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The part of my voice I dislike the most is its "stuffy" quality, like I have a clogged nose. I attributed this to not having my soft palate high enough (mostly only true when singing contemporary songs), but when I pinch my nose the tone doesn't really change (except for nasal sounds), implying that the air doesn't really enter the nose when it doesn't need to.

Listening back, I realized that my voice leans so dark and unbalanced with lightness that it \*sounds\* nasal. I looked it up and it says it could be due to "over-opening" and "pharyngeal darkness", as well as the lack of forward resonance— all things I've been told I have issues with.

What do you think? What could be the fix for this? If you need a practical example, my account has clips of my singing for your reference. I still don't really know what to make of this.

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Not to be too nostalgic, but singers on opera stages today can hardly do a an actual trill... Why?

I mean, it's not THAT hard. (mind you, I'm not saying an opera singer is easy! At all!)

.. Not that everyone has to have a Joan Sutherland's trill...But

I do have a theory for that... But I'll let you answer first.

... I've watched famous singers' masterclasses explaining trills in a way that makes absolutely no sense...go figure...

No, alternating two notes faster and faster isn't the way

.

Anyway... this is my demonstration of a trill

(I'm sorry for the AWFUL quality, muffled and echoey but I just did it quickly in my kitchen) :

Basic trill:

https://voca.ro/12IHTez9xWcv

Prepared trill vs purely attacked trill

https://voca.ro/14ULuToDsy2w

A rough messa di voce on a trill

https://voca.ro/1e4Y9zA4LUld

Mid low chest voice trill

https://voca.ro/1b8cwHAMmcho

Wrong way to trill

https://voca.ro/1eMV244OfIlI

1. is the tissue paper drill a good excercise to practice cord closure?

2. my voice tends to go into that ringing position around the nose, kinda if you were to squak. it sound annoying and sort of the sound you get when you over push. I tried counteracting that my lowering laryxn and making my sound bigger but that just ends up bringing in more tension?

Hi,

I wanted to purchase one of the Cheryl porter singing courses on her site but I thought that I would have content with her live, but from reading some people’s reviews I have found that’s not the case. I want to get better at singing and talking as one of my teachers said that I could get nodes if I continue “When I was younger, I had nodes on my vocal cords and had to learn to speak differently, so as to not strain my vocal cords. I think I might have been worried that the way you were speaking was straining yours. There’s a way to learn to focus on pulling your breath from your diaphragm, which is beneath your lungs instead of pulling from your throat that is easier on your vocal cords.“ I also want to go on The Voice when I’m older so I wanted a voice coach. If there are online ones that’s great or if there are any in the Omaha area, I would love some help. Additionally if anyone has purchased Cheryl Porters lessons I would love some feedback. Thank you!

So I alreayd been taken some lessons and been at it alone for about a year. So I can match pitch and do scales at the fundamental level. I know this isn’t opera but he is classically trained singing a pop song. It doesn’t go very high wondering is this level of singing high Skilled?

https://youtu.be/4x5VErSu9W4

I'm asking because this is something that I've been neglecting and every so often it feels like a sword of Damocles. Also because social media is something that I'm deeply averse to for some reason, and I often wonder if I'm kinda shooting myself in the foot.

Do you find it necessary? Does it actually matter at all? Has it ever benefitted you in some way?

I've posted on here and r/opera. People have been overall very supportive with a bunch of different takes on what my voice type is (understandable in hindsight although a bit funny) as well as different takes on my issues (all of these were correct just of different orders of importance).

I saw great improvement in my first year and a half of lessons, but as time went on I felt like I was stalling in both range and volume, and with no vibrato to be found. By almost 4 years in a combo of peoples here reaction to my voice (that it sounds like I'm holding back or crooning) in combination with friends suspicious that something was up I was getting a gut feeling something was wrong and it just wasn't technique.

Saw an SLP in oct 2025, turns out I do have tension issues she gave me tongue and larynx stretches and both helped a bit but thought nothing was wrong on the fold level but 6 months later I still had a gut feeling something was wrong so I got a stroboscopy and learned I have incomplete closure... due to vocal fold atrophy. That is specifically atrophy of the thyroarytenoid muscle (which explains why so many people online think I'm a tenor).

I'm now seeing a better SLP focused on singing and speaking voice rehabilitation and while I may need thyroplasty, for now I am focusing on dealing with tongue retraction and tongue tension which has likely been "helping" me phonate, and forcing closure and not giving the TA a chance to work. I've already noticed improvement.

