Questions on Four Pillars

[Jjf88]

I'd like some questions answered if you guys could take the time out

I'm considering buying Four Pillars because I'd like to supplement my singing lessons with daily practice and wondered:

Would the two conflict?

I doubt it as my teacher is a good singer and explains things well and backs up his statements with articles from the Academy (where he studied). He's also been singing since he was 4 and has a good way of explaining the voice.

How would you explain the exercises? Are they written, are there examples and do you sing with the coach or would you have to have a keyboard/piano with you to do the exercises on (which I have ).

I'm relatively new to singing but want to get the most out of it as possible as I'd like to consider a future in it.

How would I know I was doing the exercises right? Apart from hearing an improvement in my voice, of course.

Does "Four Pillars" explain the different techniques and the whys and hows the voice does what it does as it changes (head, chest, twang, cry, etc.)?

Perhaps I haven't looked deeply enough but I couldn't find anything that answered all my questions and wasn't sure where to post this, except here.

Apologies if it's the wrong area, mods.

Regards

Jj

[stew503]

Hi,

I'll not take my usual aproach (I have seen the post and checked various others), several things ... I now see you have been singing 10 months...

In Dec 2010 - you said - you had ordered jamie vendera's book - How did that go and what did current coach say ?

In previous posts you have had multiple replies from a LOT of good posters .. How did that advice go ? (I must also point to Ron's Feb 2011 post and your current age).

In previous posts you were 16 - so you are either 16 or 17. yes ... Where are you in your vocal life ? Again I point at previous posts i.e. posters starting young vs. others at an "older" age.

In previous post - you said about exam (can you feel the love) ... how did that go (did you pass ?). In all my exam entries - I have never known any exam to take less than 2 entries though (LCM 2, ABRSM takes 4 ... etc).

To me various flags have been raised in regards to current training, mainly based on what I see written along with your post on this thread.

The reason I say this is;

"He's also been singing since he was 4 and has a good way of explaining the voice." ...

... I know what 4 y/o's are doing in music, singing, rhythm. Yes it's a true statement ... but not based on "singing" as we know it.

"has a good way of explaining the voice" ... if this was the case - then Why are you asking the question .. Why did you purchase the Vendera book ?, surely all this has been explained

"I'd like to supplement my singing lessons with daily practice" ... Surely your coach has given you this, exercises ... songs ... CD / mp3 of own voice ? ... Surely you have a folder ?

... in a question about your singing teacher about method taught ... "What do you mean by method? To get into it he says that to hit notes when we were doing scales it's easier to make a "do" sound rather than a "la" sound."

... Surely coach is teaching vowels, ... "if" you cannot phonate a vowel, surely coach is then trying consonants (has been discussed elsewhere).

... JP & Staticsound asked the Q Dec 2010...

So .. to surmise and answer the Q. This is your journey ...

Would the two conflict? --- "if" and it's a big "IF" you coach has the knowledge - he / she should know this stuff already.

How would you explain the exercises? Are they written, are there examples and do you sing with the coach or would you have to have a keyboard/piano with you to do the exercises on (which I have ). . For Rob to expand on ... Exercises have piano backing and there is a book - but for Rob to expand.

How would I know I was doing the exercises right? Apart from hearing an improvement in my voice, of course. - You have a coach ... and he / she will notice improvement in voice. However (as per previous questions about what does you coach actually teach), do these two differing techniques clash.

Does "Four Pillars" explain the different techniques and the whys and hows the voice does what it does as it changes (head, chest, twang, cry, etc.)? ... I'll stay out of this one ... Answer is yes, but terminology may be different.

Apologies to be frank, but .... decide on your wants and goals ... DO you want it ?, if so .. then you will succeed.

Stewart

[Jjf88]

Hi,

I'll not take my usual aproach (I have seen the post and checked various others), several things ... I now see you have been singing 10 months...

In Dec 2010 - you said - you had ordered jamie vendera's book - How did that go and what did current coach say ?

Gonna go one by one here. I bought his book and the breathing exercises were challenging but helpful. He thought it was a good book and helped me with some of them.

In previous posts you have had multiple replies from a LOT of good posters .. How did that advice go ? (I must also point to Ron's Feb 2011 post and your current age).

