- Mindfulness and Singing March 14, 2015
Most people in our world think of their voice only when it is (a) ailing, (b) not behaving normally or (c) when it is commented upon by others. Further, most people do not think much about the words they use when they are speaking unless they are giving a speech that was planned in advance. Do mindfulness ...
- Vocal Empowerment Versus Vocal Violence March 13, 2015
We live in a culture that glorifies violence. In entertainment, it is much easier to portray violence than to show people of the same sex being in a loving relationship. That’s really sad. In certain circumstances we are up against the contrasting mindsets that promote the dichotomy of vocal empowerment versus vocal violence. What We Have And What ...
- Really Bad Singing March 12, 2015
We are living in an age when education, sophistication, refinement and elegance are suspect by a large portion of our society. When kids emulate “gangsta” types and think that using incorrect language is not only cool but a very good idea, everyone suffers. Honoring cultural differences in a pluralistic society is necessary and beneficial, but ...
- Singing In A Master Class March 10, 2015
It seems that many singing teachers do not understand the nature of a master class with a master teacher. They do not know how to get a student ready for singing in a master class. A master class is a situation in which very well prepared students who are mostly secure in their vocal training sing briefly for ...
- Internet Popularity March 2, 2015
We all know that being popular on social networks is one of today’s highest achievements. If you have lots of followers or people who “like” you, you have it made! Unfortunately, being popular doesn’t mean very much of anything except that you are popular on the social media. It isn’t an indication of anything else. Young ...
- Appropriate Training February 26, 2015
Appropriate training is only possible when the teacher of singing knows a great deal about a great number of things. Then, that knowledge must be applied over time because the only way to learn anything really well and own the entire experience is to go slowly. You do not develop mastery over anything in the proverbial ...
- Conscious Awareness February 19, 2015
What is evidence of conscious awareness in singing? Many times when I work with college students in a master class or young adults in a private lesson for the first time I ask if they have had any vocal training. It isn’t unusual to be told they have “studied singing” since they were in third or ...
- Preconceived Notions February 19, 2015
If a singing teacher enters into a session with a preconceived idea of where a student’s voice should go or how it should sound, and if that student is young, they might never have a chance to develop any experience of singing that includes exploration without a specific goal. I like to work with a student ...
- 100% Two-Way Communication February 16, 2015
In a two-way communication, both people are 100% responsible for the results. How does that work? If I am communicating to you, one-to-one, I am completely responsible for what I say, how I say it (what words I use), their precise meaning, the intention of the words, and the impact they have upon you, the listener, even if I ...
- Opera Singers Who Can’t February 16, 2015
Opera Singers Who Can’t Can’t what? Quite a few opera singers have made “cross-over” recordings to show their versatility. They seem to want to say, “I can sing anything”, except, of course, they can’t. I presented a lecture on CCM styles a number of years ago to a university/conservatory that was strictly classical. I was invited there by the ...
- For the Love Of Singing February 14, 2015
Most of the people who love teaching singing also love singing and people. If they are good teachers, they will hold voices, music and people as being equal and worthy of love and respect. Love. What is real love? (I know, you can hear a song coming on. Not.) True love is that which is all-accepting but allows ...
- Voice Science Tips February 11, 2015
Breath pressure (Sub-Glottic Pressure) is how much air is in your lungs when you begin to make sound. Breath pressure goes lower as you run out of air. If you push, pull or otherwise activate the abs while at the same time resisting the collapse of the ribs, you can keep the breath pressure increasing ...
- Ridin’ High February 9, 2015
Want to know what gives me a real high? Working with college students. Young adults have better concentration, can actually sit still, are more adventurous, and seem capable of grasping the abstractions inherent in singing better than young children or kids in high school. Whenever I encounter them, I find college students a whole lot of fun. I worked ...
- The Surface Is Just The Surface February 6, 2015
If you think of the body as just a bunch of parts that happen to somehow randomly have gotten together, or if you think the way to deal with the body is strictly through Western science, you cannot understand the holistic point of view that says everything is connected. The body is far more than ...
- Question Everything February 5, 2015
Hi, coach, nice to meet you. Hello, Mary. Nice to meet you, too. What brings you here? I was told you could help me prepare to be on the team. I’ve been preparing myself but I was told that I need training to be really good and get to a professional level. That’s true, Mary, and I’m glad ...