What Can A Free Jaw Do? Artist Video Examples

To get the best tone, control and vocal freedom, the jaw tightness needs to be conquered and the jaw loosed. You don't have to go overboard, just loosen your jaw so that it can move all around in a slight chewing motion and open wide easily at the back of the molars with no tension clamping it together. Doing this helps you keeping the river of sound flowing and not pinched. Pinch-- and you lose vocal control and tone; it's that simple.

To illustrate what I'm talking about, take a look at the following artists' video performances. This works in any contemporary genre, whether you're a rock, country, r&b, gospel, jazz singer... whatever. Free the jaw and free the voice.

• Jennifer Nettles singing "Baby Girl"

• Whitney Houston singing "One Of Those Days"

• Andrea Bocelli singing "Melodramma"

• Jason Mraz singing "I'm Yours"

•  Faith Hill singing "When The Lights Go Down"

• Bono singing "Vertigo"

• Christina Aguilera singing "Hurt"

...and here's one where you can't see her, because she passed away years ago without a video... but you can HEAR her loose jaw allow this incredible vocal performance on the Sting classic...

• Eva Cassidy singing "Fields Of Gold"

Now...There are "boucou's" of examples of the loose jaw at work in great singers' voices. I didn't look too long, so I know you must have other examples. Please chime in and add to the list.
Thanks!

Singing While Seated: 5 Things You Need To Do

Got a great question in this morning about singing while you are seated. This is the reality when doing certain singer/songwriter rounds, parts of performances where for looks you want to change from standing to sitting for a song, or when you are physically incapacitated from back, leg or other pain and can't stand without it hurting you, and when your recording equipment configuration requires sitting. Yes, you can do this... but if you want to sing with good breath support and control, and also keep your throat open, you need to do the following:

1. Don't slump in your chair.
Sit on the front edge of the seat with one foot more forward to balance you securely as you sit tall. When you "go" for something, press your rump into the seat, and your forward foot into the ground. This should allow your spine to stretch freely and flexibly.

2. Make sure your upper back stays stretched and flexible.
Don't let the curve of your spine slump, and don't freeze in place, either.

3.. Be sure your head is balanced over your tailbone, chin down and floating.
It's "smooch de morte" (kiss of death) if you let your face drift forward while singing. If you do move forward, do it from your hips, not your shoulders.

4. Use your eyes.
"Talk" with your face just as expressively as you would standing.

5. Use your hands.
"Talk" with your hands. If you are holding a mic, make sure you do that correctly. (Another post soon about that.) Those of you who read this blog or are my "Power, Path & Performance" vocal students know that I caution against letting arms become "rib anchors".

Try these things and let me know how you do... your comments always welcome!

Singing High Notes: 3 Quick Fixes To Make Them Easy

Straining and squeaking on high notes is a common malady for singers. Here are a couple of tips to rescue you from high note frustration. They not only can make your high notes doable... but also sound better:

1. Stand tall with flexible upper spine
...instead of crunched, shoulders up, neck tight, upper spine stiff.
This will help you control your breath instead of pound it against your cords.

2. Move your head slightly back, chin level.
...This will open your throat channel.

3. Drop and move your jaw.
...Try a slight chewing motion as you hit and hold the note.
This can cause a huge difference because it allows the soft palate to lift.

Squeaking is for mouses. (Mice?) Let me know how this works for you.

11 Things You Don't Think Your Voice Can Do (It Can!)

I have the most wonderful job. I get to hear miracles take place with people's voices. These breakthroughs happen because of the team of teacher and student.  It takes both, as any good teacher knows. Just this week a happy Power, Path & Performance vocal student told me she wished everyone knew what was possible. So I told her I'd do a blogpost on it.

Here are 13 of the many surprising things your voice could do:

1. You can learn to sing without vocal strain. This blows some people away to realize.

2. You can learn to sing on pitch. Most of the time it's not even your ear that's the problem, but if it is, it's amazing what a little pitch practice can do.

3. You have more vocal range than you imagine. You can sing higher in chest voice, without strain, when you learn to use mixed or middle voice to do it. You can also sing lower than you think. You enable low notes just like you do high notes... by stretching, not crunching.

4. Your voice is capable of richer, more interesting tone than you think is natural to you. You find your full resonance by learning to open your 'voice cave' so that the vibrations from your larynx can reach all your resonators.

5. You can learn new vocal licks, and learn to use them appropriately to reach the heart of your audience instead of sounding fake. There are tricks good vocal teachers know to help you.

6. Even if you have breathing issues, you can have enough breath to sing. It doesn't take much when you do it right.You can sing long notes without running out of breath. The answer is to balance breath support and control.

7. Your voice can get better with age. As long as your physical health is good, you can find even more resonance and ability, not less, as you get older.

8. You can learn to sing in the studio with the magic you get in live performance. You can also learn to sing live as well as you record, if you are a veteran session singer. Performance coaches can do wonders!

9. You have all the voice you need to deliver a message in any style except classical, if you just know how to "play your instrument". (Don't you know a singer whose technique is lacking but whose voice moves you?)

10. You can sing "ee" and "oo" vowels (and all other ones, too) on high pitches without getting tight. You learn to modify the vowels more openly and vertically and no more squeaky highs!

10. You can get a handle on numbness and stage anxiety when you learn the psychological and body language secrets of making your performance about your audience, not you.

11. You can learn to speak more effectively...without vocal fatigue or strain. The lack of strain in the speaking voice can be life-changing for public speakers and teachers, but benefits your singing voice as well.

12. You can mend frustrating vocal breaks. I used to have the worst "break" I'd ever heard of. I conquered it and now I know how to help others do the same.

13. You can afford to train your voice. Even one Power, Path and Performance vocal lesson can help you. You can get PPP training materials online and have a vocal lesson every day if you want!

So... I'd like to hear from you. What do you think your voice can't do?

Pop Style Trick: Suspend Vocal Technique Momentarily

Some of the most amazing AND emotionally powerful contemporary vocalists out there have something in their bag of tricks you'd never guess could come from a trained singer. This pro trick is an illusion... the singer temporarily suspends and deliberately drops "vocal technique" out of their performance, giving the sense of quite casual and intimate conversation.

Like most illusions and abstract art, this trick can be poorly or expertly performed. And also like an magician or painter, the real genius is in the mastery of their control... in this case, vocal control. Again: It takes great vocal control to suspend support with complete control of how much and when... and when to bring support and power back in.

Check out this example of de-constructing technique from Cassandra Kubinski, an artist I consider an expert in the technique. Notice that you can still understand her even when she "unsupports".
Here's another video, this time a co-write with me.  singing "Still Breathing".

This is a great way to deliver lyrics with authentic emotion, and not just "sing". I consider it an important skill to master for many contemporary styles of singing.

What about you... do you do this? Do you do it deliberately?

Recording Final Vocals Soon? Read This First

I just listened to a rock singer who purchased my 6  CD PPP vocal training package. I thought I would pass along the assessment I emailed him to any of you who are going in to the studio soon. I include some links blogposts I've written that you might want to take the time to study... they make great supplimental reading to the training cds:

• Your posture is “off”, at least for recording. Here are some blogposts I’ve done that can get you thinking: Why Studio Singing Is Hard For Guitar Players ;Getting Live Performance Magic In Recording Studio   

• You  don’t have enough breath support or breath control for your voice. The tension in your head may come from tight muscles at the occipital bone/ neck/ shoulders. Pay attention to your PPP training there. Here’s some blogposts to supplement your cds Breathing For Voice: Counterintuitive Tips , Breath For Long Notes , 3 Parts To Singing Breath

• Your jaw is tight, tightening your soft palate. Listen to what I say about your jaw. Here’s a blogpost on it, too Tight Tongue: What It Can To To Voice You are needing more vocal control. More supplementary blogposts Vocal Control For Studio Singing ; Pitch Problems In Recording Studio

• You need to know how to put your thinking in the booth in perspective, so here’s one more: Keep Critic Out Of Vocal Booth

These and other "All Things Vocal" blogposts will get you thinking, then Power, Path and Performance vocal training cds should spell it out and give you specific exercises to help. I would also recommend at least one phone lesson with me before you go into final vocals. If you want to schedule one, let me know. My fees at present are $100 an hour for the first lesson, $75 for subsequent ones. 

