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NEW A2Z SINGING TIPS
Valuable Tips Every Singer Can Use
By Yvonne M. DeBandi, http://SingSmart.com
A = 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.
B = 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.
C = 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.
D = 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?
E = 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 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.
F = FEATHERS. 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
"crack" 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 by 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.
G = GET OVER IT and GO FOR IT. So many talented
young singers come into my studio with a good
voice and with work, really shine on their vocal
skills…but when it comes to performance
they suffer the “I’m afraid I’ll
look stupid” syndrome. Why do we do that?
We see music videos and concerts every day when
artists give us their all, and yet we feel less
stupid singing like a statue than we do really
going for it? Makes no sense, but this is not
a random occurrence. And unfortunately, when you
don’t really “perform” the song,
you will never be able to give your absolute best
performance. Why? Performance involves some sort
of emotional connection with the song, when you
put the emotion on your face and in your body,
you will sing completely differently than the
statue, no matter how knowledgeable.
H = HUMMING. 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.
I = INCREASE YOUR AIR SPEED for high notes and
decrease your air speed for lower notes. Each
frequency requires a specific air speed to create
the absolute best tone. Many singers push too
much air, too quickly, while singing low notes
in an attempt to make the note louder. All this
does is add stress and tension to the tone. Use
your ears to tell you when the proper balance
is reached. The tone should sound clear and pure
before adding stylistic nuances.
J = JAW TENSION. Most people don’t realize
how tense their jaw is…because it feels
perfectly natural to them. Be sure to stretch
out your face and jaw muscles and even make a
specific point to monitor your jaw when singing
to be sure it truly is relaxed. If your jaw is
tense, you will not receive your best tone and
perhaps even have trouble hitting some of the
higher tones.
K = KEEP IT CLEAN. When practicing your vocal
skills focus on creating a pure and clear tone
first, free of airiness, rasp and other tonal
changes added for stylistic purposes. If you cannot
create a clear tone full of life and energy, you
are not singing up to your potential.
To
get the rest of these tips, please download the
Fall
2008 Issue of The Singing Spot Ezine.
Study
with Vocal Coach Yvonne DeBandi
in the privacy of your own home! |
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