Singing Tips Archive - Members Only

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there."
~Miles Davis~

When coming up with melodies for your songs, sometimes it is easiest to sing the most apparent melody that fits that key.

Try finding notes that normally wouldn't be sung in that key, but sound good anyway.

This will help you take a fresh approach to singing and realize all of the potential versions of a song.

Sing what isn't there and it just may become the hook you are looking for!

Q. What are nodules?

Nodules are little growths your body forms on your vocal cords where they meet when you make noise such as singing or talking. These are formed because your body is trying to eliminate repetitive stress on the delicate cords.

The nodes often will prevent the cords from closing enough for the singer to be functionally able to use the voice in the rigourous and demanding wasy that vocalists use their voice - even with good technique.

Nodes are formed on the vocal cords when an irritation occurs which will cause inflamation to occur. This stage is called a "pre-node". During this stage, you may experience a little hoarseness or sore throat.

We will talk about preventing and treating nodules tomorrow.

Q. How do I prevent vocal nodules?

• HYDRATE! Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.
• Properly use the voice to eliminate strain
• Avoid screaming and loud talking
• Speak in a normal range that is comfortable
• Don't whisper or speak at a higher or lower pitch than is natural
• Releas neck tension by gently tipping the head forward and to each side while keeping the shoulders down.
• If you truly are serious about maintaining your vocal health - consult a voice therapist who can teach you how to talk without straining your vocal cords. Look for a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who specializes in voice.

Q. What is the diaphragm and how do I use it?

• Q. How do I prevent and treat mild hoarseness?

  • If you smoke, quit.
  • Avoid agents that dehydrate the body, such as alcohol and caffeine.
  • Avoid secondhand smoke.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Humidify your home.
  • Watch your diet–avoid spicy foods.
  • Try not to use your voice too long or too loudly.
  • Use a microphone if possible in situations where you need to project your voice.
  • Seek professional voice training.
  • Avoid speaking or singing when your voice is injured or hoarse.

  REMEMBER - Prevention is better than cure, so be ever conscious of how you use your voice and that will help prevent future problems

  "Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.” ~ Martha Graham

   

  It is one thing to take lessons, it is one thing to read about singing online - it is something entirely different to PRACTICE singing daily without fail.If you are truly serious about making progress, it will take a daily commitment to vocalize every day - as much as you can, even if it is just humming in your car or shower. It is easy to make excuses like many of the ones we come up with for not excercising, but remember it is up to you. Invite perfecting the art of singing into your life and include dedicated practice and you will see your vision come to life!

  The power of the tongue

  Many people do not realize how much tension is stored in the tongue. It is actually a very large part of your body and hardly ever gets a chance for full relaxation.

  Because it is attached to the chin bone and descends in the throat attaching to the vocal body, it can change shape depending on the sounds articulated.

  To relax your tongue: Close your eyes, slightly drop your jaw, now completely release the tongue muscle from the root.  It may slightly protrude out of your mouth on to your bottom front teeth.  Just hang out in this position for a few minutes.  You will notice that your jaw will start to release and many also notice a release in the cervical spine.  This is an exercise that you can use throughout the day.
  

  "A good voice involves more than a high decibel level... A voice without undue inflection may charm, soothe, calm or arouse. " ~
  Johnny Olsen

  Many vocalists feel that if they sing louder, somehow that will make the audience feel the song more.

  While this may be true at certain key moments of a song - it is important to remember a soft, straight tone, even a whisper can cause more of an effect than a loud powerful belting of a note.

  Save the big notes for special moments, and work on making the rest of the song just as spectacular.

  "Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you’re lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you’re greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn’t understand." ~ Robert G.  Allen

  Becoming a musician in ANY genre: rock, jazz, gospel, country, is a stretch for most people to understand.

  You will probably encounter resistance from those that love you, trying to make you do a "normal job", in fear that you will join the masses that tried and failed in music.

  Remember that your definition of "making it" may be completely different than someone elses, and it is up to you to define that for yourself.

  Don't let others opinions keep you from doing what you love.

  “If you want to be truly successful invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.” ~ Sydney Madwed

  If you are going to be the front person for your group - it is important to have an unique sound.

  Some key ways to find a unique sound include: experiment with sliding certain notes, opening your mouth more at key times during the song, inflect more volume at times, slur words, make some words more staccato, etc...

  Play around until you get your own original sound! That's what the audience will pay to come and hear!

