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  • TMV World Team
     Let's clear up a few things, why don't we. The speaking and singing voices are not two separate instruments!! We do not possess two sets of true vocal folds with one controlling talking and the other singing. The vocal folds, or cords, function to form speech AND sung sounds. They are one!! Singing differs from speech in that pitches are created over a wider range of notes and tones are held out for a longer duration.
    Because speaking and singing come form the same source, it is important to know how much influence they have on one another. Particularly, the way we speak can have a huge impact on the quality of our singing. It is quite common to find that a singer's issues with the a run-down voice come from their speech habits. We generally will do more talking than singing on a given day, so we must be careful to monitor how we handle speaking chores.
    Here are some helpful hints for healthy daily vocal use:
    - Don't speak on pitches too low for your voice. Men tend to be big offenders here, but women have the issue as well. This habit tires the voice out quickly. If you were to say "mm-hmm", you should get a sense for where you average spoken pitch should be.
    - Breathe!!! Too many people actually hold their breath as they speak. This will fatigue the voice and cause excess tension in the larynx. Remember, it takes a steady stream of air to the vocal folds to create a healthy sound!
    - Don't scream!! As a school teacher, I know first hand the tiring effects of this habit!! The cords will get slammed together and will likely swell as a result.
    - Stay hydrated. The vocal fold shave to be well lubricated to function at their best. Dry cords can become irritated easily and are more susceptible to injury. Drink plenty of water during the course of the day.
    If you are a professional speaker, you may find that vocal training will reap the great benefits for your voice even if you're not a singer. The techniques taught at Harville Vocal Studio serve to develop healthy vocal function, for singing or speaking.

     
  • TMV World Team
    Having problems singing? Breathing may be the first issue you want to examine.
    We all know that we need to move some air in order to sing, but why are the particulars so important? What's the big deal with breathing? You would think since you've been doing this on your own from the moment you were born, you would have it down by now.
    You can use your mind to direct the incoming air flow into almost any part of your body. But in order to do that, you need to exercise your imagination and be well acquainted with your body. You would be amazed at how elusive these two disciplines can be to some people.
    Many of my new-to-singing students appear to never have been properly introduced to their own bodies. "Joe, meet your body." "Body, this is Joe." They seem to have little conscious control and a serious paucity of imagination. Not surprisingly, athletes and dancers are among those who seem to relate most quickly to the concept of specific singing breathing.
    Now you might ask why this matters. It matters because wherever you imagine your air reservoir to be in your body, is where you will tighten to push the air back out again when you are singing. Breathing high up into your neck and shoulders forces you to tighten your throat to push out the air in order to sing.
    Try this: put your thumb on your navel and imagine a ping pong ball resting just below that. This is your target area -- the reservoir that will hold your air. Direct the air flow down as low as you can without actively pulling it in. It should still be part of your torso.
    An important word of caution: Don't ever fill your lungs with air. Never let them fill beyond your resting capacity. When you fill past that point, you must tighten your throat like a throttle valve to hold the air in. The more air you build up, the more your throat will tighten. The effect this has on a singer's tone and pitch can only be negative. How much easier it is to simply open your throat and let the air fall into your lower abdominal area.
    We put the air there so we can utilize the strong muscles of your lower body to push the air back out again for easy, free, singing breathing. It's not so hard. Simply say "hello" to your body and use your imagination.

