Jeanie’s Blog

What, exactly, is “classical” singing technique? If you put 15 high-level classical singing teachers from universities or conservatories in a room and asked them what elements classical singing must have, the only things they would all agree upon would be that the inhalation had to be “low” and that “resonance” had to be enhanced. They would not ...

There is an epidemic of breathy, soft singing in jazz (and some other styles), often without vibrato. The assumption is that this kind of sound is somehow “sexy” or intimate or appealing. What appeals to us in a voice is its richness or character. We like harmonics. Soft breathy singing has little of that in it. ...

Some people are simply not willing to work on their own singing even though they teach. They are not willing to put in the time and effort to confront their ability to make music from their throats and bodies. They do not want to stick with the process to own what happens as they are ...

If you get used to relying on Autotune or the latest version thereof, or on the sound man or the microphone, the monitors, the click track or anything outside of your own body, sooner or later, that is going to be a path to disaster, no matter how famous you are. If you don’t understand your ...

Those of you who are familiar with classical singing may remember that when the baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was new to the scene, he was widely criticized as being boring, flat and uninteresting, and that his voice was “too small” to be operatically viable. Of course, he went on to be one of the most respected ...

If someone is recovering from a vocal pathology or injury and is also a professional singer, they need a very special kind of help. The field as it now exists gives singers some support if they are in need of assistance but it is limited. A Speech Language Pathologist is a licensed professional who works with speech to ...

There are a lot of people in this world claiming to be master teachers. Some of them deserve that title by virtue of their life accomplishments but some of them are more like “master artists” rather than master teachers. Just because they have had successful careers as singers, doesn’t mean that they are great teachers. A ...

There are unlimited ways to be creative. When dealing with music and singing there are vast numbers of ways to approach both. The mind of each artist comes to the process in a unique manner. Each individual approaches singing and music from a specific point of view which may change, grow or solidify through exploration of ...

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 ...

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 ...

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. ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...