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  Top 10 Things a Vocalist must do and know in order to succeed! 1) Hydrate! - Drink at least a half gallon a day. Many vocalists drink up to 2 gallons, depending on excercise and daily routine. 2) Warm-up EVERY time you get ready to sing. This includes humming, vocalises or scales, physical warmups - such as stretches and minor cardiovascular workouts, tongue stretches, motor sounds and jaw release techniques. 3) Learn your anatomy - know what your diaghpragm, vocal cords, and the muscles surrounding those areas look like. We have pictures in our archives here in Love to Sing. 4) Relax - learn deep breathing, stretching, and various techniques to get you focused and relaxed. 5) Sing everyday - even if if is just for a few minutes. Never let your instrument get out of practice. 6) Know your limits - don't sing so much that you will be hoarse the next day. Don't mistreat your voice: talking too loud, screaming, being in smoky enviornments, etc. 7) Pick songs that challenge you - there is no use in rehearsing a song that you can sing in your sleep. Pick one that stretches your range a bit and gives you some goals to work towards. 8) Buy and start learning another instrument - such as guitar or keyboard. You may or may not become proficient in it, but it will help you understand music a bit better and you may end up writing a song with that instrument. 9) Don't be a snob - Listen to all kinds of vocal styles: opera, jazz, blues, hard rock - just to get an appreciation for what they do. You may be surprised at what you end up liking. 10) Get help - if you feel you are at a standstill in your progress - seek a teacher that will help guide you and your voice to the next level.

