How To Sing With Tremendous Power

Want to be able to hit your notes with incredible power?

In this video, celebrity vocal coach Roger Burnley discusses how you can develop tremendous power in your voice. Watch below and practice the exercises and hear your power increase!

This video is all about to develop power with singing. I have received a lot of questions about this. It seems as singers we really desire the ability to create powerful sounds in the songs we produce. 

However, before we work on our power we need to work on our vocal freedom. You can’t have power without vocal freedom. We need to develop it before we can create sustainable and lasting power with our voices. 

The reason for this is due to our incorrect singing styles. Often as new singers (or just when we have a bad habit) we try to produce power in our singing through really pushing our voice. This creates vocal strain when we sing. 

How Strain Affects Singing

Due to this the air we use to sing is then blocked and it becomes difficult to sing correctly. This means you won’t be able to allow your power to come through in your singing voice, or if you do it won’t be for very long. 

Remember the air is what creates the sound. This is done through causing the larynx (vocal chords) to vibrate. However, when you strain this moves the larynx and cuts off the air.

So no air no power. You really work against yourself when straining and using incorrect muscles to sing.

Thinking To Create Power

One of the simplest and my favourite method to create power in our singing voices is the following; 

Thinking when you are going up for the higher notes that you are actually singing down. 

I know this sounds confusing so let me explain what I mean.  

To prevent your throat muscles from tightening and the voice box going up try to actively think you are singing notes that are going down in pitch. 

With time and practice this will stop the natural tightening response we have when approaching high notes. Try to release the note first and then bring the note down to your range to release the power.

Each of these steps needs to be practiced on its own. The goal is to be able to do all 3 steps without even thinking about it. This is when it has become a habit and you can really see some results. It will become your new natural way of singing.

An Example

So for this example I have chosen an A note. However, you can really do it on any note you would like. Just make sure you can easily produce the note, as you will need to  for the exercise to work. 

In the example first I work on my thoughts. So make sure you are thinking of bringing the sound down so you don’t compromise the notes.

Secondly I am relaxing my voice as I start to sing. I can do this as I have correctly trained my body how to approach these notes. However, if you have bad habits in this area then you will need to work to get this. The aim is to have a relaxed approach as your natural way of approaching notes. 

Finally I add the power. I like to add the power only when I feel my body has pulled the note down into my range. This is intuitive and builds up with practice. 

As soon as I have I then  focus on adding more power. You can do this through diaphragmatic breathing (link here), as well as making sure you sing using the correct muscles. 

Doing both of these will mean you can sustain power in your voice for longer amounts of time. However, like everything else this is achieved with commitment and practice. 

An important thing to remember is to not force the power when singing. As your body gets used to the coordination of this exercise you’ll build up what I call a singers intuition. 

You’ll start to just know when the right time to add power to a note is. Remember don’t be impatience with your practice, we all develop in our own time Just keep going! 

Practice Along With Me

For this section I want you to watch the video and practice along with me. I have decided to go with an O sound. This is something that many singers struggle with when singing. Remember we all have different levels so just focus on the area you are at as a singer to start with. 

First we will be visualising bringing the note down. The second step is releasing the O as you sing to keep a strong flow of air. Finally you need to use the sound to add the power to the note. Only add the power when you feel in your body you have brought the note down. 

A useful tip is to use gestures. I have found that many students find this a very useful aid for their singing. This is due to the body picking up on the cues you give it when singing. Try using the hands to visually guide the note down when releasing. Sounds strange I know but it really does work.  

Remember that practice takes time. I don’t expect you to master this exercise overnight. Really each time you practice this you will get a little better. It means you are opening yourself up to understand more about your voice. So each time you practice you train not just the muscles but your mind.

Improving Your Voice Now

If you’d be interested in improving your singing then go and check out more of my videos here. There are videos to help with almost everything you might struggle with, from signing technique to learning how to become a world class performer.

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.