Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among Inuit women while the men were away on hunting trips. It was an activity that was primarily done by Inuit women although there have been some men doing it as well. In the Inuit language Inuktitut, throat singing is called katajjaq, pirkusirtuk or nipaquhiit depending on the Canadian Arctic region. It was regarded more as a type of vocal or breathing game in the Inuit culture rather than a form of music.
Inuit throat singing is generally done by two individuals but can involve four or more people together as well. In Inuit throat singing, two Inuit women would face each other either standing or crouching down while holding each other’s arms. One would lead with short deep rhythmic sounds while the other would respond. The leader would repeat sounds with short gaps in between. The follower would fill in these gaps with her own rhythmic sounds. Sometimes both Inuit women would be doing a dance like movement like rocking from left to right while throat singing.more
Sounds produced can be voiced or unvoiced and produced by inhalation or exhalation. Both Inuktitut words and meaningless syllables are used in Inuit throat singing songs. However, when words are used in throat singing, no particular meaning is placed on them for a song. When meaningless syllables are used, they are often portrayals of sounds the Inuit hear in their natural environment such as animal sounds or even water running down a creek. Popular Inuit throat singing songs are usually identified by the first word or sound that is produced in each song.

Inuit throat singing is a skill that has to be taught and developed. Inuit throat singers try to show their vocal abilities in a fun competitive manner and the first one to either run out of breath, stop or laugh is declared the loser of the game.

Each game usually lasts from one to three minutes. In a group of Inuit women, the overall winner is the one who beats the largest number of her competitors in this fun filled activity.

Unfortunately, there is no written record of when the Inuit first developed their form of throat singing which differs from the type found in Mongolia and other parts of the world that has some form of throat singing. The Inuit did not keep any written records and history was simply passed down from generation to generation orally.

It was reported that at one point in time, Inuit women would actually have their lips almost touching while using each other’s mouth cavity as a sound resonator. This technique is not used anymore.

Inuit throat singing was actually forbidden by Christian priests for almost 100 years but since this religious ban was lifted, there has been a resurfacing of this traditional activity in the Inuit communities during the last 20 to 30 years. Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of interest among the younger Inuit generations in this revival in addition to the Inuit elders who are trying to bring throat singing back as part of present Inuit culture. Many of the young Inuit women who have taken up throat singing claim that it is a way for them to express their Inuit identities in the modern world where many Inuit traditions have already been lost.

The revival of Inuit throat singing has been so popular that in September of 2001, the first throat singing conference was held in Puvurnituq, Nunavik where different types of Inuit throat singing from different Arctic regions of Canada were demonstrated and shared. There has even been a small number of Inuit throat singing CDs produced

Have you ever had your voice lock up as you’re singing a song? Do you hear singers who sing easily through their full range and wonder what is holding your voice back? Have you ever felt your voice getting tired and scratchy after a night of singing? Most people have the same problems with singing, but don’t have the right information and training to fix them. I have developed a simple, effective technique for improving your singing that will keep your voice healthy and strong for the rest of your life. It’s the JDSMethod of Singing. more

In this vocal method, you’ll learn the secrets that allow your voice to flow freely with maximum range and power. I’ve been training singers and voice instructors for the last 18 years, and studied under some of the best teachers in the world. I’d like to share my secrets with you, to show you how you can begin improving your voice right away with these simple principles.

The Most Common Problem With Singing

Most people have the same problems with singing. You’re fine for some parts of the song, then comes the high note. You see it coming, feel nervous, leap for it, and then boom–your voice cracks. You try again, push a little harder, lunging up with hope for a good result, and it’s even worse. After a few more tries, you have less range than when you started, and the next day, you dont want to practice because your voice is scratchy and tired. What happened?

What I just described to you is called constriction, which is your body’s attempt to sing notes using the wrong muscles. When this happens, muscles around your larnynx squeeze in, and your vocal cords get tired and begin to feel scratchy and weak. The common problem that everyone has is the weak link of the vocal cord in the system of singing. With weight lifting, you push your muscles to the limit and they grow back stronger. With your vocal cords, if you push them to their limit they swell up, and don’;t resist air effectively.

Think of your as a five speed car, with some basic controls that affect the gears: gas, clutch, steering, and some signals With constriction, it’s like you’re stuck in second gear trying to get onto the freeway! When it comes time to sing to the high note, it’s essential that you’re able to change gears, and activate the small unique muscles that allow the voice to go into the very highest notes with ease and freedom. Many singers are not able to access all the gears of their vehicle, or even know that they exist.

