We live in a day and age that can be very NOISY - with seemingly everyone unleashing a massive output of themselves onto a multitude of media platforms. It can often feel like being one small voice in a chaotic cacophony of creations. It's very easy to want to give up and say, "Why even bother?". YET! Through all the noise, the artists who are producing art from a place of pure Joy and Love always find a way to be heard. It's all about staying focussed on what unique message YOU have to share with the world. Even if your voice doesn’t seem to be heard at the moment - stay the course! Trust your own artistic vision rather than becoming distracted or frustrated by the fray. Honor our world with your gift. If you keep doing the right thing, the right people will hear you!
"Not all who wander are lost!" In fact, this is the key to finding your voice! Singing is less like walking down a straight road and more like WANDERING through a beautiful expansive park. We must wander around on many different paths - sometimes looping backward - sometimes going off in a totally unexpected direction - sometimes veering from the path and having to climb back on. The more you wander and get lost, the more you learn your way around. Your voice is not a destination at the end of some narrow path you force yourself to walk upon. You are already in the park. You just have to learn your way around more. Thinking this way will free you from rigid mindsets and will make your practicing a “walk in the park”.
Let the Larynx do its thing! Many times our bodies know what to do without us getting in the way. When we sing high notes our vocal folds usually need to do three things:
1. They need to STRETCH
2. They need to CONNECT
3. They need to BALANCE the breath pressure.
When these three things happen, the Larynx TILTS for high notes. The Larynx knows how to do this naturally, but we tend to interfere by raising the Larynx, squeezing the vocal cords, or pushing the breath. There are few things in life more glorious than an intelligent singer. However, sometimes our brains can get in the way of the amazing tasks that our bodies can do naturally. So, next time you go for those high notes: Let your larynx do its thing!
YODELING is not just for attracting sheep anymore! It’s also an important vocal skill that can assist with both style and technique. For style, the “yodel” is heard when a singer BREAKS from a connected register like Chest Voice to a disconnected register like Falsetto. This purposeful breaking is often used in pop, rock, R&B, country, and of course Yodeling! For technique, it is also quite helpful. Allowing the vocal folds to disconnect as pitches ascend trains them to have their greatest flexibility for higher notes. Quite often singers will squeeze and pinch for ascending notes. This can be fixed by alternating between a Yodel and a connected register like Mix Voice. So, whether you want better style, better technique, or just more fuzzy friends… try a YODEL today!
Looking to increase your Nasal Resonance? First, identify what it feels like to use Nasal Resonance. For many, vibrations are felt in the front of the face, around the nose, and under the eyes. This can be most easily felt while singing “MM”. Sing “MM” on ascending and descending pitches and experience these vibrations. Then, see if you can feel these same sensations while producing your vowels! Try singing “MM-AH”, slowly changing from the “MM” to the “AH” while continuing to keep the sensation towards the front of your face. You should be able to achieve this quite quickly and enjoy its benefits immediately. Increasing Nasal Resonance will greatly improve the quality and FLEXIBILITY of your voice!
When choosing new repertoire, one of the first steps is to determine the original KEY. These days, Transposition is easier than ever. So, singing your dream song may be entirely within your grasp! If you’re singing for fun or to enrich your Spirit, go ahead and modify the key to fit your vocal range. However, for auditions, be aware that many creative teams may insist on the original key. There are some audition situations where the key can be changed and others where it cannot. In general, audition songs should be fairly close to their original key. But, don’t forget to also experiment with songs that you love that are placed in keys that suit you well! After all, not every song in your repertoire needs to be for auditions. Some can be just for YOU!
How many DIFFERENT Vocal Registers did you use TODAY? Did you only sing in your Chest Voice? Or, maybe you were practicing songs and exercises in a light Falsetto or Head Voice. Maybe you’ve grown “obsessed” with the Mix coordinations. Be careful not to neglect the full spectrum of your Vocal Registration. Instead, spend some energy on the strong parts, the flexible parts, and the blended parts of your voice each day. One of them may be easier for you or may be more appropriate for the song you're working on at the moment. However, giving your voice a "full-body workout" is the best way to strengthen your overall sound, expand your range, and balance your tone! How many registers will you use TOMORROW?
“I’m so sorry, I haven’t had time to practice.” This is the bad news you may dread bearing to your Voice or Speech instructor. The ironic thing about voice, though, is that it’s an instrument you carry with you everywhere you go. Of course, it’s important to understand vocal technique (breath, phonation, resonance, and articulation). However, simply being mindful of your instrument will allow you to work on your voice all day everyday! Observe whether your breath is being taken deep in the body. Make sure that your vocal folds are closing in an efficient way. Let your voice be lilting, melodic, and varied and allow consonants like M, N, and NG to resonate. Stretch your jaw, tongue, neck, and ribcage and think about your alignment. Vocal practice isn’t just an extracurricular activity - it’s a LIFESTYLE!
