DON’T clear your throat or cough habitually. Each time you do, it causes your vocal cords to slam together, creating strain and tension. This action will eventually cause damage to the vocal cords. DO swallow slowly, drink some water and relax your throat and let your voice rise above any sensation of obstruction. DON’T [...]
Part of getting involved in the world of singing is auditioning. There are a multitude of different types of auditions that you can participate in such as : choirs talent shows solos musicals professional jobs commercials college and university music programs bands There are rules that you should follow whether you are auditioning for an [...]
One of the biggest bad habits that many singers struggle to break while first learning to sing is letting go of the tension that they hold in their bodies. My favorite saying for my students is “tension is not your friend”, and in singing this is particularly true. Unfortunately, most people aren’t even aware of [...]
When learning to sing, it’s important to have an understanding of general terms that you will see in a lot of written music. It can keep your from scratching your head and allow you to be a more effective singer. AGILITY-the ability to sing a seried of notes or pitches rapidly. Pop or classical singers [...]
DON’T clear your throat or cough habitually. Each time you do, it causes your vocal cords to slam together, creating strain and tension. This action will eventually cause damage to the vocal cords.
DO swallow slowly, drink some water and relax your throat and let your voice rise above any sensation of obstruction.
DON’T yell, cheer or scream
DO use non-vocal sounds, noises or instruments to attract attention from a distance at sporting events or concerts. Substitute whistling, clapping, ringing a bell, or blowing a horn for yelling.
DON’T talk over a long distance, especially outside.
DO move close enough to the person you are talking to so you can be heard without yelling. Learn to project your voice without vocal tension or strain, by relaxing your throat, using the breath and allowing the pitch of your voice to rise slightly to project freely.
DON’T talk too much in noisy environments: over loud music, at noisy parties, in cars or buses, in bars or restaurants, over heavy machinery or office equipment or motors.
DO adjust your environment as much as possible to reduce background noise. Always face the person(s) you are talking to. Position yourself as close as possible to persons you are conversing with, especially when there is competing noise.
DON’T try to lecture, or speak to large audiences without the aid of a microphone.
DO use a microphone for public speaking. Practice microphone technique: keep your voice relaxed, and at a comfortable level, and let the microphone amplify your voice.
DON’T sing beyond a comfortable pitch and loudness.
DO make a habit out of not forcing any high pitch loudly, that you can’t sing clearly at a quiet volume.
DON’T use anithistamines before singing. Antihistamines and other medications dry out the vocal cords and can cause damage while singing.
DON’T eat or drink dairy products prior to taking a lesson or singing in a performance. Dairy products will increase the amount of phlegm in the throat and make it more difficult to sing properly.
DON’T smoke. If you are a singer, smoking is extremely irritating to the vocal cords. Smoking can also damage the lungs and decrease lung capacity, making it more difficult to sing.
DON’T drink caffeine before singing. Colas, coffee and caffeinated teas will dry out the vocal cords making it much more difficult to sing. Singing with dry vocal cords can lead to damage.
DO drink plenty of water before singing. It is a great idea to bring water to your voice lesson to sip on so that your vocal cords do not get too dehydrated.
AVOID prolonged loud and vocally aggressive laughing or crying.
DO be aware of the effect that stress and emotions have on your voice, especially if it causes muscle tension in your neck, throat, chest, jaw or face.
DO NOT clench your teeth or jaw while singing. Don’t move your jaw stiffly to sing or speak.
DO allow your jaw to remain loose and to “float” as you sing or speak. Any unnatural tension in the jaw will affect your vocal cords.
AVOID using your voice when you have a cold, when you are overly tired, or when your voice feels strained.
DO rest your voice when you are not feeling well. Lack of adequate vocal rest will prolong vocal difficulties and prevent healing.
DO NOT drink alchohol before you sing. Alcohol is extremely drying to the vocal cords.
The voice is an amazing instrument, but unlike any other instrument, you cannot go out and purchase another one if it becomes damaged. Do whatever you can to protect your instrument. If you do, it will last you a lifetime.
Part of getting involved in the world of singing is auditioning. There are a multitude of different types of auditions that you can participate in such as :
There are rules that you should follow whether you are auditioning for an amateur talent show or a professional event.
