite demanding to maintain loud and high intensity in the lower register because the break is naturally at a lower level of intensity in the female range. Intensity is sufficient when the escaping air is dissipated from the emergent tone. The intensity level has to be maintained from the first note to the last in the scale to achieve the desired results.

Upper Register

Interacting Relationship 2 – To engage and exercise the upper register i.e. Crico-thyroid muscle group, the following conditions must exist within the given parameters:

PITCH – begin no lower than E above Middle C with ascending scales INTENSITY – Low intensity mezzo pianos and mezzo fortes – a generalization could be made that the lower the pitch, the lower the intensity until the registers begin to develop new strength. VOWEL – begin with oo the EE

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the fact that the smallest segment of the male singer’s natural range is above the break, they should begin piano with low intensity. The exercise patterns should be short.

The techniques associated with the “Free Voice” Singing can make a huge difference in your ability to sing. Some people who are born with just average vocal abilities can become great singers as they rebuild their voice using vocal lessons built around these techniques.

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