  Q: I do alot of that screaming stuff and I've been practicing the screaming technique for 3 years, I use my chest to get the sound i want and I use my diaphragm to help project it. Do you have any tips on how to condition your voice in a pretty quick way? I drink alot of throat coat because I read that it helps build up the strength of your vocal chords. Any ideas?

  First - there is no way to quickly condition your voice. Just like an athlete in training, you must work your muscles slowly and regularly to gain maximum strength. A good way to strengthen your voice is to do vocalises every day. An instructor will help you learn these more quickly than on your own.

  Second - throat coat tea does not strengthen your voice in any way. It merely provides comfort for a sore throat and helps to coat your throat if it feels scratchy. It is a great product to use to help you through a cold and I highly recommend it for that.

  Of almost equal importance is throat relaxation. You learn to identify and then release tension in the various muscles surrounding the larynx. In the McClosky Technique, these are called “The Six Areas of Relaxation.” They are:

  •  The facial muscles

  • The tongue

  •  The supra-hyoid muscles (the swallowing muscles between your jaw bone and your larynx)

  •  The jaw

  •  The muscles surrounding your larynx

  •  The neck and shoulder muscles

  By relaxing these muscle groups, we allow the voice more freedom and flexibility.

  From healingmusic.net: All voices are musical. No one is born with an unmusical voice. Its impossible. Some people just naturally or through training, use more of the human voice's natural musical skills. But superb vocal skills are in every voice, even if you don't use them.

     So, you can get a brand new voice, simply by learning to use vocal skills all voices have. You may not have used any of these vocal skills since childhood, but they are still there, waiting for you to use them again.

     All children love to sing, so simply start singing, a few minutes a day. All children use their voices in playing childhood games. Use your voice to create pretend voices, like a child does. Use your voice to make sounds, imitate sounds you hear around you, or sounds you imagine. All children's voices have a lot of carrying power, so pretend you are a child again, and call out to one of your friends down the block, or across a field.

     Simply using childhood vocal skills daily, a few minutes here and there, is one of the fastest ways to develop vocal flexibility, carrying power, and a wide emotional and tonal voice range. These natural musical vocal skills are yours, to use in speech and song. Enjoy using them, and your voice naturally improves!

  "If you want to play something that you hear, you need to listen with your mind's eye. You've heard of the mind's eye, right? Your mind has an ear too. It's a kind of listening, but it's not using your ears to listen. It's listening with your inner ear..." ~Steve Vai

  When you listen to music, especially when trying to learn a piece, try not to listen with just your ears.

  Listen with your heart, your emotions, and your soul. What shapes and colors come to your mind. What memories or feelings come to rise?

  Convey this in your voice with changes in dynamics, slurring certain notes, or making others more staccato. Listen with your inner ear and others will listen to you!

  “If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.” ~ Billie Holiday

  Getting an original sound when singing can sometimes be the most challenging thing for many singers - even for the most experienced ones.

  Many of us have "influences" who we end up sounding like when we perform, at times out of pure habit from listening to them so many times and singing along to them as guides or teachers.

  The next time you rehearse or perform, really focus on your own voice and try not to sound like anyone else. Work on letting your own original sound come out!

  "Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy. You cannot try to do things. You simply must do things." ~ Ray Bradbury

  When you are singing, it is very possible to over-think and over-critique yourself.

  There must be a flow to your song and there comes a moment when you are singing effortlessly. THAT is when magic happens.

  If you find that you are overthinking: pretend that you are in the audience listening, this will help get you out of your head.

  Also, think about the overall message you are sending and concentrate more on the emotions of the song, rather than criticizing yourself.

  Because singing is 90% mental and 10% physical - the way we talk to ourselves is very important in building our confidence. These people understood that positive self-talk is paramount to success:

  "Every waking moments we talk to ourselves about the things we experience. Our self-talk, the thoughts we communicate to ourselves, in turn control the way we feel and act." ~ Lembo, John

  "Self-suggestion makes you master of yourself. " ~ Stone, W. Clement

  " We all have voices in our heads which talks to us on an almost constant basis. Our voices give us messages continually, and what they say to us affects us." ~ Berk, Juliene

  "The inner speech, your thoughts, can cause you to be rich or poor, loved or unloved, happy or unhappy, attractive or unattractive,powerful or weak". ~ Charell, Ralph

  "Constant repetition carries conviction."
  ~ Robert Collier
  

  Neurobiologists have long known that learning takes place when new connections are made between brain nerve cells.

  Many studies have proven that repetition of an action creates these connections and some say that the more you repeat an action the stronger this connection is in your brain.