1. Make sure you have full understanding of what is expected at the audition. Read over the audition notice or ad very carefully so that you completely understand what you need to have prepared for. Most auditions have specific guidelines for the music that you audition with, such as length and style. There may also be rules for auditioning acapella (without music), or with a karaoke background track. So have a complete understanding of what is expected of you at the auditions.
2. Memorize your music!!! I can’t emphasize this enough. There is nothing that looks worse than someone walking into an audition and having to use music. If you don’t have your music memorized, don’t audition. Most of the leaders who are hosting an audition are looking for individuals who have taken the time to prepare. It communicates a level of professionalism and tells them that you are interested enough in auditioning that you took the time to prepare. I have had a few students who have walked into auditions unprepared (against my recommendations, of course) and then wondered why they were rejected. 99.9% of unprepared auditioners will NOT be accepted.
3. Dress appropriately. If you are auditioning for a musical in which there will also be a dance audition, make sure that you are conservatively, but comfortably dressed for movement. High heels and a dress won’t work. If auditioning for a college music program, then a suit and tie or a dress is what should be worn. For most auditions, you can’t go wrong wearing business casual. For auditions for rock bands, show your rock style. Know exactly what situation your are auditioning for and dress accordingly.
4. Show up on time! Often times when you arrive at an audition, you will have additional information that needs to be filled out. So make sure you arrive 15-20 minutes early. This looks professional and gives a great first impression to those leading the audition. Showing up late is disrespectful to those who are in charge of the audition. Don’t waste their time.
5. When it’s time for you to get up and sing, walk with confidence! Hold your head and shoulders up, walk boldly and smile! Even if your stomach is churning and your knees are shaking…..fake it. You will make a much better impression if you look confident than you will if you slouch or look down.
6. If you make a mistake while auditioning, KEEP GOING! This is one of the most important things that I work on with my students when it comes to performance. Mistakes are going to happen. That is just a fact of life. Even the best singers in the world have made mistakes at some point. The difference for professional singers is that they do their best to cover the mistake by continuing on with the song. They don’t roll their eyes or tense their bodies, drawing attention to the mistake. And the don’t stop singing. They get themselves back on track and finish the song.
6. Always be professional. Don’t be too talkative and be courteous. Make eye contact with those who are auditioning you and be as pleasant as possible. Put your best self out there and give it your all.
Happy auditioning!
One of the biggest bad habits that many singers struggle to break while first learning to sing is letting go of the tension that they hold in their bodies. My favorite saying for my students is “tension is not your friend”, and in singing this is particularly true. Unfortunately, most people aren’t even aware of the excess tension that they carry throughout the day. They have become so accustomed to having tension in the body that they are shocked when they actually begin focusing more on their bodies. But like any other bad habit, carrying too much bodily tension while singing can be overcome. The key to beginning to loosen up the muscles is awareness.
It is important to keep the body loose and relaxed while singing. Holding tension in the body while trying to sing will cause strain in the throat. Try this little exercise:
1. Stand up and allow your body to be nice and relaxed. Keep your legs, shoulders and neck loose and don’t lock your knees!
2. Now intentionally tense your legs, locking your knees.
3. As you are tensing your legs, notice what is happening in your throat. Do you feel the muscles tensing there as well?
Tension in one area of your body will travel through to other areas of your body. So if your legs are really stiff and tense, some of that will radiate to your throat. And a tense throat will prevent your singing voice to have the natural freedom that it needs to sing naturally and comfortably.
It will definitely take some time for you to really become more aware of your body and when you are holding tension. You did not learn these bad habits overnight, and you won’t unlearn them overnight either! One of the greatest gifts that I received while I was studying voice, was a teacher who was very educated on body work and relaxation techniques. One of the best exercises that she taught me was what is called a progressive relaxation. This is a time where you intentionally pay attention to each area of your body, and consciously let go of any tension in each body part. This allowed me to have greater freedom in my body and in my voice. It has really protected me from vocal injury. The body does give out signals when there is too much tension. It becomes uncomfortable to sing and your throat may very well even hurt! But you must be tuned into your body to recognize the signals so that you can asses where the tension is being held.
It is incredibly relaxing to do a progressive relaxation. I do this regularly with students if they come in for lessons, or before auditions or performances. If they’ve had a stressful day, they will actually request a progressive relaxation session with me. It has helped them to progress much more quickly!
When learning to sing, it’s important to have an understanding of general terms that you will see in a lot of written music. It can keep your from scratching your head and allow you to be a more effective singer.
