Because the New Year is almost here, I thought I’d give you something to think about perhaps as a new years resolution…. I think this can really be applied to life in general, but lets look at it as it relates to singing and fitness. (You may think singing and fitness are an odd combination to keep talking about. … I happen to look at singers as an athlete not just a singer, performing is it’s own kind of sport!)
To be a great singer or to be in top shape it requires what… your time… right. Well, the number one thing I hear from both types of clients is that they don’t have enough time to practice everyday or to workout “like they should.”
I would suggest to you that this is all about choice. Unless you are a minor and someone is making you practice or workout, go to dance class etc… YOU have the authority to make those decisions and YOU will be held accountable for your choices. You will be held accountable by how well you sing and perform and by how you look and feel. Do you have the stamina or endurance for your task… whether it’s a show or just playing with your kids? YOU are the one responsible for making the choice. Being responsible means that YOU have the choice. YOU are deciding what’s really important to you and what isn’t.
If you aren’t practicing like you should to get wherever it is you want to go, then it would seem like something else is really more important wouldn’t you say? Free time, friends, video games… something. Otherwise your practice would come first. If you can’t find the time to workout then again, something else is more important… your job, your spouse or significant other, your charity work…. Again, whatever it is, and I’m not saying those other things aren’t important, I’m sure they are, but are they really are more important than your health or practicing for your career … maybe, maybe not… it depends on your priorities…
So the question is where do these things, taking time for your health and practicing for your career, fall in line of priority for you. What may help you decide is to look at what the consequences of your choices will be if you don’t practice and take care of your body.
First I think you have to be honest with yourself and get really clear and focused on what you want out of your life… Then, as you think about where these things fall on your priority list, ask yourself what will be the consequences in a year, five years, and even 10 years and beyond if I say these things are important and don’t follow thru. Get some leverage on yourself… really FEEL what it will feel like…What will it cost me professionally, in my health, for my family, for my career, and for my life? Will I keep getting more jobs or lose them, will I learn new things, will I expand my talent and grow as an artist and be able to do new and different things or will I just get by and eventually just have to stop singing or have to continue singing as I am now forever … will I be able to physically stay strong as I age or will healthy problems take over my life and stop me from being there for family and friends, will I miss out on great vacations or events because I am too tired or can’t physically do what’s required…. I would suggest to you that your health, preventing or reversing disease in your body and giving yourself a better quality of life should be at the top of your list no matter what you do… if you aren’t around…. Or aren’t healthy enough to do anything… what have you accomplished… what do you gain….
Remember YOU are responsible because YOU have the choice to do what you need to do or not…. YOU have the authority and YOU are the one accountable for those choices. Being able to do all you want to do, whatever it is, all boils down to choice… remember it’s all about you and the choices you make. No one does anything to you that you don’t allow. So take some time, get clear about what you want… (write it down), get your priorities in line and then make the choices that support them. Keep doing what you know you should, stay with it… staying with something is not always the easy thing to do… but if you do, watch and see how the quality of your life and career will grow and improve.
You have the choice and deserve the very best life has to offer!
It’s all about you… Your time is NOW!
Showing posts with label Zilla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zilla. Show all posts
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Truth and Lies about singing...
Recently I read something that said Truth and Lies about singing… I found several things that I will probably respond to, but this is one I get asked about quite often. There are definitely two schools of thinking regarding breathing for singers. They posted that:
Lie - You will need special instruction to learn how to breathe correctly for singing.
Truth - You were born breathing correctly. You’ve continued to breathe. You breathe in, and speak easily on a regular basis. YOU KNOW HOW TO BREATHE ALREADY!
I believe:
How we should breathe…
Well, I do agree that we are all born breathing correctly. However, we do not all continue to breathe correctly or naturally. The movement of a good natural breath should come from the diaphragm, abdomen rib cage, back and lungs. And although the diaphragm is an involuntary muscle, which does initiate the breath, in most people, the secondary muscles take over and the natural breath is inhibited by a lack of focus or training or just habitual learned behavior. During inhalation, the diaphragm moves downward and should open the abdomen, chest, rib cage, back, and lungs. During exhalation, the diaphragm moves upward pressing up on the lungs and expelling the air. In addition, natural breathing should begin through the nose. Breathing in thru the nose not only naturally filters environmental allergens, warms, and moisturizes the air, but it also helps to prevent the release of carbon dioxide too quickly. When we inhale through the mouth we almost always inhale and exhale air too quickly and in too large of volumes. I have read that some researchers believe mouth breathing and the associated hyperventilation it can cause may result in asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other medical problems. I can also tell you that in my years of teaching since 1991, I have never run into a student was already breathing thru their nose while singing unless they had already studied or were practicing yoga or something like it. This just isn’t the way most people breathe as they age.
So, then why don’t we keep breathing this way…
The diaphragmatic breath is not the normal breath in our society. As we grow up in this fast paced, competitive culture we do not continue to breathe naturally. In part because of constant pressures, the stress placed on us, (some from external sources and a lot we place on ourselves) we learn to breathe incorrectly, shallow and from the chest. It not only affects your singing but it affects your health and you life. This shallow breath I believe is also a way that people cut themselves off from uncomfortable feelings and sensations. By breathing less, I think we feel less. And just an aside, when you’re really singing, you need to tap into real emotions that hopefully you can still tap into and aren’t blocking by too much stress in the body, it’s important that you actually have them available.
We are for the most part a culture of upper chest breathers. Have you ever felt like you’ve taken a big breath… can you feel it in your chest… well if you can you are a chest breather and you are using the muscles in your upper body to lift the ribs off of the lungs so you can take in a breath. Unfortunately, breathing like this not only creates tension in the body (especially the upper body, neck and shoulders which is terrible for singers) it also causes us to breathe faster than we should. Breathing too fast may bring about what some call a chronic state of hyperventilation. That’s when we inhale by taking quick, shallow breaths from the top of our chest.
These quick, shallow breaths dramatically reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. What’s wrong with that you may ask…. Well, those reduced levels of carbon dioxide in you blood cause your arteries to constrict and that reduces the blood flow throughout your body. When this happens, no matter how much air you are trying to get in, you brain and body will experience a lack of oxygen. When breathing like this, some may even experience themselves holding their breath. Any prolonged breathing in this way will trigger your nervous system into the “fight or flight response” and will make you tense, and anxious. It will also reduce your ability to handle any complicating stressful situations so you will become irritable and you will stop thinking clearly.
