Being in the music industry, it is hard to ignore all of the talent that is out there. When a new show premiers on television, like The Voice, America Idol or America’s Got Talent, we can’t help but watch. But why are these shows so intriguing? The Voice We love The Voice because the name…
Skill One: Dynamics Crescendo means to get louder, and decrescendo/diminuendo means to get softer. We want to be able to do either of these without adding extrinsic interfering muscle. Increasing volume requires “just enough and not too much” increased air pressure and a corresponding increase in vocal fold tension. Decreasing volume involves a decrease in…
When we discuss breathing we must include posture. Without the correct posture for singing breath management is impossible. For optimal singing the chest must be high, the shoulders relaxed and back, and the body aligned. the head should be comfortably back (gently moving toward the back wall), the neck log, the knees slightly bent to…
Earlier this month, we shared some tips on singing authentically in every style. Here are some further words of advice on the subject: Diction and dialect also contribute to making the sound more authentic. Country Style Country singing is filled with dropped final consonants such as G; in country music you would say singin’ rather…
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…
Riffing, like any other musical skill, can be learned. Just like we learn to speak as babies by imitation, we can learn the scales that riffs and runs come from and then learn the language of riffs by memorizing and practicing some of the more common riffs. After awhile you realize that most of the…
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…
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…
What is stage fright and how can it be avoided? I believe that when a singer is at all insecure about whether or not their voice will work under pressure, they become anxious about exposing themselves to public scrutiny. Without a solid foundation of vocal technique, stepping into the limelight and risking possible humiliation if…
So, you’ve seen one of the many television shows such as American Idol, The Voice, or The X-Factor, and you have decided that singing is your passion. You would like to someday be on one of these shows, or perhaps touring the world with a band of your own. You go out one evening and…
