A Bit About Vocademy....

Vocademy Singing Lessons

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that I have a soft spot for Vocademy (www.vocademy.co.uk) because I adore their passion, professional attitude and innovative approach. So, this week I thought I'd let them have a bit of a chat about who they are and what they do... so, over to the guys and gals...

"Hello, my name is Jenna; I work in the office of Vocademy, which is a company offering singing lesson to all ages and ability. If you call or email us, it’ll be me you speak to. I deal with enquiries, support the teachers and liaise with parents and students. Everyday I head to our office in the creative City of Brighton to develop Vocademy – making it the best it can be for aspiring singers. There are four of us running the show: Damo, Sam, Luke and myself - all passionate about music, education and giving opportunity to people.  On top of that we have an ever-growing team of wonderful and experienced teachers who work hard across the UK to motivate, support and guide the students of Vocademy.

Group singing (7-18yrs)

The group classes run part-time over the course of ten weeks. These sessions are really interactive and focus on confidence building. Each session they learn valuable singing skills and techniques, which they utilise as they then work on a modern pop song together. The classes are split into three age groups enabling the kids to explore singing in a comfortable environment, developing their skills as they progress through Vocademy. In the office we come up with ways of making the course structure exciting and rewarding for the youngsters, so it constantly evolves. This term we had a live musician week and a performance week, both gave our children the chance to experience different aspects of singing, have even more fun and perform songs of their choice. At the end of each term we organise a local gigs for the children, parents, teachers and ourselves to enjoy and celebrate the student’s progress. For me, my main involvement is talking to parents and students when they call to enquire. From these enquiries I set up free taster sessions, enrol students and follow up on their progress – keeping in constant contact with the teachers and parents throughout each term. So, although I am working in the office, I still maintain a relationship and involvement as Vocademy’s first port of call.

Private tuition (all ages).

Our private tuition is set up to aid each individual student to whatever his or her want and need is. I deal with 1-2-1 enquiries and organise free consultations with a teacher in their area. I love speaking to new students; the people who contact me all vary. It could be someone wanting to get some extra guidance before a show/audition, or even somebody who has never sung before and wants to start from scratch. My favourite enquiry for 1-2-1 tuition was from a gentleman who had no experience in singing but, for his anniversary, wanted to learn a song to surprise his wife! Anything goes here at Vocademy, we are here to help and our teachers are trained, motivated and ready for anything. 

So, that is an insight on what we are about and what the office team and I get up to. All four of us are working really hard to run and develop Vocademy. If you want to keep updated we are on Facebook and Twitter where we feed news, blogs, singing tips and interact with our students, parents and teachers.

Singing brings a feeling of self-expression, release and confidence. Whether it is a hobby, a new interest or a life-long ambition! As a performer myself, I love that I work for a company who helps and encourages people to experience the joy of singing. It’s feels like a real community and I am proud to be a part of it."

See, I told you these guys were the best!

Top Ten Singers... Do You Agree?

I realised the other day that I haven't done one of these Top Ten thingymajigs that seem so popular these days. So, here's one for you.... in fact, here's one compiled by http://social.popsugar.com/100-Outstanding-Pop-Vocalists-1659579 and, what's even better is that it's the Top 100! Brucey Bonus or what! 

But, what I found most interesting was that out of the Top Ten... only 3 were male! So, let's hear it for the boys... Whoop to Michael Jackson, Johnny Gill and Usher who managed to sneak in there. Biggest congrats though have to go to the Number One choice of Christina Aguilera.She probably won't be everybody's first choice but there are a few things about her and her style that do make her a definite worthy contender for holding the top spot. For example she has a very emotional voice and can be powerful and dramatic but also soft and gentle when needed to do so.

Here's the Top Ten list for those of you who didn't fancy pressing the link button:

 1. Christina Aguilera
2. Mariah Carey
3. Michael Jackson
4. Celine Dion
5. Johnny Gill
6. Whitney Houston
7. Beyonce
8. Alicia Keys
9. Avril Lavigne
10. Usher

There you go... any surprises (Avril)? Anybody obvious missing (Kelly C)... let me know what you think :)

Until next time... keep singing!

Singing Lessons... Do They or Do They Not?!

So, when you watch a program like The X Factor or The Voice can you tell immediately which of the contestants have taken singing lessons? How do you know whether natural talent is trumping vocal coaching?

There's obviously been a lot of these 'talent' programs since the initial Hearsay days gone by, and I would say that we're all getting pretty accustomed to being able to tell a great vocalist from a bit of a naff one. I'd even go so far as to say most of us can spot those who have had singing lessons against those who have quite possibly peaked already. For example, if you remember the original auditions for the top singers that are Kelly Clarkson or even Will Young, you can without a doubt see the style still their today... albeit it a diamond in the rough.

But one thing I do like to watch with these TV shows s just how the singers react to vocal coaching and technique classes over the final weeks. A particularly great example was Leona Lewis and how she responded in the most fantastic manner to the singing lessons that were put her way.

