The Peak of the Week Singing Tips

Well, it's the peak of the week and so here are a couple of tips for the old singing lesson shizzle :)

A Hove singing teacher I know recommended an an exercise to warm up your lower range. This is a particularly useful warm up technique for both female and male and should enable you to be picking out and hitting those low notes in no time at all. Add this exercise into your usual warm-up routine if you are performing a song with particularly low notes as it will really help you nail it.

Here's a useful video from the www.vocademy.co.uk guys to show you exactly what I am on about.

The next piece of super, smashing, great (you won a Speedboat) singing advice is to Cool / Warm Down at the end of a performance. This is easily just as important as warming up beforehand. If you think Gym, you'll know that before any good session you will warm up and stretch out and then at the end you will warm down. This little nugget was provided from a Canterbury and Maidstone Singing Teacher called Morgan. The advice is a perfect to help you after you've strutted your stuff on stage and to get your voice back in a normal state.

And, that be it for now! Thanks for reading....

Two For The Price Of None... FREE Singing Lessons!

I don't want to confuse with the title here.... what I am trying to say is basically that I am going to provide 2 singing tips today... but, because they are normally free anyway, there will be 2 for the price of none... instead of the normal, 2 for 1 deals you see in Tesco... make sense? Got it? Good, then let's get cracking :)
 
Now, this first singing lesson is a little more technical than usual.  Kate, a Brighton & Hove singing teacher says a great exercise to help extend your vocal range is to sing an arpeggio and hold the top note for longer before going back down. With each repeat of this you should gradually get higher and higher. This will help the muscles in your throat to extend your range, both higher and lower!

In fact, on this occasion why don't I let Kate tell you herself and show you what she means:

Our second tip for today just so happens to be a good old common sense one... which on the back of a technical one has to be a bonus :)  

Keep your singing practice varied. Don't just sing songs or just sing exercises. Find a good balance between the two and keep practicing new material as well as old. This will help add new styles and techniques to your singing library as well as keeping you in good vocal shape.

As a litle bonus for being so good I came across this the other day and thought it would be interesting to get your thoughts: http://www.forbes.com/sites/michelecatalano/2013/02/06/nine-songs-to-sing-like-no-one-is-listening/  

What would your choices be?

I Believe In A Thing Called... ME!

Well, it's nearly weekend again so here's a verrrrry quick tip from a Worthing & Haywards Heath singing teacher that I know called Rosie.

Rosie's tip of the day is fantastic in it's simplicity... believe in yourself!

Rosie says (and I'm going to quote this verbatim because it is so wonderful), "With the right amount passion and commitment you can achieve nearly anything, and with singing that belief in yourself can make a massive difference in both technique and performance."

She then goes on to say, "The right mindset could be the difference from you hitting a note or not."

Brilliant! I have nothing else to add to this wonderful singing tip of the day! Have great weekends one and all and we shall see you again next week for more singing advice, shiz and fun stuff!

TTFN x

Singing With A Live Band... DO IT!

Singing with a live band is really important and completely different to singing to 'backing tracks'.  In fact, there is probably no better way to learn and experience musicality (via working with other musicians) and gain an insight into surrounding facets of singing, such as marketing, promotion, audition processes etc. than actually starting your own band! Starting a band is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people, make friends and both rehearse and hone your singing skills!

In fact, here's a little list of why starting (or, at least working in) a band could be brilliantly beneficial...

1) You will always be well rehearsed and at the top of your game - via singing in a live band you will be rehearsing new songs and constantly practicing old ones, which will maintain your voice to the highest level and keep it in mighty fine shape. Also, by singing with a band and working to different volume levels you will undoubtedly project your vocal with more power (in a naturally competitive manner), which will strengthen vocal chords.

2) Skills in the performing arena will be massively improved - The thing about singing in a band is that you will always be singing in front of people (even if those people are just the band themselves!). You will gain a lot more confidence, breakdown inhibitions, and hone your craft a lot better than you would just practicing to backing tracks in front of a mirror. There's nothing wrong with the mirror practices... it's always good to see how you look... but, nothing substitutes genuine, human interaction within performances. 

