Hi, sorry it's been awhile. I actually injured my voice & got a cold as a result from having to sing too high at a job. I hate it when you have to sing above your range & push because you are getting payed & the songwriter can't change the key of the song.
Anyway, my voice is hopefully coming back little by little.
So a tip for all. Don't sing higher than you are used to.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
do your own warm ups.
After becoming disillusioned with people taking so much & not doing the warm ups with us, on youtube, I figured we'll have to improvise.
So you need a piano so you can know what key to start singing in.
The reason you should practice with an instrument & not just random notes you hear in your head, is to firstly keep track of how much progress you are making. Secondly, hearing a piano while you sing is good for your ear training & pitch training as well.
So if you have no piano at home here are some cheesy online pianos:
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/
http://www.pianoworld.com/fun/javapiano/javapiano.htm
Where you should start your warm up depends on your voice. Start comfortably. Not too low or high. For girls, Find middle C & go down a few notes maybe to G & do what Eric does, first go up & down the scale comfortably doing lip rolls & then start changing to to La la la & then different sounds like, ma & mu & li & da, yei & so forth. Doing different sounds works out different parts of your voice.
The hardest sounds to sing nicely are eeeeeeeeee sounds. Like the word "me", it tends to get all nasal. So practice that too, by opening your mouth/throat & make it sound more like ay. Of course I always thought the eeee sound was really modern so whatevs.
So you need a piano so you can know what key to start singing in.
The reason you should practice with an instrument & not just random notes you hear in your head, is to firstly keep track of how much progress you are making. Secondly, hearing a piano while you sing is good for your ear training & pitch training as well.
So if you have no piano at home here are some cheesy online pianos:
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/
http://www.pianoworld.com/fun/javapiano/javapiano.htm
Where you should start your warm up depends on your voice. Start comfortably. Not too low or high. For girls, Find middle C & go down a few notes maybe to G & do what Eric does, first go up & down the scale comfortably doing lip rolls & then start changing to to La la la & then different sounds like, ma & mu & li & da, yei & so forth. Doing different sounds works out different parts of your voice.
The hardest sounds to sing nicely are eeeeeeeeee sounds. Like the word "me", it tends to get all nasal. So practice that too, by opening your mouth/throat & make it sound more like ay. Of course I always thought the eeee sound was really modern so whatevs.
About Youtube vocal videos.
Well, sometimes they just blab the whole time instead of sing. I'm still looking for one where they just play the darn piano & do all the warm ups you need for 20 min.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Today's lesson
Today's lesson is part 3 of Eric's vocal warm up.
He says, "if you sound good while you are doing it, you're probably doing it wrong." Nice one.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOn-b3V6rQ
and continuing on in the weirdness here's part 4
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=AnmlpVe3B40
He says, "if you sound good while you are doing it, you're probably doing it wrong." Nice one.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOn-b3V6rQ
and continuing on in the weirdness here's part 4
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=AnmlpVe3B40
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Warm up Part 2
bbbbbbbbbbbbbrrr....lip rolls.
Remember he is a guy. So girls, when you copy him, remember to change into your speaking voice range & then, head voice for the lip roll part.
After that he plays the piano so he'll tell the girls where to come in.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_RwV52DMw&feature=channel
Remember he is a guy. So girls, when you copy him, remember to change into your speaking voice range & then, head voice for the lip roll part.
After that he plays the piano so he'll tell the girls where to come in.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_RwV52DMw&feature=channel
It's not THAT easy.
"Yeah!!! Rad.
So now that I'm drinking, like, tons of H2O & sleeping till the crack of noon, my voice will just be so awesome, I won't have to do anything else, right."
Uh, NO. Training your voice is like training an athlete, you have to work out & warm up & stretch & all that.
Here is a very simple video on YOUTUBE to start out with. It talks about the diaphragm which is probably one of the best things you can learn about & learn how to use.
EVEN ALL YOU SCREAMOS OUT THERE, unless you use your diaphragm while screaming, you will ruin your vocal chords.
