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Welcome
to Vocalist's Insightful Practices (VIP) Newsletter!
August
5, 2000
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 Welcome to Vocalist's Insightful Practices
(VIP)!
Thank
you again for all the positive feedback and for helping
make VIP such a successful e-newsletter! Enrollment is
up 10%! Welcome to our new subscribers and thank you to
our friends who forward VIP to their friends. That's how
we grow and have a greater impact on the vocal
community! 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
which 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!
Note
to subscribers: Do you have all VIP issues since it's
premier in June 1999? They are now available - go to 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!
Another note to subscribers: Please notify me if you did
not receive an earlier e-mail from me with regards to
The Rocky Horror Show auditions on www.broadway.com You
may contact me at Mail to: dambrosino@musicsimplymusic.com
2.
Test Your Vocal Knowledge
- The
3 primary resonators for the voice are the ________,
________ & ________.
- Upon
inhaling, should your shoulders move slightly upward
or remain still?
- True
or False: Doing abdominal exercises can assist you
in controlling your breath and breathing more
efficiently.
____________________________________________________
3.
VIP Q & A
Q:
Whenever I listen to myself singing on tape, I notice
that many of the end of my phrases tend to go flat. How
can I fix this?
A:
First of all, you have good ears to hear your variation
in pitch. Since you are experiencing this challenge at
the END of a phrase, the problem may simply be that you
are running out of breath and do not have enough to
support those last notes. If this seems like an accurate
diagnosis, try taking a bigger breath before singing the
phrase. Try to estimate (this takes practice) the amount
of breath you need to sing the phrase and then make sure
you have a little bit more so you can end the phrase
cleanly and with style. Your fallen pitch may also be
the result of your thinking. Let me explain. Many
phrases in music end in a descending manner (notes are
going down). Because your pitch is lowering, you are
naturally thinking "down." However, you should
really be thinking "up."
Thinking
"up" feeds your energy and strengthens your
breath thus keeping you on pitch. The notes may be going
down but they still require the same amount of breath to
keep the pitch steady. So.... THINK UP! Finally, though
less likely, you may not be able to hear yourself well
enough to distinguish pitch. For example, are you
forcing air out and singing very loudly? Are you singing
along with very loud music? If this is the case, turn
the volume down (your voice and the music!). You will be
able to hear yourself and really tune into your sense of
pitch. When loud music is inevitable (like singing with
a band), make sure you have a quality monitor to avoid
over-singing, and a good sound person!
4.
Vocal Tip
If
you have much to say or sing and it must be executed on
a single breath, try this visualization. As you speak or
sing the long phrase, imagine that you are sucking in
your breath. This is totally pschyological of course
because air must come out as you speak or sing. However,
this helps conserve air and results in a straighter
(less vibrato) tone.
5.
Notable Quotables
"Writing
music is my one and only passion and joy." -Mozart,
1777
"Human
felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good
fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that
occur every day." -Benjamin Franklin
6.
Trivia Answers
1.
mouth, throat and nose
2. remain still
3. true
Copyright
© 2000 Diane Ambrosino. All rights reserved. Permission
is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute VIP so long
as this copyright notice and full information about
contacting the author is attached. The author of this
article is Diane Ambrosino and she may be contacted at: DAmbrosino@musicsimplymusic.com
To
subscribe/unsubscribe send an email to: Vip-list@musicsimplymusic.com
with the either words the words "subscribe
VIP" or the words "unsubscribe VIP" in
the body of the email.
"We
enjoy what we do, and so will you!"
phone:
631-863-2354
fax: 631-471-8311
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here to return to VIP archive page
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