The Bel Canto Technique

 

The Bel Canto technique originates in the days of Italian opera where control and the tone quality of the voice were paramount.  Although translated, Bel Canto simply means “beautiful singing,” it is much more than a descriptor of any given singing style.  The practitioners of Bel Canto such as Lamperti used specific techniques in producing the voice that resulted in resonance and purity of tone, consistency of tone across the registers of the voice, a high degree of breath control, excellent projection, and longevity of the voice.  Unfortunately, over the years, the term “Bel Canto” has become watered-down and too broadly used such that it has lost a lot of the specifics of the original meaning it once had.

Bel Canto is about:

1. a style of singing that originated in Italian opera
2. a technique of producing the voice in such a way as to achieve the aesthetic of the above style of singing
3. a way of singing where your voice does not tire, but actually gets stronger over the course of a performance, tour, etc.
4. a natural way of singing that “makes sense” as it is rooted in simple physical and physiological principles
5. has four key components – the lift of the throat, the mask of the face, the inhalation of the voice, and the hold of the breath
6. should appear as effortless as speaking – it does not strain the voice in any way – getting nodes is impossible if you are using the technique.

Any technique that leaves out ANY of this (note the inhalation of the voice especially!) is a version of Bel Canto that has been manipulated for the sake of convenience or is lacking due to ignorance.  Many people who claim to use and teach Bel Canto genuinely believe they are doing so, but that is only because the teachers they studied with were victim to someone else’s sense of convenience or ignorance along the way.

Now that I have your attention with some of those potentially contentious points, please feel free to navigate through this site to find out more!

Raleigh Voice Lessons  is all about proper singing. Here at RVL we teach the proper way to warm-up your voice, how to increase your tonality and quality of your voice, how to sing with proper diction and how to increase your vocal range. Singing will become such a joy once you learn the secrets of proper singing. No more belting out notes or straining your voice. You will learn proper breathing techniques essential for proper singing. Your voice is an instrument that you must take care of in your singing career. Avoid smoking or coughing as much as possible.

Hello and Welcome to Raleigh Voice Lessons. My name is Lynn Hudson  and I am your instructor to who will help you achieve your very best when it comes to singing. I started my voice studio many years ago to help students achieve their full potential when it comes to singing.

My private voice lessons are conducted in a relaxed space where the student can feel comfortable singing without any distractions. I also conduct voice lessons at several high schools in the local area.

The technique I use to teach is called “Bel Canto” and is widely accepted worldwide in the classical music community and the Raleigh / Cary, NC  area.

Some of the training you will receive covers breathing properly, tone quality, diction, and resonance, even registration, singing with no break in breathing or singing.

We accept students from teens to adults. Lessons for beginning students run thirty minutes long to one hour. We do have recitals and prepare the students to sing in front of a group. All lessons are private except for groups that sing in a choir or choral groups.

Raleigh Voice Lessons website is designed to be informative as well as interactive. We are currently accepting new students for the summer semester and advanced registration for the summer.