Ep.27: How to Sing Without Cracks or Breaks

Hardly anything is more embarrassing than your voice cracking or breaking while you’re singing, especially when you want to sing an impressive high note!

Why does this happen and how can you fix it? Inside this video I’ll show you how to sing without cracks or breaks! Stay tuned!

It’s a singer’s worst nightmare right? Singing your song and wham your voice cracks or breaks in front of everyone! (Watch Youtube Video Examples)

Breaks and Cracks

I’m defining a break as the vocal cords separating and not reconnecting so that you continue singing in falsetto.

I’m defining a crack as a momentary interruption in the tone because the vocal cords separate for a moment and then reconnect again.

Why We Break or Crack

What causes breaks and cracks to happen in our voices? Here’s a number of reasons. Some reasons are out of your control, like having swollen vocal cords due to

Allergies
Colds
Congestion
Menstruation
Infections
Teen Boy Vocal Changes (Can’t control that!)

If possible avoid singing or performing when you’re sick. You can damage your vocal cords if you over due it under these conditions.

Teen boys should continue to sing. With the right exercises young men can get through their vocal changes successfully. (Watch Ep.14 How to Sing High Notes-Teen Boys)

There are breaks or cracks in our voices we can control. Here are some causes we can fix.

Rising larynx caused by reaching and squeezing for high notes
Pulling chest voice too high
Wide or open vowels
Pushing too much air and singing too loud
Lack of breath support
Fighting the resonance and not allowing it to shift into the head cavities

How to Sing Without Cracks or Breaks

Here’s a few simple fixes for each of these.

Rising Larynx and Pulling Chest

Correct the rising larynx and pulling chest with this exercise that everyone can do, “Goo”

[Demo] When I can do that at few times, go back and put back in the words. [Demo]

Wide or Open Vowel

Correct the wide or open vowel by slighting narrowing the vowel (for more help on this get Vowel Hacks in Episode #25) [Demo]

Singing too Loud and Pushing too Much Air

Correct singing too loud and pushing too much air by backing off just a little as you sing higher. You actually need less not more air to sing higher.

When you sing louder (especially as you sing higher) the vocal cords have to resist the added air blow from your lungs. A strong air blast can blow the cords apart. Also the vocal cords must increase tension to hold them together. This causes the external muscles to squeeze around the muscles.

Learning to sing louder without squeezing takes time and patience. Practice with soft to medium air and volume. This will help you develop the strength and balance in the vocal cords and not the external swallowing muscles. [Demo]

Adequate Breath Support

Speaking of air, adequate breath support will help your vocal cords function properly. Do this by thinking “tummy out”, open your mouth and let your lungs fill with air. As you sing, think “tummy in” and gently pull your bellybutton in towards your spine. Don’t over due it, just enough to give the added air support which helps the vocal cords stay connected. [Demo]

Allowing the Resonance to Shift

Allowing the resonance to shift into the head cavities from chest to head voice might feel strange at first. Use Bubble lips, tongue trill or “goo” to get used to this new feeling. [Demo]

Vocal Exercise Tip

Here’s a tip. If your vocal cords still want to break apart even when using “goo”, you might need to add a dopey or hootie sound to the word “goo” to encourage to larynx to stay down and the vocal cords to stay together. [Demo]

Flip-Falsetto

Do you tend to break and crack as you sing higher? If so your vocal type is likely Flip-Falsetto.

Do you know your vocal type? This isn’t referring to whether you are soprano, alto, tenor or bass. Your vocal type is what you tend to do when you sing.

Visit my website, PowerToSing.com and take the vocal test, which I call the PowerTest. You can take the quiz or email me your recorded test and discover your vocal type. Visit the Knowledge Center and learn about your vocal type. Download the exercises for your vocal type and start seeing immediate improvement in your voice.

I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and power.

I’ll see you inside the next video.

(Video Outtake)

Ep.27: How to Sing Without Cracks or Breaks