Let’s write a song!

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It’s composition time at Music for Young Children! We are learning about techniques that make writing a song easy!

Children love being creative. Whether it’s drawing a picture, pretending to be a character in a story, or writing a piece of music, children love to explore their creativity.

The Music for Young Children program presents the elements of writing a song into 4 essential components. Motive, repetition, sequence, and retrograde.

When we are finished, we have a composition recital with a treat afterwards. Every student performs their song for their class. It’s great fun!

Some students even sing and play their original song at the same time!

 

Singer’s Cough

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You have heard the phrase “the show must go on”. Well, for the professional singer with a cough, this is a very stressful ordeal.

I experience coughing every winter, at some time or another. It usually starts with a viral infection where my vocal cords become inflamed and covered in excess mucus which causes me to cough. The cough can then easily become a vicious cycle of more coughing. Getting this cycle under control is key to maintaining a healthy voice. Here are some tips that work for me.

1. Loads of sleep.

2. Breath through your nose, not your mouth, whenever you can. It moistens the air.

3. Sip room temperature water constantly.

4. Keep a vaporizer in your bedroom.

5. Rely on extra abdominal support when singing. Never push, and never whisper.

6. Suck on candies to keep you salivating.

7. Sing and talk as little as possible.

In closing, a singer’s goal should be to resist the urge to cough, so it will ultimately go away. It sometimes takes me as long as a month to totally be free of the urge to cough.

It’s a dreadful cycle, but one I know all too well. I’m in the middle of that cycle right now. So I’d better be off for my long hot shower. The moist air will give me a few hours of relief before I have to sing again.

An easy exercise to play piano by ear

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In my studio students get to explore the art of playing piano by ear. One way is through improvisation.

Once we realize the role of chords in the structure of music, we can have fun playing our own rhythms and note combinations within the chords. This is a great way to get your “ear training”.

At the beginner level, we start with I, IV and V chords. In the key of C major that is the chord C (C, E, G), F (F, A, C) and G (G, B, D). If this doesn’t make sense to you, then check out my previous posts.

This exercise is with a metronome, or if you have a keyboard with a drum beat pattern, that’s even better!

Set the tempo to a medium to slow rate. Use a basic 4/4 beat. You need to be sure you can hear and feel the strong beat. The strong beat is the first beat (#1). This is beat where your left hand will play the chord. Start with the C chord.

Once you get the C chord playing on beat 1 consistently, let your body and mind think and feel the pulse of that strong beat. It is your anchor.

In your right hand you can start adding notes C, E, or G…one at a time. If your left hand starts to miss the pulse of beat 1, take the focus off your right hand. It is much more important to get the pulse of the left hand on beat one. Keep your right hand very simple at first. No need to be that busy. Start with only one or two notes in the right hand. Just simply keep the pulse going with the left hand chord on beat 1. You will eventually be able to add in more notes in the right hand. And, keep it easy by only using the notes in the chord…the C, E, or G.

Here is an example of a right hand combination with the rhythm ta, ta, ti ti, ta…that is 5 notes in the time of 4 beats….you could play C, E, G, G, E.

Once you feel secure playing around with the C chord, you can try going to the F chord (or the G chord). The important factor when moving on to more chords is to make sure your left hand keeps playing the chord on beat 1.

The second more important factor is to have fun while you’re doing it!

The Amazing Christina Aguilera

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Christina Aguilera…definitely a voice to reckon with. She has an incredible voice and can sing with such conviction. We all want to sing like Christina Aguilera…or do we?

Christina can break all the rules and get away with it. But, believe me, you and I can’t.

Christina knows her body and her chops extremely well. She has been challenging her voice since she was a kid. She has always stretched the limits..

But even Christina isn’t immune to the many challenges singers face. Even Christina can damage her voice.

The hardest task for any singer is performing live with optimal control. Christina’s job is doubly difficult due to the extremeness of her sound and vocal acrobatics. She does a fabulous job of this. However, at the same time, we have all heard and seen a live performance that was less than ideal.

