Woo-hoo! It’s finally that time— you’ve picked out the song, or songs, you want to sing for your upcoming performance or recording, and you’ve made the appointment to have a coaching with your favorite voice teacher, song coach or accompanist (I’ll use all three of those terms during this post, as all of these may…
How do you know if a song is right for you? One of the most common mistakes I see singers of all levels make is choosing songs that are WAY too hard for them to sing, given their present level of technical ability at the time. You might be hearing your favorite artist or aria…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that singers need a good night’s sleep, even more than the average person. Your body is your instrument! From head to toe, everything that’s going on with your body will be reflected in your voice. If you don’t sleep well, especially on a regular basis,…
In our crazy, fast-paced, over-stimulated world, how to find the time to practice is one of the most common challenges facing any singer. With so many things pulling on us in so many directions— family, work, social obligations, and that ever-present cell phone beeping and ringing away, how do you find the time to really…
I get asked if you can really teach someone to sing, or if you have to be “born with it”, fairly frequently. This is the $64,000 dollar question, or with today’s inflation, make it more like the $1,000,000 question! The last time it happened, I was judging a vocal competition at a high school, where…
As a voice teacher, I work with students every day who are experiencing singing problems due to health issues rather than their vocal technique, and none is more troublesome than acid reflux! As a professional singer myself, I have had more than a few bouts with it at various times during my career, ranging from…
There probably isn’t a singer alive who doesn’t know the feeling of auditioning for something— a solo, that choir you love, a part in a musical or opera, a fabulous band, or some other vocal opportunity—and then not getting it! Disappointing, discouraging, and frustrating, to say the least. If it’s a professional paid gig, it…
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…