  • TMV World Team

    How to Practice

    By TMV World Team, in Articles,

    Anyone who wants to master a skill is taught that practice makes perfect or perfect practice makes perfect or practice makes permanent. But practicing one's singing is uniquely difficult because it's such an invisible process and it can be challenging to know if you're succeeding or not. A piano player can see his fingers and a skier can time himself racing down a hill. Singing though is esthetic and subjective so it's hard to trust oneself. For how long should I practice? Should I do exercises and then songs? What's the optimal practice time? How do I know if I'm doing anything right?
    When I began my voice training, in the Dark Ages, my teacher recommended that I not practice. She was concerned that I would practice incorrectly (very likely) and that we'd have to redo rather than build. Made sense to me at the time! But I realize that new muscle memory takes practice and that if the teaching is clear, there's less chance of practicing wrong at home.
    Here then, is a list of my suggestions to help make practicing a thing of pleasure and satisfaction.
    Find a private place to sing. Not easy for those living in an apartment, I know, but the more private and undisturbed you can be, the less self-conscious you'll feel. Singing can sound loud and strange at times and you don't want to have to worry about people making fun of you by banging on the wall. Though singing in the car is not ideal, for some, it's the only reasonable private space. Just keep your hands on 10 and 2and eyes straight ahead while driving! Determine exactly what you need to focus on- + support exercises?
    watching yourself sing in the mirror to eliminate head tilting or chin lifting? + getting rid of chest breathing?
    holding long notes more comfortably? having consistently easy, non-strainy high notes? singing in tune? + vocal agility (speed and accuracy ornamental sections)?
    + high belting?
    + memorizing lyrics?
    + creating vocal riffs?
    + figuring out harmonies?
    working out performance gestures and moves? Notice I didn't mention warming-up exercises. Technical exercises and warm-up exercises can be two different things. Personally, I think that too many warm-up exercises can be tiring and sometimes less is more when it comes to warming up. The idea that one must warm-up for 20 minutes (or any exact amount of time) prior to a performance is unnecessary for many singers. Warm-ups should begin with stretching the body, creating good posture, reaffirming lower belly breathing then warming up the support jobs: chest up, ribs out, upper belly firming out, lower belly going in. This whole process should only take about three minutes. Then it's time to attach the vocal folds to the picture. I love the trill patterns: either lip trill or tongue trills. BUT, do not make the mistake of doing them loudly and carelessly. Start on your very lowest note and LIGHTLY do the trills to your highest note with great attention to your breathing and support jobs. I hear so many people doing the trills incorrectly and super-loud. That will over-pressurize your vocal folds and you'll be hoarse in no time. Humming is also a standard first warm-up for the vocal folds. Can't go wrong with humming. Sirens (smoothing sliding up and down) on hums and on vowels is another great, simple vocal fold warm-up.
    Never sing high and loud until you feel thoroughly warmed-up.
    4) Do you ever accidentally do something amazing when singing and the bell of truth rings in your head? Don't let luck be your master! Follow what I call the Rule of Five. If you get lucky when experimenting and something AWESOME comes out of your mouth, REPEAT the phrase 5 times in a row perfectly. If you blow it, start over and aim for five perfect ones. It's a great method (if a bit obsessive-compulsive!) to make happy accidents into new behaviors.
    5) When working on high, challenging passages, take the phrase down an interval of fourth then gradually take the phrase up in semi-tones. Take the passage ABOVE where you need to perform it. That will help trick your brain into thinking that the once-too-high passage is not so high after all.
    6) When practicing a new and difficult technique (like belting to high C....with vibrato!), take a break every so often. Go and make yourself a sandwich, then come back and try again. Also try your new techniques in as many different locations as possible so your muscle memory remains no matter what the visual input might be.
    7) Figure out if you're primarily a visual learner (reading sheet music, chord charts, or lyrics), a kinesthetic learner (singing by how it feels) or an auditory learner (hear it, sing it, know it). If you have a strong predilection for one type of learning, don't be too hard on yourself if other styles of learning seem really difficult. It's just the way your brain is built.
    8) Don't practice until you get hoarse. Hoarse means swelling and that means it's time to stop singing. Pain should NEVER be experienced...nor tickling in the vocal folds. It is incorrect to think that pushing past the pain is ever a technique for strengthening the vocal folds. There should be no pain, ever.
    9) The goal of practicing is to sing songs, not to do exercises perfectly. There are too many people out there who can sing their pants off on exercises but cannot sing a song to save their lives. Songs filled with feeling and magic are the goal. Practicing is only the foundation, not the goal. So include songs or difficult song fragments as part of your practice strategies.
    10) Record yourself or consider having a professional ear (like a vocal coach with a lot of experience) monitor your progress every so often. Just to make sure your practicing does make perfect!
    Celebrity voice coach Lisa Popeil, MFA in Voice, is the creator of the Voiceworks® Method and the Total Singer DVD. www.popeil.com

  • TMV World Team

    Tribe and Singing

    By TMV World Team, in Articles,

    A student came in after the holidays absolutely glowing. It turns out that she had gone to some year-end parties that she usually dreaded, but this year there was singing. Her voice was in a new place where she could really enjoy singing with others and having fun, and she spent hours singing and making new friends. She was still happy a week later, and was very motivated to take her voice to the next level.
    I believe that when it comes to connecting with our group of friends (our tribe), there's nothing better than singing. Here's my theory about it:
    Before there was anything written down, all laws, stories, folklore and history were passed on in an oral tradition that were sung. The Torah, the Iliad and the Odyssey, and all the great classics of ancient culture were long songs that were memorized, and passed on around the campfire to the tribe. It's much easier to remember words that are associated with melody, and the tribes that were successful in developing great songs and social order survived and prospered.
    Now that we have written language, computers and social media, there are much easier ways to get the message out. Singing has lost its place as the repository of stories, folklore and history. These days singing has become a spectator sport, where we go to watch a singer and expect a good performance. When we see American Idol, we feel a thrill when a singer gets rejected from the group. In ancient times, separation from the tribe meant death, and we still have the remnants of that fear of rejection within us when we sing. The songs were the glue that held the tribe together, and sound of the singer was the sign that they belonged in the group.
    When I work with a voice student, our goal is to reach "The Balance Point" (a state where everything works in harmony with their singing.) Once this happens, I usually talk to them about tribe. My talk goes something like this:
    You've now accomplished a great advancement with your singing and your voice sounds strong, clear and beautiful. Watch now what happens with your relationships. Notice the new people who come into your life. Watch how old relationships are strengthened and renewed. You won't know the how or why of it, but when the opportunity arises, make yourself available. You may be surprised by what happens.
    An example of this was my student Steve, who had some significant tension blocking him from the Balance Point. We began applying principles of voice release to a song that he planned to sing for his wife's anniversary. Just before the anniversary, his voice reached the Balance Point, and he experienced what he described as a new structure. It was a complete surprise for him because his voice felt so light and yet so powerful. We both experienced the wonder of the moment and I told him to look for the new connections that were going to come as a result of his advancement with his singing.
    Two nights later, after a meal with his wife, they wandered by the piano bar and the pianist asked him if he wanted to sing a song. He said "Yes!", and he sang the song for his wife. Everyone in the bar realized that there was something very significant and moving taking place, and he sang the song with complete confidence, strength and beauty. It was a defining moment for he and his wife.
    I encourage you to pursue your singing and expand your network of friends and tribe. It will greatly enrich your life, guaranteed!
    John Scott
    www.jdsvoice.com
    www.facebook.com/jdsvoice
    john@jdsvoice.com