Can you think of any other singers who started out 'OK' and then with the help of vocal coaches and the like were able to become AMAZING? 

 

Cheryl Cole? Hmmm... the jury is out on that one :)

Pro-Mic Technique from a Singing Teacher

As a singing teacher a lot time gets spent working with students on their microphone technique. Becoming a master of the mic is a hugely important part of any performance. Therefore, technique with a microphone should be perfected and practiced at every possible opportunity so it can truly be mastered.

As an example. if you watch Jessie J singing you will notice she has professional and powerful mic that is different from the standard Shure SM58 mic. But, do not let this fool you Miss J is a microphone wizard and would sound equally as fantastic on a £10 Argos microphone!

Whilst singing teachers will have their own variations the following is a useful list to help you get the most out of the mic you use and develop great technique.

1.     Hold the microphone in your hand. It means it will be easier to move than stationery placed in a stand and will give you more control whilst helping to develop performance skills.

2.     Sing into the microphone properly! Too obvious!? But, you need to remember that a mic is directional and so the closer (or louder) you get to it, the louder the sound will come out of the speakers, which is great for dynamics. Ideally you should sing with the microphone head around an inch away from your mouth. Touching the mic head itself with your lips will only increase distortion (and, with a mic jammed into your chops quite probably bad diction!).

3.     A singer needs to sing directly into the head of the microphone.Don't try to look cool by tilting it down and singing into it from below... it will not sound good.

4.     The microphone is the shape it is for a reason. Hold the body and keep your hands off the round mesh head because this will alter the produced sound and can result in feedback.

5.     Always check the length of your mic lead to ensure you won't be fighting for more cord, or, pinging yourself backwards like a comedy cartoon character on elastic! It will not look cool either way :)

6.     And, always remember my 3 P's rule... Practice, practice and practice!! It really does make perfect you know.

And, that's it for today. Hope it proves helpful :)

TTFN

The Age of Singing... When Should you Start?

One question both myself and singing teachers I know get asked a lot is 'how old should you be before you start taking singing lessons?' My personal answer on this issue depends on what is trying to be accomplished. For example, if the person asking me about the lessons is a parent who is looking at taking their youngster and turning them into the next Charlotte Church singing prodigy, then I would say they need to wait until they are around the 9-10 year old stage. AND, and this is really important, they need to want to do the lessons themselves. It's no good trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. If the child doesn't want to sing and has no real interest then lessons will be wasted as they may attend, improve, but never really reach their full potential through a lack of desire and passion. Remember, square peg, round hole... it's very important.

However, if you have a little 'un that is just so in love with the sound of their own voice and wants to sing along to everything and anything. Then, for me, it's never too young to get involved in the wonderful world of music. But, it depends in what capacity. My personal belief is that starting young (7 years old for example) should be fun! And, then you should add a pinch of FUN! Things like sight singing and music theory may be a sure fire way of killing their enthusiasm and making the lessons so dull that they will lose all interest. Things like singing classes in groups of other children, or school workshops like those the school provide, or, even just modern pop songs being taught in a manner that keeps them interested, excited and wanting to improve would be my personal preference.

School workshops (for example, check out www.clutterbucks4schools.co.uk - who provide school workshops for Children of all ages, but mainly primary) particularly these days are gaining momentum and there are some great practitioners and music teachers out there who are really flicking the switch in children's minds and getting them not only interested in music at an early age, but also driving their passion, belief and building confidence. In addition to school workshops for children there are also many professional singing schools out there that will place your child in classes with likeminded children and young, funky teachers who again will inspire instead of quashing all passion.

Anyway, back to the question... how old? For me, if the youngster is really interested and wants to learn in a backhanded way via workshops or singing classes... realistically, I would say about 7 years old. For more traditional style singing lessons or school workshop style lessons 9-10 years of age.

As usual, I personally also recommend http://www.vocademy.co.uk/courses - because they provide singing courses and singing classes for 7-18 years of age with brilliant singing teachers!

And, that's it... hope that helps, but let me know if you have any other opinions, stories or experience you'd like to share.

Thanks :)

Teachers to Inspire... who are your faves?

The best microphone ever!

Now, I'm getting on a bit. Oh, please, I know I look 21 but I'm actually a touch older... anyway, even I had teachers as a youngster that inspired me. And, after chatting with friends over the weekend it became clear that they did as well. A great, inspirational teacher will be able to get you to put more effort into reaching your goals and work harder. They will also be able to develop ability and especially the arena of singing teaching, improve technique, experience, performance skills and develop confidence.

Now, it wouldn't really be that great if my blog named (and shamed) those teachers that have inspired me, because Mr Wilkinson who dragged the best out of me for a good couple of years would mean nothing to you... so, instead, lets take a look at some modern inspirational teachers and figure out what their strengths are, as this may help you when picking your own singing tutor.

