Qiana's story of confidence-building through creative techniques |
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Have you seen this runner? Allyson Felix - she’s amazing, as is her alignment and vertical motion as she runs. As she’s in a full-on sprint, she still keeps her:
Let’s look at another example:
- shoulders back and down
- head up and in-line with her shoulders to pelvis
- and she’s not only moving forward but she has motion lifting her up and keeping her grounded.
Let’s look at another example:
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These ladies, also amazing. However, their position in this photo is better suited for a gymnastics wave than singing. We see that they are grounded with lots of vertical motion, but they often let their rib cage lift away creating a sway in the back, which as I mentioned earlier throws alignment out of whack.
Great, now what?
Take a look at yourself - grab a glimpse in a store window as you walk by, have a friend take a picture of you, or ask your teaching during your lessons, and notice what your poise looks like. Where are your feet, pelvis, shoulders, head…. Does it look like any of the figures below when you’re standing? How about when you’re walking, or carrying a heavy bag?
Great, now what?
Take a look at yourself - grab a glimpse in a store window as you walk by, have a friend take a picture of you, or ask your teaching during your lessons, and notice what your poise looks like. Where are your feet, pelvis, shoulders, head…. Does it look like any of the figures below when you’re standing? How about when you’re walking, or carrying a heavy bag?
When your body is aligned, and your instrument set-up correctly, then you can find more physical and emotional freedom, which is pertinent for singers!
Want to take the next step?
We love Alexander Technique here are The Voice Lab. Our good friend Jeremy Cohn is an AT teacher at Freedom in Motion Chicago. Give him a call and tell him that Alexandra and Liz at The Voice Lab sent you.
We love Alexander Technique here are The Voice Lab. Our good friend Jeremy Cohn is an AT teacher at Freedom in Motion Chicago. Give him a call and tell him that Alexandra and Liz at The Voice Lab sent you.
How singing together changed my voice
--Liz Jackson Hearns
You have undoubtedly heard or seen snippets of information about the benefits of singing in a group. Making music together, specifically singing together, improves mental and physical health and links us to each other right down to our hearts. But along with all the scientific reasons to explore collaborative singing comes experience: if you’ve ever experienced the joy of singing together, you know that it feels great!
There is something magical about sharing your voice with another person. I’ve seen students take command of their voices and transform debilitating nervousness into calm and confidence, simply by singing with others. Hearing the synchronization of voices together bolsters each of us technically, emotionally, and psychologically. And I have certainly been on the receiving end of that transformation as well. I want to share a personal experience about the power of making music together. Feel free to smile with (or at) me as I delve into personal anecdotes instead of citations and terminology.
Grad school, while an invaluable endeavor, was tough.
I was teaching private students full time and going to school full time. Because I was overworking my voice, I had voice health problems and spent quite a bit of time on voice rest and had to be very selective about how much I could handle at once. Singing was a struggle during my first 3 semesters. I cried after almost every voice lesson, sometimes I cried in the middle of lessons, and I struggled in choir and opera rehearsals. But I did not give up. Singing is essential to my existence and my identity and it’s worth the work for those glorious moments of freedom when they come.
As my voice health issues began to resolve and I discovered new methods, like straw phonation, I found I could stretch my voice a bit further, sing a bit longer, and trust my instrument to do more of the things I asked it to do. I was starting to find my voice, probably for the first time in my life. That same semester, I sang Musetta in a scene from Puccini’s La Boheme. Puccini is a dreamweaver to me and I love singing his music. In this particular scene, Musetta and her artsy boyfriend, Marcello, are in a fight because they love each other but recognize that their relationship is not sustainable.
Two distinct experiences emerged in my preparation for this scene, both of which shaped my future as a singer and educator.
The first was in my own voice lesson. I had brought the scene to my lesson, not sure how ready I was to work on it with my voice teacher. I began singing, and then my voice teacher, who has sung Marcello many times before, joined me and sang the scene with me! What a wonderful experience! My teacher, a renowned professional opera singer and educator, was singing this scene with me!
