Weird Things Vocal Coaches Say
What are they actually talking about?
9/8/20262 min read
Vocal coaches have a language all their own. If you've ever been told to “lift your soft palate,” “sing into the mask,” or “support the sound,” you may have wondered what any of that is supposed to mean.
Many of these phrases are attempts to describe physical sensations or sounds that are difficult to explain with anatomy alone. The trick is knowing what the image is trying to accomplish.
Check out the video below which attempts to bridge the gap between imagination and pedagogy.
“Sing Into the Mask”
You may hear this when a coach wants you to explore a brighter, more forward quality in your sound.
You can't literally send your voice into your face. The phrase is usually describing a sensation of vibration or resonance around the lips, nose, and front of the face. This vibration is a manifestation of reshaping of your vocal tract - your mouth, throat, soft palette, tongue, etc. It’s not that you are “moving” the sound - it’s just an indication of what sensations to seek.
Try humming gently and then opening into a vowel while keeping some of that easy sensation. You may notice what the coach, like the one below, is getting at.
“Support the Sound”
Support is another phrase that can mean different things depending on who's using it.
Rather than thinking about one muscle that you need to squeeze, think about coordinated breathing and steady airflow. Try singing a comfortable sustained note and notice whether the airflow remains consistent without excessive effort. The breath is natural, but supplying a steady air stream that maintains vibration.
Exercises with sustained sounds, gentle onsets, and connected scales can help you explore this coordination.
“Release Your Jaw”
This one is fairly literal, but it can still be misunderstood.
Your jaw needs to move when you sing. Holding it rigid can affect the shape of the vocal tract and make certain vowels or notes more difficult.
Try gently massaging or moving your jaw before singing, then notice what changes when you vocalize without deliberately holding it in a particular position. Aim for gentle, fluid movement. Not total stillness or over-opening.
“Lift Your Soft Palate”
The soft palate is a real anatomical structure, but consciously “lifting” it can be difficult to sense directly.
The phrase is often used to encourage more space in the vocal tract or a particular resonance quality. Some of this happens naturally, but some singers may wish to create a bit more space. Rather than forcing a sensation, experiment with a silent yawn, then sing an easy vowel and notice the difference.
The video below give you a look at the movement of the anatomical structures involved in singing, with a focus on the soft palate.
Images Can Be Useful
Vocal imagery isn't anatomy, and that's okay.
Singing involves many small movements happening at the same time. A simple image can sometimes help you find coordination faster than a long technical explanation.
The important part is figuring out what the image is helping you accomplish. If “sing into the mask” makes your sound easier and more focused, useful. If it makes you tense or confused, try a different approach.
The next time your vocal coach says something strange, don't be afraid to ask, “What should I feel or hear when I do that?” Sometimes the weirdest phrase turns out to be a surprisingly effective shortcut.