What kind of voice tendency type are you?

As a voice teacher, my first job when assessing a voice is to figure out what the student's vocal tendency is.  Once I have established whether they are a chest puller, a flipper, a mixer, or lacking chord closure, then I can create vocal exercises to address each issue.  You are probably sitting there thinking, "What the heck is a flipper? What does my chest have to do with my voice?"  Well, folks, hold on to yer hats because you are about to find out.  And once you know what voice tendency type YOU are, it will give you the knowledge and power to address your vocal issues and get the voice you want.

 The first type, and most common type coming into my studio, is the Chest Puller.   A Chest Puller is someone who refuses to allow resonance shift into the head voice, and instead "pulls" chest voice as high as it can go.  This will cause a big disconnection at the end of the first bridge- you may know this as your "break."

Here is an example of a someone (yours truly) "Pulling Chest."


    
The next type is the flipper.  Flippers flip from one voice to the next, not necessarily due to strain caused by a high larynx.  Are you a flipper? Here I am purposefully "flipping."

If your voice sounds airy in your lower range, or perhaps even your whole range, you may be what we call, "No Chest."  Many opera singers have been taught not to use chest voice, and this can cause problems when they attempt to sing pop.   "No Chest" is caused by not enough chord adduction, or chord closure.  The following video demonstrates a "No Chest" tendency.

                           
The last vocal tendency is called "mixing."  It is what we all strive for!  If you are lucky enough to be a natural mixer then you will notice a smooth transition through vocal registers.  Here is what mix voice sounds like.

                     Don't worry if you think you might fit in more than one category!  Most people have one prominent tendency, but some people may be a little bit of a moving target.  Try to find the one that seems like the best fit to you, and try the exercises I will be posting for that voice type.  If you are still having a hard time, you can leave a comment or video and I'll try to diagnose you the best I can.  Of course, the best way to find out your vocal tendency is to work with and educated instructor.  If you are in San Diego, you can visit my website to register for lessons at www.sandiegovocalstudios.musicteachershelper.com.  You can also visit www.speechlevelsinging.com for a complete list of SLS teachers across the world.
   Good luck and don't be shy!!  Comments and questions are encouraged!