  RESONANCE Take your tongue and rub it along the roof of the mouth until you feel it start to get soft and mushy. That is the soft palate. The soft palate when raised can help your voice sound more full and rich (this is called resonance). To practice this - open your mouth and say "aah" and notice the back of your throat. Keep the mouth open and start a yawn. Feel the soft palate rise and then immediately say "aah". You will notice the sound is fuller and has more of an echo effect. Practice with any note in your range afterwards. TRUST YOURSELF "When I'm trusting and being myself... everything in my life reflects this by falling into place easily, often miraculously" ~ Shakti Gawain "You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it." ~ Barbra Streisand ~ ~ ~ ~ Singing is about trusting yourself and the sounds that come out of your mouth. It is about knowing that a planned note will hit - the duration of the note will last, etc.... It is often helpful to remind yourself to trust your intuition and allow the notes to come out on their own. Trust yourself - you know more about music than you think. Enjoy and keep singing!! Relaxing the back of the throat When trying for a difficult note - try to intentionally relax the back of the throat, near where the tongue and the pharynx meet (pictured below) Eating as a Singer Be careful as to what kinds of food you eat the day before and the day of your performance. Stay away from sugary foods like candies and pastries and also other phlegm producing foods like milk and cheese. Phlegm can weigh down the larynx and the vocal cords - contributing to going flat and just making it harder to get sound out. The best way to combat phlegm is water. Lots of it. You can't drink enough. This will thin out your phlegm and keep the vocal cords juicy and ready to sing. Be in the Moment “The point of power is always in the present moment.” ~ Louis L. Haye Be conscious of the beginning and ending of every note. Many new students will start the note correctly but be focusing on other things - instead of concentrating on the entire note. The overall quality of your voice will improve by the amount of relaxed focus you give every note. While being in the moment - ask yourself - is this note to be sung loud or soft? With an emphasis? Vibrato or straight tone? With attitude? etc... Every part of the note is important! Quote for Today: " She did not consciously think, "Ah, today I learned this and that; I gained this much." You do not do it step by step that way, by adding on coatings of varnish, or new paint. When learning becomes you, then it appears as you need it, when you are being you. Sometimes true learning surprises you when it emerges."  (Chungliang Al Huang) FRUSTRATION As we all know, learning something new - especially new ways in how to use our voice can be frustrating. Once we learn a new technique, there seems to be 10 more techniques to learn on top of that. Try to counteract that frustration by keeping these things in mind: All singers had to start at the beginning regardless of age or education. Even advanced singers have their "off" days or performances. Keep trying! There is so much to be said for perseverence Stop comparing yourself to other singers. You are your unique voice and sound - no one else sounds like you! Many times, after points of frustration - great moments follow. Hang on for those moments. Try to enjoy the learning process - remember that the defeatist attitude gets you nowhere. Remember life has no problems - only opportunities. Accept the challenge of singing better and love every minute of it! Recording your Rehearsals Did you know that sound traveling away from you sounds different than sound traveling toward you? That is one reason it is so important to record your rehearsals and play them back as much as you can. The vibrations that come from the cave that is your body sound very different coming from a speaker than coming from your ears. Take time on the playback to listen to parts you want to keep and parts that need more work. Make note of it in your journal and re-record as soon as you can, paying special attention to the parts you wanted to change. HITTING HIGH NOTES by lowering the Larynx Take your fingers and lay them on the front of your throat. Now swallow. Did you feel your "adams apple" rising and falling? That is your larynx and although it is your friend when swallowing, it can be your enemy when trying to hit a high note, as it can close off your air passageway if you allow it to rise too high. Here is a picture of the larynx to help you visualize: Now practice consciously lowering that larynx into what I call "the pocket" which is the shallow indentation of your neck. Try talking at a low pitch with it in the pocket, then a normal pitch, and then a high pitch, all the while keeping the larynx in the pocket. The muscles that surround the larynx can be trained to be lowered automatically - freeing up your voice and thus your sound. Before you hit a high note - consciouly lower the larynx and you will find that it comes out smoother and easier. Have fun with it and keep practicing! Mentoring Over the next few days, we will be quoting some very memorable singers. Take time to read each quote and see how that singer's advice could pertain to your performance: Stevie Wonder: "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there. " "You can't base your life on other people's expectations. " "If you don't ask, you don't get. "    “I was never afraid to put this out. That was never the issue -- ever. I wanted it to sound contemporary but still be me. It was just a matter of getting it right.”    “it is a different kind of lyric; it's very picturesque. I can see everything that I'm writing, I can visualize all those things happening.”    “You've got too many formats — adult contemporary, adult alternative, soft rock, neo-soul — come on! ... I'm hoping I will fit in all the marketplaces and not be limited to one place in music. “You should definitely choose this as a profession."   Whitney Houston: Being around people like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack. . . had a great impact on me as a singer, as a performer, as a musician. “Growing around [great musicians], you just can't help it. I identified with it immediately. It was something that was so natural to me that when I started singing, it was almost like speaking.” “God gave me a voice to sing with, and when you have that, what other gimmick is there?” "God knows I work hard and put my best into it." "I was the primary mover of my career. I told my people to give me a plan and I'd follow And it worked. I traveled and smiled, and it worked. " "When I decided to be a singer, my mother warned me I'd be alone a lot. Basically we all are. Loneliness comes with life." "When I heard Aretha, I could feel her emotional delivery so clearly. It came from down deep within. That's what I wanted to do. "       Reba McEntire: "For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness" "Be different, stand out, and work your butt off.” "Growing up is not being so dead-set on making everybody happy.” “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.” Preserving the Voice Singers often face a double-challenge when their day jobs involve alot of talking: teaching, bartending, sales, telemarketing, etc.. So it is very important to preserve the voice so that nodules do not develop and your singing voice stays in top shape. This comes from the Voice and Swallowing Institute in NYC: "Good vocal management for performers includes: Reducing the quantity of singing; more use of instrumental arrangements, featuring other members of the group. Using monitor speakers facing the stage. Marking rehearsals when feeling vocally fatigued. Discussing your vocal needs