  • TMV World Team
    To expand a singer's range, vocal coaches must be prepared to explore every trick in the book. Everyone wants to hit better high notes. And there are many who want to improve, or simply phonate more audibly, their lower notes.
    It could be argued that there are far more important issues for a singer to conquer: rhythmic integrity, emotional communication, and a delicious understanding of when and how to use consonants, to name a few. But we singers love to fret about the high notes, so I am going to offer a few solutions about range, vocal quality and power that I hope will help.
    High notes come in all shapes and sizes and any one of them can strike terror into the heart of a hapless singer. Our usual reaction to that terror? We do everything we possibly can to make the situation worse. We panic. We sing too loud. We grimace. We stiffen up like mummies.
    Support and relax your jaw. When you stiffen and jam your jaw downward you are applying tremendous pressure to that area, which, in turn, constricts your throat and strangles your sound. Instead, use your lower body for support. Tuck your hips under your body and keep your knees loose, almost as if you were sitting on your tailbone. Then support your voice with lower-body strength. Use the same lower-body crouch you would use to lift a heavy chair. If that were the task, you would surely protect yourself by using the strong muscles of your legs and lower body.
    Sound loves movement. Freely move some part of your body to help keep it loose. Don't clench your fists and stiffen up. Wave your arms, move your head, do a Mariah Carey hand wave. She seems to sing whatever she draws in the air with her right hand. But, no, tapping your toe doesn't count.
    Keep a level head. Resist reaching up for the high notes. The note is not up there like a fly buzzing around. All you have to do is try this little experiment to see how reaching up with your chin strangles off the sound: Sing or hum a long note as you slowly dip your chin to your chest and then raise it upwards and let your head fall back. Go back and forth a few times. Do you see how tipping back chokes off the sound? Now, we've all seen great singers who seem to throw their heads back and let forth. But if you look carefully, most of them are arching back with their whole body. It's not that the head is arching back independently; the head is part of the support curve.
    Lighten up before you leap. Most high notes are written as high notes because they
    are important words and the writer expects them to stand out. But as you go higher in your range, vocal tension increases. Lighten up the volume of the two or three lower notes before the high note. You'll have less weight to carry and the high note will be easier to sing. Never ruin a potentially great high note by over-singing the 1-3 notes before it. Nobody is out there thinking, Wow, I wonder if she'll hit that middle note. No, they're all waiting to hear how well you sing the high note.

