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
Vocal Technique
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
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!
Vocal Tension and The Purposed Touch
In my vocal coaching practice, I use a very valuable tool I learned about from three different sources. This tool is at the tip of my fingers… in fact, it’s at the tip of yours, too. It is the purposed touch, which can drop tension out of an area – or cause the area to… Read More » about Vocal Tension and The Purposed Touch
Spring Toys Every Singer or Speaker Should Have
My Bubbles, Hula Hoop and Martian Popping Thing Because every vocal student I have brings unique vocal strengths, weaknesses and personalities, I keep lots of weird things in my office. Just ask anyone who’s ever taken a vocal lesson from me… it’s never boring:) I use different toys, objects or gadgets with different voices on… Read More » about Spring Toys Every Singer or Speaker Should Have
Performance Magic: The Power of Almost Losing Control
Ready To Create Magic? Performance is, or should be, an experience for your audience so powerful they lose themselves in it. If you add a little magic to your performance, you can really take the audience for a ride. I call it the ‘illusion of almost losing control’. Notice I say ‘ALMOST’ losing control. Think… Read More » about Performance Magic: The Power of Almost Losing Control
Stance Secrets to Singing With Guitar
Practicing my new stance Singing with guitar can be helped or sabotaged by some subtle stance choices. I’ve been having to up my game due to my upcoming band showcase – I play guitar on a couple of our songs. I was having trouble with buzzing strings, cramped hands and back, hurting shoulder and a tendency… Read More » about Stance Secrets to Singing With Guitar
How Vocal Vibrato is Like Garlic
Vocal vibrato is like garlic… some songs/dishes call for more, some less. Sometimes you want artichoke garlic, sometimes elephant garlic – sometimes you want faster wave vibrato, sometimes slower. What you want in both the singer and the chef is… control! Garlic aside, in my practical experience, these are the two most effective remedies for… Read More » about How Vocal Vibrato is Like Garlic
Pitch Problems: 5 Sneaky Causes
Singing chronically flat or sharp – even just a little out of tune- may frustrate, embarrass you, cost you gig work and/or studio time and impact your music career. Often the peskiest pitch problems occur in the easiest middle part of your range! As usual, it’s best to get to the root cause(s) Here are… Read More » about Pitch Problems: 5 Sneaky Causes