AGILITY-the ability to sing a seried of notes or pitches rapidly. Pop or classical singers who can sing runs have agility.
AL FINE- “to the end”. Repeat to the end.
ARTICULATION- singing the consonants clearly.
ATTACK- beginning of a tone or pitch.
BELT- to sing forcefully.
BREAK- An interruption in the normal production of sound, caused by a muscle spasm. The few notes which connect both the head and the chest voices. It is called the “break” because bad placement of a vowel will cause the note to crack or “break”.
BREATH CONTROL- the art and skill of supplying the right amount of air a the right degree of pressure to perform music artistically.
BREATHY TONE-bad vocal tone accompanied by the sound of escaping air, cause by incomplete closure of the vocal cords during tone production.
CATCH BREATH-a quick, quiet partial filling of the lungs.
CHEST VOICE-Lowest register in the male and female range.
CHORD-two or more notes sounded at the same time.
CONSONANTS-speech sounds produced with partial or complete stoppage of the breath flow.
DIAPHRAGM-large dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest from the abdominal cavity, active when we inhale.
DICTION- formation and delivery of words of vocal music.
DIPHTHONG-combination of two vowel sounds in one syllable.
DURATION-length of time that a sound is heard.
DYNAMICS-degrees of loudness and softness.
ENUNCIATION-an aspect of diction concerned with production and clarity of the vowel and syllables.
EXHALATION-breathing out.
FALSETTO-highest register in the male voice.
FOCUS-a sense of concentrated vibratory energy. Term borrowed from optics, referring to the clarity of tone.
FORCING-singing with effort, when unnecessary muscular action interferes with the desired action of singing.
FREE TONE-an unrestrained, spontaneously produced sound without any evidence of tension.
HARD PALATE-bony front portion of the roof of the month.
HEAD VOICE-highest of the main registers in the female voice, middle register of the male voice.
HUM-to produce pitches while exhaling through the nose.
INHALATION-breathing in.
INTENSITY-the core or concentration of sound within a tone, which gives it carrying power.
INTERPRETATION-the art of recreating the music imagined by a composer on the basis of written notation.
INTONATION-degree of accuracy in producing pitches.
LARYNX-voice box: cartilage enclosure that surrounds the vocal bands.
LUNGS-pair of membranous sacs located in the chest. Vital to the breathing process.
MELODY-tones in succession, perceived as a musical line.
METER-the division of music into measures or bars, each with a specific number of beats.
MIDDLE REGISTER-middle area of the female voice.
MUSCLE-bundles of fibers that can contract and relax, resulting in bodily movement.
NASALITY-a distortion of tone caused by too much air passing above a lowered soft palate and through the nose.
OCTAVE-distance between a note and the nearest note with the same name.
PHRASE-a series of notes sung on one breath.
PHRASING-the art of shaping music expressively, including decisions as to when to breathe.
PITCH-a property of tone, resulting from the frequency of vibration. The perceived musical note.
PROJECTION-transmitting the text and tone from the singer to the most distant members of an audience.
PRONUNCIATION-aspect of diction, including correctness of speech sounds.
PURE VOWELS- a single vowel sound without diphthong coloring.
RANGE-distance between the highest and lowest note of a song or a person’s voice.
REGISTER-a series of succeeding vocal sounds of equal quality on a scale that differs from another series of succeeding sounds of equal quality.
RELEASE-end of a tone.
REPERTOIRE-the list of pieces that a musician is ready to perform at short notice.
RESONANCE-intensification of a musical sound by sympathetic vibration.
RESONATOR-the surface of cavity in which the sound is amplified (chest, nasal passages)
RHYTHM-patterns created by the relative length, loudness, and perceived importance of notes.
RITARD-slowing down (abbreviated-rit.)
SCALE-a seried of pitches arranged in order of frequency within an octave, most commonly seven-toned scales called major scales.
SOFT PALATE-soft portion of the roof of the mouth which lies behind the hard palate.
STACCATO-detached, not connected.
STRAIGHT TONE-a tone that lacks vibrato.
TEMPO-rate of speed in music
TIMBRE-tone quality.
TONE-a musical sound of a definite pitch and timbre.
TRACHEA-windpipe.
VIBRATO-a slight wavering in pitch, and the natural pulsation of the singing tone.
VOCAL CORDS-two muscular folds, capable of closing over the windpipe and of vibrating in response to air pressure from the lungs, resulting in vocal tone. Also known as vocal folds.
