Practising to sing in the lower octaves

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HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by HarishankarK »

My music class friend is 38 and he learn't music upto few varnams as a young boy. His voice is sweet in higher octaves but like male voice in medium octave. He haf long break in singing but has imbibed a lot Until last year he was singing in shruthi 2.5 and 2 but now he is singing in shruthi 1 with all of us.

Problem is his voice is inaudible in lower octaves - he sings v well in med and high octaves because of lesser shruthi thn his usual but lower octves he is struggling a lot

How can he practise to sing in the lower octaves easily when one is forced to lower shruthi becuase of voice issues?

I really want to help him so request suggestions/tips from members in this forum.

Thank you

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by HarishankarK »

Sorry yesterday while posting my phone switched off becuse of no charge - so posting was incomplete. I have edited and completed now.

nadhasudha
Posts: 381
Joined: 22 May 2006, 06:40

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by nadhasudha »

HarishankarK wrote: 03 Mar 2018, 16:17 My music class friend is 38 and he learn't music upto few varnams as a young boy. His voice is sweet in higher octaves but like male voice in medium octave. He haf long break in singing but has imbibed a lot Until last year he was singing in shruthi 2.5 and 2 but now he is singing in shruthi 1 with all of us.

Problem is his voice is inaudible in lower octaves - he sings v well in med and high octaves because of lesser shruthi thn his usual but lower octves he is struggling a lot

How can he practise to sing in the lower octaves easily when one is forced to lower shruthi becuase of voice issues?

I really want to help him so request suggestions/tips from members in this forum.

Thank you
The usual advice given to music students to develop the voice in lower octaves..

To start with, he can practise lower Sthayi varisai.

Then sing all Varisais in lower Sthayi every morning as part of sadhakam. At first, we will not be audible below the mandhra Sthayi panchamam, but continuously doing this will help. Practising in the mantra Sthayi also helps in singing Tara Sthayi well.

One should go about this carefully without injuring or damaging one's voice.

It may very well be, that your friends natural Shruthi is 2 or 2.5 in which case, singing in 1 for prolonged periods is not advisable.

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by HarishankarK »

"One should go about this carefully without injuring or damaging one's voice.
It may very well be, that your friends natural Shruthi is 2 or 2.5 in which case, singing in 1 for prolonged periods is not advisable.
"
Don't understand. Isn't it common for persons to reduce shruti as they age? I myself started learning at 5 shruti as a kid and came down to 2-3 ocatves during my late 20s and now I learn in 1 with a group. His is a similar case untill about two years ago he was able to sing in 2.5 or 2 but now he cannot sing in that pitch becuase of voice issues with aging. So he is learning with us in 1 where he ia comfortable in upper and med octaves. Now in 1 shruti I will ask him to practise as per your suggestion

nadhasudha
Posts: 381
Joined: 22 May 2006, 06:40

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by nadhasudha »

HarishankarK wrote: 05 Mar 2018, 03:21 "One should go about this carefully without injuring or damaging one's voice.
It may very well be, that your friends natural Shruthi is 2 or 2.5 in which case, singing in 1 for prolonged periods is not advisable.
"
Don't understand. Isn't it common for persons to reduce shruti as they age? I myself started learning at 5 shruti as a kid and came down to 2-3 ocatves during my late 20s and now I learn in 1 with a group. His is a similar case untill about two years ago he was able to sing in 2.5 or 2 but now he cannot sing in that pitch becuase of voice issues with aging. So he is learning with us in 1 where he ia comfortable in upper and med octaves. Now in 1 shruti I will ask him to practise as per your suggestion
Usually yes, with age, Shruthi does indeed come down. All I was suggesting was for your friend to make sure that it is indeed due to age. Sometimes when we learn in a group, we sing at a pitch most comfortable for most of the group and as a result lose our ability to sing at our natural pitch. It is not uncommon for some men to sing at 2 or 2.5. I know a bhagavathar at age of 60+ who sings at 2.

When we lower the Shruthi for group singing before our voice is ready to handle it, there could be range issues!

Having said that, regular practice of lower Sthayi Varisai graduating to practicing all Varisais in lower Sthayi will definitely help.

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by HarishankarK »

Thank you Nadhasudha - I will inform my friend on the pros and cons. I think I will also practise the lower sthayi exercises.

On a side note, if there is someone who was forced to change his /her shruthi just for the group and is now having slight throat pain when attempting to sing in any shruti - what shd he /she do? There is one lady friend who left our group few months back - she is v upset because she lowered her shruthi and sang with us for about a year - then she left us few months back stating voice issues - I met her recently in a music programme (we are good friends) and she seemed so upset that even if she sings for 10-15 mins her throat starts hurting now. can a Dr help her? Or are there any exercises to strengthen the vocal chords again? Or regular drinking of milk with pepper - will that help? I am concerned foe her too. I am concerned for anyone who has a lot of musicl ideas and bhakthi and sangatis in their mind but cannot bring it out in their voice.

mohan
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by mohan »

If your friend can sing comfortably in another sruti (say 2) then he should practice in that sruti and just adjust during class time.
Comfortable means singing from the lower P to the upper P.

Boys will start in a sruti like 6 or 5 when they are young. After the voice cracks during the teen years, it will usually be in the range of 1 to 3.

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by HarishankarK »

Okay, thanks to both

nadhasudha
Posts: 381
Joined: 22 May 2006, 06:40

Re: Practising to sing in the lower octaves

Post by nadhasudha »

HarishankarK wrote: 05 Mar 2018, 11:35 Thank you Nadhasudha - I will inform my friend on the pros and cons. I think I will also practise the lower sthayi exercises.

On a side note, if there is someone who was forced to change his /her shruthi just for the group and is now having slight throat pain when attempting to sing in any shruti - what shd he /she do? There is one lady friend who left our group few months back - she is v upset because she lowered her shruthi and sang with us for about a year - then she left us few months back stating voice issues - I met her recently in a music programme (we are good friends) and she seemed so upset that even if she sings for 10-15 mins her throat starts hurting now. can a Dr help her? Or are there any exercises to strengthen the vocal chords again? Or regular drinking of milk with pepper - will that help? I am concerned foe her too. I am concerned for anyone who has a lot of musicl ideas and bhakthi and sangatis in their mind but cannot bring it out in their voice.
Your friend should start with a ENT Doctor consultation to ensure there is no medical issue going on- such as acid reflux. She can then follow up with consultation with voice experts. In any case, once voice issues start cropping up, we need to take expert advice to avoid permanent damage to vocal chords.

Although conventional Indian wisdom is to drink warm milk for voice issues, here in the US, the best for sore vocal chords is warm water - not milk.

Hope your friend finds a solution for her voice problems soon.

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