<p>I know this isn't really a college question, but I didn't know who to ask. Does anyone know how I can be able to belt higher, and improve my mix voice? I'm working on it with a teacher as well, but I would just to know what you MTers think. It is so frustrating, I have a really strong lower belt, but I can't go past a B above middle C. It drives me CRAZY. Please tell me there's hope of improving! I'm also having a difficult time finding my mix voice. Any advice?</p>
<p>My honest opinion is that you are either a belter - or you are not. It's a facility you are born with and very few people are true belters. Many THINK they are and try and fake it - but it's not the same sound and usually comes across as a pale imitation or just sounds weird. You can of course improve and refine it and non-belters can learn to make the sound to a certain extent with a good and safe teacher. However, if you have spent years trying to get past a B flat belting and you can't - then it's probably best to stop potentially risking harming your voice, celebrate it for what it is and search for the roles and songs that suit you rather than vice versa. Some people say it is an age thing however, I have found that true belters have usually "discovered" their belt voice and its range by the time they are 18 or so and then spend some time refining it, extend the range by maybe a few notes. We all know what happened to Julie Andrews when she spent a run doing 8 shows a week for a year or so (Victor Victoria) in a belt role - when she is clearly a lyrical soprano that just never naturally had a safe belt facility.</p>
<p>Claire all I can pass on to you is my D has had experience with 4 voice teachers. Each teacher has taught her different techniques and taken her to different places. 3 of those teachers were strictly classically trained and the 4th classically and MT knowledgeable. One of the classical teachers didn't know anything about belting per se but was able to teach her healthy ways of breathing while she belted.</p>
<p>This is something you should work on ONLY with a qualified teacher who knows what he/she is doing. A singer can hurt himself/herself trying to belt if the singer doesn't do it with proper technique. Do NOT risk it. (Coach C, please weigh in here if I am full of hot air. Well, I definitely am full of hot air, but I think I am correct in this.)</p>
<p>I think with the proper training a singer might be able learn to belt properly, but I do agree that it just may be a natural born talent. My daughter is on the other side of the coin, as she was born a belter and only with training has been able to develop her head voice. She thought she would never be able to sing in head voice and she has just discovered it this year, as a senior in high school. She is still primarily a belter, though. That just comes more naturally for her. But, remember, every singer has his/her own sound and style and schools (and shows) need all types. I don't think you necessarily have to be a belter to make it in musical theatre.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add this...my D is clearly not a belter although her mix is very strong and one of the things she is best able to do. Her two song choices showed her low mix with strength and her soprano legit abilities. Four of the schools that she auditioned for asked if she could belt. Her standard answer was that although she was capable of belting it was not her strength and not her choice to use as the style to best display her vocal talents. Only one school continued to look into it and vocalize her belt voice. Her resume clearly shows her strength in being a more legit singer and her voice teachers all agreed it is best for her to stick with what makes HER stand out. The schools that are only interested in people with a strong belt voice will clearly not choose her, but they would not be the right fit for her voice. Work with your strengths...there are amazing belters without any ability to mix or sing legit soprano well. Remember each class looks for an ensemble of different voices. Just be the best at what you have to offer.
Best of luck through this challenging but amazingly exciting ride!</p>
<p>Claire -- it is probably possible to increase your belt range, but it's very important to do it in the proper way. Do continue to work on it with your voice teacher; however, all voice teachers are not equally competent in this area. Make sure your teacher is encouraging you to stay relaxed through your throat, jaw, and upper body. And if you aren't making progress, look around for another instructor who may be more of a specialist in a healthy belt/mix sound.</p>
<p>Pohsmom, are there schools that are really only interested in girls who have a strong belt voice? If so, I'd love to know what they are as my D has a strong mix and is extending her legit soprano range but does not have a strong belt, and frankly isn't spending a lot of time worrying about it. Some teachers have told her she is a soprano others I guess more of mezzo soprano. As somebody with no voice training, this is all a bit confusing and daunting to me.</p>
<p>I would have to guess that most schools would want a mix of singers. Every role demands a different type of voice. Some shows on Broadway even look for character-sounding voices over beautiful voices for certain roles. I wouldn't worry about it at all.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your advice! Don't worry, I'm aware of how important it is to be safe with my voice, and I'll make sure I do so. You're all such a big help on this forum!</p>
<p>Well, I hesitate to post my D's experiences at auditions regarding the belt/legit "issue" but it did come up at two auditions very specifically. My D has a lovely legit soprano voice and has a good mix as well. However, in my opinion she is NOT a natural belter. She was called back at her Point Park auditions and was told specifically that she needed a stronger belt. (her ballad is a legit piece and her uptempo was a comedy/character piece but still in the more soprano/mix range). She received a rejection letter shortly after.<br>
At UArts she also received a call back at her audition and was told that "it is nearly impossible to make it in this field" without a strong belt and if they chose my D they would have to begin working on her belt "immediately." She received a waitlist letter for UArts.<br>
She received an acceptance from OCU in both MT and Vocal performance (she did not even apply for VP...they just automatically accepted her) which is not surprising as OCU is know for being more classically inclined. </p>
<p>My D was slightly thrown off by the comments made at UArts. What do you all think? Just wondering....</p>
<p>I think there is room for all types. Musicals require all types of voices and all types of actors. </p>