I felt like the Grinch (at the end of the story) in that moment--like my voice had just grown 3 sizes and was on its way to becoming a mature instrument. It was empowering sharing my voice and allowing it to become something much larger than it is by itself. Thank you, Jeff.
The second future-shaping experience was in the performance, well, in the dress rehearsal. I was lucky to have a dear friend, Michael, as my scene partner and an amazing director, Matthew. Singing, especially singing in an ensemble, creates an opportunity for us to hold space for others, and to have space held for us. What I mean is, you have the opportunity to allow yourself to be vulnerable while knowing that your colleague will be there to support you. In turn, you give your scene/ensemble partners the same opportunity, and then you create captivating art.
Michael and I pushed each other to extend our expression and experience of the scene by holding space for the other to explore emotionally, artistically, and musically.
In some performances, this particular scene is comical--a fleeting lovers’ quarrel that ends in silly name-calling. For us it was a rush of reality and the frustration that many of us face trying to balance love and stability. At the dress rehearsal, Michael and I had a powerful moment both singing at each other with such fire that we both broke down into tears afterward. We allowed each other to become vulnerable and to feel the emotions without judgement. As colleagues and friends do, we made sure to check in with each other after the scene to make sure the other was okay. That was the first moment that my new, big girl voice was expressing big girl emotions without fear or inhibition.
I wailed and let my heart break with beauty, grace, and sparkle, and I wouldn’t have found that without having someone to sing with. Thank you, Michael and Matthew!
As I’m looking forward to upcoming ensemble events at The Voice Lab, I love recalling these experiences, knowing that they are only two among a lifetime of them. I know I get generally excited about most things, but I’m especially excited to share voices and collaborate with you as we wind down the summer. I encourage you to find as many group singing endeavors as possible and experience that deep-down joy of connecting your voice to others!
There is something magical about sharing your voice with another person. I’ve seen students take command of their voices and transform debilitating nervousness into calm and confidence, simply by singing with others. Hearing the synchronization of voices together bolsters each of us technically, emotionally, and psychologically. And I have certainly been on the receiving end of that transformation as well. I want to share a personal experience about the power of making music together. Feel free to smile with (or at) me as I delve into personal anecdotes instead of citations and terminology.
Grad school, while an invaluable endeavor, was tough.
I was teaching private students full time and going to school full time. Because I was overworking my voice, I had voice health problems and spent quite a bit of time on voice rest and had to be very selective about how much I could handle at once. Singing was a struggle during my first 3 semesters. I cried after almost every voice lesson, sometimes I cried in the middle of lessons, and I struggled in choir and opera rehearsals. But I did not give up. Singing is essential to my existence and my identity and it’s worth the work for those glorious moments of freedom when they come.
As my voice health issues began to resolve and I discovered new methods, like straw phonation, I found I could stretch my voice a bit further, sing a bit longer, and trust my instrument to do more of the things I asked it to do. I was starting to find my voice, probably for the first time in my life. That same semester, I sang Musetta in a scene from Puccini’s La Boheme. Puccini is a dreamweaver to me and I love singing his music. In this particular scene, Musetta and her artsy boyfriend, Marcello, are in a fight because they love each other but recognize that their relationship is not sustainable.
Two distinct experiences emerged in my preparation for this scene, both of which shaped my future as a singer and educator.
The first was in my own voice lesson. I had brought the scene to my lesson, not sure how ready I was to work on it with my voice teacher. I began singing, and then my voice teacher, who has sung Marcello many times before, joined me and sang the scene with me! What a wonderful experience! My teacher, a renowned professional opera singer and educator, was singing this scene with me!
I felt like the Grinch (at the end of the story) in that moment--like my voice had just grown 3 sizes and was on its way to becoming a mature instrument. It was empowering sharing my voice and allowing it to become something much larger than it is by itself. Thank you, Jeff.