with the sound technician. Avoiding use of chest voice at high pitch levels, in general. Resting the voice on performance days. Resting the voice between sets or scenes. Arranging the music to suit your voice; change keys if necessary. Pacing your practicing. Warming up the voice. (See our suggestions for Vocal Warm Ups PDF) Studying with a singing teacher. SINGING WITH SOUL "Run your fingers through my soul. For once, just once, feel exactly what I feel, believe what I believe, perceive as I perceive, look, experience, examine, and for once; just once, understand.” ~ SarahOhotto Alot of you have written wanting to know the techniques required to sing soul music. Before going into a long-drawn out explanation of techniques that may or may not work - It is important to understand the word "soul". Singing soul music is about revealing inner emotions and passing those thoughts and feelings to your audience. If you are unconsciously suppressing those emotions, or haven't gotten in touch with them - how can you be the messenger to your audience? Learning to sing with soul requires introspection on your own life and BRAVE willingness to allow others to hear your most inner-most thoughts - with your voice.   Using the Right Muscles Take your fingers and genly lay them on the front of your throat - directly under your chin. Now swallow. What did you feel? Those muscles that moved in and down are called the diagrastic muscles and without them you would be unable to swallow. Unfortunately - they are also the muscles that untrained singers like to use when trying to hit higher notes in the throat and head registers. This technique produces a very forced sound and it can also cause the voice to wear out fairly quickly. If, on the other hand, the singer attempts to sing completely in head voice when he should be singing in the mix, the sound will be too light. So - to counteract this - the singer needs to consciously become aware when he/she uses these muscles and redirect their attention to the diaphragm and muscles in the ribs and back. Awareness and practice is the key to solving the dilemma of using the wrong muscles in the throat. “Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.” ~ Katherine Mansfield Singing in front of other people requires risk. You will be risking alot of things - tripping on the way up or off the stage, singing an off-key note, forgetting the words, etc... But, let's think what you are risking by NOT TRYING. Risking loss of self-esteem, not reaching your full-potential, not setting the best example for your children..the list goes on. If you are really wanting to learn to sing (or any other instrument) realize that the eventual goal will probably include doing something that may seem risky at the time. Face that truth and sing your song. The next step won't seem so scary. "Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose." ~ Bo Bennett Learning how to use the diaphragm correctly is so important in singing and sometimes one of the hardest things to do. A good visualization that will help you start using it is the "parachute" visualization. Imagine a parachute as it opens and fill with air. This is your diaphragm as you inhale. As you exhale - imagine the parachute as it deflates, but make sure to keep your rib cage expanded for support. Practice this throughout the day - whenever you are in your car, at your computer etc. and you will start to notice that breathing from the diaphragm is much easier! "Always dream and shoot higher than you know how to. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." ~ William Faulkner Becoming a musician is sometimes a painful process of realizing your strengths and weaknesses. The truly successful musicians got that way by trying to top THEIR personal best, not by trying to be better than someone else. If you find yourself comparing yourself to others and saying things like, "I could never be that good" or "It would be impossible to be that successful" - stop yourself! Break out of YOUR comfort zone and shoot a little higher than YOU ever have. YOU will see some amazing results. "Making magical music is more than merely reducing your mistakes" ~Charlie Hedges Many people think that if they just sing every note perfect: the right pitch, length of time, etc that they will have a "star" quality sound. This just isn't always the case. Some of the best performers make mistakes - alot of them. But what they do best, and why people line up to see them - is the ability to communicate an emotion or feeling. Go into yourself. Look for the reasons you sing. Those are probably the same reasons people listen. You can make mistakes and still make magical music! “The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves” ~ Helen Keller With competitions like American Idol and such, many people have now assumed singing is about judging the singer - when the truth is: Singing is about giving unselfishly. It is about the vocalist giving as much as they possibly can to the audience and and the audience giving back with praise and positive energy. When you are singing - forget about critique, forget about the fool who has his arms crossed or isn't listening. Focus on the ones that ARE listening and give everything you have to them unselfishly - you may be amazed at the results. Schedule "So much of our time is spent in preparation, so much in routine, and so much in retrospect, that the amount of each person's genius is confined to a very few hours." Ralph Waldo Emerson It is important to establish a routine for yourself in the morning that is most beneficial as a singer. This includes hydration, stretching, warm-ups and may include practice. An example of a morning routine might be: 1) Wake up - drink 1 tall glass of water 2) Hot shower - let steam accumulate before you get in to help hydrate your vocal cords 3) Stretch - 10 minutes of yoga stretches to energize and revitalize the the neck and chest 4) Warm-ups - 10 minutes of scales and arpeggios 5) Go to work This is just an example. Come up with a working schedule for yourself that you can comfortably do every day. Remember - becoming a singer, is much like training for a major sport, and the more preperation you do, the better you will be.   Tongue Tension   "Music is like a huge release of tension." James Taylor Tension in singing is inevitable, but tension in the tongue, cheeks and jaw can seriously alter your sound. Some good warmups to help release this tension: FOR THE TONGUE - roll the tongue, rub it on the roof of your mouth, make motor sounds on a scale, and do the Lion - a yoga move that has you stick your tongue out, reaching towards the chin, while opening the jaw wide, and opening eyes wide at the same time. FOR THE CHEEKS AND JAW: raise the chin to the ceiling, while it is up - say "yaw, yaw, yaw" very slow. Also practice facial massage on a daily basis, massaging the muscles that connect the jaws. We will discuss more warmups in future tips.   "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." ~Herm Albright It sounds so cliche - but in singing, a positive attitude is EVERYTHING. Be an ever watchdog of your thoughts both conscious and not - so conscious. What are you telling yourself while you sing? Thinking patterns like "This is awful." "I sound terrible", "Why am I doing this?" will not only stop you in your tracks while pursuing singing, but probably are ruining other parts of your life. Change these thoughts and be kind to yourself. Try affirmative statements like:"I may not be perfect, but I am trying", "Hey that note sounded good", "This is fun!" Get so good at being positive that you will annoy yourself into becoming a better singer! ;) Conquering Fear through Education Watch any skilled singer and it seems like they do what they do effortlessly. It seems so natural, as if they have been singing since they were a baby. But what you don’t see is all the subtle baby steps that were taken over a period of years to reach that level of proficiency. One reason people can be genuinely confident instead of fearful in front of a camera or up on a stage is that they took the time to learn exactly what to do. Education conquers fear. You can't be afraid to do what you KNOW how to do. Remember how scary it was when you first began to drive? Now you are probably eating, talking on the phone and weaving in and out of traffic like a pro NASCAR driver.... Approach singing the same way - and learn in small pieces, repeating the process over and over. As your knowledge grows, your fear will start to dissolve and singing will come more easily. COURAGE Singing takes courage. It takes the ability to act when often times everything in us tells us to stay put. This week we will examine some ways to build and strengthen your courage so you will be able to perform your best. We will start with the following quote: “Start doing the things you think should be done, and start being what you think society should become. Do you believe in free speech? Then speak freely. Do you love the truth? Then tell it. Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely" ~ Adam Michnik Taking Your Time "Slow down you're doing fine You can't be everything you want to be Before your time.” ~ Billy Joel Many singers want things to happen fast in their career - start a band, record an album, be on the radio, win a few Grammy's etc... These are not impossible goals, but it is important to monitor your progress and know when it is time to slow down and refine your singing and your expectations. What does singing success mean to you? Does it mean learning to sing in public without feeling nauseous? Is it learning to write a lullaby for your child? Is it learning how to hit that note that has given you trouble for years? Everyone's goals are different - be prepared to have yours change according to your life's situations. Be prepared to slow down, so you will be ready to move fast when the time is right. The All Important Breath “Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh When you inhale pay close attention to your ribs. What do they do? You will feel them expand with your breath and collapse as you exhale with the help of the intercostal muscles. When singing try and keep the ribs expanded during the exhalation, and do not let them or your chest collapse. This will give your voice extra support from underneath, so you don't have to rely on your throat muscles as much. This is a balancing act though, as you may feel your shoulders and neck muscles tense while doing this. Try and keep them as relaxed as possible and the main point of tension should be in the diaphragm. Good Posture - A Singing Requirement "O great creator of being grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives." ~ Jim Morrison Good singing posture is a balancing act of keeping shoulders, neck, chest high without adding more muscular tension. The ribs act to support the lungs and help you take a big beautiful breath to deliver a powerful sound. The muscles that allow the ribs to move are called the intercostal muscles. See the diagram below that shows the inhalation process: While you are singing, focus on these muscles and get familiar with feeling them move. We will talk more about breathing and posture in the next few days. "Let us not misunderstand what courage really is. The absence of fear is the courage of the mad. Doing what is right in the presense of fear, is the courage of the noble. " -Philippos Some Helpful Hints on Stage Fright Stage fright is a natural and normal phenomenon that needs to be understood by the vocalist and can be used to HELP rather than hinder their performance. Think of the fright as extra energy needed to perform a not so normal task (like Superman lifting the car ;) and embrace it. When overwhelmed by stage fright do the following to help you stay focused: 1) Recognize it and welcome it - Say something like "Oh there's my good friend - Mr. stage fright".. 2) Focus on the breath - follow it from the nose to the diaphragm. Letting it gently calm you. 3) Remind yourself why you are there - think of the song at hand and what message you are sending to the listeners. 4) Congratulate yourself - you are doing something that many cannot or will not do. That in and of itself speaks volumes! Setting Goals to Achieve Real Results Goal setting is essential to success in singing and in life. Over the next few days, we will look at some great advice from Hilton Johnston on learning how to set and keep goals: 1) Project Yourself Into The Future--- The late, great Earl Nightingale created a whole new industry (self-improvement) after a 20-year study on what made people successful. The bottom-line result of his research was simply, "We Become What We Think About." Whatever thoughts dominate our minds most of the time are what we become. That's why goal setting is so critical in achieving success because it keeps us focused on what's really important to us. He then said that the easiest way to reach our goals is to pretend that we had ALREADY achieved our goals. That is, begin to walk, talk and act as though we are already experiencing the success we seek. Then, those things will come to us naturally through the power of the subconscious mind. Write Down The 10 Things You Want This Year By making a list of the things that are important to you, you begin to create images in your mind. It's been said that your mind will actually create chaos if necessary to make images become a reality. Because of this, the list of ten things will probably result in you achieving at least eight of them within the year. Ask Yourself Good Questions As you think about your goals, instead of WISHING for them to come true, ask yourself HOW and WHAT CAN YOU DO to make them come true. The subconscious mind will respond to your questions far greater than just making statements or making wishes. Focus On One Project At A Time One of the greatest mistakes people make in setting goals is trying to work on too many things at one time. There is tremendous power in giving laser beam focused attention to just one idea, one project or one objective at a time.   Write Out An "Ideal Scenario" Pretend that you are a newspaper reporter that has just finished an interview about the outstanding success that you've achieved and the article is now in the newspaper. How would it read? What would be the headline? Write the article yourself, projecting yourself into the future as though it had already happened. Describe the activities of your daily routine now that are very successful. Don't forget the headline. (Example: "Jane Doe Wins Top Network Marketing Award Of The Decade.") Pray & Meditate As you get into bed each evening, think about your goal before you drop off to sleep. Get a very clear colorful image in your mind of seeing yourself doing the things you'll be doing after you've reached your major goal. (Remember to include your values.) And then begin to ask and demand for these things through meditation and prayer. Helping A Nasally Voice "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. "~ B.B King If you ever have been told that you have a nasally voice or feel that your voice could have a stronger sound - try raising the soft palate: To locate the soft palate, run your tongue along the roof of your mouth. You will feel it become soft near the back - this is the soft palate. To help you raise it - pretend like you are going to you yawn, without actually yawning. Stop and feel how the palate is raised. This posture will help you when trying to create a rich sound and get the nasal sounds to come down and resonate more in your mouth.