VOLUME-perceived loudness of tone.
VOWEL-speech unit characterized by unimpeded flow of breath.
WHISPER-breathy speech made without vocal cord vibration.
WHISTLE REGISTER-highest register in the female voice.
As singers, it is important to have realistic expectations about how far talent can take you. People are seeing the singers on American Idol and America’s Got Talent and thinking “Hey, I could do that”. They see the glamor, glitz and bling on all of the top music stars and long to be one of those Cinderella rags to riches stories.
And it is perfectly okay to dream….and dream big. But you still have to have things in proper perspective.
1. Learning how to sing properly takes some time. I have had many people come to my studio for lessons who figured that they could learn everything that they needed to know about music and singing within a month or two. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. You walk in with a lot of bad habits to unlearn and a brand new language to begin learning…..music. And although with commitment to practicing and a good teacher behind you, you can see progress fairly quickly, there is no magic bullet to learning how to sing super quickly.
2. You have to have a very thick skin to get into the music business. No matter what style of music you are involved in, you have to expect to be rejected….a lot! And rejection can be a very bitter pill to swallow. Are you mentally and emotionally prepared to have a director, record producer or some other industry insider tell you that your talent simply isn’t good enough over and over again? That is the reality of the music business. It is incredibly rare for an artist in any style to walk in and be offered a recording contract or a stage role at the first audition. And that is true no matter how talented you are. So you have to be prepared to face some pretty tough criticism and lots of “sorry, you’re just not good enough”. It is a tough and exhausting business at times.
3. It takes a lot of hard work to get to an excellent level of performance. The singers you see on American Idol have often spent years working on the performance aspect of their career, most often for little to no money. It is important to spend as much time performing as you possibly can, whether that is with a band or as a soloist. If your passion is in the theater, then start auditioning for local productions. It takes time to build up your performance chops and for being onstage to become natural, comfortable and second nature.
4. Developing a music career can be expensive. You need to prepare to spend some serious money if you are developing a music career. Lessons, demo Cds, professional head shots can be very pricey. Not to mention travel expenses associated with going to cities when auditions or performances are taking place. Some people even study music in college, which is even more expensive! Just be prepared for the cost.
5. There is a lot more competition out there than you may realize. Let’s face it, there are a whole lot of people out there who want the exact same thing that you do….to be a wealthy famous singer. Tens of thousands of people are waiting for the same break and going through the exact same thing. So wherever you turn, there is no doubt someone who is more talented, more unique, more marketable, etc. You have to keep your focus in the midst of the competition and just be who you are. There is going to be plenty of time when the competition wins over you, but all it takes is one time for you to win out to really launch your career to the heights.
6. There are a lot of people who believe that a music career is easy work. Sorry, it’s not. It’s a lot of work…very hard work. The artists who are at the top of the charts making the big money all do an incredible amount of work. A career in the music industry is just that…..a career. No, singers don’t go to an office building and sit behind a desk every day. But they are in lengthy rehearsals, in the studio, learning new material, working on promoting themselves and performing and making appearances. It is definitely not the leisure life. Any good artist knows that they need to keep developing themselves to stay fresh and relevant. It’s definitely more work that your regular 9 to 5 job.
These are just of the few unrealistic expectations that need to be addressed. Although it’s okay to dream, you still need to have your feet firmly planted on the ground. And it is important to understand fully what lies in store so that you don’t become shell shocked when you face something difficult. It just helps you to strengthen your commitment and keeping your focus where it needs to be so that you ultimately can achieve success.
Being a singer is a unique thing in the music world. Singers are unique because of the fact that our instruments are physically a part of who we are. And because of that, we have to take extra care to protect our instrument. If a guitarist breaks his instrument, he can go and purchase another one. Singers cannot do that. You simply cannot go down to the local music store and purchase another set of vocal cords.
But there are some things that you can do to help and protect your voice so that you can happily experience many years of singing. One big world of caution for beginning singers. If you do NOT take steps to protect your voice, you can experience potentially devastating injury and irreversible damage to your voice. Problems such as vocal nodes (calluses on the vocal cords) are not uncommon among singers and are caused by overuse and abuse.
Here are the top singing tips to protect your voice.