1. Steve Irwin (RIP) – Yep, the Crocodile Hunter. What's he got to do with anything I hear you scream!? Steve Irwin had two things that any great teacher should have... passion and enthusiasm. This guy would be covered head to toe in mud while wrestling a croc and still be able to throw out a line about how big this 'little fella' would be 2 years from now. Enthralling to watch and with a never-ending love for his subject matter, Steve should be an inspiration to not only teachers worldwide but every human on the planet. Ripper mate... sadly missed :(

2. Horrible Histories – Haha, I kid you not! This TV show has more awards than you can shake a stick at. And why? Because it proves that delivery is everything. History I hear you say... Boooooring! Zzzzz.... nope, not here! What Horrible Histories does it take this subject and make it funny, interesting, lively and just brilliant! Energy and passion mixed with a delivery to make not only children sit-up and take note is a perfect combination.

3. Jamie Oliver – Boo! Hiss... I know, Jamie stopped you eating burgers and pizza for school dinners! But, that's the point. Mr Oliver had an ideal and believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could realise it and make it happen. Jamie Oliver appears to believe that you can improve something and stands out as someone who really cares. Every inspirational teacher shows this trait. A teacher who really cares is worth 100 who are technical experts.

4. David Beckham – Now we're getting ridiculous right? What Becks brings to the table is different to the other teachers and he brings leadership and high standards (well, with the exception of youth on the odd occasion, but he more than made up for that for sure!). David Beckham leads by example and everyone in his team will go the extra mile for him knowing that he will put everything into the cause. Whether it’s flying half way across the world to sit on the bench at an international match or helping this country secure the Olympic bid, one thing is for certain David will give 100% for the cause and never give in.

These are just four inspirational teachers I thought of from my own personal list of faves. But, who are yours? Who make you go 'I really admire that'? Next time you do, analyze and think about what it is exactly you admire.

A great teacher will not just teach at their students - as the above examples show, they will engage them via methods that they can enjoy, relate to or feel passionate about.

When you call about booking a lesson with a singing teacher, or you go visit someone for a free taster session ask yourself if the singing teacher in front of you is going to inspire you to want to be more. Are they going push you in ways that you will respond to? Or, are they just going through the motions? All completely pertinant questions to make sure you get the most and best for your money, but also that your passion and enhtusiasm is not only maintained, but augmented and continues to grow.

Special thanks to Vocademy (www.vocademy.co.uk) for inspiring this blog.

Want to Make Cheap Recordings? Check this advice...

Recording in a studio can be an expensive thing. But, it is usually a very necessary thing in order to get something tangible that you can send / email to people to help promote yourself. One day in a studio can cost in the region of £200, but, that one day's potential spend could actually be used to set yourself up with your very own recording equipment that may be used again and again and again and again... you get the picture.

For anyone who would like to put together their very own small recording studio, this guide should provide some great starting points for to you start recording your own vocals. Before we get cracking though, the research in for this blog has been undertaken by Luke at Vocademy, who is a mega talented singing teacher in his own right, and, so we just wanted to say Merci!

Firstly, go grab your laptop or computer because you are going to be needing that hunk-a-junk...

a) Computer
Nearly all computers these days have the power to support music software and audio recording. If yours does not then it is without a doubt time to invest... this will obviously push the spends over the £200 mark, but, it is a sound investment for sure.

b) Software
Once you have the computer situation sorted you will need to get the right software to record your vocals with. It won't matter whether you use standard PC/Laptop or MAC as there are free, yes free, alternatives for both. On the Mac you have the pre-installed Garageband, which is a very powerful tool for singers and has loads of presets to make your voice sound great. On the PC you can download a free piece of software called Acid Xpress. It is a cut down version of their full Acid software but this free version will certainly get you started. The interface can be a little more confusing than Garageband but with some video tutorials, you'll be well on your way. You can get this here: http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/

c) Microphone
At this point, you are going to have to spend some money! I know, it was all going so well, but some things are unavoidable. There are a few different options for mics, but here are 3 microphones that connect via USB, so you won't need an external soundcard or anything complicated. These are all "Plug and Play" so you just connect it to your computer and your recording software should find it nice and easy. Then you can focus on singing and not wiring! Here are three USB microphones for singing that come highly recommend:

i) Behringer C-1u £44 (http://www.dv247.com/microphones/behringer-c-1u-usb--63964)
ii) Samson G- Track Usb £90 (http://www.gak.co.uk/en/samson-g-track-usb-condenser-mic-with-audio-interface/6123?gclid=CNGd0e75wrYCFerHtAodD0IARA)
iii) AKG Perception 120 £99 (http://www.gak.co.uk/en/akg-perception-120-usb-plug-and-play-microphone/39707)

d) Hardware
There are a few bits and bobs left that you are going to need to spend on I'm afraid... but, they will make a difference to the quality of your recordings, so here goes....