Chest Voice and Head Voice

Put your hand on your chest and say “Wow”. Now sing “Woow” in your head voice. Notice the difference between these registers. There are three approaches to deal with the break between chest voice and head voice:

1.Pull up the chest voice

This is the most common pitfall, and the most damaging to your voice. Even ten minutes singing while you’re pushing hard at the top of your chest voice range can tire your voice and leave you feeling scratchy and hoarse.

2. Flip into falsetto

Falsetto is a state where your vocal cords have blown apart, and your voice sounds airy and “false”. It doesn’t really hurt your voice, but it sure sounds odd to you and everyone else.

3. Blend your chest voice and head voice, and sing at the Balance Point.

When you sing at the Balance Point, there is no break between the chest voice and the head voice. There are already some popular programs that teach you how to sing in your mix, mainly by Seth Riggs and Brett Manning. I know those teachers and their methods. I believe my method is unique, in that it reveals some common pitfalls that students of those methods encounter, namely tension in the jaw and tongue that prevents key muscle groups from activating.

Back to the car analogy, if you’re hoping to change gears as you get onto the freeway, you’d better know how to work the clutch and the gas at the same time, and know where the gears are. In the JDSMethod, I show you how to balance your head voice and chest voice by awakening you to the control elements that allow your voice to function at it’s fullest. Did you know that hidden tension in your jaw can inhibit the small but powerful muscles that allow your voice to transition smoothly from chest voice to head voice? Did you know that a little coordination of your nose can multiply your power by three or four times? Many singers study voice for years without becoming aware of the secrets that I will share with you in this vocal method. In it, I outline the major control elements of the voice:

