POPULAR SONG AND MUSIC THEATER

Robert Edwin, Associate Editor

The Multiplicity of Belting

Lisa Popeil

I
N ANY DISCUSSION AMONG SINGING TEACHERS concerning belting, it
quickly becomes apparent that there is little consensus on what belting
should sound like or even what belting is. Does this term describe a tech-
nique or a vocal style? Can an R&B singer be a belter? Can men belt?
Should belting be thought of only as loud, brassy, and nasal? This lack of con-
sensus is to be expected, and there always may be disagreement among voice
teachers about the definition and aesthetic of any vocal sound. Having said
that, I hasten to add that this is an exciting time for singers and teachers of
voice as we continue to discuss and codify a vocal technique and style that,
Lisa Popeil
traditionally, has been vilified or ignored by the classical voice community.
The root of the word belt probably does not originate from the Borscht
Belt, that concentration of hotels in the Catskill Mountains of New York State,
however charming that derivation would be. Rather, the term most likely
comes from the slang term for wallop, meaning delivering a hard blow,
as in boxing. In the early years of the twentieth century, without the avail-
ability of microphones, loud singing was not only an acoustic necessity, but
also turned out to be a big hit with audiences. Sophie Tucker and Al Jolson
were examples of such powerful singers. With the advent of electronic ampli-
fication, however, conversational singers called crooners became popular.
In this modern age, should the term belting continue to be defined solely
as loud, yell-like singing? Perhaps, but in my continuing quest for clarifi-
cation and ease of communication with my students, I define belting as
speech-like or yell-like in character and as the style used in much of todays
music theater. I explain that singing technique in Western music can be di-
vided into two basic categories: popular voice technique and classical voice
technique. The former uses predominantly a speech-like or yell-like sound
in both men and women, and the latter, in women, uses predominantly a head
voice dominant or nonspeech-like sound. More simply put, popular singing
sounds like someones speaking voice and classical doesnt.
Popular voice technique is used in the styles of pop, R&B, country, rock,
jazz, and music theater belting, although there may be occasional excur-
sions into head voice on higher notes for a lighter effect.
Classical voice technique is used in the styles of opera, operetta, choir,
Journal of Singing, September/October 2007 and legit music theater, although there are exceptions, such as some operatic
Volume 64, No. 1, pp. 7780
Copyright 2007
tenors creating a yell-like sound on high notes, or some female classical
National Association of Teachers of Singing singers using a chest voice sound which is more speech-like in character.