   

• The high note is not the only thing." ~ Placido Domingo

  A few more helpful hints on how to not sing from your throat and project from your diaphragm instead:

  1) As you exhale, your stomach should not go out, but rather pull in.

  2) Lay down and put a book on your stomach. As you inhale, the book should rise and lower as you exhale.

  3) To reach higher notes, do not try to "reach" them by pulling your chin up or looking up with your eyes. Keep your chin level and eyes focused straight ahead.

  4) Another good way to reach higher notes, is to imagine a rubber band pulling down from directly below your ribs towards your belly button as you sing the note.

  William Shakespeare:
  "If music be the food of love; play on."

  Many singers have no problem singing in tune, but their voice is weak, breathy, or too soft. Some excercises to help you project your voice:

  1) Relax your throat - think tall, wide and relaxed. Your power does not come from your throat; comes from every muscle beneath it, especially your diaphragm.

  2) To locate the diaphragm - Pant like a dog, pretend like you are blowing air through a straw, say "HA!" loudly - feel the muscle in your abdomen that is used

  3) Another technique that will help you project your voice is to imagine that your voice is landing into the ears of every single person in the room.

  There will be more tips on projecting in the next few days!

  Sometimes...you would feel this presence together with the audience and the band..where there was a whole wave of five or ten thousand people coming at you; you felt that you and the audience were actually one." ~ Ringo Starr

  When you sing for an audience, it should be as if you are inviting them into your home. Invite them into your living room and make them a special guest.

  Treat each audience and each person as something precious. You may have sang the song 100 times, but this is the first time they are hearing it, or perhaps someone faithfully comes to every show to hear that one song.

  Not everyone in the audience may accept your invitation, and some may even be disrespectful of it. Do not return the disrespect, but play for those that are actually listening and want to hear more.

  Play pure and from the heart and it will naturally create an atmosphere where you and the audience are one.

  Many potential singers come to me and say "How do I start?", my answer is always the same - "Just begin!" It is easy to put off our dreams for one excuse for another. Don't let yourself be one of those people that said "If only...." Here are a few quotes to motivate you JUST BEGIN and keep going:

  Drive thy business, or it will drive thee.
  Benjamin Franklin

  Ideas without action are worthless.
  Harvey Mackay

  You can’t build a reputation on what you're going to do.
  Henry Ford

  As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.
  Andrew Carnegie

  The great end of life is not knowledge but action.
  Thomas H. Huxley

  Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.
  Wayne Dyer

  "You have to persist, and out of the sheer frustration of what you've been doing, you just come out the other side. Of course, when you get to the other side, you find there's an even bigger hill to climb than the last one." ~ Allan Holdsworth

  The first rule of mastery is this: Those who think themselves masters are not masters.

  Even though I teach, and have learned a great deal about singing, I try to learn something new about it EVERY day because I know the process of learning never ends.

  In your learning process, there will be many moments of frustration. The key is to push through until those moments become effortless.

  Then keep going to find the next moment of frustration - and keep pushing right through that one.

  Even the greatest singers in the world have not learned all there is to know. You have not given all there is to give. You have not learned all there is to know. Keep going.

  “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself" ~ Anna Quindlen

  Many students, regardless of experience have this strange habit...

  They will sing an entire song beautifully and perhaps make one or two slight errors and then look at me with a look of shame and self-disgust and say things like, "man that was bad" or "I don't know what I'm doing".

  It is as if they didn't hear all of the beautiful notes they had just sung, and instead focused only on the ones that needed work.

