Posts Tagged ‘vocal coach’

« Older Entries |

Singing Turns Your Breath Into Music

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

There's a lot to a trumpet.I just saw a great cartoon from the old Family Circus series. The older brother is holding a trumpet and educating his younger sibling.  He says,

“When you blow through here it turns your breath into music.”  

That’s EXACTLY how a child would summarize the workings of a trumpet.  He doesn’t need to know all the details. Someone else has taken care of that, and it works.

Well, guess what? In many ways we should think of our voices the same way.  You move air from the lungs up through the mouth and it turns it into music. In fact, when performing, that’s about all you have room in your brain to think about.  The rest of your attention should be on being an expressive communicator to the listener.

Don’t get me wrong. I am fully aware of all the mechanical and acoustical events going on as well as the preparation it takes to become a good singer.  I’m just reminding us all that it’s easy to over-think the whole vocal process to the point of sounding and looking like a vocal robot.

 Learning the mechanics in order to not have to think about the mechanics is the goal, and it is a process.  But oh the joy of being able to just stand there and let your mind, body and spirit turn moving breath into a powerful and clear message.

Remember, it’s easy:

“When you blow through here it turns your breath into music.”

 Have an amazing week, and let me know how Vocal Coach can help you do what you do, better.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Breathing, From The Heart of Chris Beatty, Teaching Kids To Sing, Tone, Uncategorized | No Comments »

IS SINGING IN THE CAR OK FOR THE VOICE?

Monday, January 16th, 2012

WANT TO HEAR THE AUDIO VERSION OF THIS BLOG? Click here:  Blog-WarmingUpInCar_011612

Great Email Question

I got a great email question that asked this: “Chris, I bought the Vocal Coach series from you at a workshop you gave. You mention warming up while driving to rehearsal/gig. I thought I had heard not to do that. Is it ok to do that so long as posture is correct?”  This is a super question because it deals with real life for a singer.

Ideal vs Reality

Let’s start with this: The “ideal” warm-up/practice scenario would have you peaceful and quiet, undisturbed. You are rested, have eaten well and have just read something relaxing.  Maybe even had a string quartet playing during your meal. I’m not being sarcastic. Superstars like Luciano Pavarotti and Michael Jackson traveled with their own chef’s, food supply and, in the case of Pavarotti, entertainment.

Muscle Memory

Most singers who wait, and only warm-up and practice in perfect, ideal situations often just don’t do it. The result is that they don’t develop the muscle memory necessary for good singing.

Is Warming Up in the Car Ok?

I have sung all over the world and sometimes the only place I knew I could really “get away” to think and warm-up was in a rental car. Pavarotti and Jackson I am not, but I do know what my voice and mind and emotions feel like when I’m fully ready to perform and I’ll do about anything to make that happen. If you’re a choir or worship team member and the car is your only time to focus, put in a Vocal Coach Warm-Up or Daily Workout CD and go for it. The goal is to be ready.

If you do end up warming up in a car:

  1. Make sure the rear-view mirror is positioned comfortably high requiring you to sit tall to see out the back window.
  2. Keep your hands at the One and Three O’clock positions on the steerting wheel.  It will stabilize your chest and ribs in a comfortably expanded position.
  3. Have a goal of physically feeling a free, rich tone since road noise, air conditioning etc. may make accurate hearing challenging.
  4. Don’t try to out-sing the car noise. Instead, sing smart.  If you begin to strain, back off and recheck posture, breathing and tone. If you aren’t solid in those foundations make a plan, get some materials personal training and learn to do it right.

Ten Minutes Is Much Better Than Nothing

What it your schedule or situation doesn’t allow for a good warm-up?  That’s where muscle memory and experience kick in and get you through, but it’s not something to get comfortable with.  Those who do ultimately pay the price of sloppy, unpredictable performances. There is always some time to do humming and lip-trill exercises even if it’s while you’re in the shower and getting ready.

Summary

Do all you can to assure regular warm-up and practice times in ideal surrounding.  When that can’t happen, make sure to still prepare your voice and heart even if you need to hide in the janitor’s closet or a car to do it.

Got a Question You Would Like Answered?