A famous director, when staging a production of “Richard III”, gave each actor in the cast a note before each performance. The notes contained a word or short phrase that each actor was to meditate on for that night. Some examples were “Be Truthful”, “Listen and Respond”, or “Live and Breathe”. You can employ this same approach to your daily practice and performance life. What if your daily notes said things like: “Be Grateful”, “Be Joyful”, “Learn All You Can”, “Focus On Today”, or “Have Fun”. You can write anything that helps you address issues with your mindset or habits. "Write, Sing, Smile."
"Networking" or "Schmoozing" are key parts of building connections and contacts within the entertainment industry. These things often have a negative connotation because they seem to imply that you have ulterior motives. That is, that you are falsely cozying up to someone for your own benefit. But, it actually should never be that way! Instead, successful Networking can best be thought of as a sincere desire to connect with and help others. If you consider your relationships from that perspective, it can be a VERY fulfilling and effective experience. As Zig Ziglar often said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want".
Is your voice TRAPPED? It might be because your TRAPezius is getting tight. Your Trapezius is the muscle that connects the back of your neck to your shoulders. As a major neck muscle, the Trapezius can really interfere with the voice. Avoid lifting your shoulders when you inhale during singing. Also, make sure to not jut the neck and chin forward for higher notes. These habits create Trapezius tension. That said, the Trapezius can also become tight from many non-singing tasks in everyday life. So, try holding Trapezius down with firm pressure or giving it a solid massage while singing. This should not only feel great, but should reveal vocal freedom that has been TRAPPED by your Traps!
What makes a style a STYLE? This can be confusing when there are countless styles, sub-styles, and fusions of styles. A great listening exercise is to find a classic song that has been covered over many decades by many artists in many styles. Listen to at least 7 recordings of the song you choose. Compare the way various singers use their voices. Does each singer stick to the original melody? Are changes made to the phrasing, rhythm, or lyrics? What key is the song performed in? What larynx position is used? Which vocal registers are used? Does each singer use a wide range of dynamics? What about legato, staccato, or other musical devices? These questions can get you started on a path to really understanding the nuances of vocal style. Once you become aware of these nuances, you’ll find it surprisingly easy to add new tricks that help make your style YOUR style!
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!
Your body is a Wonderland… of RESONANCE! Try to feel your resonance as you sing with different components of your voice. Place your hands on your chest and feel the vibrations when you sing with a strong Chest Voice. Switch registers to Head Voice and place a hand on the back of your head. You'll likely feel some vibrations there as you move to the upper part of your voice. Next, place your fingers on the front of your nose and try an M, N, or NG. You should now feel the vibrations move to the nose and the front of your face. As a singer, it’s much more important to understand how your voice FEELS than how it sounds. Let US appreciate the beauty of your sound. You can just focus on your body. After all, it’s a Wonderland!
Selecting the right Musical Theatre audition songs can be DAUNTING. Where do you start? Well, first try choosing a few actors or actresses whose careers you admire. What roles have they performed? What songs have they sung in concerts? What concept albums have they recorded? There are a wealth of excellent and unique songs to find by using an established Musical Theatre star’s career as a starting point. For another easy place to start, check out the Internet Broadway Database (ibdb.com). It offers a comprehensive look at actors' and actress’ Broadway credits. With this resource, you’ll never run out of artists and shows to glean new song ideas from! Why not learn from the BEST?
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!
If a song isn't right for you, find out WHY. Many of us have songs in our books that we love to sing, but that teachers or casting directors say "just aren't right for you." When this happens, be sure to ask your listeners WHAT about the song makes them feel that way. Is the problem technical: the song highlights an uncomfortable part of your voice or doesn't allow you to show off your best vocal skills? Maybe it's emotional: the song may seem downtrodden when your natural energy is more buoyant. Or, perhaps the song has a worldliness that your innocence seems to work against. However true or false this feedback may feel to your personal instincts, it can help you learn a lot about yourself as a performer and guide you to material that absolutely IS right for you!
"This song sits right on my BREAK!" You may feel like you have only TWO options when a particular musical phrase lies at the top of your Chest Voice. One - you could PUSH through it. Or Two - you could LIGHTEN it up. Rarely will "push" be the answer. So, what happens if you let your voice lighten? The stress on your vocal folds diminishes, the volume lowers, and overall tension relents. Lightening up may not sound like you want initially. You'll probably even CRACK all the way to Head Voice many times in the process. However, if you consistently practice lightening as you sing higher, you'll eventually coordinate your voice and no longer fear the BREAK!
“How OFTEN should I practice my singing?” This is a very common question with a simple answer: “As much as you can while still feeling INSPIRED.” For some singers, practicing the ideal 6 days per week, one hour per day, may be manageable. For others, this is too ambitious - at least at first. It’s wise to SCHEDULE your practice on a calendar. Based on your life’s commitments, choose a REALISTIC starting goal. Try starting with something very manageable like - 4 days per week, 15 minutes per day. If this is easy to maintain for a couple weeks, then try increasing the days to 5 or the duration to 20 minutes, and so forth. Creating a practice plan that you can SUCCEED at is vital for your vocal success. Don’t be so hard on yourself that you end up not practicing at all. Start with what you can manage and build from there!