Here is ERIC ARCENEAUX, teaching you the Shhhhhhhhh exercise which is one of the best for warming up the diaphragm:
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5CWsFaVnWM
So now that I'm drinking, like, tons of H2O & sleeping till the crack of noon, my voice will just be so awesome, I won't have to do anything else, right."
Uh, NO. Training your voice is like training an athlete, you have to work out & warm up & stretch & all that.
Here is a very simple video on YOUTUBE to start out with. It talks about the diaphragm which is probably one of the best things you can learn about & learn how to use.
EVEN ALL YOU SCREAMOS OUT THERE, unless you use your diaphragm while screaming, you will ruin your vocal chords.
Here is ERIC ARCENEAUX, teaching you the Shhhhhhhhh exercise which is one of the best for warming up the diaphragm:
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5CWsFaVnWM
Sleep Sleep Sleep.............................
I'm sure there have been numerous occasions where you stayed up late partying & doing God knows what, & when you wake up the next day your voice is all low. While you think it may sound quite sultry & cool, probably all you are good for is muttering sweet & low nothings to your dahling but for singing, nothing will hinder your range & energy levels more than lack of sleep. Thankfully voice inflexibiliy related to lack of sleep is treatable, much more so than say tonedeafness. (Another good topic for later) But all you have to do --howerer not as easy as it sounds-- is GO TO SLEEP ALREADY!!!!
Sometimes, (rare occasions) I will say to myself: "gee I sound pretty good today" & then I'll realize I had a really good nights sleep. I know this sounds indulgent but 10 hours of sleep can do wonders. Probably I'm just paying back sleep debts & wouldn't need 10 hrs forever but the nights I have slept that long I have given the best singing results.
Although not talking directly about sleep for singing here is an interesting article about sleep & sleep debts:
http://www.relfe.com/07/sleep_apnea_disorder_problem_kid.html
Sometimes, (rare occasions) I will say to myself: "gee I sound pretty good today" & then I'll realize I had a really good nights sleep. I know this sounds indulgent but 10 hours of sleep can do wonders. Probably I'm just paying back sleep debts & wouldn't need 10 hrs forever but the nights I have slept that long I have given the best singing results.
Although not talking directly about sleep for singing here is an interesting article about sleep & sleep debts:
http://www.relfe.com/07/sleep_apnea_disorder_problem_kid.html
Monday, January 26, 2009
WATER PLEASE
Each of us is a living thing. You are a beautiful flower, or a cool weed, which ever you prefer. In any case, staying hydrated is so important for vocal health. You can't just drink a bunch of water as soon as you realise you have to sing, you have to have it already going through your system, like days/weeks in advance. It also helps thin phlegm. (Phlegm is something geross, but we shall have to address it in a later post as it is truly annoying to deal with while singing.) Anyway, below is a long read, but helps explain about the importance of water:
Hydration For Singing And Optimal Performance
By Per Bristow © 2006
How does a dehydrated vs. hydrated body affect your singing and speaking voice? What effect does dehydration have on performance?So you want to perform at your peak? You want to be mentally and physically sharp throughout the day? You want to be creative and productive and energized?
Many people say they want this, yet they deplete their bodies of the very "fuel" that makes this possible. Many rather have sodas, coffee, etc., rather than a glass of water.
As a vocal and performance coach, I have found that just about everyone who seeks my help for voice problems drink frighteningly small amounts of water (many drink a lot of other, not so healthy, fluids. This is hardly a coincidence. Although there is more to healing and peak performance than drinking water, hydrating the body is a very important and ever so easy step.
Studies have suggested that the average American is dehydrated. As much as 75% of the population may be chronically dehydrated. While scientists argue whether these statistics are true or not, and how much water a person really needs, what we can agree on is that the thirst signal weakens as we age.
We also know that the more dehydrated we become, the more our thirst signals weakens. When you start drinking more, you start feeling thirstier more often – you are awakening the thirst signal.