Something else you might consider is my vocal production services. Check them out on my Judy Rodman Productions website.

Stay warm in this icy weather and watch the roads... remember, if in doubt, don't go out!

Why Singing On Mic is Hard For Opera Singers

I just got a great question about classically trained singers having trouble using mics. 

I am a classical/operatic soprano who is starting to do live radio and studio work. I also play guitar to accompany myself on some original songs. My vocals are fabulous when I'm at home practicing, but when I find myself in front of a mic, holding a mic, or singing and playing guitar at the same time in the studio, my vocals suffer. Is it just nerves? Does it just take some getting used to? After all the years I've studied how to project without amplification, how do I become a great recording artist? - Maria Kate Fleming

This will be a longer post, folks. To answer this question, you need three things:

1. A psychological paradigm shift ... focusing on a different vocal goal.
2. More speech-like articulation ... of consonants and vowels
3. Use of your hands ... to help with breath control.

1. Make the psychological paradigm shift:

As good actors know, there is a huge difference between acting for the theater stage and acting for the camera. Theater stage acoustics require a lot more volume in the natural voice and bigger body language gestures to communicate to the people in the chairs. If you tried to do that for the camera, it would look absurdly over-done. A slight lift of one eyebrow, difficult to see from the theater audience, communicates reams of information to the camera. Subtlety creates a sense of realism for the camera, like an intimate portrait of emotion. Try that in the theater and your performance will fall short.. literally.

Classical singing demands theatrical voice. Usually  not electronically amplified, the voice must learn to resonate it's own natural amplification surfaces loudly and richly enough to be heard well and to emotionally move the audience. This kind of singing actually causes tissue adaptations- for instance in veteran opera singers, a thickened ridge of tissue develops in the suture line in back of the front teeth. When a singer who has learned to do this well suddenly finds themselves in front of a mic, there must be a shift in thought to back off the volume and resonance and create the appropriate vocal sound and articulation.

Your voice has to accomplish a different goal when using a mic than when performing unamplified to a hall. All it has to do is talk into someone's face or ear, not across a room. The mic will pick this conversational voice up and along with other recording electronics will "color" the tone with reverb, eq and level equalization. Important: Even in heavy metal rock, the scream volume should be a result of amplified tone so as not to strain the voice, because the resonating cave and tissues of the open throat will not be as expanded in the same places and "trained" to resonate as the classical voice. The throat should not feel the effort.

2. You must articulate more like you talk.

The soft palate lifts a little differently for speaking vowels and you don't hold vowels so open so long; instead they should flow from and into the consonants more naturally. Your paradigm mind-shift goal of conversing should help you do this... you wouldn't articulate when talking to someone like you would if you were singing an aria!

Try holding a pad of paper in front of your face to check your articulation. How do you sound to yourself? Do you believe you?

3. Use your hands to help control your voice:

When you sing (well) classically, notice what is happening in your hands. Sometimes you will lift your hands or clasp them formally in front of your lower ribcage. Even with hands to your sides, if you're singing well, your hands and arms have an energy in them that will take their weight off your ribcage... and when you raise your hands, notice what you do with them that causes your ribcage to expand. Your hands can help you control your breath and balance your head tall upon your spine to ensure an open throat.

Now, when holding a mic, translate what you do with your hands to control your classical voice by learning to hold and use the weight of your live mic appropriately. Don't hold it limply in your hand, and don't crush your arms to your sides. You must control your volume to use a voice that is more like speaking than what you think of as singing.

In the studio... use your hands in front of your ribcage as you would singing classically. Don't hang them limply at your sides. Control is king - and queen! I have a technique I use which I call "studio hands". Put your fingertips together and press them into each other in such a way as to open your ribcage. Also, stand with your feet close to the mic so your head can't move forward without hitting the mic.

Finding yourself with more control will give you more confidence, so that you can stop "thinking" and commit to delivery that will elicit an emotional response.

Comments anyone? Go here for Power, Path & Performance vocal training products, here for lessons

Why Studio Singing Is Hard For Guitar Players

Singing at a studio mic can be frustrating for guitar players. I will illustrate with a true story:

When I first moved to Nashville many years ago, I was singing backgrounds in a "simul-session". These sessions were where the musicians, background vocalists and lead singers recorded together at the same time. Like live TV- if you flubbed it was extremely obvious to everyone!

Anyway, this session was for none other than Johnny Cash. As we prepared to record, I remember that I watched a studio tech take the strings off his guitar and give it to him to hold while he was singing. His wise producer had noticed he sang better when attached to his guitar! At the time I wondered what that was all about; now I understand.

When a singer is accustomed to performing well with something in the hands (be it guitar, piano or just mic), there is a subtle balance adjustment in the body memorized by the muscles. When you take the instrument or mic out of the hands for studio singing, the singer usually drops hands to their sides. Big mistake, because the lifeless arms and hands usually become "rib anchors", crushing in the ribcage and interfering with breath control.

You don't want to mess with your breath control. All kinds of odd things start happening -- to sum it up, you just don't feel comfortable singing, and you can hear that in playback. Your pitch, tone, stamina and style "lics" suffer. You become nervous, lose confidence, assume a more guarded posture and everything gets worse.

It's important to get this terrible chain of events going the other way.  Learn to use your hands and arms in ways that mimic the playing of your instrument. I recommend putting your fingertips together to cause the ribcage to stay wide. If you need to put a dummy mic in your hand to synthesize the feeling, do it! Get help from a coach who can show you how to do these things BEFORE you go into the studio.

Singing for Johnny Cash was truly an honor. I'm glad I moved to Nashville early enough to get in on this and all the other great historic sessions. I learned so much from my mentors and teachers, and I'm happy to pass it on. My thanks to Hurshel Wiginton of the legendary background vocal group the Nashville Edition for hiring me.

Do you have any instances of having to sing without your usual gear? How did you do?

The #1 Vocal Mistake Made By Musicians In Live Performance

First of all, Happy New Year everyone!... I hope your Dec 31st gigs rocked and everyone is home safe and ready for a beautiful new year! Now onto my first post of 2010:

Performers come up in my list of favorites based on one thing: Do they get my emotional attention?

There is a reason that Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and John Mayer don't move me in live performance like  Bono, Sting and Mat Kearney do. The difference is surely NOT in brilliant, creative musicianship.. all six are full of that. It's not in the magic of their edited recorded vocal performances we hear on the radio in which we understand almost every word. The difference is that Sting, Bono and Kearney deliver -and Dylan, Browne and Mayer DO NOT deliver-  their lyrics in live shows. This frankly irritates me... they almost give me this incredible song, but stop short and it's like when the satellite goes haywire right at the payoff at the end of a movie!

Here's the deal... the #1 vocal mistake I hear great musicians make:  using MUDDY ARTICULATION.  It's not enough to mumble cool "sounds" instead of forming messages. This can be career-snuffing for those trying to break out, and for those who are enjoying radio success it results in under-delivering disappointment for their concert ticket-buying fans.

Consider this: In live performance, there are three ways we impact our audiences:  

• Visually,
• Musically and 
• Lyrically.

It is a testimony to the power in Dylan, Browne and Mayer's live music shows that two out of three ain't bad. But just imagine... just imagine if you could have all three! Lyrics matter. Don't make empty promises of a great live music experience and then fail to deliver it all. Whether you're a stadium star or a songwriter at open mic...Talk to me and tell me something good. (that is, unless your lyrics really do suck.)

Wanna hear the difference?
Watch me demonstrate for you here in my first YouTube video vocal lesson!
Thoughts anyone?

Instant singer's gift idea...for last minute shoppers

Hey guys and girls... I just finished up my Christmas shopping last night. It took forever for a couple of people because I really wanted to get them something unique and that would enrich their lives somehow. So this morning I'm going to remind you in a shameless way that I have a very affordable product that your singer would love. The cool thing is that you can order it in your pajamas, and get it instantly.

