 Find the balance between technical perfection and emotional availability |
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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!
Taking lessons is a wonderful opportunity to face some unique challenges
--Liz Jackson Hearns
Anytime you take on a new hobby or learn a new skill there is a bit of a learning curve. I think this is especially challenging for adult learners, because we’re so good at everything else in our life—driving, balancing a budget, making a frozen pizza—that we expect new skills to come easily. This is not always the case, but you’re not alone! Here are some common struggles that come with starting to sing:
Starting voice lessons can bring you extra joy and a sense of accomplishment every week after your lessons. There are some challenges as you begin the process, but it will be worth it to finally follow your dreams of learning to sing.
- Finding a great teacher and signing up for lessons. Especially in a large urban area like Chicago, finding a great teacher can be a huge challenge. Social sites like Yelp and Facebook can give you good information through reviews and recommendations from peers. Referrals are, I think, the best way to find the right teacher. If your friends or colleagues have found a teacher they love, you will probably enjoy their lessons as well. Pricing and scheduling can vary widely from one voice studio to the next as well, but it is my opinion that you always get what you pay for, so be picky and don’t give up. You will find a teacher who can give you the learning experience you’re looking for.
- That first lesson. What a nerve-wracking experience! Singing solo for a stranger for the first time can be super scary—or it can be super awesome, and that’s always the goal of an excellent voice teacher. Your teacher wants you to feel comfortable and engaged so that the two of you can get a clear understanding of your vocal instrument and what your goals are. By the end of the first lesson, you should feel like you’re on top of the world and excited for the next one.
- Technical jargon. What terms do you already know? Do they mean what you think they mean? Do you know what chest voice and head voice are? Do you know where your diaphragm is and what it does? These are great ways to start conversing with your teacher about your technique. Ask as many questions as possible and get all the good information. A well-educated teacher will know exactly how to explain the technical stuff in a way that makes sense and is immediately applicable.
- Practicing. You’ve decided to take on this new hobby, and it requires that you spend time outside of your lesson working on your new skills. Everyone has a different level of commitment to practice, but you will always get more benefit from making time to practice regularly. Your teacher will have recommendations as to how much you should practice and what to focus on when you do. If you need a place to practice, there are several places to rent practice rooms by the hour throughout Chicago, including Jackson Voice Lab.
- Sticking to it. You will experience your voice in a whole new way once you start lessons, and as you get better you will find new things to improve and work at. Sometimes this can be discouraging, but all it means is that you are gaining a more complete understanding of your vocal instrument and what you want from it. How exciting! If you feel like you’re not progressing in the ways you want to, talk to your teacher. A good teacher is always eager to help you identify and achieve your goals for singing. Whether that means you nail your audition for The Voice or you just hit that G without cracking, your goals are valid and worth working toward.
Starting voice lessons can bring you extra joy and a sense of accomplishment every week after your lessons. There are some challenges as you begin the process, but it will be worth it to finally follow your dreams of learning to sing.
What do you teach the guy who already plays every instrument? Singing, of course!
--Liz Jackson Hearns
Several months ago songwriter Kyle Blevons started voice lessons with Liz Jackson Hearns at The Voice Lab. Kyle is a burgeoning hip hop artist and multi-instrumentalist; he plays guitar, bass, drums, and piano in addition to having an expressive and versatile voice. Singing lessons are helping Kyle achieve some of his music goals. "I'm releasing an EP in the next few months, followed by a full album in 2016. I knew I wanted my next album to incorporate singing, but after trying on my own for a year I noticed I wasn't improving at the rate I had hoped to. Naturally signing lessons was the solution. I'd say it was one of the smartest decisions I've made in my music career."
Kyle's music career has led him to involvement in several diverse projects in varying roles, and singing lessons are helping to fill in the gaps. "Singing has always brought me joy, and playing multiple instruments has been super helpful when it comes to creating original music from the ground up. Singing was the last element missing. I want to be able to sing with my acoustic guitar, to belt out some powerhouse vocals, and even do some screaming." An experienced performer, Kyle blends his musical awareness and natural vocal talent to discover different ways to use his instrument through various genres including rap, punk, metal, acoustic, rock, and pop.
Although his projects and goals are significant, lessons are not without their lighter moments. "One time I wore full face paint while singing a KISS song in order to really tap into the essence of Gene Simmons' voice. ---Ok, that may or may not be true. But we have done a vocal exercise that sounded like a weird variation of Curly from the Three Stooges going 'nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.' The goal was to focus my singing to the front of my face in order to replicate Ozzy Osbourne's high pitched bright sound, and it worked!"