3) You will become a team player - It's all about the compromise! With all the band hopefully striving for the same thing (a great performance, world wide fame, etc...) there are going to be many personalities to handle. The way you do this will determine if you are a diva or a team player. The latter is always best :) Working on something you all enjoy collectively will be a hugely rewarding thing and the more you interact the more you will learn and produce.

4) As briefly touched upon, it will improve your confidence - Performing live... in front of people... SCARY! But, the more you do it, the better you will become at it. Your confidence will grow in leaps and bounds! You'll not only improve performance techniques (i.e. how to convey emotion in a song or get a crowd into a frenzy) but you will also become an all round better vocalist. There are some things that singing lessons just can't teach. They can provide all the technical tools for improvement, but nothing hones the craft like getting up and 'doing it' in a live environment.

5) We once covered the 3 Ps.... this is the 3 F's... FUN, FUN and FUN!! - There is nothing like the camaraderie of rehearsing and gigging in a band. It is a totally amazing way to spend time with friends and do something you totally enjoy and love. And, who knows, get good enough at it and you could even make a bit of cash doing it. Or, even a full-time living! 

Always remember why you started singing though and why you spent hour upon hour rehearsing... you enjoy the craft of it. Don't get bogged down with the wrong people or lose sight of the fun factor. Always ENJOY!

Right, that's it for today... I'm off for a rehearsal with my band!

TTFN :)

Put A Plug In It! Singing Tips...

Good Monday! Over the weekend I was talking to a Canterbury singing teacher called Morgan. When I asked her for a recommendation for singers out there, she said 'get yourself some earplugs!' And, here's why this is a fantastic piece of advice for budding and professional singers alike. Your ears are the only pair you'll ever get and hearing loss will not only affect your singing but your entire life!! Your ears are the only pair you'll ever get and hearing loss will not only affect your singing but your entire life!! YES, I meant to repeat that twice because it is SO important! So, be it for performing or watching a live band, get yourself a good set of earplugs to keep you safe.

With regards choice, there are ear plugs specifically for singers that allow you to change the reduction of unwanted noise. This helps to get the balance right in your head between the music your singing to and the level of you own voice.  A lot of professional singers get their ear plugs molded to the shape of their ears for the perfect fit. Why not have a look on Google and get investigating which ones are right for you!

A Short Tip Of The Day Today... So, WAKE UP!

Following on from yesterdays great advice about making sure you get enough rest and sleep before a big rehearsal or performance, Agne's, who offers singing tuition in Basingstoke, reminded us to reiterate that you need to ensure you are awake at least 2 hours before any performance.

Your voice needs this time to wake up and for you to be able to sing properly. Otherwise you may find it difficult to sing high notes and suffer from quite a croaky voice!

And, DO NOT forget.... you need time to warm up properly as well! So, no last minute wake ups before you sing. Organisation is key... be prepared.

A short singing tip for today as I'm running out of things to say... Only kidding :) there has been a lot to digest lately so I don't want to overface you with info. But, fear not... LOTS more to come v. soon :)

TTFN x

Sleep Little Baby... So You Can Rock At Full Force!

Well, happy Monday everyone! Back to the grind :) I had a great weekend and hope all of you did too.

While I was out hobnobbing with the rich and famous (Grandma is very wealthy, and I bumped into Pat Sharp at Sainsbury's) over the weekend I had a message from a Canterbury singing teacher called Morgan. Morgan wanted me to mention that one of the best things for being on tip top singing form is to have a good nights sleep before any performance or singing exams you may have. Whilst this sounds obvious, it is actually a very important point as you want to make sure that both your body and mind are well rested so you can perform to your very best.

Singing after little sleep hasn't given your body the time it needs to rejuvenate and you don't want to feel or even look tired in your performance as you won't have the energy to give it your all!

