Mix Singing vs. Belting Singers often ask what the difference between Mix singing and Belting is. Understandably, the two terms can easily confuse or mislead any singer who is trying to attain a powerful sound. And while both may achieve a “big sound,” I hope to uncover that mixing and belting are two very different approaches to singing with power. In order to adequately answer this question let’s look at acoustic, physiological and perceptual aspects to distinguish both. 1. Introduction - Belting: Let’s begin with belting. Most singers at some point have heard the term “belting,” and it brings to mind several adjectives: loud, big, powerful, etc... That may be true, however the question is HOW that big sound is being produced? Taking the chest voice up into the head voice range, is how belting is often described, it doesn't mean singing loud in the head voice. So the singer brings his chest register above its natural passaggio (bridge, break), often resulting in a loud volume. Sadly, a lot of singers naturally default to this approach when attempting to sing high notes loudly, leaving them unsuccessful, frustrated, and sometimes even causing damage to their voice. - MIX Singing: A very different, perhaps more unfamiliar approach to singing with power is by means of mixing - sometimes referred to as the middle voice or the mix. Mixing is the systematic approach by which the singer blends their chest and head voice. Thus, instead of “pulling up” the weight of the chest voice into a higher register, mixing aims to thin out the coordination of vocal cords while maintaining a regular airflow. 2. Perceptual Aspects of Mix vs. Belting- Belting: The sound is perceived as 'full, powerful and ringing', but it is also described and felt as sustained yelling. - MIX Singing: In Mix singing the sound can be perceived as ‚brilliant and ringing’, depending on the amount of vocal fold vibration (how much mass of the vocal folds is vibrating and influencing the closed quotient), the sound has a perceptual range from ‚soft to powerful’. 3. Physiological Aspects- Belting: Often Belting is describes as ‚pulled chest voice’. In the last blog we talked about the two main muscles involved in singing, namely the Thyroarytenoid muscle (dominant in the lower range) and the Cricothyroid muscle (dominant in the upper range and increasing pitch by tensing the vocal folds). In Belt the TA muscle activity is higher than the CT activity, the larynx is in a higher position and more mass of the vocal folds is vibrating. In Chest and Belting Registers the adduction (vocal folds closure) happens from the bottom of the vocal folds. TA muscle contraction (see ‚high notes’) pushes the bottom of the vocal folds medially so that more mass of the vocal folds is vibrating. - MIX Singing: There is a balance between TA and CT activity, the larynx position is balanced (not raised or lowered), depending on the style of music more or less mass of the vocal folds is vibrating (moderate adduction at the bottom of the vocal folds). This is achieved by not singing louder as we sing higher! 4. Acoustic Aspects Acoustically the voice resonates in different spaces in the vocal tract, the larynx, pharynx, oral cavity and nasal cavity. In the ideal case the resonant frequencies which are created on the vocal fold level and resonate in the vocal tract, match the resonant frequencies of the pitch we are producing. For speaking and singing we often talk about Formants and Harmonics, when it comes to acoustics. This is a very simplified explanation but in a nutshell the first formant is created at the larynx and controls the lower notes, the second formant is created at the mouth, lips and tongue and controls the higher notes (and middle range). - Belting: When we speak of acoustic resonators the first formant (created at the larynx) is the main formant for belting. The acoustic energy resonates more in the larynx. - MIX Singing: During Mix singing the second formant is dominant (created at the mouth) which creates more brightness in the sound. 5. Conclusion What does all of that mean? In simple terms it means that belting brings undue vocal fold strain and musculature weight into resonating spaces where it can not fully have release and freedom. On the contrary, mixing aims to evenly distribute the sound, which ultimately leads to a well-balanced production of the voice. It doesn't mean that you should avoid belting at any cost, but being aware of an alternative sound production (namely Mix) is beneficial. It gives you the freedom two switch between both when it is stylistically required. However I would rather go for Mix singing as the default technique and see Belting as an additional tool, than reversely. Do you have any questions in regards to singing? Is there’s something you always wanted to know? Just ask us: contact@vocals-on-stage.com Like us on Facebook