The second future-shaping experience was in the performance, well, in the dress rehearsal. I was lucky to have a dear friend, Michael, as my scene partner and an amazing director, Matthew. Singing, especially singing in an ensemble, creates an opportunity for us to hold space for others, and to have space held for us. What I mean is, you have the opportunity to allow yourself to be vulnerable while knowing that your colleague will be there to support you. In turn, you give your scene/ensemble partners the same opportunity, and then you create captivating art.
Michael and I pushed each other to extend our expression and experience of the scene by holding space for the other to explore emotionally, artistically, and musically.
In some performances, this particular scene is comical--a fleeting lovers’ quarrel that ends in silly name-calling. For us it was a rush of reality and the frustration that many of us face trying to balance love and stability. At the dress rehearsal, Michael and I had a powerful moment both singing at each other with such fire that we both broke down into tears afterward. We allowed each other to become vulnerable and to feel the emotions without judgement. As colleagues and friends do, we made sure to check in with each other after the scene to make sure the other was okay. That was the first moment that my new, big girl voice was expressing big girl emotions without fear or inhibition.
I wailed and let my heart break with beauty, grace, and sparkle, and I wouldn’t have found that without having someone to sing with. Thank you, Michael and Matthew!
As I’m looking forward to upcoming ensemble events at The Voice Lab, I love recalling these experiences, knowing that they are only two among a lifetime of them. I know I get generally excited about most things, but I’m especially excited to share voices and collaborate with you as we wind down the summer. I encourage you to find as many group singing endeavors as possible and experience that deep-down joy of connecting your voice to others!
or: remember the lilac bushes
--Katherine Werbiansky
I'd like to share the poetry from one of my favorite art songs:
"Meine liebe its grün" (my love is green) by Johannes Brahms.
My love is as green as the lilac bush,
And my love is as fair as the sun,
which gleams down on the lilac bush
and fills it with fragrance and bliss.
My soul has the wings of a nightingale
and rocks itself in blooming lilac,
and, intoxicated by the fragrance, cheers and sings
a good many love-drunk songs.
I grew up with three beautiful lilac bushes in my backyard. They were bushes that I played hide-and-go-seek in with my sisters, cut off purple buds and gave them to my teachers as presents, and woke up to their smell wafting into the window of my childhood home. How could I not visualize this deeply rooted (no pun intended) image from my childhood while singing this song? A huge part of learning how to sing involves play, experimentation, and tapping into your imagination.
When we sing we can use the motor imagery of our senses to conjure up the technical component that is lacking. If I need a student to do a technical task such as lower their larynx, I'll often ask them what their favorite flower is and to imagine slowly inhaling that fragrance through their nose. The act of breathing slowly and deeply through your nose automatically helps open the throat and relax the larynx, but now the action is linked to a strong memory and mental image. Once we've correlated a motor image with the technical task it becomes a part of the singer's vocal lexicon. Over time we can let go of the flower image and I can just say, "you need a more open throat", but at first we want to build a reliable image that produces repeatable results.
An image that works for one singer may not work at all for another. I'm constantly thinking of new mental concepts and seeing which ones consistently create the "aha!" moments for my students. For example, one of my students did not relate to the motor image of smelling a flower. Instead, they had fantastic motor imagery responses to character types. We connected the character type of a royal British person (think of Maggie Smith on Downton Abbey) to the feeling of a relaxed throat, lifted soft pallet, and gently raised zygomatic facial muscles. Now anytime I need more of that element in their voice I can simply say, "Downton Abbey".
Motor imagery is a wonderful technical tool, but it also applies to the artistic interpretation of song. Once the practice of technical work is fine tuned, the mind has more free space to think of other things while performing. In order for the music to transport an audience the singer must be transported themselves. One way to tap into your most expressive voice is by projecting that mental image in front of you: I smell the lilacs and my larynx lowers, I remember fond memories in the lilacs and my jaw tension relaxes, I see the blooms of purple and white and I'm truly inspired to sing. You have a plethora of memories, sounds, sights, and smells to draw from while singing.