For those of you trying to emulate the feats of the great Christina Aguilera, I warn you ‘COPY AT OWN RISK’. Or, in other words….don’t copy….at all.

 

 

 

Knowing your instrument

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We know the voice is a delicate little instrument that can easily be damaged when used incorrectly. Did you know the vocal folds (cords) are composed of three elements: muscle, ligament and an outer fleshy mucous membrane. When used correctly, this little instrument can accomplish amazing feats.

We can’t see the cords while we sing, so it’s important to understand the effort needed elsewhere to ensure the cords are being coordinated correctly for great singing. There are several factors involved: Air flow (which is your breath and involves many other factors to do with your body), position of the larynx, and maximizing your resonance. It is the attention to this balancing act that will allow the cords to stretch out, thin out, stiffen, thicken, lengthen and shorten.  The control at the vocal cord level should be the goal of every great singer.

 

 

Thank you for a great year!

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If you have been following my singing blog, you will know I have trained in a few different methods of singing over the past years. Each one has been slightly different, yet the same, if that makes any sense.

In my early years, I trained in Bel Canto with various teachers and later went on to Speech Level Singing and Estill Voice Technique.

As a singer in my teens, 20’s and 30’s, I always felt I had two very different voices. My “choir” voice and my “rock band” voice. I struggled with understanding what was going on and how to get the sound I wanted without hurting my throat.

A revelation came when I studied Speech Level Singing (Seth Riggs). I learned how to use my entire range efficiently without flipping, pulling, or straining. Those of you who have studied SLS will understand what these terms mean. I learned how to “mix”. That is, I learned how to bridge in my middle voice by allowing transition to my head register without strain. I later went on to teach SLS and continue to use a lot of these concepts with my students.

My issue with SLS started when I came to a stalemate about my middle voice while singing a song for a Level 5 SLS teacher. I was singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the key of C major. The first two notes are middle C to high C. This is a big leap over the female first passagio. My teacher was listening for a certain amount of cord closure and head resonance on the high C. I was able to produce the coordination and sound he wanted, but I personally didn’t want to sing my song the way he wanted me to sing it.

After studying Estill Voice Technique, it became clear to me that SLS is a safe and effective way to balance the voice, and to stay in “shape”. The exercises are fabulous, and I do them every day. However , with SLS I would never learn about safe belting or even a better understanding of your voice.

It is important for each and every singer to understand their own voice. When you know what you are good at, and what you are not so good at, then you can take the steps necessary to achieve the voice you always wanted.

In 2014 I will continue to share with you exercises and explanations that will continue to help you understand your voice and the art of singing. I welcome your questions and concerns, and hope you find my posts engaging.

Let’s face it….we all have one thing in common…we all want to sing the best we can!

Thinning the vocal cords

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The vocal cords are at their thickest and shortest when you are speaking.

Good singing requires the vocal cords to stretch and thin for higher pitches. The larynx (which is simply the house that the vocal cords sit in) will tilt forward to allow this to happen.

There is one exercise in particular that will set a singer up nicely for the above coordination. I’ve mentioned it before….and here it is again. Don’t under-estimate the value of this exercise.

First, an idea to help you down the correct path. Be very aware of this sensation and stick to it every time you are exercising (all exercises)!

1. Make the sound of a puppy dog whimpering or a small child whining. For some of you, this sensation will be totally foreign and you may not know how to make this noise. Try this instead. Moan softly. The sound must be relatively high in pitch, but don’t try to sing it. Just make the noise. Keep working on this sensation. You may notice your eyes and cheeks raise with your effort of this sound. You are on the right track. Relax and allow this gentle sound to engage your vocal cords.

2. Engage into this sensation without any sound. Be aware of what it feels like at the back of your throat and on your soft palate. These are important areas of sensation.

3. When ready, say the word ‘sing’ and hold out the ‘ng’ longer. Notice that your tongue is touching the upper back of your mouth (the soft palate area) to make this sound.