i) Pop Shield - £8 - Fantastic at stopping any unwanted 'popping' Ps when singing into a microphone. They are cheap, and a home studio must! http://www.djkit.com/djkit/anti-pop-screen-for-microphone-plastic-spring-clamp-100mm-4inch.html?gclid=COmnh-L5wrYCFdQctAodOEoAUg

ii) Mic Stand - £15 - Always use a mic stand so that you can get those lungs nice and filled with air.
http://www.pmtonline.co.uk/stagg-mis-0822bk-microphone-boom-stand.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CPakkMX6wrYCFRMftAod1DoAUA

iii) Headphones - £19 - You will need to have a silent room when recording your voice so you will need to listen to your song/backing track through headphones when you are recording. Here is a great set of studio headphones for under £20. AKG K 44 Headphones - http://www.gak.co.uk/en/akg-k-44-headphones/19407?gclid=CIWDjYz8wrYCFU3KtAodEUwAPw

And, that's your lot! Your Guide to Building a Home Studio for recording vocals all for the price of one day worth of studio time! And you even have money to spare! With this extra cash, you could even buy yourself a singing lesson or a lesson in garageband or sound program of choice and get yourself some great tips from a professional. Or, maybe you could buy your favourite singing teacher a present? :)

Let me know if you try this and I'll do a post on you and add your results :)

Happy Singing!!

Auditioning as a Singer... A Few Tips

Hello my little singers! Sorry for the delay on this blog but as compensation I shall make it particularly good :)

As a singer, you are invariably going to have to undertake the grim old task of auditioning before you can secure any work doing what you love, or, grab that position fronting the dream band! Auditions just come with the territory, and, whilst it is stressful when you get on the road to earning a living and turning a hobby into a career it will also be the most rewarding thing you can imagine!

Now, not everyone has the audition process down pat... so, I thought I would put a few key pointers together to help you out and take you beyond just the singing lessons... that's how good I am to you :) So, here goes:

i) Arrive for the Audition prepared!
As obvious as this sounds I bet you would be amazingly surprised by how many auditionees just don't think about the little things... that can potentially and ultimately make HUGE difference! Treat the audition like an interview. Research the band or company you are auditioning for. Find out about the role (how many times have we seen it on X-Factor where the singer doesn't even know who half the judging panel is! Very embarrassing!!). It's all very well knowing your audition piece inside out and back to front, but if it doesn't relate to the applied for role/position then it's a waste of time. Be able to chat about what they do and things you like about that they are doing. After all you went along to the audition because you liked what they are doing, right? If not, then save yourself the bus fare :)

ii) Be Aware of what is Expected from you and what you’re Committing To!
Be prepared to put in the hours... many of which may be upaid. Check to see how often you will be required for rehearsals, etc. Some productions will require a lot more time than you think.There's nothing worse than overselling and under delivering. And, if you start to become unrelaible because you have bitten off more than you can chew, or, expected to be doing less, you will quickly gain a reputation as unreliable, which in turn will quite possibly affect future potential roles. So, when you accept a position / role, be ready to put in the hours to memorise lines, learn songs, and put in several hours of rehearsal time that are necessary to make the your performance the best it can be!

iii) Challenging yourself
It's easy to fall into the repetition of performing auditions and audition pieces that aren't stretching you anymore or helping increase your vocal ability. Sometimes trying something different can be the next step to finding a new inspiration for your singing and show you new techniques to help you improve for other auditions. Push yourself to try new things, perhaps this means you get a vocal coach to help you expand your abilities, or maybe it just means you spend a little extra time singing in other genres you are not as comfortable in to help you improve.

A lot of people will be able to turn up and sing the songs OK, but make sure you keep asking yourself, how can I make my audition better. If you are consistently going out of your way to improve your voice and your repertoire, you are headed in the right direction and will be getting yourself noticed for all the right reasons.

And, that's your lot! Hope that helps and provides some food for thought. In fact, talking of food.......

TTFN

Great things to Eat & Drink if you are a Singer

We briefly touched on the importance of diet and the right and wrong things to eat in an earlier blog (check here to recap), but, it can be difficult to know what to eat if you are trying to protect your voice from a cold or if you are trying to look after your voice in general. Here are some great ideas to keep you sounding tip top and in great vocal shape.

Vegetables & fruits are a great resource for natural energy as they are natural foods – singers need oxygen in their blood as well as energy and greens in particular are great energy givers: spinach (raw not cooked), mixed greens, broccoli & peas! So, it seems your Mum is right... do eat all those greens!

Foods that are high in water are great for keeping you hydrated. Watermelon or melon of any kind is super hydrating for your voice!

Salads are a great way to stay healthy, with a bit of balsamic vinegar you can make something very appetising. And be sure to add some celery as it great for your nerves!

