- Registration, Keys and Style November 27, 2011
It’s not unusual to hear a soprano sing a classic music theater song or an American Songbook jazz piece in a key that is simply too high. Not for her voice, not for her comfort, but for the song. The key of a song makes a big difference to the way it feels when it’s ...
- Toward Helping the Needy November 23, 2011
We all encounter “needy” students. A needy student is one who brings more than interest in singing to a lesson. A needy student is going to spend lesson time talking about things that do not have to do with singing. A needy student is going to want you to “take care of” things that you aren’t ...
- Manipulation – Amended November 16, 2011
What, in a voice, is manipulation? It’s moving things around in your throat deliberately. It’s doing things with your throat on purpose that don’t normally occur. Why would that be bad? Isn’t that, in fact, what most voice teachers are seeking? After all, how can you create a different kind of sound if you don’t ...
- Too Much Relaxation November 1, 2011
“Relaxation” is a big word in training singers. This is so because it is typically too much muscle activity that causes vocal problems. Squeezing, tightening, pressing, holding, swallowing, choking, and generally constricting the sound is problematic because the vocal folds don’t do well this way. It also restricts airflow making it harder to breathe fully ...
- Mix October 30, 2011
There is much confusion over the word “mix”. This makes sense, since most people do not know the difference between chest register and head register except in terms of range. Chest is low and head is high. This is the most simplistic way to view registration and, in a skilled singer, it is no longer ...
- Musicality October 26, 2011
What is musicality? The dictionary says it means “fond of or skilled in music”. That doesn’t make it, really. Most people who are musical use the word musicality to mean something much more than that. Musicianship is the skill of being a good musician, one who understands how to read and play music. You can ...
- Inspiration October 23, 2011
What inspires you? What makes you feel better, lifts you up, gets you to expand and think positively about yourself and life? What is it that gives you courage to go forward towards your heart’s desire, your highest dream, your greatest goal? The word inspire means both to stimulate to activity and to inhale. Why ...
- Invisible in Plain Sight October 17, 2011
Each week millions of people watch American Idol, The Voice, Glee, The X Factor and MTV. That means that millions of people watch others sing. In fact, there is a lot of singing on TV right now, but it doesn’t cover very much ground. You don’t hear Broadway songs, you don’t hear much folk music, ...
- Forward to the Past October 12, 2011
These days there is increased awareness about how the body functions in both sports and dance. Many approaches to both work with body mechanics in order to increase efficiency and lessen the possibility of injury. There are also sports psychologists who work to make the mental attitude of those who compete at the highest levels ...
- The Power Of A Fully Connected Voice September 29, 2011
The primary and most significant instrument is the human voice. It costs nothing. It is always available. It is capable of making a very wide range of pitches, vowels and sound qualities and volumes and carries within it all the emotions that human beings experience. A person is known by her character. This is the sum ...
- Referrals September 24, 2011
If I had a dollar for all the referrals I’ve made in my life, I could retire. I have sent countless students to other teachers for all kinds of reasons. I don’t get any money or publicity for doing this. I do it because it is the right thing to do. Sometimes the student wants ...
- Muscle Tension Dysphonia September 24, 2011
Muscle Tension Dysphonia or MTD is a rather newly labeled diagnosis of vocal function aberrant behavior. It is common in those who are professional level singers, sometimes very high level singers with long successful careers. The symptoms of MTD are wide ranging. It can be hard to get this diagnosis if you are seeing an ...
- Zig Zagging September 22, 2011
When tackling a tough vocal technique problem you cannot go in a straight line. It is very much like sailing into the wind — first you sail to the right, then you make a sharp turn and sail to the left, but always on the diagonal. It takes longer, but you get there. If you attempt ...
- Lest We Forget September 16, 2011
Most singing teachers are alone in their studios with their students. Most singers are alone when they practice. This isn’t a particularly good situation for either. If you are in a big city, you can do what I am doing now, which is renting a studio in a public studio rental location. I am in mid-town ...
- Emotions and Breathing September 13, 2011
Breathing is the most significant activity of the human body. No one has ever committed suicide by holding her breath. Your limbic brain is programmed to get the oxygen in and the carbon dioxide out no matter what obstacle it has to overcome to do so. It is the reason people drown, because sooner or ...