  So - repeat, repeat, repeat. Even if you think you know a piece, repeat it and create an everlasting connection in your mind and brain.

  "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." ~ Confucius

  If you are looking for something to inspire you to improve your art of singing - maybe singing can and will be your profession one day.

  Take a realistic look at your skills and realize there are many ways to get paid as a performer, teacher, and mentor in the community. The key is to get there. Take it one step at a time - improve daily and maybe one day - you will never have to "work" again.

  "Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong."  ~Peter T. Mcintyre

  When rehearsing, it is better to sing the wrong note with passion, conviction and assuredness, than to sing the right note with lackluster.

  While you are practicing, work on giving each note special attention, so that each one sounds confident and sure. Many new students hold back on purpose, for fear of hitting the wrong note. The problem is, when they hit the RIGHT ones, no one notices.

  Make sure people notice when you hit the right note, and don't be afraid to sing the wrong ones - it is the only way to learn.

  "Break from self rejection, try some introspection." - Henry Rollins

  It is so easy to become our number one critics. We pick ourselves apart until finally, we feel that we have no talent at all.

  Take some to really look at yourself and your talent. Sure, you may have alot to learn - who doesn't? Give yourself credit for learning as much as you have and remember that every day you are learning more. You are alot further than you were last week and certainly further than 10 years ago! Keep learning, keep growing, and accept your talents for what they are.

  "I've discovered that numerous peak performers use the skill of mental rehearsal of visualization. They mentally run through important events before they happen." -- Charles A. Garfield

  Many of you have probably heard of visualization until you have become bored with the concept. Yet, it is a key component to success when you are performing.

  When visualizing, jump straight to the end of the performance and imagine the crowd cheering, and the feeling of accomplishment of a job well done.

  Visualize yourself as a professional, not as someone attempting to sing, but as someone who KNOWS how to sing and you will be happily surprised at the results!

  "The only correct actions are those that demand no explanation and no apology".  ~Red Auerbach

  I can't tell you how many students I have that spend half of their lesson apologozing for their singing mistakes. DO NOT APOLOGIZE while practicing or rehearsing.

  If you make a mistake, acknowledge it and go on. The mere fact that you are working on your voice shows that you have a dedication to your craft. Focus instead on the steps necessary to correct your voice and move on.

  She lacks confidence, she craves admiration insatiably. She lives on the reflections of herself in the eyes of others. She does not care to be herself." --Anais Nin

  Take a really hard look at why you want to sing. Is it because you seek admiration, or you want to be like the idols you hear on the radio?

  Singing is about communicating a message to an audience. It is about making them feel, think, and/or react. It is not about making them adore you or making them fall at your feet (althought they may). When you realize what singing is truly about, you will gain confidence in yourself and know that you are singing for all the right reasons

  Am I afraid of high notes? Of course I am afraid. What sane man is not?"
  ---- Luciano Pavarotti"

  No matter how much you practice, there will be certain notes or parts of songs that intimidate you or give you the butterflies just thinking about singing them. GOOD!

  You must always be challenged, or you may get lazy in your practice, or over-confident in your abilities. Even the best of the best continue to challenge themselves. Make it a goal to challenge yourself daily - and when you get to that high note - sing it with everything you have!

  In a very real sense, it will not be one man going to the moon it will be an entire nation. For all of us must work to put him there." ~ John F. Kennedy

  This business of music can get pretty overwhelming, escpecially if you are trying to do it all alone. Start to branch out - network with others (it's free online) and create or join a network of people that can equally help one another succeed in musical goals.

  It takes a large team to launch and propel a singing career. Think big - think high - straight to the moon!

  Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure." ~ Tommy Lasorda

   

  If you are looking to get real results in your singing career, it may often include times of intense "pressure" - performing when not feeling 100%, singing for unreceptive audiences, hitting that wrong note, or struggling to master that song in a short amount of time. Don't think of pressure as a sign of failure, but view it as a time to grow and spread your wings as an artist. Diamonds are made from intense pressure :) It's time to shine!

• “I am not afraid…I was born to do this.”

  ~ Joan of Arc

  Everytime you start to feel afraid or nervous about singing, remind yourself - there IS a reason you were given the talent and the drive to pursue something that may seem unattainable at times. Once you truly are convinced that you are born for success, you will find many good things will come your way. Don't be afraid - you were born to do this.

  "Just because your trained for something doesn't mean your prepared for it." ~ Anonymous

  It is important that while you train, you have at least 5 songs ready to perform at any time, just in case you have an audition or surprise performance you have to give. These songs should be able to be sung in your sleep! This will make you more sure of yourself and prepared for any situation!

