What Do YOU Consider Belting?
What Do YOU Consider Belting?
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#0What Do YOU Consider Belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:11pm
Now we all enjoy listening to a good belter every now and then. There is some dispute, however, on what is considered belting. What one considers belting, another considers screeching, so I was wondering: what is your definition of belting?
Updated On: 3/16/05 at 09:11 PM
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#1re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:14pmSinging loudly (not screaming) and with force in chest voice.
#2re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:14pmexactly what Joshua said.
Tenorific2
Leading Actor Joined: 2/16/05
#3re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:16pmMy voice teacher, when I was in college, got me to develop a pretty big chest voice. The chest voice (and it's been a while since I've been in lesson) is fine to use if you can keep hitting upper register notes without feeling any strain in your chest and neck area. If you do feel any strain or pressure, then you're not doing it properly. He took a masterclass from Marni Nixon and he explained belting to me. I can belt the high A flat in "MOTN" without problem, and have belted a high B flat on a good day!!
#4re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:16pm
High notes not in chest, head, or falsetto...
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#5re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:16pmIs it just singing loudly? For it to be belting to me, I need to hear this certain tone that happens. It's so hard to describe but it's something that gives me chills. Linda Eder can do it and not even go too high.
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#6re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:18pmUnless you're me. I can "belt" as well as any mezzo by using a mix of my head and chest voice. Quite fascinating.
#7re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:19pmyeah Linda Eder is an amazing belter. Not just singing loudly, there does have to be a certain tone, you're right. But definately using only chest voice loudly, clearly.
Tenorific2
Leading Actor Joined: 2/16/05
#8re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:21pmI think Buckley and LuPone have the ultimate in belting voices, as far as "classic divas".
#9re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:21pm
Eden Espinoza has an amazing belt.
So does Lea Salonga (Which I don't get the rumor that she's working on her belt to play Elphaba - she already has a great belt. If you don't believe me, hear her rendition of "Love Look Away" from FDS.)
#10re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:22pmI've always felt that belting is in part a mind frame. You have to be into the music to truly be belting and not just singing out.
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#11re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:23pmJoshua, I'm assuming you mean falsetto, and how? I try to get that way, but I can't get it loud enough.
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#12re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:26pm
Yes. Head voice = falsetto.
I'm not exactly sure HOW I do it. I do it naturally. I actually feel more comfortable singing in that range than my baritone/bass range. It probably has something to do with my crazy countertenor range. I use proper technique and I can somehow belt "to the back of the house", as they say.
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#14re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:28pmEden Espinosa is a good belter, but I think that when she starts going really high, she is *screaming* more than belting.
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#15re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:30pmI don't know how she goes that high. One can very obviously hear the change in placement, but I want to know how she places those notes because I don't see how she can constantly hit G#'s and A's 8 times a week. But I don't care if it's "screeching" to some, I enjoy her belt.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#16re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:34pmI have considered belting my boss numerous times.
#17re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:36pm
Coko from SWV is probably the best belter in the world. She hits those notes so effortlessly.
I love in the "Anything remix" when she sings "Anything you want me to do I'll do it". Those high notes make me feel comfortable. I know that sounds weird, but it's the only way to describe it.
Oh, and let's not forget the remarkable beltings of Lillias White and Stephanie Mills (Who reminds me a bit of Coko back in her early day).
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#18re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:38pm
SWV?
And I love Lilias White, but sometimes her vibrato can get to me. The same goes with Eder.
#19re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 9:44pm
SWV was an R&B group in the eighties, led by Coko. They were the Destiny's Child of 93, especially with their song "Weak".
They came out with two other albums, and Coko came out with a solo. But, by this time, the world had moved on and wanted to hear something new. I don't know why, cuz Coko's album is probably one of the best albums of all time. Eve made her debut on it.
P.S. SWV = Sisters With Voices
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#21re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 10:16pmwell what about mixing? can that still be considered belting? i think it can if you do it right and make it sound like a belt. it's also healthier to mix than to reach for crazy high notes purely using a chest voice. isn't it? i'm not positive but i think that's what eden does in a lot of those brooklyn songs.
IveGottaBeME
Leading Actor Joined: 1/15/05
#22re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 10:18pmi absolutely loveee eden's belt... i think it may sound t osome as "Screaming" because she can belt so high... but im so impressed that she cand o that, 8x a week... her voice should be giving out if it was screaming... ALONG time ago... anyway, when isaw her in brooklyn, i swear when she belts her jaw like pops open haha.. i cant explain but her jaw like goes straight down... lol nevemrind
IveGottaBeME
Leading Actor Joined: 1/15/05
#23re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 10:18pmi absolutely loveee eden's belt... i think it may sound t osome as "Screaming" because she can belt so high... but im so impressed that she cand o that, 8x a week... her voice should be giving out if it was screaming... ALONG time ago... anyway, when isaw her in brooklyn, i swear when she belts her jaw like pops open haha.. i cant explain but her jaw like goes straight down... lol nevemrind
#24re: What do YOU consider belting?
Posted: 3/16/05 at 10:23pmDon't forget Sutton Foster. She's an amazing belter. But one really great thing about her is, you can't even tell the difference between her head voice and her chest oice unless she's being legit or you listen closely. My voice teacher said that I should try to be like that, and that the two vocies should sound alike. And yeah, I love Eden's belt.
Videos