Kyle says his favorite part of lessons is learning new songs. "Liz is able to show me so many wonderful tricks in order to accomplish the sound I want to achieve. She's super educated with a wonderful spirit, and she manages to notice every little nuance in my voice and singing execution." (I may be biased, but I think Kyle is doing a pretty great job of taking all those tricks and making them work for his own musical growth.)
He also faces the same challenges as other singers when he's in the lesson room, allowing himself to take risks and rethink some of his vocal habits. "Before taking lessons, I was using a whole bunch of facial muscles without ever really strengthening my vocal muscles, which made improvement a long and strenuous process. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist and I am very self aware every time I'm not hitting the right notes. It can be really hard to let myself go and feel the vulnerability of showcasing my voice, imperfections and all. But overall, it's a great growth experience!"
When asked if he had any advice for those considering voice lessons, he simply said, "Take lessons! If you really want to be good you need someone to guide you."
We're very excited to support Kyle as he works toward the release of his EP and album. We can't wait to hear how it comes to life!
Kyle's music career has led him to involvement in several diverse projects in varying roles, and singing lessons are helping to fill in the gaps. "Singing has always brought me joy, and playing multiple instruments has been super helpful when it comes to creating original music from the ground up. Singing was the last element missing. I want to be able to sing with my acoustic guitar, to belt out some powerhouse vocals, and even do some screaming." An experienced performer, Kyle blends his musical awareness and natural vocal talent to discover different ways to use his instrument through various genres including rap, punk, metal, acoustic, rock, and pop.
Although his projects and goals are significant, lessons are not without their lighter moments. "One time I wore full face paint while singing a KISS song in order to really tap into the essence of Gene Simmons' voice. ---Ok, that may or may not be true. But we have done a vocal exercise that sounded like a weird variation of Curly from the Three Stooges going 'nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.' The goal was to focus my singing to the front of my face in order to replicate Ozzy Osbourne's high pitched bright sound, and it worked!"
Kyle says his favorite part of lessons is learning new songs. "Liz is able to show me so many wonderful tricks in order to accomplish the sound I want to achieve. She's super educated with a wonderful spirit, and she manages to notice every little nuance in my voice and singing execution." (I may be biased, but I think Kyle is doing a pretty great job of taking all those tricks and making them work for his own musical growth.)
He also faces the same challenges as other singers when he's in the lesson room, allowing himself to take risks and rethink some of his vocal habits. "Before taking lessons, I was using a whole bunch of facial muscles without ever really strengthening my vocal muscles, which made improvement a long and strenuous process. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist and I am very self aware every time I'm not hitting the right notes. It can be really hard to let myself go and feel the vulnerability of showcasing my voice, imperfections and all. But overall, it's a great growth experience!"
When asked if he had any advice for those considering voice lessons, he simply said, "Take lessons! If you really want to be good you need someone to guide you."
We're very excited to support Kyle as he works toward the release of his EP and album. We can't wait to hear how it comes to life!
Your power is there; you just have to remember where you put it
--Guest blog by yoga instructor and playwright, Heather Cramond
While the physical benefits of yoga definitely attract people to the practice, there’s a reason why people choose it over another form of physical activity. It’s not that the poses themselves are magic. Sun salutations are slowed-down, beautifully-aligned burpees (with a backbend thrown in), yet no one goes to cross-fit specifically with the goal of relieving stress or being more present.
Classical yoga’s actually an 8-limbed system, and the physical poses aren’t even involved until limb number three. The first two limbs are behavioral: social and individual observances that are pretty similar to those present in most major religious systems. Don’t steal, don’t stab your neighbor, that sort of thing. The limbs aren’t sequential, but it helps to have these basic principles down for the most part before you start doing any deeper work. But you’ll find they come up again and again.
For example, sattya (truth) is emphasized pretty early on. You can be truthful in words, in
actions, and in your thoughts and emotions. You can say you’re living in truth when these three parts of yourself line up. For many of us, there’s a disconnect. I say I want to give up unhealthy snacks, but my actions show otherwise. I may even skip the vending machine on the way to work, but I still think about food all day, and get cranky with my co-workers. This isn’t a moral issue so much as an alignment issue.
The reason these three parts of ourselves often don’t line up is that we don’t know which is right. Is it better to feel gross physically than to yell at the poor guy who sits next to me? Most of the time, we look to other people to tell us which to choose. Our loved ones exert their influence, sometimes with good intentions, and sometimes without meaning to. And then there are rules, some for safety and some defined by nature. But those aren’t the ones that throw most us off, with the possible exception of toddlers, who get mad because humans get tired or they aren’t allowed to touch fire.