  "We live by encouragement and die without it - slowly, sadly, angrily." ~ Celeste Holm

  To improve your craft, you need some sort of encouragement, whether it be from your friends and family, your instructor, or MOST importantly - from yourself. At the end of each day, praise yourself on the small victories you achieved that day. Be real with yourself and kind to yourself. Just the fact that you are attempting to learn, says a great deal.

  “Self-reliance is the only road to true freedom, and being one's own person is its ultimate reward” ~ Patricia Sampson

  It is all too easy to rely on the music to help carry us through the song. Try turning off your music and singing acappella and record yourself with a tape player to hear your true sound. You may be surprised how many times you are out of tune or how many places in the song need refinement. Rely on your own voice to tell you what needs to be done!

  “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'' ~ Mohammed Ali

  When you are learning something new, it WILL feel uncomfortable at times. In fact, it might be downright unpleasant. You are breaking free from your comfort zone - that is why it is called learning.

  When you start to feel like practice may be too hard, remember that this is a normal part of learning a new skill and without it, you cannot grow. Welcome it and embrace it - you are becoming a singer!
  

  "Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order." ~ Virginia Woolf
  
  There will be many days when you don't feel like practicing. Sing anyway. You will be surprised how quickly you are able to get into the songs and out of your mind and whatever may be troubling you. It is more troubling to not practice and end up unprepared the day of your performance. Use your creativity and it will help restore order to your world.

• "So what does a good teacher do? Create tension - but just the right amount. " ~ Donald Norman

  The biggest obstacle to creating a good sound is too much tension. Tightness in the neck, chest, facial muscles, and tongue can hinder a good sound from coming out and make it very difficult to hit notes and sustain them.

  Take time to relax and stretch EVERY time before singing, and remember - a little bit of tension is required, but too much can prevent you from attaining your best possible sound.

• Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death!" ~ Earl Wilson

  It is perfectly normal to get scared or nervous before performing - but there is an art to preparing for it, so when the actual moment arrives, you can transcend the fear and focus on the song and the feeling you are trying to convey.

  Make the first step you make on stage a powerfully confident one - even if you are feeling less than powerful. You will appear to be in control and capable and that will help your perform with more courage.

• “Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” ~ Albert Einstein

  A good friend recently wrote and said that when he stopped trying to sing the falsetto voice of Andy Gibb and accepted the fact that he had the bass voice of Barry White, his voice improved dramatically. This is a good example of knowing your limits, but working with them for your advantage. Your weaknesses can be your biggest strength.

• "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." --Pablo Picasso

  People often say "I can't sing" and leave it at that, without attempting to try. The best singers in the world did not start out that way! It took many failed attempts and awkward moments of learning and a sense of bravery to try something new. Try that what you can not do - and you just may surprise yourself!

• "Becoming and being are the yin and yang of our lives. One inner one outer. Today, we value becoming to the exclusion of being; we applaud human becomings. The secret is balance." ~ Unknown

  When you are learning to sing, it is important to learn to balance the physical aspect as well as the mental. Your intrument is only as good as the health of your body and mind. Take time to relax, excercise, eat properly, and practice. Balance is the key!

• Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

  Learning how to sing or perfecting your skills can be very challenging and at times you may feel like giving up and sticking to what feels safe. Don't do it! Practice every single day - and you WILL see results, but remember there will be many days when you will feel uneasy or ready to give up. Just keep going!

  Elvis Presley on Stage Fright:
  "I've never gotten over what they call stage--fright. I go through it every show. I'm pretty concerned, I'm pretty much thinking about the show. I never get completely comfortable with it, and I don't let the people around me get comfortable with it, in that I remind them that it's a new crowd out there, it's a new audience, and they haven't seen us before. So it's got to be like the first time we go on."

• If you sing directly into the mic, your p's (and f's & t's) will pop and explode as that big gust of wind hits the microphone diaphragm. Avoid this by singing over the top of the microphone or off to one side.

  The microphone is both your audience and your instrument. You may want to sing to some attractive person in the front row, but you need to sing to the microphone.
  

  Your mouth should be within 6 inches (a hand span) away from the mic, usually about 2-4 inches. If you work in a middle distance, you can then move in or out to change volume

• “When onstage, I always try to take my audience through as many emotions as I possibly can. I want them to go from laughter to tears, be shocked and surprised and walk out the door with a renewed sense of themselves - and maybe a smile.” ~ Reba McEntire

  When you are onstage - remember, you are there for the audience. Look at them, connect with them - get outside of yourself and make them feel. You will be surprised how much this helps your stage fright as well.

