Archive for the ‘Worship Team’ Category

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ONE VOICE with MANY SINGERS

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

I recently taught the second in a series of 6 classes for worship leaders and their teams at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro TN.  This very large and active church has eight weekend services requiring many committed singers and instrumentalists. Our goals in this series of classes is to help each singer bring out their personal strengths while at the same time having the ability to bond into that one-voice sound that is so important to any group.

This class was called One Voice, and this was our process:

  1. We talked through the concept of giving up individuality, in favor of becoming many-singers-with-one-sound.
  2. With this One Voice concept in mind we then did a series of general warm-ups.  In this time we started standing backed up against a wall to remind of upright, aligned posture.
  3. We took the first big step toward giving up individuality: We moved into a circle (limit circles to no more than 8-10) and all held hands as we continued to warm up. We came from different backgrounds and ranged in age from 25 to 66 but quickly began to have a single sound just by being “in touch” and listening. We had given up our unique sounds and yielded to a common sound. It’s exciting to experience, or even just hear this process.
  4. The next step was to maintain that unified blend with a more difficult hearing environment so we stayed in the circle, but turned facing away from each other. We again joined hands and continued to warm up, this time having to listen much harder.
  5. I played a CD with four different worship leaders and teams singing in four different styles including traditional, contemporary, Gospel and pop.  Still in a circle, holding hands and facing each other we listened to a track, then matched and blended with that leader’s style and voice quality.  This was also done facing away from each other, still in the circle to require focused listening and matching.
  6. After we had done that with each leader/style I quickly moved randomly from track to track requiring the singers to listen, adjust and yield to that singer and each other. They quickly started to own their new skills of listening and flexibility.

The next step is for the individual singers to practice these flexibility and blending skills on their own, then bring those skills to the next class, rehearsal or service.  And, while this class was in a church setting, the same principles work for choirs, choruses, bands, duos, trios, quartets etc.

Remember: Practice Makes Permanent, and Muscles Have Memory.  Practice and memorize the right skills and you’ll own them.

Need more great ideas and some “tools” to help you and your singers be their best? Share this free blog with your teams and be sure to visit our newest Online tool on FaceBook. Just search on VOCAL COACH WITH CHRIS AND CAROLE BEATTY then click the “Like” icon at the top of the page. That page also has open discussions that we’d love to have you join.

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Posted in Blend, Choir Directors, From the Coach, Singing Subjects, Tips Tailored for You, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

HAVEN’T SUNG FOR A WHILE, BUT NOW YOU ARE?

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

A SINGER RECENTLY WROTE: After being a worship leader for many years I had a season of very little singing.  Now I’m back to leading worship and teaching again. Moice tires easily and has gotten a bit “fuzzy,” compared with what it used to be.  I might add that I’m not getting any younger and wondered about how age affects the voice.  Also, I took some Aspirin and Tylenol. While my voice then felt and sounded better, I still wanted your opinion and more guidelines.

VOCAL COACH THOUGHTS: What a great question and you’re not alone being in this situation. Due to the fact that what we call “the voice” is a combination of physical, mechanical and acoustical functions, all working together, aging will have an impact.  But, with a little knowledge and some new habits you should do just fine.  Consider these points:

1. Aging does impact the voice. As we age we become less flexible, can lose stamina and our bodies have a harder time maintaining moisture and lubrication.  Everything from our eyes to our skin gets dryer. Solution: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and avoid caffeine. At least half your body weight in ounces of water, per day. (180 lbs=90 oz water.) Also, consider using Entertainer’s Secret Throat Relief Spray (ADD LINK) as a way to topically moisturize the sinuses, nasal passages, and upper throat.

2. What we call “the voice” is really a number of physical, mechanical and acoustical systems working together.  The muscles involved can get weak.  If unused for a long period they can suffer a gradual decline of effectiveness due to underuse or neglect.  But, don’t panic. A rebuilding process can change all that, so read on.

3. Regaining or rebuilding the voice simply means understanding and applying the right concepts and exercises. This means identifying the foundations, getting those foundations in order through systematic exercises and finally owning them.  How long might this take?  One minute to begin; several months to own. You achieve success by constant vocal awareness throughout the day combined with short periods of focused exercises.

