Revelations from a Masked Singer

Well, it finally happened. I attended an in-person octet rehearsal and sang through a protective face covering from a safe social distance. All along, I’d been hoping (as you probably were) that the pandemic would somehow resolve before I’d find myself vocalizing through layers of fabric, but as it turns out, that was a bit shortsighted. So, what was it like? Not too bad, actually. And what’s more, I found the mask to be a useful reminder of some familiar vocal techniques.

A bit of background. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to study voice with many different teachers, and to teach a myriad of singers myself. I’ve always enjoyed the colorful visualizations and analogies that vocal pedagogues extol in an effort to make the seemingly intangible understandable. While no two teachers say things in exactly the same way, there are certainly common phrases that many of us share. Here are five instructional vocal idioms that I’ve heard (and said) which were brought into focus while singing through that mask.

Sing In the Mask

This one is pretty obvious, and refers to placing the tone at the front of the face or skull, buzzing/vibrating in the mucus membranes, or singing “through the resonators,” as some might say. No matter the terminology, this approach encourages vocal resonance, which can reduce breathiness. Now we can fill that actual mask with the vibrations of warm vocal tone.

Sing Above the Shelf

In an effort to keep the head voice in play on lower pitches, I have often asked students to hold a flat hand parallel to the floor at nose level. Then, we imagine that tone floats/rides above the imaginary “shelf.” Practice helps to develop consistency throughout the vocal range, with the sensation most noticeable on descending musical lines. No need for the hand anymore, the mask creates a clear shelf of its own.

Project the Sound

Singers are encouraged to imagine sending their voices to the far end of the room using focused breath energy. The word “project,” when fully understood, can encourage more volume without the implied push of “louder.” The simple act of singing through the layers of a protective face covering will almost certainly encourage vocal projection.

Catch the Consonants

Have you ever asked singers to place a hand in front of their mouths in order to feel the warm puff of air produced by a crisp consonant? Wearing a mask is a great way to achieve the same sensation. Not only are you protected from those stray droplets, but you can also feel the articulation when the explosive consonants hit the inside of the mask. (Side note: I would not necessarily encourage too much explosive air from singers in a shared space during this COVID time.)

Smile with Your Eyes

We all want our singers to be expressive (musically, emotionally, and visually), but a typical mouth smile can adversely affect the purity of vowels. So vocal coaches often say things like “smile with your eyes” or “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” Here’s a simple exercise. Wear the mask and check yourself out in a mirror or phone camera while singing. Goal: express with the eyes.

Honestly, the revelations I had while singing through that mask kept coming. I could feel every move of my jaw, which reminded me about making space with a floating release rather than a forceful drop. Inhalations needed to be well executed and planned, and breath spent sparingly. Plus, with the elastic straps stretched to my ears, it created a physical reminder of the importance of listening. Incidentally, it is almost easier to hear oneself as the mask catches the sound and sends it back toward the ears.

Obviously, I will be overjoyed when we can all toss these masks aside, stand side by side, open wide, and sing uncovered again. But until then, let’s see what we can learn under the circumstances, and make some lemonade from the lemons!