I can’t count the number of times a student has told me, “I can’t sing with vibrato, I’m a pop singer;” or “I can’t sing an aria, I’m a musical theatre singer.” Admittedly, I was once a victim of this kind of thinking. I would say, “I can’t belt, I’m a legit singer.” Lies! I’m here to tell you that this kind of thinking is wrong. A singer with the right training can safely sing whatever style he/she wants to sing. How? Easy, technique.
Technique is technique, regardless of style. Once a singer has learned the technique they can branch into any genre. When I say technique, I do mean the meaty, gritty boring stuff that makes a good singer an exceptional singer. Soft palate, tongue placement, diaphragm, support, placement of the sound, vibrato, ironing out the different registers, vowel sounds, consonants, etc. This is tough, and sometimes boring work. But it yields the results, because every single style of music uses this same technique. There are only minor differences.
Jazz singing has a brighter sound, with minimal vibrato. Pop has a shallower sound, again with minimal vibrato. Musical theatre (depending on the song, but generally) has more vibrato and a taller sound, plus you have to act. Classical singing has lots of vibrato and a much taller sound. But if you don’t know how to engage your soft palate, place your sound, or control your vibrato, you limit yourself. And why be stuck doing only one thing when you have the potential and ability to do anything?
So now the question remains, can you learn how to do this? Yes, just find a good vocal coach. Someone who will work on building your voice with you. Again, it’s tough work, so you need to find someone who you trust and can work with for a long period of time. The work never stops, but if you’re passionate about being a versatile vocalist you will grow.
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When learning a new instrument or taking a music class for the first time, you will be required to learn Music Theory. The importance of learning theory is what will help you read the music, decipher the music and become privy to the music language. As a musician, teacher or student, there are certain terms that you should know, both basic and advanced, that will guide you, helping you to understand music and become more of an expert on the subject.
Between baseball, soccer, gymnastics and cell phones, our children’s schedules are packed with fun activities. If you were on the fence about adding music lessons into the weekly grind, here are a few reasons why music lessons might be an important activity for your child to be involved in.
Think you can’t sing? I disagree.
If you struggle to carry a tune, chances are you aren’t tone deaf, but that some part of your voice is just a bit out of whack. Your voice is an incredibly complex system that requires all its parts to be in balance to function smoothly.
While there are many reasons to start voice lessons, a stronger instrument isn’t the only thing you’ll leave the room with every week. At any age, the added benefits of developing your singing instrument are numerous, but I’ll start you with 5 things you will also be learning while attending your voice lessons.
Top 5 Jazz Standards for Beginners
Learning jazz can be a daunting task. With literally hundreds of iconic recordings of hundreds of different jazz standards it can often feel overwhelming to decide where to begin. But have no fear! We’ve compiled a short list of jazz standards that are commonly performed by jazz musicians and great for jazz beginners:
Whether it’s for enjoyment or a career choice, playing the piano can be very rewarding — not just for you — but for your audience as well– if you’re good, that is.
When my students are trying to decide which song to learn next, I offer as much guidance as possible. However, I know that this can be an overwhelming decision that’s ultimately up to the students. No matter what instrument you’re playing, the same considerations need to be made when choosing a new song.
Besides being fun, learning and playing a musical instrument can have many positive effects on your health and mental wellness. Research shows that these benefits can occur at any age and come from playing any instrument. Keep reading to see why people are playing instruments to improve their general health.
Between baseball, soccer, karate and cell phones, our children’s schedules are packed with fun activities. If you were on the fence about adding piano lessons into the weekly grind, here are a few reasons why piano lessons might be an important activity for your child to be involved in.