Fruit Juices are great! BUT, stay away from orange juice as this can cause reflux (for more on Reflux, check this). Apple Juice is the one for you, or if you are feeling up to it, Carrot, beetroot and a small amount of ginger are great things to add too.

Strawberries! Are an amazingly tasty fruit and are great for your Larynx! So, eat these little babies to your heart's content!

Vegetable based soups or broths. But not tomato or cream based as this can give you reflux.

Good meats: turkey, chicken, salmon. These are all great sources of protein and will help to keep energy levels up there with the best of them.

Ketchup has a lot of sugar and this can actually deplete energy so try to avoid it.

Sweet potatoes are better than rice or pasta for Carbohydrates. And some people even prefer them to normal potatoes. And, they're called Sweet Potatoes! I mean, come on, they're sweet dude!

And if your voice is feeling a little under the weather, have a mug of hot water with honey and lemon.

Massive special thanks to Lili who provides singing lessons in Maidstone, Kent for these great tips.

More soon folks, but until then have great Easter weekends... and, not too much choccy eggs!!

More Flipping Singing Tips.... Brighton Rocks!

We're back! And, we're bad... I don't mean bad as in naughty, I mean bad as in good. You know, it's what the cool kids from the 90s used to say... after 'wicked' went out of fashion and before 'sick' or 'phat' became the order of the day. But, we're here and we have tips... yes, we come bearing singing tips. However, I recently realised that this blog is called 'Singing Lessons in Brighton' and I have actually done very little to further this... instead, I waffle on about what the cool kids say and throw the odd bit of useful gubbins into the moshpit... so, I now have 3 tips for you below that have all been provided by excellent singing teachers in Brighton and Hove just so that I can justify my blog being in existence.

So... here goes...

Singing Tip #1 from Kate a Singing Teacher in Brighton & Hove:
Tongue twister time! See how fast you can say this to warm up your facial muscles!  

"Premium prices people pay for plump and pampered puppies" 

I'll be honest, it was hard enough to type so saying may well be tricky too :) But, start slowly and work into it.

Singing Tip #2 by Singing Lessons in Brighton friend, SuperLuke!
A breathing exercise to help you improve your lung capacity. Simply breath whilst counting 5 and then hold for an additional count of 5. Then, breath out over a count of 5. Once you've mastered this, try increasing the count to 6, 7 and see how high you can get... before you faint. Only kidding, stay safe and don't carry on if things get dizzy or you feel light headed... obvious stuff really :)

Singing Tip #3 by Sam Black (Vocademy Singing Tutor based in Hove)
A tip for nerves. If you are feeling nervous on stage try focusing on one place in the room, maybe a point at the back and keep your attention on that comfort spot. This will help you concentrate on your performance and not worry about anything else.

And, that my dears is it for today! Some useful and easy singing advice to give you a couple of pointers and to also help me justify Brighton being in the title of my wee little blog.

That's all folks, have a great day!

And There's More... More Singing Tips

That's right! More... whilst Oliver Twist couldn't get more when he asked... YOU CAN! And, you didn't even have to ask :) So, as usual with my singing tuition, I shall be brief so you can read, digest and put into practice.

First of all, if you ever find yourself having trouble singing a particular part of a song don't be afraid to alter it slightly to fit more comfortably with your voice or your style. You may occasionally find that a song has a little bit that is too high, or, too low. It could even be phrasing you have an issue with. But don't be afraid to change it slightly as I say. By doing this you not only ensure that the part still sounds awesome but you also do what the 'X-Factor' (bleurgh) judges call 'make it your own'. A little affliction along the way that is you and not the original artist will add your own personal stamp to a track so feel free to experiment.

Next up, if you are belting it out on stage and realise that you have made a mistake try to now draw attention to yourself. Just carry on and focus on the next part of the song and getting back into your correct stride. Don't dwell on the glitch, chances are most folk won't even have noticed, just dust yourself off and crack on... onwards and upwards! This way you won't be thinking about what just happened and won't make any more mistakes in a nervous frenzy.

And, there you go... a couple more handy bits and bobs to get you through the week.

Right, I'm off for a nice brew... without milk of course (why? Read this Blog).

Tatty Bye!

5 Useful Singing Tips...

Welcome to the week! Yay, it's Monday... bleurgh...! :) Only joshing, Monday is a new week, which brings lots of new opportunity and the chance to learn, practice and improve! So, in-keeping with this methodology here's not one, not two.... BUT 5 tips to help you to become a better singer! Yes, I kid you not, that's 5 free singing lessons!

1) Don't compare yourself to others. We are all different and have different voices. You should focus on your own voice and sing in a way that feels comfortable to you. This way you will give your voice room to grow and progress and develop in your own way.