I encourage everyone to listen to a song you're working on and see what your mind projects in front of you. Pay attention to all five senses of the memory and let it inform your artistic choices.
"Meine liebe its grün" (my love is green) by Johannes Brahms.
My love is as green as the lilac bush,
And my love is as fair as the sun,
which gleams down on the lilac bush
and fills it with fragrance and bliss.
My soul has the wings of a nightingale
and rocks itself in blooming lilac,
and, intoxicated by the fragrance, cheers and sings
a good many love-drunk songs.
I grew up with three beautiful lilac bushes in my backyard. They were bushes that I played hide-and-go-seek in with my sisters, cut off purple buds and gave them to my teachers as presents, and woke up to their smell wafting into the window of my childhood home. How could I not visualize this deeply rooted (no pun intended) image from my childhood while singing this song? A huge part of learning how to sing involves play, experimentation, and tapping into your imagination.
When we sing we can use the motor imagery of our senses to conjure up the technical component that is lacking. If I need a student to do a technical task such as lower their larynx, I'll often ask them what their favorite flower is and to imagine slowly inhaling that fragrance through their nose. The act of breathing slowly and deeply through your nose automatically helps open the throat and relax the larynx, but now the action is linked to a strong memory and mental image. Once we've correlated a motor image with the technical task it becomes a part of the singer's vocal lexicon. Over time we can let go of the flower image and I can just say, "you need a more open throat", but at first we want to build a reliable image that produces repeatable results.
An image that works for one singer may not work at all for another. I'm constantly thinking of new mental concepts and seeing which ones consistently create the "aha!" moments for my students. For example, one of my students did not relate to the motor image of smelling a flower. Instead, they had fantastic motor imagery responses to character types. We connected the character type of a royal British person (think of Maggie Smith on Downton Abbey) to the feeling of a relaxed throat, lifted soft pallet, and gently raised zygomatic facial muscles. Now anytime I need more of that element in their voice I can simply say, "Downton Abbey".
Motor imagery is a wonderful technical tool, but it also applies to the artistic interpretation of song. Once the practice of technical work is fine tuned, the mind has more free space to think of other things while performing. In order for the music to transport an audience the singer must be transported themselves. One way to tap into your most expressive voice is by projecting that mental image in front of you: I smell the lilacs and my larynx lowers, I remember fond memories in the lilacs and my jaw tension relaxes, I see the blooms of purple and white and I'm truly inspired to sing. You have a plethora of memories, sounds, sights, and smells to draw from while singing.
I encourage everyone to listen to a song you're working on and see what your mind projects in front of you. Pay attention to all five senses of the memory and let it inform your artistic choices.
Be brave, not perfect.
--Liz Jackson Hearns
I have been observing a trend in my students lately: y'all are getting braver. You're willing to try new and weird things, to observe changes in your voice without judgment, and to allow yourself to make entirely new sounds. This is an incredible feat! I've also been reading this article about the neural, motor, and somatosensory pathways that are involved in singing and the various feedback loops that occur when we make adjustments in our own voices.
Some changes, like adjusting a pitch based on what you hear from your voice and from the piano, function like a reflex. Other changes, like adjusting the timbre of your voice, require an incredibly complex and multi-layered pathway through several different sections of your brain. Not only are you listening to and evaluating your own voice and then sending commands to your motor control center to change something so seemingly small as opening your mouth a little more, but when you get it right, an entirely different part of your brain lights up because the sound that comes out doesn't sound like your voice anymore! And now, a different part of your brain dedicated to voice recognition is blinking and telling you this is not your voice! What is coming out of your mouth right now?!
It makes me giggle a little when I see that happen: your eyes get really big, you start to laugh on the inside (whether with nervousness or delight at this new discovery), and if you can keep making that sound you start to figure out what you're doing to achieve it. And then you make that sound again and again until the voice recognition light stops blinking.
