Welcome to Vocalist's Insightful Practices(VIP) Newsletter!

December 5, 1999

Table of Contents:
1. Welcome Notes
2. Vocal "Trivia"
3. VIP Hot Topic
4. Vocal Tip
5. Notable Quotables
6. Trivia Answers

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1. Welcome Notes Welcome to Vocalist's Insightful Practices (VIP)! 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! Wow...enrollment is up by nearly 20% since the last issue! THANK YOU!

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: This final issue of the century will stray slightly from its original format. The Q & A section will be replaced by addressing an issue which has come up several times in the past month.

Another note to subscribers: Do you have all VIP issues since it's premier in June? E-mail me today to receive back issues! If you have a question that you would like to see addressed in an upcoming issue, e-mail me with the info! I am eager to assist you with any vocal challenges you might be experiencing.

You may contact me at mailto:DAmbrosino@musicsimplymusic.com

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2. Test Your Vocal Knowledge

1. Body alignment has everything or nothing to do with breath management?

2. Which are considered the "true cords" - the vocal folds or the ventricular folds?

3. True or False: Having one alcoholic beverage prior to performing with your voice will make you perform better.

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3.VIP Hot Topic (formerly VIP Q & A)

An important issue, having repeatedly entered my teachings in the past month, has prompted me to address it this month. Over the past 11 years, I have noticed that whenever an adult student starts lessons, frustration is often an early challenge. I find this frustration is a result of the lack of patience in adult students. Perhaps, just because they are older, they think they should be able to figure things out faster, thus learn faster than children. Keep in mind, adults, this is a NEW process. Would you expect to place the ball in the middle of the fairway after just one golf lesson? Would you give up on your 12 month old if she fell after taking one step? (In general, adults are very hard on themselves!) The choice to take voice lessons is exciting in that it is usually a step towards fulfilling a life long dream. You may have been singing your entire life, but the process of voice lessons in a whole new ball game. At the beginning, you may feel like you're taking a step backwards because you must build a solid foundation (getting back to basics) and possibly re-condition your voice by replacing bad habits with good ones. Remind yourself that this process IS a step forward in attaining a more flexible, powerful and enjoyable voice. Think of your voice as a muscle. Biceps don't appear overnight. The correct form and consistent repetition is key in developing muscles. This holds true for your voice (or most anything in which you would like excel!) As a voice student, it is important to be clear about what you want to achieve and set measurable goals. (We'll discuss the topic of goal-setting in a future issue.) Celebrate when you reach these goals, no matter how small they seem. Patience IS a virtue, especially when it comes to learning and executing a new skill. Maybe you are 50 years old, but when starting a new process, you are an infant! Adults too often forget this. Even if you're taking baby steps in your achievements, congratulate yourself and find contentment in knowing you're that much closer to your goal. In closing, I'd like to share an idea with all the adult readers that I frequently suggest to many of my adult students. Keep a picture of yourself as a child handy to which you can refer. When you get frustrated or down on yourself, look at this picture. Look in your own eyes and see the promise, the love and the ability to truly believe that you can do ANYTHING your heart desires. Focus not on your limitations but all your incredible possibilities.

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4. Vocal Tip

When you experience frustration, whether it be the inability to figure out a musical phrase or flubbing over the same word 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 doing something nutty! Continuing on the same path (that lead to the 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 the vicious cycle OR just rehearse LATER! There is power in knowing when to stop yourself and even greater power in actually stopping yourself.

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5. Notable Quotables

"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney "Imagine all the people, living life in peace." - John Lennon

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6. Trivia Answers

1. everything
2. vocal folds
3. false (It may psychologically help you to relax but the physical detriments (a dry and/or numb throat) will definitely hinder your performance!)

Copyright © 1999 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: http://www.musicsimplymusic.com mailto:DAmbrosino@musicsimplymusic.com

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phone: 516-471-4358
fax: 516-471-8311

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