If you are starting to get used to singing, you can come across the concept of “opening the throat.” It is a difficult skill to understand for new singers.
Furthermore, you may be overwhelmed by so much conflicting information.
Some people recommend yawning while others are against it. Some teachers advise you to open your mouth, while others tell you that it is not the way to go.
So, what is the truth? How to open your throat to sing?
Let’s find the answer through the following article!
How To Open Your Throat To Sing?
Singers must be well versed in the anatomy of the vocal mechanism and its function to master this skill. In addition, they also need to understand singing terminology. Overall, it’s a pretty complicated skill.
So, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the basic vocal structure and function first. Therefore, we recommend consulting this video before moving on.
Once you’ve picked up those basics, it’s time to learn about some tips to help you open your throat to sing. First, however, always remember that singing is a complicated process, which requires extraordinary patience in the long run.
#1. Proper Posture
Whoever your singing teacher is, the first thing they want to teach you will be to put your body in a proper position. It is a prerequisite for you to open your throat.
The correct posture should look a little like this:
- Head up
- Proud chest and wide ribs
- Shoulders back
- Chin Parallel with the floor
#2. Inner Smile
This trick helps make a please look on your face. It does not mean you have to put on a grin that makes your face look unnatural.
Some vocal teachers and professionals call it “Inner Smile.”
It involves lifting the zygomatic muscles, which attach to the zygomatic bone, known as the cheekbone, on one end and the corners of the mouth on the other. It lifts as you inhale, helping you open your throat with ease.
When you perform this trick, you should feel the muscles around the mouth pull slightly upward but not produce a natural smile.
As mentioned above, it is complicated to gain, especially for beginners. Therefore, we recommend using a mirror every time you practice.
#3. Inhalation
You simply inhale to prepare your larynx to sing. When you do, the velum (or the soft palate) rises while the larynx lowers, creating a resonant space.
The soft palate is known as the back part of the palate, which is movable. During swallowing, the velum closes off the nasal cavity from the oral cavity. Thanks to that, it allows you to create oral sounds.
You can use imagery to gain a raised soft palate. Imagery is quite valuable for interns. Therefore, you should give it a try.
If this is difficult for you, make an effort to inhale while saying the K sound softly. In addition, several other ways allow you to lift your soft palate & lower your larynx. These include:
- “Drink the breath” or “inhale your breath.”
- Sing behind the ears.
- Sing to the crown of the head.
- Think about the space behind you
In addition, according to many experts, “smelling the roses” can create space in your pharynx and lift your soft palate.
Do not forget to look at yourself in the mirror as you practice.
Over time, you will get used to this. Then you can inhale the K sound without making a sound.
This exercise is the most difficult in that you have to keep the “open throat” position while singing without stress.
You can start with a neutral vowel, such as “uh,” to create the feeling of open space in the throat. After that, attempt to transfer this feeling to other vowels and consonants.
#4. Perseverance
Last but not least, perseverance is the key to all success!
Since this technique is not easy, many people will give up before they get something worthwhile. So, if you want to achieve this technique in a short time, we advise you to be persistent and try your best.
If you are ready to move on, you will have to wrestle with the concept of “Open Throat” for many years before you can master it.
What Is This Skill?
You may be wondering what exactly is “Open the throat,” and it is a legitimate question.
This trick helps you produce a round, resonant, open, clear, vibrant, and warm sound quality. It prevents the tone from sounding overly bright, thin, or shrill.
In general, its concept includes:
- Raising your soft palate
- lowering your larynx
- Wide your pharynx
- Positioning your articulators
This technique is often used by professional singers who can produce rich and warm tones. It is also a factor that distinguishes experienced singers from newer singers. An experienced singer can open the throat to sing easily, while a beginner will use more effort to create less sound.
It also refers to the release of tension from your vocal mechanism to create an open space. As we mentioned, it is complicated to do, and you cannot even do this even if you want to.
