Have you assessed your speaking voice lately? Hmm… you could be missing one of the most important tools you have to impact your world… your ability to talk! Here’s how I define a successful speaking voice: It communicates clearly, creates the desired response in the listener (at an emotional, not just surface, level) and you… Read More » about Speaking Voice Mistakes = Talking Trouble!
All Things Vocal Blog & Podcast
Quieting Your Mind for Performance Focus
Our minds are interesting entities. When performing as singers and speakers, there are lots of things vying for our mind’s attention… the feel of our outfit, the temperature in the room, the size of the audience, the blinding spotlight, the missing spotlight, that label rep/old boyfriend/girlfriend/cute thing watching, the phone call right before the show… Read More » about Quieting Your Mind for Performance Focus
Work-For-Hire Jingle Singing
My staff singers’ group in the 70’s! (I’m second from the right) I got a couple of great questions this week from a recording artist/stage performer about doing work-for-hire as a singer. This artist has been getting a lot of calls to do jingles. He asks: If I sign a ‘work -for-hire’ agreement, does… Read More » about Work-For-Hire Jingle Singing
How To Start The Day – from PCG Nasville’s Bernard Porter
I love working with people who really care about making other people’s lives better – especially when those people are music makers. That’s one of the many reasons I love working with Bernard Porter and his artist development company PCG Nashville. I’d like to thank him for sharing his thoughts in his guest post. I… Read More » about How To Start The Day – from PCG Nasville’s Bernard Porter
Vocal Tone: How To Change It
This will be the first in a two-part series This is the second of a two part series This will be the first in a two-part series This will be the first in a two-part series As promised, this is my second blog post on ‘Vocal Tone’. It’s one thing to know how you want… Read More » about Vocal Tone: How To Change It
Vocal Tone: What It Is, Why We Change It
This will be the first in a two-part series What is vocal tone? It is the quality and characteristics of the sound you create with your voice. What does vocal tone do? It communicates messages. The vocal tone you use can radically change the meaning (message) of the words coming out of your mouth! Take for… Read More » about Vocal Tone: What It Is, Why We Change It
Protecting Your Songs: Practical Tips from Nashville
The voice of the songwriter creates intellectual property… an artistic and financial asset. The asset (song) need to be protected before publicly performing it, licensing it, releasing it, sending it out in the world. Here is the way we in Nashville like to do it: Get all cowriters’ and co-publishers’ info Too many times… Read More » about Protecting Your Songs: Practical Tips from Nashville
Review of David Aaron Katz’ book “Superior Vocal Health”
For today’s post, I’m going to review an important book for you. David Aaron Katz’ book “Superior Vocal Health” (Amazon #ad) should be on the shelf of every serious singer, public speaker, vocal coach or director. In fact, it really should be kept as a reference source for anyone interested in alternative remedies for good health…. Read More » about Review of David Aaron Katz’ book “Superior Vocal Health”
Think You Have a Tight Diaphragm? Think Again
Here’s why your vocal issue probably isn’t caused by a tight diaphragm. First of all… What exactly IS the diaphragm? The diaphragm is a very large and thin dome-shaped muscle group that separates the upper and lower torso. The edges of it are attached to the bottom of the ribcage, all the way around. The… Read More » about Think You Have a Tight Diaphragm? Think Again
9 Tips for Better Voice-Over and Teleseminar Speaking
When doing voice-over work or hosting teleseminars, you generally don’t have the person you need to be speaking to in front of your face. But you have to imagine interacting with them, or your speaking voice will sound dull, bored, thin and/or fake – definitely not the kind of voice that invites listening. Here are… Read More » about 9 Tips for Better Voice-Over and Teleseminar Speaking