4. Pace yourself and your voice usage.  Don’t try to go from 0-60 too quickly.  Get in the habit of daily, systematic and sensible warm-up.  When you can, let your voice rest before and after singing. Especially while your getting back up-to-speed. And remember: Talking is using the voice, often with less awareness of what you’re doing than during singing.

5. Caution: If your voice is tired and raspy after singing give it a day off from unnecessary use.  But, don’t whisper as that is more harmful than just speaking softly in a normal voice.

6. Aspirin and Tylenol. This reader did mention that these medications helped when his voice got rough. That’s because he had overworked the voice to the point of some minor inflammation, or swelling.  The anti-inflammatory medication would help that, but there could also be a side-effect of more drying.  When in doubt, breathing steam might be a better way to return the leading edges of the vocal folks to normal and get rid of that rough, raspy sound. The Vic’s Personal Steam Inhaler is a great, inexpensive tool for that.  I always have one nearby for those times when I’ve taxed my voice a bit too much.

ABOUT THOSE FOUNDATIONS

1. Posture is where it all starts. Sloppy posture undermines everything else. Be upright and relaxed. Visit the “Posture” category in the Vocal Coach Blog for more.

2. Good Breathing, or Breath Management will become natural as you understand and exercise these strong muscles.  Check out “Ten Steps To Better Breathing” on our Free Singing Resources page. Also, read other Blogs in the “Breathing” Category.  If you want a powerful resource get the CD or download for Complete Breathing.

3. Tone, is the sound quality of your voice.  The goal is to use minimal breath and good acoustics to easily project your voice to the point you are as efficient as a baby or child.  They have no problem getting their messages out there with no voice fatigue.

Click here for a short Vocal Coach Video on Tone called “What Does Your Voice Sound Like?”

4. Warming up your voice is critical to getting the most out of your instrument without sacrificing it. Starting the day with humming in your middle range is a good way to get things awake and moving.  From there (with good posture, breathing, and light buzzing tone) move higher and lower in your range. Moving to the lip-thrill, and finally songs, should get you ready to sing and speak safely throughout the day. Complete Warm-Up is a powerful tool to educate and exercise you and your voice.

Finally, here is the THE VOCAL COACH “BEFORE I SING” CHECK LISTWe use in our Vocal Coach Classes and private coaching. Print this out and carry it with you.

1. I’m an upright Child of the King, and should stand and sit like it all day long.

2. As I inhale I breathe down, expanding front, sides and back.  As I exhale the ribs and chest remain stable.

3. I am a sound system with my own resonators and amplifiers that I can feel.

4. I warm up my voice like the vocal athlete I am, starting in mid-range, then moving higher and lower.

Humming and Lip-Trills are the best start.

5. I make my words easy to understand by using my lips, tongue and teeth.  This takes stress off my larynx.

6. By being vocally-aware throughout the day I will be establishing good  Muscle Memory.

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Posted in Ask the Coach, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, The Senior Voice, Uncategorized, Warm-Ups, Worship Team | 3 Comments »

DON’T TRY AND FIT ANOTHER SINGER’S VOCAL MOLD

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Be who you are, vocally. Don’t try and fit someone else’s vocal mold.

Someone else may be a higher or lower voice part than you, and that’s fine.  They may also relate to different vocal styles because of their cultural or musical experiences.  That’s also fine.

But, notice that I didn’t say, “Stay in the rut you’re in. That’s just the way it is.”  In fact, here are two thoughts to the contrary:

1. Even though you can’t suddenly become another voice part you probably can significantly expand your vocal range just by cleaning up and refining your vocal technique. It’s all about owning the foundations and having some specific goals.

2. Learning to believably sing new styles is a fun and wise pursuit.  In fact, expanding your repertoire of vocal styles makes you a more valuable, more flexible singer.

Finally, here’s the answer to a question I get asked regularly.

Question: Chris, what do you actually do with singers?  Help me understand.

Vocal Coach Answer: I guess you could sum it up as this:  I look at people who sing, and then help them discover their potential, discover current problems or limitations and come up with solutions and a step-by-step way to make it happen.  This does, of course, require the cooperation of the singer, and it does take some time, but it’s very doable . . . and that’s what we do at Vocal Coach with in-person or Online sessions.