Vocal Cords
Larynx
Air Control
Outer Muscle
Pharynx

Women of my generation are at an interesting and challenging point in our evolution. We find ourselves in a phase of our lives historically referred to as “middle-aged.” Yet for many of us our brains, attitudes and mental energies feel much too young for this distinction. We don’t care too much what society has to say about middle-age, because it doesn’t feel like it applies to us. However, we DO care about making sure our bodies feel as energetic and young as our minds, since we plan to continue to grown, learn and experience life for several more decades.
For myself, I want to follow in the footsteps of my voice teacher – master coach Lois Hartzell – who led a full and interesting career as a singer then turned to teaching, writing, producing and directing until she was 92 years old. She was definitely never a ‘normal’ woman of her generation. She never married, never drove a car, and never took on the burden of running household and managing children – definitely things that can wear a woman down over time. Instead, she lived her passion to sing and perform and finally to teach. Yet although she lived a singular life, there are many things to be learned from the manner in which she lived her life. more
Over the many years that I studied with Lois, one of the critical lessons she taught me was the health benefits of “real singing.” I’ve added the emphasis because real singing is not singing in the shower or in the car. Real Singing is the art of singing developed and used by professionals over the last two centuries – and available to anyone who has a passion for music and for expressing themselves through song. Now, as I find myself “of a certain age,” I look back on her life and realize that real singing offers real health benefits to help us – me and my sister boomers – age well.
Here are the 10 health and anti-aging benefits from learning to sing:
Breathing/circulation
Singing, like nothing else, requires opening your throat and lungs and breathing deeply. Breathing for singing goes beyond taking a simple breath. Singers learn to drop their stomach muscles, expand the muscles around their ribs and fill their lungs to capacity. Then they vigorously hold the breath in as they sing because holding these muscles in tension helps to sing longer and higher. The physical act of holding your breath while you sing causes more oxygen to be absorbed into your blood cells to energize the body and increase circulation. Increased blood circulation, of course, brings nutrients to your cells and removes waste byproducts. And I can attest to feeling more energized and light on my feet after a good healthy singing session!
Recover from colds more quickly
Here’s another benefit – you can recover from colds more quickly. Many people think they can’t sing with a cold, But in fact you can. The problematic phase of a cold is when the mucus settles down onto your vocal chords and keeps you from being able to bring the chords together strongly – something that is required for singing a strong tone. If you continue to sing through the head cold phase of your illness, the vibration of singing helps prevent mucus build-up on your chords. And singing helps the body recover faster. Increased blood circulation helps your body fight off the virus more quickly! So really the cure for the common cold seems to be – sing!
Gently strengthens muscles – legs/torso/back/face
Nothing beats singing for a subtle total body work out. Correct singing requires a balance of tensions in the body including the muscles in your legs, bottoms, ribs, back, and even the muscles around your lips and jaws. Your core is strengthened through the gentle, non-jarring holding tension we use to sing and adds to overall health of the body without jeopardizing the joints because there is no aerobic activity.
Brain activity from learning new things
Learning music sets up new pathways in the brain that keeps the brain alert, active and utilized. Creative musical learning also requires activity on both sides of the brain. Your left brain reads the music, keeps track of the tempo and dynamic markings while your right brain enjoys the intuitive and creative process of interpreting the printed page in a musical way. Thus your mind is really engaged in a healthy holistic fashion.
Improves memory
I always recommend memorizing your song, because only when we have learned the song completely can we really work on the finer details of shaping the musical phrases and exploring the poetic meaning of the lyrics. The practice of putting music and words to memory stimulates the pathways in your brain that use memory – making them more accessible in your daily life. I see this as a huge benefit as we seem to be in an age where memory is harder to hold on to because we are over stimulated by technology.
Focuses and quiets your mind
Another benefit to both the mind and the body is a reduction of stress. If you approach singing by setting aside time to practice each day, it has a meditational aspect. Singing is a single-minded, focused activity and needs to be done in a private environment where you spend time looking at your music, thinking about singing, and creating sound. No cell phones, no computers, no electronic devices to distract you or raise your blood pressure! The body and mind is focused on a single activity without distraction and interruption and engaged in a pursuit that gives you joy. The body is flooded with oxygen and the mind is quiet. Yes – I think you can reach a state of bliss from singing!
Emotional release
There is nothing like music to reach you on an emotional level. The emotions can be joy, regret, fear, excitement, love, anger, and more. Singing is very cathartic and helps you connect with emotions from experiences you may have buried or forgotten, or help you relate to an emotion from someone else’s experience. In any case, music gives you an emotional release and is also a gift to others because it provides the same for those who listen to your songs.
Positive activity – lifts depression
Regardless of whether you sing a happy or sad song, the act of singing is positive because it is proactive and if pursued long enough, offers satisfying personal growth. When you endeavor to acquire a skill and put the time and effort into achieving that goal, you gain the self confidence and personal gratification from your accomplishment. Regardless of struggles in other areas of your life, you have something very positive to refer back to.
Gets you out of the house
Here is a benefit that might not be apparent at first. We aren’t usually drawn to singing because we want to get out of the house, but singing is very often a community experience. We sing in choirs, bands, on stage, with our family and friends, in karaoke bars, in religious ceremonies. When you learn to sing it may propel you into some kind of performing, either in a group or as a soloist. In any case, singing will connect you to others and help you avoid feeling isolated and lonely.
Avenue for new relationships
If you do find yourself joining some type of group for community singing, then new opportunities for friendships open up. Friendship and community, especially as you get older, is critical for staying healthy and having a healthy attitude towards your life. Regardless of other stresses, aches and pains or challenges in your life, all of these are better handled when you feel supported by your community.
Now you see why everyone in the world should be inspired to study singing! On top of these health benefits, women who have reached “that certain age” will be shocked and delighted to discover that due to hormonal and chemical changes in your body, you are more prone to having a voluptuous, dark, and warm tone – rich in expression and depth! And I must also add that life experience and wisdom make learning to sing in your middle years more satisfying. You have more patience than your younger sisters and understand that learning a new skill is a process which takes time and persistence. Yet once gained it is very enjoyable and satisfying.
Finally, some say that the harmonic vibrations of singing and music have anti-aging benefits. While I can’t site any scientific evidence to back this belief I did see through my teacher, Lois, who always looked and acted about 20 years younger than her real age, that singing and living your passion can have a real impact on how you age. I intend to follow her footsteps by singing, teaching and living my passion to help me age well and have a full and adventurous life in the process. I hope you will too.
If you love to sing I encourage you to seek out a qualified teacher and join a group of other women to sing with. For your health and your pleasure!

