From rappers to auctioneers - We have all stood in AWE of those who possess the ability to speak quickly and clearly with prolific prowess. If we challenge ourselves via exercises (cue: TONGUE TWISTERS!), speaking in real life will seem easy in comparison! Start slowly, carefully, and deliberately to achieve the full integrity of each individual sound. Then gradually speed up until you can go five times as fast for each of these Twisters! - “Red leather, yellow leather." - "My cutlery cuts keenly and cleanly." - “Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets." - "You know New York,
You need New York,
You know you need unique New York." ... Word...
How many times have you started singing a song you love, only to discover you don't actually know the words? It's easy to listen to songs and enjoy the tune without really paying attention to the lyrics. Yet, lyrics are essential to a song's success. How do the song’s words communicate a story or a feeling? From a technical perspective, how do the consonants and vowels in each word establish style and texture? Do the breaths within the song change the meaning of the phrases and sentences? Lyrics give singers countless opportunities to communicate and express themselves. Your musicality, technique, and acting will all benefit from awareness of how the lyrics complement the music. So, next time you listen - or sing along - give the words the attention they deserve!
Time for your Larynx Anatomy Moment! Your Larynx is comprised of 3 primary Cartilages. The THYROID Cartilage is the front of your Larynx or the “SHIELD”. This protects your vocal folds, which attach to it. Next, is the CRICOID Cartilage at the base of your Larynx or the “RING”. This is the transition between your windpipe and your Larynx. Sitting on the back of the Cricoid are the two ARYTENOID Cartilages. These look like soup “LADLES” and are the back attachment points of the vocal folds. Their tremendous range of motion allow the folds to stretch, shorten, loosen, and tighten in several ways. These 3 little cartilages are a big reason that you can do all of your vocal gymnastics in a healthy, protected, and controlled way. This has been your Larynx Anatomy Moment!
Do you lose vocal presence when you sing QUIETLY? Messa Di Voce to the rescue! “Messa Di Voce” is a vocal skill in which a sustained note moves gradually from soft volumes to louder volumes and then back. Try it! Sing an AH vowel on any single note and then crescendo and decrescendo all during one breath. As you sustain the note, try to change nothing at all besides volume. Work to maintain consistent tone, color, registration, resonance, and energy! The alternation between louds and softs will help to bring presence to your voice, even during quiet singing. Mastery of Messa Di Voce is a very advanced vocal skill, but singers of all levels will benefit from practicing it. So, don’t lose presence! Messa with your Voce instead!
Where does STYLE come from? Think about the clothes that you wear. Do you wear them because you like them? Because you think others will? Or, perhaps because you've seen others that you like wearing them? Your unique vocal style will be similar. It’s a combination of personal instincts of what sounds good and feels good coupled with the celebration of outside influences. Don't worry too much about "copying." Your interpretation will never be an exact replica of another singer. Instead, think about achieving sounds that feel good to you within those inspirations. And remember, your style can EVOLVE. Just like what you wear - you can always make subtle or large changes to your approach to suit every occasion!
Are you having difficulty developing a free Vibrato? There are a few factors that might be contributing to this. Using too much breath to force the sound out might slow the rate of the Vibrato down. Having too much compression or squeezing the vocal folds too tightly also might slow the Vibrato or potentially even stop it all together. Lastly, any larynx, neck, and jaw tension can contribute to the vocal folds not being able to make the quick and free pitch changes that Vibrato requires. Focus on keeping your breath controlled, your vocal folds gently compressed, and your larynx and related muscles free of tension. If you do, you might be amazed at the movin’ and shakin’ you can accomplish!
"Know Thyself." It’s not just good advice for life, but it’s also the best way to take care of your vocal HEALTH. Voice teachers and vocal doctors are very knowledgeable and can help you learn a great deal about your voice. At the end of the day, though, the only person who truly knows how your voice is doing is YOU. Pay attention to how you feel when you're singing at your best. Notice what feels different when you are tired, under the weather, or when you have done too much vocally. Keep track of activities that make you feel better or worse. The more you actively monitor your vocal health, the better you will be at keeping your voice in tip-top shape and also at knowing when to seek assistance. “Know Thy Voice!”