BONUS: Like a little humor? Check out these two Vocal Coach Animations:

I Have To Practice? And Preparing for Performance

Please keep those questions coming to moc.hcaoclacovnull@sirhc.

Thanks

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Posted in Performance, Soloist, Tips Tailored for You, Uncategorized, Worship Team | No Comments »

HOW TO REGAIN LOW NOTES AFTER SINGING HIGH ONES

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Question from a Blog Reader: Both my daughter and I have a problem: After we sing for a time in our highest range (we’re both sopranos), we can no longer reach our lower notes.  Is there something we’re doing wrong? Thanks.

Vocal Coach Answer: This is a very, very common problem and I’ve got some solutions I think you’ll like.

Common Scenario: You “kind of” warm up . . . though not all the time . . . and even then often while doing other things.  As you begin a rehearsal, or performance your voice gets stronger.  Because most songs don’t start on their highest notes, everything continues to feel good . . . for a while.  Then it’s time to move into some higher notes for a while AND THEN SUDDENLY sing some lower notes.  The same notes that were strong and easy when you started.  How hard could that be?

Plenty hard if you don’t regularly exercise through your full range, from top to bottom.  And the more casual you are about maintaining your voice the more likely you will encounter this situation.  Does the above scenario describe your experience?  If so, a great solution can be easily explained.

Solution:

First Some Background

Understand that there are 19 muscles busily adjusting so that just the right length and thickness of the vocal folds (vocal cords) are able to vibrate. As the sub-glottal breath comes up from the lungs, the vibrating leading edges of the folds produce a specific pitch, or frequency. Faster vibrations result in a higher pitch; slower vibrations, a lower pitch. The many adjustments that make this all happen can be quite effortless and automatic if, and only if you have trained and prepared your voice. It’s all about muscle memory and what your voice has memorized, be it good, or bad.

Here’s Your Course of Action

  1. Review your own concept and process of warming up your voice. If you’ve been too casual about it you can change that.
  2. Determine to never do much singing without first warming up. Even if you’re singing in the shower or the car, a few minutes of humming and lip-trills can go a long way. Often, the biggest offenders are trained singers who manage to “get away with” no warm-ups. But, it will catch up, and there is danger of slowly wearing away your vocal health without even knowing it . . . until it’s too late.  An obvious parallel is the trained athlete. The good ones always, warm and stretch the muscles to minimize the risk of injury and maximize the performance potential. It’s no different for singers. Either you are treating your voice well, or you’re not.  The proof is in how well, and how consistently your voice performs.
  3. Schedule times to warm-up and workout your voice. Be creative, but find a time and place that allows you to focus and analyze the feedback you’re getting from your voice. Just singing doesn’t make you a better singer.
  4. Plan your warm-ups. In addition to the many helpful tips on this site and at vocalcoach.com try this pattern: Start in a comfortable “speaking” range, humming five-tone scales on a light Hooo.  Start going up by half or whole steps. Then, come back down to where you started. Next, go lower, then back to the starting range, back up, down to the starting area, down lower,  etc. The goal is to always exercise both extremes of your range every time you warm up.  Just preparing the higher range can leave you vulnerable when those lower notes are needed, and it’s unhealthy for the vocal mechanism. Another athletic parallel: Good physical trainers always have you work both the biceps and triceps, not just one or the other. They also have you strengthen the abdominal and back muscles. It’s the only way to have a structurally sound and functional body.
  5. Respect your voice and it will always be there.
  6. Never sing harder or higher than your voice is ready for.
  7. Use technology. Carry warm-up CD’s in your car or on your phone or iPod.
  8. Anticipate the particular challenges of the songs you’ll be singing and prepare for those challenges.  That means not only systematic warm-ups, but also getting enough rest, eating well and getting some exercise.  Remember: You are a vocal athlete.

You now have one more reason to care for your voice. As you do, you and your listeners will hear the results and you will be a happy singer.

Let me know your thoughts or questions in the “comments” section below.

Chris Beatty

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Posted in From the Coach, Performance, Singing Exercises, Singing Subjects, Soloist, Vocal Range, Voice Fatigue and Strain, Warm-Ups, Worship Team | 3 Comments »

HOW DO I FIX MY UNSTABLE VOICE?