What I'm talking about is the download version of my condensed Power, Path & Performance vocal lessons. This fully-packed 1-cd contains:

• A vocal assessment process... how to determine personal strengths and weaknesses.
• The basics of Power, Path & Performance method.
• A great vocal exercise routine.

Not bad for $19.99 (An hour with me would be $100)... You can instantly download it, then burn it to your blank cd, and voila... a gift that will keep on giving.

Get this vocal training cd here.

The other instantly available product I have is a certificate for one or more hours of  vocal lessons with me. If you're interested in this, let me know by emailing me, calling 615-347-5195 or clicking the comments below.

From my house to yours:
May your Christmas and holiday season be full of peace, joy, love and music!

Is Your Voice Too Breathy? Here's a simple test (very simple)

I have noticed something in many of my students who are overcoming breathiness that I'd like to pass on to you. If you are practicing correctly to eliminate this voice-stealing and possibly damaging habit (speaking or singing too breathy), you will notice this:

Your throat will be much less dry so you will find yourself needing to drink much less water during speaking or singing performances.

This is because you are not dehydrating your vocal cords with too much air passing between them. Simple enough test! Drink lots of water between... not so much during... performances!

31 Gift Ideas for Singers and Speakers You Love

Here are some Christmas gift ideas for your favorite singers and speakers. And if I haven't included it in this list, leave your own personal wish for Santa in a comment at my blog!

1. Flip camera (for doing web-ready videos of performances, look around for deals)
2. Digital voice recorder ( the better quality ones cost around $100 and make great songwriting worktapes)
3. A year's membership at Indie Connect ($99 for incredible amounts of indie music business information and networking)
4.  Sheet music, songbook compilation
5. A cordless microphone or lavalier mic (a great idea for speakers)
6. In-ear monitors for performance
   
7. Nutritional and immune support suppliments (great stocking stuffers)
8. A visit to a naturapath or other nutritionist who can test you and individually taylor suggestions
   
9. Guitar lessons, lessons on DVD
   
10. Piano lessons, piano lessons on DVD 
11. A business counseling session or training product (Mike Coleman is my choice)
    
12. Voice-over training  
13. Neck scarves (throat savers!)
14. Warm air humidifier or facial steamer (hydration is a must for the voice especially in dry winter indoor air)
15. A neck or full body massage (free the body- free the voice:)
16. The Marian Popping Thing (muscle memory aid used in my PPP course)
17. A music marketing book or course (Bob Baker and Michael Moore have some great ones)
18. Instrument help: Guitar pics, guitar polish, piano tuning
19. A music theory book
20. Karaoke Tracks
21. A recording session (anything from simple piano or guitar vocal to full ready-to-sell CD)
22. A songwriting consultation 
23. Concert or musical theater tickets, merch (pick the artists of their choice) 
24. Masterwriter songwriter software program
25. A thumb drive or external hard drive (great for backing up and carrying songwriting catalogs)
26. New music- CDs , concert DVDs, download packages. 
27. Songwriting books, seminars or courses. (Rand Bishop is a good source, too)
28. Tech help: offer to set up or pay someone to setup a website, blog, Facebook, Twitter or MySpace 
29. A new portable DVD player or boom box  
30. and the last two (my favorites of course): Power, Path & Performance Voice lessons on CD 
31. Power, Path & Performance Personal vocal lessons (I can send a gift certificate)
    

OK... what wishes of yours would you like for me to pass on? What did I miss?

Recovering Your Voice After Respiratory Illness

Tiz the season to be sneezing! Unfortunately, it's also the vocal season when we have to do all those big choir productions, Christmas and holiday concerts, even sing around the piano with family! Sometimes, even with our best preventative efforts, we succumb to a respiratory bug (cold, flu, etc) and our vocal cords experience some degree of swelling and inflammation (laryngitis). When we get well, it's very common to "guard" our voices, causing some subtle but very bad vocal habits to take hold and delay or prevent full vocal recovery.

So here is my Christmas gift to you: Some suggestions for what to do recover your voice after illness.
Note: These suggestions are NOT for if you are still sick. I will be doing a future post for when you feel you just HAVE to sing sick, which is not something I recommend because it can cost you many more weeks of swollen cords (ask me how I know).

• Don't start singing till your vocal cord swelling goes down.
  

How can you tell? Ask yourself if it hurts your voice to talk normally and if you can talk without sounding hoarse or whispery. Once you can make clear "bell" tones in your speaking voice, you're usually ready to rehabilitate your full voice.

• Make sure your whole physical body is ready.

 That means fever and most heavy coughing is gone, you are well hydrated, rested and have ingested good nutrition (non-mucous forming foods that contain adequate protein, vits & minerals, possibly accompanied by nutritional supplements). Do some light physical exercises so you are well connected to your body, which you will be needing to adequately support and control your voice as you begin your vocal workout.

• Start exercising your voice, working smart, not hard.

NOTE: If at all possible, schedule a lesson with a trusted vocal coach who can guide you safely yet surely through a warm up customized for wherever your voice is in the recovery process. 

1. Do these as "wall work"... with your head and heels against a wall (men can use a small towel behind their head to accommodate bulky shoulders), your hands or fingers pressing against each other above the waist.
2. Begin with lip bubbles and/or tongue trills , siren and humming ("m", "n", "ng") exercises. Start in the easy middle of your vocal range and don't push or use breathiness. In fact, take relaxed breaths but try to use as little breath as possible to buzz your vocal cords. This should help you make simple, clear bell tones. I teach my students a weird voice-relaxing exercise I call "the voice consonant exercise", "vocal cow" sounds. If you have the course... go there.
   
3. If you are student of Power, Path & Performance, use the exercise "Flashlight Fingers". If not... just try to do some scales (do-mi-so-do-so-mi-do, etc.) across your chest and head registers, not pushing chest but "going over" at the least sign of vocal strain. This is important... don't push yourself to vocalize. Just trust the process and take it slow.
4. Do some staccato exercises to eliminate last traces of breathiness. Make sure each quick stab is powered from your butt (which will cause your lower ab wall to contract, not push out), not your chest. 
   
5. When these scales become easier, try some head voice exercises... gently pulling and not pushing them at all... and go as far up as you can WITH NO STRAIN. Instead of strain, use effort to stretch your upper spine (which should open your chest), powering that from your pelvic floor. The effort should be felt in your butt, not your throat.
6. Then start a good high-to-low scale to bring your voice down to the bottom. As you approach the lower notes, DO NOT BEND OR SLUMP! Instead, do what you did for your high notes... stretch your spine. Of course, in all these scales keep your head against the wall, your hands or fingers pressing your chest open, up above your waist.
   
7. Now try some sustain exercises ... try to hold an "ah" in the middle of your mixed voice. Raise it a half step, do again. Raise it but do not raise your larynx to do it. Instead, as you go higher, think your voice box down. 
8. Do the bubble, trill, sirens again and notice how much easier they are.

• Now try singing an easy song. 

IMPORTANT: Articulate your words in the front of your mouth, and articulate emotion in your mask to keep the back of your throat open and not tight. Make sure you are in "mixed", or "middle" voice... not pulling chest or going over to head voice too soon. Stay off the pressure and let your voice exercise until it feels confident. Then try pulling some more volume on this easy song.

• If your voice is still feeling good, try singing a harder song...or just call it a day!
  

After exercising, rest your voice; don't talk much or sing, let the lactic acid dissipate and the muscles recover. Then resume your vocal exercising the next day just as carefully, but a little stronger.

How long will this process take?
It will take the time it takes... sometimes one good warm up will have you back in shape and sometimes it can take as much as two weeks to get back to your max vocal ability. It's OK to experience what I call the "helium" effect, which should wear off by the next morning, but NOT vocal fatigue or strain. Use wisdom... many times if you have to perform before the process of full recovery is complete, you can get by just fine with less voice if you don't push the volume or use too much chest voice in your mix.