  • TMV World Team
    In the world of singing, there remains to this day much confusion on the topic of breathing. There is disagreement among teachers and directors as to the most efficient way to control it. The diaphragm is given much more credit than it properly deserves. Too many singers learn to push as much air as possible to achieve a powerful sound needed for their demanding music. I have had a number of students tell me that their previous teachers would spend half of their lesson time on breathing exercises alone, with no great improvement to their technique as a result. Due to the great misinformation that singers have to contend with, I will finally address the issue of breathing in this article.
    First, let's get clarity on what really happens when we breath. Once the brain registers that we need air, it sends the signal to the diaphragm to get things started. This dome-shaped muscle is thin and separates the chest (thorax) from the abdominal cavity. It descends upon inhalation and creates a vacuum, causing the lungs to fill up with air. The vocal folds open, allowing the air to pass through trachea into the lungs. Sitting beneath the diaphragm is the viscera, or organs housed in the abdomen- stomach, liver, intestines, etc. In order for this principal muscle of inhalation to fully contract, these organs must move out of the way. The result is the protruding or moving out of the lower belly. The lungs now can get the appropriate amount of air needed as the rib cage expands around them. This is INHALATION, pure and simple. Remember this is where the diaphragm holds court and performs actively.
    Upon EXHALATION, the diaphragm abdicates its power. It does not rule this part of the process. Yes, folks, I must turn your world upside-down now. THE DIAPHRAGM IS PASSIVE DURING EXHALATION!!! *brings out smelling salts* This muscle has been esteemed higher than is warranted for far too long. The muscles that are actively at work to get air out of the body are the abdominals and intercostals, which are between and around the ribs. As the lower abs begin to contract inward and upward, the viscera also moves in the same direction. The organs press up against the diaphragm which allows air to be expelled from the lungs. The intercostals are contracting at the same time and also work to smoothly move the air upward through the trachea and towards the vocal folds. The true support muscles are the ABDOMINALS AND INTERCOSTALS!
    An important concept that is largely overlooked or forgotten is that the vocal folds serve as the valve that actually gauges how much air can escape the body. No matter how well a person can inhale and use the proper support muscles, if the coordination of the folds is not well-developed, she still may not sing with great power or ease. There must be a balance between proper air flow/support and vocal cord closure for healthy, efficient singing.
    In my teaching studio, I don't spend a great deal of time on breathing exercises. This is because most students don't have big problems with their breathing. Most of the time, their issues have to do with lack of coordination in the muscles of the larynx. If that's the case, why spend time on breathing when it's not the primary issue? Too many vocal instructors and choral directors attempt to fix every vocal problem with breathing because they don't know what else to do!! Oops, did I just go there? Anyhoo.... I will have students do a couple of breathing exercises to just to gain an awareness of what the body is doing. I will only use them repeatedly if a student has some very ineffective habits that need serious reprogramming.
    Here are some useful exercises to build awareness of the breath function and which can be used to build more efficiency in your breathing:
    1) The clutch- Place one open hand over the lower abdomen and the other hand in a closed fist pressed into your solar plexus. As you repeat each consonant 3 or 4 times, you will feel the lower belly gently press in while the solar plexus or upper belly gently firms outward. Don't press it out, just allow it to do what comes naturally. You should use 't', 'p', 'k', 's', and 'sh'. This exercise comes from noted nonclassical vocal pedagogue Lisa Popeil.
    2) The 'surprise' breath- A gasp of surprise quickly brings a fair amount of air into the lungs. What we will do away with is the noise that comes with it. Place an open hand on the lower abdomen. Exhale fully. When you are completely out of air, open the mouth and gasp with surprise but do so without an audible vocal noise. The belly pops out effortlessly. Be sure not to lift the shoulders in the process because that can actually inhibit the expansion of the ribs. This exercise may also be performed with the hands wrapped around the rib cage.
    3) The 'angle' breath- Sit in a chair with your torso at a 45 degree angle and your arms resting on your thighs. Exhale fully. Breath in through your nose for a slow count of 4 or 5 beats, then exhale through the nose for the same count. You can feel a deep expansion of your rib cage all around the body and especially in the back. It very difficult to raise the shoulders in this position so I use this one often for students who habitually breath very high and shallow.
    4) The classic 'slow leak'- With hands either around the ribs or on the lower belly, exhale completely and feel the inward contraction of the lower abdominals. Once you have completely exhaled, gently sip in new air as the belly releases and slowly moves inward. The ribs will also slowly contract inward, though that should be as slow as possible. Inhale for 4 or 5 beats and exhale for 8 to 10 counts.
    Though your actual performance posture may not always be ideal depending on your chosen genre's stylistic demands, it is important in the training process. A comfortably high chest and relaxed shoulders will allow your breath to flow more efficiently and comfortably. That needs to be the case whether standing or sitting.
    I hope this piece gives you greater insight into what all the fuss is about concerning breathing for singers and speakers and that you will find the balance needed between how you breath and how you phonate.
    Now, go make some noise!!!!!!!!!!

  • TMV World Team
    Voice Check: 10 Tips for Healthy Singing By Chloe Veltman
    (American Theatre magazine, January 2010)