4. Now, just make the ‘ng’ sound. It is a hum. Your tongue is stopping any sound from leaving your mouth. Make sure your jaw and mouth are relaxed. Remember to keep the moan or puppy dog whimper sensation mentioned above.

5. Now you can try humming the ‘ng’ from your lowest notes to your highest notes. If you are in a good coordination, you will not flip. It may feel light and breathy. That’s OK. This exercise will bring superb awareness to key factors in good singing.

Questions? Please drop me a line.

Tongue out and hum exercise

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My last post was about the tongue and how it can get in the way when you are singing.

When you let your tongue hang out over your bottom lip, it cannot interfere with the back of your throat and stop you from mixing. This is a great way to exercise your voice, although you can look pretty silly doing it!

Try this: Choose a song where the highest pitches are above your passagio….(for women that is A, B flat, B or higher, and men that is E, F, F# or higher).

Let your tongue hang out and hum your song.  If you feel strain in your throat while humming the highest pitches, then lighten up. Try again with less volume.

If you feel the need to “flip” or “let go” in order to achieve the highest notes without strain, no worries! You are now in your head register but having trouble keeping the cords connected as you ascend in pitch.

With careful attention to the engagement of your body (from the top of your stomach and down…including your back and buttocks), and also attention to how loud you are humming your song, you should be able to hum your high pitches without disconnecting the cords (falcetto).

Once you have found this balance where you can hum your high pitches while keeping your vocal cords connected, it is time to allow some of the sound to come out of your mouth. Do not move on to the next exercise unless you can indeed hum your entire song with your tongue out….even if it appears to have no power or substance. If you do this exercise regularly with your songs, your cords will get stronger and allow you to hum with more pressure (volume).

There is more to tell about this delicate yet fascinating exercise. Stay tuned!

 

The tongue and “mixing”

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All too often, we as singers forget about the tongue. Yes, the tongue is an important link in our efforts as singers to resonate fully and “get in the mix”.

Tongues come in all shapes and sizes, but nonetheless it is BIG. Even small tongues are big.

You shouldn’t move your tongue out of the way. It is there to help you enunciate your words clearly and precisely.

The tongue should naturally rise at the back as you ascend in pitch. If you are having trouble in the middle of your voice (the mix…i.e. head voice and chest voice resonance), there is a good chance your tongue may be involved.

Here is an exercise to see if your tongue is stopping your from mixing.

1 Open your mouth to a natural hanging-jaw position….not too big, not too small…..just o’natural.

2. Let your tongue hang out over your bottom lip.

3. Stay relaxed in the back of the throat. (I use the Estille silent laugh to avoid constriction).

4. Starting on an easy pitch, sing the vowel (a) as in cat, and slowly go higher in pitch through your passagio.

5. If you feel your tongue wanting to pull back in, then you know there is trouble.

6. The tongue should actually rise at the back as you ascend in pitch. Your mouth may get bigger. Your tongue may extend out even further. Allow this happen. Experience it.

7. If it’s really troubling, hold on to your tongue and repeat.

Yes, this is your mix. This is you allowing your voice to resonate in all the efficient spaces for optimum singing.

How did it go? Any comments or questions? Why not let me know.

 

Are you mixing?

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Have you figured out your vocal habits yet?  Are you mixing?

Are you getting through your passagio without a flip?

Are you feeling strain in your throat as you sing your high notes?

There are many facets to singing well, but mastering your middle voice (mixing) is key to building strength and stamina.

Try the nasty buzzy hum exercise. Go from your lowest notes to your highest notes. What do you feel? Are your high notes dull?

If you are mixing well, you will siren through your entire vocal range.

If you feel strain or an awkward feeling in your throat, then try again….but lighter. Find that “light is right” coordination that gets you through the middle voice. You may find that your low hum is weak. That’s OK, this is where you need to be. It will get stronger as you focus in on the sensation of allowing your voice to resonate in your “head” as well as your “chest”. Add a puppy dog whimper sensation to your hum. This will help get those cords to close.

Questions? How did it go? Let me know!