The amount of simultaneous focus and release of inhibition (or focusing on releasing inhibition) it takes to complete this process, repeatedly, throughout your entire lesson, is astounding. And it's exhausting! I will tell you, the students who make the most progress from week to week, who see and feel their vocal flexibility and stamina increase consistently, are laser-focused on making uninhibited sounds from the moment they walk into the lesson room until the moment they leave.
So what do I mean by singing courageously? To sing courageously, you must disregard personal judgments about your voice. This is huge. And difficult. What isn't included in that article is the moment after we evaluate our voice and before we try to adjust it - that moment where judgment can start to creep in. It only takes a few milliseconds for inner self-talk to start up: that's the wrong note, dummy! You should just give up on singing. You'll never be great at this. It is so hard to come back to the place of focused non-inhibition once we start listening to that self-talk, isn't it? What if you could by-pass that inner self-talk and move right on through from evaluation to adjustment? What might it take to do that? I think it might take a willingness to be brave, instead of being perfect.
It takes courage to turn your voice over, to expose it to the open air in front of you and let it be vulnerable. Your voice is a representation of you, and by exposing it in voice lessons, you are in effect exposing yourself. You are so brave! I encourage you to continue on this path of courageous voice use - to observe changes in your voice with self-talk that sounds like, Oh that was interesting. I think I'll try something different next time. The pathways in your brain are working for you, to help you find that place between your old voice and your new (most authentic) voice so you can keep making beautiful and surprising sounds.
Sing courageously!
Some changes, like adjusting a pitch based on what you hear from your voice and from the piano, function like a reflex. Other changes, like adjusting the timbre of your voice, require an incredibly complex and multi-layered pathway through several different sections of your brain. Not only are you listening to and evaluating your own voice and then sending commands to your motor control center to change something so seemingly small as opening your mouth a little more, but when you get it right, an entirely different part of your brain lights up because the sound that comes out doesn't sound like your voice anymore! And now, a different part of your brain dedicated to voice recognition is blinking and telling you this is not your voice! What is coming out of your mouth right now?!
It makes me giggle a little when I see that happen: your eyes get really big, you start to laugh on the inside (whether with nervousness or delight at this new discovery), and if you can keep making that sound you start to figure out what you're doing to achieve it. And then you make that sound again and again until the voice recognition light stops blinking.
The amount of simultaneous focus and release of inhibition (or focusing on releasing inhibition) it takes to complete this process, repeatedly, throughout your entire lesson, is astounding. And it's exhausting! I will tell you, the students who make the most progress from week to week, who see and feel their vocal flexibility and stamina increase consistently, are laser-focused on making uninhibited sounds from the moment they walk into the lesson room until the moment they leave.
So what do I mean by singing courageously? To sing courageously, you must disregard personal judgments about your voice. This is huge. And difficult. What isn't included in that article is the moment after we evaluate our voice and before we try to adjust it - that moment where judgment can start to creep in. It only takes a few milliseconds for inner self-talk to start up: that's the wrong note, dummy! You should just give up on singing. You'll never be great at this. It is so hard to come back to the place of focused non-inhibition once we start listening to that self-talk, isn't it? What if you could by-pass that inner self-talk and move right on through from evaluation to adjustment? What might it take to do that? I think it might take a willingness to be brave, instead of being perfect.
It takes courage to turn your voice over, to expose it to the open air in front of you and let it be vulnerable. Your voice is a representation of you, and by exposing it in voice lessons, you are in effect exposing yourself. You are so brave! I encourage you to continue on this path of courageous voice use - to observe changes in your voice with self-talk that sounds like, Oh that was interesting. I think I'll try something different next time. The pathways in your brain are working for you, to help you find that place between your old voice and your new (most authentic) voice so you can keep making beautiful and surprising sounds.
Sing courageously!
Authors
We believe in combining technical and pedagogical expertise with a deep love of voice and singing. At The Voice Lab in Chicago, our teachers bring a diverse singing and voice care background ranging from operatic to pop, language studies, songwriting, and voice science research.
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