Can every girl learn to belt?

[emilyslater]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 1:35pm

I'm a mezzo. I have a pretty big range (aboout two and a half octaves). I have a good mix voice and head voice. I've always been able to get parts (I'm not a pro, but just in school/college community theater) - Cinderella in Into The Woods, Diana in A Chorus Line, Miss Dorothy in Millie...

But here's the thing. I just can't belt. I can do a Bb easily, and a B most of the time, but when it gets to a C I just can't do it. I've been working with a voice teacher who's really good, teaches a lot of professionals and has taught a few friends of mine. All of them can belt. So why can't I?! It's so frustrating - there are so many parts I want to play but I can't because I haven't got that high belt.

So I just wanted to know - was anyone else ever in this position, and then learnt to belt? Or am I doomed to play the soprano ingenue type roles (until I'm too old)?

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 5:30pm

I'm sorry I can't give you advice, but I'm in a really similar situation. I've never learned how to belt, and I just can't figure out how. Since I'm a character actress, not an ingenue type, this usually means that I play non-singing characters, even though I can sing-- but the comic characters usually go to belters.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 8:23pm

I'm in the same boat. Except I can't sing in chest past F-sharp above middle C. After that, I haven't developed a comfortable belt. I have a decent mix up to Bb where it becomes full-on head voice, but my belt voice is really low.

If you vocalize a little higher than your normal belt range(with your teacher of course, to make sure you're singing correctly) it might feel more comfortable after a while. In addition, you can always work to develop a strong mix in that higher belt range. I don't think that every voice can be made to belt in the same range. You know, some people can belt high F's like nobody's business and some just can't.

[Madcap Maisie]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 9:43pm

Updated On: 6/12/20 at 09:43 PM

[singinsilly]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:14pm

You can but it won't necessarily be exactly what you are looking for. A lot of times it takes time to develop.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:21pm

I've had the exact same problem...I can't belt to save my life. My best bet when it comes to musicals is a character voice- I want to do Audrey in Little Shop my senior year. But still, it sucks. I was singing along to Cabaret today and it was just sad.

[Necromancer07707]

Posted: 2/9/09 at 12:04am

There are some girls that just can't belt. If they try, things get unhealthy. This doesn't necessarily mean they won't ever be cast as leads, they just need to learn their type and pursue it.

But I think there's an epidemic in theatre that needs to be stopped: girls who learn far to early what belting is like and never learn the vocal control to sing with mix until it's too late.

So be proud of your voice type, and look for the perfect roles for YOU!

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 2/9/09 at 7:03am

Necromancer said it perfectly. Of course there's always things that you should be trying to improve with your voice, but you need to understand/embrace what roles are right for you. As much as I'd love to play someone like Laurey in Oklahoma, I understand that I just don't have that type of voice haha

[ChristineDaae87]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 6:55pm

It has taken me 4 years to get my belt from an A (above middle C) to a D. You can do it. It just takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work. It also depends on the song. For instance, I can belt the D at the end of Dance Ten, Looks Three without any problems. But when I try to do the C at the end of Part of Your World, it takes a lot of effort and focus for it to work even though it's a lower note. It really depends on the song. My New Philosophy from You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown is the song that taught me to belt. I started there and worked up because the more fun you have with a song, the easier it is to sing and that's a really fun song! So just put on belters in the car or do it in the shower. You'll get there!

[skb2010]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 7:26pm

Funny you mentioned "Philosophy" because that is the song that is helping me with vibrato.

[SamanthaisFierce]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 11:25pm

You can always learn to belt...but not everyone SHOULD belt...or sing for that matter. But, seeing as all Broadway cares about is fierce belting, it should probably be available in your tool kit when auditioning for BroadWAY.