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.
   

Vocal Training: Why Your Audience Shouldn't Hear It

I got a very interesting comment about over-trained singers at my page on The Modern Vocalist.com:

"What I strive for: no two voices are the same. It's that unique strong signature characteristic that separates people who can sing from people who become icons in music. Take Sting for example... not the greatest vocalist, but there's no mistaking that aged husky whimper of his. Technique is important for power and control, but I find that there are too many people sounding too trained. I believe that one should incorporate one's personality into one's sound as much as possible in order to go about creating that strong iconic signature sound that no one else can recreate. Take Chino from Deftones-that guy can't sing a note- but the Deftones wouldn't be anything without him. Same goes for Trent Reznor from Nine inch Nails. I think it's a fine balance between a trained and untrained voice that needs to be found." - Timothy Ian David Lester

This is, in fact, why some people think you can know too much about music or voice. They feel that too much musical knowledge can cause a musician or singer to over-think and turn their art... artificial. Actually, sometimes they are right-- but only because they are not being taught well, in my humble opinion.

The first thing we vocal coaches should do is to interview our new student and find out what his or her vocal and musical goals really are. Do they need to sing classical songs to get into (or through) college with a major in voice? Do they want to sing what they are writing... r&b, country, pop, jazz, hiphop, alternative... we must know so we don't guide them into a style that is not where their heart is. Yes, people can learn to sing both classical and popular genres, but sometimes the jump can be hard. It's like learning to speak different languages VERY FLUENTLY. Yes, you can do it but it takes time, careful & accurate coaching and exposure to the masters of the musical genres you want to sing to do multiple genres well. If you want to sing in more than two or three genres (like pro session singers must), this is what I call "stunt singing". Does your student really want to be a jack of all trades or do they want to be a master of ... one?

I believe we need to do exactly what Timothy is suggesting... help our clients find their UNIQUENESS. This is what really sets the heart free, and sometimes gives a vocalist a career as a recording and performing artist. It really takes experimentation, a feeling of safety to try on new ways of using the voice, and feedback from someone with great intuition about how an audience would react to what they are hearing. We want an audience's immediate reaction to be: "Wow what a song- and what a delivery of that song!"... not "Wow, I wonder who this artist's vocal coach is and what method they use?"

My favorite artists actually play with their voices, sometimes "de-supporting" for a weak, sensual or sad sound... but when it's time for business they ramp up all the vocal wisdom they ever learned and deliver such controlled power that we are mesmerized with their song. They scream, use breathy or husky sounds on purpose, but ... and here's the rub... they NEVER hurt either the listener's ear or their voice. It's like an aural (instead of an optical) illusion. And it comes from being - you guessed it - very well trained.

A good example is the masterful performance of a great actor. If they are doing what they should, you never even detect the slightest whiff of "acting", do you? But you can bet your bottom dollar that they used top dollar acting teachers to get to the level they are at in their craft. According to her biography, Janis Joplin planned every "impromptu" scream she did.

A singer who is serious should be trained... by an insightful and wise vocal coach who will train them so well you don't hear "vocal training" when they sing. You hear... a song that elicits from you an emotional response. Period.

What do you think?

Singing with Bands Unfamiliar With You

I got a great question about singing with musicians in "instant situations" where you sit in with those who don't regularly accompany you.

This situation can happen at big and small events, such as:

1. Bars and clubs who invite new singers to sit in.
2. Contests or auditions where the accompaniest plays for you with no rehearsal.
3. Informal jamfests where you're invited to "do something you know", and someone there plays for you.
4. Events where artists have to fly or bus in and perform with a house band of some kind.
5. TV shows where the artist plays with the house band.
   

It's always tricky. Sometimes a musician or band can be awesome, but even with great musicians this is never the optimum situation. What you can do is limited, but here are some suggestions from my days of doing these things:

1. ALWAYS know the key for a song you are considering singing.
2. ALWAYS be able to give them the "feel" and the tempo right before they count off. If you are confident with doing so, you count the intro off yourself.
3. ALWAYS show respect to the band, no matter how limited or strange they play.
4. ALWAYS try like crazy to get a rehearsal or at least a soundcheck. Not always possible, but try anyway.
   
5. Be ready to sing as if you're singing acapella. If they don't play the song the way you know it, you'll need to confidently plow ahead and let them follow you. Practice this by doing a lot of acapella singing.
6. If the players ARE good, consider changing your own performance to an "in the moment" feel. You'll have to literally feel this out.
7. Sometimes you have a situation where your own band member(s) can't get to the gig for some reason, and you may be offered the services of a substitute. If you can rehearse, and if you have the authority and confidence and kindness do so with respect, pay rehearsal fee to a player who hasn't had time enough to master your songs. Then tell them you're just not going to be able to use them for this show, because it came together so fast. It's usually better to play with just one musician (or trio) than to play with an unprepared band.
8. Remember to sing TO THE AUDIENCE... don't perform as if you are rehearsing.
   
9. Leave the band and the audience wanting more:)
10. If asked to sing and you don't think you and the band are a good enouth fit, politely decline the invitation. The last time I declined to sing was an event where the band was absolutely incredible... and I didn't know any of their genre of songs! I saved myself some embarrassment there!
    

Lest we condescend, remember that plenty of musicians have stories about having to sing with singers who don't have a clue, too! Make it easy on them... be prepared... and be respectful. Let that be your reputation among musicians and it will pay off in droves. The last thing you want is for a band to groan as you asend the stage towards the microphone:)

Anyone else have suggestions?

No Vocal Competition with Vocal Uniqueness

I have a unique slant on what performance is. This may surprise you in this day of gladiator-style vocal competition. You can quote me:

The best voice comes not from competition with other
voices but from a pursuit of its own excellence.

I say there is no competition with uniqueness. The REASON we sing will be a big reason for the WAY we sing. If your first goal of performance is money or celebrity, sit down and listen. A strong ability to move someone with vocal performance will trump the fame and fortune in soul satisfaction, and oddly enough, fame and fortune often follows. The business should follow the music, not the other way around. This paradigm shift has set many a voice free, immediately, in my office, and several careers have been born or re-born. It's a beautiful thing!