11 Playing To Your Strengths

So often, we’re quick to point out our vocal weaknesses, but not our strengths. In this lesson, through vocal exercises and song application, we’ll explore what you do best, and how you can play to those strengths in order to overcome your vocal weaknesses. Learning to understand and value your natural, unique vocal qualities is an important part of vocal mastery! This lesson also marks the next “Master Your Voice” Checkpoint — learn more or submit Checkpoint #3 here.

See the lesson resources below to:

download the lesson notes (in Downloads tab)
download the vocal workout for offline use (in Downloads tab)

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Responses

sharminee September 6, 2022

I never realised it but I fall into the voice quality category of “Too tight”. As Charmaine mentions in this lesson, it means that my strength is in being able to sing with an edgy quality for dynamics but I can’t sing like that all the time. I’m looking forward to doing the exercises to balance the tightness with a smoother quality.

Charmaine Brown September 8, 2022

Yeah girl! You got this!

BethanyT May 18, 2022

One thing I like about my singing is that I have a good ear and can sing harmony really confidently. I am also growing in flexibility in my higher range and can get into my mix with more ease than I used to. I will say I definitely struggle with tightness in my singing but NEVER thought about there being a strength attached to that. Edginess is something I actually discovered during the last lesson that I wanted to grow in, so perhaps that’s something my voice will actually somewhat naturally fall into?

Charmaine Brown May 20, 2022

Awesome! Thanks for sharing these! For sure—edgy quality can be developed, and the struggle with tightness could lend itself toward that!

RHenken83 March 8, 2022

What do we do when our worship leader doesn’t value or acknowledge what our voice is strong at? Example, he prefers lower, smoky voices and I have a higher, more nasal voice.

Charmaine Brown March 12, 2022

I hear ya girl. That’s challenging for sure! Ultimately we just need to give it to the Lord and trust that God loves your voice and will use it in the ways He wants to! There’s nothing inherently BETTER or WORSE about a low/smoky voice vs a high/bright voice—so embrace your strengths! But that being said, we should also do our part to keep developing other tonal colours and qualities in our voice—not because we need to completely the change the way we sound naturally, but because it will help us to be more of a “chameleon” as we sing with a worship team. Especially on a contemporary worship team, it’s important to develop the richer, deeper chest voice qualities as much as we can so that we have the ability to use that in our lower/mid range.

iloveworship09 February 1, 2022

Hi Charmaine,
Thank you so much for these exercises. My voice is getting better. Before it was too light and tight.
I started to be a backup vocalist in the worship team. People gave me positive feedback. However, after we rehearsed for an hour an a half on Sunday morning, we have 20 minutes break and we started a service. My voice got tired during the service even felt so dry. I didn’t talk a lot during the break. What should I do in the break to keep my voice energized? If we didn’t have a break, my voice would have been good. Thank you 🙏🏻
-Maria

Charmaine Brown February 2, 2022

Hi Maria! I really do think the break is so important for your voice—it might seem like it would have been fine with no break, but you would have paid the price of fatigue later. I would say to try doing a few extra warmups (lip rolls, etc.) about 5 minutes before the end of the break, and really pay attention to your vocal technique in the rehearsal—making sure not to over-sing, push up chest voice, etc.

1. iloveworship09 February 3, 2022
  
  Yes, you’re right, Charmaine.
  It would be fine without break. I’ll do the warm up again in my car before the service begins and try not to over-sing. I’ll be on the schedule in 3 weeks and I’ll let you know. Thank you and God bless!
  
  1. Charmaine Brown February 5, 2022
    
    Awesome! Yes keep me updated!

VanessaS October 22, 2021

Thanks for this, and for the exercises! I am seeing progress in my voice, and it’s encouraging!
I have an interesting combination of strengths and issues because of my previous vocal habits. I used to sing in all head voice with an airy tone, then a few years ago I switched to chest voice on the low end and had the big flip in the mid range. Recently I’ve been able to get into a power mix sound that carries me until about an A, and edge and nasality have helped me get there. When I do the nasal and edge exercises, I can get to the second bridge easily, but not when I’m singing unless I do the pathway exercises right before.
I think I tend toward too tight and possibly too heavy.

Charmaine Brown October 26, 2021

So glad to hear that you’re seeing progress in your voice! YAY! Yes, from your description it sounds like too heavy/too tight. Keep working through the exercises and it will improve!

11 Playing To Your Strengths

Doxology by Thomas Ken

Nothing but the Blood by Robert Lowry

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