Another contributing factor that I mention quite frequently is the growing lack of daily exercise in our society. With so many people sitting at desks for many hours each day or in front of video games instead of actually moving by actually playing a game or sport, this has gradually conditioned our breathing to a very shallow range of movement. We don’t even get a chance to exercise the lungs during vigorous exercise because many of us live very sedentary lives.
Like I said not only will this affect you singing and your performance, it will affect how well you sleep, how much energy or lack of energy you have, how well you handle stress, danger and fear. If you’re not breathing well and you are compromised because of it… you won’t perform as well, practice as well or sing as well for as long… and I don’t know about you but I love singing and want to be at my absolute best all the time and for a long, long time…
So in my opinion breathing is not something that most of us continue to do naturally and as we get older, we may need to unlearn those bad habits life has taught us and re-learn the natural breath. The natural breath we were born breathing.
I believe as a vocal teacher and fitness coach that we all need to get up, get moving and get breathing…. Deeply...
Lie - You will need special instruction to learn how to breathe correctly for singing.
Truth - You were born breathing correctly. You’ve continued to breathe. You breathe in, and speak easily on a regular basis. YOU KNOW HOW TO BREATHE ALREADY!
I believe:
How we should breathe…
Well, I do agree that we are all born breathing correctly. However, we do not all continue to breathe correctly or naturally. The movement of a good natural breath should come from the diaphragm, abdomen rib cage, back and lungs. And although the diaphragm is an involuntary muscle, which does initiate the breath, in most people, the secondary muscles take over and the natural breath is inhibited by a lack of focus or training or just habitual learned behavior. During inhalation, the diaphragm moves downward and should open the abdomen, chest, rib cage, back, and lungs. During exhalation, the diaphragm moves upward pressing up on the lungs and expelling the air. In addition, natural breathing should begin through the nose. Breathing in thru the nose not only naturally filters environmental allergens, warms, and moisturizes the air, but it also helps to prevent the release of carbon dioxide too quickly. When we inhale through the mouth we almost always inhale and exhale air too quickly and in too large of volumes. I have read that some researchers believe mouth breathing and the associated hyperventilation it can cause may result in asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other medical problems. I can also tell you that in my years of teaching since 1991, I have never run into a student was already breathing thru their nose while singing unless they had already studied or were practicing yoga or something like it. This just isn’t the way most people breathe as they age.
So, then why don’t we keep breathing this way…
The diaphragmatic breath is not the normal breath in our society. As we grow up in this fast paced, competitive culture we do not continue to breathe naturally. In part because of constant pressures, the stress placed on us, (some from external sources and a lot we place on ourselves) we learn to breathe incorrectly, shallow and from the chest. It not only affects your singing but it affects your health and you life. This shallow breath I believe is also a way that people cut themselves off from uncomfortable feelings and sensations. By breathing less, I think we feel less. And just an aside, when you’re really singing, you need to tap into real emotions that hopefully you can still tap into and aren’t blocking by too much stress in the body, it’s important that you actually have them available.
We are for the most part a culture of upper chest breathers. Have you ever felt like you’ve taken a big breath… can you feel it in your chest… well if you can you are a chest breather and you are using the muscles in your upper body to lift the ribs off of the lungs so you can take in a breath. Unfortunately, breathing like this not only creates tension in the body (especially the upper body, neck and shoulders which is terrible for singers) it also causes us to breathe faster than we should. Breathing too fast may bring about what some call a chronic state of hyperventilation. That’s when we inhale by taking quick, shallow breaths from the top of our chest.
These quick, shallow breaths dramatically reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. What’s wrong with that you may ask…. Well, those reduced levels of carbon dioxide in you blood cause your arteries to constrict and that reduces the blood flow throughout your body. When this happens, no matter how much air you are trying to get in, you brain and body will experience a lack of oxygen. When breathing like this, some may even experience themselves holding their breath. Any prolonged breathing in this way will trigger your nervous system into the “fight or flight response” and will make you tense, and anxious. It will also reduce your ability to handle any complicating stressful situations so you will become irritable and you will stop thinking clearly.
Another contributing factor that I mention quite frequently is the growing lack of daily exercise in our society. With so many people sitting at desks for many hours each day or in front of video games instead of actually moving by actually playing a game or sport, this has gradually conditioned our breathing to a very shallow range of movement. We don’t even get a chance to exercise the lungs during vigorous exercise because many of us live very sedentary lives.
Like I said not only will this affect you singing and your performance, it will affect how well you sleep, how much energy or lack of energy you have, how well you handle stress, danger and fear. If you’re not breathing well and you are compromised because of it… you won’t perform as well, practice as well or sing as well for as long… and I don’t know about you but I love singing and want to be at my absolute best all the time and for a long, long time…
So in my opinion breathing is not something that most of us continue to do naturally and as we get older, we may need to unlearn those bad habits life has taught us and re-learn the natural breath. The natural breath we were born breathing.
I believe as a vocal teacher and fitness coach that we all need to get up, get moving and get breathing…. Deeply...
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Art of Relaxation
It is surprising how little people know or practice the art of relaxation. Relaxation is more than taking a vacation, or getting out of work… it’s really the absence of stress and it’s a basic need that we shouldn’t shrug off as irrelevant or ignore. Given the pressures of everyday life, stress places a heavy toll on your physical and mental well-being.
Medical research into the origins of common diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, and headaches shows a connection between these diseases and stress. It is also very detrimental to singers. Stress can take away your voice; stop notes from coming out, decrease your range, decrease your breath capacity and control and in some extended cases even cause vocal damage.
In our fast paced society many people feel guilty, or anxious when they aren’t doing something. Even vacations become fast paced, over scheduled time that usually leaves people exhausted and needing a vacation from the vacation. Doing this only undermines the value of vacation time as an opportunity for diversion and rest.
Far too few people know how to turn off the world. Not being plugged in is now a bad thing. Cell phones, computers, ipods, video games have all replaced sitting and enjoying your surroundings. People no longer know how to get satisfaction out of just being instead of always striving. The secret in getting the best results from attempts at relaxation is simple: Find activities that are fun for you. However, please remember that relaxation is not an achievement; relaxation is your main reason for doing your relaxing activity.