S E P T E M B E R /O C TOB E R 2007 77
Lisa Popeil

Any discussion of belting must include the topic of of music theater belting style since it is comfortable to pro-
voice registers. Since I have never had a clear under- duce and pleasant to the ear. Other strategies, such as
standing of the terms chest voice and head voice the addition of nasality, twanginess, or increased thy-
(and I know I am not alone in this), I long ago decided roarytenoid activity as in heavy belt can be added to
to sidestep these terms and focus instead on my ever taste. In music theater, style choices should be character-
increasing awareness of laryngeal sensations related to driven and not determined by the technical limitations
pitch change. By focusing my attention on different of the singer. The more versatile ones vocal technique,
sensations in vocal fold thickness, tension, and length, the more able the acting singer becomes in expressing
I came to a visceral and direct experience of voice reg- human emotion.
isters. I concluded that vibrations felt in the head and One of the biggest challenges for classical voice teach-
face are actually the secondary effects of laryngeal mus- ers new to the topic of belting is to be able to discern
cle activities, along with resonance coupling. Together, what makes a speech-like sound speech-like. Simply
these two sources could be manipulated to create the put, a speech-like sound is not head voice dominant; it
panoply of human vocal sound. Modern voice science does not sound heady. Speech-like production sounds
has confirmed visceral perception. like people talking or yelling. The sung sound may be
Although speech-like and yell-like sounds are not nasal, ringy, dull, loud, or soft, but vibrations are not
exclusive to music theater and are the basis of pop, felt in the head; rather, the sound feels as though it is
R&B, rock, jazz, and country styles, for the purposes shooting straight through the mouth. Mechanically,
of this article I limit the term belting to its music the- cricothyroid (CT) activity continues as the pitch rises
ater context. Within this style, one can hear a stun- while the thyroarytenoid (TA) remains active, although
ning diversity of voice timbresloud, soft, high lar- in decreasing percentages. A speech-like sound can be
ynx, anchored larynx, more nasal, less nasal, more or taken, by males and females, to the top of the range,
less ringy. These various belting styles can be called comfortably, safely, and often quite easily.
heavy belt, nasal belt, twangy belt, brassy belt, and Since over-pressing of the vocal folds can create hoarse-
speech-like belt. ness and possibly vocal fold lesions over time, Im always
This sonic diversity is a relatively new development on press patrol. Firm closure of the folds is accept-
in the music theater world and allows singers to suit able, but there is a fine line between closed and pressed
their vocal choices to the requirements of a characters folds, so for vocal longevitys sake, I caution against
emotions. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear a singer/ac- over-squeezing of the folds in any belting production.
tor move among these belt sounds, with a few notes in For teachers of classical singing who wish to become
classical production thrown in for good measure and better acquainted with belting for music theater, I offer
all within one song! the following listening examples. Though many of the
There is no one belt sound that effectively can express following singers are capable of singing any style (e.g., belt-
all human emotions. Each belt sound conveys particu- ing, pop, jazz, R&B, country, opera, and music theater le-
lar personality traits. Heavy belt can convey age, world- git), these recorded excerpts highlight the five main belt-
weariness, and anger. Nasal belt is often used for the ing types. These recordings can be heard easily and at
heightened projection it provides and can convey mat- no charge on www.itunes.com and www.amazon.com.
ter-of-factness and conviction. Twangy belt combines
strong ring and nasality and is the most penetrating of Heavy Belt
the belting types. It is superb for comedic, shrill, or dom- Lisa KirkBig Time, from Mack & Mabel
inating characters. Brassy belt is the original belting Elaine StritchLadies Who Lunch, from Company
sound, popularized by Ethel Mermanalso ringy and (Elaine Stritch at Liberty)
nasal but, unlike twangy belt, with the emphasis on nasal Liza MinelliSome People, from Gypsy (The Best
resonance. This style is perfect for confident, mature of Liza Minelli)
characters. Speech-like belt is natural, sincere, and pleas- Bernadette PetersWherever He Aint, from Mack
ant. I teach the speech-like sound as the basic modality & Mabel

