Hey there, this is John Henny and on today’s vocal tip, we answer the question is belting dangerous?

Belt singing is a term usually used for women to differentiate from classical singing. And it’s a very strong chesty, almost yell like sound. Now, there are those that will say this sound is dangerous? And my answer is, yeah, it can be if it’s not done properly. But let’s look at classical men. It’s been pointed out by voice historians that up to a certain point up to the 1800s, men would sing in their head voice just like women. And it wasn’t until the 1800s that men be began to sing high notes in their full voice. In other words, they began to belt. So we have a long history of teaching men how to safely belt. 

Whereas women, it didn’t really come into fashion until musical theatre began to take over. And then women were able to express themselves in their full, more natural voice, as opposed to their head voice. So there are those that still feel it is dangerous, because as women began to find this coordination, a number of them began to yell as have men and thus causing more strain and were on the voice, but you can do it safely. 

The key is understanding valid tuning so that you get the right resonance adjustments so that you’re not acute acoustically, a pure yell, so that’s the key. I would first find your chest voice or lower register, then find your head voice and slowly begin to develop that middle register, register or that belt register before you really start doing it with any sort of power and strength. 

Hey, for more vocal tips, visit my website johnhenny.com and be sure to subscribe to my podcast the intelligent vocalist, thank you so much.