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Unfortunately I think I have the same problem as you, but in the latest recordings I've done it's gradually been getting a bit purer.

I guess it's all just practice. I haven't had lessons, so I wouldn't know what exercises to do, but for me just singing along more frequently has helped a bit. Practice basically increases your control of the narrowing and widening of your throat. Like practicing picking, it makes the movements more precise.

You've got to relax your throat and body and learn to breathe.

Think of the sound you are making as a basketball free throw. The ball starts from the players hands and makes a graceful arc up to the hoop. Your sound has to come from the diagphragm and make an arc up and out. Don't let it get caught up in your head, let it go freely out to the target.

Visualize this but a good teacher could help you out really quickly.

Well there's something to be said for the nasaly voice, Pete Wentz evidently made something out of it...ah, that's personal preference though, Nick had a good idea.

Try yawning! Open your mouth to yawn :o and feel the difference in the back of your throat. It should feel more open/larger in the back. Try it again... sorry, just tried it myself :lol: This time make an "Ah" sound when you feel it open. Have fun!!!

Very good points made already. Nasally comes from not getting your mouth open and from singing out of your throat instead of your diaphram. When you breath, your stomach should be moving in and out and your chest really shouldnt be moving much at all.

My teacher had me do this, and I later saw them do it on American Idol (No I wasnt really watching it.. channel was stuck or something). Lay down on the ground and take deep breaths. See your stomach moving up and down, but your chest isnt doing too much? That is breathing from your diaphram. Put in a kareoke CD or something and sing while laying down there. Does it sound better?

Some of it, alot actually, is practice. But alot of that practice is breathing, relaxing, and getting that mouth open.

Good luck
Geoo

Combined with bland songs that all sound the same, weasel-like facial features and more arrogance you can shake a stick at, a whingy nasal voice seems to work well for James Blunt... :twisted:

Seriously though, I'm trying to get rid of the same thing - I can't do it consistantly, but there's hope. I never thought I'd be able to get rid of that sound at all and I can most of the time now. Singing lessons are on my list, so I can learn to do that properly, stretch my upper range a bit (I have to transpose down to sing Nirvana :roll:) and to get a little bit of ooomph behind my voice :)

We should start a post the has peoples progressing voices on here.

Combined with bland songs that all sound the same, weasel-like facial features and more arrogance you can shake a stick at, a whingy nasal voice seems to work well for James Blunt...

ROFL!!! :lol:

The yawning suggestion is a good one to get a feel of an open throat.

It's called the "sob" technique.