78 J OU R NA L OF SINGING
 Popular Song and Music Theater

Twangy Belt sic theater singing, but rather emotional expressivity

Kristin ChenowethCalamari, from A New Brain and story telling. Thats not to say that belting must be
Debbie GravitteO Diogenes, from The Boys from ugly and loud by definition. It can be romantic, even
Syracuse (1997 Revival) refined, but never reticent.
Ann HaradaThe More You Ruv Someone, from Emotional magic is all well and good, but what does
Avenue Q science have to show us about the physiology of belt-
Jason OpsahlGreased Lightning, from Grease ing compared to classical voice production, considering
(1994 Revival) the different approaches and aesthetics involved? Based
on my research and that of belting research pioneers,
Nasal Belt
there is general agreement that belt production is char-
Jonathan HadaryHeartbreak Hotel, from All
acterized by:
Shook Up
1) thicker edge of vocal fold;
Patti Lu PoneYoure the Top, from Anything Goes
2) tenser TA (vocalis) muscle;
(1987 Revival)
3) lack of zippering action in vocal opening/closing
John TartagliaPurpose, from Avenue Q
more of a clapping action;
Hugh JackmanIf You Were Wondering, from
4) high speed quotientfolds snap shut quickly;
Boy from Oz
5) high closed quotientlonger closed phase (over
Brassy Belt 50%);
Ethel MermanEverythings Coming Up Roses, 6) increased sensation of breath-holding;
from Gypsy 7) heightened activity of jaw and extrinsic laryngeal
Robert LambertAll I Need Is The Girl, from muscles;
Gypsy (1989 revival) 8) possible pulling forward of hyoid bone;
Toni ColletteWelcome of My Party, from The 9) higher larynx position, but singer has some lift-
Wild Party ing and lowering ability;
Joel GreyWillkommen, from Cabaret 10) epiglottis more horizontal, lessening space in val-
lecula;
Speech-Like Belt
11) increased support/subglottal pressure;
Lisa HowardMy Friend, the Dictionary, from
12) even distribution of amplified harmonics up to
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
4 kHz and spectral energy above 15 kHz.
Debbie GravitteHe and She, from The Boys from
Obviously we are still in the infancy of belting re-
Syracuse (1997 Revival)
search. Methodologies such as CT scans, videofluo-
Marissa Jaret WinokurI Can Hear the Bells, from
roscopy, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), direct
Hairspray
EMG (electromyography), EGG (electroglottography),
Idina MenzelNo Good Deed, from Wicked
OCT (optical coherence tomography), videolaryn-
Austin PendletonMiracle of Miracles, from
gostrobscopy, ultrasound, high speed photography, and
Fiddler on the Roof (1962)
kymography will help unravel the still remaining mys-
Adam PascalOne Song Glory, from Rent
teries of the belt voice.
Michael CerverisIm Free, from Tommy (1992)
In the meantime, voice pedagogues should examine
Sam HarrisThose Magic Changes, from Grease
preconceived notions regarding vocal beauty and accept
(1994 revival)
the challenge to become more aware of contemporary
Eden EspinosaOnce Upon a Time, from Brooklyn
commercial singing styles in general. In summary, there
(2004)
is more than one aesthetic in the grand scheme of belt-
Listening carefully to elite music theater singers is ing for music theater. Only by listening and learning
required in order to tune our ears to sounds that are how to make and teach these sounds can we truly ap-
often radically different than classical. We must keep in preciate the multiplicity of belting in the modern world
mind that vocal beauty is not the primary goal of mu- of singing.

S E P T E M B E R /O C TOB E R 2007 79
Lisa Popeil

Lisa Popeil has studied the singing voice for over forty years and has Lisas three-day Total Singer Workshop outlines the Voiceworks Method
taught professionally for over thirty years. She received her MFA in and Pedagogy of Styles for teachers, advanced singers, choral conduc-
Voice from the California Institute of the Arts and is the creator of the tors, and speech pathologists.
Voiceworks Method and the Total Singer instructional DVD. A private Her international voice research concerns primarily the physiology and
teacher, voice researcher, and international lecturer, Lisa is based in acoustics of belting vs. classical voice technique and of American vocal
Los Angeles. styles. Projects have used MRI, CT scans, high speed photography,
Beginning at age four with piano lessons and classical voice training at videofluoroscopy, and endoscopy at labs in the US, Japan, Sweden,
six, Lisa has sung in many styles, including opera, music theater legit Canada, and Norway. Upcoming projects will use EMG and videokymog-
and belting, jazz, pop, rock, R&B, country, and Bulgarian. Her voice, both raphy. Lisa has written for Journal of Singing, is a regular contributor to
singing and voice-overs, has been featured on commercials, television, Singer & Musician magazine, and presents workshops and scientific
and film. She has recorded and performed with Frank Zappa and Weird papers at international voice conferences.
Al Yankovic, and has performed with the Pasadena Symphony. In the Lisa has been a frequent radio talk show guest and has been featured in
1980s, her self-titled album Lisa Popeil was a Billboard Top Album Pick. magazines such as Music Connection, Classical Singer, Los Angeles,
In addition, Lisa is a songwriter, composer, piano accompanist, and record- Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. She has appeared on NBCs Start-
ing engineer. She is a member of NATS, The Voice Foundation, VASTA, ing Over reality show and recently on TV Guide Channels Idol Tonight.
AFTRA, and is a writer-publisher member of ASCAP (American Society She is the recipient of a 2006 LA Music Awards Career Achievement in
of Composers & Publishers). Vocal Instruction. [email protected] www.popeil.com

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