Imagine a person who embodies CONFIDENCE and AUTHORITY. How do you envision this person standing? Most likely, they are standing up straight with an elevated sternum, relaxed shoulders, and a long back of the neck. How do we achieve this ideal alignment? One great strategy is to imagine the top of the head "gently suspended from the ceiling by a silken thread." This image helps good posture to not feel "postured", but to feel SUSPENSORY instead. Any time you're feeling insecure, making this physical and mental adjustment is one of the most effective ways to communicate self-assurance nonverbally. This will promote positive feedback from others and cause you to embody this persona naturally over time!
“Don’t SLOUCH!”. “Stand up straight!”. "Sing with good posture!". These phrases echo in our ears if we've ever had training as singers. And for good reason! SLOUCHING thrusts the jaw and head forward which adds tension to the neck, larynx, and surrounding muscles. Slouching also limits your breathing by preventing the ribcage from expanding fully. Plus, Slouching makes us look sad, unconfident, and defeated. Thankfully, out of the many vocal habits that exist, Slouching is probably the easiest one to fix. You just have to be willing to stand up for yourself! Or, in other words, you must become SLOUCHLESS!
Many singers are seeking to break into the Music Industry. And obviously, the competition is very stiff. Yet, SONGWRITING can save the day! While it’s indeed possible to set oneself apart on vocal chops and performance skills alone - it’s MUCH easier to break into the industry if you can write a great song. Plus, singing your own songs gives you a larger degree of control over how your artistry is seen and heard. If you aren’t yet a Songwriter, don’t fret. Now is the time to start writing down lyrics or poetry when you feel inspired. Now is the time to start learning the piano or guitar that you’ve been meaning to learn. Now is the time to think of your artistry as something entirely your OWN. By taking these steps toward Songwriting, you'll begin to feel a new sense of EMPOWERMENT over your career's future!
They say that you can't sing your best sitting down... or CAN YOU? As a singer, you will sometimes be asked to perform in positions (like sitting) that can be less than ideal for making your best sounds. Good news! Good singing posture can be achieved within almost any position! When you are in a less than ideal physical situation, search for opportunities to lengthen your neck and spine. Find chances to breathe deeply and freely in the abdomen and rib cage. Whenever possible, loosen as much muscle tension as you can while still performing the movement authentically. Whether sitting, standing, lying, or dancing, you'll prove that you can sing your best no matter what position you find yourself in!
Do you have EXPECTATIONS about what your voice should sound like or what it should be able to do? It’s very easy to focus on our end goals and then get discouraged when we don’t sound like our expectations. While setting long-term goals is very important to vocal success, you’ll move a lot faster if you live in THIS vocal moment. Establish a vocal journey where each step of your process is as valuable to you as your final product. Set small achievable goals and focus on these much more than your final goals. Take time to celebrate your successes and appreciate the progress you’ve already made. Give thanks for the voice you have TODAY. Because, no matter where you go on your journey - there will never be another voice like it!
VOCAL REGISTRATION! Is this a "fancy vocal term" or a concept that's unfamiliar to you? It doesn’t have to be! Vocal Registers are merely shifts in the function of the vocal cords, the vocal muscles, and the resonance of the sound as you move across your range. Each Vocal Register will FEEL a bit different to you. Pay attention while you do your vocal exercises. What sensations do you notice as you move through registers like Vocal Fry, Chest Voice, Mixed Voice, Head Voice, Falsetto, and even Whistle? Identifying and remembering your registers PHYSICALLY will help you to blend them seamlessly and also incorporate them into your songs. CONGRATS! You’ve just become a better singer AND you know another fancy vocal term!
Need an exercise to practice consistently to help with your AGILITY? Then start with STACCATO! Staccato patterns can improve your Agility and have you Riffing faster than you can say “AGILERIFFS”! On any vowel, sing a 1-1-2-2-3-3-2-2-1-1 pattern - all Staccato. Make sure there's plenty of space between each note so that the notes don’t bleed together. Start slowly and consistently. Find a light, yet crisp PULSE in the pattern. Move the entire pattern up and down by half-steps to practice across your whole range. Once you feel you have a handle on the slower tempo, increase it little by little. To maximize your precision, be sure to not engage your neck muscles or move your larynx between the notes. This simple, but effective vocal exercise will get those vocal folds movin' and groovin'!