However, due to paying too much attention to it, your vocal tract will be subject to tension, resulting in producing vocals of an undesired quality.
That’s why many amateur singers complain about strain and fatigue when practicing this skill. But, of course, it is not a good sign.
So, if you feel any tension or pain, you should approach it from a different angle and try another way.
On the other hand, the singing genre is also an essential factor that you need to consider. For example, if you choose the classical style, you will be more “open” throat than contemporary styles.
There is no denying that this thick can be done even before you start learning to sing. That is why it becomes the first goal of voice training.
Proper posture, again, is a prerequisite for opening the throat. As a result, always correct your posture by using a mirror during each practice session.
Common Mistakes About It
You can get a lot of advice out there. Some of them are useful while others are not. So, here are some useless tips when it comes to how to open up your throat to sing.
#1. Yawning
Many teachers will recommend using yawning to achieve this skill. Is this effective?
It will cause your jaw to open excessively while your tongue retracts and pushes down the larynx. Then all you get is an unnatural-sounding voice.
If you really want to apply this trick, just imagine you are yawning, leading to raising the soft palate and lowering the larynx.
#2. Wide Open Mouth
Achieving this skill does not necessarily mean opening the mouth excessively. The reason is that it can create unwanted tension in the vocal mechanism.
#3. Tongue Placement
If you think that moving your tongue backward will effectively create space in your mouth and open your throat, you are wrong! The fact is that it produces the opposite result: bringing the tongue down will obstruct your larynx. Instead, it is best to put the tip of your tongue just behind your lower teeth.
#4. Exaggerated Facial Expressions
You should not try to reach this skill through exaggerated facial expressions. It will not create a natural-sounding voice. Moreover, you’d be embarrassed to practice those outrageous facial expressions in public, wouldn’t you?
Frequently Asked Questions
#1. How Do I Practice Posture for Singing?
Try to feel the state of your body parts and how they are aligned while singing. Also, check your posture while singing using a mirror.
It is wise to ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your chest open when singing?
- Does your chin parallel with the floor when singing high notes?
- Does your body feel comfortable and relaxed?
- Do your shoulders relax and stay wide?
If you answer yes to all questions above, congratulations, you have found the best position for you to sing!
To improve your singing, sing anywhere and anytime:
- while cooking
- while riding a car
- while taking an elevator
- While waiting for the bus
- So on
On the other hand, it is wise to seek the help of a trusted vocal professional. In general, it is the shortest path to getting better vocals.
#2. How To Drop the Larynx Without Pushing the Tongue
You can also try our suggestions:
- Smell something yummy.
Find something really delicious, inhale slowly, and prepare for a surprise. Your throat will open, and your larynx will drop! It is best to try it a few times and put your hand on your throat to feel it.
- Open the space behind your tongue.
Try inhaling and pretending that the space behind your tongue is open, and you can feel your larynx drop. Likewise, dropping and opening the back wall of your throat while dropping your tongue forward will allow you to lower your larynx.
#3. What Are the Benefits of Good Breathing Techniques in Singing?
When you develop good breathing techniques, you will gain achieve the following:
- First, it allows you to sing without tension.
- Next up, It gives you complete control over the amount of air being circulated through the vocal cords.
- Finally, it helps you prepare your body for sound production.
#4. What Is the Difference Between Breathing for Singing Different From “Normal” Breathing?
Let’s take a look at five differences between breathing when singing and breathing at rest:
- Breathing when singing is deeper than normal breathing.
- Breathing for singing requires more muscle activity.
- Breathing while singing requires conscious control.
- The exhalation phase while singing is also longer than usual.
The Bottom Line
You’ve got some good ideas on how to open your throat to sing. In general, it is a complicated technique, but it is worth time and effort.
As long as you are persistent, there is no reason why you can’t do it. The more you practice, the easier this skill becomes, and you’ll be amazed at the vocal potential you never knew you had!
Hopefully, you enjoyed our article. Do your best, potential singer!
