#vocal tip

[yourvocalcoach]

Heute schon genug getrunken?

Wenn du das Gefühl hast, dass du deine Stimme heute nicht wirklich unter Kontrolle hast, oder sich irgendetwas anders anfühlt als sonst, dann kann es gut sein, dass deine Stimmbänder einfach nicht ausreichend bewässert (hydriert) sind. Jeder hat schon einmal von der Empfehlung gehört täglich ca 2 Liter Wasser oder gar mehr zu trinken. Aber halten wir uns auch wirklich immer daran? Wenn wir mit der Stimme arbeiten, dann sollte uns bewusst sein, dass sie nur dann einwandfrei funktioniert, wenn wir ausreichen trinken. Unser Körper ist klug - er versorgt zunächst die allerwichtigsten Organe mit dem aufgenommen Wasser, bevor die Stimmbänder dran sind. Wenn wir also zu wenig trinken, kann es sein, dass die Stimmbänder unterversorgt sind. Es geht also nicht nur um die direkte „Bewässerung“ während des Trinkens (was natürlich auch gut ist) - sondern vielmehr um den allgemeinen Wasserhaushalt.

[robinearlvoicecoach]

Have Some F.U.N. with Your Singing

By Robin Earl

Has anyone ever told you to open your mouth more when you are singing? Most of us FEEL like we are getting our mouth open more than we really are.

You’ve probably heard voice teachers say ‘open your mouth’ when you sing, but many singers feel like they are opening their mouth enough to create a good tone, but sometimes are not.

The YouTube video ‘Some Nights’ by F.U.N., with lead singer Nate Ruess, shows quite an example of a more extreme open mouth position.

It allows him to be amazingly efficient in his high note singing and seamless range. Not every singer has a style where they need to sing with their mouth this far open, but it proves a point in how important paying attention to mouth shape is for a singer, no matter the style or how open their mouth needs to be to create the tone and sound they want.

Is your tongue in the way, closing off the back of your mouth and creating a muffled tone? Are you paying attention to tongue shape, getting your ‘tongue groove’ on? Are you showing top teeth on high notes to create a ‘lift’ into the nasal area? Just like a guitar has a round space, as well as a saxophone, trumpet, etc., your mouth creates your unique sound, with resonance, pronunciation, timbre, placement, of your own.

Singers can, and should, vary in how much they open their mouths, depending on their personal style, musical style, their physical jaw structure, and technical awareness, thereby creating the best mouth shapes are a process!

Connect with me!

Twitter | Facebook | Email

VoiceCoachRobin.com

[robinearlvoicecoach]

Ribcage ‘Up and Flare’ for Singing

By Robin Earl

Today I had a singer ask me how to get rid of ‘tension in the upper chest area,’ which was interfering with her singing breathing… Someone had told her that the ribcage moved ‘out and up,’ but she was getting a lot of tension when she moved ‘up’ with the inhale of her breathing.

Yes it’s true, the ribcage moves out and slightly up on the inhale, but it is more of an ‘out and flare’ than an ‘out and lift up.’ The ribcage moves out to the sides as the lungs expand, but it is an upward flare from the lower part of the ribs, rather than a lift up of the whole ribcage for the singing breath.

If it helps, bring your arms slightly up from your sides and visualize the flare of an umbrella opening, ballet arms coming out to the side, or a jellyfish expanding out and then propelling through the water. The ribcage expansion is basically out, the diaphragm moves down, and the feeling is more of a balloon shape in the core and lung area and not the feeling of lifting the chest up. This causes constriction and tension in the upper chest and neck, and a feeling that you’re just not getting enough air. It’s cool how we invent and create items in our world that are similar to what nature has made, such as creating balloons that function similar to lungs.

I hope this helps with getting a relaxed, deep, tension-free breath for your performance! What images have helped you create an efficient breath?

Connect with me!

Twitter | Facebook | Email

VoiceCoachRobin.com

[newyorkvocalcoaching]

The voice is the one instrument that you carry everywhere you go. Your voice is used when you’re at work, ordering a cup of coffee, at a loud restaurant, spending time with friends, at home with family and, of course, when singing! Often singers wonder why their voices sometimes get tired even they’re not doing excessive amounts of practicing and performing. Usually the cause is the EXTRA use being done on top of the singing. Moreover, factors like diet, stress, lack of sleep, and physical fitness also affect the way our voices function. So, if you’re wanting to preserve, protect, or prepare your voice for a big performance, take into consideration the BIG vocal picture! Find ways to spare your voice from any unnecessary extra wear and tear. If you do, your best voice will be with you anytime, anywhere!

Daily Vocal Tips, by New York Vocal Coaching