Knowledge

“Projecting the Voice”

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:30:01 GMT

A common myth concerns the manner of, and focus on, projecting the voice.

One does not project from the diaphragm, nor from the chest cavity, nor from the nasal “mask.” All this physical activity plays a role in the voice being projected, but projection is not something that one does by accessing a certain localized area.

Posture

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:26:18 GMT

Don't slump and hunch over! Oh dear, don't overextend and puff out with a super arched back! If you just stand up straight, not too much and not too little, then your voice will work!

Pharyngeal Falsetto

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:17:05 GMT

Pharyngeal Falsetto is a falsetto voice developed using certain vowels that help us "find" this specific feel and hear this specific sound.

Negative Attitude

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:09:59 GMT

Stinkin' thinkin’! This is a phrase I have heard before. Have you?

This phrase is about a negative attitude.

A negative attitude can arise from painful experiences from the past, especially as relates to singing. There might be thoughts that run through our heads like, “I’ll never get it right” or “I just can’t do it” or “I suck.” If this attitude is pervasive and fatalistic, then it is hard to even muster up enough energy to try. What is the point if all that one does is to fail all the time. If we truly believe we are never gonna get it, then we will probably just give up and live into a self-fulfilling prophecy of vocal sadness.

Mixed Falsetto

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:05:09 GMT

Mixed Falsetto is a condition where the Falsetto has been improperly developed, joined, and coordinated with chest voice.

Manual vs Automatic OR What really regulates breath expenditure

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:52:40 GMT

When one muscle in a system is involuntary, then the entire system should be treated as involuntary.

There are muscles involved in breathing that we can volitionally control, but there are other muscles like the diaphragm that cannot be controlled due to them being involuntary. Thus, the entire breathing system should be treated as involuntary. No manual control, but a focus on setting up automatic activity.

Lack of Energy

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:45:25 GMT

A common vocal issue is when "energy" seems lacking.

There are two basic ways this plays out.

One way is that the singer just does not feel very energetic or does not know how to become energetic. To be sure, there are individuals who are more low-key or chill, and others who are bouncing around the room. Yet, for those who are chill, there are ways to learn how to gather up this feeling of "energy" when one needs to, so that the voice and ultimately the song, come to life. When certain vocal exercises are done that require one to move more quickly, both singing the pitches and breathing in a bouncier rhythm, then we learn over a period of time how to move in this more excited manner. This will require more energy. The body as well as the subconscious mind understand how to gather up this energy and focus it on the task at hand as they are challenged to do so. Then, we feel the results and our conscious mind becomes able to give this energetic command. The body jumps to it with the subconscious controlling all the countless little details needed to accomplish this more energetic movement.

Full Voice... What Is It?

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:17:05 GMT

There has seemingly been quite a bit of confusion regarding all these different terms we use to describe the voice - how it works and what we are feeling. Let us go on a clarification adventure for a moment.

Free and Natural

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:51:02 GMT

Vibrato is a symptom of a free functioning vocal instrument.

It is not something we make or produce, but shows up when all is well; not too fast and not too slow!

Vibrato is natural. When it shows up, we can allow it to simply be. As we allow it to be, then our voice is both working well and relaxed. Sometimes we can vary our vibrato with a straighter tone - all for the purpose of expressive effect.

Developed Falsetto

allen@voicelessons.com (Allen Rascoe) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:48:49 GMT

Developed Falsetto is a falsetto voice exercised to the point that it has singable qualities such as:

The ability to sustain a pitch,
The ability to swell and diminish in volume,
The ability to move up and down the scale over a pitch range of at least an octave,
The ability to have a recognizable vowel, and
The ability to have a clear tone with breath moving, but not necessarily breathy.

The falsetto voice is developed, as the muscle system responsible for producing this texture of sound (crico-thyroid) begins to engage with the muscle system responsible for producing the chest voice (arytenoid). Development happens as we use exercises with an increase in volume. Development happens as we progress from the usage of [i] and [oo] vowels to [e] and [o], then finally [ah], [ae], and [eh].