Recovering your voice is an important process... where "form" is everything. Help is available if you need it. For personal vocal lessons (if you are long distance, phone lessons work great), contact me here. For my Power, Path & Performance training CD's, go here.

Let me know how you're doing out there... and Merry Christmas!

Robert Lunte's "Lift Up Pull Back" siren exercise

Today I want to share a very cool video by my friend, founder of "The Modern Vocalist.com", rock vocal coach Robert Lunte. In this video, he shares his passagio-bridging (vocal register mixing) siren exercise:

Watch video here.

While it can be illustrated in many ways, correct vocal technique is, well, correct vocal technique! This siren exercise goes right along with rock voice teacher Jamie Vendera's "inhalation sensation" and my suggestion to back off breath pressure, pulling and NOT pushing, even to the point where it feels like you're breathing in reverse. Notice how Robert seems to be pulling the siren instead of pushing it... to awesome effect. Try it, it works!

Kudos to Robert for demonstrating this... let us know how it works for you!

Jaw Popping, Tired Voice? Here's help

I just received a comment on one of my articles about the jaw. Here's the question:

"I am 13, and do a lot of singing. My jaw always pops in and out of place when I'm singing recently, and my voice is getting really tired. Is my jaw the cause of my voice feeling tired?"

Her voice getting tired and her jaw popping is most probably caused by too much breath pressure. Here's my suggestion to her, which I hereby pass on to you:

Try this--

• Find an empty wall; put your head and heel flush against it. You should notice that your ribs are open wide in this position. 
• Put your open hand about an inch from your mouth. 
• Sing to your hand, while trying to leave as little breath on your hand as possible.  This should cause you to back off the "air force" you normally think you have to use.
  

When you take the pressure off your voice, your jaw often just finds it's own comfortable flexibility and the popping will diminish. Let me know how it works for you.

ps... hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, with your jaws working on delicious fare!

Should You Eat Before You Sing?

I got a question in last week's comments about eating before singing. The short answer: Yes, and No. The longer answer:

Yes, you can eat before singing...

• if you haven't eaten enough. You need to eat an easy-to-digest but nutrient-packed meal or snack, or you will not have the breath support or energy you need for performance.
• if you eat early enough so that the food has shifted lower in your system and will not tend to make you feel stuffed, interfering with breathing.
• if you note in your own personal experience how eating before singing affects you, and you are confident it won't be a problem.
  

No...

• if you eat too much or eat things that are hard to digest, diverting energy to your belly instead of your singing.
• if eating makes you sleepy. Again, this has a lot to do with what you've chosen to eat.
• if you tend to hunch over after eating because you have eaten too much. This will affect your breath.
• if you eat foods that bring on acid reflux, or mucous.
• if what you eat catches in your throat (for some people, foods like peanuts, popcorn and chips can present problems.)

What are your experiences with eating before singing? I find it's a very individual thing, but also very important to know.

The Vocal Booth: 7 Tips To Make The Recording Space Singer-Friendly

What does a singer need in the vocal booth? More than just eye-friendly recording studio design. The voice is a picky, sensitive thing. If you want to record it, here are 7 things it wants:

• Lighting -

It wants mood lighting, OK? Twilight dimmed to pitch black - experiment to find the lighting that makes it the least shy. Sometimes a singer is not bothered, but if there are windows to the daylight, the voice may like you to cover them with something.

• Smell -

What the nose doesn't like, the voice won't either. It can affect breath, throat and focus. Save the incense candles for the smokers who sing. They are usually more used to the effect! One must be careful with perfume or room deodorizers, too. The plainer and cleaner the smell in the booth, the better.

• Orientation of mic to control room -
  

The voice doesn't like to be stared at. You can fake it out by not aiming your singer (yourself if you're the singer) eyeball to eyeball with the producer, engineer or anyone else. If at all possible, position the mic so that the singer is facing a corner or side of the room... not the control room window.

• Temperature -
  

Try and get the temperature in the booth comfortable for the individual singer. It amazes me how many engineers don't understand the importance of this. Ever tried singing when you're shivering? It messes with your control big time. Ever tried singing while burning up? It saps your energy like a vampire, and the voice will sound tired, uncontrolled, numb. If the studio vents are not optimally placed, the people in the control room may need to suffer a bit to get it right for the vocal booth. Yep. The singer comes first.

• Furniture -
  

While not a deal breaker, it's nice to have a few simple pieces of furniture. Some kind of waist high table or ledge for water is nice so the singer won't have to bend over and then re-position at the mic. It can be helpful to have a tall stool for the singer who is fatigued. (And of course the vocalist will sit tall and flexibly from the front end of the stool, not hunched back into it.)

• Music stand -

The last thing you want is for a singer to have to hold lyrics. This will, I promise you, affect optimum breathing. It's always best if a singer has memorized lyrics, but if it's a situation where the lyrics are needed, have a stand (or duck tape for securing the lyrics to the wall!)

• Headphone box -
  

It's great if the "more me" cue box is on a stand instead of at the feet, so micro-adjustments can be quickly made from time to time. If, as I recommend, the singer is wearing headphones with one side half-off the ear, the headphone box should be set on "mono" instead of "stereo".

Anybody care to chime in on their thoughts for the perfect vocal booth area? What have I left out?

Singing At The Piano? 7 Tips For Keyboard and Voice Synergy

As a singer who frequently plays keyboard instruments, and a vocal coach who works with a lot of piano players, there are things I've had to learn about the most efficient ways of accomplishing this musical multitasking. Depending on how you do it, playing keys can either help or hurt your singing. Here are 7 piano/singer tips for you:

• Prepare by playing and singing separately.

It's extremely important to practice your voice and your keyboard separately so you can put your undivided attention to the task. When practicing the keyboard part, just sing very lightly if at all, going over to head voice on high parts. When practicing singing, sing acapella or to a piano track you've recorded, or just play "diamonds" or simple chord changes so that you can focus your attention on your vocal technique. When you get them both right and easy, start putting them together. If there are syncopated or complicated rhythms in the piano, even this can become muscle memory as you carefully put voice and fingers together and PRACTICE!

• Get your posture right.

Sit or stand tall, retaining a flexible feeling in your spine. Slumping, for any reason, is "smooch de mort" (kiss of death) for the voice. It will negatively affect your inhale, breath support and control of breath. It will also tighten your throat. Standing or sitting...do not lean forward in such a way that you collapse your ribcage at all.

• Get your mic right.

Make sure the mic is positioned close enough to your mouth so you don't have to lean over to sing into it. Also make sure it's high enough to encourage that tall spine. This will greatly improve your breath and open throat technique.

• Get your power coming from your seat or your feet.

I see way too many keyboard players powering their voices from their shoulders. You need to center your power in your pelvic floor so you are not tempted to tighten your shoulders, neck, jaw- all of which tighten your throat and your breath. And absolutely yes, if you sit correctly, you can sing sitting as well as you can standing. But you must sit on the edge of your seat, not back into it, so that it feels the same as standing. Squeeze your butt against the seat for power. If you're standing, power from your heel.

• Secure your pedals

If your feet have to slide forward looking for a slipping pedal, you will find your performance focus thrown off, along with a possible sudden posture slippage. Ducktape can be a keyboard player's lifesaver. I keep a roll in my cord bag at all times.

• Lightly use your fingers on the keys to tip your balance over your tailbone instead of into the keys.

Don't press hard enough to cause tension in hands, wrists or fingers. Just lightly "intend" your fingers to keep you flexibly tall and open... and not slumping.

• Be a singer who is playing piano... not a piano player who is singing.

This one is a mindset issue. You have to put your priority on communicating your voice, and your playing HAS to be secondary when you're doing it at the same time. For an interim instrumental bridge, go ahead and focus on the keys, but when it's time to sing.. back to your voice and the message you're delivering.

Stage Fright Ambush: How To Prevent or Defuse A Sudden Attack Of Nerves

Have you ever had a strange, unexpected attack of stage fright you couldn't understand? There are two prime causes for uncharacteristic stage fright, numbness or nervousness sucker-punching a performer.

