Question:
I am a 17-year-old boy. I am in chorus. I have been working on singing without strain and now that I do…It sounds like a girls singing. It sounds beautiful but my mom thinks that it’s not my voice. I keep telling her it is and the way I sang before it was strained… maybe I’m doing something wrong?? I mean I kind of talk in a high voice too and I’m pretty sure I’m not singing nasally. I concentrate the sound to the back of my head and the front of my mouth. Do you know what’s wrong??
Answer:
It is often difficult for me to give specific advice when I cannot hear your voice and determine what is causing the conditions you are describing.
The first rule of singing is, always, to do no harm to the instrument. It is certainly positive that you are not straining your voice any more. Some voices mature and strengthen later than others and that might be the reason your voice sounds as it does.
If you are singing in falsetto, that is not a long-term solution and you do need to develop your full voice.
Depth in the voice comes from an energized and clear phonation, from adequate breath support and from full resonance. You need to make sure that you are getting resonance in all areas – the chest, the throat and the head. You also need to be certain that you are physically energized, like an athlete, with powerful posture and an expanded ribcage.
You especially need to work with a voice teacher in order to determine what is correct and healthy for your particular voice.
Finally, be wise and careful. You are at a time when your voice is vulnerable and erring on the side of keeping it feeling easy is going to serve you best.