- The Disciplines December 4, 2014
Anyone who has mastered either an art or a sport understands the meaning of the word “discipline”. This would apply also to medicine, law, and science. In fact, where one seeks to master something and become an expert, this is only possible after exerting a great deal of effort over time. The activities that ask for physical skill ...
- Bad Singing As Good December 1, 2014
If there are no standards and everyone is equally good at everything then where are we? If holding standards makes you a snob, and having an education makes you an elitist, and speaking up about standards makes you a boor, where are we? I recently heard a version of “O Holy Night” from 2013 by Patti ...
- “Methods” November 29, 2014
Every day there are more and more “methods” of training people to sing. There are brands and copyrights and merchandize and all sorts of claims put forth. Any method of teaching singing is limited. It is limited by the person teaching it, by their life experience, their training, their interests and their own ability to sing. ...
- Thanks November 29, 2014
It is very easy in this materialistic society in which we have deliberately shortened the day of giving thanks so that we can shop, to forget how much most of have to be grateful for. We live in a culture that favors the very rich — one that likes violence, greed, and a very low common denominator ...
- Sing! Now Is The Time November 23, 2014
If you have ever wanted to study singing, do it! Singing is a very healthy thing to do. It makes you breathe more deeply and with more energy. It is aerobic when you learn to do a vigorous song and it has the same benefits to the body as any moderate exercise. It’s also very rewarding ...
- It’s That Time Again November 22, 2014
Today, while I was doing some Christmas shopping at a well-known department store, the Christmas music was alternately in English and then Spanish. I do not know, for the most part, who was singing, but I certainly knew the songs. I had the very unfortunate experience, again (this happened last year, too) of listening to simple holiday songs ...
- Singing As A Spiritual Discipline November 3, 2014
If you approach singing as a spiritual discipline, it is a lifelong challenge of the greatest depth. Spiritual “work” asks that qualities which are universal and unchanging in human character are developed over a long period of time. Things like patience, perseverance, determination, loyalty, honesty, diligence, purposefulness, commitment, courage, humility, and resilience can only be developed ...
- Singing With A Broken Heart October 30, 2014
It’s hard to sing with a broken heart. If you are really effected by an event in your life that overwhelms you it is possible to lose the ability to sing. Even if your vocal folds are completely normal, you can find it nearly impossible to sing in the normal manner. This can be from something ...
- Too Much Weight In The Middle October 29, 2014
No, I’m not talking about your tummy (although it could be that the sentence also applies to that part of your anatomy), I am talking about the middle range of your voice. If you are a young professional singer and have been taught to “sound good” and aim for “resonance” and volume, you can, especially if ...
- Emotion in Singing October 26, 2014
When was the last time you heard someone sing who made you cry? Was it on a recording? Was it live? Was it amplified? Voices filled with emotion are very potent. They should be able to move anyone who is open to that. (Of course, many people are not). Music is also supposed to be able ...
- Art Songs by the Beatles October 21, 2014
Did you know that the Beatles wrote “art songs”? Yep. Did you know that Bob Dylan wrote songs that don’t deserve a beautiful voice? Well, that’s the attitude I ran into tonight at a venue on the Upper West Side. The material presented was largely not classical, but it was certainly presented in a quasi-classical manner. ...
- Choosing Dysfunction October 20, 2014
Occasionally I run into a person who chooses to sing in a way that forces the voice into a compromised place. This kind of choice is only possible if the compromised place is not one which impacts vocal health or musical expression. I have worked with someone who sings jazz in a low, deliberately “smokey”, breathy ...
- The Problem With Today’s Classical Music October 19, 2014
I should think by now it should be apparent to those who present classical vocal music in various forms composed by present-moment artists that audiences are not flocking to these performances. Yes, there are some exceptions but opera companies are dying all over the place. Why? No one seems to know. You could start by taking ...
- Coming Home To Your Voice October 16, 2014
If you lose your way with your voice, which can happen as you are out around doing gigs and performances, you can feel “out of sorts” without necessarily having any vocal health issues. You can feel that your voice isn’t exactly what it should be and you can’t quite put your finger on why. Of course, ...
- Fear of Training October 16, 2014
A lot of singers stay away from vocal training lest the training change the inherent quality of their voice. This is a valid fear. If you do not want to sing like an opera singer, but you want to learn how to sing healthily, and all that is available is operatic or classical vocal training, you ...