Can your choruses make a house cat yawn? Read on… NEW: I’m experimenting with creating this audio version of the post. Let me know if you find it helpful: So we all understand the value of a repeating ‘hook’ line in songwriting. But how do you repeat the same words multiple times without boring yourself… Read More » about Repeating Lyrics: How to Turn Boring Into Mesmerizing
All Things Vocal Blog & Podcast
Tempo, Key, Articulation & Why They Matter For Singing a Gazillion Lyrics
NOTE: The audio player should appear below, if not, please click on the title of this post and go online to hear. Available also on iTunes , Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, Spotify, Android apps These days the song lyric count per bar norm is – more often than not – as many as one can possibly fit in…. Read More » about Tempo, Key, Articulation & Why They Matter For Singing a Gazillion Lyrics
Twin Sins of Powering The Voice: Too Little, Too Much
Balance Through all my years of singing, speaking and coaching others, I’ve come to appreciate a basic vocal fact: Vocal cords love to be buzzed… but they hate to be blown. (- yours truly) This is why the breath we send to and through them MUST be balanced… both supported and controlled. It’s a complicated… Read More » about Twin Sins of Powering The Voice: Too Little, Too Much
Voice Feeling A Little Guarded?
Still guarded even after the storm is over? pic courtesy of Dr. Robert Hubbard, aka ‘The Survival Doctor‘ My sister & brother-in-law’s poor rain-soaked little dog Nick illustrates perfectly how we feel when we are not sure how our voice is going to perform. But the guarded stance for voice is a counterproductive tactic. Years… Read More » about Voice Feeling A Little Guarded?
Reflux Laryngitis From Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning
What’s eating you? Stomach flu, stomach bug, food poisoning… sometimes it’s hard to tell, but we all know the signs. Diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, and sometimes, reflux laryngitis! Yours truly just had the experience (I’m always doing research for you:) After a 24 hour bought with something intestines decided didn’t belong there, I noticed I… Read More » about Reflux Laryngitis From Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning
The Easter Voice… Music That Lives On
Benton Ferguson I’m writing this blogpost in the car while my husband drives us to the memorial service for my amazing nephew Benton Ferguson. It’s Easter weekend, in my faith, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, and the parallels are too obvious not to mention. Ben fully embodied the life, the music and the voice that… Read More » about The Easter Voice… Music That Lives On
Listening to Tight Voices? Danger: It can Tighten Your Own
Whew.. even just looking at this pic makes me cough… Be careful what you listen to. You know that phrase ‘you are what you eat’? Well, your voice tends to mimic (be) what it hears (consumes). If you stop and think about it, the way a baby learns to talk is by listening to other… Read More » about Listening to Tight Voices? Danger: It can Tighten Your Own
Vocal Strain: What is it? What can you do about it?
Vocal Strain- Never Again! What is vocal strain? Vocal strain, like any other strain, is the overuse or misuse of the vocal cords. Only 1/2″ to 1″ long in adults, these little bands easily can be overblown. After just 20 minutes of screaming at a ball game, blood blisters can begin to form on them!… Read More » about Vocal Strain: What is it? What can you do about it?
Vocal Performance and Acting Technique: Making Choices
The colors your voice chooses determines the message heard. Masterful vocal performance and great acting have many parallels. For one thing of course, acting usually involves the voice to some degree. But did you know that to use the voice effectively requires certain acting skills? The third cornerstone of Power, Path and Performance vocal training… Read More » about Vocal Performance and Acting Technique: Making Choices
Numb Singing Or Speaking Voice? Question: What Are You LOOKING At?
This is yet another post I want to do on eyes for the voice. Bare with me, but as a vocal coach for singers and speakers, I talk a lot about eyes. This is because the sound of your voice can be dramatically changed by what the ‘windows of your soul’ are focused on…. Read More » about Numb Singing Or Speaking Voice? Question: What Are You LOOKING At?