2) Balloon Breathing. A great exercise called Balloon Breathing has been devised to help you with your lung capacity. All you need is a balloon and you try to fill it as much as you can in one breath! This will help you become more aware of your diaphragm and help you to improve your breathing capacity. So, the next time you're at a party try this out and see who can get the biggest balloon! hours of fun! Oh, and fainting... lol, use carefully :)

3) Slow down! Practice any lines or runs you may be having difficulty with by slowing them down! With time you will get better and be able to speed them up gradually. Then, you will master any parts you are finding troublesome!

4) Be heard by yourself. Here's a simple singing tip for helping you hear yourself when you are performing. It may be that you are singing in a group or in a loud environment and you are struggling to hear yourself. To combat this, you can put your hand beside your cheek with your middle finger in your ear and this will amplify your voice in your head and help you hear it clearly. Give it a try now and hear the difference (unless of course you are sitting at work or in a lesson when you read this... eek!)

5) Having trouble remembering lyrics? Having a lot of lyrics to memorise can be tricky! First Off, try breaking the song into sections and focusing on each section repeatedly to help drill it in and you'll be chucking those lyric sheets in the bin in no time. Try using a highlighter in your lyrics sheet to separate the sections visually. And try to incorporate hand movements or dance moves with particular words. This will help you remember certain words or phrases in a certain section of a song. After trying all these you be throwing those lyric sheets away in no time.

And, that's it! Nothing too rocket-sciency there I reckon, but some lovely tips to get you singing better :)

To Grade Or Not To Grade?

Vocademy Grades are Launched!

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I like a Brighton based singing school quite a lot called Vocademy. Why do I like Vocademy? Well, I like the ethos for starters 'Teaching the World to sing one voice at a time' - it's just awesome! In addition to this, I love the fact that they aren't scared to throw lots of free things out there... kind of like yours truly. Their website has lots of videos, warm up packs, free tips and advice about singing and comes across as warm and friendly but still professional and an authority on all things singing.

Now, why have I started to discuss Vocademy? My reason is that they have just launched a new set of grades. Have they gone for an ABRSM or Guildhall approach? Maybe a Rockschool or Trinity College style? Nooooo! What Vocademy have done is devised and designed their own set of grades that bring these rather old systems a lot more up to date and give them a completely contemporary feel.

Similar to other graded systems out there the Vocademy syllabus runs from Grade 1 all the way through to Grade 8, with each grade further focusing, helping and assessing the student's progression. How these grades differ though is that the techniques are taught, learned and developed through learning songs by Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, Emili Sande and Bruno Mars. How cool is that!

As well as learning these songs from the perspective of becoming a stronger singer, the grades are designed to help students understand how their voice works and give them specific singing techniques to learn and practice.

Now, here's the crux... why would a rebellious soul like me who blows raspberries in the face of authority, sometimes will try to eat 3 Shredded Wheat and almost never washes out the bean tin before sticking it in the recycle bin endorse something as traditional and unexciting as exams and graded systems? I'll tell you why...

These grades are not only going to help you become a better singer, but they are FUN! And, that is what it should all be about. Learning music and singing technique through songs you like and would sing along to 'just because' is a fantastic way to breed the great new singers of tomorrow. If you can blur the lines between fun and learning you are always going to get better results because people will be doing something they 'actually' want to do! I used to go to piano lessons as a kiddie and because I was being taught music by Mozart and other composers who had been not of this planet for a gazillion years it felt like torture! Practicing in the week before each lesson was just extra homework! Pants!! So, I soon lost all enthusiasm and the piano lessons ceased. But, I can guarantee that if I was being taught riffs like 'The Final Countdown' (it really was cool in my day... honest!) or something else really cool :) I would have worn the keys out!

So, I say good on Vocademy for doing this! It's about time this kind of thing was done :)

Just as a side-note, I do like the idea of grades anyway, I think they provide a benchmark that you can say I now know this, or, I have achieved this level or recognition. It also gives you something to strive for and adds a little incentive to keep you going and practicing. So you see, I'm not at all really that rebellious I just like things to be done a bit differently and with a bit of excitement and passion.

Anyway, to find out more about Vocademy Grades check out the website.

Until next time.... nanu nanu :)

The Peak of the Week Singing Tips

Well, it's the peak of the week and so here are a couple of tips for the old singing lesson shizzle :)

A Hove singing teacher I know recommended an an exercise to warm up your lower range. This is a particularly useful warm up technique for both female and male and should enable you to be picking out and hitting those low notes in no time at all. Add this exercise into your usual warm-up routine if you are performing a song with particularly low notes as it will really help you nail it.

Here's a useful video from the www.vocademy.co.uk guys to show you exactly what I am on about.

The next piece of super, smashing, great (you won a Speedboat) singing advice is to Cool / Warm Down at the end of a performance. This is easily just as important as warming up beforehand. If you think Gym, you'll know that before any good session you will warm up and stretch out and then at the end you will warm down. This little nugget was provided from a Canterbury and Maidstone Singing Teacher called Morgan. The advice is a perfect to help you after you've strutted your stuff on stage and to get your voice back in a normal state.

