Singing Tips...

DARE TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. So many singers practice the same song, the same way, over and over and over again. If it didn’t work the first twenty times, why is it going to work the twenty-first? Try altering different aspects of your singing and attempt to find an easier way to accomplish your best sound. For example, increase/decrease articulation, increase/decrease the amount of airflow, increase/decrease diaphragm support, alter tone placement, alter resonance…get the picture?

Singing Tips...

Practice singing in front of a mirror. This will help you notice posture, airflow, facial expressions, and overall how you appear to an audience.

Singing Tips...

Most singers need to have some type of basic warm-up routine, even if very basic. Make sure your routine always includes the same basic passages or exercises so you'll be able to judge where your voice is in relation to where it normally is

Singing Tips...

Humming should be easy and sound alive. If you cannot hum well, you are not singing up to your potential. Humming is a good way to determine which part of your vocal instrument is not warmed up or pulling its weight. When you hum you should be able to feel the resonant vibration on the front of your face. Free

Vocal Tips...

Never sing without first warming up. Your vocal cords require the needed "warm up" before you perform. Undue strain on "cold" vocal cords can lead to permanent damage. A good rule to remember is "To be a perfect 10 - 10 be a perfect too". This means that starting slow and warming up, for at least 10 minutes before a performance, will not only stretch your vocal cords, but calm you down too (increased oxygen supply helps your body to relax).

Singing Tips...

COPE WITH UNEXPECTED SINGING EVENTS and challenges the smart way. Figure out which part of your vocal instrument is out of balance and make an instant adjustment. If you are not sure what actually makes up your “vocal instrument” you would definitely benefit from learning vocal mechanics.

[From Vocal Coach Yvonne DeBandi]

Singing Tips...

BUILD YOUR SONG PERFORMANCE. Think about how a well-constructed roller coaster builds in intensity and suspense throughout the ride. Your song should have the same sort of ups and downs. For the best results, plan the dynamics (volume and intensity) of your singing. Don’t just sing as powerfully as you can from the get go. Figure out the emotional and natural build of the music and sing accordingly. As an example using a basic song form, you would do your initial build from Verse 1 through Chorus 1, bring them back a bit for Verse 2 only to get a slightly bigger build (than the peak of Chorus 1) on Chorus 2 before exploding into the bridge. Remember, singing is as much an art form as a skill.

Singing Tips...

ARTICULATE. Using your articulators (lips, teeth, tip of the tongue) more specifically to create your words will help you sing better and more easily. So many of us swallow our articulation (meaning farther back in our mouth) and that habit gets in the way of resonance, tone placement and other important singing mechanics. To improve your skill, quickly say the articulator tongue twister five times in a row: “lips, teeth, tip of the tongue. Lips, teeth, etc.” Be sure to really concentrate on exaggerating the movements with the articulators. See where all the action is? That is where you feel the action of articulation when you sing. Keep in mind that you will probably feel like you are moving them in a ridiculous fashion if you are not used to using them actively. Check a mirror, you’ll probably be surprised.

Singing Tips...

When learning to sing your full range and accomplish the desired one voice (same power with similar tone throughout the whole range) singers often experience cracks and breaks. One way to test this is to practice a siren. Slide on the syllable “he” from the bottom of your range to the top. If you do not experience cracks or breaks, try it on all syllables at all volumes. When you find yourself faced with this challenge, it is the common response to “try harder” or “give more effort” on those notes. This is not the way to solve this issue. What you want to do is to lighten up just a bit on these notes, let them float like a feather instead of trying harder and stomping on them. Understand that most often this is caused because muscles and membranes not having the memory they need to make the transition you require, as quickly as you want it made. Repetition will give them memory, so keep practicing. Lighten up just a bit on those notes and sing through the break. Don’t develop the habit of stopping when you “crack” or it will come back to bite you later.

Singing Tips...

ENERGY NOT EFFORT. This is one of the most confusing concepts in singing. Energy in the tone is what we want and Effort is something we want to desperately to avoid. Energy is created naturally when our vocal instrument is in balance and our body is involved in the singing process. It feels good. It feels easy. Sometimes it occurs naturally and other times we may have to make adjustments. Effort usually occurs when singers use their throat muscles/membranes and vocal cords improperly to create volume. We should actually feel and see very little happening in our throat area.

Singing Tips...

Sing like you speak. Your vocal cords get used to a specific style and range of volume. Increasing the volume by straining or pushing your voice to react louder, only causes undo stress upon your vocal cords and could possibly make them weaker. Practice slowly to increase the volume of your voice by controlling the release of air from your diaphragm. Soon, you'll be bellowing like the best of them!

Singing tips...

If you sing pop, gospel, soul, rock, blues, or even jazz, even the occasional voice lesson from a well qualified instructor can put you ahead of the competition.

Singing tips...

If you are serious about singing, consider vocal instruction, whether it's formal lessons from a 'professional,' or in an informal setting with your choir director. If you can transfer some of the techniques, you can better maintain your vocal health and prevent nodules or scarring that will shorten your singing "career."

History of the Carols...

LAST QUIZ (#6-C)...
The words for this carol were found in Scotland in the late 1700's and later were combined with a melody from an opera. Somehow these lyrics and melody were played by a big band called 'His Royal Canadians' at the University of Virginia in December of 1932 as a closing number at a college dance. The students cheered so mightily at the end of the performance that the band leader decided to make it their regular closing number. The title of the song translates literally as 'old long since.'
NAME THIS VERY POPULAR SONG...

THE ANSWER...'AULD LANG SYNE.' Guy Lombardo and 'His Royal Canadians' played 'AULD LANG SYNE,' which became the traditional song for the end of each year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!