😤 "I want high notes without squeezing — what do I watch?"

Squeezing on high notes is the most common problem. Usually the vocal folds fail to "thin out" in time, or the external laryngeal muscles are "helping" in the worst way.

Open these charts:

• TA/CT Balance — on high notes the cursor should drift naturally to the right (CT). If it stays stuck on the left, your folds aren't thinning.
• Vocal Fold Closure — if it reads "Pressed" (red), you are squeezing. Try easing off.
• Sagittal View (L2) — check whether the larynx has climbed. A slight rise on high notes is normal; climb too far and the sound jams.
• Symptom Detection — look for "Extrinsic Compensation" or "Register Break" cards.

✨ "I want a clearer, more ringing tone — what do I adjust?"

A closed-off sound usually comes from "not enough singer's formant" or a "retracted tongue root".

Open these charts:

• Singer's Formant Monitor — if it reads "insufficient formant" (orange), your sound lacks high-frequency energy and gets muffled.
• Depth — depth and the singer's formant must work as a team. Formant without depth = shrill; depth without formant = muffled.
• Sagittal View (L2) — watch whether the tongue is turning red (tongue root tension). A retracted tongue blocks the sound channel.
• Formant Tracking (L2) — see whether the cursor drifts off the target vowel. Big drift means the mouth shape needs adjusting.

😩 "How do I know if my voice is getting tired?"

Vocal fatigue sends clear signals. SonaLab can spot them "before the damage is done".

Watch these indicators:

• Vocal Load bar — the most direct indicator. When it approaches orange, it's time to rest.
• Vocal Health Score — if the score keeps sliding during practice, the voice is getting tired.
• Vocal Fold Closure — closure drops with fatigue (from "Flowing" to "Breathy"), because the fold muscles are tiring out.
• Voice Stability (L3) — a tired voice starts to wobble and the stability score falls.
• Symptom Detection — look for "Extrinsic Compensation" cards. Once the voice tires, the body quietly recruits the neck muscles to help.

💨 "I always run out of breath when I sing — what do I check?"

Running out of breath usually isn't about lung capacity — it's about air not being used efficiently.

Open these charts:

• Vocal Fold Closure — if it reads "Breathy" (orange), the folds aren't closing firmly and air is leaking away for nothing.
• Onset Detective — if onsets keep reading "soft" (orange), every note-start is leaking air.
• Breathiness Detection (L3) — tells you the degree of leakage directly. The thicker the fog, the more air is escaping.

👃 "People say I sound nasal — how do I fix it?"

Nasality comes from the soft palate (the "curtain" at the back of the mouth) failing to lift, so the sound escapes into the nose.

Open these charts:

• Sagittal View (L2) — watch the soft palate (the green part). If it sits low, sound exits through the nose.
• Symptom Detection — check for an "Excessive Nasality" card.

📋 Quick Reference