And, that be it for now! Thanks for reading....

Two For The Price Of None... FREE Singing Lessons!

I don't want to confuse with the title here.... what I am trying to say is basically that I am going to provide 2 singing tips today... but, because they are normally free anyway, there will be 2 for the price of none... instead of the normal, 2 for 1 deals you see in Tesco... make sense? Got it? Good, then let's get cracking :)
 
Now, this first singing lesson is a little more technical than usual.  Kate, a Brighton & Hove singing teacher says a great exercise to help extend your vocal range is to sing an arpeggio and hold the top note for longer before going back down. With each repeat of this you should gradually get higher and higher. This will help the muscles in your throat to extend your range, both higher and lower!

In fact, on this occasion why don't I let Kate tell you herself and show you what she means:

Our second tip for today just so happens to be a good old common sense one... which on the back of a technical one has to be a bonus :)  

Keep your singing practice varied. Don't just sing songs or just sing exercises. Find a good balance between the two and keep practicing new material as well as old. This will help add new styles and techniques to your singing library as well as keeping you in good vocal shape.

As a litle bonus for being so good I came across this the other day and thought it would be interesting to get your thoughts: http://www.forbes.com/sites/michelecatalano/2013/02/06/nine-songs-to-sing-like-no-one-is-listening/  

What would your choices be?

I Believe In A Thing Called... ME!

Well, it's nearly weekend again so here's a verrrrry quick tip from a Worthing & Haywards Heath singing teacher that I know called Rosie.

Rosie's tip of the day is fantastic in it's simplicity... believe in yourself!

Rosie says (and I'm going to quote this verbatim because it is so wonderful), "With the right amount passion and commitment you can achieve nearly anything, and with singing that belief in yourself can make a massive difference in both technique and performance."

She then goes on to say, "The right mindset could be the difference from you hitting a note or not."

Brilliant! I have nothing else to add to this wonderful singing tip of the day! Have great weekends one and all and we shall see you again next week for more singing advice, shiz and fun stuff!

TTFN x

Singing With A Live Band... DO IT!

Singing with a live band is really important and completely different to singing to 'backing tracks'.  In fact, there is probably no better way to learn and experience musicality (via working with other musicians) and gain an insight into surrounding facets of singing, such as marketing, promotion, audition processes etc. than actually starting your own band! Starting a band is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people, make friends and both rehearse and hone your singing skills!

In fact, here's a little list of why starting (or, at least working in) a band could be brilliantly beneficial...

1) You will always be well rehearsed and at the top of your game - via singing in a live band you will be rehearsing new songs and constantly practicing old ones, which will maintain your voice to the highest level and keep it in mighty fine shape. Also, by singing with a band and working to different volume levels you will undoubtedly project your vocal with more power (in a naturally competitive manner), which will strengthen vocal chords.

2) Skills in the performing arena will be massively improved - The thing about singing in a band is that you will always be singing in front of people (even if those people are just the band themselves!). You will gain a lot more confidence, breakdown inhibitions, and hone your craft a lot better than you would just practicing to backing tracks in front of a mirror. There's nothing wrong with the mirror practices... it's always good to see how you look... but, nothing substitutes genuine, human interaction within performances. 

3) You will become a team player - It's all about the compromise! With all the band hopefully striving for the same thing (a great performance, world wide fame, etc...) there are going to be many personalities to handle. The way you do this will determine if you are a diva or a team player. The latter is always best :) Working on something you all enjoy collectively will be a hugely rewarding thing and the more you interact the more you will learn and produce.

4) As briefly touched upon, it will improve your confidence - Performing live... in front of people... SCARY! But, the more you do it, the better you will become at it. Your confidence will grow in leaps and bounds! You'll not only improve performance techniques (i.e. how to convey emotion in a song or get a crowd into a frenzy) but you will also become an all round better vocalist. There are some things that singing lessons just can't teach. They can provide all the technical tools for improvement, but nothing hones the craft like getting up and 'doing it' in a live environment.

5) We once covered the 3 Ps.... this is the 3 F's... FUN, FUN and FUN!! - There is nothing like the camaraderie of rehearsing and gigging in a band. It is a totally amazing way to spend time with friends and do something you totally enjoy and love. And, who knows, get good enough at it and you could even make a bit of cash doing it. Or, even a full-time living! 

Always remember why you started singing though and why you spent hour upon hour rehearsing... you enjoy the craft of it. Don't get bogged down with the wrong people or lose sight of the fun factor. Always ENJOY!

Right, that's it for today... I'm off for a rehearsal with my band!

TTFN :)

Put A Plug In It! Singing Tips...

Good Monday! Over the weekend I was talking to a Canterbury singing teacher called Morgan. When I asked her for a recommendation for singers out there, she said 'get yourself some earplugs!' And, here's why this is a fantastic piece of advice for budding and professional singers alike. Your ears are the only pair you'll ever get and hearing loss will not only affect your singing but your entire life!! Your ears are the only pair you'll ever get and hearing loss will not only affect your singing but your entire life!! YES, I meant to repeat that twice because it is SO important! So, be it for performing or watching a live band, get yourself a good set of earplugs to keep you safe.