• "Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you."
  ~ Gandhi

  Every moment while singing counts. Many new vocalists are not singing in the moment and are concentrating on hitting that next note, instead of focusing on each note as they sing it. Begin and end each note with intention, clarity and feeling. This will help you stay in tune and give the song 100%.

• When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.

  Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be." Patanjali (c. 1st to 3rd century BC)

• Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy." ~ Wayne Gretsky

  If you have been putting off learning how to sing, or improving your voice - ask yourself why? Is it because you don't have a good mentor? Do you need to re-priortize your time? If singing is really your passion - then take charge and decide what you can do today to start achieving your singing goals.

• Dig up some of your old favorite music that you haven't listened to in a long time. . Listen very carefully to the vocalist and determine what it is that made you listen in the first place. Try to emulate some of their sounds and techniques.They were one of your favorites for a reason

• Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do." ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.

  If you are a late starter in singing, or brushing up on previous skills, remember that with age comes the wisdom and determination to succeed. You are NOT too old and your chance has NOT passed you by. If you are meant to sing - you will do it!

• "Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." ~ Dr. Spock

  Sometimes we overthink our performance and doubt our abilities as a singer. If singing has become a chore for you, you have lost your trust in your own abilities. Learn to let go, free your voice and enjoy every moment you are singing - it may not be perfect, but that's ok. The key is to build confidence in yourself every time you sing. You know more than you think!

• "If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way." ~ Lance Armstrong

  A singing career involves many ups and downs and there may be times when you feel like giving up. Remember - if you can still open your mouth to sing, you can still accomplish your goals. Success is never a straight line up, but a gradual move upwards, with persistence and patience as the key. Go all the way

• Compare music to drinks. Some is like a strong brandy. Some is like a fine wine. The music you're playing sounds like Diet Coke. " ~ Pavarotti

  To help you improve your tone and quality, visualize a target about 5 feet in front of you. Decorate the target any way you want, as long as it is easy for you to picture. Then make your voice hit the target and bounce off to help get a rich sound.

  “Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day!

• Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” ~ Og Mandino

  Fortune favors the brave. - Virgil
  This New Year make it a goal to be brave in everything you do. There is a wonderful book called "Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway" and it talks about how people who never take risks live with a constant dread of something going wrong. It is actually easier to try new things! So if you have put off going to that open mic, finishing that song, or calling that potential band member - feel the fear and do it anyway

• "A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind." ~ Morihei Ueshiba Try not to use body crutches to help you reach notes. Examples of crutches including raising your eyebrows, standing on your tiptoes, raising your shoulders and putting your hands on your hips. When you rely on these methods it changes your posture, your body stiffens and you put too much strain on your vocal cords.

• "Playing it safe is the riskiest choice we can ever make." ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach You all have heard the cliches and advice regarding taking risks, but take some time to really look at the risks you have taken and are willing to take to get your singing career going. It may mean other hobbies will have to be put on hold, or a major shift in prioritizing your time. If you think it is worth it - jump in with both feet!!

Remember when you are performing - people in the audience WANT you to succeed. They are not waiting for you to fail but are waiting to cheer you on and congratulate you on a job well done. It is easy to imagine the worst possible scenarios while on stage, but the truth is - people WANT to see you do well, that is why they are there.

• A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks." - unknown Anytime you start to feel uncomfortable when you are performing, find someone in the audience and smile at them. Make a connection and then move on to someone else in the audience. You will be surprised how consciously smiling frees you to be yourself on stage.

• "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." ~ Aldous Huxley

  Pick a mentor in your community that you admire for their strengths and talents. Learn about that person - where they came from, what obstacles they overcame, and why they are so successful now. Make it a goal to meet that person and learn more. Maybe one day you will be a mentor to someone else!

• "Music is well said to be the speech of angels." - Thomas Carlyle - Before each and every phrase, take a nice deep breath and place it in your solar plexus. Use this area as your source of strength and as the source from where the sound starts and ends - NOT your throat. If you use your throat, you will end up with a scratchy voice the next day as well as the potential for damaged vocal cords.

  "I don't think anyone knows as much about what's right for me as I do." - Mariah Carey In this wild business of music, there is all kinds of advice that people will try and give you, but not everyone is looking out for your best interests. Remember, that you ultimately are the one that can decide what is best for you and your career and don't let pressure from others sway you into making decisions you may later regret. You call the shots!