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Question from Blog reader:

Chris, I am having a voice problem and need your input.  I’ve been using your training CD’s for a few years now and they have helped me a lot.  But, here’s my problem: When I first start a song I feel short of breath.  My voice feels unstable.  After a few words it gets better, but I still have a problem with my voice breaking or quivering. It’s not solid, or stable. Is this a throat problem, breathing or ???  Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Vocal Coach Answer:

When a voice is unstable, wavering, tentative or breaks and quivers there are several possible causes.  Here are some likely ones and some solutions

1.  Anxiety. When you are mentally or emotionally unsure about what is going to come out when you open your mouth it can interfere with breathing, posture, diction, tone, expression . . . everything.  The solution will be found in being more mechanically solid than you are anxious.  In other words, having such secure technique in the posture, breathing, tone and diction that nothing can interfere. Solid muscle memory, of right techniques will be your friend every time.

2.  Posture. If your posture is bent or broken it will interfere with breathing, tone and self-confidence and how the listener perceives your confidence. By lifting your arms straight up over your head you will discover your balanced posture.  As you slowly bring your arms back down be sure to maintain the upright alignment. The shoulders should be completely relaxed, not pulled up or back.  The feeling is one of being “athletically alert,” with a comfortably upright chest. Feel like you have a long back of neck and a shorter front of the neck. The head is back, over the shoulders, with the eyes looking straight ahead.  Don’t let the chin lift for high notes or fall for low notes.  Keep the head position neutral. Once you can sing your songs comfortably in this position you can look anywhere you want.  Just don’t move the head to help you hit a note; it won’t.

3.  Breathing. Securing good breath management will help you sing through the nervous times.  The muscles will just continue to get you the right amount of breath.  Not too much; not too little.  Good breathing starts with good posture. A good first exercise is to get on your back, on the floor and feel what parts of the body are naturally engaged when you breathe in, and out. Then start sipping the breath in through an imaginary straw, and out on a SSSSSSS sound. After you have memorized where the breathing is naturally felt, stand, check your posture and repeat the exercise with a still chest and ribs.

4.  Tone. Getting your posture and breathing more secure opens the possibility for your best vocal sound, or tone quality. The physical sensations of good tone are a relaxed throat, and lots of buzzing resonance (harmonics and overtones) vibrating through the face, mouth, sinuses and nasal passages.  These are all sensations that you can physically feel, memorize and reproduce. A gentle hum will begin the sensation. Adding a chewing motion to the humming will keep the face and jaw more relaxed.  And, don’t be afraid of all the vibrating you feel in the face.  That’s a good sign, and means you are allowing the voice to work and not forcing it. These are aspects of your vocal sound you can “feel,” and that means you can reproduce them using muscle memory.

5.  Diction. Another important area is diction, pronunciation or enunciation.  It just means that the listener gets the message, not just the music. The other bonus of clear diction is this: As your own ears hear clear words coming out they tell the brain to tell the larynx to just relax and keep giving the pitch. If, on the other hand, your ears hear mumbled words they often tell the brain, and the brain (for some unknown reason) gets the larynx involved. That just leads to useless tension in the throat since the larynx can’t help diction.  So, when in doubt, over-pronounce a bit so that even the least attentive listener hears your message.

So, there you have it. A systematic approach, to freeing up an unstable voice by paying attention to your POSTURE, BREATHING, TONE and DICTION.  Needless to say, there’s a lot more to be said on all these topics.  If you want to go deeper, with principles and exercises just go to the main site at vocalcoach.com and look for the Vocal Coach Singer package, or individual subjects by title.

If you have thoughts or comments leave them in the space below.  Thanks.

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Posted in Ask the Coach, Breathing, Choir Directors, Diction, Duets to Groups, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, Singing Subjects, Tone, Voice Fatigue and Strain, Worship Team | 3 Comments »

How Do You Find Your Best Tone Quality?

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Recently, I’ve been teaching a series of classes at our church for current and developing worship leaders.  We have a congregation of over 7,500 with seven weekend services, plus weekly teen and children’s events and more.  That adds up to a lot of very busy singers and instrumentalists.