1. Unfamiliar Venue

• When you haven't played a type of venue in a while, you may experience a guarding reflex triggered by your primal fight or flight response. Your inner "horse" (the automatic nervous system that gives your voice cues) isn't use to running this particular field, and will shy until it knows there are no lions, tigers and bears about to jump at it from the sidelines. (Or tomatoes about to be thrown!)
  

What you can do: Know that there will be a tightening of your body for the first part of the first song you sing. So, make sure your first song will be easy for you to do... not one of your most vocally challenging. Then, start to sing without fear, because you know what is going on and that the "clench" will pass if you don't hold on to it. Just allow your ribcage, throat and auto nervous system to relax... and they will.

• Note that size does not matter here. If you are used to playing arenas, a small venue like a 100 seat listening room may feel oddly petrifying.

The cure for this ambush: play more of these venues til your 'inner horse' learns to trust them!

2. Inadequate Preparation

During performance, the stage fright beast WILL jump on you to some degree or another if you don't accomplish these two preparation steps for performance:

• Know your material.

How? Practice, practice, practice. You should know the lyrics so well you could recite them in your sleep. You should be able to know the song so well in your fingers (if you play an instrument) that your fingers are on "automatic".

• Have vocal cords at peak operation.

There is no substitute for doing the things that put your voice on it's best footing. If your voice is smoothly running, it will smoothly run. If it's rough, it will get rougher because you will try to push it through. So... make sure you are rested, hydrated, peaceful, and exercised... both physically and vocally. WARM UP YOUR VOICE!

Think your little gig is too small to worry about? Think again.

Picture that in the hallway of the venue of your little gig happens to be the boyfriend of a girl who works in the mail room of a significant record label who would be interested in an artist like you. He hears a less-than-stellar performance and casually mentions it to his girlfriend the next day...

The cure for this ambush: Maximize your vocal stamina with Power, Path & Performance lessons and training Cd's .

Breathing For The Voice: The Counterintuitive Secret

The real secret to having enough breath for your voice:

Don't Think About It!

I had lots of problems when I first started going to my vocal coach, Gerald Arthur. He had to tackle my guarding, my inflexibility, my mix imbalance, my range limitations. When I asked him what he thought were my breath problems he flatly told me something to the effect, "you're breathing is fine; if it weren't I would tell you, until then don't worry about it!" And we never had another discussion about breath.

What happened, of course, was that he tackled my breath issues from another direction. He wanted me to concentrate on other things, and the breath problems resolved themselves without direct intervention.

Thinking about breathing while performing actually causes tension and worsens your breathing problems. Instead, when you sing or speak, learn to habitually stand or sit tall, head balanced on tailbone with your ribcage open.

If that doesn't work, get with a vocal coach who can assess and help you fix the source of your unique problems in one or more of the following breathing techniques:
1. inhaling,
2. supporting your breath
3. being able to control breath.

Breathing... it's important, and it's important to get so right you never think about it.

Musicians and Depression: Going Deep

Depression is not something that can be easily summed up and cured. Oh that it could. This short three part series can only stir the conversation, and I'm glad it has. Deep, chronic depression is debilitating life threatening and hope must be found. In this post I'll share some sources that may be of help.

First of all, there are all kinds of different personalities. We don't have to be laughing all the time to be deeply joyful. We can bravely chart our own course with which we are satisfied, and for musicians and other highly creative people, a satisfied life is often one that is lived on the edge, in full color.

My highly creative musician/writer/gardener, etc. sister Pam Hubbard, who has now found her own way to successfully deal with panic attacks and depression, says this about a "creative mind unleashed":

We shouldn't and cannot estimate the depth of creativity by labeling it as such-and-such mental "disorder". The uncreatively focused mind (a very controlled mind having been successfully tamed by society) fears the mind of the untamed. I believe the element of the wild (essence of God) is most evident in a creative mind unleashed. Treatment, yes, for some who would self-destruct...but not capture and taming. I don't understand the self-destruct mechanism other than that it is estimated from time to time in the lives of some of us that it is best to leave here now and go on to what we know is much better out there. Maybe that is more rational than the tame would ever allow themselves to be.

I'm grateful to Pam for pointing me to several of the following websites:

Wings Of Support's website asks...

Is there actually a link between artistic creativity and mental illness? Most artists are not mentally ill, and most mentally ill people are not artists. However, several studies have suggested that artists are more likely than others to suffer from a class of mental illnesses called mood disorders... Some researchers, including Jamison, speculate that mood disorders allow people to think more creatively. In fact, one of the criteria for diagnosing mania reads "sharpened and unusually creative thinking." People with mood disorders also experience a broad range of deep emotions. This combination of symptoms might lend itself to prolific artistic creativity.

I would add that any musician I know would be bored stiff with a leveled out psyche. It's just that we need to figure out how to take the good with the bad.

Stephen L. Bernhardt, at Have A Heart's Depression Resource website suggests a process he calls "emotional thought stopping"... say "STOP IT" whenever the negative thought come.. and do so repeatedly for a concentrated period of time. (Read about the process on his site.) He says further that positive thinking is not the answer to severe depression if it comes from the outside... only if it wells up from the inside after the negative thought is consciously stopped. Stephen says;

It is this internally generated positive thought from the subconscious that you want to seize and to reinforce. Go with it! In other words, do not try to shove positive thought into the subconscious, let them come in response to the renewed hope you gain from emotional thought stopping.

I know one sure-fire way to get a musician depressed... take away his/her music making. That's why I tell people who come to me and wonder if their music is commercially viable that they are asking the wrong question. How badly do they need to make music?

Here's a quote from the webpage "Musicians And The Link To Mental Illness"

We know that there are some for whom music is so compelling and innately powerful, they are unable to contain it within themselves. They can no more seperate themselves form music as they could their own limb.

Indeed, take away the creative effort and you have a sad human being. This webpage also calls into question why we tend to attach the mental illness label to a creative soul. However, there is a certain vulnerability in sensitive creatives... from the same website I quote-

Anyone who knows something of the psychology of creativity, also knows that creative people suffer more severely from social pressures than 'adapted people' because they are more sensitive to them, because their creative drive is emotional in nature, not rational, and they have to rely upon them without the security of rational argument which makes them extra vulnerable to hostility from the environment.

But finally, they quote Sting about the healing powers of the very music we create;

If you play music with passion and love and honesty, then it will nourish your soul, heal your wounds and make your life worth living. Music is it's own reward. ~Sting

To that I would add that music is not enough... we must find a spiritual connection to the master creator who gives us music and "in whom we live and move and have our being". In my life, God has turned my lows turn into depth of understanding... and to trusting that the lows are temporary.

"Weeping may endure through the night, but joy comes in the morning" Ps 30:5.

When the emptiness get particularly deep, do as my wise, creative friend Terry Smith says ... "let God fill the hole". He writes on his poetry blog;

I do know real joy
Along the way I have found it
My greatest treasure
Drink deeply from this great joy
Practice its presence daily

Two other good websites for further reading:

A Book Review of Touched With Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D

and
Gifted People And Their Problems

Your comments? Please go to the web and post by clicking the comment link. Thanks!

The Blues: Musicians and Depression

Being highly creative is a double edged sword. Gifted musicians are prone to periods of depression and "the real blues". In fact, from my experience and observations, I would suggest that many if not most musicians go through a low period of life that they barely survive. We have to take the good with the bad and learn to turn the bad into good.

Good news: with insight comes power. What I mean is that when you become aware of something you can change it. With that in mind, I'm going to write a series of blogposts on the subject of musicians and depression. This first post will shed some light on defining the problem.

When we are depressed, it is most important to get to the source of the problem.
There are many reasons for it, from physical issues like

• brain chemistry imbalances
  
• other underlying health disorders and diseases
• nutritional deficiencies

to mental and emotional issues like

• stinking thinking
  
• dysfunctional coping behavior habits
  
• and real or perceived traumatic life events.