• I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained. " - Walt Disney Singing can often be an education for your audience, depending on what you are singing about. People leave with an idea or impression of your message, so consider yourself a special communicator, with the ability to educate as well as entertain.

  "Hope" is the thing with feathers-- That perches in the soul-- And sings the tune without the words-- And never stops--at all.." ~ Emily Dickinson To have a career in singing, it is important to always maintain a high level of hope. Hope carries us through the lows that follow the highs of trying to perfect our voice, style and musicianship. To help keep your hope alive, read about others that triumphed even when facing hard times and realize you can do it as well!

• "Putting off an easy thing makes it hard.  Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible."  ~George Claude Lorimer Many times it is easy to put off our singing goals until we "have more time", "more money", "better equipment", "better contacts" until finally we wake up 10 years later and nothing is done. Confront your goals and make a committment to quit procrastinating and start right now!

  I went to watch Pavarotti once. He doesn't like it when you join in." ~ Mick Miller The nice thing about rehearsing is that you can literally sing with anyone. Pick one of your favorite singers and sing a duet with them in the privacy of your own home. Play around with harmonies and act as if you are on stage with them, interacting and engaging in the song together. Have fun and who knows - maybe one day you WILL be on stage with them :)

  Some kids in Italy call me 'Mama Jazz; I thought that was so cute. As long as they don't call me 'Grandma Jazz."~Ella Fitzgerald One of the best ways to learn how to improvise and bend notes is to listen to jazz and try to mimic the instruments you hear. After a soulful sax solo - immediately try to repeat what you heard. It is pretty challenging, but alot of fun and with practice you will be very good at creating musical runs with your voice.

  God respects me when I work, but He loves me when I sing." ~  Rabindranath Tagore Do not underestimate the power of your jaw. Most new vocalists feel awkward opening their mouths wide and dropping their jaw, but this will help you greatly in achieving consistency, resonance and good tone. Make a mental note every time you sing to keep your jaw loose and drop it to help you produce a beautiful sound.

• "I've looked at photographs of myself during concerts and it sometimes looks as if I'm in a fencing move, with a guitar in my hands instead of a sword."
  ~ Neil Diamond

  Experiment with different sports like yoga, fencing, ballet, etc that you may not have tried before. You may be surprised how these movements will help you on stage when you perform. Plus, it is important to keep your instrument healthy and trying new sports will keep it interesting.

• Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on. ~ Maxwell Maltz

  In order to perform at your best, your self esteem needs to be boosted daily with affirmations or positive words you tell yourself. Some examples of affirmations include: "I believe in me", "I love myself for who I am", and "I am a skillful and artistic person." Experiment with finding the right phrases and say them daily. It takes a bit of time, but you will notice an increase in your self esteem and better performances.

• Talent works, genius creates. ~ Robert Schumann Try not to think of practicing your singing as work, but rather a chance to create. Every time you open your mouth to sing, you are creating a moment in time that did not exist before. You are the originator of the sound and the creator...don't work - CREATE!

• "It is surprising what a man can do when he has to, and how little most men will do when they don't have to." ~ Walter Linn You don't have to practice. No one is going to stand over you and make you do it. Sometimes when we have a performance scheduled, we practice like crazy. From now on - rehearse like you have a performance that night and you will notice that your rehearsals are more productive and you will try harder.

• On singing long whole notes: "At first it does not seem natural to play an unwavering tone on a blown or bowed instrument, or to sing one. To fight entropy, you must engage your mind and your will moment by moment, be critical and aware and centered on the inner world of sound...it means breath control and the perfect placement of your breath stream.

• Your whole body is involved in a balance of tension and relaxation, and your ear is making a continuous comparison to a standard of nonfluctuating pitch projected in your mind. A long tone is not a single boring event, but a stream of perfect moments." ~ W.A. Mathieu

• To help you understand a passagio or break in your voice (from vocalist.org) -
  Indications of transition areas in the voice include:

  1. A change in note tone and quality
  2. A sudden shift in vocal registration
  3. Note drops or "breaks" in the voice
  4. Difficulty blending or creating a mix
  
  Work with an instructor on helping you get through these breaks. Some good excercises are humming 5 notes gradually ascending and descending. Then practice with all of the vowels.

• Sing again, with your dear voice revealing A tone Of some world far from ours, Where music and moonlight and feeling Are one. - Percy Bysshe Shelley
  Singers sometimes overthink their singing and forget that it is about feeling, not just about theory. Don't misunderstand - theory definitely has its place in learning and growing as a musician, but it boils down to: what kind of effect does your voice have on the audience?
  