Singing in front of an audience is more than just creating a successful rendition of a song. If they want to only hear your music they can go buy your CD. When you play live you must perform!
An audience is not only there to hear you, they are there to watch you. It’s an often neglected topic of discussion in a band – what are we supposed to do while we are playing our music?
There is a very simple answer to this question – COMMUNICATE!
As an art form in the modern setting all music has two forms – the recorded songs you write or cover (like a CD) and the performance of that material in front of an audience. The best way to look at performing is to consider it to be a unique ,one-off snapshot of you at a particular moment in time. Every performance is different. The essential point here is that performing is all about you and your ability to make a connection. When performing you get to establish a connection with the listener that is impossible any other way.more
The most important thing to do when singing in front of a band is to consider how your audience sees you. Try to think about what they see from where they are sitting or standing. No matter if you are singing in a bar ,nightclub or concert stage the same situation applies. Every little thing you do and say is under the microscope from everyone in the room.
Do you find that thought disconcerting? Many performers do and it often leads to some bizarre habits by some lead singers. Sometimes they are caused by nerves and it’s normal to experience some anxiety, especially for a beginner. One of the most annoying habits for an audience is when a lead singer seems to pay more attention to the band than they do to their audience. You see this a lot where a lead singer will spend a considerable amount of time on stage with their back to the audience singing to band members. Whatever the motivation is for this behavior it comes across as indifference and amounts to a kind of broken contract.
Your audience is your client, your customer if you like. They make a form of unspoken agreement with you that they will attend your performance in return for something. What you give them depends on what you are prepared to give and, to some extent, it will depend on how you FEEL at the time. What they really want from you is a little story. Each time you open your mouth they want to be taken somewhere,away from their troubles (or perhaps through their troubles), they want to be taken on a journey to someplace in your world.
How do you do this as a singer? How do you take them on a trip through your world? Actually, it’s quite easy when you think about what I said earlier about trying to understand what your audience sees when you are onstage.
Every person I have ever met has a bunch of favorite songs that they always love to hear. They never seem to tire of them. These are usually accumulated over the years but most often are associated with their youth. This is essential information you must use when developing your performing skills. Each person in the room when they are watching you play has a series of subconcious images running through their mind. These are generated continually whilst you perform and mix with what they are actually seeing of you.
If you don’t believe me watch how your audience reacts when they hear you start to sing something very popular and familiar. That positive reaction is created by association. People have favorite songs because they associate those songs with something very positive in their lives. Perhaps the first time they fell in love, when they passed their school exams, when they bought their first car. It can be anything. These memories are associated with songs they heard at the time and it makes them feel good. The funny thing is, you can be very popular with an audience even if your versions of their favorite songs are nothing like the originals. This is due to the fact that audiences tend to hear what they WANT to hear, they seem almost to hear a mix of the original artist and your version at the same time in their heads. This is a different rave which I will cover in later articles.
When you perform you must remember that every song you sing can have this nostalgic effect on your audience. If you are singing covers then make sure you have the correct lyric and that you understand it. Nothing will come back to bite you in the ass faster than if you sing the wrong lyric to a famous song!
If you don’t know what the song lyric is really about how do expect to communicate that story to your audience? It can be very useful sometimes to discuss a lyric with other people to gain an insight into the writer’s intentions.
Here we come to Performing rule number 2.
Get rid of all lyric sheets onstage !
It’s your job as the singer to know your lyrics. Don’t think for one second that your audience doesn’t see those lyric books or sheets of paper on a music stand. This is one of the most common amateur mistakes and it has a subtle effect on your performance. It will become a crutch you can never throw away. Make a rule with yourself to always learn your lyrics properly and not to rely on pieces of paper onstage. This way you will understand what you are singing and be able to concentrate on telling the story with confidence.
There are many other things I will discuss in later articles on how you can dramatically improve your lead singer skills with your band. Your confidence onstage is everything. Each new technique you add will take some time to perfect and feel comfortable with so persevere. Your audience will love you for it.