There are many levels of depression. The low feelings can be "acute"- a temporary condition tied to some life event- or "chronic", which is a pernicious, lasting condition that is sometimes triggered by a life event or an underlying physiological problem such as a simple thyroid imbalance. The condition can run from a little moping to clinical depression- a life threatening mental and emotional state. DO NOT IGNORE CLINICAL DEPRESSION. It can become a soul abscess, robbing you of the joy of your music... and of your life. If you think you could have it, get professional help, and don't wait one more day to do it.

On the other hand, learning how to deal with-- and not be afraid of-- temporary, natural mood swings can take their negative power over you away. Much like compost, crappy thoughts can be turned into fertilizer. It is my hope that this series will help people do just that. I look forward to your comments and suggestions along the way.

Singing The Whole Line: The Slinky Principle

As a vocal coach I use the Slinky in my vocal lessons to demonstrate several things... here's another.

Put a Slinky in your hands and play with it for a moment. Now, think of the left hand as the "set up" of the line. If you don't have that end in your hand, the Slinky doesn't work very well, does it? If you don't set your line up, deliberately singing THAT LYRIC on THAT PITCH, your line is sabotaged.

Think of the right hand as the "follow through". Drop that end of the Slinky. Slinky doesn't work anymore. If you don't communicate and support the end of the line, the audience is left to wonder what you said (drives them crazy and not in a good way). And... your high note in the middle of the phrase is sabatoged.

When you sing or speak, set your lines up and completely follow through. And play with Slinkys a lot. And ask my students about hoola hoops and Martian Popping Things:)

The Path Through An Open Throat: The Slinky Concept

Whether you are singing soft jazz, southern rock, a pop anthem, a country ballad or a screaming metal song, if you have a tight throat you...

• ...will not have control of your voice (because your breath is overpowering)
• ...will not have the best sound you can make (because of limited vocal resonance)
  
• ...will not be freely connected and communicating with the audience (because you're feeling your throat)
• ...and you will be gambling with vocal damage (because your vocal cords are being abused)

I think you can see from the above list that your open throat is synergistically connected to your breath and your performance. This is the magic of Power, Path & Performance vocal training.

With my vocal students, I use a Slinky to demonstrate several things. In this case, I'll use it to show you how to put your breath, open throat and communication together.

If you are operating the Slinky with both hands, think of the left hand as your breath power, centered in your pelvic floor. Think of the right hand as your performance. These two places are where the action should be, and the "path through the open throat" is represented by the freely moving , unobstructed and loose hump of the Slinky. No tension, just doing it's thing. Fun, isn't it? That's how singing should be!

For vocal training that puts everything together for your maximum vocal ability, book a Power, Path & Performance lesson in person or by phone, or get a cd training course.

Singers: Bored With Your Song? How To Make It Fresh

Songs you sing over and over again can get boring. One of the best wishes I can give an artist is: I hope that song is such a hit you get sick of singing it, haha! Actually, this can be a problem.

I got an email from a rock artist about this very thing... in her case, she was going into the studio and had rehearsed her songs so much she was bored with them. She recognized the trap and wanted to know what to do. Here are some thoughts I'll share with you as well:

Caution before we begin: no matter what you do, you must take care to use good technique when you sing. Don't tighten your throat or relax your breath support/control and strain your voice, no matter what.

1. Rehearsal is NOT necessarily performance. You can rehearse a song, just trying out some different phrasing, style and licks and making sure you know it. You can do this all day long. This is different than rehearsing PERFORMANCE. When you do this, you have to "go on stage" and physically, emotionally & communicatively act as if you are. Don't do this more than a couple of times per song in a day. Give it a break.
2. In the studio: Go for it the first time, or sing the song a time or two until you feel warmed up to it and the engineer is ready with levels. Then go for it. Don't expect to do take after take, however, and stay fresh. After about 3 or 4 good vocal tracks, I like to just start punching the bad lines. If it takes too long, come back another day instead of singing the life out of the thing!
3. On stage: James Taylor once talked about this issue with his song "Fire and Rain" in a PBS documentary. He said when he and the band rehearsed it, they would all cut up and have a good time making light of the old standard. But each time he sings it to a live audience, he said it still feels like the first time. How? Because he lets the audience be a part of the equasion. He sings TO them, and their reaction feeds the freshness of his delivery. I'm paraphrasing him, but you get the point.
4. Remember: Don't just sing. Communicate like it's the first time you ever said that to anyone. Know who you are as the deliverer of the song, know who you're talking to and why you're having the conversation.
   
5. Passion rules. Keep the fire in your heart for your music, and it won't let you down.
   

How A Talent Show Can Be A Win For All

I did something I rarely do today... I judged a talent contest. I know, it's usually against my principles. However, this one was a win for everyone. Let me tell you about my friend Wynne Adams and her "Galaxy Of Stars" songwriting contest: Wynne is first of all interested in judges who can help her contestants be better at what they do. This is not a situation where people are told that they are horrible. It is an event where people who enter the contest actually benefit, no matter how they place.

1. The judging was completely legitimate... there was no pressure or even subtle suggestion who we should "like" by Wynne or anyone else connected with the event.
   
2. All contestants got written notes of constructive, professional feedback and assessment of their songs by 5 pro writers.
3. All contestants are treated with decency and respect, no matter how well they write. Actually, we judged demos they had recorded, so there was no "putting them on the spot" and belittling them.
4. In doing their demos, the contestants got valuable experience recording their voices. For some, this took courage they had to summon to show their wares in public... and truly be heard.

I like this contest. I love Wynne for her care of people. I was very pleased with the caliber of persons who were my fellow judges. All songwriters win... and those that are ready for prime time will have a shot at it.

Have you been in a contest that benefited you (or NOT)? How do you feel about talent contests?

What Key Do You Sing In? Why That's A Dumb Question

When somebody asks, "what key you sing in?" What do you say? The best response is a question of your own: What key do I sing WHAT in?

Let me explain: There is no "right key" for you to sing EVERY song in! The key you sing best in depends on the melody of the song. Instead of asking "what key do you sing in?" the enlightened question is "what is your vocal range?". I'll use two songs most people are familiar to demonstrate:

The simple (no flourishes or vocal licks) melody line of "The Star Spangled Banner" melody uses a lot more vocal range than the simple melody of "Amazing Grace". The Star Spangled Banner uses 12 notes of the scale; Amazing Grace uses 8. Therefore, a singer would need to start the Star Spangled Banner a lot lower than Amazing Grace, so that the high notes are reachable. For instance, I would sing the national anthem in the key of "F", and I sing the hymn in "D".

So what key do I sing in? The correct answer... it depends on othe melody. Here are points to consider in choosing the key you sing a particular song in:

1. What is the total vocal range of the melody? Where would the lowest note hit? Where would the highest?
2. Will you be playing with the melody? Are you going to embellish the melody stylistically, going higher and/or lower than the simple melody? Those notes must be taken into account.
3. Where is your sweet spot of vocal range? If you have a large range, enabling you to sing the song in several different keys, you need to figure out what key will put you in your richest vocal resonance. It's not about the high notes, folks-- it's about the tone quality. If you pick a key too low, you will sound dark and to put it bluntly, boring. If you pick a key too high, you will sound (and feel) vocally strained. If you pick just the right key, your voice will feel, sound and communicate so much better.

Hope this has been enlightening. Oh and one more point... don't let the guitar player pick the key, because their choice is often what key they play the song with open strings in (love to all guitar players, but you know it's true, haha!)

If you'd like to increase your vocal range, contact me at my website. Comments anyone?

Choir Singing: Does Your Choir Know How To Control Vocal Volume?

I got a great question about controlling choir singing volume from a caring choir director named Tim Ingersoll. With his permission, I'll share our discussion:

"Hi Judy ... There is a perception I've formed over the years that I'm hoping you'll either confirm the correctness of, or point me down a different path. That perception is that, in order to sing softly with energy, you have to have developed the ability to sing loud with control, otherwise, soft just sounds wimpy.

