I know that finding the right vocal instruction can be a daunting task. I thought I’d try and help you differentiate between vocal coaches and vocal teachers or technique instructors and help you take some of the mystery out of why coaches and teacher can be so different. And depending on your skill level and what you are looking for, you should be able to ask specific questions to teachers so you can quickly find the one that will help you in you’re the most with what you’re trying to accomplish. So as briefly as I can, I’m going to summarize the basic roles, as I see them, of vocal coaches and vocal teachers or technique instructors.
Vocal Coaching
A vocal coach helps a student through his or her songs and gives feedback on how to improve those songs. They focus on helping the student improve arrangements, phrasing, pitch, diction and articulation, pronunciation, lyrics, volume, breathing (when to breathe and when not to breathe), rhythms and how they approach the song. A vocal coach many times even assists the student in picking the right songs.
They should, at the very least, have a working knowledge in different genres and eras and their respective styles. And since repertoire comes in a variety of languages, the vocal coach should help students with diction, pronunciations, and translations of whatever language they are required to sing in.
Vocal coaches can also work with the singer on how to interpret the meaning of lyrics and how best to convey those emotions to the audience. Not only is this done thru the actual singing, but thru the effective use of body language or good stage presence. The coach may work with the student on making eye contact, gesturing, and microphone technique, how to move with the music, basic choreography, blocking and posture.
Keep in mind that a good vocal coach should be able to address errors in technique and be able to work thru basic technical solutions even though technique is not his or her primary focus.
Vocal Teacher or Vocal Technique Instruction
A vocal teacher or someone who focuses on technique instructor works with students mainly on singing fundamentals. They will spend much of the lessons working on breathing techniques, building and developing the support supporting muscular systems required for good vocal control and endurance, posture, placement, tone, range and flexibility, blending, A technique instructor doesn’t usually spend much of the lesson working on the intricacies of a particular song with his or her students. Again, they should be able to do so if asked. Again, a good vocal teacher or technique instructor should be working on such skills as correct breathing techniques, pure and altered vowel sounds, correcting nasal tones, correcting breathy or throaty tones, correct sliding between notes, blending and transitioning between registers, and increasing vocal range, flexibility, power, endurance and control.
Because of my 30 plus years of live performance experience and working both in front and behind the scenes on many different shows, I am often asked to wear both hats so-to-speak; and although I am very competent at both, I would always prefer my first focus to be that of voice teacher or technique instructor and then vocal coach. It is next to impossible (not impossible but it sure makes it more difficult; and who needs that added pressure) to build a strong and lasting career on a shaky foundation. I also believe it is important to train the whole body because the muscles of the whole body are involved when you sing.
I hear time and time again as many singers age they aren’t capable of doing what they used to do. As a general rule, the more instable, weak, or feeble your foundation is the faster your house will fall down. If your technique is solid, you will be able to sing and sing well as long as you want to do it. I like to first focus on empowering the singer. I want to give you the choice of how to run your career, not be at the mercy of a faltering body and technique.
All that being said, I believe that coaching and teaching can and should go hand in hand. A serious, professional or aspiring professional singer might want to have both a vocal teacher and a coach. If you are not a strong technical singer and don’t have a solid grasp of technique and use improper technique when you sing, you are most likely going to face frustration and quite possibly injure your voice.
Be over prepared… I think if you have good solid technique under your belt, your abilities should exceed whatever technical magic is required in the songs you’re singing. If you’re on top of your game and in top vocal and physical shape, singing should be effortless…. Not thoughtless… remember… THINK – BREATHE – SING!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Working out: Can it cause vocal damage?
As some of you know with my background in dance and Pilates, I have always wanted to get my personal trainer certification, which I just completed. I am now a certified trainer with NASM, National Academy of Sports Medicine. I have been working for many years now studying how working out effects singers. In particular how it affects breathing, support muscles and strain on the larynx. I’m going to start incorporating workout and training tips into my blog for singers because I think it is imperative that you understand how to train and how not to train, what exercises will help you in singing and which ones will actually make singing more difficult.
Weight training if done incorrectly can over-strengthen small muscles surrounding the vocal apparatus, causing a lack of flexibility around and in the larynx. As you may imagine, this is not good for your voice. Incorrect physical training can also tighten the throat, neck and shoulders, which need to remain free of tension while singing.
