Vocal Fry: Mixed Reviews & Exercise
Time for the big talk on Vocal Fry! You may have heard mixed reviews on this, so I'm here to give you a definition AND an opinion on it.
So...what is Vocal Fry? Well, when we speak or sing, our vocal folds naturally close and start vibrating, thus creating sound (phonation). When we breathe, our vocal folds separate (this is what's called the 'glottis'). Then when we speak/sing, those folds rub together and the vibration creates sound. Without enough breath, your vocal cords cannot come together cleanly/consistently and they create a distinctly 'croaky' or 'rattled' sound. According to Wikipedia, Vocal Fry "is produced through a loose glottal closure that permits air to bubble through slowly with a popping or rattling sound of a very low frequency."
Ultimately, you now have two schools of thought: those who use this sound purposely for stylistic choices in certain genres of singing like Pop/Rock/Heavy Metal, and those who avoid it due to bad vocal habits & health.
I tend to be in the latter school of thought, but hear me out.
From personal experience, and as someone who has been trained classically and for optimal vocal health, vocal frying is a big no-no because of its lack of consistent breath support (which is the foundation of good, healthy singing). That being said, over the years, I've come to the conclusion that if you aren't concerned with your voice's 'shelf-life' and you aren't pursuing classical/theatrical singing as a profession, there's no reason why you cannot choose vocal frying for stylistic purposes. My advice is to do it sparingly, however.
You will never see me produce a video on "How to Produce a Vocal Fry" or any kind of exercises promoting that, but in this attached video, you WILL learn how to identify the Vocal Fry/Glottal Attack, and be given an appropriate exercise for strengthening the voice and providing a clean, clear onset in phonation. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
