Removing Nasality in Voice Lessons

For many students, removing nasality from their voice is perhaps the most difficult challenge for a singer.  In voice lessons, several 'culprits' can be found as a cause for nasality: tongue tension, lowered soft palate, lack of energy, music that is too high etc...

In my experience, however, the single most important way to combat nasality is simply helping the student recognize when they are, in fact, singing with a nasal sound.  Because we cannot hear ourselves accurately, students at first need to rely on a voice teacher to help them understand when their tone is too nasal.  Over time, the student comes to associate physical and aural sensations with nasal singing, and often can adjust on their own with the appropriate tools and tricks of the trade.

Fortunately, I have many different exercises and vocalisms that deal specifically with nasality.  I have so many exercises because it used to my weakness as I singer, and I fought for years to reduce the nasality in my tone.  In this case, I teach how to sing without nasality well because I had to solve it for my own singing!

DWS