Just email me at moc.hcaoclacovnull@sirhc and put “Question” in the subject.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Soloist, Uncategorized, Vocal Coach Audios, Warm-Ups, Worship Team | No Comments »

Avocados and a Brown Bag

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from Carole!

Chris and I hope that you have a peaceful and special Thanksgiving.  May it include quality time with family and friends and safe travels.  If you are unable to be with those you love take advantage of technology like video chats on Skype to stay connected.

Carole Beatty

Carole Beatty has still got the attitude and the fire!

For those of you who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday, this Thursday is a good excuse to stop your busy lives and remember those people, situations and experiences you are thankful for.  It’s just a healthy thing to do for all of us.

And, speaking of being thankful, I thought I would share a day in my life and how God makes Himself so personal to me.

Avocados and a Brown Bag

Scripture tells us over and over again how God supplies our needs.  I’ve read it; you’ve read it.  So, a few weeks ago I realized that the Avocado’s we bought on Saturday were still not ripe & I wanted to use them for dinner.  So Google to the rescue.  One “expert” said to put them in a brown paper bag with tomato and they would ripen quickly. I was excited until I realized I had no brown paper bag anywhere in the house.  Another  suggestion was to use Newspaper. I had none.  So, I took a napkin with tomato & put it in a dark place and forget about it.

Off I went to get my allergy shots.  When I sat down in the waiting room guess what was on the chair next to me?  A newspaper!  “Thank You, Lord, I said.”  Since it was old and used I felt free to take it home where I wrapped the avocado and tomato.  A need answered, but it gets better.

A little later, Chris & I went to vote, then to try out the brand new Chipotle’s restaurant in Brentwood.  We decided to not eat there because we had food at home waiting to be eaten.  The management saw us leaving & asked why, so we told them . They said, “Stay and eat all you want and it’s on us.”  We couldn’t turn down that offer and had a great free meal, another unexpected gift from the Lord.  The meal included a huge bag of chips in a . . . you guessed it . . . brown paper bag.  “Amazing, Lord,” I thought.  And, because I couldn’t finish my dinner  I went to get a lid to take it home.  The guy asked if I wanted a brown bag to put it in.  Of course I said YES.   My God supplies  all our need.  He cares so much even that we would have a ripe Avocado for dinner.

I am thankful for all you who read the Vocal Coach Blogs and pray the Lord will bless your day, in Jesus’ name.  Carole

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Carole Cares | 2 Comments »

WHAT IF YOU WERE ALWAYS BEING RECORDED?

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

24/7 RECORDING?
What if every word you spoke and sang at home, in the car, in rehearsal and in performance was recorded? Then, at the end of the day you would be given an evaluation of how you did in areas with your tone quality, appropriate volume, clarity of your words, use of breath and more. Would that change the way you use your voice?
For some, the very possibility of being recorded and evaluated would lead to paranoia, not to mention less speaking and singing. For most, however, it should give birth to a fun, challenging and very fulfilling game called, “I will prepare mentally and physically before I open my mouth.”

THINK ABOUT IT
Every time you make an audible sound you are reinforcing your physical process be it right or wrong. If you’re like most people you speak without ever thinking about the actual sound. Hopefully, that’s because you are focusing on the message.

The fact is, we have the mental capacity to think about content and voice at the same time, and that should be our goal. Even as we begin the process we can quadruple the power of our communications by matching content with appropriate tone, volume, diction and inflections. Any time we don’t have all these elements working in harmony we risk a partial disconnect between what we think we are saying and what actually gets heard.

MAKE A LIST

It begins with you actively listening to and defining your own voice. What does it sound like? Is it rough, smooth, pitched high or low or in between? Is it soothing or alarming, unnecessarily loud or too soft to be heard? Are the words clear and easy for others to understand, or are they mumbled, requiring repeats of what you’ve said? Write down these observations. If you have the courage, ask several others to give their feedback on the above list of possibilities. Keep this list handy as you begin the Exercise In Voice Awareness.

FOR SPEAKING

  • Using your new list begin to make the changes you are capable of.
  • If you are straining your throat while trying to speak at too low a pitch (you can put a hand there and feel it) stop it. Allow your speaking voice to be slightly higher.
  • If you are always hyper and loud when you speak, relax. Get softer. It will be easier on the listener and your voice. It will also give you room to build and grow your sound when that is appropriate.
  • If you mumble your words, slow down and use the lips, tongue and teeth. With a little listening and effort you can be clear.
  • Adjust other obvious areas, then begin “hearing” your tone and voice quality before it comes out, then speak.