Here are two breathing exercise that I enjoy and I find to be very helpful… I hope you take some time and give this a try. If you can make this a part of your daily living… you will notice the benefits…. Enjoy!
1.) Everyone breathes all the time, but few people take the time to notice their breathing. When stressed, a person’s breath is faster and shallower.
Focusing on the breath and slowing it down can be a simple way to relax in any setting. The following meditation encourages deep breaths to fight stress any time and anywhere.
Preparing for the Catch Breath Meditation
This meditation can occur when one feels stressed and is conscious of it – in commuter traffic, during a difficult conversation, or before a medical exam. One may practice the meditation for three breaths or for several minutes, until the desired sense of calm or perspective is reached.
1. Pause in the midst of a stressful situation and decide to control it, rather than letting the stress remain in control. If desired, close the eyes.
2. Focus on the breath. Listen to the self breathe for at least three breaths. Is the breath fast, slow, shallow, or raspy? What does the pace say about one’s immediate state?
3. Stand or sit up straight and focus on slowing the breath. See how deeply one can breathe. Imagine drawing a breath from the very base of the spine and slowly bringing it upwards. When the breath can go no further, visualize it bouncing down from the top of the head and back into the body. Slowly exhale the breath down to the base of the spine.
4. Place the hand on the belly just over the belly button for the next breath. Notice when one breathes deeply, how the belly fills with air like a balloon.
5. On the exhale, focus on the belly and blowing it full of air. Notice how the breath feels going up and down the body.
6. Monitor breathing in this manner as long as desired, or until feelings of relaxation take over.
Suggestions for Catching the Breath in Meditation
Catching the breath in the midst of a busy life is much harder than it seems. One may desire to practice this exercise at home without interruptions before trying it in a stressful situation. Creating a routine of slowing the breath will make it easier to remember the exercise when feelings of stress emerge.
Journaling after practicing the catch breath meditation may also be helpful. After meditating, some find it helpful to write about what worked, what didn't, along with writing about any insights gained about the self and stress reduction during the exercise.
2.) Beginner's Breathing Meditation: Free Relaxation Script
This breathing meditation script will guide you to relax by focusing on your breathing.
When learning to meditate, it is helpful to keep sessions brief so you can maintain concentration. As you become more comfortable and skilled in meditation, you can increase the duration of your meditation sessions.
During this breathing meditation, you will focus on your breath. This will calm your mind and relax your body.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. Whatever you experience during this breathing meditation is right for you. Don’t try to make anything happen, just observe.
Begin by finding a comfortable position, but one in which you will not fall asleep. Sitting on the floor with your legs crossed is a good position to try.
Close your eyes or focus on one spot in the room.
Roll your shoulders slowly forward and then slowly back.
Lean your head from side to side, lowering your left ear toward your left shoulder, and then your right ear toward your right shoulder.
Relax your muscles.
Your body will continue to relax as you meditate.
Observe your breathing. Notice how your breath flows in and out. Make no effort to change your breathing in any way, simply notice how your body breathes. Your body knows how much air it needs.
Sit quietly, seeing in your mind’s eye your breath flowing gently in and out of your body.
When your attention wanders, as it will, just focus back again on your breathing.
Notice any stray thoughts, but don’t dwell on them. Simply let the thoughts pass.
See how your breath continues to flow...deeply... calmly.
Notice the stages of a complete breath... from the in breath... to the pause that follows... the exhale... and the pause before taking another breath...
See the slight breaks between each breath.
Feel the air entering through your nose...picture the breath flowing through the cavities in your sinuses and then down to your lungs...
As thoughts intrude, allow them to pass, and return your attention to your breathing.
(Pause)
See the air inside your body after you inhale, filling your body gently.
Notice how the space inside your lungs becomes smaller after you exhale and the air leaves your body.
Feel your chest and stomach gently rise and fall with each breath.
Now as you inhale, count silently... one
As you exhale, count...one
Wait for the next breath, and count again... one
Exhale...one
Inhale...one
Exhale...one
Continue to count each inhalation and exhalation as "one."
(Pause)
Notice now how your body feels.
See how calm and gentle your breathing is, and how relaxed your body feels.
Now it is time to gently reawaken your body and mind.
Keeping your eyes closed, notice the sounds around you. Feel the floor beneath you. Feel your clothes against your body.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Shrug your shoulders.
Open your eyes, and remain sitting for a few moments longer.
Straighten out your legs, and stretch your arms and legs gently.
Sit for a few moments more, enjoying how relaxed you feel, and experiencing your body reawaken and your mind returning to its usual level of alertness.
Slowly return to a standing position, and continue with the rest of your day, feeling re-energized.
Medical research into the origins of common diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, and headaches shows a connection between these diseases and stress. It is also very detrimental to singers. Stress can take away your voice; stop notes from coming out, decrease your range, decrease your breath capacity and control and in some extended cases even cause vocal damage.
In our fast paced society many people feel guilty, or anxious when they aren’t doing something. Even vacations become fast paced, over scheduled time that usually leaves people exhausted and needing a vacation from the vacation. Doing this only undermines the value of vacation time as an opportunity for diversion and rest.
Far too few people know how to turn off the world. Not being plugged in is now a bad thing. Cell phones, computers, ipods, video games have all replaced sitting and enjoying your surroundings. People no longer know how to get satisfaction out of just being instead of always striving. The secret in getting the best results from attempts at relaxation is simple: Find activities that are fun for you. However, please remember that relaxation is not an achievement; relaxation is your main reason for doing your relaxing activity.
Here are two breathing exercise that I enjoy and I find to be very helpful… I hope you take some time and give this a try. If you can make this a part of your daily living… you will notice the benefits…. Enjoy!
1.) Everyone breathes all the time, but few people take the time to notice their breathing. When stressed, a person’s breath is faster and shallower.
Focusing on the breath and slowing it down can be a simple way to relax in any setting. The following meditation encourages deep breaths to fight stress any time and anywhere.
Preparing for the Catch Breath Meditation
This meditation can occur when one feels stressed and is conscious of it – in commuter traffic, during a difficult conversation, or before a medical exam. One may practice the meditation for three breaths or for several minutes, until the desired sense of calm or perspective is reached.
1. Pause in the midst of a stressful situation and decide to control it, rather than letting the stress remain in control. If desired, close the eyes.
