Vocal Compression: NOT What You Think!

Vocal Compression: NOT What You Think! with tags singing lessons, vocal lessons, voice teacher, singing teacher, vocal compression, music compression, glottal compression, pressed phonation, breathy voice, flow phonation, matt ramsey, ramsey voice studio

Compression or glottal compression has been confused so many other singing teachers, it’s almost impossible to know what they’re talking about

Often in singing tube, other coaches talk about compression as a way of adding distortion or rasp to the singing voice

Vocal compression is also different from compression in musical instruments

In music, compression is a way of squashing the sound so that the loudest is softer and the softest is louder

In vocals, compression actually refers to the full, warm vocal tone that comes from bringing the vocal folds together to resist the air from your lungs effectively

Like instrumental compression, vocal compression does involve volume but only indirectly

If the cords come together, you’re able to sing stronger because the air is vibrated more effectively by the cords

The stream of water is like your breath. However, when you phonate or bring the cords together, it’s like you’re pressing down on the end of the hose

The more you press, the further the water will squirt.

Likewise with the vocal cords, the more glottal compression you have, the more sound you’ll get

However, you always want to stay in balance

The perfect balance between muscle and air in singing is called “flow phonation”

Too tight is called “pressed phonation” when the amount of muscle is more than the amount of breath pressure

Too light is called breathy phonation

Well in order to find the perfect amount of vocal compression, you have to just ask yourself one question: are you singing too breathy or too pressed?

If you’re not sure, take a quick recording of yourself singing something

Is the tone light, airy and a bit dull? Then you’re probably not singing with enough compression

However, if your tone is brassy, rich and resonant, then you’re probably singing with enough or too much compression

If too breathy, try 5T Nae

It too heavy, try 5T Fuh

Remember, the goal with compression is to always be in balance

You can get a beautifully strong sound without destroying your voice and often if you’re too breathy, singing with more compression will often feel like your throat opens up