Music Simply Music - Warm Fuzzies

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

March 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)! I hope for you that the start of 2000 has been healthy and successful. Thanks for all the positive feedback!

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? 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!

Another note to subscribers:
Thanks for your response in reference to receiving back issues. We are still having some challenges making them accessible directly through the vocal page of the Music Simply Music web site. We are presently working on it. In the meantime, thanks for your patience!

You may contact me at Mail to: DAmbrosino@musicsimplymusic.com

2. Test Your Vocal Knowledge

1. True or False: Deep breathing oxygenates and purifies the blood.

2. This type of singing is not raw chest tone or simply yelling loudly. This vocal method, which is widely used by Broadway and pop singers, requires great focus and breath support to be executed correctly.

3. Can you reduce a nasal sounding tone by lifting or lowering the soft palate?

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3. VIP Q & A

Q: How can I achieve a better sense of pitch?

A: Your ability to accurately hear pitch develops over time as you continue to expose your ears to quality music. Listening consistently and studying a specific singer can greatly speed up this process. Beyond this, imitating what you hear requires even greater listening on your part. When you sing the melody without the singer and should you get off pitch, you are on your own when it comes to correcting it. This is a rude awakening for some who rely on the singer to help keep them on pitch by matching them. Singing acapella (with no musical accompaniment at all) truly tests your sense of pitch. Try this simple exercise. Play a note on your piano (or whatever instrument is available) which is in a comfortable singing range. Start singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" beginning on that pitch. Only play the first note of the song to help get you started. When you finished singing the song, sustain the last note and go back to your instrument and play that original note. If that pitch is the same, you've done a great job staying on pitch. This song is great in studying beginning pitch recognition in that the range is small and the melody is simple and repetitive. (It also happens to begin and end on the same note!) Speakers can improve their pitch in terms of the inflections in their speech patterns. No audience enjoys a monotone performance. Explore your highs and lows, your louds and softs, your variations of tempo. Similar to the above exercise, record yourself while reciting "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Manipulate your voice (safely, of course) utilizing all your different vocal sounds and tempos. Repeat this several times. As you listen back, isn't it amazing how different each version of this little poem can sound. Take note of what you like and don't like and start developing your own dynamic speech patterns. Whether you are singing or speaking, breath plays an important role. It is difficult to reach high notes when you are at the end of your breath. The pitch tends to go flat as you complete your exhale. Forcing a pitch out at this point could lead to singing or speaking with stress on your vocal cords. Always be aware of having adequate breath and, when you need to...breathe! Keep singing with your favorite singer and keep utilizing the incredible range of colors your voice exhibits and you are well on your way to achieving a wonderful sense of pitch. _____________________________________________________

4. Vocal Tip Next time someone gives you a compliment in reference to your voice, don't give excuses as to why you didn't sound better or what circumstances made it difficult for you to not perform to the best of your ability. Just say, THANK YOU! Period. (It's the professional thing to do and it says it all!)

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5. Notable Quotables "Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education." -Plato

"Love your enemies, for they will tell you your faults." -Benjamin Franklin ______________________________________________________

6. Trivia Answers

1. True

2. belting

3. lifting

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: mailto:DAmbrosino@musicsimplymusic.com

"We enjoy what we do, and so will you!"
phone: 516-471-4358
fax: 516-471-8311

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