One of the critical skills we focus on is being able to reproduce a good  blendable, relaxed and resonant tone quality.  Here’s how we get there:

  1. We go step-by-step through the process of checking posture and breathing using the same principles and exercises each time (see blog posts on breathing).
  2. We address diction, making sure the lips, tongue and teeth are engaged.  No mumbling allowed.
  3. We speak the text, conversationally, to mentally connect with the message.
  4. Speaking the text in rhythm starts connecting the words to the music.
  5. We address resonance and the physical sensations of good tone.  For more on that, see the “What Does YOUR Voice Sound Like To Others?” video on our Vocal Coach Free Resources page.

As the singers start getting on the same page, by thinking the same principles and using the same technique, the well-blended tone is there, and it’s amazing to hear.  What began as a group of individual voices has become one voice, with many participants and multiple parts.

Remember: The key is in being able to reproduce that blendable tone by memorizing the process and physical sensations. Our singers now have a tone quality that they can more easily recall and reproduce. So can yours.

To learn more about achieving these skills with your singers check out the Tone, Blend and Group Warm-Ups CD’s. They are available individually or in the Singer and Groups sets and physical products or downloads at the Vocal Coach store.

What helps you find your best tone quality?  Let me know in the “comments” section below.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Singing Subjects, Tips Tailored for You, Tone, Worship Team | No Comments »

3 Priorities of A Worship Leader by Jamie Harvill

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Comment from Vocal Coach Chris Beatty: My guest author for this blog is one worth hearing, in words and music .  Jamie Harvill is not only the author of Ancient of Days, Firm Foundation and many more popular worship songs.  He is a pastor and highly experienced worship leader, guitarist, singer and one of my favorite worship leaders.  If you go to Jamie’s site at jamieharvill.com you can take advantage of his summer Online-and-phone training classes  for songwriters and worship leaders.

3 Priorities of A Worship Leader

When interviewed for a magazine a few days ago I was asked the question, “What would you say are the top three priorities for worship leaders?” My answers are simple but I believe that if heeded and practiced, they will bring fruit to your worship leading experience. My suggestions are based on the teaching of Jesus from Matthew 22:37-40 when He was asked what He thought was the greatest commandment:

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (NIV)

1. Love God. This seems obvious at first but it is a commandment from Jesus. Loving God in every area of our life is our greatest testimony. When we have a passion for God in work, when we play, when times are smooth and when they are rocky, when we are with our families and our guard is down, our passion for God is obvious and it is contagious when others see us living what we lead.

2. Love people. We must live a singular life when we lead people. We cannot be one way with our close friends and then another with those we lead at church. If we lead by influence (and this, in my opinion, is the only way to lead), and we love and respect people–stopping to listen to their story and showing care and concern for them–they will follow us. A true leader is one who never has to force people to follow. If you find yourself coercing others to follow, you are not a leader. People will follow your leadership if you care for them.

3. Bring excellence. My pastor always encourages our team to bring our “A” game each service. We have five services each weekend and it can be easy to “phone-one-in” if we are not careful.

The best way for me to bring my best is to, first, be prepared. I believe proper preparation for our worship leading brings rest. I am relaxed.  This, in turn, helps my team and the congregation to be relaxed (people have a hard time focusing on God when you are fumbling around as the leader).

Second, it helps to be focused. I try to train my heart and mind to zero-in on the task at hand for the hour or so before I lead. One tool I use to help me with this is to put a cheat-sheet (notes, keys changes, chord changes, arrangements, etc.) on the floor next to my mic stand so I can look down and find my bearings, if needed, as I proceed through the worship service.

Third, I think rehearsal is so important. I can hear you saying a collective, “DUH!” right about now! We have rehearsals on Tuesday nights so we then have a few days to study the rehearsal CD before we arrive back on Saturday afternoon to lead the services.  Two services Saturday and two or three Sunday in multiple sanctuaries. It’s a busy place.

I find that all of these preps bring rest and there is no better way to lead others. When we have a passion for God and people while knowing where we are going in worship, and how we are going to get there, others will gladly follow!

I have many more things to say that I can’t write here in this one post. So, if you want to learn more, I want to give you an opportunity to join me as I am starting two new web-based schools offering virtual classrooms and personal coaching. I will be the main instructor for both tracks. One track is to train and strengthen the next generation of songwriters for the church called Song Schools. The other course, Worship Consultants, is for churches and worship leaders who want to improve leadership skills, team-building and worship services. You can find out more details about each course at songschools.com, worshipconsultants.com and jamieharvill.com. Classes start in mid-July.

