Belting is Easy
Here's something that might surprise you: belting, at its core, is one of the easiest things your voice can do. The problem is that most people overcomplicate it.
In this lesson, you're going to do an easy belt for the first time. And you're going to discover just how natural and sustainable it can feel.
The Setup
We're going to use a simple trick that bypasses all the tension and overthinking that usually gets in the way of belting.
Here's what you're going to do:
- Breathe in normally
- Exhale normally – just a relaxed breath out, like you would at the end of any breath cycle. Don't force it or squeeze it out.
- Right at the end of that exhale, call out "‘ey!" – like you're trying to get someone's attention across a parking lot
That's "hey" without the "h" – we want a glottal onset, not an aspirate onset. Starting with "h" lets air escape before the sound, which is exactly what we're trying to avoid.
That's it. "‘Ey! You!"
Don't think about it. Don't prepare. Just let the air out, and then call.
Why This Works
When you exhale first, you eliminate the excess air pressure that makes people push and strain when they try to belt. You can't oversing when you've got nothing left to oversing with.
What you're left with is the efficient, coordinated engagement that makes belt work:
- Your body naturally engages to support the sound (that's support)
- Your voice finds its bright, brassy resonance (that's Twang)
- Your vocal folds come together firmly but without excess force
This is what Jo Estill discovered in her research: healthy belting involves maximum engagement from your body with minimum effort at your vocal folds. The power comes from your body, not from slamming your cords together.
Exercise 1: The Parking Lot Call
Try it now:
- Breathe in
- Breathe out
- At the end, call "‘Ey!" on a medium-high pitch (probably higher than you normally speak)
Do this 5-10 times. Each time, notice:
- How easy does it feel?
- Where do you feel engagement in your body?
- Is there any strain in your throat?
If there's throat strain, you're probably not exhaling enough first. Really let the air go before you call.
Exercise 2: Sustaining the Belt
Once the "‘Ey!" feels easy, try sustaining it:
- Breathe in
- Breathe out
- Call "‘Eyyy…" and hold it for 2-3 seconds
Notice how long you can sustain a clear, ringing belt tone even though you exhaled first. This is efficient belt production – you don't need huge amounts of air to belt. You need coordination.
Exercise 3: The Freddie Mercury
You know that thing Freddie Mercury does with the crowd? The "ay-oh" call and response? That's exactly what we're doing here.
Watch how effortless it looks. He's not straining, he's not pushing – he's just calling out. That's belt. Try it along with him – exhale first, then match his "ay-oh" calls.
This is what belt feels like when it's working: easy, projected, sustainable. If Freddie can do it for 70,000 people, you can do it in your practice room.
What You Should Feel
Good signs:
- The sound feels easy and sustainable
- You feel engagement in your torso (abs, back, even legs)
- The tone is bright and ringing
- You could do this all day without getting tired
Warning signs:
- Throat tension or squeezing
- The sound feels pushed or forced
- You run out of air immediately
- Your voice feels tired after a few tries
If you're getting warning signs, go back to the exhale. Make sure you're really letting the air go before you call.
Troubleshooting
"I can't get a bright sound" Try adding more of a bright, bratty quality to your "‘Ey!" Think cartoon witch or complaining teenager. That's Twang, and it's what gives belt its ring.
"It feels like I'm yelling" Good! At first, belt should feel like a controlled yell. The difference between yelling and belting is air pressure, not volume. If it feels easy and your throat doesn't hurt, you're doing it right.
"I can only do it on one pitch" That's fine for now. We're not worried about range yet – just finding the coordination. Once you've got it on one pitch, we'll expand from there.
"I exhale and then nothing comes out" You're probably exhaling too forcefully. A normal exhale only uses your Tidal Volume – there's still plenty of air left in your lungs after a relaxed breath out. Just exhale like normal, don't push or squeeze. You'll have enough air.
When to Move On
You're ready for the next lesson when:
- You can produce a clear, ringing "‘Ey!" 8 out of 10 times
- The sound feels easy, not strained
- You feel body engagement without throat tension
This might take one session or several weeks of practice. There's no rush. The goal is reliable, healthy production.
Related Concepts
Stuck?
If you're having trouble finding the coordination after a few practice sessions, bring a recording to the Academy Q&As. Sometimes a small adjustment makes all the difference.