Voice Change

Serval87 · 05-22-2010, 01:41 PM

This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but I've been wondering if my voice will change to a more "lighter" sound once I've lost my weight (100 +).

See, I'm around 4'9 or 4'10. I've always been big, and I sing (not professionally). Though I'm a first soprano, my voice has a heaviness to it. Those familiar with Broadway and Wicked will know that Kristen Chenoweth is around my height and has this adorable, light voice.

If interested, you can find my youtube songs. My sn is GhostofaSiren.

mandalinn82 · 05-22-2010, 02:19 PM

Hmm. I didn't notice any change in the range or tone of my voice with with loss, except I had a little more range in my dynamics and volume, because I had better control of my air and lung power after getting aerobically fit.

Expanding on that, though, one of the things I used to do was "force phrases" when I really didn't have enough lung capacity to get them out. I was using the last of my breath in the middle of the phrase, and would either have to take a breath and break the phrase or sort of force my way through it, which made it sound heavier. So its possible that as you have better breath/air control by improving lung capacity and aerobic fitness, you might be able to sing with a lighter tone.

OK, sorry, you got me started on Broadway talk and now I can't stop.

I wouldn't say that Kristen Chenoweth has a universally light tone. She has a lot of control over her tone, so she definitely can play it light/girly (Popular in Wicked is a good example of that tone...and the beginning of "For Good"), but she goes heavier when necessary for the part (the end/duet portions of "For Good", the line "There are bridges you cross you didn't know you crossed until you crossed" from "Thank Goodness", several of the pieces she's done on Glee including "Maybe This Time"). So its more a breath/tone control issue than it being just a property of her voice, and it's likely something you could train in if you had the aerobic capacity to control your breath that well.

Serval87 · 05-23-2010, 09:27 AM

Wow, thanks. That's good to hear. But I was also wondering about my "talking" voice as well. I've noticed that a lot of shorter people have lighter voices, but I've never had that type of voice. But, then again, I've always been heavy.

ParadiseFalls · 05-23-2010, 05:56 PM

While I don't notice any change in my own voice now from when I was thin, it does seem like larger women have, well, larger voices, and usually a bit deeper. That could totally be my imagination, though.

Seraph · 05-24-2010, 06:03 PM

My voice teacher has warned me about thinking that heavy person = heavy voice. I was *really* surprised when she told me that she was absolutely convinced that I am a soprano--not even a mezzo, but a true soprano--because my vocal weight is light and my tessitura is high. But the longer that I work with her, the more I see that she is right.

I think that training and practice will affect your singing more than weight loss will, although I am sure that losing weight can improve your breath control, as mandalinn has said--although I have to say that the stories about Maria Callas's weight loss (and how it might have ruined her voice) are pretty scary.