It’s now Part 2 of our discussion on the use of humming (and related exercises) to find your best, most natural and free vocal resonance for singing and speaking. Have you ever heard the expression “hum like a top”? If you’re old enough to remember a childhood without computer games, where we actually played outside…
Did you know that when it comes to improving your voice, you can learn a lot from your dog? Seriously! Have you ever heard a puppy or even an adult dog whimper? That very sound can be the starting point for you to find a clear, free, and natural sound that is uniquely yours. Let…
Once you have the name (or name), of some voice teachers that you’re thinking of studying with, then what do you do? What questions should you ask him or her before committing to take a lesson? In Part 2 of this series, I suggested going with a friend to his or her voice lesson, where…
So after reading Part 1 of this series, you’ve now decided that you definitely need a voice teacher, and not a vocal coach. What’s a singer to do who is looking for a voice teacher? Where do you look? As with anything else, it starts with being an informed consumer. Here is a brief guide…
Finding the right voice teacher for you may be the most important choice you make in your singing life, whether you want to sing professionally, or just as a beloved hobby. I’ve had a number of voice teachers throughout my career, some of them good, and some of them truly great. I’ve also worked with…
Celebrate Women’s History Month! Clara Schumann’s “Liebst du um Schönheit” is the perfect way to spotlight this virtuoso pianist and composer, by featuring one of the most famous and lovely German art songs of the Romantic era. Clara Schumann was the wife of famed composer Robert Schumann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Schumann but carved out her own place in…
There probably isn’t a singer alive who hasn’t asked himself the question: “Do I really need to do vocal warm-up exercises before I sing? The answer is a resounding YES! “Can’t I just sing my song?” you whine (very mournfully). The answer is a resounding NO! “Why”, you ask? “The birds in the trees just…
St. Patrick’s Day is drawing near, and if you learn one song to celebrate the Irish and Ireland, it has to be THE St. Patrick’s Day song– “Danny Boy”! This is a song that makes grown men weep (I’ve seen it myself, and have had to hold back a few tears of my own), especially…
Have you always wanted to learn to sing– really sing? But deep down inside, you worry that you should have started earlier, that you’re too old, that life, and your opportunity to sing, may have passed you by? Did somebody tell you once that you “couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket”, or to…
It’s allergy season again– well, it’s always allergy season somewhere– so it’s time to Take Care of Your Allergies!* Many singers try to brush off the fact that ongoing breathiness or hoarseness, and overall fatigue can be the result of inflammation from allergies. But it is so common, I hear it in students every…