Day 4: Brightness vs. Nasality

Goal

To develop a clearer, more functional understanding of what brightness really is — and how to recognize it without mistaking it for nasality.

Why This Matters

“Bright” is a term singers and teachers use constantly — but not always consistently. Brightness is often confused with nasality, but the two are distinct. One is about resonance tuning, the other about airflow. Today’s lesson helps you hear and feel the difference.

Understanding this is critical to tone control: you can’t shape a sound you can’t identify.

 

Remember the /o/ exercise from Day 2? It’s worth sticking with. Each day, aim for 5 soft, steady repetitions on a comfortable pitch. Keep it relaxed and see how long you can sustain the sound — improvements come from consistency, not force.

Try This: The /nja/ Tease

We’re going to use a sound every kid on the playground knows — but with a twist. Instead of “nana-nana-boo-boo,” we’re going to use the sound /nja/. (You’ll find an audio example below if you need a reference.) Start with the /n/ sound, then sweep your tongue forward across the roof of your mouth — like scraping off peanut butter — to arrive at a forward, bright /a/.

  1. Pick a comfortable mid‑range pitch and chant /nja/ /nja/ /nja/ in an exaggerated, taunting way. Let it be obnoxiously bright. If it sounds good, it’s not bright enough.
  2. Exaggerate the setup: high tongue, raised larynx (Child voice), narrow pharynx (Throat). The space should feel tiny and forward.
  3. Sustain a single /nja for 2–3 seconds. Feel the sharp, buzzy resonance (~3–5 kHz). That’s twang.
  4. Without changing pitch, slowly lower the larynx (yawn) (think Roz from Monsters, Inc.). Notice the buzz mellow into a more open “ring” (~2.5–4 kHz).
  5. Alternate between extreme twang and ring a 10 times, keeping airflow easy.
  6. Nasality check: Pinch your nose gently during a sustained /nja/.
    • If the tone changes or cuts out, air is escaping through your nose.
    • If the sound stays steady, the airflow is staying in your mouth — that’s what we want.
    • To reduce nasality, try raising your soft palate:
      • Sing the word “key” with a strong /k/.
      • Raise your eyebrows.
      • Mime taking a massive bite of an apple.
    • Keep in mind: some nasality is stylistic. Depending on where you’re from, different amounts may be expected.

Go too far at first — you’ll naturally relax back once the sensations are mapped.

What This Builds

🎧 Want more on this? Listen to our podcast episode on Ring & Twang for a deeper dive into how these sounds work, how they differ, and how to train them.

 

Reflection Prompts

  • Which version — twang or ring — felt easier to access? (Different singers tend to find one easier than the other — it’s a great clue for how your voice is set up right now.)
  • How did your larynx, tongue, and jaw position change between the two?
  • Did pinching your nose affect the sound? What did that tell you?
  • Which sound felt more aligned with the style of music you usually sing?

Coming Tomorrow

We’re heading back to breath — and breaking down the four types of breathing singers use (and misuse).