Last year I kept asking about range and how to increase it. But slowly, I stopped worrying about the range and trying to get a good tone in my voice atm.

In previous posts you were 16 - so you are either 16 or 17. yes ... Where are you in your vocal life ? Again I point at previous posts i.e. posters starting young vs. others at an "older" age.

I feel I'm at a good point in my vocal life, where I'm constantly improving, just on small things, vowel sounds, consistent tone, pitching, rhythm.

In previous post - you said about exam (can you feel the love) ... how did that go (did you pass ?). In all my exam entries - I have never known any exam to take less than 2 entries though (LCM 2, ABRSM takes 4 ... etc).

I failed, unfortunately but I'm not that sad about it as I think it was to do with my theory aswell as nerves about my voice. I'm sitting a Grade 5 ABRSM exam this year. I've been told it's hard work but I'm willing to put in the work so I hope to get a good mark this year.

To me various flags have been raised in regards to current training, mainly based on what I see written along with your post on this thread.

The reason I say this is;

"He's also been singing since he was 4 and has a good way of explaining the voice." ...

... I know what 4 y/o's are doing in music, singing, rhythm. Yes it's a true statement ... but not based on "singing" as we know it.

"has a good way of explaining the voice" ... if this was the case - then Why are you asking the question .. Why did you purchase the Vendera book ?, surely all this has been explained

"I'd like to supplement my singing lessons with daily practice" ... Surely your coach has given you this, exercises ... songs ... CD / mp3 of own voice ? ... Surely you have a folder ?

I have a few recordings yes, and I have a folder of songs. The exercises are mostly scales and arpeggios and jumps (I forgot the correct name for it, but thirds, fifths, octave leaps)

... in a question about your singing teacher about method taught ... "What do you mean by method? To get into it he says that to hit notes when we were doing scales it's easier to make a "do" sound rather than a "la" sound."

... Surely coach is teaching vowels, ... "if" you cannot phonate a vowel, surely coach is then trying consonants (has been discussed elsewhere).

... JP & Staticsound asked the Q Dec 2010...

So .. to surmise and answer the Q. This is your journey ...

Would the two conflict? --- "if" and it's a big "IF" you coach has the knowledge - he / she should know this stuff already.

How would you explain the exercises? Are they written, are there examples and do you sing with the coach or would you have to have a keyboard/piano with you to do the exercises on (which I have ). . For Rob to expand on ... Exercises have piano backing and there is a book - but for Rob to expand.

How would I know I was doing the exercises right? Apart from hearing an improvement in my voice, of course. - You have a coach ... and he / she will notice improvement in voice. However (as per previous questions about what does you coach actually teach), do these two differing techniques clash.

Does "Four Pillars" explain the different techniques and the whys and hows the voice does what it does as it changes (head, chest, twang, cry, etc.)? ... I'll stay out of this one ... Answer is yes, but terminology may be different.

Apologies to be frank, but .... decide on your wants and goals ... DO you want it ?, if so .. then you will succeed.

Stewart

I do want it. I want to be the best singer I can be.

Thanks Stewart, a very lengthy explanation by you which has been very helpful. I hope my answers have been sufficient in answering your questions also and please, tell me if you don't think they are.

[ronws]

Actually, jf, you didn't answer any of Stew's questions, which I think he was right to ask. It all seems a bit confusing. However,. if you are liking 4 Pillars, and it is a good system, you might be best answered by Robert Lunte but he is not going to be able to judge if you are doing them right without hearing you. So, you would have to schedule a phone or skype lesson with him to make a fair assessment. Otherwise, what does your teacher say? And, like Stew says, if your teacher is that awesome, perhaps you should be listening to him.

[Danielformica]

I think personally it would be best to study with the person that not only has the technical(terms etc) background but also a voice that proves the technique he is teaching works. Someone that can sing the songs along with you and be able to convey what he or she is feeling

Daniel

[stew503]

Hi and thanks for the responses (I also agree with the last two posts too), I too found some of the reply confusing...

Reason I say is ...

"I failed, unfortunately" ... This is a shame.

