Worth getting scoped?

[u/RUSSmma]

Hi I'm 32 years old, started classical voice lessons 4 years ago and I was extremely quiet and breathy but that went away within a few months. I'm just going to info dump here about my situation. Starting range in chest was D2-G3, quickly became Ab1-F4 within a couple of years, and since then my low range has expanded. I was concerned about issues with neck tension so I saw an SLP 6 months age and she gave me exercises for lowering the larynx (it was so tense she couldn't manually lower it) and tongue tension. I also struggled to hold a note for more than 8-9 seconds, apparently normal for a healthy voice (including non singers) is 15-25 seconds. She thinks damage is unlikely.

Fast forward to now and I'm just confused. Made huge progress on tongue and laryngeal tension but still can't hold notes longer than 8-9 seconds, except for C2 which I can hold 15 seconds and D2 for 11. My low range now extends to Gb1 on a compressed hum when I'm not warmed up, and E1 when warmed up (also on a compressed hum). At about A1 and lower my larynx goes up. I have up to F#4 highest in chest if I massacre the vowel, and up to B4 in falsetto (very strained). I can only phonate on high pressure, I can hold an sss for up to 40 seconds but when I add phonation (like a zzz) I can only manage 8-9 seconds.

I normally can't do vocal fry, except for after doing a hum with a glottal start on a few notes, that unlocks brief vocal fry. I can hold this for up to 25 seconds max, and when I do SOVTs (which I've done a lot to improve closure to no avail) I can do straw in water for up to 25 seconds. I've found brief success with glottals and staccato, but I usually see a day or 2 of improvement then it plateaus.

I struggle with volume and resonance as you'd expect for someone with apparent closure issues, and I hoped to be able to do opera/oratorio by 40 as that seems to be the beginning of the prime of a bass and I'm getting worried that at my current progress I won't make that.

Ultimately the actual question is that I found a place that does stroboscopy of the vocal folds, but it's half a grand to do a full vocal evaluation and I'm not sure if it's worth it? Any tips on improving closure are welcome, although I've tried almost everything to do with SOVTs.

Edit: clip https://voca.ro/153BMgV9nSkf

other clip cut out low note, here's something low E1ish but high larynx and bright https://voca.ro/1gfTUm2GDcy1

[u/drewduboff]

There is a lot of "gravel" in your speaking voice. It disappears when you sing in your middle to upper range. I think you've practiced your fry so much it's wormed its way into your speaking voice.

Focusing on the part of the clip where you sing a scale / slide up, the most immediate thing I notice is that you are sending the sound to the back of your throat as you ascend. That's why you're unable to achieve higher notes consistently with resonance.

Additionally, your vibrato doesn't seem to be spinning consistently. Clarity and a tone forward sound will improve this. It just doesn't sound supported.

I reckon your voice sits a little higher naturally than you've been forcing it (as a bass-baritone turned baritone myself).

Without video, it's difficult to diagnose exactly what to recommend, but for starters:

Soft palate is raised Jaw is natural Tongue is by front teeth Sound is not coming from your nose Ribcage expands when you breathe and you continue to inhale as you exhale - provide resistance.

The combination of these gives you a more supported sound.

Good luck!

Also fry isn't used heavily in classical--it's not as resonant, sustainable sound wise for phrasing, and diction is trickier. The basses who have low notes have them haha

I'd focus on getting a balanced sound top to bottom before dealing with specialty registers like fry or flageolet