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Posted in Choir Directors, From the Coach, Performance, Singing and Voice Lessons, Songwriting, Tips Tailored for You, Worship Team | 3 Comments »

“Your Vocal Folds Are Completely Healthy”

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Lots of Experience, but Poor Technique

I recently had a new student who has been performing on stage and in the studio for many years.  Recently, she has experienced several occurrences of her voice just leaving, and not returning full strength for weeks.  The Ear, Nose and Throat doctor scoped her and announced, “You’re vocal folds are completely healthy.”

Good News; Bad News

It was encouraging to know that there was no visible, physical damage.  At the same time it was discouraging not to know what caused the vocal loss.  Her next step was coming to me, a voice teacher (technique and mechanics) and vocal coach (interpretation and expression).

A Little of the Right Kind of Training Can Go A Long Way

This gifted and experienced singer had never had regular vocal training of any kind.  As we went step-by-step through her vocal technique, making adjustments along the way, she was shocked at all the big and little things that could be adjusted.  She was also pleased to know the “why” of everything we did.  With this full understanding, she will be able to reproduce the right technique until it becomes habit.  That muscle memory will take a few months.  But, meaningful changes were already starting to take place.

Start Where You Are and Don’t Stop Learning

Even if you haven’t experienced the kind of trouble this student did, there is a good chance you have more to learn.  Most of us get complacent until there’s trouble.  The smarter approach is to keep learning, and learning and learning.  Set yourself up for success by doing regular warm-ups and singing songs.  All along the way, track what’s working and what isn’t in a journal. That way you have a measure of what’s going on and can share it with a teacher or coach.  Even if you don’t work with a teacher you can choose what training materials you need.

For example, if you have terrible posture during the day, and run out of breathing when singing you might consider our Compete Breathing and Complete Tone CD’s.  They get right to the heart of the matter with very specific principles and exercises.  If you need to be more expressive consider enrolling in a voice class or acting class at a local community college.  If you have the desire, there’s probably a way to make it happen.

Let Me Know Your Thoughts in the Comments section below.

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Posted in Performance, Singing and Voice Lessons, Soloist, Tips Tailored for You, Worship Team | 2 Comments »

First Comes the Inner Stillness

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

By way of introduction: There are several categories of Vocal Coach Blogs.  First, the purely technical, dealing with the mechanics of singing. Second, personal thoughts from Carole, called “Carole Cares.” And, third, those written for anyone who functions in a place of ministry within the Church whether choir director or member, worship team member and those in the congregation who want to give their best.  This blog is from that third category, and will also be posted under the “Enhancing Your Worship” tab on the site.

First Comes the Inner Stillness

In addition to training singers and speakers around the world for a number of decades, I have also had the opportunity to lead worship in a number of different settings, large and small, in the U.S. and abroad.  From those experiences, and triggered by a recent message from my own pastor, I share this thought: I believe you can accomplish more meaningful interaction with God in 10 minutes of inner stillness than an hour of desperate, distraction-filled seeking. And, that’s a good thing for every aspect of your life.

For those who worship, from the congregation or the platform, there is a necessary skill to master that has nothing to do with music.  That is the skill of cultivating an inner stillness.

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)

Inner stillness is a place of tranquility and quietness of the mind and emotions.  A place where there is no competition for your attention and God can get right through to you, and you to Him.  This is where the connection, correction, adjustments and inspiration take place. Then, and only then can you be sure you are prepared at the foundational level to lead others to the cross.

Inner Stillness can only be found by deliberate actions. It doesn’t just happen because you want it to.  It doesn’t always happen quickly, and you can’t pay for it with a credit card and there’s no download available.  Here are some tools that can help you find this life-giving place:

1.     Desire. You must acknowledge the need and value of inner stillness in your life.

2.     Planned schedule. You must practice getting there and staying there.  After awhile you will get there more quickly.

3.     Set the physical stage. Get quiet. Get comfortable. Surround yourself with only those tools that will help the process like your bible, and a notebook.

4.     Pray that your body, soul and spirit will rest in the arms of the King and be still.

5.     Drive out mental and emotional concerns by replacing them with Scripture, leaving no room for distractions.  They will return quickly enough.