... NO (good) coach EVER sends a student into an exam with the knowledge of failure. Nerves are taken into account in the exams (slight pitching issues ... etc) by the adjudicator. and you will had at LEAST many months on the theory (and if you are grd 5 level - up to 3 years) all packed into your lesson time. ... You MUST ask yourself if you FEEL that you are not getting the coaching you should be getting ... there IS CERTAINLY NO SHAME in leaving coach for a more experienced one. To me that would show maturity.

"I'm sitting a Grade 5 ABRSM exam this year. I've been told it's hard work but I'm willing to put in the work so I hope to get a good mark this year."

... Surely you have the books ?, you should know exactly what's involved and the syllabus is available on the ABRSM web site both for theory and practical.

... you say (or I can work out), you have been singing 10 months .... Grade 5 is a 2 to 3 years of experience affair (yes you "may" have jumped a grade). The ABRSM exams work on 3 times per year (so entries posted Jan / May / Sept). What were your Grd 1 to 4 marks (pass / merit / Dist.)

If it's the practical, what 4 songs are you singing; post a list A, B and C (Musical / theatre) song along with your traditional piece. Also for sight singing © tests, you have to have a good graps on dynamics, temp, style (Tempo Di Menuetto - leading to a Rall, next bar , tempo tranquillo, with dynamics mf - dim to p, down to pp) ... etc.

... basically - you do need to ask IF you are ready and if not - hold off to next term. There is NO shame in that at all.

I would have expected more in the way of exercises in your folder. And even for Grade 1 people the folder contains additional sheets such as Italian musical terms (relevant to grade).

ok ... Ron posted ... "However,. if you are liking 4 Pillars, and it is a good system, you might be best answered by Robert Lunte" ... and I agree ..

... "IF" you were to ask me whether you should purchase at THIS time ... I would have to say no.

I would say ... as you are 17 - join a band ... Make music, sing and get experience ... leave it for a few years and then re-think. A lot of schools have jazz / soul bands and choir as well as musicals once a year, but get a band together yourself.

Hope it helps and apologies if this doesn't meet your musical direction at this time. Personally - I think you need singing experience (outside the ABRSM syllabus) and a band is the way to go - you'll have fun too. Then re-address your thoughts in a few years ...

Stewart

[Robert Lunte]

jjf88

Honestly, these responses do not seem clear to me. I don't feel your getting the answer you need. Why don't you just contact me personally and I can explain to you?

There is no doubt, that having "The Four Pillars of Singing" 2.0 as a supplemental system is going to enhance your training. But know, the techniques that I teach are not readily found from most local voice teachers so your current teacher may not understand what I am instructing you to do in the training system, on the other hand, he may... its hard to tell. But the point is, the techniques are going to help you, if not make you into an amazing singer.

I understand its hard to gauge that when its coming from the source because it sounds like maybe I'm biased. I suppose I am, but that doesn't mean that what Im telling you still isn't true. "The Four Pillars of Singing" has sold in over 90 countries around the world and pretty much ALL of my clients... thousands of people have been very satisfied and are learning to sing great. The system offers you a book and over 435 high definition video and audio files that include 22 lectures and 109 video demonstrations and explanations of how to do the workouts and techniques. It has more content then any other training system of its kind in the history of man kind... and I think thats true. ... if you purchase the hard copy, you will receive 5 dvds and 4 audio discs to train with. I also demonstrate my own workouts myself... I don't just sit on a stool and tell you what to do ... I lead by example and you actually see and hear what it is I'm doing.

Go to my web site and read these pages:

Read the reviews on The Four Pillars of Singing - 2.0:

http://www.thevocaliststudiostore.com/Four-Pillars-of-Singing-Digital-Download_p_27.html

Training over the Internet:

http://www.thevocaliststudiostore.com/Internet-Lesson-Packages_p_32.html

Learn More About TVS: an explanation of what makes TVS special

http://thevocaliststudio.com/learn-more-about-tvs/

Testimonials from clients:

http://thevocaliststudio.com/robert-lunte/testimonials/

Then send me a private email and lets discuss your needs and your experience... I can assure you, if you train with me... you will learn to sing great and its NOT going to create any distraction to your current teacher's ideas.