If a trainer is not used to training singers and doesn’t watch specifically for things like holding your breath, the trainer may not notice that you are tightening the glottis, which can cause vocal damage! My best advise is to find a personal trainer who is training singers, understands their special requirements, and knows how to protect them.
In the meantime, here are some tips I have for you whether you are working out by yourself, or with a trainer. And if you are working with a trainer make sure they are aware of what you do and have a good working knowledge of which muscles a singer needs to use when singing. And as always…
CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE BEGINNING ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM.
Avoid any exercises that cause too much tension or strain in your neck, shoulders, upper back and chest.
Do stretching exercises before and after you exercise. Do plenty of stretching exercises that stretch the chest and neck. Stretch gently and hold all stretches for 20 to 30 seconds and release slowly. Repeat this 2 to 3 times per stretch.
Do exercises that strengthen the core. And no…. I don’t mean a whole bunch of crunches. That actually shortens and tightens the muscles you need for correct breathing. All this does is make it more difficult for you to perform the in and out action required for diaphragmatic and abdominal breathing. There are MANY more support muscles you need to strengthen besides and in addition to the rectus abdominus muscle.
Make sure you are not holding your breath. There are actually breathing patterns that your trainer can teach you that support the breathing you should be doing while you are singing.
If you are lifting weights, make sure you are not gripping the bar too tightly. Keep your hands relaxed.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. HYDRATE YOURSELF BEFORE DURING AND AFTER YOUR WORKOUT!
And finally, avoid lifting weights right before you sing. You need to give your muscles time to relax. Allow at least 12 hours for your muscles to relax after lifting before you sing as a guideline. It is fine to do aerobics on performance days, but remember to breathe correctly… in through the nose and out through the mouth. And remember it’s just as important to get proper rest between your aerobic workout and your performance. You don’t want you body to be tired and over trained before you hit the stage, studio or rehearsal. Become a fan of the “nap,” your body and voice will thank you!
Weight training if done incorrectly can over-strengthen small muscles surrounding the vocal apparatus, causing a lack of flexibility around and in the larynx. As you may imagine, this is not good for your voice. Incorrect physical training can also tighten the throat, neck and shoulders, which need to remain free of tension while singing.
If a trainer is not used to training singers and doesn’t watch specifically for things like holding your breath, the trainer may not notice that you are tightening the glottis, which can cause vocal damage! My best advise is to find a personal trainer who is training singers, understands their special requirements, and knows how to protect them.
In the meantime, here are some tips I have for you whether you are working out by yourself, or with a trainer. And if you are working with a trainer make sure they are aware of what you do and have a good working knowledge of which muscles a singer needs to use when singing. And as always…
CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE BEGINNING ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM.
Avoid any exercises that cause too much tension or strain in your neck, shoulders, upper back and chest.
Do stretching exercises before and after you exercise. Do plenty of stretching exercises that stretch the chest and neck. Stretch gently and hold all stretches for 20 to 30 seconds and release slowly. Repeat this 2 to 3 times per stretch.
Do exercises that strengthen the core. And no…. I don’t mean a whole bunch of crunches. That actually shortens and tightens the muscles you need for correct breathing. All this does is make it more difficult for you to perform the in and out action required for diaphragmatic and abdominal breathing. There are MANY more support muscles you need to strengthen besides and in addition to the rectus abdominus muscle.
Make sure you are not holding your breath. There are actually breathing patterns that your trainer can teach you that support the breathing you should be doing while you are singing.
If you are lifting weights, make sure you are not gripping the bar too tightly. Keep your hands relaxed.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. HYDRATE YOURSELF BEFORE DURING AND AFTER YOUR WORKOUT!
And finally, avoid lifting weights right before you sing. You need to give your muscles time to relax. Allow at least 12 hours for your muscles to relax after lifting before you sing as a guideline. It is fine to do aerobics on performance days, but remember to breathe correctly… in through the nose and out through the mouth. And remember it’s just as important to get proper rest between your aerobic workout and your performance. You don’t want you body to be tired and over trained before you hit the stage, studio or rehearsal. Become a fan of the “nap,” your body and voice will thank you!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Vibrato... how do I get it....
Vibrato happens when the voice alternates quickly and precisely between two pitches that are close together. This variation in pitch shouldn’t go beyond a semitone either way from the intended note. The effect of vibrato is often perceived to add warmth and character to the voice.