2. Focus on the breath. Listen to the self breathe for at least three breaths. Is the breath fast, slow, shallow, or raspy? What does the pace say about one’s immediate state?
3. Stand or sit up straight and focus on slowing the breath. See how deeply one can breathe. Imagine drawing a breath from the very base of the spine and slowly bringing it upwards. When the breath can go no further, visualize it bouncing down from the top of the head and back into the body. Slowly exhale the breath down to the base of the spine.
4. Place the hand on the belly just over the belly button for the next breath. Notice when one breathes deeply, how the belly fills with air like a balloon.
5. On the exhale, focus on the belly and blowing it full of air. Notice how the breath feels going up and down the body.
6. Monitor breathing in this manner as long as desired, or until feelings of relaxation take over.
Suggestions for Catching the Breath in Meditation
Catching the breath in the midst of a busy life is much harder than it seems. One may desire to practice this exercise at home without interruptions before trying it in a stressful situation. Creating a routine of slowing the breath will make it easier to remember the exercise when feelings of stress emerge.
Journaling after practicing the catch breath meditation may also be helpful. After meditating, some find it helpful to write about what worked, what didn't, along with writing about any insights gained about the self and stress reduction during the exercise.
2.) Beginner's Breathing Meditation: Free Relaxation Script
This breathing meditation script will guide you to relax by focusing on your breathing.
When learning to meditate, it is helpful to keep sessions brief so you can maintain concentration. As you become more comfortable and skilled in meditation, you can increase the duration of your meditation sessions.
During this breathing meditation, you will focus on your breath. This will calm your mind and relax your body.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. Whatever you experience during this breathing meditation is right for you. Don’t try to make anything happen, just observe.
Begin by finding a comfortable position, but one in which you will not fall asleep. Sitting on the floor with your legs crossed is a good position to try.
Close your eyes or focus on one spot in the room.
Roll your shoulders slowly forward and then slowly back.
Lean your head from side to side, lowering your left ear toward your left shoulder, and then your right ear toward your right shoulder.
Relax your muscles.
Your body will continue to relax as you meditate.
Observe your breathing. Notice how your breath flows in and out. Make no effort to change your breathing in any way, simply notice how your body breathes. Your body knows how much air it needs.
Sit quietly, seeing in your mind’s eye your breath flowing gently in and out of your body.
When your attention wanders, as it will, just focus back again on your breathing.
Notice any stray thoughts, but don’t dwell on them. Simply let the thoughts pass.
See how your breath continues to flow...deeply... calmly.
Notice the stages of a complete breath... from the in breath... to the pause that follows... the exhale... and the pause before taking another breath...
See the slight breaks between each breath.
Feel the air entering through your nose...picture the breath flowing through the cavities in your sinuses and then down to your lungs...
As thoughts intrude, allow them to pass, and return your attention to your breathing.
(Pause)
See the air inside your body after you inhale, filling your body gently.
Notice how the space inside your lungs becomes smaller after you exhale and the air leaves your body.
Feel your chest and stomach gently rise and fall with each breath.
Now as you inhale, count silently... one
As you exhale, count...one
Wait for the next breath, and count again... one
Exhale...one
Inhale...one
Exhale...one
Continue to count each inhalation and exhalation as "one."
(Pause)
Notice now how your body feels.
See how calm and gentle your breathing is, and how relaxed your body feels.
Now it is time to gently reawaken your body and mind.
Keeping your eyes closed, notice the sounds around you. Feel the floor beneath you. Feel your clothes against your body.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Shrug your shoulders.
Open your eyes, and remain sitting for a few moments longer.
Straighten out your legs, and stretch your arms and legs gently.
Sit for a few moments more, enjoying how relaxed you feel, and experiencing your body reawaken and your mind returning to its usual level of alertness.
Slowly return to a standing position, and continue with the rest of your day, feeling re-energized.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
My Practice Schedule….
I read something this morning that made me think this might be a good time to talk to you about practicing…. Again…... I was reading my friend and colleague, Judy Rodman’s, newsletter… She is a wonderful singer and teacher; you should check her out … she’s got lots of great products and advice and is an awesome lady… Anyway, I was reading her blog about singing with power and thought yes I agree whole-heartedly that many students do try to over sing and use too much power too soon. They start pushing for louder and louder sounds and it winds up damaging the voice instead of strengthening it. It also occurred to me that many of you have commented on my posts about my practice schedule… and since I have a strong voice and have power behind me if I choose to use it, I thought I’d go into a little more detail about how I practice and why. (Don’t confuse power and breath support and control. Power comes in part from good support and control, but is not the only thing. I am always supported when I sing… I just use more power now and then to accentuate passages in the song)
As many of you know I have taken a few months off recently to care for my father so I have had to work on my voice to get it back in shape for the work I have coming up. Remember the vocal cords are muscle tissue and need to be exercised just like every other muscle in your body. I thought I’d go thru my practice routine with you and clue you in to how I go about opening up that power without damaging my voice.
First I’ll tell you that I get in an hour at the minimum every practice session. Yep… let me say that again… I practice at least one hour 5 to 6 days a week.
If time permits, I have worked my stamina up to 90 minutes without strain and am working up to two hours with ease… here’s the clincher… even though my voice is … let’s just say… “seasoned”… I have been working about 4 to 6 weeks to get it to that place where I can comfortably sing what I’m working on full out and not get tired. That may be a long time for some and a short time for others but you must know your voice and you must prepare. I ask a lot of my voice and do not want to risk vocal strain or damage by pushing too hard too soon. So I schedule in the appropriate amount of time in this case about 4 to 6 WEEKS of practice so I can get things back in working order without strain or damage…
There is still one big “money note” in one of the songs that I have only recently been singing in full mix voice. I keep things light and in the right placement, with the right amount of breath support, till I am confident that the placement and muscle memory is secure, then and only then do I open up and start putting some power behind it!
Here’s my full routine… this is usually over an hour. I will leave some things out and do 30 minutes of warming up and vocalizing and 30 minutes of singing if I only have an hour.
I START BY SHUTTING OFF MY CELL PHONE!
I do some breathing exercises
I humm on long low to medium notes (always in a comfortable area, not too high or too low)
I go thru my warm up exercises anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes
I go thru my vocalise exercises (Lutgen, Seiber, Solfege, Vacci, and some Aria’s are the things I practice with)
Then I sing the songs I am working on.