• O, she will sing the savageness out of a bear! -William Shakespeare 
  Singing has a way of soothing the masses and bringing people to a higher state of consciousness. It is your job as a singer to get your mind in the right place before you sing, so you can make this process happen for your audience. Take time to relax, breathe.

• "The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly.  That is dedication." -Cecil B. De Mille
  Dedication to your craft is essential if you want to see real progress. It is a daily, weekly, monthly lifestyle kind of thing. Dedication to practicing even if you are tired, bored, or nervous will give you fast results and a respect for your art.

• "I was just at the moment getting ready to put on my happy-even-though-im-a-loser face." - Christina Aguilera, on her surprise Grammy victory
  Just when you think you might be losing, your biggest win may be around the corner. It is easy to get down about your singing career if you are comparing yourself to others or judging yourself by the awards you get. Take even the tiniest victory and celebrate!

• I don't want you to play me a riff that's going to impress Joe Satriani; give me a riff that makes a kid want to go out and buy a guitar and learn to play ..." - Ozzy Osbourne
  Apply the same thought to singing. Many vocalists seek to outperform and impress with vocal gymnastics, when most of the people listening could care less about your range or how long you held a note. Simplicity sung with emotion can often create a bigger effect than complicated musical runs.

• The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. - Lady Bird Johnson It is amazing how many creative people are shy in public. If you are one of those people, don't give up your quest to sing. One of the best ways to overcome shyness is to give complete attention to your performance and delivering the song, not on how you are afraid of messing up.

• "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.  Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." -Mark Twain
  Surround yourself with talented people who encourage you in your dreams. You may find that the more successful you get, the people you once knew will become jealous or try to belittle you. Ignore them and keep going!

• When trying to hit higher notes, use more air. It takes more air flow to hit the higher notes and less for the lower. A good visualization for you on the high notes is imagine your mouth as a cathedral that allows the sound to bounce around and create a full sound.

  In order to gain real power for your voice, you must access your diaphragm muscle instead of concentrating on the throat. This is where alot of vocalists strain their voices, because they do not know how to use this important muscle. Here is a picture of the diaphragm:

  

• "When I started to sing like myself - as opposed to imitating Nat Cole, which I had done for a while - when I started singing like Ray Charles, it had this spiritual and churchy, this religious or gospel sound. It had this holiness and preachy tone to it. It was very controversial. I got a lot of criticism for it." ~ Ray Charles Learn how to sing from others, but to discover your own original and unique voice. Others may try to emulate your sound and that is what being original is all about.

  "I've been popular and unpopular, successful and unsuccessful, loved and loathed, and I know how meaningless it all is. Therefore, I feel free to take whatever risks I want." ~ Madonna Try not to determine your success by how popular you are. There are many ups and downs in any career, but especially music - so be prepared for the down moments. Take risks without being afraid of what others think about you. Ultimately - it is you who lives with your decisions.

• After a performance - do you have a scratchy throat? Do you have problems talking the next day? It is possible you are not taking enough time to warm up. Experienced vocalists who invest good time in warming up before each session find that they can give a powerful performance and not overextend their voice. If you don't know how to warm up - read about it here on Love to Sing.

• "On checking your ego: "Never underestimate the potential of ego to lead one astray, no matter how hard you train or what your point on the path. The rush of learning a new skill, the flattery that accompanies a touch of success - these things can overinflate any person's ego. Too much praise can do damage just like too much criticism. Measure a compliment the same as you measure a critique. If you think you've arrived somewhere, you've got that much farther to go." ~ P.T. Sudo
• 
  For me it's also a craft. It's not something that drops out of the sky. It's not something where you sit at your picture window and watch the sun glistening off the trees and a deer walks by and whispers in your ear. It's really a craft, and it's hard work. It's just a lot of discipline, and hopefully, you get better with each project." ~ Tom Waits

• "I looked in the audience. There were no strangers. Everybody was singing and cheering and hugging. That was a beautiful picture to look at." ~ Celine Dion Your ability to truly connect with your audience will determine your success. Remember, the song is not about you, but about how the audience connects with you and the song. Be generous on stage, and make it a gift to the audience, not a chance to stroke your own ego.

• "To generate great power you must first totally relax and gather your strength, and then concentrate your mind and all your strength on hitting your target." ~ Joe Hyams Relaxation is essential to help you develop the kind of concentration that will help you deliver a powerful performance. Some great, easy excercises to include in your daily routine include deep breathing, stretching in the a.m. and p.m, and meditation.