FOR SINGING

  • Before you make a sung sound think about it. What should it feel like (posture, breathing, tone resonance, diction)? Then, consider what it should sound like. Mentally anticipate and “hear” the sound before it comes out. This is a skill that you can develop.
  • Whenever possible, record yourself speaking or singing, and be objective as you listen back. Ask yourself what areas met your goals and what didn’t? What can you do about it? Even many smart phones can record with surprisingly accurate quality.

REMEMBER THE GOAL

As you mentally record and evaluate your voice, you will grow in your vocal awareness. Your goal is to be “hearing” your voice even before the sound is produced. This will help the different parts of the vocal process (posture, breathing, tone, diction, and volume) deliver exactly what you want rather than whatever default sound happens to come out.

WHEN WILL YOU SEE THE FRUIT?

You can start benefiting almost immediately but it will take a little time before it happens automatically. In my own experience I began just thinking about and enjoying the sound and physical sensations of the voice. Before long it was always in the back of my mind. Now, it just happens and things adjust in milliseconds before sound comes out. Because it is on autopilot, I can put all my thought into content and delivering the message whether speaking or singing.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

Let me know your thoughts and questions at moc.hcaoclacovnull@sirhc and be sure to visit our FaceBook page by clicking the icon in the upper, left-hand corner of this page. While on the FB page click the “Like” button at the top of the page.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Breathing, Choir Directors, Diction, Posture, Singing Subjects, Soloist, Speaking Tips, Tone, Uncategorized, Vocal Health, Voice Fatigue and Strain, Worship Team | No Comments »

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.

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

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

VOICE PROTECTION for TEACHERS and SPEAKERS

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Every Fall I get emails from teachers complaining of voice fatigue, and sometimes even voice loss.  In these next few minutes I’ll share some ideas and exercises that are good for teachers, salesmen, pastors and anyone who uses their voice consistently throughout the day.

To begin with, remember that what we call “the voice,” is really a physical, mechanical and acoustical instrument.  It is designed to work in a specific way and involves a number of different organs and systems of the body. Posture, breathing, articulation, projection and more are involved every time you speak.  Here are some thoughts and exercises to help you prepare and maintain your speaking instrument:

  1. The voice is a complex, physical instrument.
  2. Physical systems need to be warmed up and cooled down.
  3. Understanding how your voice projects, takes the pressure off.

A Physical Instrument

Since your voice has always just “been there,” it’s easy to mistreat.  The fact is, the voice is a series of physical systems that need to be maintained and cared for.  Posture, breathing and articulatory muscles are all involved.

Warm It Up and Cool It Down

Because we are dealing with muscles, tendons, cartilage, membrane and more, you should warm up your instrument before you hit the classroom or office.  Just how does a teacher or speaker warm up the voice? Here is a checklist that will help:

1. Hands Up! Prepare the instrument, which is you, by lifting your hands straight up over your head to align the body.  It will feel good, while at the same time, prevent tension in the neck and larynx that can tire the voice. Muscle memory will help you maintain this posture throughout the day.

2. Check the Power Source. With hands still up, take in four sipping breaths and feel the entire waist area expand. Now, expel the breath on four hissing sounds.  Sip, sip, sip, sip, hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss etc. You will quickly realize where you should be feeling the breathing.  Muscle memory will help you use these same muscles throughout the day, rather than leaving the chest up and down.

3. Hummmmmm. Relax the arms and start humming anything you want – a song, or just sounds.  Go high and low, reaching into all parts of your range.

4. Cool it Down. At the end of your teaching or work day, do some more Humming on a simple melody.  The goal is to allow this physical instrument to gradually return to normal resting size and temperature. The obvious parallel is sports.  Those who cool the muscles are more protected from injury.

Use the “You” Sound System

You are the sound system. While you were humming you could dramatically feel vibrations in the face, head, neck and chest. These are the acoustical chambers of your body amplifying and projecting the sound. The great part is that it doesn’t take a lot of air.  Instead, it naturally amplifies the sound if you don’t over-push it.