    Musican theatre lore is packed with horror stories about performers cracking or missing notes on stage or even worse losing their voices completely. Luciano Pavarotti had, near the start of his career, a disastrous concert in the Italian city of Ferrara around the time that a nodule first developed on his vocal cords; as a result, he gave up singing for a while. In 1997, Julie Andrews's voice was seriously damaged after she underwent surgery for polyps that developed on her vocal cords while she was performing in Victor/Victoria on Broadway. And Nathan Lane frequently missed performances of the Broadway production of The Producers owing to a polyp on his left vocal cord.
    Without a doubt, the care of the voice is as essential to the business of being a professional actor or singer as remembering one's lines. But hectic schedules, smoky bars, flu season and countless other challenges constantly conspire to derail attempts to sing in public with confidence, comfort and ease. Here, a wide range of singing experts voice therapists Joan Lader, Joanna Cazden and John Haskell; voice trainers Judith Farris, Kate DeVore, Joan Melton, Janet Rodgers and Scott Kaiser; performers Susan Graham and Kristin Chenoweth, as well as choral director Ian Robertson—impart their top tips for maintaining a healthy and successful singing career.
    1. Technique is King
    Maintaining great technique is without question the basis for a healthy voice. Good technique prevents injury and enables performers to sing at the top of their game every time. "With proper training, the singer/actor learns to release excess tensions in the body and throat muscles," says Rodgers. "This means that the vocal mechanism is sitting in a muscular environment that will allow it to function at its best. Proper vocal technique means that the singer/actor has learned to use 'diaphragmatic breath support' in singing. This moves the effort of support to the abdominal muscles and away from the muscles that are closest to the throat. Proper vocal technique means that the singer/actor has trained the vocal folds to respond to pitch changes and that the singer/actor can maximize the gifts that nature has provided."
    "Improper technique can lead to vocal injuries, which can be annoying and limiting at best and career-ending at worst," says DeVore. "Most common vocal injuries (nodules, polyps, bruising, swelling) are caused at least in part by the vocal cords slamming together too hard when we speak, sing, shout, scream, wail, keen, sob and so forth. There are ways to do all of those things healthily, which ensures that a performer will have a flexible voice to last through his or her career."
    Like many experts, Farris believes that proper technique begins with the breath. "The only physical part of singing should be breathing," she says. "That should be naturally obtained and constantly maintained. It is much like a violinist practicing bowing. I know a good violinist is always attentive to balancing the bow on the strings. In singing, if one's breath is balanced, it is nearly impossible to have any kind of strain on the vocal apparatus, and the easiest and most beautiful sound is achieved. Thus obtaining a correct vocal technique is the key to the prevention of vocal problems. The vocal cords themselves are muscles. Athletes and dancers know that any muscle that is used correctly gets stronger with use, not weaker or injured."
    However, good technique cannot be gained through a "one-size-fits-all" approach, says Cazden, who explains that "many vocal techniques work but for a different reason than the teacher proclaims. The field of voice is still emerging from centuries of speculation, guesswork and secretive folklore. A singer needs to trust his or her own experience, use what works and not get distracted by flowery explanations."
    Adds Melton: "Each performer is unique, so the to-do list that answers all the issues does not exist. However, to quote Mary Hammond, head of musical theatre at the Royal Academy of Music in London, 'Technique frees the imagination.' The better, more solid and more unconscious the technique, the freer the performer is to grow, explore and mature."
    2. It's All about Prevention
    Prescription medications might get a singer under duress through a performance, but they are not the way to solve vocal issues in the long-term. "Many singers resort to doctors who fill them with cortisone shots to get through a performance or audition," says Farris. "But if the cause of the problem is not corrected, the issues continue and these so-called 'remedies' can cause additional problems of their own. At that point, the singer should have vocal rest and then seek out a good teacher to help correct the issue. Prevention, however, is key."
    Cazden concurs: "The absolute biggest problem that singers have is not visiting a doctor soon enough. Financial pressures and a mistrust of mainstream medicine lead people to 'muscle through' or 'get by' for months longer than they should. This adds layers of bad technique onto the original injury, and delays recovery. Unless you have terrific insurance, set up a medical savings account and stash whatever you can every month so that when you need a voice doctor you can afford a good one. Plan ahead, and before you need help, locate a laryngologist with videostrobe exam equipment and experience working with singers. Exams without videostrobe are only accurate about one-third of the time. You might need to travel to get to a good clinic, but in the long run, the right diagnosis will save you time, money and anguish."
    Warning signs can help performers identify and take care of potential problems early: "Missing warning signs of a vocal injury can be a problem," says DeVore. "Common warning signs include hoarseness in the absence of an illness (or hoarseness that hangs around after cold symptoms have cleared up); decrease in speaking or singing range; change in voice quality (breathiness, gruffness, a veiled sound); increased physical effort to speak or sing; physical discomfort or pain when voicing; something just not feeling right with the voice."
    3. Calisthenics Count
    Warming up the voice is absolutely essential to a singer's ability to prevent injuries. Just like going for a run without first stretching, the voice can easily strain if pushed too hard and without first being primed. "Develop a warm-up routine that slowly 'wakes' the voice and brings it into alignment with breath control and natural support," says Robertson.
    4. Happy Talk
    "A common mistake performers make is forgetting to have good technique not only when singing but when speaking," says Chenoweth. "That is a tough one for me, because the speaking voice I am most comfortable in isn't the best for my voice in general."
    Haskell adds: "Most singers are talkers by nature. Their biggest mistake is talking too much before and after a performance. Talking in noisy environments can be a particular problem when a singer is on the road as producers often expect artists to meet patrons to talk about their work after they've performed. This is often part of a performer's contract, so it's hard to hold back."
    5. Enlist the A-Team
    Singers need to find the right teachers throughout their careers. Chenoweth, for instance, still takes voice lessons with teachers in New York as well as with Florence Birdwell, the performer's mentor and professor at Oklahoma City University, where she went to school. Haskell says that vocalists should "follow their instincts about what feels right and what doesn't with regards to voice training. Some voice teachers push students too much to point of discomfort or even pain. The muscles and coordination of the vocal mechanism can be achieved in a gradual way." According to Lader, the best teachers have a good grasp of how the body works from a mechanical standpoint: "A singer needs to find a teacher who is knowledgeable in anatomy and physiology, who has good eyes and ears and can direct the student in a healthy manner to achieve whatever it is the student has set out to accomplish."
    Cazden adds: "Singers often make the mistake of staying too long with a teacher who is not taking their voice in a good direction. If the process or relationship doesn't feel right, you shouldn't feel obligated to continue with that person. Take sample lessons with a few other teachers for perspective. If you think something is medically wrong with your voice, but your teacher claims to be able to fix it, get a second opinion."
