Question about singing low notes?

Hello,
I am considering entering a talent contest at my local county fair this summer. I plan to sing and play piano. I am thinking about doing a Lady Antebellum song, such as I Run to You, Hello World, or Golden. However, I have a question. I can sing the low notes, but I was instructed by a previous voice teacher to use my chest voice fully and sing the low notes louder. That is fine for musical theatre, but these pieces were not meant to be belted in the lower register. I also don't want a really breathy sound down in that range either. Therefore, is there a way I can get a warm and resonant sound in the lower register without having to use full chest voice to get it? I'm an alto by the way. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

AJ2015-03-23T19:50:10Z

I'm an alto too and this has always caused trouble for me. Warm your voice up by doing some good vocal exercises right before you sing. Then, sing with your chest voice, but temper it. Don't belt it, but don't whisper it. Only use your chest voice if that's the only way to push out a note that low and use it quietly. That's about all I can tell you.

Csc2015-03-24T14:24:57Z

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