Welcome to Vocal Training! Jump into this library of professional vocal terms and resources to aid your coaching. The library is curated according to music & entertainment sources (primarily in Western, contemporary genres) including B.A.S.T. vocal education curriculums, renowned music instructors, and Merriam Webster resources.
(verb): to improvise spontaneously; to perform complementary parts to a song’s written composition
Sing in the “rhythmic pockets” (where you would otherwise take a breath)
Sing synonyms for each phrase / line
Use open vowels (”oh,” “hoo,’ “ae”, etc.)
(noun): the ability to quickly and accurately change between pitches, tones, and vocal registers.
Soften your consonants
Practice it slow, then speed up
Consider your voice placement (forward, mid, or back)
(noun): the unified nature of multiple, individual sounds
(verb): to mix individual sounds (i.e. tone qualities or accents) into one sound
Add breathiness
Change your vowel shape
Replicate their vibrato speed
Practice in unison, a cappella with other distinct voices
(noun): one’s ability to manage the placement and timing of their breath
Breath in with rested shoulders, your back straightened, and knees unlocked.
Inhale and exhale for 10 seconds each. Then, decrease your inhale time while keeping your exhale at 10 seconds.
Sing with an open palm ✋🏽, and gradually close it by end of the phrase ✊🏽
(noun): the harmonic frequencies that resonate from one’s voice
Say “I” to raise the soft pallet
Place your voice foward, between the nose and mouth (or between the eyes)
(noun): The resonance that occurs after the modal voice (around C5 for men and G5 for women)
Make a siren sound on lip trills
Visualize your sound between your eyes / forehead
(noun): the vertical height of the voice box, which naturally rises and lowers with pitch
*A raised larynx is typically associated with straining, tension, and flat pitch*
Place two fingers on your larynx to monitor its movement
Start a yawn to lower the larynx
Say “mum” or “gug” with a relaxed tone to lower the larynx
(noun): The area between “chest” and “head” resonance (after Eb4 for men and Ab4 for women)
Sing high notes with the “relaxed feeling” of lower notes
Cup your mouth and say “wow” with a high, surprised tone
Sing arpeggios through your “flip” with high vocal fold closure
(verb): De-emphasizing strong beats and emphazing weaker ones.
Sing the solfege, skipping every other note. Then, switch.
Use a metronome to learn different rhythms and practice your timing.
(verb): To use water vapor to hydrate the vocal tract or reduce blockages due to upper respiratory conditions.
Use a Mabis Facial Steamer or Mypurmist Inhaler for steam
Stand over a bowl of recently boiled, pure water for 10 mins with a towel over your head
After HOT steaming:
❌ Do not speak at all for 20 mins
Only sing gently for the next few hours
Use a VocalMist Portable Nebulizer to hydrate with cool saline mist
(noun): Methods to mitigate throat dryness, soreness, or inflammation due to overuse or sickness
Avoid coughs by humming, swallowing, and calmly breathing
USE NeilMed Sinus Rinse to clear post-nasal drip and excess mucus
USE natural teas, water, and Raw Ginger (thinly sliced, boiled for 10mins, add honey)
❌ DO NOT cough or clear your throat excessively
❌ DO NOT USE menthol (Halls, Ricolas) or remedies with excess sugar (ginger chews, Starbucks Medicine Ball, etc.)
Noun: The condition of the voice and vocal folds; Vocal pathologies (vocal hemorrhage, vocal nodes, vocal polyps, vocal paralysis, etc.).
Train weekly with a certified Voice Coach
Visit an ENT (with a voice center) at least twice a year
❌ Do NOT use Aspirin products (which thin blood) before heavy singing or speaking
(noun): rapid fluctuation in pitch (around a central pitch)
Move between two semitones, slowly on an open vowel. Gradually speed up.
Sing a straight long note, then relax into vibrato. Then, do the opposite.
(noun): vocal cords pressed together, allowing less air and sound through; audible friction in the voice; adduction
Hold your breath, then release the note
Make a crying / creaking sound (vocal fry)
Use sounds with hard syllables like “bup” or “gee”
(noun): To shape the vocal tract to achieve a certain sound
Modify your vowels slightly:
5 ways to sing “e”: heed → hid → head → held → hem
6 ways sing an “o” : you → your → young → yom → yum
(verb): To release muscle tension in the body, larynx, vocal cords, and jaw; To prepare the voice for particular use.
Yawn or sigh to release tension in the jaw
Hum scales through a Vocal Straw or on lip trills
Start in your mid-range, descend to your lower register, then ascend upward
Apply a myofascial self-massage to your neck and face
Perform cardio exercises to increase your blood flow