The things I hope you take from this blog are the frequency of my practice - 5 to 6 days a week, the length of time not only the hour per day but the number of weeks it takes even me to tune up the voice appropriately and the fact that I do a LOT of technique work every week. Practicing doesn’t just mean turning on your favorite song and singing along.
Remember, this outline is in no way intended to be a specific guide for you. You should get with a teacher and learn exactly what is appropriate for your voice and then follow what they say…. This is only intended to show you that professionals like myself take practicing very seriously and it is a part of my every day routine. My voice is my life, my passion and I want to take care of it and still be singing when I’m 80… Being a singer is a gift.. Take care of it!
As many of you know I have taken a few months off recently to care for my father so I have had to work on my voice to get it back in shape for the work I have coming up. Remember the vocal cords are muscle tissue and need to be exercised just like every other muscle in your body. I thought I’d go thru my practice routine with you and clue you in to how I go about opening up that power without damaging my voice.
First I’ll tell you that I get in an hour at the minimum every practice session. Yep… let me say that again… I practice at least one hour 5 to 6 days a week.
If time permits, I have worked my stamina up to 90 minutes without strain and am working up to two hours with ease… here’s the clincher… even though my voice is … let’s just say… “seasoned”… I have been working about 4 to 6 weeks to get it to that place where I can comfortably sing what I’m working on full out and not get tired. That may be a long time for some and a short time for others but you must know your voice and you must prepare. I ask a lot of my voice and do not want to risk vocal strain or damage by pushing too hard too soon. So I schedule in the appropriate amount of time in this case about 4 to 6 WEEKS of practice so I can get things back in working order without strain or damage…
There is still one big “money note” in one of the songs that I have only recently been singing in full mix voice. I keep things light and in the right placement, with the right amount of breath support, till I am confident that the placement and muscle memory is secure, then and only then do I open up and start putting some power behind it!
Here’s my full routine… this is usually over an hour. I will leave some things out and do 30 minutes of warming up and vocalizing and 30 minutes of singing if I only have an hour.
I START BY SHUTTING OFF MY CELL PHONE!
I do some breathing exercises
I humm on long low to medium notes (always in a comfortable area, not too high or too low)
I go thru my warm up exercises anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes
I go thru my vocalise exercises (Lutgen, Seiber, Solfege, Vacci, and some Aria’s are the things I practice with)
Then I sing the songs I am working on.
The things I hope you take from this blog are the frequency of my practice - 5 to 6 days a week, the length of time not only the hour per day but the number of weeks it takes even me to tune up the voice appropriately and the fact that I do a LOT of technique work every week. Practicing doesn’t just mean turning on your favorite song and singing along.
Remember, this outline is in no way intended to be a specific guide for you. You should get with a teacher and learn exactly what is appropriate for your voice and then follow what they say…. This is only intended to show you that professionals like myself take practicing very seriously and it is a part of my every day routine. My voice is my life, my passion and I want to take care of it and still be singing when I’m 80… Being a singer is a gift.. Take care of it!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Start flappin your jaw!
It seems to be the theme this week…. What’s going on with your jaw while you’re singing… I want to talk, or keep talking, about a specific thing that causes problems for every singer...
Tension in your jaw, neck and shoulders…
Sometimes you aren’t even aware that you are tensing those muscles… but if you are having trouble hitting high notes you might want to look at yourself in the mirror while you’re singing and look for tension particularly in your jaw and neck… If it’s there, I’ll almost guarantee that it’s also in your shoulders and back.
Here are a few obvious things you can do to help relieve this tension..
Deep breathing exercises
Massage
Neck and shoulder stretches
Physical exercise, and
Get enough sleep
Another exercise that we do specifically to combat this problem is to sing and let the jaw unhinge and flap while you’re singing… drop the jaw, open the mouth and don’t articulate anything.. The whole objective of this exercise is not to understand any of the words you are singing… This will sound REALLY FUNNY… trust me you will laugh at yourself while you’re doing this.. but if you learn to rehears songs this way it will help you get rid of the tension in your jaw. You can’t open your mouth as wide as you'll need to if you are holding tension in your jaw.
Another good test is to see if you are touching or clenching your back teeth together… never, never, never hold your back teeth together… the more you can keep your jaw in that unhinged position the better it will be for you singing…
I see singers all the time that miss notes largely because they are pushing to hard and tensing their jaw and neck, trying to force the note out… the part of the body you should be engaging while you’re singing is the core… ab’s, back, legs and glute’s…
Leave the neck and shoulders out of the act… and start flappin your jaw…
Tension in your jaw, neck and shoulders…
Sometimes you aren’t even aware that you are tensing those muscles… but if you are having trouble hitting high notes you might want to look at yourself in the mirror while you’re singing and look for tension particularly in your jaw and neck… If it’s there, I’ll almost guarantee that it’s also in your shoulders and back.
Here are a few obvious things you can do to help relieve this tension..
Deep breathing exercises
Massage
Neck and shoulder stretches
Physical exercise, and
Get enough sleep
Another exercise that we do specifically to combat this problem is to sing and let the jaw unhinge and flap while you’re singing… drop the jaw, open the mouth and don’t articulate anything.. The whole objective of this exercise is not to understand any of the words you are singing… This will sound REALLY FUNNY… trust me you will laugh at yourself while you’re doing this.. but if you learn to rehears songs this way it will help you get rid of the tension in your jaw. You can’t open your mouth as wide as you'll need to if you are holding tension in your jaw.
Another good test is to see if you are touching or clenching your back teeth together… never, never, never hold your back teeth together… the more you can keep your jaw in that unhinged position the better it will be for you singing…
I see singers all the time that miss notes largely because they are pushing to hard and tensing their jaw and neck, trying to force the note out… the part of the body you should be engaging while you’re singing is the core… ab’s, back, legs and glute’s…
Leave the neck and shoulders out of the act… and start flappin your jaw…
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Snack ideas around 200 calories or less!
I know eating healthy can sometimes slip into … well … boring … And because great nutrition is so important to good health and good singing.. here are some ideas that are quick and easy to keep your snacking interesting, low calorie and yummy… There are a few in here I found for a particular client … (You know who you are…) The rest of you will be glad he asked…
Eat well, live well, and sing well...
