Practicing Riffs SLOWLY can be embarrassing. If you’re just starting off, your Riffs will be a far cry from the rabbit-like speed of Mariah or Stevie. Should you just give up then? No way! In the proverbial tradition of being a patient tortoise - going SLOW is the best way to succeed! Fast Riffing is all about "letting go." Yet, usually when we Riff too quickly, we tighten up and attempt to “hang on” to every little note. In order to let go, your body needs to understand the required coordination first. Going at a tortoise-like pace can help your mind and vocal cords understand what needs to happen. Try your Riffs at PAINFULLY slow speeds and then gradually increase that speed each day for a week. On the 7th day, let go! The control and precision will be there! Slow and steady wins the race!
One of the most common places that singers hold vocal tension is under the CHIN. The Digastrics, the Mylohyoids, and the Geniohyoids are the major muscles located there. The main purpose of these muscles is for swallowing. However, they can also tighten during singing. Try placing a finger beneath your chin as you practice. You should not feel this area get tight or bulky, particularly as you move to higher notes. If it does tighten, you can either massage the muscles or hold them gently. If you still have problems, try some jaw and tongue stretches to free up the tension. All of these muscles are connected to the Larynx, so it’s very important to make sure they remain free at all times. But, if you do struggle with tension beneath your chin, don’t get discouraged! Keep your CHIN up!
Are you starting to get ANNOYED at one passage, one phrase, or even one note that’s causing you trouble? Switch up your routine! If you’ve practiced that pesky passage a lot on its own, then try singing the song all the way through. Let it be imperfect for a little bit and have some fun. Even if it's unfinished, you can still perform it beautifully. If you still feel frustrated, take a few days off from it or take it out of your repertoire book for a while. Otherwise, you may end up stuck in a rut where you always associate a great song with feelings of frustration and defeat. Great songs can take time. Don’t let any song that you love become condemned as a source of unhappiness! It may still be a JOY one day soon!
How does the DISCIPLINE of practicing become the ART of performing? When preparing and rehearsing, it's all about "taking in." You must read, study, memorize, and shape every nuance of your material. You create the through-line and the journey of your character from start to finish. But, when it's time to perform, a fundamental CHANGE must take place. "Taking in" must turn into "letting go!". Before you walk on stage to perform, don’t think about all the beats you want to hit and moments you want to create. Don’t set your mind on what's going to happen (much of that is out of your control). Instead, tell yourself, "I've done the work. I have everything I need." Set your mind on trusting yourself and letting go. The moment you do this is the moment when your craft becomes your ART!
Want better Stage Presence? With your finger, point to where you are NOW. (Actually try it!) Good. Did you point down? Now, point to where you're GOING. Did you point forward? Last, point to where you've BEEN. It's behind you, right? As performers, we spend a lot of time talking about the space in front of us (aka ”the 4th wall”). And that makes sense. After all, that's the way we're facing! However, where our character has been is just as important as where they’re going. So, next time you practice, think of your character’s past, journey, and backstory. Be specific about the people, places, feelings, and circumstances that have brought you to this place. Paint the imagery of the "2nd wall" behind you just as clearly as you paint the 4th wall in front of you. Being PRESENT onstage is knowing just how far you've come and just how far you've got to go - and finding yourself squarely in the middle.
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!
One of the most important vocal skill-sets is Vowel CLARITY. It’s sometimes okay to change Vowels in singing. This is called “Vowel Modification”. However, our first goal must be to sing our vowels as accurately as possible before modifying them. For example, is your EE vowel as BRIGHT as it should be? Or is it slipping into something like an IH sound? Or, what about the OH vowel? Are you using your lips to form the vowel or is the tongue retracting backwards instead? The concept of Vowel Clarity has been around since the foundations of Vocal Technique and applies to all musical styles. If your vowels can all be sung accurately, then your voice is going to find a great balance of resonance, breath, registration, control, and CLARITY!
When you run into a vocal health problem - who do you consult? With such a variety of vocal professionals out there, knowing which one to turn to can be tricky. If the problem arises from improper technique, your singing teacher could be the solution. However, if an underlying medical issue is the culprit, you may need the services of an ENT Doctor or a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). SLPs can evaluate you, provide therapy to target the underlying issue, and restore your voice to optimal function. A Singing Voice Therapist is even more specialized, and provides singing voice rehab to vocal artists. If you have a vocal injury, bypassing voice therapy can have detrimental effects to your long-term vocal health. So, don’t be afraid to ask which professional is appropriate for you!
