finding the sweet spot

The Lord has created me with a built-in musical instrument.

Really stop for a minute and think about that.

It brings a new meaning, and reality, to the idea that humans were created for worship.

What I'm describing is more than a simple, subjective notion of the "voice." This is too vague.

The instrument I'm talking about, the larynx, has an objective shape, structure, and physiology.

Enclosed within an external skeleton of cartilage plates, lie delicate, undulating vocal folds- literally, about the size of the tip of my thumb.

Though small, these musical strings have the potential to sound very powerfully, allowing seasoned opera singers to be heard over a full orchestra without a microphone.

When we vocalize, our instrument allows for changes in pitch when the thyroid cartilage tilts forward atop the cricoid cartilage, pulling the vocal folds along with it. This action elongates them, pulls them taut, and thus, increases the rate of vocal fold closure and the resulting frequency of sound.

This movement is minute, but momentous.

Too often, singers want to take control of their sound and force their instrument to perform grand movements that, ultimately, do not serve them in their craft. It's counterintuitive. This misunderstanding of how the voice should work is especially common when we want to sing notes that feel too far out of our reach :(

In reality, the action taken on the part of a singer should be minimal. The relationship between a singer and the instrument should be one built on trust. Singing is more than forcing our voices to "be musical" by putting the larynx into compromising positions. Like with any musical instrument, we can learn to find the precise movements that will allow for comfort, quality of sound, and overall vocal freedom.

We must be attentive and self-reflective, feeling for larynx tilt and sustained movement of air.

We must be honest with ourselves and willing to sacrifice what we think we know.

We must build muscle memory.

Correct singing can become second-nature. We must find the sweet spot.

Once you do, there's nothing like it.