Tips for Developing a Strong Speaking Voice

Hi everyone, I know it has been a long time since I've posted on here, things have been very busy as of late. Here is a Wikihow article I found that addresses the issue of having a soft speaking voice. I've struggled with having a light, soft speaking voice my entire life and it can be a pain. With a soft voice, people tend to either not take you seriously or not hear you the first time you say something. If you guys are like me, you wish you could sing everything because your singing voice is so much louder than your speaking voice. Like building muscle or creating good habits, achieving a strong speaking voice takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the end. So get out there and let your voices be heard! https://www.google.com/amp/m.wikihow.com/Develop-a-Perfect-Speaking-Voice%3famp=1

Be Brave!!

Don't be afraid to try different styles of singing, you could end up finding something you love and discovering a new outlet in which to use your voice. Stepping out of your comfort zone gives you new life experiences, opening doors for you to meet new people and to make valuable life long connections along the way. So get out there and audition for that accapella group, local opera, musical, jazz or choral group, you might be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Doctor Martin Hopp's Brilliant, Professional Advice on Maintaining Vocal Health

http://www.singingforaliving.com/articles/vocal-health-tips/

Vocal Health Tips Directly from Broadway

http://m.playbill.com/news/article/the-expert-guide-to-vocal-health-broadway-professionals-share-their-secrets-339589

Acting and Singing by Rebecca McKinley

Singing beautifully is one thing, but being able to portray emotions and a story to an audience is quite another. It doesn't matter whether you are singing in English, French, German, Italian or any other language; if you can't connect to your audience and tell a story, you are missing a major part of your performance. Be sure to thoroughly research the story behind your song and create a subtext, it will add a whole other dimension to your performance.

Sight Singing Tips by Rebecca McKinley

Here are 5 quick ways to improve your sight singing skills.

1) Practice identifing notes on the Staff and on the keyboard. Drill yourself until you can recognize them in your sleep.

2) Learn how to identify key signatures in sheet music using the order of flats (b) which is B, E, A, D, Greatest, Common Factor. The second to last flat in the sequence is the key signature. For key signatures with sharps (#) the sequence goes Fat Cats Go Down Allys Eating Birds with the key signature being a half step up from the last sharp.

3) Download pictures of the solfeg hand signs and practice singing Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do while making the signs with your hands. Remember that you can start on any note as "Do" (also called the tonic and name of the key signature as well) and sing the scale in any key you want. Then simply write in the solfeg for any song that you've identified the key signature of.

4) Practice your rythms. When practicing, remember that each type of note (whole, half, quarter, 16ths..ect) is composed of shorter notes of half its value and that dotted notes add half of the note's value. Also, remember to practice and recognize triplets and any other tricky rythms that you might have trouble recognizing right away.

5) Once you are comfortable with all those individual parts and pieces, put them together and practice. As with any learned skill, practice is essential.

Good luck everyone and happy practicing!!:)

Don't have the time or money to invest in vocal lessons every week? Here are some great ways to improve your voice on your own.

http://m.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Singing-Voice-Without-Taking-Singing-Lessons

10 Tips For Dealing with a Cold by Rebecca McKinley

    It is extremely common for singers to get sick during this time of year, no matter how many vitamins you take or how much you wash your hands, so here are several tips for dealing with that pesky cold and flu season as a singer:

   1) Drink plenty of water, it helps keep your body hydrated and ready to flush out and fight viruses. Keep an extra refillable water bottle with you throughout the day.

   2) Take naps whenever you can. Even a short nap during the day can help your body restore itself and fight off infections.

  3) Cough drops and mints are your friends. They help to create extra saliva and prevent those awful dry throats. However, do not buy any that contain antiseptic, especially if you need to sing. This is because those types of cough drops are meant to numb your throat and you can do damage without knowing it. Sometimes a spoonful of honey can work even better at soothing a dry throat.

   4 ) Gargling with either a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water or simple warm salt water can help ease the pain and work to kill off viruses as well.

   5) Saline sprays that you can purchase at places like Walmart, CVS and Walgreens are great for clearing out your nose and making sure that the virus runs it's course smoothly without becoming a sinus infection (which can potentially occur when your sinuses become swollen and backed up). Nettipot also works well, but it isn't as convenient as a nasal spray.

