How open does your jaw need to be for your voice? As is often true in ‘all things vocal’… it depends. I just read a great article in the NATS “Journal of Singing”. In the latest segment of his article series, author and professor Stephen F. Austin discussed the controversies concerning how far one should… Read More » about Jaw Movements and Vocal Consequences
All Things Vocal Blog & Podcast
Voices and Allergies… Practical Tips To Quell The Muous Monsters
Ah spring! Tis the season to be sneezin’ – and it’s no laughing matter for singers and public speakers! Your body decides that some particle is a foreign invader and has to be stopped at all costs… even at the cost of inflaming your sinuses, nasal passages, throat and/or vocal cords. Sometimes allergies can trigger… Read More » about Voices and Allergies… Practical Tips To Quell The Muous Monsters
Using Hands For Singing and Speaking
Your voice needs your whole physical and emotional being to sing or speak best. Today I’d like to focus on the use of hands – without which our voice is missing out. The first time I actually noticed the importance of singing with my hands was many years ago when an unenlightened recording engineer told… Read More » about Using Hands For Singing and Speaking
The Writing Voice: Punctuation Communicates!
Ron Oates Hi all… In keeping with my theme for this blog “All Things Vocal”, I want to address the writing voice today. It matters. Music makers also need to be able to communicate in non-musical ways, and be assessed as somewhat intelligent to be taken seriously. I am stunned at the bad presentation of… Read More » about The Writing Voice: Punctuation Communicates!
PPP Vocal Training Method Endorsed by Acting Director Darren J. Butler
Cast of the Butler/Rodman musical “We The People” using PPP Vocal Technique I just got a wonderful surprise in my email… my co-writing partner in the musicals “Runaway Home” and “We The People” sent this glowing endorsement of my vocal training method. It is all the more precious to me because it is based… Read More » about PPP Vocal Training Method Endorsed by Acting Director Darren J. Butler
Vocal Warmup: Why You Should Not Skip It
Maria Sarah on NBC Today Show At 4:30 Central, 5:30 NY time, I finished an online vocal warmup with my student Maria Sarah. This wise young singer chose to get up a half hour early to do her vocal exercises before going off to perform her piano/vocal solo on the Today show. Because she was warmed… Read More » about Vocal Warmup: Why You Should Not Skip It
9 Tips for Singing Better High Notes
Using my own technique to sing the long high end of ‘One Way Ticket’ Hitting high notes seems to be the rage these days. Also known as the ‘money notes’, they can be over-rated, because if the rest of the song is not delivered, good execution of high notes will just be a momentary audience… Read More » about 9 Tips for Singing Better High Notes
Singing Soft Powerfully – Make Light Phrases Zing!
Singing soft doesn’t have to mean communicating weakly. Getting this right can make the difference between a soft passage that no one pays attention to and one that subtly but surely sucks the air out of the room and demands attention! First verses, breakdown choruses, light bridges, tags are some common places that can be… Read More » about Singing Soft Powerfully – Make Light Phrases Zing!
A Sneaky Source of Vocal Tension… Dehydration!
This is a quick post today. Just thought I’d share with you something besides wrong vocal technique that can cause vocal tension and strain. When you have this condition, it doesn’t matter how right you sing, your voice will still get tired. I actually diagnosed this pesky source of vocal fatigue in one of my… Read More » about A Sneaky Source of Vocal Tension… Dehydration!
How to Reduce Stage Fright After the Speech is Over
Today’s post was written by my guest Ryan Rivera, founder of Calm Clinic, who is an expert in anxiety disorders. It’s about a specific issue that can plague public speakers: Anxiety from second-guessing AFTER the speech! Here’s what Ryan says: Stage fright is an upsetting issue. You go up there, you talk in front of… Read More » about How to Reduce Stage Fright After the Speech is Over