There are some beautiful voices in the choir and I want to help them to learn to sing LOUD. Not only because this will give us a broader range of dynamics to work with, but I expect it will also help us retain that vocal intensity when singing softly. I think most of the choir members were raised in families where loud is impolite or something :-)

A technique I've been thinking about using, just to help them learn how powerful their singing voices CAN be, is to have them shout or yell (imagine your kid is stepping in front of a moving car) and then shape that into a sustained tone. I know for myself, those types of emotionally driven vocalizations instinctively seem to use the body very effectively. What I'm not sure of, is whether generating this type of vocalization will help others discover the power of their own voices, and if there are any risks in trying to teach "loud" in this manner?" -Tim

My answer:

First of all, Tim, thank you on behalf of your precious choir members for your care for them. You honestly care about both their impact and their vocal well-being.

Yes, you're right, a soft "meek" sound doesn't really bring the message adequately. As to your visualization of shouting or yelling like a kid is stepping in front of a crowd and sustaining that sound... Here are three tips to increase volume:

1. I think you're on the right track to try and make them connect vocal sound with a real message. This affects their breath, open throat, and communication skills.
   
2. Make sure they are standing tall, stretching spines flexibly and not leaning into the audience when they sing loud.
   
3. Vocal volume should come from RESONATION, not OVERBLOWING PRESSURE! SPECIAL CAUTION: You need to avoid a common mistake I see so many choir directors making -- equating vocal volume with pushing more air pressure through vocal cords at the audience.
   

For increasing volume, singing loud without vocal strain...
instead of vocal strain, here's an exercise I recommend:

• Ask choir members all to stand at a wall, head and heel flush against a wall. NOW tell them to "PULL A SCREAM". It should feel, as rock teacher Jamie Vendera puts it, like an "inhalation sensation". That is, for all the world it should feel like there is so little forward pressure from their throats that sound is being pulled up and back. Another way to help them find this would be to have them put their hand right close in front of their mouths. Then have them yell or scream while trying not to feel their breath on their hand.

The squeeze to power this big sound should come from the pelvic floor, not from the ribs or throat. They should be encouraged not to hand their hands & arm heavily against the sides of their rib cages, either. Hands are best used above the waist, like "talking with their hands, maybe holding their music or placing hands on a choir rail in front of them.

For singing soft with rich, communicative sound...
here's are some suggestions:

1. For vocal control, the ribs should be just as wide as when singing loud. Collapsed ribs take away the ability of the diaphragm to control itself, which is extremely important when singing softly.
   
2. For "life" in the sound, choir members should be encouraged to have expression in their eyes and faces when they sing. Not over-acting, but no dead eyes or frozen visages, please. Go over the WORDS in the music... what message should they bring? The expression of the physical face actually affects the inside of the "voice cave". To prove it, have your choir try singing a simple phrase dead-panned, then with expression such as they would use with a child or little animal, or just crazyfaced. This should help them see, feel and hear the difference their eyes can make when communicating a message with feeling.
3. Also, encourage them to open their mouths well and keep jaw movement flexible... which increases the size of the resonance cave, important not just for loud singing, but also for soft. Soft sound needs resonance to avoid that "wimpy" sound you're talking about.
   

FYI, folks, I have an inexpensive 1-CD version of Power, Path & Performance vocal training available at this link to my website . There's even an instantly downloadable version now of this smaller course for which you pay no postage. Great for choir members who don't wish to invest in the more comprehensive 6-cd pro course.

Anyone else like to share some experience or insight on choir volume?

Tone deaf? Try Target Practice

Someone asked me this week if I had any suggestions for training people who are considered "tone deaf". First we need to agree on a definition of what "tone deaf" is. I like this one from Webster's Dictionary-

"...relatively insensitive to differences in musical pitch."

Other names for chronic pitch problems are: "being pitchy", "not being able to sing in tune", and "not able to carry a tune in a bucket". These are varying degrees of "tone deafness", with different sets of limitations.

• A session singer who is consistently 1/4 step sharp or flat can be considered too tone deaf to hire.

In this case, serious professional training should be sought out. The problem is usually one of breath control and/or a tight throat. This singer does hear the pitch but can't fine-tune their aim, hence the small but professionally limiting degree of tone-deafness. Pitch accuracy, for a session singer, has to be surgically precise, and pitch problems can short cut a studio vocal career.

• A singer who can sing very well in tune in one key but can't find the melody if you change the key has a greater degree of tone deafness, and is prone to embarrassing themselves by singing a song in a completely different key than the band is playing. I've heard major stars do this. Really.

This singer needs to become aware of their pitch problems. Someone needs to speak up for their sake, because tone-deafness is limiting their options. They will always have to have a band that knows their limitations, will have to be very careful singing "on the spot" with strange players and will need to avoid singing acapella, when they may change pitch in the middle of the song (how many times have you heard someone do this with the Star Spangled Banner?!) Again, the solution is some serious target practice with someone who knows whether they are on pitch or not. This singer may also need help not straining or tightening their throats, as well as using good breath support, control and posture habits.

• A beginning singer whose pitch-matching ability is akin to "pin the tail on the donkey" is considered someone who can't sing in tune. Or in short... who can't sing, period.
  

This singer will need to understand that it is indeed possible for a beginner to learn to sing in tune, but that it will take consistent practice over a period of time to educate the ear-brain-voice connections.

As a vocal coach I have successfully trained people who were "tone deaf"- even with some hearing loss and breathing limitations - to sing in tune! Unless there is true organic (physical) damage to the ear which eliminates the ability to process sound signals, anyone can learn to sing. Being tone deaf is what I would call a "lack of aural education". Somehow you missed a natural training of your hearing abilities to distinguish differences in pitch.

The question is-- are you are willing to dig in and do some consistent target practice? Simply play a note on a keyboard, guitar, or listen to a note sung by someone else, and try to match it. At first you will need to have someone present (a vocal coach would be great) to tell you if you are right. If you are wrong tell they need to be able to tell you you that you are too high (sharp) or too low (flat) so you know which way you need to go. Then move up to target practice with patterns of several notes in a row, then notes in strange intervals, etc. Practice daily if possible because the more you practice, the faster you will improve your ability to hear and "sing in tune" or "on pitch".

You also need to be able to apply good breath support and control, to keep your throat open and flexible, to know how to listen well to pitch in music tracks, and to eliminate subtle sources of inappropriate tension, in order to sing the most accurately.

For more help, here are some articles I've written on pitch problems:
Pitch Problems In The Recording Studio - 7 Solutions
Do You Have Pitch Problems As A Singer? 10 Solutions

For information on my vocal training classes and products, comment or reply to this post or contact me through my website.

Anyone else have experience with tone deafness? What helped? What didn't?

Help for Allergies- New Therapy Available

Singers and speakers plagued with allergies are not able to be at the top of their game. The problem, of course, with many treatments for allergies is their side effects, including dryness in the voice and zombie-like alertness. Vocal performance is definitely affected.

I'm always looking for what works for you... so when my chiropracter Dr. Dwaine Allison told me about his new therapy I was thrilled. The following is a guest post he kindly agreed to write for "All Things Vocal" blog:

Life in the "Bowl"

How often have you heard someone say, "I never had these allergies until I moved to Nashville?" Or maybe it was you who said this to someone else! Our fair city is positioned neatly in a paradise filled with hundreds of varieties of trees and other pollen generating plants, cradled within beautiful hills serving as a sort of biosphere that allows all that pollen to hover gently within our breath's reach.

It makes for great pictures, however the camera won't reveal the ravages felt by those suffering with seasonal, or environmental allergies. And for those who depend upon a good set of lungs to make a living singing, it can be annoying or even disastrous! As a wellness coach and practicing chiropractor, I see it all the time, and have looked for ways of helping fellow Nashvillians cope with and ideally overcome allergies. The physical problems range from sinus drainage, congestion, infections, irritation, and diminished impaired respiratory capacity. Then there's the distraction of itchy eyes, skin upset stomach, fatigue, and general malaise, none of which serve well when laying down a vocal track, or giving a live performance. I've seen otherwise intelligent people reduced to a state of stupor when resorting to over the counter or prescription med.s. They lose their sharpness, awareness, and coordination, so much so, that many med.s have label warnings to avoid driving or operating machinery, but, people still do.

