Is Belting ok?

Belting is a term used often in Broadway, when a female student carries their chest voice beyond their first passaggio (see previous posts on voice registration, passaggio etc..).  When done correctly, belting is a very powerful sound with a sort of brassy tone quality for the singer.  When done incorrectly, belting poorly creates a flat or nasal tone, and in severe cases, actual vocal damage due to undue stress placed on the vocal folds.

Belting is a necessary tool if women want to sing Broadway music in certain musicals.  It is a tool that definitely needs to be observed and shaped by a vocal teacher, to ensure that it is done healthily.  The number one goal is to ensure that belting does not hurt/irritate your throat.  If you feel pain, that is NOT a good thing. The old adage "no pain, no gain" does not apply to voice lessons - you sing well when you feel well!

Belting also should not be sung in certain contexts, where the vocal quality does not fit the tone quality desired by the song or ensemble.  For instance, belting is not recommended for choral singers, opera, or musicals/characters based on a more 'classical' sound.  Even within musicals known for belting, certain characters should avoid belting due to the personality of the character on stage.  Knowing when to belt or not is a matter of research and knowledge for every song.

DWS