I just can't get it !

iLoveRock

Hello everyone !

No matter what I do I can't keep my larynx from rising, it happens whenever I go into head voice. I tried to pull it down with the muscles but it makes my sound dopey and sometimes even changes the pitch.
I noticed in only happens in head voice, in chest, falsetto, or mid voice it never happens (it sometimes raises just a bit but nothing to be worried about I think).

Any help would be very appreciated !

Thanks !

highmtn

You have to learn what it feels like to move the larynx up and down in order to try to center it.  If it's too high, you lower it.  If it's too low, you raise it, in order to keep it centered.

When you yawn, your larynx goes down.

The "dopey" sound is the sound of a lowered larynx.

To feel and hear a lowered larynx, imitate the sound of Yogi Bear's voice (Cartoon Character).

To feel and hear a raised larynx, imitate the sound of Dudley Doright's voice (Cartoon Character).

You can do a search on these in YouTube and listen to the sounds.

When you learn the sound and learn the feelings in the muscles, you can begin to learn to control and make corrections in the positioning of the larynx.

Bob

iLoveRock

I know but it doesnt sound natural when I lower it to become centered, it still sounds dopey (not that much, but it's still noticable).

highmtn

If it sounds "dopey" you have lowered it too much.  A centered larynx will not sound "dopey".  There is more to good vocal production than just laryngeal position.

Bob 

iLoveRock

Do you think I have this larynx issue because of vowel modifications ? Maybe I am not doing them correctly ?
Should it feel like i'm kind of yawning when I do them?

highmtn

Yes, it can feel a little like yawning, and you should be maintaining the open throat all of the time anyway. 

It does feel like you are re-shaping the vocal tract, ever-so-slightly, and in the same area where you feel a yawn. 

You will often hear Ken say to "re-yawn" into a note when you are going higher, so I think you are close to an understanding of the mods.

I'm not so sure that a larynx issue would be caused by vowel mods, but by NOT doing them, yes, your larynx will tend to rise, because you are trying to cope with tension as your voice tries to go higher, but cannot.  The mods make the higher notes easier.  Your larynx wants to go up and down like an elevator to "help" you sing the notes, but that's the kind of "help" you don't want.

The PRO forums section has some videos that I find are very helpful to hear other students making the mods as they go higher.  We hear Ken do them often, but when we hear a student being coached by Ken, and hear what they do with their voice as ha coaches them, it can help to turn on that light bulb of "OH, THAT's what it sounds like!"

Bob