So, make sure you get a good nights sleep and give yourself at least 2 hours of time before an exam or performance once you've woken up and you'll be on top form and ready to rock!

I know it is sometimes difficult to actually get to sleep if you have a day of performance as the nerves can keep your mind quite active. So, here's a helpful page to get you feeling drowsy by just reading it... Sleep Tips

The Human Voice... According To WIKI

Actually, before I jet off to Hawaii for the weekend to party with Britney, Mariah and Beyonce I thought I'd whack up some Wikipedia bumph about the human voice... it just helps with a little technical stuff. 

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume (loudness), timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

So, now you know, thanks Wiki! 

Signing out... :)

It's All Greek To Me... Well, Italian Actually

After having a chat with Brighton & Hove singing teacher Kate, we decided that it might be helpful to provide some definitions of some commonly used Italian words in music... after all, they're commonly used... and Italian... and used in music... so, it may be helpful to provide some definitions. Oh, I already said that... in which case, here we go:

Dolce - Sweet, Gentle
Tempo - The speed of the music
Legato - (Italian for 'tied together') notes are played or sung smoothly and connected
Staccato - (Italian for 'detached') notes are separated from the note that may follow by silence
Crescendo - to get louder
Diminuendo - to get quieter
Cantor - The Singer
Colla Voce - Follow the voice/singer

These terms are used in written music one heck of a lot and used when describing how to sing or play parts in song. As good practice, whenever you start to learn a new song, or, listen to sections of a song on the radio try to apply one of these Italian terms to what the singer is doing or what the section of the song is doing. For example, if you hear somebody start singing quietly in a verse and then build this into a larger sound before hitting the chorus (or pre-chorus)... you could say they were building to a 'crescendo.' Kelly Clarkson does this kind of thing a lot.

It's all good practice this paying attention malarkey and develops a sense of understanding not only the terms associated but also how songs and pieces of music function. Which, ultimately will improve your own standing when approaching new pieces of music.

TTFN, have a good weekend and catch you on Monday for more advice and FREE singing lessons :)

Practice Makes Perfect! Practical Singing Advice...

Having been chatting to Rosie, a Worthing & Haywards Heath singing teacher, it was reiterated to me time and time again that practice makes perfect! And, how very true this is!!! In fact, this old saying has been around for years because of its authenticity! 

The more you sing something the better you will be at performing. Even if you feel you know the track really well, or even a small passage or phrase in a song it's always worth staying well rehearsed and prepared.

Practice till you know it inside out and backwards then you won't even need to think about singing it when you perform, you can concentrate on looking like a rock god or a dancing diva!

So, the singing lesson for today is the 3 P's.... Practice, Practice and Practice!

All together now.... 

NB. Thanks Rosie for this extremely simple, but massively important vocal coaching point. Here's a video of Rosie performing with her band The Weekend.

10 Things You Shouldn't Do When Singing... Funny Singing Stuff!

Please, please, please do not take this video too seriously :-) Although, I seriously enjoyed watching it! Some great 'not to do' tips for budding singers from some of the best there is and has ever been! Enjoy, but beware as there are some expletives!!! 

Microphone Technique Help... Advice for Singers!

Todays singing tip is from Agne, a singing teacher in Basingstoke, and will help you with your microphone technique. It is very easy when singing to fall into the habit of holding the microphone in the wrong way. It is after all quite a heavy object in your hand that can feel quite cumbersome after a 40 minute plus performance!

Despite this remember to hold it so that it is pointing at your mouth and about an inch away to avoid any unwanted 'popping' sounds. This makes sure the sound travels right through the microphone and picks up a full bodied sound and will deliver the best possible tone. Singing across the microphone (if it is pointing up for example) will result in a very thin and airy sound.

Also be mindful that it doesn't slowly move and start pointing away from your mouth like your cheek for example. When you are in the moment and rocking out on stage you do not want to be told after your performance that no one could hear you because you were pointing the microphone at your chin!!

Sound advice for singers everywhere! Thanks Agne :)