Monday, November 9th, 2009
As Vocal Coach moves to our new BLOG format I wanted to feature a previous article that addresses a key to being a successful singer. When you sing there needs to be a coordinated effort between a number of parts of your presentation. If not the distractions and filters between you and the listener can completely block your message from getting through.
CONSIDER THESE KEY ELEMENTS AND HOW YOU NEED TO PREPARE:
The Sound/Tone Quality
Think about it. Does the message invite a full rich, vibrant tone quality or a softer, almost airy sound? Is it a declaration or conversation? Are you testifying or asking questions? You need to answer this question then practice the various possibilities. If you can’t think of any, try listening to accomplished singers and imitate what they do for various kinds of songs. Then, begin in integrate some of these qualities into your own vocal sound. A caution: I said integrate, not copy. You still need to be you, just with more possibilities of sound.
Treatment of Diction
If you’re singing a hymn or English art song, the way you pronounce the words will be handled differently than in a worship song, or a contemporary/pop style of song. If I’m singing, “My Jesus, I Love Thee,” I’ll treat the words differently than when I sing the Broadway song, “To Dream The Impossible Dream.” If I don’t, I will be putting up walls between myself, and my audience. Again, listen to the pros, imitate and play with the different options. Build some choices into your diction options. It’s the only way to keep things real and really communicate with the listener.
Phrasing & Expression
Going back to the earlier example of the difference between “My Jesus, I Love Thee,” and “To Dream The Impossible Dream,” let’s consider phrasing and other tools of expression. To begin with, most hymns will have built-in phrases that invite breathing at certain places. And, though you may make things more interesting by stretching that a bit, you are still at least partially limited unless you are doing a real pop arrangement.
With other songs, however, you have more options as to where you might breath, pause, or bring attention to a word with more or less volume or a dramatic and sometime sudden change of tone quality. The options are many and best learned by listening to those who do it best, then imitating them to feel and hear you and your voice doing it. That’s how a singer builds a repertoire of creative options. If you have never heard and felt yourself do it, you are not likely to draw on that option any time soon, even when it would be the perfect solution.
Summary: Get inspired by those who do it well in the same way you get inspired by watching an excellent, experienced athlete. Observe, analyze, imitate and integrate. And, remember throughout that to do this safely you must maintain the foundations of posture, breathing, tone, diction and expression. It’s a lot of work . . . with a lot of rewards.
Tags: chris beatty, coaching voice, expression, performance training, vocal coach, vocal coaching
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Monday, October 26th, 2009
If An Audience Is Going To Receive Youre Message
If an audiend is going to receive your message they need to be comfortable with you. That means they need to be vulnerable, mentally available and ready to hear what you have to share.
The Areas You CAN Control
Anything you can do to help them believe you is worth doing. This can be done in the way you promote yourself, the way you look and the way you sing your message. Those are all areas you can control.
The Areas You CAN’T Control
There are other areas that you may, or may not be able to anticipate, and this means you need to be ready to make things right in real-time.
* If the listeners are tired, it’s your job to revive them. This may mean adding a song that gets them up on their feet, singing, clapping and getting some much needed oxygen. Once they’re mentally and physically refreshed you can get to your message.
* If they’re distracted, your job is to get them focused . . . on you and your message. This may take a bit of personal story telling that engages then personally. Do your homework and know what your audience it likely to be interested in. Using name/stories from their community, sports teams etc. will draw them into what you are sharing. Remember: It’s about them, not you.
* If technical issues are getting between your message and the heart of the listener you need to do something about it. If they’re cringing or leaving because the sound level is too high, or look like they’re hearing more track/band than words do what it takes to change things. When in doubt ask the audience between songs. “Is the sound a little loud?” or “Are you hearing more instruments that vocals?” Then, in your most friendly tone ask the sound person to lower the accompaniment, or overall sound level. Better to offend one sound person than several hundred in the audience. You can also have a trusted ear seated on the isle in the middle of the house who can go back and suggest some changes to the sound person. (This, of course, should be pre-arranged to avoid an awkward moment.)
Summary
Your job isn’t just to get up there, sing your songs and then sit down. You are responsible for successfully communicating your message. Do what is necessary to get that done well.
Tags: chris beatty, performance coaching, performance training, singing lessons, Vocal Coac, voice training
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