These days I hear and see a lot of forced singing, in many genres. Perhaps it is a reflection of the stress in our time, but it’s not good for the voice and it’s not producing a great sound.
I am presenting a series of videos and explanations of the McClosky Relaxation Exercises.These exercises are designed to help the singer or speaker to release muscle tensions in the face and throat and promote easy tone production and increased resonance.
a short video demonstration
some reasons why I as a McClosky Voice Technician and Master Teacher think this exercise is important, and
tips how to do the exercise.
Why do McClosky Exercise #6?
Most singing teachers describe a “noble posture” as the ideal for singing. Usually they mean an upright posture, with the chest raised. The stresses and patterns of modern life mean that most of us do not habitually carry ourselves in this way. Indeed I would describe typical early 21st century posture as cell-phone posture or social media posture, with the head forward and the gaze downward as if looking down at a phone, tablet, or laptop. This head-forward posture often results in tight trapezius muscles as well as other muscles of the neck and shoulders.
Tips to do this exercise well:
Raise your ribs up, keep the head positioned over the body (as opposed to in front of it). The gentle nodding should be done from a point of balance, not from a head-forward posture. Do not jut the chin.
If you have difficulty nodding to the sides, you probably have tight trapezius muscles.