I know at least one of you watches the Daily Show because of the squirrel reference. Kevin asked what to do if you are having a bad night. One of the types of bad nights he describes feels like this: “You’re feeling disconnected — like you are just not able to… SQUIRREL!! … focus. Like […]
What makes your band sound good at a gig? Great vocals? The band playing nice and tight after some productive rehearsals? Good room acoustics? The biggest baddest subwoofer in the city? Crispy clear highs? The perfect guitar tone? Yeah yeah yeah, these things all contribute. But there’s one factor that will make or break you, […]
In last week’s newsletter, I asked what YOU would like me to write about. A songwriter/producer in LA observed that in the studio, most singers tend to have more technical accuracy but less feel, and wanted to know how to retain the emotion of a song in the studio. Good question. I […]
Which of these rules of the stage should NEVER be broken? Never turn your back to the audience Never apologize or recognize a mistake Never start a song over, or go back and fix any mistakes Never criticize or belittle the audience Never criticize or belittle yourself … … The main idea is to know […]
Have you auditioned for a band and failed to get in? Have you auditioned for a lot of bands, and still not gotten into one? Do you know why? Today I’m going to talk about how to increase your chances of getting into a band. … I’m going to start with a real example of […]
On the way to Saturday’s gig, my car suddenly stalled on the freeway. In the second-to-left lane. In what was already bumper-to-bumper downtown traffic, before my stall caused several miles of stopped traffic behind me. And… I had the mixing board and cables we were going to use! Even with a call to 911, the […]
Yesterday I worked with a student who sang a song with a chorus consisting of the same line repeated four times with the same melody. It sounded the same each time: a descending melody of “I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’ in love with you.” While she could sing it technically just fine, […]
Guitarists and bassists talk about the attack of a note – the amount of force and decisiveness with which a note is initiated. Yet again, vocalists can learn lessons from other instruments. Today’s tip is a simple one regarding the attack of your words. In general, don’t attack your words too hard. What does […]
First, train your voice. Second, forget the training. Then, repeat the cycle… again and again. Why? Because if all you do is focus on technique, you won’t ever connect with the art! If you’re thinking about how to place and shape your vowels, how to breathe, your intonation, or […]
Are you in a band just because you want to be in a band? Congratulations: Not everyone gets to be in a band! But beware: Being in just any band – or staying in longer than you should – is not always a good thing. There is always an opportunity cost. Every hour […]
