Finding your Classical Singing Voice
Finding your Singing Voice
We’ll get to the singing element of this post in just a moment, but first I ask you to bear with me. It’s breathing new life into an old post. I see the words on the screen and I’m often timid in making a start, driven mostly by an irrational doubt in my ability to write a compelling argument that will make a difference to YOU, the person who has stopped by to read what I have to say, and who maybe feels the same way about their SINGING as I do about writing. Stay with me here …. let’s do this together!
Can you empathise?
I mean, if I have doubts about whether I have what it takes to pull a convincing article, you may be fighting the same demons about finding your voice - about singing. But the good news for both of us is that you’re HERE, reading this article because of your singing desires, so let’s put it in context.
Just...
Red Shoes, Red Hat
We gave our summer study weekend this affectionate name on account of all the talk in the group about putting on your singing shoes when you stand up to perform. Being brave, learning to fly, to sing from the heart, give it all you have got.
Put on those singing shoes... or maybe a rather wonderful red hat. That would do, for sure.
This week, Virtually Vocalise singers have been excitedly putting last minute preparations together for a wonderful long weekend - singing - by the sea.
We’ve booked a lovely house on the Dorset coast, with a beautiful sea view, via Airbnb. We’re cooking too. We’ve planned a wonderful wellbeing menu, and the grocery delivery is booked. There will be wine, prosecco, and a good time is to be had by all. VV member, soprano Sue Lewey excitedly updated the group (note the avatar) with her travel preparations ... good to see she has her packing priorities straight!
There will be study too, of course. Songs, songs and...
Technique Tuesday Quotables
A new feature for Technique Tuesday, giving a little bit of insight into how students learn to grapple with learning about and perfecting their vocal technique.
This week's 'quotable' is simply stunning; it's the sort of thing that teachers dream about.
In VV (Virtually Vocalise) we had been talking about technically tricky things - the relationship between the tongue, the jaw and the larynx. Easy to dive off down 'rabbit holes' with too much information. Here's how the conversation went:
It brought JOY to my heart; I fairly floated off my seat! Teaching singers how to become vocally free has to be my number ONE goal as a vocal coach.
Golden. Wonderful stuff; rinse and repeat.
In The Spotlight ... Don't dilly-dally on the way!
We know don’t we, that life has the habit of getting in the way and very often one of the things that can get squeezed out, is adequate opportunity to follow our passion.
Here, of course, I'm referring to singing.
Life's stresses and strains take their toll. Everyday timetables don't always allow us those moments or the mental space we crave to think about singing and perhaps do a little bit of vocal exercise to keep our instrument ticking over.
I've written blog posts about years gone by and the frustrations I suffered because of domestic duties and the family timetable that seem to allow no time for my own singing.
Can you relate? I certainly can.
It's a very understandable dilemma, actually. All the focus is on learning the song, being able to deliver the tune, to know the accompaniment well, coming in at the right time singing all the phrases with not too many extra breaths and obviously give some expression and reach out to the audience - communicate. Of...
Singing Basics Guide
Getting to grips with or making improvements to your singing and the methods to achieve progress are all far easier and more accessible than you think.