While we may call it the ‘First Secret,’ it is not really a secret, just something that not too many people can pinpoint. The ‘First Secret’ to singing is the control of breath. When you have control of your breath that means you have control over the muscles of your diaphragm, larynx, and vocal chords. This; however, can take years to master. Even Madonna, who is now in her thirtieth-odd year of singing, knows the importance of breathing and muscle control. She undergoes intense vocal exercise, along with strenuous physical exercise on a daily basis. Not only does this keep her in great shape, but also it allows her to control her voice and her breath. Through exercise, she has found that her breathing and vocal range can be extended to last an entire concert or recording session. more
Now, you don’t need to go out and run ten miles a day (which is about the distance that Madonna covers!), but it is necessary for you to gain control over your breathing, and that requires control over your muscles. Through breathing exercises and practice, you will be able to hone your skills so that you will eventually be able to control and pinpoint all the muscles that you are using while you sing.
Breathing Exercise:
As yoga has become more popular across the world, the breathing techniques that go along with it have gained popularity as well. The breathing exercises found in yoga are very beneficial to the singer because yoga teaches breath through concentration and control. This is very such the same way you have to treat your breathing when you are learning how to sing.
Try the following: Take a deep breath and hold it for two seconds.
You probably noticed that your shoulders raised, your chest cavity expanded and you felt the air in the upper part of your stomach. If you didn’t, try it again.
With most people who are not trained in the art of breathing, this above scenario is the case. When you are learning how to sing, you are going to have to learn to both hold your breath and relax at the same time.
Now, try this: Breathe in slowly, but this time, as you inhale, expand not your chest, but your abdomen. Push your stomach out slowly. Feel how your shoulders and upper chest are relaxed. This is important. You now understand the first step of breathing – that it can be controlled and how you breathe is what is important when it comes to making all the parts of your voice work in harmony.
The important point here is that you now have noticed the two basic places where inhalation occurs and where breath is stored. In order to start singing properly, you are going to have to combine the two methods. This time, inhale about 70% and hold the air in your upper cavity, but this time, try to relax your shoulders and keep your diaphragm taught. This is the ’space’ where you air will be stored so that you will have control over the air that is emitted when you want to release your voice.
We will work on this further in the next lesson, entitled “The Art of Breathing, Expanded”. Try to go through the next couple of days and pay special attention to how you breathe. Practice relaxing your upper thorax while holding your breath for a few seconds. If you have trouble, ask a buddy or even a yoga instructor about how you can breathe, hold, and relax completely.
The Art of Breathing
If you haven’t done so, you should review the last lesson. We talked about control of breath and how one begins to inhale before you even begin to emit a sound. This is the very first step on the staircase of breathing and it is quite important to remember.
Also, we discussed how some singers are naturally gifted with an amazing singing voice even though they have never had singling lessons, or paid special attention to their own methodology. This course is for those who might have a good singing voice and want to expand their knowledge of exactly what it is they are doing well and what they might not be doing so well. For those of you interested in the art of singing and want to learn the basics to be able to practice on your own, follow these next few simple lessons designed for the layman.
Back to the art of breathing. Remember in the last lesson how we discussed knowing how to breathe in order to control your breathing? Well, it’s true. We saw that you can consciously choose where you want your breath to go, your lower abdomen or your upper chest cavity. We also discussed the importance of relaxing your upper body while still holding your breath. Here is where you will have the most control over your muscles, which in turn controls the release of your breath and your voice.
Breath Expanded:
Now that you know how to control where your breath is going, you will have to continue doing these exercises for a while until it becomes second nature. Remember to breathe in, hold for two seconds, and make sure your shoulders are relaxed and your diaphragm (lower abdomen) is relaxed, but taught. Fill your lungs with air and allow your ribs to expand. Do you feel the air press against them? Now push the air against your ribs, the same way you did in lesson one where your abdomen pushed outward. Don’t worry about pushing out with all the pressure that you can. That is not the point. The point is to control your breath where it is stored.
Practice this one or two times. You might even want to sit down; you may get light-headed if you are not used to controlling your breathing this much. If you do sit, be sure to keep a straight back and keep your abdomen as straight as possible. Do not slouch or bend over, and keep your legs comfortably below you with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent.
Next, you want to be sure not to allow any air to escape through your nose. We will talk about nasal breathing later on. There is a little trick to help you keep the air from escaping your nasal cavity. If you slightly raise your chin in the air and gently press your tongue against your palate, you’ll feel the pressure from your chest. Remember to keep your diaphragm taught, but not stiff. Practice this a few times until you are 100% sure that you have felt each area; the pressure and sensation that the breath you inhale can have.
Having control over your breath and your breathing is not just important, but crucial. It is the basis of singing and the primary step used by those with well-trained voices. Once you are able to feel where the air is going and how you can control it, only then will you be able to move successfully forward to the next step, which is that of breath division, larynx control, and vocal chord sensation.