As a teacher of singing for the past 35 years, I am constantly amazed at the amount of misleading information or quick fixes on how to sing a certain note!
Many students constantly talk about rehearsing with a band with no fold back monitoring to actually hear what they are singing over the very loud music, only to finish the rehearsal with very little voice to sing with.
I have stated many times that the voice is an instrument and we need to learn how to play it!
The majority of musicians understand that fact, but others just constantly push students and their voices to do things that they are barely capable of sustaining if at all.
When we first learn any instruments like piano for example, there are certain things we need to master before we attempt a major musical piece. Things like how to place our hands on the keys, how to sit upright with good posture. How much pressure should we put on the keys when we are playing, or do we just thump away and hope for the best?
Well, it seems that is how most people go about singing, from one song to another they constantly try to manoeuvre muscles they know nothing about.
They are so concerned with sounds, where they should be? How to enhance the sound, twang the sound, all sorts of ideas about singing.
The fact is so many people have no foundation for the voice at all.
What about just placing voice on good diaphragm breathing, another area sadly lacking.
Let’s just make voice and breath equal and develop the foundations of a good solid vocal range, with no noticeable tonal or quality changes and no breath escaping in front of your voice when you begin to sing.
Let’s develop power and range with as little effort as possible at a soft volume so the vocal cords themselves have power all of there own, without being pushed forced and goaded into all sorts of sounds.
In other words, what about producing sound? This seems to be sadly lacking today, which is why I produced “10 Essential Lessons For Easy Singing” under Voiceology Australia.
I get very excited every time I receive feedback from all over the world about how quickly and easily people have increased range and power..Why? because they not only practise daily, they practise with some very useful tools.
I don’t practise what I preach..I preach what I practise!
Till next time
Happy singing
Marion Rouvas
Director/Vocal Coach
Voiceology Australia