As you respect your voice, warming it up and allowing it to naturally project, speaking becomes much less stressful on the voice.  To learn more about ways to preserve and maintain your voice check out the FREE RESOURCES page of our site. If you have questions you would like to have answered just email moc.hcaoclacovnull@sirhc . Need some training tools?  The Complete Breathing, Warm-Up and Diction and Daily Workout CD’s are perfect for teachers and speakers.  The are fun and easy to use.  Check them out by clicking here.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Choir Directors, From the Coach, Performance, Posture, Tips Tailored for You, Tone, Uncategorized, Warm-Ups | No Comments »

GOING FROM WANTING TO DOING

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

GOING FROM WANTING TO DOING

Here are some thoughts and tips to help you go from just wanting to express something when you sing, to actually doing it.  This can also apply to public speaking, classroom teaching, prepping your team for a game, preaching or leading a Bible study.  In every one of those cases your goal is to clearly communicate. As a bonus in this blog, I’ve created an animated segment to reinforce some of the principles. Check it out now, or after you’ve read the blog. Click here.

Start with these simple steps:

  1. Recognize that the rules change anytime you get up in front of people to share, with or without a microphone.  You become responsible to give them a clear message, not one that is only half-thought-out. Otherwise, you will lose them and they will mentally to elsewhere.  Second, be confident that with a bit of the right kind of preparation you will succeed in getting the message from your heart to the listener’s ear.
  2. Rejoice in the fact that if you make certain preparations you will succeed in getting the message from your heart to theirs.

Identify the challenges:

  1. Fear. Speaking or singing in front of others is the number one listed fear for the average person.  For some, it’s uncomfortable.  For some, it’s nearly impossible.
  2. Lack of preparation. Even if you are moderately comfortable or even thrive in public performance situation you have to do your homework.  If you don’t you risk being less clear or even embarrassing yourself.

Where to begin:

  1. Prepare your content. Know what your message is.  Be able to summarize it in a few sentences. If it’s a song, you should be able to put the essence of every verse and chorus in our own words. Restating the song personalizes it.  Then, and only then will you own the message.
  2. Prepare your mind. If you’re singing a serious song with a painful message you need to be able to feel that.  The same is true for happy, encouraging messages, or instructional or testimony songs, etc. If it’s a speech or teaching put yourself in the message. Be there.  Live there. Feel it.  Otherwise how will you be believable?
  3. Prepare your face and body. Unless you’re just doing an audio recording, your posture, facial expression and hand gestures will play a part in your communications, whether you like it or not.  That means you need to know your options, chose the right ones and practice them.  Why?  Because if you don’t they either won’t be there, or they will look stiff and unnatural.
    1. a. Your Posture is always showing something, be it confidence, or fear.  Determine to look secure and in authority.  The fastest way there is to lift your hands straight up over your head and memorize that aligned, upright posture.  Then, slowly bring the arms down to your sides, relax the shoulders and keep the rest of it the same. Look in the mirror and you will be pleased.
    2. b. Your face. Here’s a biggie and it will take some practice because there are dozens of options is facial expression.  I suggest using a mirror, or video camera connected to a TV monitor, to see what your various expressions look and physically feel like.  Ultimately, it’s the physical sensations that you will be reproducing.  Muscle memory is your friend. Bottom line: Your facial expressions need to agree with your message.
    3. c. Your arms and hands are another part of you that will either enhance or distract from your message. Don’t just stand there, and don’t worry about doing too much.  You probably won’t.  Do worry, however, about doing nothing, or being tentative or vague with what you do. Decide the options, practice the options then assign meaningful gestures to the words.

Worried that this will be too mechanical? Don’t be.  Actors, baseball players, guitarists, chefs and even computer programmers all practice the physical aspects of what they do until it is second nature.  That’s the only way you will ever own it.

Check out this Vocal Coach animated dramatization to help reinforce what you’ve just read.  Just click here.  And be sure to check out the special offer for the Vocal Coach Complete Performance CD at our store.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Choir Directors, Performance, Soloist, Song Selection, Songwriting, Tips Tailored for You | 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

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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 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.

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

« Older Entries |