When you listen to a singer, do you listen? Or, do you REALLY listen? Critical listening is an invaluable skill for a growing singer. You can learn so much about stylistic nuances, performance choices, and vocal technique by listening very intelligently to what a singer is doing each and every moment. Which notes are breathy and which are compressed? When do they Belt or use Head Voice, Mix, or Chest Voice? Does the singer ever use Vocal Fry or other textures? What is the dramatic intention or acting choice? What about vibrato or straight tone? Next time you listen to your favorite singer: start... stop... replay... then replay again and again. It’s one thing to be a fan. It’s another thing to be an artist. Artists REALLY listen.
The Larynx is an extraordinary structure capable of making nearly an infinite amount of sounds! Yet sometimes we find it necessary to use other parts of our body to make sound instead of letting the Larynx do its job. We force too much air out, we tense our neck muscles, we raise our shoulders, we jut our jaws, we raise our eyebrows…the list goes on! Allow your Larynx to do the work it was meant to do! Take note of your body as you sing. Are you recruiting extraneous muscles to do the job of the Larynx? During your next practice, try your exercises or songs using as little movement of extraneous muscles as you can. Once the Larynx proves it can do all the work it was designed to do, then stylistic elements can be added. But, as for your vocal technique, you'll have found the right one for the job!
To really feel like a SERIOUS voice student, try taking a popsicle stick and placing it against the back of your tongue. Do you feel your tongue pushing back? If so, that's a sure sign of unneeded tension. It's vital to achieve a calm state of "nothingness" with the tongue. The best way to tame it is NOT by insisting that it "Relax! Relax!". The best way is to TEACH it how to do... "nothing." Once you get the back of your tongue to settle down, try saying "AH". Do you feel it push against the stick now? Once you get an "AH" without your tongue pushing back, try to wean yourself away from the stick. This principle will not just eliminate tongue tension, but will also apply to your body and voice overall. Instead of trying to suppress tension by thinking "STOP BEING TENSE!" - just work on being mindful enough to actually do... NOTHING!
From fry to falsetto, fantastic singers at the forefront of their vocal style employ a multitude of vocal tricks to excite their fans. But, the one stylistic element that is always present, regardless of style, is the use of TENSION and RELEASE. You hear it when a singer breaks their voice, or quickly releases the tension of chest voice into head voice. You hear it when a singer increases the compression in one word, only to release it on the next word. You hear it when a verse is relatively soft when compared to the more intense chorus. You even hear it on an emotional and dramatic level between song lyrics and phrases. The Tension/Release concept is present in every aspect of really great performances, both technical and emotional. So, don’t be tense about style! Just use tension and release to free up all kinds of new possibilities!
Studies have shown that breathing through the NOSE has many benefits - it FILTERS bacteria from the air, ASSISTS with good circulation, SLOWS the breathing rate, and IMPROVES overall lung volume. In addition, inhalations through the nose before vocalizing usually encourage Nasal Resonance to be maintained throughout the sung phrase. The only downside to Nasal Breathing is that sometimes the breaths are too slow for inhales during songs that contain quick phrases. In these instances, a DUAL nose and mouth breath is optimal. So, go ahead and take a nice, clean, and smooth breath in through the nose before you sing... whenever you've got the time!
Your EARS don’t just sit atop your head! They are incredibly sophisticated! Your ears perceive an astounding amount of vocal variation. Just think of the many different VOWELS you can distinguish. There are over a dozen vowel sounds in the English language alone, and we speak our native languages without even thinking! Use this innate auditory knowledge to help your singing. Having trouble with a hard note or word in a song? Maybe you're DISTORTING the vowel. Try modifying your tongue, jaw, and mouth to make it resonate a little more purely. Or, find a vowel that your voice likes best. Sing on that preferred vowel first and then let it transition to any vowels that give you trouble. Your ears won't just sit there - they will guide the way to greater clarity and vocal freedom!