  While it is important to have a healthy dose of self-criticism, it is just as important to take note of when you do something right and allow yourself to feel the glow that comes from doing it right.

  There will ALWAYS be better singers than you, and you will ALWAYS have things you can work on. Give up perfection, and instead dive into the process of learning, and you will enjoy singing and yourself that much more.

  “The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her.” ~ Marcelene Cox

  If you are starting to shop for a live microphone for your performances, pay attention to the following things:

  • Detail
  • Clarity
  • "Rejection", which is the ability in a microphone to not capture the sound coming from the sides.
  • Look for a "cardioid" or "hypercardioid" which means that besides rejecting sound from the sides, the microphone will be a lot less sensitive when the subject is not in close proximity. This means that a type of mic will capture a clear and present sound only when you're really close to it, which helps a lot in reducing feedback. Avoid any other type, especially any "omnidirectional" mics.
  • Also, most mics with an "on-off" switch are usually lower quality and the switch might start introducing unwanted noise after some use.

  Of course, price plays a part in your decision, but you will find that the better models do cost a bit more, but are worth it. Thank you Rodolfo for the great info!

  "When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied." ~ Herophilus

  Do not underestimate the power of a healthy body AND mind and its effect on your singing voice.I have seen many good singers turn into GREAT singers when they changed their daily habits.

  Some ideas to help you get on the road to wellness so your voice can be at its very best:

  • Examine the types of liquids you consume. Try to only drink clean water and decaffenaited teas and fresh juices as much as possible. Hydration keeps your cords juicy!!

  • Stretch daily! Tension in the body creates tension in the voice.

  • Eat fresh fruit and vegetables daily. The more alive your food - the more alive you are!

  • Try different types of excercise to keep it fun: yoga, pilates, swimming, biking, belly dancing, martial arts, etc..

  • Relax your mind - listen to classical or soothing music, breathe deep, EVERY day. A confused and chaotic mind will produce a weak sounding voice.

  If you have a routine that helps keep you healthy both mentally and physically - congratulations! Keep to it!

  "The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen."~ Duke Ellington

  In order to achieve greatness in your singing, learn and practice the art of jamming, which is improvising with other players in the moment.

  A good tip for learning to jam, is to let let go of your ego and sing for the betterment of the group - trying to achieve higher and higher levels of harmony.

  Jamming is a fine balance of listening to what is being played and deciding when to jump in and take the lead. When following, sing a line that compliments the entire song, and this might mean singing less than the full extent of your ability and letting others shine.

  Just as selfish attitudes are contagious, so are generous ones. If you sing generously, anyone who is listening will feel it!

  "The important thing is not so much
  that every child should be taught,
  as that every child should be given the wish to learn." ~ John Lubbock

  Many people contact me from out of state, wondering how to start looking for an instructor and what to look for.

  Here are a few helpful hints to get you on your way:

  1. Can the teacher provide references?
  2. Does the instructor offer a free consultation to let you see if you are a right match?
  3. Does this instructor have real experience in the field you are trying to pursue?
  4. After the first few lessons, has the instructor given you real feedback that you can use right away?
  5. Is the teacher realistic in his/her goals with you? Have they made you unreasonable promises?
  6. Most importantly - does the instructor make learning enjoyable for you?

  Good luck in your quest in finding the right instructor!

  "It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. " ~ Claude M. Bristol

  Affirmations are words of positivity that you can keep with you in a journal or on note cards that you can look at regularly.

  The purpose of affirmations is to re-train the brain's habitual way of negative thinking and make a true change in the way you look at yourself and your abilities.

  Because singing is largely a mental thing - affirmations like the following may help you gain self-esteem, self-acceptance and help you in your performance:

  • I know what I love to do and I do it.

  • I choose my higher path from moment to momentI know my value. I honor my worth..

  • I let my creativity flow freely through me and out to the world.

  • Look for other affirmations online or create your own!

  "Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them." ~Alan Watts

  So many performers get on stage and they are only concerned about whether they will do well or not, instead of noticing and paying close attention to the audience.

  Before you get on stage, scope out the people who came to see you. Look to see who is there and pay attention to them - the entire performance.

  Take note as to what draws them in, what turns them off...what overall mood are they in? How does your performance affect that mood? What songs get the greatest applause?

  Use this information to change and improve your next performance, so that you will not only be looking at your audience when you sing to them, but reaching them as well.

  "It is a process of diverting one's scattered forces into one powerful channel." ~ James Allen.

  With the wealth of information on the Internet and wide assortment of books and magazines, we can get overwhelmed with all there is to know about the music industry.

  Fight the short attention span and you will achieve a sense of peace to handle the next step and the one after that.