With regards choice, there are ear plugs specifically for singers that allow you to change the reduction of unwanted noise. This helps to get the balance right in your head between the music your singing to and the level of you own voice.  A lot of professional singers get their ear plugs molded to the shape of their ears for the perfect fit. Why not have a look on Google and get investigating which ones are right for you!

A Short Tip Of The Day Today... So, WAKE UP!

Following on from yesterdays great advice about making sure you get enough rest and sleep before a big rehearsal or performance, Agne's, who offers singing tuition in Basingstoke, reminded us to reiterate that you need to ensure you are awake at least 2 hours before any performance.

Your voice needs this time to wake up and for you to be able to sing properly. Otherwise you may find it difficult to sing high notes and suffer from quite a croaky voice!

And, DO NOT forget.... you need time to warm up properly as well! So, no last minute wake ups before you sing. Organisation is key... be prepared.

A short singing tip for today as I'm running out of things to say... Only kidding :) there has been a lot to digest lately so I don't want to overface you with info. But, fear not... LOTS more to come v. soon :)

TTFN x

Sleep Little Baby... So You Can Rock At Full Force!

Well, happy Monday everyone! Back to the grind :) I had a great weekend and hope all of you did too.

While I was out hobnobbing with the rich and famous (Grandma is very wealthy, and I bumped into Pat Sharp at Sainsbury's) over the weekend I had a message from a Canterbury singing teacher called Morgan. Morgan wanted me to mention that one of the best things for being on tip top singing form is to have a good nights sleep before any performance or singing exams you may have. Whilst this sounds obvious, it is actually a very important point as you want to make sure that both your body and mind are well rested so you can perform to your very best.

Singing after little sleep hasn't given your body the time it needs to rejuvenate and you don't want to feel or even look tired in your performance as you won't have the energy to give it your all!

So, make sure you get a good nights sleep and give yourself at least 2 hours of time before an exam or performance once you've woken up and you'll be on top form and ready to rock!

I know it is sometimes difficult to actually get to sleep if you have a day of performance as the nerves can keep your mind quite active. So, here's a helpful page to get you feeling drowsy by just reading it... Sleep Tips

The Human Voice... According To WIKI

Actually, before I jet off to Hawaii for the weekend to party with Britney, Mariah and Beyonce I thought I'd whack up some Wikipedia bumph about the human voice... it just helps with a little technical stuff. 

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume (loudness), timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

So, now you know, thanks Wiki! 

Signing out... :)

It's All Greek To Me... Well, Italian Actually

After having a chat with Brighton & Hove singing teacher Kate, we decided that it might be helpful to provide some definitions of some commonly used Italian words in music... after all, they're commonly used... and Italian... and used in music... so, it may be helpful to provide some definitions. Oh, I already said that... in which case, here we go:

Dolce - Sweet, Gentle
Tempo - The speed of the music
Legato - (Italian for 'tied together') notes are played or sung smoothly and connected
Staccato - (Italian for 'detached') notes are separated from the note that may follow by silence
Crescendo - to get louder
Diminuendo - to get quieter
Cantor - The Singer
Colla Voce - Follow the voice/singer

These terms are used in written music one heck of a lot and used when describing how to sing or play parts in song. As good practice, whenever you start to learn a new song, or, listen to sections of a song on the radio try to apply one of these Italian terms to what the singer is doing or what the section of the song is doing. For example, if you hear somebody start singing quietly in a verse and then build this into a larger sound before hitting the chorus (or pre-chorus)... you could say they were building to a 'crescendo.' Kelly Clarkson does this kind of thing a lot.

It's all good practice this paying attention malarkey and develops a sense of understanding not only the terms associated but also how songs and pieces of music function. Which, ultimately will improve your own standing when approaching new pieces of music.

TTFN, have a good weekend and catch you on Monday for more advice and FREE singing lessons :)

Practice Makes Perfect! Practical Singing Advice...

Having been chatting to Rosie, a Worthing & Haywards Heath singing teacher, it was reiterated to me time and time again that practice makes perfect! And, how very true this is!!! In fact, this old saying has been around for years because of its authenticity! 

The more you sing something the better you will be at performing. Even if you feel you know the track really well, or even a small passage or phrase in a song it's always worth staying well rehearsed and prepared.

Practice till you know it inside out and backwards then you won't even need to think about singing it when you perform, you can concentrate on looking like a rock god or a dancing diva!

So, the singing lesson for today is the 3 P's.... Practice, Practice and Practice!

All together now.... 

NB. Thanks Rosie for this extremely simple, but massively important vocal coaching point. Here's a video of Rosie performing with her band The Weekend.