So, what's the solution? There are a lot of things a person can do nutritionally to curtail many of the above problems. A few simple things such as; limiting or avoiding all together dairy, gluten containing wheat items. Avoiding refined sugar, or worse artificial sweeteners is a good idea. Keeping your diet free from processed foods which contain numerous health and performance diminishing chemicals like MSG, high fructose corn syrup, salts and the like.

Since a singer's body is their instrument, it follows that overall health practices should be practiced daily. Much like a guitarist would not dream of subjecting their instrument to extreme temperature or humidity, or otherwise handle it carelessly, a vocalist must maintain and protect his or her own body. Habits like getting enough rest, managing emotional stress naturally, keeping a positive perspective, observe good body mechanics and posture, and doing suitable exercise are a few basics. They are not optional. If you don't have some coaches to give some objective guidance, then there are frequently gaps, or uncovered bases that will inevitably make themselves know in the form vocal or health plateaus that will frustrate or severely jeopardize your performance.

Coming back to allergies; There is another problem that makes things dicey. There are two primary types of allergies. Five percent are rapid response allergies known as "I.G.E.". These occur within minutes to an hour after being exposed to an allergen. These are usually obvious to us. However, ninety five percent of the time people experience "I.G.G." or "delayed response" type allergies. These are the ones that occur two to three days after we've been exposed to an allergen. Exposure can be anything eaten, drank, breathed or touched. So, a person may have any of the common allergic signs, or it may be more more obscure. A person may have indigestion, headache, fatigue, heart palpitations, joint pain, or emotional swings. And given that because delayed response is days after contact it can become virtually impossible to connect the dots.

Until now, delayed allergens have been difficult if not impossible to identify through traditional methods. Fortunately, there is a way to uncover these hidden irritants. It's based upon biofeedback technology that can evaluate foods, environmental, and chemical allergens, as many as sixty five thousand substances in total. This is more than could have been tested in a lifetime. And it can now be performed in minutes.

I recently tested a boy who his parents thought was allergic to beef and pork. Sometimes he'd eat and be fine, other times he would be reduced to tears and in anguish with pain. His test revealed no allergies to either meat. Although, he did have a sensitivity to citric acid, (contained in certain fruit). His dad who fashioned himself as a gourmet chef would sometimes spruce up the meat after cooking, with lemon juice to "wake it up" a bit. And as it turns out, this was what was flipping his switch.

So, then what? It gets better! It is possible to use a class three laser coupled with a homeopathic dosage in the form of an energetic frequency to gently reprogram the nervous system to not overly react to such substances. And it only takes about four minutes to accomplish, is totally safe for all ages, and you don't feel a thing, except, in most cases you are over the allergy. Science is great!

Of all the things I've seen for allergies, I believe this method, along with a healthy lifestyle, to offer the most hope for all of us living in the Nashville bowl. It is a paradise, here, but, only to those who can enjoy it. Breath easier!

For more information on allergies and living healthier, contact:
Dr. Dwaine Allison, D.C.
128 Holiday Ct.Ste. 107 Franklin TN 37067
615-790-6363

Spasmodic Dysphonia: What Treatment Options Are Working?

For my last post in this series on Spasmodic Dysphonia, I will report on treatment options and currently available, controversial alternative viewpoints and will offer my further thoughts as a vocal coach:

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR SPASMODIC DYSPHONIA?

The first thing we need to know is that medical treatments now available will only manage symptoms in true SD cases. That is the major diagnostic difference between SD and MTD (muscle tension dysphonia) disorders; MTD cases can be cured by re-training vocal habits and eliminating physical and psychological tension. Please note: MTD cases are much more common than SD.

Medical options pretty much boil down to two things: Botox and surgery.

First of all, several experimental surgical treatments involving such things as paralyzing nerves and splitting the thyroid cartilage to make more room for vocal cord stretch have been found to be ineffective. These surgeries also cannot be reversed, and are not now recommended.

One surgery reporting better success is called "selective laryngeal denervation-reinnervation"(SLAD/R), which is suggested for some with the AdSD type of Spasmodic Dysphonia. Patient response has been reported to be 85 - 90% positive, with life-long results of improved vocal function instead of eventual re-occurring symptoms, as has happened with other surgeries.

What has been reported to be more than 90% effective for SD patients is Botulinum toxin (BTX or Botox) injections, which involves injecting a very small amount of the toxin directly into the overactive vocal muscles. It weakens these muscles so that spasms are diminished and the speaking voice is improved. Patients experience best results more often having one side at a time injected instead of hitting the whole set of overactive spasming muscles.

The drawback to Botox therapy is that it is only temporarily effective, and must usually be repeated every three to six months. It is important to find a doctor who is skilled in delivering this injection because a needle must be inserted into the vocal muscle affected, frankly a tricky spot to hit. The treatment is expensive and can be painful, but is the method of choice by most SD sufferers at this point because surgery is considered a last resort.

ALTERNATIVE/SUPPORTIVE TREATMENTS

I would be remiss in my three-part series look at SD not to tell you that there are also reports of this disorder being overcome with vocal and breathing therapies and re-training. The website www.spasmodicdysphonia.us discusses these alternatives, reporting that many vocal coaches including Roger Love and Gary Catona report success treating SD patients with vocal training. Another such viewpoint comes from Connie Pike, CCC-SLP. A quote from Connie's website:

I have come to view SD as a mindbody disorder; not psychological or neurological, but both. I believe we cannot separate the mind and body functions, including the function of the brain... The track record for voice therapy is a poor one. I believe this is because speech therapists are not properly trained to administer voice rehabilitation with the intensity and the holistic nature that SD therapy requires. The emotional piece of SD is huge and there are breakdowns not just in voice production, but in breathing, voice image and more.The “feeling” of proper voice production is lost in a case of SD and must be rediscovered.

Chiropractic, Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais Method can provide symptomatic help in certain cases, and a breathing technique is discussed here.

MY THOUGHTS FOR VOCAL COACHES

The medical professionals I heard and spoke to at the Nashville symposium last week all say that much about spasmodic dysphonia remains a mystery. They wanted me to know as a vocal coach that if I run into a frustrating case I can't cure with my vocal training, I should send them to get evaluated for vocal damage or spasmodic dysphonia, which of course I have done and will continue to do. They also affirmed that patients with SD can, especially if they have mild to moderate severity of the disorder, be helped to a limited degree with vocal therapy and retraining.

However... an SD sufferer was the person who invited me to the symposium, because she had been so frustrated by seeking help from drama and vocal coaches with no positive results. She quite rightly wanted to get the word out about SD to vocal coaches so they would know to recommend medical evaluations instead of continuing ineffective training if they suspect this condition in a student.

Could alternative treatments cut out the need for Botox injections? Are the above websites just selling false hope to suffering people? I don't have the personal experience to form an opinion.

Vanderbilt Voice Clinic suggests the following website for the most accurate information on spasmodic dysphonia: www.dysphonia.org .

My course of action:

• If a student comes to me with signs of spasmodic dysphonia, I will not tell them I think they have it, because I know you can talk someone into manifesting a disorder just because they believe it.

• I will try using the training that so far has helped everyone I work with, at the first lesson. If I cannot get quick results moving in the right direction with vocal improvement, I will suggest a medical evaluation from experts in the voice such as Vanderbit Voice Center to rule out physical vocal damage or conditions such as spasmodic dysphonia which might require medical intervention.

• If spasmodic dysphonia is diagnosed, I will consult with the medical professionals concerning any vocal training that I could try which could mask or better the symptoms of the particular client.

• I will keep up on the research into spasmodic dysphonia, which I believe is vitally important for all vocal coaches everywhere.
  

May a cure be found ... and soon... for all sufferers of spasmodic dysphonia.