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 :)

Auditioning as a Singer... A Few Tips

Hello my little singers! Sorry for the delay on this blog but as compensation I shall make it particularly good :)

As a singer, you are invariably going to have to undertake the grim old task of auditioning before you can secure any work doing what you love, or, grab that position fronting the dream band! Auditions just come with the territory, and, whilst it is stressful when you get on the road to earning a living and turning a hobby into a career it will also be the most rewarding thing you can imagine!

Now, not everyone has the audition process down pat... so, I thought I would put a few key pointers together to help you out and take you beyond just the singing lessons... that's how good I am to you :) So, here goes:

i) Arrive for the Audition prepared!
As obvious as this sounds I bet you would be amazingly surprised by how many auditionees just don't think about the little things... that can potentially and ultimately make HUGE difference! Treat the audition like an interview. Research the band or company you are auditioning for. Find out about the role (how many times have we seen it on X-Factor where the singer doesn't even know who half the judging panel is! Very embarrassing!!). It's all very well knowing your audition piece inside out and back to front, but if it doesn't relate to the applied for role/position then it's a waste of time. Be able to chat about what they do and things you like about that they are doing. After all you went along to the audition because you liked what they are doing, right? If not, then save yourself the bus fare :)

ii) Be Aware of what is Expected from you and what you’re Committing To!
Be prepared to put in the hours... many of which may be upaid. Check to see how often you will be required for rehearsals, etc. Some productions will require a lot more time than you think.There's nothing worse than overselling and under delivering. And, if you start to become unrelaible because you have bitten off more than you can chew, or, expected to be doing less, you will quickly gain a reputation as unreliable, which in turn will quite possibly affect future potential roles. So, when you accept a position / role, be ready to put in the hours to memorise lines, learn songs, and put in several hours of rehearsal time that are necessary to make the your performance the best it can be!

iii) Challenging yourself
It's easy to fall into the repetition of performing auditions and audition pieces that aren't stretching you anymore or helping increase your vocal ability. Sometimes trying something different can be the next step to finding a new inspiration for your singing and show you new techniques to help you improve for other auditions. Push yourself to try new things, perhaps this means you get a vocal coach to help you expand your abilities, or maybe it just means you spend a little extra time singing in other genres you are not as comfortable in to help you improve.

A lot of people will be able to turn up and sing the songs OK, but make sure you keep asking yourself, how can I make my audition better. If you are consistently going out of your way to improve your voice and your repertoire, you are headed in the right direction and will be getting yourself noticed for all the right reasons.

And, that's your lot! Hope that helps and provides some food for thought. In fact, talking of food.......

TTFN

And There's More... More Singing Tips

That's right! More... whilst Oliver Twist couldn't get more when he asked... YOU CAN! And, you didn't even have to ask :) So, as usual with my singing tuition, I shall be brief so you can read, digest and put into practice.

First of all, if you ever find yourself having trouble singing a particular part of a song don't be afraid to alter it slightly to fit more comfortably with your voice or your style. You may occasionally find that a song has a little bit that is too high, or, too low. It could even be phrasing you have an issue with. But don't be afraid to change it slightly as I say. By doing this you not only ensure that the part still sounds awesome but you also do what the 'X-Factor' (bleurgh) judges call 'make it your own'. A little affliction along the way that is you and not the original artist will add your own personal stamp to a track so feel free to experiment.

Next up, if you are belting it out on stage and realise that you have made a mistake try to now draw attention to yourself. Just carry on and focus on the next part of the song and getting back into your correct stride. Don't dwell on the glitch, chances are most folk won't even have noticed, just dust yourself off and crack on... onwards and upwards! This way you won't be thinking about what just happened and won't make any more mistakes in a nervous frenzy.

And, there you go... a couple more handy bits and bobs to get you through the week.

Right, I'm off for a nice brew... without milk of course (why? Read this Blog).

Tatty Bye!

To Grade Or Not To Grade?

Vocademy Grades are Launched!

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I like a Brighton based singing school quite a lot called Vocademy. Why do I like Vocademy? Well, I like the ethos for starters 'Teaching the World to sing one voice at a time' - it's just awesome! In addition to this, I love the fact that they aren't scared to throw lots of free things out there... kind of like yours truly. Their website has lots of videos, warm up packs, free tips and advice about singing and comes across as warm and friendly but still professional and an authority on all things singing.

Now, why have I started to discuss Vocademy? My reason is that they have just launched a new set of grades. Have they gone for an ABRSM or Guildhall approach? Maybe a Rockschool or Trinity College style? Nooooo! What Vocademy have done is devised and designed their own set of grades that bring these rather old systems a lot more up to date and give them a completely contemporary feel.

Similar to other graded systems out there the Vocademy syllabus runs from Grade 1 all the way through to Grade 8, with each grade further focusing, helping and assessing the student's progression. How these grades differ though is that the techniques are taught, learned and developed through learning songs by Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, Emili Sande and Bruno Mars. How cool is that!

As well as learning these songs from the perspective of becoming a stronger singer, the grades are designed to help students understand how their voice works and give them specific singing techniques to learn and practice.

Now, here's the crux... why would a rebellious soul like me who blows raspberries in the face of authority, sometimes will try to eat 3 Shredded Wheat and almost never washes out the bean tin before sticking it in the recycle bin endorse something as traditional and unexciting as exams and graded systems? I'll tell you why...

These grades are not only going to help you become a better singer, but they are FUN! And, that is what it should all be about. Learning music and singing technique through songs you like and would sing along to 'just because' is a fantastic way to breed the great new singers of tomorrow. If you can blur the lines between fun and learning you are always going to get better results because people will be doing something they 'actually' want to do! I used to go to piano lessons as a kiddie and because I was being taught music by Mozart and other composers who had been not of this planet for a gazillion years it felt like torture! Practicing in the week before each lesson was just extra homework! Pants!! So, I soon lost all enthusiasm and the piano lessons ceased. But, I can guarantee that if I was being taught riffs like 'The Final Countdown' (it really was cool in my day... honest!) or something else really cool :) I would have worn the keys out!

So, I say good on Vocademy for doing this! It's about time this kind of thing was done :)

Just as a side-note, I do like the idea of grades anyway, I think they provide a benchmark that you can say I now know this, or, I have achieved this level or recognition. It also gives you something to strive for and adds a little incentive to keep you going and practicing. So you see, I'm not at all really that rebellious I just like things to be done a bit differently and with a bit of excitement and passion.

Anyway, to find out more about Vocademy Grades check out the website.

Until next time.... nanu nanu :)

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 :)

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 :)