When seeking new song material for your Repertoire, don’t just search based on your musical and stylistic preferences. Instead, search also by what stands out to you LYRICALLY. Songs can be altered to suit many different styles in more ways than are initially obvious. If you find songs with lyrics that are meaningful, powerful, and personal to you, then your chances of eventually creating a magical performance increase exponentially. So, in selecting new songs, don’t just consider the SOUND - consider the special part of yourself that you would like to share with us!
LISTEN. Do you hear it? Music is all around you all the time! The car horns honking. The front door squeaking. The neighbor’s dog barking. The crunch of your lunch in your mouth. The cacophonic cadence of every conversation careening up and down. You don’t have to be practicing your singing to be practicing your LISTENING. Opening up your ears can be a truly spiritual and artistic experience. All the sounds that we hear are just vibrations of air. Yet, these vibrations have the power to make us think, feel, act, react, and love. Don’t limit your aural life to just your singing and music alone. Give thanks for the fact that each and every moment we can lift ourselves to Higher Vibrations. All we have to do is open up our ears and our hearts. The exact answers you’ve been praying for could be in the air right now! LISTEN.
FRUSTRATION is the enemy of good Riffing. Yet, how many times have you said this to yourself? "I can't Riff." OR "That run is too fast for me!" OR "My voice can't move like that!" If you have, then you've fallen victim to frustration! Most likely you’ve been listening to finished, polished, and PRACTICED Riffs. However, the artists you admire didn’t do their Riffs at full speed when they first tried. So, why should you? Riffs take patience, a listening ear, and a willingness to explore and have FUN. First, slow things down. Take delight in the experience of deciphering notes, accents, and pivot points. Take JOY in learning Riffs slowly and precisely. Only start adding speed when you've found that JOYful place! Frustration actually tightens the instrument and slows you down more. So, SMILE! And your Riffs will soon reward you with speed!
LISTEN. Do you hear it? Music is all around you all the time! The car horns honking. The front door squeaking. The neighbor’s dog barking. The crunch of your lunch in your mouth. The cacophonic cadence of every conversation careening up and down. You don’t have to be practicing your singing to be practicing your LISTENING. Opening up your ears can be a truly spiritual and artistic experience. All the sounds that we hear are just vibrations of air. Yet, these vibrations have the power to make us think, feel, act, react, and love. Don’t limit your aural life to just your singing and music alone. Give thanks for the fact that each and every moment we can lift ourselves to Higher Vibrations. All we have to do is open up our ears and our hearts. The exact answers you’ve been praying for could be in the air right now! LISTEN.
You might notice that Jazz singers often have a CONVERSATIONAL approach to their phrasing. This is a great starting point when learning to sing Jazz. Listen to the endless list of great Jazz artists (Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, etc.) and you’ll notice a "speech-like" tone accompanied by inflections, pauses, and emphases that are very specific to each singers’ conversational style. In Jazz, individuality, improvisation, and originality are favored over replicating every written note and rhythm. Learn the original music first as a road map. From there, you can begin to improvise notes and rhythms via your own conversational instincts. Ultimately, your improvisational choices should feel very similar to having a lively conversation on pitch!
Singing Country music is much more than just TWANGING things up with a southern accent! Country singers are some of the most versatile singers in today’s music industry. Some stylistic elements that can help you master your Country sound are the use of vocal fry, registrational agility (switching quickly between head/mix/chest), compression control (breathy/clean/raspy), scoops, riffs, falloffs, high mixed belting, straight tone, and vibrato. Country music is also very lyric-driven and often emotional and theatrical. So, be sure to really connect on a deep level to your songs. Then, you’ll be ready for “three chords and the truth”... and some mighty fine singin’...
Add some POP to your Vocal Technique in 3 easy steps! First, focus on keeping the root of your tongue slightly elevated in the back as if you’re saying the word “key”. This creates a smaller and brighter resonance space that Pop music uses. Second, examine whether your larynx position is high or low. A Pop sound typically requires a more raised larynx in comparison to a classical or traditional sound. Third, try varying the texture of your voice between breathy, clean, and tighter vocal fold Compressions. This is a very common stylistic element among most Pop singers. Incorporating these 3 technical adjustments will go a long way in making your sound POP!
These days Opera isn’t as popular as it once was, but it certainly ain’t over! While it’s a myth that classical training will make you skillful at singing other styles of music, don’t neglect at least SOME classical work in your technique practice. What does this mean? Learn to sing with lower larynx positions. Know how to sing every note with vibrato. Cultivate your Head Voice. Build the stamina for long legato phrases. Master your breath support and dynamic control. Experience how your voice can sing on pure vowels. Adding all of these elements to your technique practice will make you a better singer overall. You might even try out an Aria or Art Song for extra enrichment. Or, if you’re really inspired you might even buy a ticket to go and see an Opera! Chances are it will greatly expand your horizons.