Belt it out! — Page 2

I don't mean this to sound critical, I only want to help.

I don't understand all of you saying that belting kills your voice. In the old, "Annie" and Ethel Merman days, belting would have hurt because it was just glorified yelling. However, no real broadway talents belt anymore. What they do is mix. This just mixing low and high voices in a smooth, loud way. Much Like Idina or Sherie. I have never belted in my life, I doubt I would even know how. I mix, which is what you all should be doing. If you are actually belting, you are yelling, which can damage a voice. Soooooo... Just saying. Learn to take it down a notch, singing purely, then work up the volume, and then you will have it.

Sorry if I sound pompous, I just know that there are a lot of talented singers on these boards and I don't want them hurting themselves.

Also, you can belt and be a soprano. I certainly do both and one does not affect the other except to make it stronger.

oooo,

I like "Three Bedroom House,"
"Meadowlark"
and "And I am Telling You"

Yes, belting improperly can seriously damage your voice, but there IS a way to belt properly and not strain the chords. You just need to know how to do it is all. I'm not really an expert on female voices but it definitely doesn't sound like a mix to me when Idina sings. I'm just saying, you CAN belt and not kill yourself, but I agree that yes, most people don't do this and that is BAD.

Thanks gumbo2
I was just trying to save some future performers from damaging thier voices when they're just hanging around the house singing. I like to do that too. I love an empty house. Especially when the neighbors aren't home either. But I also like NOT being hoarse later.

As for Idina. I am never quite sure what you'd call that. It isn't really the original belt because it is too high. And Lea Salonga and such. I don't know what you call that. I like it though, when they do it. I just can't listen to too much of it or I go crazy and have to put on a good Alto voice. Like Joanna Gleason.

So much for helping the youth. The next generation. Talk to Charlotte Church and ask her how her voice is after ruining it.

I'm a 16 year old, baritone, white kid....

But I love to belt King of the World from SFANW.

Is it safe to say that if it doesn't hurt at the time or later, that it is safe? Or can you damage your chords without feeling anything?

Right now I'm really afraid of belting But, when I'm sure I'm alone, "Make Them Hear You" from ragtime and "Under The Sea" from The Little Mermiad are choice songs. Recently I've found myself singing "Will I" from Rent. and holding NightMAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAARRRRRRREEE!! Out for ages.

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I'm a mixer and if Sherie and Idina are mixing when they sing, they're masters at it. Idina screams-- and I mean SCREAMS!-- a lot when she sings; watch the performance of Defying Gravity from the Tony's or Lettermen, and see what I mean. Not so much on recordings, but every live peformance I've seen of hers, it's a lot of yelling. Sherie just sounds like she's belting and she pushes things out with a lot of nasal resonance. Audra is a mixer-- she's the champion. Jessica Molaskey is a great mixer. Linda Eder mixes too. But really, I think Sherie and Idina are good, half-way old fashioned belters.

"When You Got it, Flaunt It" and "I'm Still Here" are my current favs.

latley I've been belting out "Lily's Eyes" from Secret Garden and "Corner of The Sky" from Pippin

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