Singing Lessons... Do They or Do They Not?!

So, when you watch a program like The X Factor or The Voice can you tell immediately which of the contestants have taken singing lessons? How do you know whether natural talent is trumping vocal coaching?

There's obviously been a lot of these 'talent' programs since the initial Hearsay days gone by, and I would say that we're all getting pretty accustomed to being able to tell a great vocalist from a bit of a naff one. I'd even go so far as to say most of us can spot those who have had singing lessons against those who have quite possibly peaked already. For example, if you remember the original auditions for the top singers that are Kelly Clarkson or even Will Young, you can without a doubt see the style still their today... albeit it a diamond in the rough.

But one thing I do like to watch with these TV shows s just how the singers react to vocal coaching and technique classes over the final weeks. A particularly great example was Leona Lewis and how she responded in the most fantastic manner to the singing lessons that were put her way.

Can you think of any other singers who started out 'OK' and then with the help of vocal coaches and the like were able to become AMAZING? 

 

Cheryl Cole? Hmmm... the jury is out on that one :)

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