Enjoy!
EGGLESS STUFFED BREAKFAST BURRITO
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb High Fiber large tortilla
1 Slice extra-lean turkey bacon
2 Cups spinach leaves
1/3 cup diced mushrooms
¼ cup diced Roma tomatoes
¼ cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cut bacon into small, bite-size pieces. Set aside. Spray a small pan with nonstick spray, and bring to medium-high heat. Add bacon pieces, mushrooms, pepper and onion to the pan. Stirring occasionally, cook until bacon begins to crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves, and cook and stir until the leaves have wilted. Add shredded cheese, and stir until just melted. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Warm tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Lay tortilla flat and spread cheese wedge on top of it. Evenly layer spinach mixture over the cheese-topped tortilla. Place diced tomatoes on top of spinach mixture. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, and then slowly roll tortilla up from the bottom to top. Enjoy!
PIZZA
Here is a really simple suggestion to satisfy a pizza craving and it is an excellent snack size serving.
* whole wheat English muffins
* pizza sauce
* low-fat mozzarella shredded cheese
The English muffin you purchase should be whole wheat, because we are aiming for a healthy snack. Whole wheat bread has many more nutrients than white.
The pizza sauce can be any tomato based sauce, but it should NOT include cheese. Check the label - so many pasta sauces on the market now include a form of cheese. The problem, again, is the added calories, which almost none of us need.
Split the muffin, spread some sauce, and use 1/8 cup of cheese (that is one-half of 1/4 cup) and you got a 100 calorie snack. Put it in a toaster-oven or under the broiler for a few minutes and you are done. (Do not use the microwave - it will turn out yucky).
How did we get to 100 calories? 50 for the English muffin, 10 for the sauce, and 40 calories for the cheese
And now you have a chance to add some Pineapple or other fruit or vegetable to make it even more healthy!
MEXICAN SNACK PIZZAS
A low-fat, low-calorie pizza with a Mexican flavor. The beans and whole-wheat muffins give a fiber boost.
4 servings. Per pizza (1/2 English muffin) : Calories, 95; Total fat, 2 grams; Saturated fatty acids, 1 gram; Cholesterol, 4 milligrams; Sodium, 300 milligrams. 1/4 c. tomato puree 1/4 c. kidney beans (canned), drained and chopped 1 tbsp. onion, chopped 1 tbsp. green pepper, chopped 1/2 tsp. oregano leaves 1/4 c. Mozzarella cheese (part skim milk), shredded 1/4 c. lettuce, shredded
Split muffins; toast lightly. Mix puree, beans, onion, green pepper, and oregano. Spread on muffin halves. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Garnish with shredded lettuce.
BETTER-FOR-YOU BUFFALO WINGS
Ingredients:
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 1/2 pounds (about 28) wing drumettes (look for skinless drumettes if available)
* 1/4 cup nonalcoholic or light beer (chicken broth or wine can also be used)
* light blue cheese dressing (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and flour. Remove and discard the skin from the wings (if you weren't able to find skinless drumettes). Dip each wing into the seasoning mixture, pressing the mixture onto the chicken to coat well.
2. Generously coat a large nonstick skillet with canola cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the chicken wings (cooking in batches if necessary) and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned.
3. Flip with prongs and cook for about 4 minutes more.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the beer. Cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. If the wings aren't cooked through, turn them over and cook for a few minutes more.
5. Remove from the heat and serve hot with light blue cheese dressing if desired (not included in nutrition information below).
Yield:
Makes 7 servings (4 wing drumettes per serving)
Nutritional Information
per serving: 174 calories, 29 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 539 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 23 percent.
NO-BACK PEANUT BUTTER POWER BARS
Ingredients:
* Canola cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows, lightly packed
* 1 cup low-fat granola
* 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal (or other puffed rice cereal)
* 1/3 cup ground golden flaxseed (golden flax works better in this recipe)
Preparation:
1. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray. Put the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until mixture is just melted. Stir to blend.
2. Microwave again briefly if the mixture isn't melted or smooth. Then stir in granola, puffed rice and flaxseed.
3. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, flattening it evenly with a sheet of waxed paper. Let it cool completely before cutting into 8 equal-sized bars.
Yield:
8 bars
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 207 calories, 5.5 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 8 g of fat ( 2 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 1.8 g polyunsaturated fat) , 4mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 174 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%. Omega 3 fatty acids = 1 g, Omega 6 fatty acids = 0.7 g.
SPICE-ROASTED ALMONDS
These almonds are given a treatment of spices and a short baking time for amazing rich flavor and intense crunch.
Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups whole almonds
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine chili powder, olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and pepper; add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2. Bake about 10 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring twice. Cool almonds completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yield:
32 (1-tablespoon) servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 62 calories, 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 33 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.
SMOOTHIE
Smoothie blended with 6 ounces skim milk, 3/4 cup diced strawberries and banana, 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup and 1 cup ice
ANY WHOLE FRUIT
1 medium pear with 1 ounce Brie
2 ounces smoked salmon with 1 tablespoon nonfat cream cheese on 1/2 small whole wheat bagel
Larger than a tea sandwich, this snack is almost a mini meal in itself. It's low on calories and high on protein and whole grains, which means you're really getting the most out of those calories
TURKEY HERB CHEESE ROLL UPS
These are easy and make a slightly fancy, hit-the-spot snack.
Ingredients:
* 2 ounces sliced turkey breast
* 4 teaspoons light herb cheese spread (like Alouette® brand) or use light cream cheese and sprinkle it lightly with a Mrs. Dash® Herb seasoning blend
* 1/2 carrot, cut into about 4 thin sticks (thin celery sticks can also be used)
Preparation:
1. Lay out your turkey breast slices (about 4).
2. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the herb cheese spread over each turkey slice (if using light cream cheese, spread it over the turkey slices then sprinkle the an herb blend lightly over the top of the cream cheese).
3. Set a carrot or celery stick on one end of the turkey slice and roll up.
Yield:
1 snack serving
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 214 calories, 21 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 2.2 g monounsaturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 40 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 260 mg sodium (not including the sodium from the turkey). Calories from fat: 29%.
Eat well, live well, and sing well...
Enjoy!