If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Thirst is never a measure of adequate hydration.
Water is the medium through which all of our cells communicate with each other. It is how the immune system monitors the body for invaders or imbalances and how it knows where to send its "troops" when the body is under threat; all done without our conscious awareness of what is happening. Water makes it possible for the autonomic nervous system, and its two branches, to maintain equilibrium in the body.
Every cell in our body becomes aware when there is even the slightest water shortage. In response, the cells change from a state of optimal function to a state of conservation.
Our tendency to substitute water for sodas, coffee, juices, etc. adds to the problem. Sodas create a bigger problem than merely the dehydration factor. They are also highly acidic and water is needed simply to restore pH balance, or the body will take from its calcium reserves (the bones) to maintain equilibrium.
The dehydrating effect of caffeine is still being debated, but people who drink coffee tend to do so instead of drinking water (even instead of eating food sometimes), rather than in addition to it.
Most health practitioners, nutritionist, sports-trainers, athletes, singers, peak performers, etc., agree that drinking more than our thirst tells us is of absolute necessity for optimal performance.
-- Water carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion by forming stomach secretions, flushes our bodies of wastes, and keeps our kidneys healthy.
-- The kidneys control the concentration levels of bodily fluids and the balance of electrolytes. They are responsible for removing excess hormones, vitamins, minerals, and foreign toxins such as drugs, chemicals, and food additives. They get rid of the waste products from protein metabolism - uric acid, urea, and lactic acid - but they need lots of water to accomplish this.
-- Research has suggested that women who stay adequately hydrated reduce their risk of breast cancer by 79 percent.
-- Gastrointestinal problems have been shown to be connected with water shortage. Hydration can help prevent chronic joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis because water reduces inflammation and promotes cartilage health.
As singers and speakers, we depend on the flexibility and elasticity of the tissues, membranes, muscles and cartilages in our throat. We need water and lots of it. No liquid ever touches the vocal cords directly on its way down. You are not lubricating the vocal cords with the sip that you just took, although the swallowing itself does have a lubricating effect. To truly lubricate the vocal cords and the larynx, the water must go through your entire system.
On stage, we expel enormous amounts of energy whether it is a physical performance or not. Touring musicians live in air-conditioned vehicles and air-conditioned hotel rooms. AC and heating dries the air. The traveling voice professional would benefit by bringing a portable humidifier (clean it often to avoid bacterial growth).
Airplanes are probably the most dehydrating forms of transportation. Athletes and singers drink copious amounts of water when flying (as should everyone). Jet lag worsens with dehydration. Conversely, keeping the body hydrated when flying is one way to diminish the effect of jet lag.
So how much is enough?
The answer is that it depends. The measuring stick is always to have clear and odorless urine throughout the day (except for early morning).
Can you drink too much water?
Yes, the condition is called hyponatremia, and is a condition in which excess water intake dilutes the normal amount of sodium in the blood. However, realize that we are here talking about massive intake of water, such as the marathon runner who drank 3 liters in one hour the night before a race.
The bottom line is this:
-- If you want to heal illness, you need to hydrate.-- If you want to prevent illness, you need to hydrate.-- If you want optimal performance, you need to hydrate.
© 2006 - Per Bristow
By Per Bristow © 2006
How does a dehydrated vs. hydrated body affect your singing and speaking voice? What effect does dehydration have on performance?So you want to perform at your peak? You want to be mentally and physically sharp throughout the day? You want to be creative and productive and energized?
Many people say they want this, yet they deplete their bodies of the very "fuel" that makes this possible. Many rather have sodas, coffee, etc., rather than a glass of water.
As a vocal and performance coach, I have found that just about everyone who seeks my help for voice problems drink frighteningly small amounts of water (many drink a lot of other, not so healthy, fluids. This is hardly a coincidence. Although there is more to healing and peak performance than drinking water, hydrating the body is a very important and ever so easy step.
