We have the incredible Gemma Sugrue joining Alexa this week as we dive into a series of episodes dedicated to belting. We're thrilled to explore this topic with Gemma, especially after our enlightening conversation with John Henney in episode 101. Gemma recently ran a three-day boot camp, and today, we'll be delving into the fascinating world of mix and mixed belt techniques.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gemma believes the belt is characterised by a thick vocal closure, a ratio of high pressure to air pressure, and a significant presence of upper partial activities in the harmonic spectrum frequencies. She sees belt as a way of singing that deviates from the norm and is recognisable by its specific vocal qualities.
Mixing involves singing higher notes with power, control, and balanced resonances. It requires effective vowel modification, smooth vocal transitions, and proper management of air pressure and airflow. It is a coordinated and controlled technique that allows singers to achieve strength and skill in their higher ranges.
When training singers, Gemma prioritises developing their listening skills. She believes it is crucial for singers to excel in perceiving sound before focusing on physical sensations. By enhancing their auditory intelligence and spectral hearing abilities, singers can naturally align their body parts to produce the desired sound.
Gemma focuses on helping singers develop a strong and controlled mode one up to G4. This applies to both male voices with a more testosterone-driven quality and female voices with a more oestrogen-driven quality. It's essential for singers to be able to sing all the vowels and navigate through that octave effectively, maintaining a speech-like dominant sound. 
Gemma also emphasises the importance of accessing a full falsetto range as part of a singer's skillset. 

BEST MOMENTS‘I call it entering into the option area’ ‘A mix is anything that’s connected and still in mode one’‘I like to start with refining the engine first before adding the gas’‘As you sing there’s a different pressure quality to each note’ ‘We want a larynx that’s on the move’
EPISODE RESOURCES Website:

Pro Vocal Artist: https://www.provocalartist.com/

Social Media: 

Handle: @gemmasugrue 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/gemmasugrue

Relevant Links & Mentions: 

Artists referenced: Sia; Jessie J; Whitney Houston; Beyonce 
Singing Teachers Talk Podcast: Ep. 46 How to Develop Lasting and Positive Habits with Gemma Sugrue
Singing Teachers Talk Podcast: Ep. 101 How to Belt with John Henny
John Henny: https://johnhenny.com/
The work of Johan Sundberg 
Voice Science Works (David Harris & Laurel Irene): https://www.voicescienceworks.org/
Kerrie Obert: https://obertvoicestudios.com/
Heidi Moss: https://www.heidimosserickson.com/
Ken Bozeman: http://www.kenbozeman.com/
Chris Johnson: https://www.chrisjohnsonvocalcoach.com/
Teach Voice: https://www.teachvoice.com/
Feldenkrais: https://feldenkrais.com/
Alexander Technique: https://alexandertechnique.com/
Andrew Byrne: https://www.andrewmbyrne.com/
Lisa Popeil: https://www.popeil.com/
5 Things You Must Know About Belting with Lisa Popeil: YouTube.com/watch?v=eLHyVVwo2ek
Ian Davidson: https://ianjdavidson.com/
Dave Stroud: https://davestroud.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST Gemma is an artist coach and the founder/director of Pro Vocal Artist, an online mentorship program for original music artists. Gemma also co-founded Voiceworks Studio, an Irish company that offers choir training and lessons for singers.Gemma's performance credits as a vocalist include working as a singer for hire for various TV shows (Dancing with the Stars, The Late Late Show) and for artists including Bon Iver, Damien Rice, Maverick Sabre, Rosin Murphy, the RTE Concert Orchestra, The RTE Symphony Orchestra and many more.Gemma is a sought after contemporary vocal coach and is currently working with artists including Cian Ducrot and Ryan Mack. She is a former board member of vocal coaching network, Vocology in Practice an