EGGLESS STUFFED BREAKFAST BURRITO
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb High Fiber large tortilla
1 Slice extra-lean turkey bacon
2 Cups spinach leaves
1/3 cup diced mushrooms
¼ cup diced Roma tomatoes
¼ cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cut bacon into small, bite-size pieces. Set aside. Spray a small pan with nonstick spray, and bring to medium-high heat. Add bacon pieces, mushrooms, pepper and onion to the pan. Stirring occasionally, cook until bacon begins to crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves, and cook and stir until the leaves have wilted. Add shredded cheese, and stir until just melted. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Warm tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Lay tortilla flat and spread cheese wedge on top of it. Evenly layer spinach mixture over the cheese-topped tortilla. Place diced tomatoes on top of spinach mixture. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, and then slowly roll tortilla up from the bottom to top. Enjoy!
PIZZA
Here is a really simple suggestion to satisfy a pizza craving and it is an excellent snack size serving.
* whole wheat English muffins
* pizza sauce
* low-fat mozzarella shredded cheese
The English muffin you purchase should be whole wheat, because we are aiming for a healthy snack. Whole wheat bread has many more nutrients than white.
The pizza sauce can be any tomato based sauce, but it should NOT include cheese. Check the label - so many pasta sauces on the market now include a form of cheese. The problem, again, is the added calories, which almost none of us need.
Split the muffin, spread some sauce, and use 1/8 cup of cheese (that is one-half of 1/4 cup) and you got a 100 calorie snack. Put it in a toaster-oven or under the broiler for a few minutes and you are done. (Do not use the microwave - it will turn out yucky).
How did we get to 100 calories? 50 for the English muffin, 10 for the sauce, and 40 calories for the cheese
And now you have a chance to add some Pineapple or other fruit or vegetable to make it even more healthy!
MEXICAN SNACK PIZZAS
A low-fat, low-calorie pizza with a Mexican flavor. The beans and whole-wheat muffins give a fiber boost.
4 servings. Per pizza (1/2 English muffin) : Calories, 95; Total fat, 2 grams; Saturated fatty acids, 1 gram; Cholesterol, 4 milligrams; Sodium, 300 milligrams. 1/4 c. tomato puree 1/4 c. kidney beans (canned), drained and chopped 1 tbsp. onion, chopped 1 tbsp. green pepper, chopped 1/2 tsp. oregano leaves 1/4 c. Mozzarella cheese (part skim milk), shredded 1/4 c. lettuce, shredded
Split muffins; toast lightly. Mix puree, beans, onion, green pepper, and oregano. Spread on muffin halves. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Garnish with shredded lettuce.
BETTER-FOR-YOU BUFFALO WINGS
Ingredients:
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 1/2 pounds (about 28) wing drumettes (look for skinless drumettes if available)
* 1/4 cup nonalcoholic or light beer (chicken broth or wine can also be used)
* light blue cheese dressing (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and flour. Remove and discard the skin from the wings (if you weren't able to find skinless drumettes). Dip each wing into the seasoning mixture, pressing the mixture onto the chicken to coat well.
2. Generously coat a large nonstick skillet with canola cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the chicken wings (cooking in batches if necessary) and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned.
3. Flip with prongs and cook for about 4 minutes more.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the beer. Cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. If the wings aren't cooked through, turn them over and cook for a few minutes more.
5. Remove from the heat and serve hot with light blue cheese dressing if desired (not included in nutrition information below).
Yield:
Makes 7 servings (4 wing drumettes per serving)
Nutritional Information
per serving: 174 calories, 29 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 539 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 23 percent.
NO-BACK PEANUT BUTTER POWER BARS
Ingredients:
* Canola cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows, lightly packed
* 1 cup low-fat granola
* 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal (or other puffed rice cereal)
* 1/3 cup ground golden flaxseed (golden flax works better in this recipe)
Preparation:
1. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray. Put the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until mixture is just melted. Stir to blend.
2. Microwave again briefly if the mixture isn't melted or smooth. Then stir in granola, puffed rice and flaxseed.
3. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, flattening it evenly with a sheet of waxed paper. Let it cool completely before cutting into 8 equal-sized bars.
Yield:
8 bars
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 207 calories, 5.5 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 8 g of fat ( 2 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 1.8 g polyunsaturated fat) , 4mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 174 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 35%. Omega 3 fatty acids = 1 g, Omega 6 fatty acids = 0.7 g.
SPICE-ROASTED ALMONDS
These almonds are given a treatment of spices and a short baking time for amazing rich flavor and intense crunch.
Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups whole almonds
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine chili powder, olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and pepper; add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2. Bake about 10 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring twice. Cool almonds completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yield:
32 (1-tablespoon) servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 62 calories, 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 33 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.
SMOOTHIE
Smoothie blended with 6 ounces skim milk, 3/4 cup diced strawberries and banana, 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup and 1 cup ice
ANY WHOLE FRUIT
1 medium pear with 1 ounce Brie
2 ounces smoked salmon with 1 tablespoon nonfat cream cheese on 1/2 small whole wheat bagel
Larger than a tea sandwich, this snack is almost a mini meal in itself. It's low on calories and high on protein and whole grains, which means you're really getting the most out of those calories
TURKEY HERB CHEESE ROLL UPS
These are easy and make a slightly fancy, hit-the-spot snack.
Ingredients:
* 2 ounces sliced turkey breast
* 4 teaspoons light herb cheese spread (like Alouette® brand) or use light cream cheese and sprinkle it lightly with a Mrs. Dash® Herb seasoning blend
* 1/2 carrot, cut into about 4 thin sticks (thin celery sticks can also be used)
Preparation:
1. Lay out your turkey breast slices (about 4).
2. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the herb cheese spread over each turkey slice (if using light cream cheese, spread it over the turkey slices then sprinkle the an herb blend lightly over the top of the cream cheese).
3. Set a carrot or celery stick on one end of the turkey slice and roll up.
Yield:
1 snack serving
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 214 calories, 21 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 2.2 g monounsaturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 40 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 260 mg sodium (not including the sodium from the turkey). Calories from fat: 29%.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Vocal Placement Exercises...
I’m going to give you two quick exercises in this blog that will help you with vocal placement, and breath control. If you’d like a free recorded example of this lesson, please visit my myspace.com/jillawebb and listen in. Just scroll down to the bottom of my songs and you’ll see Vocal Tip 1… I’ll do this periodically with exercises when I have questions from you. Please get back to me and let me know what you think of hearing some of this and if there are other specific questions I can answer for you.