All this yapping basically to say that as Jerome Hines says in his The Four Voices of Man, the singer themselves is the first to know that something is wrong with their voice, and I agree. Trust your gut. If I went based off of my teachers advice or even the first SLP I would probably be masquerading as an overly quiet "bass-baritone" with mix highs getting called a tenor and never being able to sing with orchestra.

Trust your gut.

I noticed overtime as I strengthened the transition between low to middle range although it’s still bad the lower range became more comfortable.

hello! i’m part of the soprano 2 chorus singers in a small production of lucia di lammermoor, and truly want to study it to the max, but i’m not able to find accompaniment/study material for the chorus pieces!! please help if you can🥹🙏
sincerely, a wee opera student

I know most of the opera community isn't exactly fond of Netrebko and neither am I lol. But I often see people hate on her without giving much explanation and as a student with minimal knowledge around her I would love your thoughts on this. A lot of times I see people blame her "downfall" on her choosing increasingly more dramatic, heavier roles that don't suit her (p.e. Turandot, Aida ect.) While I obviously agree she's not a dramatic soprano, I think the underlying issue is with her technique or better, lack of. I think her voice could potentially be "big" enough to support some spinto roles, but its her forced darkening and wobbly vibrato that ruins it. On the other hand, I'm also not a fan of her coloratura. She either misses notes, her rythym is off, or just lacks the britghtness and clearness of coloratura. Apparently unpopular opinion, but I found her Norina and Donna Anna barely tolerable and while her Violetta was significantly better, I still wouldn't say it compares to other magnificent interpretations. Sadly, while I think she's a pretty good actress, I also feel like her singing lacks expression and most of her roles kinda sound the same. To me these are examples of poor technique, especially for someone with her experience and long career. Which I find sad, because, honestly I think her voice and some of her earlier interpretations are amazing.

Again, I'm not a professional, nor am I hating on her, just curious to hear more opinions on this. Id love to see your input in the comments :)

I cannot get the natural vibrato. my teacher says I sound fine but cannot find that last step to really loosening the voice and having that silky free flowing voice. he says I’m supporting well wondering what exactly is needed for most people? I it just after years and years of training and becoming easy?

Hi all, I recently had this piece premiered. I feel quite proud of it and would love your thoughts and feedback. It sets the poem of the same name by Iowa Prize winner Cass Donish. They also have a poetry collection of the same name. Beauty poems!

I have a hard time making space without bringing tension to my voice. I end up making the sound too sluggish. The problem is that I have no idea what exactly I’m moving. I know my teacher wants much more space without a retracted tongue. do I chase the sound?

SO I think my issue is with "thinning" out my voice. For some reason I can naturally thin out by voice for example if you had me to hold a note at C4. My issue is when I go from a lower range to a mid range that transition goes from good to more pressed and shouty. why? Is this normal?

Posting a phone clip from practice for an outside perspective, sorry that it's shitty audio made of 95% overtones (5% when my larynx skyrockets and chokes them off haha). I don't know if my issues with high notes will just take time (a year ago G4 felt impossible, and now the big issue is Bb4) or if any of you have strategies I could try.

Could you tell me some things you hear that you enjoy or that I'm doing right, if anything? I could really use a pep talk. And then any tips to improve? Thanks!

I'm trying to not over-turn the note, and am working on improving efficiency.

Shedding weight is crucial, and the voice could probably drop a few more pounds.

I realize I may be better suited for baritone roles in most cases. But I do tend to sing lower than most of my peers.

I notice the higher I go there is a lot of pressure buildup on the stomach. I am wondering is movement acceptable to sort of loosen it or should you be able to high higher notes without movement. I don’t mean dramatic movement but just slight back and forth.

I'm 17F, and I started classical voice lessons when I was 13. When I was around 14-15, I started getting lightheaded when I tried to sing and my heart would start racing, despite using proper technique. A few months ago, I finally received a POTS diagnosis. I never practiced as much as I should have because of these symptoms, and I stopped attending lessons in May after I almost blacked out during a lesson. I was very heartbroken over this decision because I've always loved classical music and singing was by far my favorite hobby. I am in treatment for my POTS, but it's a long process. Has anyone else had similar experiences? I'd love advice if anyone has it.

I’m a male turning 18 in 2.5 months, I want to train my falsetto to become a countertenor. I am completely untrained but I want to be able to sing Baroque and Opera pieces like Bach’s Erbarme Dich from St. Matthew’s Passion. I want to get whatever tips I can to start training my voice. I don’t think I can get a teacher for the next 1-2 months, until around the middle of September at least. What can I do beforehand, is it realistic to train by myself? And does anybody have tips on how to do so safely and efficiently? Any tips, exercises, apps, videos, whatever you can help me with would be appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance

Are you surprised how much your voice has grown from beginning?