    Singers, however, often need more than one expert to help guide their careers. Haskell believes that performers should surround themselves with a group of trusted professionals across a range of disciplines in order to develop performance skills, prevent injury and troubleshoot problems as they arise. "In addition to the voice teacher who concentrates on helping a performer to develop great technique," Haskell says, "a singer might also benefit from the services of a vocal coach, an acting coach, a voice therapist, a physical therapist, as well as an ear, nose and throat physician. There has to be communication between the different parties so that everyone is on the same page regarding the singer's issues and progress."
    6. The Power of Cross-training
    Performers, who are often asked to sing in many different styles, frequently have to be as adept at singing numbers from the musical theatre repertoire as they are at performing opera arias, folk songs and jazz standards. Training to sing healthfully across multiple styles is even important to singers who specialize in just one genre. "Cross-training across all styles is the key to being able to perform them in artistically coherent and safe way," says Lader. "If you sing opera you should also practice singing pop songs. This is important, because it prevents injury and strengthens, balances and coordinates the many parts of the laryngeal musculature. Plus, singing in a different style from what one is accustomed to can help to raise a red flag if there is something wrong with the vocal cords that needs special attention."
    7. Salvation through Hydration
    Drinking water is crucial to maintaining a healthy voice, because it prevents the delicate vocal cords from drying out. "Drinking about two liters of water a day is helpful for most people, but they need to compensate with extra water for things that dry them out (like caffeine, alcohol, smoke and certain medications)," says DeVore.
    Proper hydration also means finding creative ways to counterbalance arid environments (caused by air-conditioning and hot climates) that can dry out the vocal cords. Steam inhalation, for example, moistens the vocal cords and thins out mucus. Graham proposes additional techniques for performers who travel regularly: "When I'm flying, I put a damp cloth on my face, because airplane air is so dry. I also keep a humidifier in my room."
    Kaiser adds: "Drinking water to keep the folds of the vocal cords lubricated is important, but there are other things that performers should reduce such as the consumption of dairy products and cold and allergy medications, because they coat the vocal cords and dry out the voice."
    8. Food Glorious Food
    Acid reflux and other problems of the digestive system can cause serious issues for singers. "The acid that comes up through the stomach can literally eat away at the delicate tissue at the back of the larynx and affect the posterior part of the vocal cords," says Haskell. "If a singer gets a reflux diagnosis from an ear, nose and throat specialist, he or she has to start observing a reflux regimen. This may mean eliminating caffeine, carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, spicy foods and chocolate. Also, the evening meal should not be eaten too late or too close to bedtime, which can present a problem for performers who don't want to eat much before they go on stage."
    9. Rest Up
    The voice is a fragile instrument. Singers should be in touch with how they're feeling on any given day enough to know when to pull back or even take some time off. "If you're tired, ill or hungover, sing less," says Cazden. "If you feel great, don't be stupid and sing so much that you wreck your instrument."
    Rodgers believes that rest is important even while an actor or singer is working. "During rehearsal breaks, avoid chitchat," she says. "Really rest the voice for those 10-minute breaks."
    DeVore says that performing full-throttle with an illness rather than resting is one of the worst things a performer can do for his or her voice: "Succumbing to pressure (either internal or external) to 'push through' an illness is, unfortunately, a common mistake performers make. 'The show must go on' is so ingrained in a performer's psyche and this belief is reinforced by the entire production team that they forget that 'the show' doesn't have to include performing at every rehearsal at full tilt. Pushing through an illness is a textbook cause of vocal injuries, and many problems can be avoided if people take the time to rest and heal."
    Getting good amounts of sleep is absolutely crucial to vocal health. "The most important thing for me which I struggle with is getting enough sleep: I need at least eight hours, but nine is best," says Chenoweth. "My friends and family understand that sometimes I can only converse via e-mail or watch a movie with them, because the voice is a muscle that must be rested!"
    10. One for the Road?
    The pressures of a life on the stage can lead to some unhealthy choices for performers. "The most common mistake you see in actors, particularly young ones, is that they don't know how to pace themselves," says Kaiser. "They'll rehearse till midnight, drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes and expect voices to respond. It doesn't take much to strain a voice even talking over loud music in a dance club can cause damage."
    That's why many performers avoid drinking, smoking and noisy environments. "I don't drink very much alcohol when singing, because it dries out the voice," confesses Chenoweth. "I do not smoke or use drugs. I sort of live like a nun."
    Journalist and singer Chloe Veltman is the Bay Area culture correspondent for the New York Times and the host/producer of "VoiceBox", a new public radio series about the art of singing.
    Biographies of the Experts:
    John Haskell has maintained a private practice in speech-language pathology in New York City for more than 25 years. He has held faculty positions at Pace University, Rutgers University and William Paterson College of New Jersey and is co-founder and co-director of the New York City Voice Study Group.
    Kate DeVore is a theatre voice, speech and dialect trainer, speech pathologist and personal development coach based in Chicago. She is the co-author of The Voice Book: Caring for, Protecting and Improving Your Voice with Starr Cookman.
    Scott Kaiser is director of company devel-opment and head of voice and text at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he has spent 20 years as an actor, director and voice coach.
    Judith Farris is a soloist, contralto and voice trainer who maintains a studio in New York. She is presently artist-in-residence in the theatre and music departments at Southeast Missouri State University.
    Janet Rodgers, the editor of The Complete Voice and Speech Workout, is a past president of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and an associate professor of theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University.
    Joan Lader is a voice teacher and therapist. Her patients and students include some of the world's leading performers, such as Patti LuPone, Madonna and Roberta Flack.
    Joanna Cazden, the author of How to Take Care of Your Voice, is a speech pathologist, singer, voice coach and teacher.
    Joan Melton is a voice teacher based in New York City. She is the author of Singing in Musical Theatre: The Training of Singers and Actors andfounded the voice/movement program for the Department of Theatre and Dance at California State University Fullerton.
    Susan Graham is a Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano who performs leading roles in some of the world's greatest opera houses, including the Metropolitan opera, the Royal Opera House and La Scala.
    Kristin Chenoweth is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning singer and musical theatre, film and television actress. Some of her best-known Broadway roles include Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Glinda in Wicked.
    Ian Robertson is the chorus director of San Francisco Opera and the artistic director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Festival Chorale.