I had a question this week from a student regarding vocal placement and was also chatting with some friends about vocal placement for public speakers… how to help people whether you’re a singer or speaker find better vocal resonance, projection, clarity and vocal endurance..
In simple terms a good way to look at vocal placement is to feel or picture where the air is directed in the head, and I believe for projection, clarity, vocal endurance and resonance, it should be as far forward and in the head as possible..
So I’m going to give you two quick exercises that you can do every day to help you with this issue.
The first is just to hummm on one note as long as you can. Actually say the “H” but not so much that pushing out a lot of air at the beginning… If you do that, you’re over pushing, drying out the cords and guess what, you’ll run out of air faster…
If you’re tuning in to the session on myspace, lets try a few.
Remember when you’re warming up to always keep humming in a low to moderate range. Never take it too high until you are properly trained to do that…
Okay here we go..
The next exercise is to hummm while traveling up and down a pentatonic or five note major scale.. again, please keep this in a comfortable range.. never strain…
Again, if you tune in to the lesson on myspace you will hear examples and can then add it into your warm ups that you do now… and yes, I am assuming you all warm up…
Okay, I hope this helps…now its time for my own vocalizing.. gotta run…
See you next time.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
But I might look stupid!
I was talking recently with a colleague about young singers and their performance skills and abilities. With the state of today’s record industry you have to be able to put on a great performance in order to keep your fan’s coming back… remember “frequency”… They have to keep coming back for you to have longevity in this career…and if you don’t know how to put on a great show, you may lose fans not keep or gain them.
A lot of time young artists tell me they are afraid of “looking stupid” or saying something silly. My thoughts on this are if you are being real, being who you are things won’t ever come out wrong. I think it’s when artists are “trying to be something” or someone they think they should be that things come out wrong and don’t look natural.
Fans want to get to know you. They want to see you being exactly who you are. If that is silly and goofy, let it show… if it’s serious and moody.. Be moody… if you’re a type A personality… take command of that stage (it will feel normal to you)…
Remember, performance involves some sort of emotional connection with the song, when you put the emotion on your face and in your body, you will sing completely authentically.
Here’s a big thing to get your head wrapped around. The perception of the audience is reality to them. But I thought what I was doing was what’s real… Nope.. Get this into you…. “The perception of the audience is their reality.” What they think of your performance is true to them, and determines if they will follow you and your career or not.
Now, there’s no way to guess and give every member of the audience what you think they want, right… I mean can you imagine looking out at a sea of people and trying to be everything you think they might want… That doesn’t work… You need to be yourself and they will enjoy your performance because it is from the heart, authentic. You will feel more confident and comfortable on the stage and you will sing better because you’re not stressing yourself out trying to do things that may not be natural to you. If you sing with confidence and handle the occasional mistake like a professional, most of your audience will be convinced that you meant to sing it that way. I heard this and thought this was a great way to think about handling mistakes… “Professionals sing creatively, amateurs make mistakes”
Please remember that wishing your voice and stage show was pro, won’t get it there. If any of you have any doubts about how much preparation it takes to put on a show, you should go and watch “This is it” MJ’s rehearsal footage… I think you’ll find it interesting! You’d be surprised what one-hour of specific vocal practice five days a week can do.
And this doesn’t mean singing your favorite songs in your car or singing the same song over and over again in your bedroom. You may make some improvement this way, but making a practice vocal schedule would be much better for you and you’d make much faster progress.
So many singers avoid doing vocal exercises they say they can warm up by singing their favorite songs. While some professionals will do this occasionally, most of them train their voice using exercises and warm up before every performance. Professional singers know that warm ups will take your cords through muscle movements that singing a song could never do. Practicing correct vocal exercises and warm ups will help you develop necessary muscle memory for difficult passages that you will run into in songs that you sing.
So be prepared and be yourself… if you do those two things you will ALWAYS have a great show!
A lot of time young artists tell me they are afraid of “looking stupid” or saying something silly. My thoughts on this are if you are being real, being who you are things won’t ever come out wrong. I think it’s when artists are “trying to be something” or someone they think they should be that things come out wrong and don’t look natural.
Fans want to get to know you. They want to see you being exactly who you are. If that is silly and goofy, let it show… if it’s serious and moody.. Be moody… if you’re a type A personality… take command of that stage (it will feel normal to you)…
Remember, performance involves some sort of emotional connection with the song, when you put the emotion on your face and in your body, you will sing completely authentically.
Here’s a big thing to get your head wrapped around. The perception of the audience is reality to them. But I thought what I was doing was what’s real… Nope.. Get this into you…. “The perception of the audience is their reality.” What they think of your performance is true to them, and determines if they will follow you and your career or not.
Now, there’s no way to guess and give every member of the audience what you think they want, right… I mean can you imagine looking out at a sea of people and trying to be everything you think they might want… That doesn’t work… You need to be yourself and they will enjoy your performance because it is from the heart, authentic. You will feel more confident and comfortable on the stage and you will sing better because you’re not stressing yourself out trying to do things that may not be natural to you. If you sing with confidence and handle the occasional mistake like a professional, most of your audience will be convinced that you meant to sing it that way. I heard this and thought this was a great way to think about handling mistakes… “Professionals sing creatively, amateurs make mistakes”
Please remember that wishing your voice and stage show was pro, won’t get it there. If any of you have any doubts about how much preparation it takes to put on a show, you should go and watch “This is it” MJ’s rehearsal footage… I think you’ll find it interesting! You’d be surprised what one-hour of specific vocal practice five days a week can do.
And this doesn’t mean singing your favorite songs in your car or singing the same song over and over again in your bedroom. You may make some improvement this way, but making a practice vocal schedule would be much better for you and you’d make much faster progress.
So many singers avoid doing vocal exercises they say they can warm up by singing their favorite songs. While some professionals will do this occasionally, most of them train their voice using exercises and warm up before every performance. Professional singers know that warm ups will take your cords through muscle movements that singing a song could never do. Practicing correct vocal exercises and warm ups will help you develop necessary muscle memory for difficult passages that you will run into in songs that you sing.
So be prepared and be yourself… if you do those two things you will ALWAYS have a great show!
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!
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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