07 Ways To… Better Vocals

Van Halen’s vocal coach gives us guitarists the essentials for better singing technique

- Alison Richter & Rob Laing

As a musician, you should treat your voice with the same care as your guitar, whether you’re a lead singer or just contributing the odd backup harmony. And it’s especially easy to overlook good technique when you’ve got two jobs to do at once. Voice coach (and guitarist, bassist, luthier, producer) Peter Strobl has worked with musicians including Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen and Clutch’s Neil Fallon on improving their technique as playing singers. Now he’s here to offer us a no-nonsense set of essential tips you can start using now.

1 IT STARTS WITH YOUR BREATH

“Learn how to breathe properly. There appears to be massive confusion about this basic process. ‘Should my stomach go out? In? Should my lower back expand? Should my kidneys explode?’

“Breathing is what happens when you just relax and do nothing at all. Otherwise, we would die when we fall asleep. Inhaling is actually a passive activity that happens when your abdominal muscles relax. Exhaling happens when your abs tighten. Once you understand that process, you can use that knowledge to breathe more effectively as a singer. If your chest rises and falls, you are doing it all wrong.

“Try this simple exercise: stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend slightly over at the waist and place your hands on your knees, as if you dropped a tortoiseshell guitar pick on a brown shag rug.

“Blow out any residual air while pulling your stomach muscles (yes, they’re in there somewhere) in toward your spine. Now, let your stomach relax and fall toward the floor.

“Unless someone has duct-taped your face, you will notice that air enters your body through the holes in your face. Now push your stomach in again toward your spine to expel the air. Notice that you have to work harder to exhale than to inhale. Inhaling is passive.