  • TMV World Team
    Teaser Paragraph:
    • Chest Voice
    I know, instant success sounds like a hard sell well, not really when you consider that every instant that goes by that you don't have the list below flowing for you well, you are losing out. I know that there is SO much advice out there that it's hard to know which way to go and what to follow that's why I made it easy for you and put together my top 10 ways to create success right away. Kickstart your success asap with these!
    Your own dedicated URL. You must have your own URL: www.yourname.com. Reverbnation, Facebook, (dare I mention MySpace) You Tube = are not good enough on their own, and don't really build your following (check out BandZoogle.com to build your own). A Twitter account period. If at all possible try to make your Twitter handle (name) your name. At least start with your name otherwise it's impossible to find you. Build social proof. This proves you have an audience. Be actively online almost every day. Have an easy to find mailing list sign up form on www.yourname.com. The most valuable commodity you have is your tribe of followers. Make it easy for them to follow you. Believe in yourself. Do not wait for permission from others to be you. Lady Gaga didn't ask for permission. Help others. The best question you can ask someone else is How can I help? I've built my career helping others. Bring value to others. Don't self-promote (so 90's). Promote others. Grow a team of professionals. Nobody in this industry does it alone ever. Start with your vocal coach, guitar or piano teacher and add from there. Pick your team and then stick with them that's how you get somewhere. You'd be surprised who knows who. I see too many people jumping from person to person that's not how it happens. People do things for people they know-like and trust and no one who is worth their beans will introduce you to anyone in the industry unless they know-like and trust you. Prove your worth. Follow up. The number one mistake most artists make is not following up. If you ever saw the enormous amount of emails and phone calls I get on a daily basis, you would never ever think that I even got the call or email you left/sent. Well, sometimes I don't sometimes they slip through the cracks because I am overwhelmingly busy. It's natural that most high functioning professionals are extremely busy and in most cases you have to continue to reach out until you hear back from them. (Don't pound them with email every day do it appropriately). Get help. Period. It is proven that people that get help succeed over ones who don't. If you're looking for something to jumpstart your career and take you to new heights, hop on board my new program Fast Forward to Fame starting today you'll get major support (from me) and accountability as well as learning everything you need to know about having an artist-based business and career! Check out some of the artists already in the program http://www.fastforwardtofame.com/2011-students/ The train to fame is boarding soon are you on the platform?
    ©2011 Cari Cole, Vocal Mag, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  • TMV World Team
    A new year and 2012 to boot (more on that in an upcoming article!) is a GREAT opportunity to start where you are, make a solid commitment to your future, and get off to a jump start to a new and improved you in all aspects of your life and career. I LOVE the advent of the New Year and the great promise that lies ahead for each of us.
    Time and time again I have used these simple and straight forward, yet incredibly powerful techniques, to forge ahead with effectiveness, clarity and velocity. I hope they help you to draw your dreams closer and make some of them come true.
    Here they are:
    Start Where You Are. You can't move ahead if you don't start from where you are. Not acknowledging or accepting where you are keeps your vision clouded. It might suck, but knowing where you are helps you know the next step. To get to that next step listen to my free audio From Dreamer to Diva here. Commit. Commitment is the key to achieving anything. It all starts with a firm and solid commitment. When you commit fully, miracles happen (not overnight, but with time). Don't Compromise on the Big Stuff. Nothing great is born of compromise. Rejection is to be expected. You will be tested, you will be denied. It's ok listen to good advice, but don't compromise your values and goals. Make Lists and Goals. Anyone who has ever become famous or successful is a list keeper. Make 2012 the year you kept more lists and wrote down more goals than in prior years. Make a Plan. Once you get your Goals down on paper (one of your lists is your 1 & 3 year and lifetime goals download The Big Dream Formula Worksheet here my gift to you), then make a Plan for how to accomplish your Goals. (Reverse engineer it, as I say!) Calendar It In. Break down your goals into steps and a To Do List. Put the tasks on your calendar. This is where the rubber meets the road Period! Take Imperfect Action. Don't wait until the conditions are perfect. Ski the slope no matter what. You'll improve with practice. Note I said imperfect action not sloppy action. Be deliberate and prepare yourself- but get in motion. Love How It Is No Matter What. Don't wait to love your life dive in. The more you love How It Is, the easier it will grow to be what you want. Stress and tension push away success. Stay the Course. Never give up. This is how you become successful. Success is built on a gazillion tiny failures and a gazillion tiny successes. Tweak. Always readjust, improve, be willing to start over, scratch an idea to make it better. Kind of like songwriting don't be married to the rhyme scheme be willing to start from scratch if it doesn't say what you want. Tweaking is King. I would add to that Do it Differently than last year. Doing the same thing over and over again with the same results is the definition of insanity.
    Happy 2012 Everyone!!! Make this a year to remember.
    ©2011 Cari Cole, Vocal Mag, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  • TMV World Team
    Do you notice a change lately? Of course we see the world changing, but do you notice anything changing in your thoughts, the way you do things, how you feel? Call me crazy, but not only do I notice things breaking down and reconstructing all over the place, I also notice my thoughts changing, the way I am thinking about things. And I wonder, does that come from something inside me, or is it the result of what's happening in the world?
    Lately, I notice two things. One, that I feel more connected, plugged in, more in-tune. It's as if I can access answers from my higher-self more easily. I know that might sound woo-woo to some of you, but I have to go there because it's so pronounced. Sometimes I even hear what people are thinking (I know, I know), but it's true. It's not a psychic thing, it's a tuning-in kind of thing.
    I am also ruminating on how strangely I feel even more love in my heart. I was walking down the street in New York City the other day and an older African American man asked me for a few dollars, said his car broke down Usually I would keep walking (you know, us New Yorker's hear that story all the time!), but instead I stopped and pulled out a five-dollar bill. I thought, it's the holidays after-all give something of yourself. But it was more than that. It's the feeling that I can't just ignore other people around me anymore. I can feel other people's misfortune more; it's as if I'm just plain more sensitive to it. And I can't escape the feeling that we are all connected and if one of us is suffering we are all somehow suffering. I've had these feelings in meditation class before, but instead of it happening when I have a spiritual epiphany, it seems to be with me all the time now. I turned to walk down the street and saw another man in a wheelchair with no legs and rather than pass him by and shrug it off telling myself there is nothing I can do about that, instead, I felt him for a moment. I felt what it must be like for him on a daily basis the struggle and I wished him well. I then thanked life for giving me both of my legs.
    With my students, and the people in my life, I feel an even stronger connection. It's like I fall in love with them more in the little moments we interact in. And I also notice that whatever is not being said, anything that's being held under the surface pops out more easily, or is more prevalent in conversations. Is the veil between us lifting? (That's one of my Artist Success Circle artists, Dilia and me at the Emerge Unplugged concert this past October.)
    Unless you live under a rock you're probably noticing that the world is changing radically so. Old structures and systems are crumbling and new one's are slowly emerging. We are in transition across the board. No one really saw it coming, but here we are.
    I'm not saying it's easy because it's not. A lot of people are in the middle of serious crisis; they can't find jobs or they've lost theirs. People are losing their homes, careers, and have no money to even feed themselves. This is a serious crisis, not only in America but in the world. Is it because it's time to reinvent ourselves? Are we being forced to grow?
    The way I see it is, oddly enough, underneath the rubble, in the midst of a meltdown, in the middle of crisis, we are forced to come together, to rise up, perhaps because the alternative is not acceptable. I guess you could say that a forced evolution is taking place that it takes things falling apart for things to change even that crisis creates change. We can't go back to the old way of doing things and we're not sure what the new way is. Now is not the time to jump too quickly, or make quick resolutions, rather to stay open and hold a strong intention for what you want in your life and for us in the world.
    One thing I know for sure is that it takes a crisis to bring us together. Otherwise we'd sit on the couch and eat bon-bon's (or the no-sugar, vegan alternative )
    On the crest of 2012, are we on the forefront of a Love Revolution?
    The Artists Success Circle 2 (Held here in NYC) Apply here .
    ©2011 Cari Cole, Vocal Mag, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  • TMV World Team

