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 […]
Last week, I took my first waterski set of the season. (Yeah, late start!) I started at a really easy speed because it’s been seven years since I competed, and I haven’t been training much. I completed two beautiful, easy passes through the course at that speed. So I increased to the next speed and […]
Last weekend I spent with Rene Marie, jazz singer, at a workshop she ran for a few women looking to access more emotion in their singing. Many pearls of wisdom came out during the 17 hours we all spent together, but here’s just one I’d like to share today: A single song can help you […]
Everyone gets nervous during auditions, right? They’re like job interviews! You’re trying to do, be, act, and play your best, trying to make a great impression. You hope they accept you. You hope you’re good enough to meet their standards. You want to sing or play better than the other people who have auditioned, so […]
Bear with me on this one! It’s really simple and helpful, even though it may sound silly. Have you found that you just can’t “get” how you’re supposed to breathe for singing? You’ve read about “diaphragm this” and “floating ribs” that, but it just doesn’t feel right unless you fill your chest and raise your […]
What are consonants, but a necessary evil between vowels? I mean really, what kind of sounds do you think you should spend most of your time singing? Option 1: fff, sss, ssh, puh, kuh, guh, lll, vvv, zzz, ck, sst…. orOption 2: ah, eh, ee, oh, oo, uh, ih Yeah. You’re really singing […]
You know the feeling of meeting someone new, and feeling almost comfortable with her, but not quite? You can’t put your finger on it. She’s polite, friendly, even talkative. She tells entertaining stories. She offers you a drink, and makes you laugh. But something isn’t quite right. Nothing you can pick out and hold up […]