Most agree that vibrato is a way for our body to induce muscle relaxation. Because the body needs muscular relaxation, during intense vocal use such as sustained notes at high pitches, vibrato is the body’s natural way of trying to relax. It’s the same as other muscles in our body. Muscles in our arms or legs begin to shake when lifting or holding heavy objects for prolonged periods of time. In other words, the muscles of the larynx begin to pulse or shake in response to tension placed on them for prolonged periods of time, and that produces what we hear and experience as vibrato.
Vibrato should occur naturally and happens in order to protect and maintain the healthy function of the vocal folds. A lack of understanding about what vibrato is and how it is works has many singers to trying to reproduce incorrect and sometimes unhealthy imitations of it.
Many singers who may be untrained or poorly trained, expect to hear something that actually may not have anything to do with natural vibrato. They get these ideas because of the contemporary singers they hear that try to reproduce the phenomenon unnaturally. They mistake bad technique for true vibrato. Not only are these over-prominent vibratos not appealing, they are also generally not healthy. Forcing the pitch variance can place too much stress on the untrained or undeveloped voice
I don’t focus a lot of time working on vibrato with students because I’ve found through the years of teaching and singing that developing good technique allows the vibrato to develop naturally. However, in this fast paced world of “gotta have it right now,” many students are trading solid vocal technique for vocal tricks and stunts.
This disposable or revolving talent door doesn’t allow enough time for proper training. If it can’t be changed in an hour then we can fix it with “studio magic,” and when this voice wears out, well, there will be another one ready to take over… and so on and so on...
When your voice is free, relaxed and correctly supported vibrato will happen spontaneously. If you take your time and train properly, vibrato is not something you need to force. Remember, it’s something our bodies do naturally. You don’t need to push in and out with your hands on your the upper abdomen to make vibrato happen. And if you do this before the voice is ready you are risking injury to the voice. It will happen naturally when good singing techniques have been properly developed. This may not be the popular teaching philosophy of the day, but I believe it is the responsible one.
Most agree that vibrato is a way for our body to induce muscle relaxation. Because the body needs muscular relaxation, during intense vocal use such as sustained notes at high pitches, vibrato is the body’s natural way of trying to relax. It’s the same as other muscles in our body. Muscles in our arms or legs begin to shake when lifting or holding heavy objects for prolonged periods of time. In other words, the muscles of the larynx begin to pulse or shake in response to tension placed on them for prolonged periods of time, and that produces what we hear and experience as vibrato.
Vibrato should occur naturally and happens in order to protect and maintain the healthy function of the vocal folds. A lack of understanding about what vibrato is and how it is works has many singers to trying to reproduce incorrect and sometimes unhealthy imitations of it.
Many singers who may be untrained or poorly trained, expect to hear something that actually may not have anything to do with natural vibrato. They get these ideas because of the contemporary singers they hear that try to reproduce the phenomenon unnaturally. They mistake bad technique for true vibrato. Not only are these over-prominent vibratos not appealing, they are also generally not healthy. Forcing the pitch variance can place too much stress on the untrained or undeveloped voice
I don’t focus a lot of time working on vibrato with students because I’ve found through the years of teaching and singing that developing good technique allows the vibrato to develop naturally. However, in this fast paced world of “gotta have it right now,” many students are trading solid vocal technique for vocal tricks and stunts.
This disposable or revolving talent door doesn’t allow enough time for proper training. If it can’t be changed in an hour then we can fix it with “studio magic,” and when this voice wears out, well, there will be another one ready to take over… and so on and so on...
When your voice is free, relaxed and correctly supported vibrato will happen spontaneously. If you take your time and train properly, vibrato is not something you need to force. Remember, it’s something our bodies do naturally. You don’t need to push in and out with your hands on your the upper abdomen to make vibrato happen. And if you do this before the voice is ready you are risking injury to the voice. It will happen naturally when good singing techniques have been properly developed. This may not be the popular teaching philosophy of the day, but I believe it is the responsible one.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Dream big: Plan well: Be flexible!
Its been said that many people fail not because of lack of talent, but in large part because of lack of vision, poor planning and deciding that there is only one way to do something. See if you can apply these things to your singing… for instance, if you want to increase your range or sing a particular song that is challenging for you, or get more bookings, or record a CD… See if following a more structured plan wouldn’t help you achieve your goals.
Dream big!