They say that you can't sing your best sitting down... or CAN YOU? As a singer, you will sometimes be asked to perform in positions (like sitting) that can be less than ideal for making your best sounds. Good news! Good singing posture can be achieved within almost any position! When you are in a less than ideal physical situation, search for opportunities to lengthen your neck and spine. Find chances to breathe deeply and freely in the abdomen and rib cage. Whenever possible, loosen as much muscle tension as you can while still performing the movement authentically. Whether sitting, standing, lying, or dancing, you'll prove that you can sing your best no matter what position you find yourself in!
A True Artist is someone who never asks when they are going to be “DONE”. Or, when they are going to “MAKE IT”. Or, when they are going to be a “GREAT SINGER”. A True Artist is instead a LIFELONG LEARNER. Someone who isn’t seeking an ending point, but rather seeking the endless Joy that comes from learning about their body, craft, and soul. Even the most elite artists continue to take voice lessons, listen to new music, and develop their craft. Being a lifelong learner doesn't mean that you'll never be "good enough" or that you shouldn't set goals! It just means that your True Goal should be much bigger than any ONE goal. Let this take the pressure off of you so that you can develop an Artistry that fulfills and satisfies you... for LIFE!
When you're learning a song you've heard other artists sing before, challenge yourself to make NEW choices! First, try stripping the song down to its bare elements. Take away as much Style as you can and sing it through plainly a couple times. Then, as you add Style back into the song, consider how the stylistic choices feel in your voice. Why do you think the original artist made their choices? Is there a choice that feels better for you? Challenge yourself to try something different. Even if you end up sticking with many of the original artist's choices, your performance will be stronger once you're conscious, engaged, and intentional in every musical moment!
The voice is a SUPER-instrument! Think about the sound an upright bass makes when it plays. How would you imitate it? Maybe “doom doom” or “bum bum”? Now think about a trumpet. What does it sound like? Maybe “bah bah” or “brap brap”? But a bass never sounds like “bah bah,” and a trumpet never sounds like “doom doom.” No matter what note these instruments play, they always have the same timbre. The voice, on the other hand, can sound like every instrument, even ones that don’t exist. Every part of your instrument - your throat, mouth, nose, tongue, teeth, larynx, etc. - combines to make an infinite array of tones and sounds. So, experiment with the many sounds you can make while enjoying the fact that your voice is the most versatile instrument of all!
Do you ever feel like it’s TOO LATE to learn something new? Put that thought away! Certainly some things are easier to learn at certain times, like when we’re very young or in particular life circumstances. But, it’s ALWAYS the right time to keep learning! As an artist, your craft continues to evolve as long as you use it. And, you can forever make progress on developing your voice (both your physical voice and your artistic voice) and discovering new things about it. The same way that our relationships with other people develop and grow over time, so does your relationship with your art. So, cherish, protect, and honor the lifelong relationship with the voice you've been given. It’s NEVER too late to become a better and happier artist!
Have you practiced FORGIVENESS in your vocal life? It can be a very powerful tool. Have you forgiven the people who said that they didn’t like your voice or that you shouldn’t sing? Or, perhaps you need to forgive a teacher, school, or university that "wasted" years of your vocal life. What about a casting director or industry person who stomped on your dreams? You might even need to forgive yourself for a particular audition or performance that didn’t go how you planned. Or, maybe it’s time to forgive yourself for not being a perfect singer. Practicing Forgiveness in your vocal life will lead you to experiencing a whole new level of vocal freedom - a freedom that transcends the notes.
GENERALITIES are commonly thought to be an actor’s worst curse. But, this problem plagues singers as well. Great actors learn to play “actions” and “objectives” instead of broad and general emotions. Actors often score their scripts, writing their objectives in the margins next to each of their lines. Music and singing heighten emotions even further which can cause performances to become generic. So, try the same trick for each line of your song! Instead of writing "happy" or "depressed", try active verbs with each line: "to celebrate", "to chastise", "to boast". Then, think about how you would accomplish each action vocally. This will give you much more SPECIFICITY and detail in both your acting and your singing!