Once You’re There, Listen

Only after you have gotten to that place of inner stillness will you have something life-giving to share.  Only then, when your spiritual ears are open, can you hear the fresh and new and then give it away to others.

But, what if I can’t seem to “get there,” or “stay there?”

That means you’re human, and subject to a multitude of distractions.  After all, we do live in a multi-tasking, always-something-going-on world.  That, of course, is the very reason we need to spend time in the inner stillness.  Without it we tend to only take in and reflect what the world has to offer; not what the Lord has to offer, and that can be dangerous and very, very limiting in every area of your life.

Give Inner Stillness a try

There’s a real feeling of victory when you are able to push “Pause” on business-as-usual.  Once you have experienced that you can graduate to the “Stop” button, and then you’re really there. . . in that place of stillness.

What helps you find your inner stillness?  I would love hear your thoughts in the comments section.

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Posted in Choir Directors, Duets to Groups, From the Coach, Kids and Teens, Soloist, Teaching Teens To Sing, Tips Tailored for You, Uncategorized, Worship Team | 4 Comments »

Don’t Forfeit Your Own Voice By Just Imitating Others!

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Don’t Forfeit Your Own Voice By Just Imitating Others!

If you never take the time and effort to discover your own best vocal sound you may well forfeit, and be deprived of ever knowing your full vocal potential.  Here are some thoughts and steps to help you keep growing and be your best.

We Learn By Imitation

It is true that we learn to speak by imitation. Everything from tone quality to diction and accent will reflect those you were around during your vocally formative years.  But, you are not limited to how you began. Any performer who has taken singing or acting classes realizes the tremendous potential to expand and fine-tune the vocal instrument.

There Are Limitations, But Not That Many

That being said, there are limits to what any vocalist can do, depending on the anatomy and structure of the individual. But, few of us come close to maximizing the potential that’s just waiting to happen.  A modern day example of that is demonstrated in the American Idol TV show.  It is common to see a mediocre singer, with good potential suddenly come alive and really communicate.  How does this happen?

They are challenged, coached and rehearsed by professionals in a focused environment.  They are also forced to experience new styles and genres.  Some, that they may not even relate to.  The result?  They have the opportunity to try new things, push their abilities beyond the comfort zone and grow as artists and communicators.

Here Are Some Steps To Help You Reach Your Potential

1. Open Your Mind and Ears. Get out of the mental rut that says, “This is just how I sound.”  Change that to, “This is how I have sounded, but there’s probably much, much more I can do.”  Start listening to some other songs and styles within your comfort zone (for now) and sing along.  If you never allow your voice to try something new you will live in a vocal and stylistic rut.

2. Be Creative and Daring Alone. Become as uninhibited as a child in using not only your voice, but also your face, arms and entire body to act out the song.  Go overboard, exaggerating everything just to experience the potential.  Will you need to dial that back a little in real performance?  Maybe, but probably not as much as you first think.  Full, honest, meaningful expression is what you owe to your listener.

3. Be Creative and Daring In Front of Others. Find a few people with some performance experience and ask them to be your audience.  Let them know you are striving to expand your vocal and physical expression and get their feedback. But remember that even they should not limit your road to experimentation.

4. Use Neutral Tools. Mirrors and video feedback, using anything from a video camera, computer or iPhone can all be helpful.  And, if you’re not already doing it consider some form of systematic training. That can be in the form of a few key CD’s like Complete Breathing, Warm-up & Tone to keep you on track.  Comprehensive sets like Vocal Coach Singer include full training principles and exercises, journals and a guidebook to help you track your progress and make meaningful adjustments as you go.  You may also find a good local teacher or coach as well as classes at a community college.

There are lots of ways to learn, but do something. Don’t forfeit your best for what just happens to be there now.  Be all you can be.  It’s much more satisfying for both you and the listener.

Please Share. I’d love to know what has, and has not helped you maximize your vocal gift.  Comment here, or email me at moc.hcaoclacovnull@sirhc

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Posted in Choir Directors, Duets to Groups, Kids and Teens, Performance, Singing and Voice Lessons, Singing Exercises, Teaching Teens To Sing, Tips Tailored for You, Worship Team | 2 Comments »

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