<p>At the same time, I think it is good to develop your weaker areas. Just like a legit soprano should work on developing her belt voice, a belter needs to develop her legit soprano. My D is the opposite of yours. My D's strength is the belt voice. I would say she is a natural belter and has been from a young age. Once she got to college, they worked on developing her legit soprano and she sings in a higher soprano range than she ever could do prior to college. So, she developed her weaker area (one college audition told her that they did not hear enough of her legit soprano.....a school that did not accept her....and at the time, she wasn't as confident in that area....though other schools chose to vocalize her to see that she could sing high but that other school did not). </p>
<p>But even though my D has learned to sing legit soprano, it is not her strength. She knows her type. Once she graduates, she knows which audition material she'd select and which parts she'd go for. It doesn't matter that she can sing legit soprano....she likely will never be cast in such a role. Likewise, your D needs to develop her belt voice but likely will have more potential to be cast in a legit soprano role. A range of skills is good to have but each person has their strengths. </p>
<p>I don't agree that it is nearly impossible to make it in this field without a strong belt. However, one thing to note is that many of the more contemporary musicals tend to have a contemporary music sound including pop and rock. More and more musicals lately fit this mode. This favors someone like my D as that is her exact forte. So, I think maybe that is what that person meant....that a lot of newer musicals require that kind of singing. But I feel there will ALWAYS be roles for those who can sing legit soprano. So, there is room for all types. That said, always develop a range of skills and be more versatile as that can help. </p>
<p>At my D's MT program, the first year classes focused on the legit voice and so that was more challenging for my D and not as much for the soprano girls. The next year (or maybe it was the third year...I'm losing track now) had semesters on belting and pop/rock and for some girls this was quite a challenge and it was up my D's alley. So, in both cases, each student is expanding their range and comfort zone and skill set. But even though they have versatile skills, every person has their strengths. For my kid, it is belting, pop/rock/jazz, etc. and for your kid it is classical and legit soprano. It doesn't mean that is all she can do and same with my kid. My kid even won the state scholarship for classical voice so she CAN do it but I doubt she will ever be cast in a role that needs that kind of singer. The odds for her are greater in newer contemporary musicals that require a more contemporary style of singing. </p>
<p>So, yes, expand your skill set. But at the same time, know your type. Theater requires a variety of types and not every person can be up for all sort of shows and roles. By the same token, many of the new musicals are more of a contemporary music sound. But classical musicals are still revived.</p>
<p>Quick question on this topic. Is a "belt" voice the same as a "chest" voice or is it something different? I know most kids (well at least girls, which is the gender I am familiar with in this regard) have a flip spot where they go into their "head" voice. My D's voice teacher has worked with her to make this flip sound seemless so there is not a difference in tone quality or volume. Is there something else going when you "belt" vs. sing in your chest voice? Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>A belt is when you sing with power and volume in your chest voice -- usually using minimal or controlled vibrato. It's possible to sing in chest voice without "belting".</p>
<p>You brought up a great question. My daughter happens to be very much like yours. After walking around the halls at unifieds I am nervous for my daughters chances for MT. To my untrained ear so many of the kids had strong belts. My daughters has learned to use a mix and sounds really good, but there is definitely a difference from the kids whose natural ability is belting. At this point she feels like if she doesn't get in to any program for MT she would really struggle in the business. Her "plan B" at this point is the management and production with MT minor at University of the arts. It's plan B, but I'm not sure once she gets there if her heart will really be into it.</p>
<p>You do not need to be a good belter to get into a BFA in MT program. There are plenty of legit sopranos in these programs who don't belt much. There are kids who are strong belters who are not sopranos. They take all types.</p>
<p>Ideally, in the selection of one's audition material, show a range of skills. But some will be stronger at one than another. Just like some kids who get in are strong dancers and some aren't.</p>
<p>So one last question on this - do belters sing over their entire range in a chest-type voice or do they have a range that they can belt in and then above a certain note the voice switches? I am just curious what is considered a true belter vs. singing in your chest voice and then flipping to a head voice. Conversely, when you guys talk "legit soprano" do you mean someone who is singing in a head voice only? Thanks again!</p>
<p>I am not a voice person and there are voice teachers on this forum and they can answer way better. </p>
<p>My daughter sings certain things in a belt voice and certain songs in a head voice or mix. But there are some songs that are belty that go to a high note with the belt voice. Her particular strength is a very high belt. So, on a belt song that requires a high belt, she is singing in her belt voice. If the song has a more soprano sound, then the high notes are in her head voice. Not sure I am explaining it correctly. </p>
<p>Example...let's take a commonly known song she would never sing in an audition....Defying Gravity from Wicked.....there are high notes in that song that are meant to be belted. She'd be singing them in a belt voice, not head voice. But take a soprano song that goes high like Mira from Carnival....she'd be singing those high notes in her head voice. I don't know if that helps. It is not like she sings all high notes in head voice and all low notes in belt voice. Any note, including high ones, meant to be belted in the style of that particular song, she sings with a belt voice.</p>
<p>Legit soprano doesn't just refer to vocal range (soprano is a range) but the "legit" part means classically trained to sing soprano.</p>
<p>Thanks, that makes sense. I know it is a real skill to be able to sing high notes belty--not all can do this. And there is danger to the voice if it is done improperly. I do worry about girls who feel they should push their voices to belt above where they can do it safely (and Defying Gravity is an example of this type of song).</p>