Studies have suggested that the average American is dehydrated. As much as 75% of the population may be chronically dehydrated. While scientists argue whether these statistics are true or not, and how much water a person really needs, what we can agree on is that the thirst signal weakens as we age.
We also know that the more dehydrated we become, the more our thirst signals weakens. When you start drinking more, you start feeling thirstier more often – you are awakening the thirst signal.
If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Thirst is never a measure of adequate hydration.
Water is the medium through which all of our cells communicate with each other. It is how the immune system monitors the body for invaders or imbalances and how it knows where to send its "troops" when the body is under threat; all done without our conscious awareness of what is happening. Water makes it possible for the autonomic nervous system, and its two branches, to maintain equilibrium in the body.
Every cell in our body becomes aware when there is even the slightest water shortage. In response, the cells change from a state of optimal function to a state of conservation.
Our tendency to substitute water for sodas, coffee, juices, etc. adds to the problem. Sodas create a bigger problem than merely the dehydration factor. They are also highly acidic and water is needed simply to restore pH balance, or the body will take from its calcium reserves (the bones) to maintain equilibrium.
The dehydrating effect of caffeine is still being debated, but people who drink coffee tend to do so instead of drinking water (even instead of eating food sometimes), rather than in addition to it.
Most health practitioners, nutritionist, sports-trainers, athletes, singers, peak performers, etc., agree that drinking more than our thirst tells us is of absolute necessity for optimal performance.
-- Water carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion by forming stomach secretions, flushes our bodies of wastes, and keeps our kidneys healthy.
-- The kidneys control the concentration levels of bodily fluids and the balance of electrolytes. They are responsible for removing excess hormones, vitamins, minerals, and foreign toxins such as drugs, chemicals, and food additives. They get rid of the waste products from protein metabolism - uric acid, urea, and lactic acid - but they need lots of water to accomplish this.
-- Research has suggested that women who stay adequately hydrated reduce their risk of breast cancer by 79 percent.
-- Gastrointestinal problems have been shown to be connected with water shortage. Hydration can help prevent chronic joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis because water reduces inflammation and promotes cartilage health.
As singers and speakers, we depend on the flexibility and elasticity of the tissues, membranes, muscles and cartilages in our throat. We need water and lots of it. No liquid ever touches the vocal cords directly on its way down. You are not lubricating the vocal cords with the sip that you just took, although the swallowing itself does have a lubricating effect. To truly lubricate the vocal cords and the larynx, the water must go through your entire system.
On stage, we expel enormous amounts of energy whether it is a physical performance or not. Touring musicians live in air-conditioned vehicles and air-conditioned hotel rooms. AC and heating dries the air. The traveling voice professional would benefit by bringing a portable humidifier (clean it often to avoid bacterial growth).
Airplanes are probably the most dehydrating forms of transportation. Athletes and singers drink copious amounts of water when flying (as should everyone). Jet lag worsens with dehydration. Conversely, keeping the body hydrated when flying is one way to diminish the effect of jet lag.
So how much is enough?
The answer is that it depends. The measuring stick is always to have clear and odorless urine throughout the day (except for early morning).
Can you drink too much water?
Yes, the condition is called hyponatremia, and is a condition in which excess water intake dilutes the normal amount of sodium in the blood. However, realize that we are here talking about massive intake of water, such as the marathon runner who drank 3 liters in one hour the night before a race.
The bottom line is this:
-- If you want to heal illness, you need to hydrate.-- If you want to prevent illness, you need to hydrate.-- If you want optimal performance, you need to hydrate.
© 2006 - Per Bristow
Welcome to Croak Croak
Well, I've decided to create a happy little blog all about singing. This is dedicated to my baby sis Angie.
So, for the record, I'm not claiming to "know all" or be gods gift to croaking (singing), but I am learning & discovering bit by bit. These are my discoveries & I will put them here mainly for myself, quick reference & my vocal routine, but also for anybody who is interested.
I will mainly include links & stuff from other sources, but may also add a bit here and there. And what do striped socks have to do with singing, nothing, it's just a pic to make Angie smile.
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