I had a blast performing on the Ronnie McDowell show. When it was time to do the interview, Ronnie asked me a very interesting question. He said when he recorded “Older Women Make Beautiful Lovers” he did it in one take, and it of course became a hit. So, he asked me, what would I,… Read More » about When Not To Take Vocal Lessons
Vocal Technique
Where/When To Squeeze For Vocal Power
To power your voice requires effort. It is not a passive thing. Air must move and air must be held back (breath support/breath control must be applied and balanced). This compression (squeeze) effort can be subtle or quite strong. And there is a catch-22: Squeeze at the wrong place, at the wrong time or for… Read More » about Where/When To Squeeze For Vocal Power
5 Differences between classical and contemporary voice
Both classical and contemporary are brilliant and beautiful… just make sure you are ‘singing in the right language’ for your song! (Post updated 2017) 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, Android apps It can… Read More » about 5 Differences between classical and contemporary voice
Vocal Technique: Why Know Why
When you venture into the world of vocal training as student or teacher you can be quite overwhelmed with all the different methods, systems and approaches… even with vocal teachers, trainers, directors and coaches seeming to teach opposite techniques! This is why you, as student or teacher, should know the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ is… Read More » about Vocal Technique: Why Know Why
The Hands Of A Vocalist
The hands of a singer (or a speaker) make an interesting study for me. Personally, if you were to make me freeze my hands in place, I don’t think I could sing- or talk! Years ago, a studio engineer in Memphis told me to stand perfectly still at the mic. This guy was NOT a… Read More » about The Hands Of A Vocalist
Singers With Breathing or Rhythm Issues: Dance!
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all my subscribers… you are the reason this blog goes on, and I am truly thankful for your readership and your participation. I have a quick but powerful suggestion for you today: If you want- more breath support and control for singing… help with feeling rhythm… …try dancing! Why?… Read More » about Singers With Breathing or Rhythm Issues: Dance!
How To Increase Your Vocal Range Without Strain
Alicia Yantz, photo by Peter Rodman If you are wanting to increase your usable vocal range without straining your voice, here’s the best way: Strengthen your middle or mixed voice! This is also known as bridging or covering, mixing your registers without a vocal break so that you seem to have one connected register rather… Read More » about How To Increase Your Vocal Range Without Strain
Why is Gladys Knight So Good?
photo courtesy of Ron Oates I just got back from singing background vocals for the Jim Wilkes Show at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas. Our performance went very well…Jim truly rocked the house…and the all star band from Nashville (with horns!) was fabulous. We then had the extreme pleasure of watching our headliner…one… Read More » about Why is Gladys Knight So Good?
Case Studies: Applying Power, Path & Performance Vocal Training
The value of any vocal training is in the gain of vocal ability and the resolution of vocal problems as a result of the lessons. I thought I’d give a few case studies of the three-pronged synergy of Power, Path and Performance vocal training. There are many unique variations of each case, of course, because… Read More » about Case Studies: Applying Power, Path & Performance Vocal Training
Voice Sounding Too Nasal? Tips
One of the most frustrating mysteries of some voices is how to get the excessive nasality out. If you don’t know better, you may think that’s ‘just the way that voice sounds’. I’ve actually found it relatively one of the easiest vocal problems to cure. So what causes excessive nasality? If the throat channel (voice… Read More » about Voice Sounding Too Nasal? Tips