   6) Some viruses love to attack the cells in vocal cords, causing laryngitis. If that does happen and you become hoarse to the point where you are having a difficult time singing or speaking, go on a mild vocal rest for a few days and don't sing on swollen vocal cords if you can help it.

  7) Camomile tea is a wonderful way to sooth your throat and bring down the inflammation. Beware of teas like green tea and peppermint that can potentially dry your throat out. Cutting up pieces of ginger to put in your tea and/or chew is also helpful, along with honey (added after the tea has cooled enough to drink).

  8) Beware of ibuprofen, it might bring down the pain and inflammation in your throat, but can cause problems with your vocal cords down the line if used too much.

  9) Decongestants are great to help you breath so you can sleep, but they can be drying so if you use them be sure to drink a full glass of water afterwards.

  10) Sugar weakens your immune system, so be careful of your sugar intake in our fastpaced, modern lifestyle, especially while dealing with a cold.

Soprano Inhales Helium

https://youtu.be/iYpJSeXZAz0
A little bit of fun for your Friday morning :)

Why Don't I Like the Sound Of My Own Voice?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SBwT3yUCohI

I apologize for not posting for a while, been pretty busy as of late. But here is another wonderfully informative video about the mechanics of our voice and the connection between our brain and our ears.

Synthetic Vocal Cords, Giving Voice to the Voiceless, Cool Stuff!!

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-07/harvard-mit-teams-new-synthetic-vocal-cord-material-gives-voice-voiceless

Here is what the inside of your head looks like when you are singing. Our voices are simply incredible!

http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/22/this-is-what-the-inside-of-your-head-looks-like-when-you-sing/

Music and the arts for young kids are extremely important. Here is a speech I gave on keeping music and the arts in our schools.

Great article on developing vocal stamina. Remember, like any other muscle, our voices require training and conditioning too. Creating healthy vocal habits allows for increased stamina and vocal longevity.

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14753/1/How-to-Increase-Vocal-Stamina.html

     Overcoming audition nerves can be one of the most difficult things to do, here are some tips to help you succeed at your next audition. Drink a lot of water and get a good night’s sleep the day before; you will both sound and feel better when you are hydrated and well rested. Next, practice your audition song and monologue in front of a mirror and even for family and friends, if you feel comfortable enough. This helps you become more aware of how you are coming across to the audience and gives you practice performing the pieces for a live audience. Also, when selecting your audition pieces, be sure that they are the proper age and vocal range for both you and the character you are auditioning for. Additionally, every audition is a little bit different, so be sure to read the audition criteria thoroughly and follow it precisely.  Lastly, take several deep breaths before you go on and remember to have fun.  

Here is an example of me doing a chest belt, with a slight mix as the notes begin to get higher. Lots of twang here in the piece. Shout out to Dad, Ryan and Gordon from the McKinley Boys for letting me sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcypJtq4MQc

Here is a beautifully written article about belting and it's history.

http://somaticvoicework.com/the-confusion-about-belting

         Singing with a Broadway belt is a lot of fun, but it is important to understand it and implement it properly, otherwise it can yield extremely negative results. There are two different types of belts, chest voice and a mixed belt. Chest voice is demonstrated in the song “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie”. Chest voice feels lower, louder and can be hard to control at times if you aren't doing it right. Picture seeing a friend across a busy street and shouting “HEY!” with your whole body engaged to get their attention; that is the basic feeling of the chest voice. On the other hand, mixed belt can be demonstrated with Carrie Underwood’s singing, it requires a lot of a twang or “catfight” type sound and is easier to sing in a higher register than chest voice. Before attempting to belt for a show or audition, meet with a vocal coach who can assess your technique and ensure that you are going about it safely and properly. 

To conclude the topic of vocal runs and demonstrate their operatic side, here is a video of me singing Juliet's Waltz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zORzeHth2g

Here is a great example of breaking down runs and riffs by Natalie Weiss. She makes an intense 40 note run seem like no problem at all simply by taking it one step at a time.