1. Don’t clear your throat or cough habitually. This can become a bad habit and many people aren’t even aware of how often they clear their throat. Clearing the throat and coughing causes the vocal cords to slam together which over time can cause damage. The next time you feel the urge to clear your throat a lot, try swallowing slowly or sipping on some water instead. This can really help you to protect your vocal cords and prevent damage.
2. Do NOT yell, cheer or scream! Sometimes it is hard to hold back while at large gatherings or sporting events. But yelling and screaming is very damaging to the voice. Have you ever been to a rock or pop concert or sporting event where you did a lot of screaming, only to end up with laryngitis? That is a result of vocal strain and can permanently damage the voice. Instead, try substituting clapping, whistling, ringing a bell or blowing a horn at events. This will prevent vocal strain from occurring.
3. Don’t try to talk to someone who is a far distance from you, especially outside. Move so that you are close enough to the person that you are speaking to so that you can speak at a natural, comfortable level. If you have to speak in front of a large group or in a large space, use a microphone, so that you do not have to speak at an elevated level for lengthy periods of time. Like yelling and screaming, this created vocal strain.
4. Do not sing beyond a comfortable pitch or volume level. Keep your voice at a natural and comfortable level. Singing high notes and projecting your voice does not involve pushing the voice out. It is a much more relaxed technique. Until you have learned the proper technique for singing in your higher range or at a higher volume, sing in a more comfortable range and at a comfortable volume level. If your voice is feeling strained while you are singing, then you are most likely pushing yourself too high or to sing too loudly.
5. Do not take medications such as antihistamines before singing. Antihistamines and a variety of other medications are very drying to the body and can cause problems while singing. If you must take an antihistamine before you sing because of severe allergies, drink plenty of water. One glass alone will not be enough to keep your voice well hydrated. You will need to drink at least four to ten 8 oz. glasses to help keep your vocal cords hydrated enough to function properly.
6. Avoid eating or drinking dairy products before singing. Dairy products increase the body’s production of mucus and can significantly thicken any mucus that are surrounding your vocal cords. This will make it more difficult for you to sing because you will have a lot more phlegm to sing through. I also recommend avoiding orange juice which for many people coat their throats and can prevent you from singing easily. If you must eat or drink dairy or orange juice, allow yourself at least an hour before you sing, and drink plenty of water! Water will thin out the mucus so that you will not feel like you have a ball of gunk in your throat while you are singing!
7. Avoid drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages before singing. Just like the effects of certain medications, alcohol and caffeine are very drying to the body. This is why so many people experience “cotton mouth” after having a few drinks. Caffeine is a diuretic (it rids the body of water through urination). So once again, to counteract this, drinking plenty of water is very important. Do NOT drink alcohol the day that you have to sing. Do not drink caffeinated beverages within a few hours of singing. Well hydrated vocal cords function much better and with much less stress than those that are dehydrated.
8. Do NOT use your voice when you have a cold or mild laryngitis!!! The voice is already compromised in these situations and trying to use your voice will only create additional swelling and prolong the time that you are out of commission. I can always tell when my student’s voices are swollen….and I send them home immediately. If you have a cold or laryngitis, give your voice plenty of rest and drink water or tea with some honey and lemon. Giving your body an opportunity to heal is the best way to protect your voice. It may be very frustrating to have to do this, but it is so important to not take the risk of damaging your voice permanently while it is in a more vulnerable state.
9. Don’t sing with excess tension in your jaw….don’t clench your jaw while singing. As a singer, tension is NOT your friend and can lead to laryngitis and vocal nodes. It is important to keep your whole body as natural, loose and relaxed as possible while you are singing. This will allow your voice to sing naturally and comfortably and avoid long term problems.
10. DO NOT SMOKE!!!!!! Smoking is one of the most damaging things that you can do to your voice. Cigarette smoke is very irritating to the vocal cords and damages your lungs, resulting in reduced lung capacity. Smokers clear their throats and cough much more frequently and are much more prone to respiratory infections and laryngitis. If you are a smoker, do what you can to quit. Your voice depends on it!!! If you find yourself having to sing in a smoky situation, try to limit your time in that environment. Make sure you drink plenty of water and do as little talking or speaking in that environment as possible.
Do everything that you can to protect your instrument. And listen to your body! If you experience any discomfort or pain, then STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING!! Your voice will signal you if it is uncomfortable. If you find yourself in this situation, then stop and give your voice a chance to rest. Pushing through past your voice’s warning signs is a recipe for disaster.
Happy singing!