Simple Patterns (True Belt)

Now that you've found the belt coordination with "‘Ey!", it's time to put it to work on actual melodic patterns. This is where you build consistency and start expanding your usable range.

The patterns themselves aren't complicated – that's intentional. Right now, we're not training musicianship. We're training a coordination. Simple patterns let you focus entirely on maintaining that easy, supported belt production you found in the last lesson.

The Progression

We're going to work through these pattern types in order:

1. 3-note descending (3-2-1)
2. 3-note ascending (1-2-3)
3. 5-tone ascending (1-2-3-4-5)
4. 5-tone descending (5-4-3-2-1)
5. 5-tone up and down (1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1)
6. Arpeggio descending (5-3-1)
7. Arpeggio ascending (1-3-5)
8. Arpeggio up and down (1-3-5-3-1)

Start with the first pattern. Once it feels reliable, add the next. There's no rush to get through all of them in one session – or even one week.

Range Guidelines

Stay in your True Belt range. This is crucial. Going too high defeats the purpose of this lesson and builds bad habits.

Female voices:

• Start around F#4 or G4
• Don't go above C5 (and honestly, B4 is a safer ceiling while you're learning)

Male voices:

• Start around C4 or D4
• Don't go above G4 or A4

If you're not sure where to start, find a pitch where the "‘Ey!" from the previous lesson feels completely effortless. That's your starting point. Move up by half steps until it starts feeling like work – then back off. That's your ceiling for now.

Vowel Selection

For these exercises, stick with bright, belt-friendly vowels:

• "Ey" (as in "hey") – you already know this one works
• "Ah" (as in "cat," not "father") – bright, forward
• "Eh" (as in "bed")

Avoid dark or back vowels like "oh" or "oo" for now. They make it harder to maintain the bright, twangy quality that keeps belt efficient.

Exercise 1: 3-Note Descending (3-2-1)

This is the easiest place to start because descending into your range is more natural than climbing out of it.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey" on 3-2-1

Start on a comfortable pitch in the middle of your True Belt range. Repeat the pattern, moving up by half steps until you approach your ceiling. Then come back down.

What to notice:

• Does the belt quality stay consistent across all three notes?
• Are you maintaining body engagement throughout?
• Does it still feel easy?

Exercise 2: 3-Note Ascending (1-2-3)

Same concept, but now you're climbing. This is slightly harder because you're moving toward more challenging territory.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey" on 1-2-3

Start low in your True Belt range so you have room to climb. As you move the pattern up by half steps, pay attention to when it starts feeling like work.

What to notice:

• Is the top note of the pattern as easy as the bottom?
• Are you tempted to push or add pressure as you go up?
• If the top note feels strained, you've gone too high. Back off.

Exercise 3: 5-Tone Ascending (1-2-3-4-5)

Now we're covering more range in a single pattern. This is where you really need to trust the coordination.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey" on 1-2-3-4-5

Because you're covering a fifth, start lower than you did with the 3-note patterns. You need room to climb without exceeding your True Belt ceiling.

What to notice:

• Is there a pitch where the quality suddenly changes?
• Are you tempted to take a bigger breath to "prepare" for the higher notes? (Don't – stick with the exhale-first approach)

Exercise 4: 5-Tone Descending (5-4-3-2-1)

Descending is generally easier, but it has its own challenge: maintaining energy as you go down. Don't let the lower notes get breathy or weak.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey" on 5-4-3-2-1

Start with your top note near (but not at) your True Belt ceiling.

What to notice:

• Does the belt quality hold all the way down?
• Are the bottom notes as clear and bright as the top?

Exercise 5: 5-Tone Up and Down (1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1)

This combines both directions. It's a longer phrase, so breath management becomes more relevant – but remember, you don't need huge amounts of air. You need efficiency.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing the full pattern on a single breath

If you run out of air, that's fine, for now it is more important to ensure minimal air volume.

Exercise 6: Arpeggio Descending (5-3-1)

Arpeggios add interval jumps, which challenge your coordination in a different way. The leap from 5 to 3 can expose inconsistencies.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey" on 5-3-1

What to notice:

• Does the quality stay consistent across the jumps?
• Are you tempted to scoop or slide between notes? Keep each note distinct.

Exercise 7: Arpeggio Ascending (1-3-5)

Same pattern in reverse. The jump from 3 to 5 can be tricky – that's where people tend to push.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing "Ey-ey-ey" on 1-3-5

What to notice:

• Is the 5 as easy as the 1? Try finding more torso expansion to lower pressure on the lungs.

Exercise 8: Arpeggio Up and Down (1-3-5-3-1)

The complete arpeggio pattern. This tests everything: ascending jumps, maintaining quality at the top, descending without losing energy.

1. Breathe in
2. Breathe out
3. Sing the full pattern

Common Mistakes

Too much air You don't need a big breath to belt. If you're gasping for air before each pattern or feeling winded after, you're overbreathing. Trust the exhale-first principle. Normal breaths, efficient production.

Not enough support If the sound is thin, wobbly, or inconsistent, you've probably lost the body engagement. Go back to the "‘Ey!" call from the previous lesson and find that engagement again. Your torso should be working; your throat should not.

Taking True Belt too high This is the big one. If you're straining, pushing, or the quality suddenly changes, you've exceeded your True Belt range. Back off. There's no shame in respecting your current ceiling – that's what High Belt is for, and we'll get there. Pushing True Belt beyond its limits is how people hurt themselves.

Practice Structure

Here's a suggested approach:

1. Start with the "‘Ey!" calls from Lesson 3
2. Pick 2-3 patterns from this lesson to focus on
3. Work through your range slowly, paying attention to quality
4. Stop before you reach strain
5. 10-15 minutes is plenty for this work

You can do this daily. If your voice feels tired or strained after practice, you're either going too high or using too much air. Adjust.

When to Move On

You're ready for the next lesson when:

• You can maintain consistent belt quality through all 8 patterns
• You can do this 8 out of 10 times without strain
• You know where your True Belt ceiling is (and you respect it)
• The patterns feel easy, not effortful

This might take a week. It might take a month. The timeline doesn't matter. What matters is that True Belt feels reliable before you add High Belt into the mix.

Related Concepts

• Twang
• Support
• Thyroarytenoid Muscle

Questions?

If you're struggling with any of these patterns, bring a recording to the VoSci Academy Q&A calls. Sometimes a small adjustment makes all the difference.