Most of the students who come to us are interested only in singing popular music – which is often sadly limited to what they are exposed to on the radio and T.V. This is totally understandable. I remember starting voice lessons as a young teen and being very disappointed that my teacher had no idea…
Once you have learned the basic elements of good vocal production and have learned the basic components of improvisation, the best way to improve your library of potential style elements is imitation. Just as we learned to speak as babies by imitating single words, then phrases, eventually learning to creatively form our own sentences, we…
Effective practice involves reflection and self-analysis. Effective practice is consistent, focused practice. It is not a “warm-up”- it is deliberate, intentional, goal-driven hard work. Vocal practice should be a part of every day, at the same time every day if at all possible, with one day per week off for rest and recovery. This is…
Our self-talk, or the ways in which we talk to and think about ourselves, can have a huge impact on the success or failure of our careers and lives. As we go about our daily lives we are constantly interpreting each situation we find ourselves in and reacting to that situation either positively or negatively. …
TRICIA GREY, MM Onset can be defined as the manner in which a vocal tone is initiated. The initiation of vocal tone determines the quality of the sound, and thus is of primary importance to us as singers and teachers. I would like to discuss the various types of onset here, and to make…
Musical Theatre singing these days requires singers that are able to function well in a wide variety of vocal styles. Musical Theater, especially in the last few decades, has really expanded to include every style from Rock (Rent) to Classical (Phantom of the Opera) to everything in between. You have to be soulful to sing…
Carrie Underwood’s career got a jump-start with her appearance on American Idol and has never slowed down since. She just seems to get vocally better and better all the time. In a business that is known for “here today and gone tomorrow” careers, Carrie Underwood seems to be here to stay. One reason for this…
In all styles and genres of singing, one of the most sought after skills is more power. Many people think they sound pretty good singing along with their favorite star in the shower or in the car, but when they try to stand alone, they realize something is missing. That “something” is often the ability…
Many people think singing is a natural gift- either you have talent, or you don’t. I disagree with that point of view. I believe talent is something that needs to be developed with training and discipline. Many times in my teaching and performing career, I have seen supposedly less talented individuals leave the so-called gifted…
How to Become A Successful Singer by Establishing Priorities Tricia Grey, MM Fact: there are exactly 24 hours in every day. Fact: as human beings, we do need to sleep and eat and work or go to school (most of us) for some of those hours. So, sad-but-true fact: if you have chosen to become…