  A good way to do this is a very simple excercise.Sit silently and slowly count from one to ten in your mind. If anything disrupts this, a stray thought, etc. start over from one.

  Try this excercise the next time you lose focus. If you can count past one, you will not be lacking in concentration. If you can make it to ten, you will have a powerful force of attention to handle all of your choices.

  “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” ~ Vince Lombardi

  Today we see many people jumping from job to job, relationship to relationship, starting projects and never finishing, because they can not commit to anything.

  One of the key ways we lose focus and lose our commitments is by looking around and comparing ourselves to others and their achievements.

  Do not look longingly at others paths to success, rather focus with undivided attention on your own and your commitment to your craft will stay strong.

  "..Music is not a competitive thing. I don't want to deal with someone who's in competition with me, I want to work together and make music." ~ Eddie Van Halen

  When it is healthy, competition serves a purpose. By comparing our talents to someone else's, we can see how far we can go, our similarities, and where we need to improve.

  But many times, a competitive attitude creates disharmony and can make other players feel insecure. Often times, feeling as if they have to prove themselves.

  As singers, we must develop an attitude of humility and actively guard against jealousy or smugness.

  If we see great playing or singing taking place - we should praise it wholeheartedly and use it as future inspiration, not as a reason for discouragement.

  "Every time you get angry, you poison your own system." ~ Alfred Monapert

  We try very hard to learn a certain technique, expand our range, hold a note, etc and while attempting this - we make mistakes and then we get mad. At ourselves.

  This anger can be dealt with in a healthy way that leads to more learning, or can be a person's worst enemy and lead to giving up entirely.

  When you realize you are getting angry at yourself - take a break. Go outside, get a drink, stretch, call a friend. Make it a short break and then go back immediately to the spot giving you problems. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you feel more comfortable with it.

  When you are done - congratulate yourself in recognizing that your anger was starting to poison your practice.

  “Imperfect preparation gives rise to the thousand-fold forms that express physical and mental inferiority and insecurity.” ~ Alfred Adler

  When you are getting ready for a performance - whether it be for your church, school, karaoke, or for a crowd of hundreds, the process of preparing is the same.

  It is important to know the first thing you are going to say when you get on stage. A little humor never hurts, or even have someone introduce you to help get the performance started right.

  Prepare your performance beforehands and know the way it supposed to flow from beginning to end. Preperation will keep those feelings of inferiority and insecurity at bay.

  "A lot of people approach risk as if it's the enemy when it's really fortune's accomplice." ~ Sting

  Many people, when first beginning their singing careers have a hard time knowing what the next steps are, in terms of growing as a musician and performing.

  Often, when presented with a chance to perform or learn something new - it feels uncomfortable, they back away, or put it off so they don't have to feel that way anymore.

  That is when real opportunities for learning and expanding as a musician pass them by.

  Don't let this happen to you. If there is a chance in front of you to perform, to learn, to expand - take it. It will be your next step to success and the step afterwards won't be so hard to make.

  “I love songs about horses, railroads, land, Judgment Day, family, hard times, whiskey, courtship, marriage, adultery, separation, murder, war, prison, rambling, damnation, home, salvation, death, pride, humor, piety, rebellion, patriotism, larceny, determination, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak and love. And Mother. And God.” ~ Johnny Cash

  When you get up to sing, you are telling a story - every song is a different one.

  Think about what that story is about before you begin to sing. This will help you with your stage fright, as you are taking the focus off of you and back, more importantly on the song.

  If you are a songwriter, start thinking about subjects you haven't written about and dive into these forgotten territories.

  Tell a story while you sing - and others will want to hear it again and again.

  "An action done with beauty and purity, and in complete harmony of body, mind and soul, is art." ~ from Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health

  In the next few days, we will be discussing various yoga postures that help to open up the ribcage, expand the lungs and bring energy to the areas that need it, in order to sing at your best. (Click on each photo for instructions - note these postures come from santosha.com)

  One Legged Pose

  

  Eagle Pose

  

  Shoulder Stand

  

   

  THE COBRA

  

  CAMEL POSE

  

  TREE POSE

  

  "The most vigilant self-criticism of course is necessary, but the time comes when the artist must tell himself he is good or he will go under." - Gerald Moor

  Many students come to me with an eagerness to learn, but also come with a preconcieved idea that every mistake should be followed with "I'm sorry".

  This has been engrained into our minds while growing up, that when you make ANY mistake - you must immediately apologize.

  This leads to constant self-criticism and very little self-acceptance, making learning a difficult and labourous thing.

  If you tend to over-criticize yourself, step back and write down all the things you have done to improve and be happy and proud of that.

