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All Things Vocal Blog & Podcast
Recovering Your Voice After Respiratory Illness
Recognize the steaming pot of water plus towel over head strategy? It helps! NOTE: You may wish to visit this updated post which also offers a free download of recovery vocal exercises: Laryngitis Scare – How To Get Your Voice Back Tiz the season to be sneezing! Sometimes, even with our best preventative efforts, we… Read More » about Recovering Your Voice After Respiratory Illness
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?”… Read More » about Jaw Popping, Tired Voice? Here’s help
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… Read More » about Should You Eat Before You Sing?
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… Read More » about The Vocal Booth: 7 Tips To Make The Recording Space Singer-Friendly
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… Read More » about Singing At The Piano? 7 Tips For Keyboard and Voice Synergy
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… Read More » about Stage Fright Ambush: How To Prevent or Defuse A Sudden Attack Of Nerves
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… Read More » about Breathing For The Voice: The Counterintuitive Secret
Singing and Speaking Loud Without Vocal Strain: The Double Secret
To sing or speak at a loud volume without straining your voice, you must put two things together: Form and Strength. FORM: You must know how to use your voice as efficiently as possible, with the least effort necessary. And you must know this BEFORE trying to increase your volume, so that singing loud is… Read More » about Singing and Speaking Loud Without Vocal Strain: The Double Secret
Vocal Warm Ups: Two Vital Reasons To Do Them
I believe there are two reasons to warm up your voice. To coordinate your body/mind/voice… practicing and developing the muscle memory that enables the basic vocal technique triangle of breath/throat/communication synergy. To give your voice a physical workout… get blood flowing through the tissues, interstitial fluid pumped out, and muscle stamina increased. To accomplish these… Read More » about Vocal Warm Ups: Two Vital Reasons To Do Them