Vowel modification - you've probably seen four hundred voice coaching videos on YouTube that casually throw the term "vowel modification" into the mix, with only a fleeting instruction on HOW to actually modify your vowel.

After all, you don't want to sing your words in a "funny" way, right? All your favourite singers pronounce their words just fine - so why are all these voice coach types telling you that you CAN'T sing your words like you speak them. I'm pretty sure Chris Cornell sings high "EE" sounds in full voice and doesn't turn them into "EH" like "land of the fr-EH", right?

And that's because vowel modification is more about frequencies than it is about pronunciation.

When we say "vowel" in singing, we're really talking about two frequencies that join together to create the character of the word/vowel that you want to sing.

"Structure" is the space behind your tongue and into the pharynx - basically, this is the "foundation" of your vowel.

"Clarity" is the space in FRONT of your tongue - basically, your "pronunciation".

So, when some muppet on YouTube tells you to "sing EH instead of EE" - they're obviously not worth their weight in vocal training, because they have little understanding about how the vowel really works.

When we talk modification of the vowel, we're mainly talking about altering the size/space of the first formant, the "structure" of your vowel - meaning, you really modify your vowel in the back rather than changing the pronunciation at the front.

Here, it's easier to explain in this video that I've put together for you:

So, if you've been trying to 'pronounce' your words differently every time some boffin tells you to modify your vowel - you actually haven't been modifying your vowel at all, you've just been singing a different word altogether.

Want my free Vocal Blueprint that will teach you all about the right way to modify your vowels? You can sign up for free here: Free Vocal Blueprint