|
Welcome
to Vocalist's Insightful Practices (VIP) Newsletter!
April
5, 2003
Table
of Contents:
1. Welcome Notes
2. Vocal "Trivia"
3. VIP Q & A
4. Vocal Tip
5. Notable Quotables
6. Trivia Answers
===================================================
1. Welcome Notes
Happy Spring and welcome to Vocalist's Insightful
Practices (VIP)!
Have you checked out Music Simply Music's FREE
REPORTS yet???? They are only available to YOU…
VIP and M-TIP subscribers!
Welcome to our new subscribers and thank you to our
friends who continue to forward VIP to their friends.
That's how we grow and have a greater impact on the
vocal community!
Thank you again for all the positive feedback and for
helping to make VIP such a successful e-newsletter!
VIP is a free monthly newsletter that's goal is to
promote proper vocal health by providing valuable, yet
simple tips to singers, vocal coaches, speakers
and anyone else who uses their voice! I hope that this
electronic publication assists you in creating a voice
that is more healthy, powerful and enjoyable. Please let
me know how I can be of service to you in reaching your
vocal goals. Take care of your voice, if it breaks you
can't get a new one!
A note to subscribers:
Do you have all VIP issues since it's premier in June
1999? View the VIP issues you wish to today!
http://www.musicsimplymusic.com/viparchives.htm
If you have a question that you would like to see
addressed in an upcoming issue, e-mail me with the info!
You may contact me at
vip@musicsimplymusic.com
Shameless Marketing Plug:
If you know someone who would benefit by subscribing to
VIP, please forward them this copy and if they choose,
they can click on the link below to become a monthly
subscriber.
http://www.musicsimplymusic.com/newsletters.htm
Be sure to check our web site at:
http://www.musicsimplymusic.com
We have lots of information, and resources you can use.
We're constantly adding and up-dating so check it often!
===================================================
2. Vocal Trivia
Test Your Vocal Knowledge
1. What is hanging downward in the back of your throat -
your uvula or your tonsil?
2. The proper term for the breathing process is called
__________________.
3. True or False: Making a vocal transition from chest
voice to head voice too late can cause damage to your
vocal cords.
===================================================
3. VIP Q & A
Q: How do a select a voice teacher for my child? What
should I look for and what questions should I ask?
A: This question has come up again and again so I must
address it again. As per my January 2001 issue of VIP,
here are some suggestions:
Sadly, there have been numerous times over
the past 14 years that I have personally been
visited by young girls with damaged voices.
Unbelievably, every one of them came to me
after studying with another voice teacher!
I share this disturbing fact to educate you
and suggest that you do your homework carefully
when selecting a voice teacher. I get very
upset when students (as young as 7!!!) have
the beginnings of life long damage to their
vocal cords. More upsetting is the fact that
their condition is due to poor vocal training
by someone who is considered a professional!
How horrible is that to the unknowing parent
and the deceived student who are both so
excited to nurture this love of singing!?!?
Yes, I know - I obviously have a lot of
energy on this topic. Rightly so, as I am
directly affected by this continuing predicament.
ANYWAY...here are those tips on choosing the
RIGHT voice teacher for your child:
- A recommendation from someone you know and
trust holds a lot more weight than the teacher
who has the biggest or fanciest ad in the paper.
Is the person recommending this teacher pleased
with the student's progress? Listening to this
student would be beneficial to you as well.
- A great teacher should be vocally skillful to
demonstrate all techniques taught to the student.
(There are many teachers who have musical ability
but little knowledge of the voice and how it works.
Many don't even know how to sing!
- Degrees and years of experience sound impressive
but should not play a major role in selecting a
teacher. I personally would like to find the
teacher who has a "Ph.D. in RESULTS!" Also,
some
teachers with decades of experience have not
changed with the times. This is not necessarily
a bad thing (They obviously have been successful
to have survived all those years!) but it could
be a problem in creating an affective relationship
with a young student.
- Phenomenal vocal ability is great but can he
teach? Can he communicate with a child? Can
he be sensitive to know when or how to present
information to the student? Beware - many voice
"teachers" out there are wannabe performers
that don't get the gig so resort to teaching
to earn a living.
- Have you heard any of this teacher's students?
Attending a recital would allow you to hear what
kind of voices this teacher is producing. Even an
uneducated person can hear straining, harsh tones
or other problems. Beware of voices that all sound
to same. This indicates a teacher focused on one
technique that works rather than a individual
program customized to develop all the talents
and uniqueness of that particular student.
Students have different voice qualities and
different vocal goals, which need to be addressed
in different ways.
- Interview teachers on the phone and ask them
about their program and what their methods can
do for your child. A teacher should LISTEN
and allow you to express all your concerns.
- Trust your instincts - Do you feel comfortable
with this person? Can you see her interacting
with your son or daughter?
-Find out if this teacher has any affiliation
with an ENT (ears, nose & throat doctor) or
speech therapist. A speech therapist or
ENT would refer their clients only to a qualified
voice teacher who has knowledge of the mechanics
of the voice. You want a voice teacher who knows
how to detect damage, how to teach correct vocal
placement and who knows how to work with a damaged
or recovering voice. (It's not just about sound!)
- Choose a teacher with an upbeat personality,
full of enthusiasm - someone who truly enjoys
what she does and can create a wonderful rapport
with your child. These qualifications can help
develop a nurturing environment in which your
child will have fun while learning and growing
as a singer and performer.
===================================================
4. Vocal Tip
When you experience frustration during a practice
session, whether it is the inability to figure out a
musical phrase or flubbing over the same work over and
over, stop yourself. Ignoring the frustration will only
make you more frustrated. Take a break, go back to it
later, try something different or break your pattern by
immediately stopping and by doing something fun!
Continuing on the same path (that's leads to
frustration) and expecting different results will surely
make you crazy! Your state of mind, the events of the
day and your physical state will greatly affect your
vocal performance. Either allow yourself to get caught
in this vicious cycle OR just rehearse LATER! There is
power in knowing when to stop yourself and even greater
power in actually stopping yourself.
===================================================
5. Notable Quotables
"Of all the musical instruments the human voice is
the most beautiful, for it is made by God."
-Shusha Guppy
"Art transcends war. Art is the language of God and
war is the barking of men. Beethoven is bigger than
war."
-Fannie Hurst
===================================================
6. Trivia Answers
1.uvula
2.respiration
3.true
===================================================
Copyright © 2003 Diane Ambrosino. All rights reserved.
Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute
VIP so long as this copyright notice and full contact
information about the author is attached. The author of
this issue is Diane Ambrosino and she may be contacted
at: vip@musicsimplymusic.com
or reached by telephone at 631-863-2069 ext. 32
To subscribe, simply send an email to:
VIIP-list@musicsimplymusic.com
with the words "subscribe" subject line of the
email.
"A sound approach to music education"
phone: 631-863-2069
fax: 631-863-2355
Click
here to return to VIP archive page
|