  Remind yourself of this everytime you want to say "I'm sorry"...for truly the only mistake would be not trying at all.

  "Take it easy, but take it." ~ Woody Guthrie

  Some singers simply try to hard to please. They push themselves on the listeners, without allowing the audience the space needed to come to them.

  Other singers go "over the top" with excess in dramatics and emotion and don't know how to pace themselves throughout a performance.

  A sure sign of trying to hard is singing too loud. No doubt, some notes are meant to be sung loud and sound the best at a higher volume. Many singers equate volume with passion or intensity, but don't understand that passion can also be achieved by drawing back or relaxing.

  Practice pacing yourself throughout a performance - giving to the crowd when they need it and drawing back to conserve your own energy. Take it, but take it easy.

  I don't care who likes it or buys it. Because if you use that criterion, Mozart would have never written Don Giovanni, Charlie Parker would never have played anything but swing music. There comes a point at which you have to stand up and say, this is what I have to do." ~ Branford Marsalis

  Conviction. It is one of the key differences between an amateur and a professional.

  A professional sings because he/she has to - not because they want to impress, not because they want to inflate their ego - but because it is what they have inside of them that gets them on stage.

  We all must find that one thing in life to stand for - and if music is it - make it your conviction. Sing from the inside out and that is when you will find your true singing voice and your true power.

  "I like to play with people who can play simple and are not threatened by other musicians thinking they can't play. And that eliminates 99 percent of the musicians." ~Neil Young

  At many points throughout your singing career, you will experience moments of self-doubt.

  You may hear others singing wonderfully and ask yourself if you will ever be able to do the same.

  No doubt, you will be able to, but it is important to know that what you are meant to play and what you want to play may or not be the same thing.

  If you are experiencing self-doubt, find peace within yourself and sing what you can that sounds good to your ear. Do not be overly concerned if what you are singing pleases others.

  Look at the way children sing, belting out notes with careless abandon, fearless and joyful. Find that beginners mind in your practice and self-doubt will begin to melt away.

  "Most people are prisoners, thinking only about the future or living in the past. They are not in the present, and the present is where everything begins.” ~ Carlos Santana

  If your mind starts to wander while you are singing - thinking thoughts like - "this sucks", or "I wonder what they think of me", or even worse "I can't do this"...you are not in the present moment.

  To truly be in the present moment means that you will think of nothing else than the message of the song and delivering it.

  You are so focused on the song that a tree could fall in front of you and you would keep singing. The present is where the magic takes place.

  Q. How do vocal cords work?

  As a singer, it is very important that you understand your vocal anatomy or what parts of the body help create a sound.

  Probably the most important are the vocal cords.

  Your vocal cords are 2 very delicate muscles that work as a reed - vibrating and allowing air through to create a sound. See the diagram below.

  Please note: the term vocal cords is occasionally mis-spelled 'vocal chords', possibly due to the musical connotations.

  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?

  Good preventive practices include:

  • 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. How are nodules treated?

  The treatment of vocal nodules usually includes voice (or speech) therapy. This is best performed for at least 6months in twice-weekly 30 minute sessions.

  Why is surgical removal alone usually not recommended?

  It is important to understand that unless the causes of the vocal cord nodules are eliminated, the vocal cord nodules will most likely return no matter how often they are surgically removed. Surgery is not advisable for children with vocal cord nodules. (with rare exception)

  What is the purpose of voice therapy?

  The purpose of voice therapy is to reduce the vocal abuse or eliminate vocal misuse. It helps eliminate the causes of the nodules and teaches the child more efficient use of his/her voice.

  What is involved with voice therapy?

  The first step is to identify how a person uses his/her voice. They must then be aware of these habits in order that they may be eliminated. It may be necessary to establish a new set of rules regarding the way in which they use their voice, and can include the following:

   

   

   

  Limit screaming, yelling, shouting, and long periods of singing

  Replace throat clearing and dry coughing with hard swallowing and drinks of water (increase in fluid intake in general is helpful)

  Limit trying to talk over loud noises

  Rest the voice after loud periods occur

  Q. What is the diaphragm and how do I use it?
  • The diaphragm is the muscle wall between the chest and the abdomen that the body uses for breathing.

  • Before you sing, breathe in, lock your diaphragm tight like a drum all round the body (=tight-waisted). 

  • As you sing the diaphragm is gradually relaxed, releasing a cool column of air into the throat to give energy to the voice.  Support the diaphragm by tightening tummy and buttock muscles: breathe in with tummy muscles relaxed, then as you sing and feel need for support, bring the muscles in and squeeze the buttock muscles to gradually squeeze under the diaphragm to support 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!