How many decisions do you make in a day which directly affect how you present yourself to the world? "What should I wear?" "How should I do my hair?" Your personal style says a lot about how you hope people will perceive you. But what about how you use your SPEAKING voice? Are you a loud or soft speaker? Do you construct long sentences or use fewer words? How often do you gesticulate and how big are your gestures? Is your face very animated when you talk or is it more calm? Communication style is as important as appearance when making an impression. So, whether it's a big audition, a job interview, a date, or a friendly outing - be aware of how your voice affects your presence. To know YOU is to know your voice!
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!
What do you do when it’s time to sing your awesomest HIGH NOTES? Do you close your eyes? Do you stare straight ahead like a deer in the headlights? Do you have a ZOMBIE-like out-of-body experience? It’s important that in performance we drop any EYE habits that we may have developed during practice. When we listen and focus too hard, our eyes freeze up and we lose our stage presence. For the audience, this is like watching a singer take a BREAK. Momentarily, the singer is thinking about something else that the audience is not a part of. The performance only continues after the high and difficult part of the song is over. When a High Note is approaching, stay connected to your audience and your message. Don’t place your High Notes in the back of your mind. Place them in the hearts and SOULS of your listeners.
Got a FROG in your throat? Well, maybe it’s actually your TONGUE! If your voice sounds froggy, swallowed, or choked, then the root of your tongue might be the root of your problem. Make sure your tongue root isn’t pressing down and back. This often gives a false feeling of strength and security, but it comes at a cost. Tongue retraction puts pressure on the larynx and blocks your most free and natural resonances. That’s exactly why it sounds like a frog and not like you. If you struggle with these habits, try vocal exercises with your tongue fully extended on a “HAA” sound. Observe whether it wants to pull back. Try to keep it from doing so as notes change. You'll notice an immediate improvement. So... HOP to it!
Everyone knows that certain songs are unfailing crowd-pleasers. You sing one line and the whole room joins you. It’s helpful to have songs like this in your repertoire to pull out on a whim. However, don’t limit yourself to crowd favorites! It’s ideal to be able to perform not only sure-fire hits, but lesser known melodies as well. When you sing a piece that's unfamiliar to the listener, they won’t be distracted by wanting to join in and can focus their attention on the singing itself! Your audiences will become even more interested in your performances simply due to the VARIETY of your repertoire alone. You may also introduce them to a new artist or style of music in the process. This is a crowd-pleaser in itself!
Musical Theatre has some of the most emotionally electric songs that are immensely rewarding to perform and hear! - Cue the tears and the teeth gnashing! - Those songs are wonderful for the stage with lights, costumes, orchestra, and context. However, they don’t make the greatest audition songs. As fun as they are, when taken out of context they can read as unintentionally comical or simply deflated. In an audition, you don’t have the time to establish the necessary imaginary world for the adjudicators to appreciate your tour de force. So save the intense, emotional songs for your bedroom, car, or – hopefully - the actual stage! Focus on finding sincere songs that elevate you as a performer, instead of songs that are nearly impossible to live up to under harsh audition room lights.
The music industry is a JUNGLE! You must find your own noble path through the jungle one step at a time. Luckily, there are some common steps that have helped other artists find their way. Step 1 - Gather some great original songs or covers and record a demo. Step 2 - Make your music available in places like Soundcloud, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and Social Media. Step 3 - Submit your music for performances at festivals, competitions, or live shows. Step 4 - Advertise your music by inviting friends, artists, engineers, producers, and agents to hear your music. Step by step you will find your own untrodden path through the music industry jungle! One day others that you’ve inspired may very well want to follow in your footsteps!
Give your Larynx a BREAK! The Larynx’s primary function is as a safety valve. It’s designed to protect the lungs from being invaded by food, drink, and foreign objects. It also seals off the airway to assist with the act of heavy lifting and other physical tasks. During singing, it’s vital that we override these anatomical functions. If we don't, the Larynx and vocal folds become too gripped and squeezed for healthy singing. Instead, we must allow air to flow through the Larynx at a small and steady rate. This allows the vocal folds to vibrate freely and make sound. Trying to sing without this steady airflow is the equivalent of driving a car with the BRAKE on! While braking is a natural function, it’s time to let a little air through. Give your Larynx a BREAK!