    Stop Struggling!

    By TMV World Team, in Articles,


    What word do you end that sentence with? Stop Struggling with blah blah blah pick one.
    You want to know why you struggle?
    Are you ready for this?
    Because you do (sigh).
    Didn't ya just know it was your fault?
    But hey it's a little more complex than that.
    Look we all know life isn't fair and all that stuff is totally true.
    But to struggle with it? That part is actually up to you.
    Sound harsh? It isn't.
    No matter how much we struggle with something, we do have a choice about how we respond.
    Now, if you are not in touch with your feelings, you won't realize you do have a choice that is.
    How can you move to choice?
    It's easier than you think.
    It has to do with the Story you are telling yourself.
    So my husband and I sometimes struggle with being apart he's in Florida almost full time and I'm in NYC mostly full time and we see each other on weekends or weeks here and there that I get away. The reasons for it is because his work has drawn him there and my work is in the Big App (me and FL full time? Not for me I'm a city girl) Anyway, I can tell myself a story that it's a major bummer, or I can tell myself how lucky I am to have a gorgeous house in Florida and an awesome husband who doesn't let it tear us apart and loves me to pieces. Do you see how this goes? Hey, it's pretty cool to have 2 lifestyles sure is awesome in the freaking NYC winter. 
    It's all how you look at it and the STORY you tell yourself about it.
    I can choose to struggle or not based on how I see it.
    6 Ways to Stop Struggling NOW!
    Inventory Your Beliefs what do you really think? And what rules your brain? Choose A Perspective That Works for You Too often we choose a perspective that we're used to not necessarily that works for us. Make a Plan to Make it Better Whatever you are struggling with, make a plan for how to make it better. Realize That Struggle is a Choice Free yourself from your conditioned responses. Decide to Be Successful and see life working out just the way you want it when you do that, you become successful. Sign up for my new video series to help you end the struggle! Get the full deets on how YOU can Make Money Making Music and Have the Music Career you Dream of (and even leave your day job !!)
     


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