• "I don't know what happens to me on stage. Something else seems to take over." ~  Maria Callas Singing can quite literally make you feel like a different person on stage. Take advantage of this and experiment with the creative freedom you have to move, shake and interact with your audience. Do things that you normally wouldn't do. That is why they call it entertainment!

• "If you're going to do something as well as it can be done, give yourself plenty of time. High quality does not come of haste." P.T. Sudo It is very easy in these modern times to feel overwhelmed and rushed to become successful overnite. This just does not happen and it is important to congratulate ourselves on the small wins that add up to the larger victory. Keep going!

• Take time to experience the song without singing it. Sit back, close your eyes and listen to the words, the arrangement, the harmonies and the meaning of the song. Try to listen without thinking about yourself, but let the song sink in and become a part of you.

• "My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever." ~ Bob Marley Your songs can last forever by recording them. Try to record your singing at least once a week. Many of us put it off or put too much pressure on ourselves to make each recording perfect. Remember, you can use the recording any way you want, the key is to just do it consistently.

• If you have stage fright, it never goes away. But then I wonder: is the key to that magical performance because of the fear?~ Stevie Nicks Instead of trying to push your fear away when performing - embrace it as extra energy, there to help you do something extraordinary. Accept it is a normal reaction and instead visualize your performance going well.

• "Music is the space between the notes." ~ Claude Debussy The masters of good phrasing, like good martial artists, are those who pay as much attention to pause and silence (nonaction) as to action. Sometimes the most beautiful parts of the song are the pauses and breaks between lines. Don't be afraid to add these pauses for a dynamic effect for your performance.

• "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~ Erma Bombeck Realize that you were given the talent to sing for a reason and think about how you can cultivate and share that talent on a daily basis. Even if it is just singing to your child - there are always ways to use your talents!

• Mediocrity is self-inflicted; genius is self-bestowed.
  --Walter RussellThis is important to remember when trying to become a better singer. You are ultimately responsible for practicing, learning and becoming a "genius" in singing. Try to overcome mediocrity by going above and beyond what you think you can do. Stretch your limits and go far!!

• Some singers over-emphasize learning a vibrato and concentrate too much on this. A vibrato is a nice touch to a song, but is not required for an effective performance. The most important thing in performing is singing on pitch and getting comfortable with yourself while on stage.

• Pain is mother nature's way of talking to us. If you are experiencing pain in ANY way, take plenty of time to rest your voice, rehydrate with plenty of water and talk to an instructor about your technique. Lozenges will help only to numb your throat and may cause more damage if you sing on a strained voice.

• To make real progress with your singing, make a promise to yourself to practice everyday and to learn something new about singing EVERY day. Become fiercely dedicated to your hobby and it just may turn into a profession!

• A vocal warm up should be relaxing, fun and energizing. Often times, performers will not give themselves enough time to warm up, rush through their warm ups and end up more frazzled than before they started. Make sure to allow for plenty of relaxed warm up time.

• When trying to hit higher notes, many people try to "muscle" it or push their way into the note. Take a gentler approach and relax - open your mouth tall, not wide, and imagine your voice floating above your head.

  Vocal cool downs are often ignored and the value underrated. When you sing, more blood flows to the area and real damage can take place if you don't take time to cool down with simple, soft humming. For more on this subject - go here.

To get a GREAT visual of your vocal chords in action - check out these wonderful videos taken of people while singing: Click here!

"When we sing covers, we have a road map of interesting vocal effects already in place, from which we can pick and choose when we sing those songs (i.e., special inflections, certain words to stress, where to growl, where to deviate from the melody in subsequent choruses, etc.). But in composing our own melodies, they may appear "flat" to us--'cause we may be trying to sing them "straight".   Here's an exercise:  Imagine an already-established singer recording YOUR song.  Try to imagine how might s/he sing it?  Now...can you "mimic" those special tricks that vocalist might use to enhance your melody? Contributed by Diana Tyler - Love to Sing Member!

If you are not relaxed and comfortable with yourself personally and spiritually and mentally... it doesn't matter.  You must connect with what you are singing on a very deep level, it's not about remembering what you learned, it's about the moment." Contributed by Joshua Moyer - Love to Sing Member!

One of the biggest obstacles to singing well is nervousness and stagefright. A great way to help you come out of your shell is to do the following warm - up: Stand on one side of the room and say "HEY!!" nice and strong. Visualize the sound bouncing of the wall. Do this repeatedly until you feel some of the tension leave your body.

It's important to know what your vocal range is and work on extending it to improve your ability to sing more songs.