Singing Performance Coaching

This section of the site is a work in progress.

Please just send me your Specific questions about the Voice and I will post the answers on the blog.

If you want to Really get your career off to a great start Click the link below to access

Your FREE Coaching Call with The Darling of Showbiz

http://topvocalcoach.com/free-tutorials/free-coaching-call-from-top-vocal-coach/

This section of the site is a work in progress.

Please just send me your Specific questions about Performance Issues and I will post the answers on the blog and here.

If you want to Really get your career off to a great start Click the link below to access

Your FREE Coaching Call with The Darling of Showbiz

http://topvocalcoach.com/free-tutorials/free-coaching-call-from-top-vocal-coach/

Question

How should I act on stage?

It’s Ok to be yourself

I wish someone had told me this 20 years ago! In fact it’s the only thing you can be and still resonate an ounce of TRUTH.

I used to think that I had to be like ’such and such a body’, this person, that person, anything but simple old me. But the plain fact is noone is quite like me (or you), noone ever will be or could be, you are unique,  beautiful, special just the way you are. FIND YOUR TRUTH! this is the only real way to success; both in life and in the business.

If you are not being truthful to yourself in the way your career is developing, this will resonate badly with your audiences and they’ll spot you are living a lie a mile off. Many people approach me after I’ve done a show and say how much I looked like I was enjoying myself. In fact in Yorkshire they usually ask for a discount because ‘Work’ Should not be that much fun :-) . They say I shine on stage and it’s true. Every time I perform, I feel priviledged. It’s a very special gift I’ve been given which allows me to take people out of themselves into a world where things are better. Life is great, life is fun, life is a gift and singing is really good for my soul, the essence of who I am. When I am performing and showing my X factor to the audience it’s magical for me, they can see it and so they too become uplifted by the experience.

Now you can see why I say that I feel priviledged to be an entertainer. It’s not just icing on the cake of someone’s life, music touches people deep inside and makes a difference to their lives.
I can honestly say, even though there are many parts of the music business that I hate, being so involved with the Music itself and the people it touches is what drives me forward.

How could I do this, if I wasn’t being true to myself. The answer is simply that it isn’t possible. If the music doesn’t move you it sure won’t move anyone else.

So go on take the plunge just give yourself to your music instead of loosing yourself in the process. Otherwise your star will never shine. It’ll stay hidden, obscured beneath a layer of misconceived ideas about having to be something that you are not.

Take care
Sarah Dennis
Darling of Showbiz
www.darlingofshowbiz.com

8 great tips I’ve found for you from another vocal coach from Memphis -Ken Taylor.

Why not check them out?
8 Ways to Sing Better Now

Hi all. My name is Ken Taylor and I am a Vocal Coach and owner of Sing Studios in Memphis, TN. Today I’m taking the time to share some singing tips that will help each of you Sing Better Now! Some of these tips are more detailed and some are very basic, but I want to encourage each of you to take notice of each tip as I find that they are often helpful to both beginner and advanced students alike.

8 Ways to Sing Better Now -

1. Open your mouth when you’re singing! Singers who keep their mouths mostly closed are likely tense in the tongue and are far from achieving maximum quality of tone. I like the two finger rule. If you can fit two fingers between your teeth while singing (esp on open vowels like “ah” and “oh”), then you’re good. If not, open your mouth more.

2. Relax the tongue. After years of giving voice lessons, I’m convinced that 65% – 85% of all vocal problems involve tension in the tongue. Worst part is most people aren’t even aware of it. Look in a mirror while singing. If the tip of your tongue isn’t dominantly resting on your bottom front teeth then you’ve got problems. Relaxing the tongue more forward in the mouth will help.

3. Don’t take in too much air. If you breathe in too much air, then you create pressure under the folds that can easily hinder you ability to sing freely. It can prevent you from singing high notes and it almost always causes tension in your neck. To fix it, become aware of just how little is involved in regular breathing and try to mimic that sensation when singing.

4. Keep the larynx steady. If you don’t know what the larynx is, it’s where your adam’s apple is (or where it would be ladies). If this area of your neck is raising or lowering while singing, then you’re throwing off your whole vocal mechanism leading to many different complications. Rest your hand on your larynx while singing and make sure it stays steady.

5. Open and relax the back of the mouth. This is equally as important as allowing the front of the mouth to be open, if not more. If the back of the mouth is closed off, then the quality of the sound is shot (and I guarantee you’re tense). To get a feel for it, hold the “ng” sound of hung and feel how closed that is. Now say “ah” like you’re in a doctor’s office… that’s more open. Leaving the back of the mouth open like the “ah” sound can help create a beautiful resonance in the voice.

6. Sing with ENERGY.  I can’t express this enough. Singing is a very physical activity. You must be energized and excited about what you’re doing or else it lacks passion (and it’s flat!). Singing with energy helps you hit higher notes and helps keep the sound out of the throat. Allow yourself to get excited before singing… do some jumping jacks or walk around a bit before getting started and realize just how much it helps.

7. Believe what you’re singing. I once read a quote that has stuck with me for years. It was something along the lines of, “that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Music is a form of expression. It’s alive and has a great ability to influence listeners. But that’s only true when you believe what you’re singing. Try to connect to the song through some personal life experience and see how alive the music you’re singing becomes.

8. Get out of your own way. Singing should feel like speaking. There should be no pressing, tension, straining, reaching, or grabbing when vocally active. These sensations usually happen when we try to force the sound out of us. If you’re not able to sing something, try to bring it back to speech first. You’d be surprised how easy that high “C” can be when you speak it.

It’s important to mention that focusing on all of these tips at once isn’t going to be overly effective because our brains can only process so much at a time. Therefore, I suggest practicing one of these tips for a few days, then move on to another. What we do when we sing is largely based on habit, so be sure to practice consistently.

Also, as always, if you’re looking for vocal instruction and you’re in the Memphis area, feel free to give me a call at 751-SING or visit my website at SingStudiosMemphis.com.