Many people have dreams, but when they think of them follow it up with thoughts like… but I could really never do that, or that’s only for lucky people and things like that never happens to me, or every time I try, something always gets in my way … get the picture. When you dream, you have to give yourself permission to really believe that not only is it possible to get there but you need to spend time thinking and FEELING what it would be like to be living your dream right now!
If you focus on what you think you can’t do… guess what, you probably won’t do it… Have you ever thought, “the big note is coming up, I hope I can hit it, I didn’t get it in rehearsal, I wonder if I’ll get it now …” and then you don’t…. You have effectively talked yourself into missing the note… Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus your energy on what you want? Put your attention on what you want and get a plan going on how you’re going to get it… I want to be able to hit that note, and higher notes, every time, I want to hit it strong and clear, I want to have complete control over how that note comes out… wouldn’t that serve you better? How do you do that?
Plan well!
Get very clear on what it is you want and write it down…. Let me say that again… get crystal clear on what you want and write it down!!! Now what are steps you can take in the next three months to get you on the road to your goal? What do you want to get done and by when? What can you do weekly and what could you be doing daily to bring you closer to your goal? WRITE IT DOWN!!! Make some flash cards. One side with long-term goals the other side with weekly goals… Put them where you’ll see them often, maybe keep one with you and read it many times a day.
This may sound silly, but it is sometimes difficult in life to stay focused and positive about our journey. It will make you feel great to start seeing all that you are accomplishing each week and you will see yourself moving closer and closer to your dreams….
Be Flexible!
In my opinion this is the tricky thing… We do all of this work and then get too attached to the way we think the plan should unfold… Well, how often do plans actually go just the way we thought they would? You have to take daily action, but you must be flexible enough to try different or new approaches along the way. Remember, if something isn’t working, you may need to take a look at it and approach it from a different angle. Don’t hang on to tightly to one way of doing things just because it’s familiar. You may need to branch out and try hitting that note a different way.
Be open to new things. Re-do you plan often. Don’t look at it once a year. Stay focused on what you want and keep searching for the best most efficient way to do things… Always be a student, keep learning and growing. We all have new things we can learn, no matter how accomplished or successful we become. Always keep fresh goals in front of you….
Dream big!
Many people have dreams, but when they think of them follow it up with thoughts like… but I could really never do that, or that’s only for lucky people and things like that never happens to me, or every time I try, something always gets in my way … get the picture. When you dream, you have to give yourself permission to really believe that not only is it possible to get there but you need to spend time thinking and FEELING what it would be like to be living your dream right now!
If you focus on what you think you can’t do… guess what, you probably won’t do it… Have you ever thought, “the big note is coming up, I hope I can hit it, I didn’t get it in rehearsal, I wonder if I’ll get it now …” and then you don’t…. You have effectively talked yourself into missing the note… Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus your energy on what you want? Put your attention on what you want and get a plan going on how you’re going to get it… I want to be able to hit that note, and higher notes, every time, I want to hit it strong and clear, I want to have complete control over how that note comes out… wouldn’t that serve you better? How do you do that?
Plan well!
Get very clear on what it is you want and write it down…. Let me say that again… get crystal clear on what you want and write it down!!! Now what are steps you can take in the next three months to get you on the road to your goal? What do you want to get done and by when? What can you do weekly and what could you be doing daily to bring you closer to your goal? WRITE IT DOWN!!! Make some flash cards. One side with long-term goals the other side with weekly goals… Put them where you’ll see them often, maybe keep one with you and read it many times a day.
This may sound silly, but it is sometimes difficult in life to stay focused and positive about our journey. It will make you feel great to start seeing all that you are accomplishing each week and you will see yourself moving closer and closer to your dreams….
Be Flexible!
In my opinion this is the tricky thing… We do all of this work and then get too attached to the way we think the plan should unfold… Well, how often do plans actually go just the way we thought they would? You have to take daily action, but you must be flexible enough to try different or new approaches along the way. Remember, if something isn’t working, you may need to take a look at it and approach it from a different angle. Don’t hang on to tightly to one way of doing things just because it’s familiar. You may need to branch out and try hitting that note a different way.
Be open to new things. Re-do you plan often. Don’t look at it once a year. Stay focused on what you want and keep searching for the best most efficient way to do things… Always be a student, keep learning and growing. We all have new things we can learn, no matter how accomplished or successful we become. Always keep fresh goals in front of you….
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