Ep. 97: Speech Level Singing vs Mix Singing

Ep.97: Speech Level Singing vs Mix Singing

What’s the difference between Speech Level Singing vs Mix Singing? Often there’s confusion between these two things. Inside this video I’ll explain why it’s important for you to know the difference.

Hi, I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing.

Speech Level Singing and Mix Singing are different.

Here’s the definition of Speech Level Singing

Speech Level Singing (SLS) is a singing technique created by Seth Riggs. It’s a system of teaching singing that uses vocal exercises to cause the singer to bridge.

SLS exercises train you to sing from chest to head voice without reaching, breaking, or breathiness. The exercises cause you to develop a new singing coordination where your vocal cords balance with the air from the lungs.

The results is a balanced voice where the vocal cords function independently from any extrinsic pressure from the outer neck muscles. This creates a powerful and connected tone quality from the lowest to the highest notes in the voice. This is especially powerful in the middle area of the voice, also called the bridge or passaggio.

You get a smooth and easy transition through the bridge which increases your range and power without reach or tension.

All of this is done with the larynx staying at speech level, or at the level where you speak, or should speak. The vocal cords remain connected throughout your range.

This is what the Speech Level Singing technique causes in the voice.

When your bridges are “intact”, your vocal cords remain connected, meaning they don’t disconnect into falsetto, no matter how high you sing.

While singing in the first bridge of the voice, you get a blend of chest and head resonances. This is a mix of chest and head voice. This mix of resonances occurs as a result of the vocal cords remaining connected.

If the vocal cords disconnect into falsetto, you lose the chest resonance and there is no mix.

Here’s my definition of Mix Singing.

Mix singing is the mixture or blend of resonances. In the first bridge, it’s a blend of Chest and Head resonances. In the upper bridges it’s primarily a blend of the adjacent vocal registers. The vocal cords remain connected. If the cords disconnect into falsetto, you lose the lower resonances and there is no mix.

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An imbalanced voice may result in a mix with a brassy sound, splatty vowels, distorted words, labored vibrato and a greatly reduced spectrum of vocal overtones.

An imbalanced voice may cause a high larynx, excessive tension and reaching, and over or under compressed vocal cords.

You may get a wobble instead of vibrato. Your voice may tire quickly. Your tone quality may suffer. Your vocal bridges may fall apart. If those things happen, you get a break in your voice and lose your mix and your upper ranges.

Granted, this may be exactly what the singer wants to sound like and what his/her audience pays to hear.

But it’s not the mix you’ll learn from Speech Level Singing. It may not be mix at all. It might be pulled chest-high larynx singing.

This is why it’s important to know that Mix Singing is not Speech Level Singing.

Different techniques deliver different qualities of mix.

There are other kinds and qualities of Mix Singing which you will not get from the Speech Level Singing Technique.

It’s a uniquely powerful mix which not only improves but preserves your voice, no matter how many years you sing.

Visit the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about your vocal type. Then download the free exercises and practice them to start improving your voice immediately.

I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power to Sing. You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and power.

I’ll see you inside the next video.

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Chuck Gilmore

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[TheSeekingknow]

The examples of singing you gave were quite interesting to hear (and watch).

[jorge.sanchez]

Please; Could you consider placing subtitles in Spanish? In addition, I have always had the question of how many vocal techniques or singing methods exist and how they differ (example: Italian bel singing; singing voice; etc) Very grateful. Thank you

[nickspinner]

Could you provide a link to a video of you singing a song? I'd really like to hear it! Thanks.

[cgonzt]

Thanks very informative. I hope there’s an easy way to hear or reference from popular singers or particular part in songs which employs such technique.

[ionut]

How to practice singing? Or what i must to practice?

[tnvalleyyoga]

When I speak my larynx does not stay in resting position it rises rise some. So, if I start to sing and my larynx rises to the same level as when I sing am I singing in speech level singing?

[tphil]

Speech Level Singing is keeping your larynx in the same position that you speak in?Bring the power from abdomen, keeping you head leveled no matter what note you sing. That is my understanding of SLS...Am I correct?  If so that sounds hard...

[myousher]

Can I hear the difference in sound between those techniques? Or it's differense in feeling only and sound the same?

[luzlalala]

I‘ve got a question because nobody could answered it directly: If you have the best speech level singing technique will it sound like belting if you’re singing? Or will you hear the difference?

[attore]

Hi Chuck. Natural mixing is a fantastic technique. I realize this with each passing day; however it is not as simple as when we speak. For example, the vowel "I" is difficult for me in very high notes, (for example. the high do). Could you make an explanatory video of how to position the "I" without lifting the larynx? I don't know if I can explain myself ... thank you very much.

[rrg.r]

When doing exercises, is it normal to go airy and struggle to go higher? (not falsetto flipping)

[bigpiglove]

I did't get what is a mix singing?
Thanks!

[townnet]

Hi, not really understand. So Speech Level Singing and Mix Singing, which one is good?

[marcelo.bassalo]

I don't really see a big difference between my head voice (not falsetto) and the mix. I'm probably not putting enough chest but I don't know how.

[orkhanmd]

Didn't know that Trevor from GTA 5 has a part time job 😁

[nayeemnm]

Sir I would like to see you for my voice issues and take clases how can I call you. Do you have a number I can call. I am in New York

[mohammedelsayed]

I want to send you a record for a song i am obsessed with my voice singing it i tried so hard to foucs and it's considered as my prime after 2 weeks knowning your channel so i want to eliminate all my weekness and you're so profissional and i am not so i cant know all my weekness but i do know that my larynx tend to go higher as i sing i tried so hard to prevent it sometimes I can't but i can still sing without cracking thank god xD i didn't realize the gift i was born with that my i go through my first bridge so easily but sometimes i find it hard to recognize my bridge and my head voice so i want some solutions my range is F2 - A3 - A#4 but I can't go higher than A#4 sometimes i go C5 or C#5
P.S : my vocal type pulled chest high layrnx

[theunionbeats]

dude i dont know what you just demonstrated here, but it sure as hell wasnt sls

[TotalSinging]

Chuck - ALL singing is "mix singing". That's how the voice works. Whenever you sing, no matter what note, you are mixing resonances. Depending on the note, one resonance will be more dominant in that mix of throat, mouth and sinus resonances. You cannot avoid it.

SLS is ALL about resonance - pharyngeal resonance mostly - combined with a neutral larynx and isolated fold movement. Even Riggs stresses the importance of resonance blends to achieve a voice devoid of extrinsic tension from the outer circle muscles.