Each person has a Self that’s eternal and unchanging. We align to that center when we’re left to our own devices. We manifest that Self in different ways: costumes if you like. So just as a song you sing or a painting you make is not you but an expression, so too is your body. Your limiting beliefs are part of that expression as well. We can change our expressions with actions as simple as a haircut or as gut-wrenching as a divorce. Our physical body is constantly sloughing off dead cells, so we’re physically a new person after seven years of shedding. But we tend to keep our body and our minds the same because of habits.
We get stuck into patterns that aren’t useful anymore. Perhaps at one point in your life, it was helpful to remaining small and safe because you grew up in an environment where that was needed. Now an adult, perhaps you still feel small, feel there is no other way to be except small, because that habit has etched itself past the physical body and into your deeper layers. Your heart feels small. Even when you make a conscious decision and know on an intellectual level that what you need to do is to come into your own power, you’re not able to do it.
Neither of these strategies are bad; morally, both are neutral. But what version of yourself is most needed right now? Yoga gives you space to listen to yourself. To look at and feel your body. To breathe without threat or interference. To notice what thoughts arise. When your teacher asks you to try something different with your body or your breath, it’s an invitation to see what could happen if you allowed change into your life.
The practice is a preparation for bliss, a state that arrives spontaneously when you’ve cleared a space for it. From that freedom, you can be spontaneous. Just like when your physical voice suddenly appears to improve after months of practice, the practice of seeking inner wisdom, of quieting down and being present starts to become something you do without trying. You are able to tap into resources that you’ve built through practice and through patience.
Your power is there; you just have to remember where you hid it!
Classical yoga’s actually an 8-limbed system, and the physical poses aren’t even involved until limb number three. The first two limbs are behavioral: social and individual observances that are pretty similar to those present in most major religious systems. Don’t steal, don’t stab your neighbor, that sort of thing. The limbs aren’t sequential, but it helps to have these basic principles down for the most part before you start doing any deeper work. But you’ll find they come up again and again.
For example, sattya (truth) is emphasized pretty early on. You can be truthful in words, in
actions, and in your thoughts and emotions. You can say you’re living in truth when these three parts of yourself line up. For many of us, there’s a disconnect. I say I want to give up unhealthy snacks, but my actions show otherwise. I may even skip the vending machine on the way to work, but I still think about food all day, and get cranky with my co-workers. This isn’t a moral issue so much as an alignment issue.
The reason these three parts of ourselves often don’t line up is that we don’t know which is right. Is it better to feel gross physically than to yell at the poor guy who sits next to me? Most of the time, we look to other people to tell us which to choose. Our loved ones exert their influence, sometimes with good intentions, and sometimes without meaning to. And then there are rules, some for safety and some defined by nature. But those aren’t the ones that throw most us off, with the possible exception of toddlers, who get mad because humans get tired or they aren’t allowed to touch fire.
Each person has a Self that’s eternal and unchanging. We align to that center when we’re left to our own devices. We manifest that Self in different ways: costumes if you like. So just as a song you sing or a painting you make is not you but an expression, so too is your body. Your limiting beliefs are part of that expression as well. We can change our expressions with actions as simple as a haircut or as gut-wrenching as a divorce. Our physical body is constantly sloughing off dead cells, so we’re physically a new person after seven years of shedding. But we tend to keep our body and our minds the same because of habits.
We get stuck into patterns that aren’t useful anymore. Perhaps at one point in your life, it was helpful to remaining small and safe because you grew up in an environment where that was needed. Now an adult, perhaps you still feel small, feel there is no other way to be except small, because that habit has etched itself past the physical body and into your deeper layers. Your heart feels small. Even when you make a conscious decision and know on an intellectual level that what you need to do is to come into your own power, you’re not able to do it.
Neither of these strategies are bad; morally, both are neutral. But what version of yourself is most needed right now? Yoga gives you space to listen to yourself. To look at and feel your body. To breathe without threat or interference. To notice what thoughts arise. When your teacher asks you to try something different with your body or your breath, it’s an invitation to see what could happen if you allowed change into your life.
The practice is a preparation for bliss, a state that arrives spontaneously when you’ve cleared a space for it. From that freedom, you can be spontaneous. Just like when your physical voice suddenly appears to improve after months of practice, the practice of seeking inner wisdom, of quieting down and being present starts to become something you do without trying. You are able to tap into resources that you’ve built through practice and through patience.
Your power is there; you just have to remember where you hid it!
Finding quality music in this digital, auto-tuned age can be hard, but I have a few favorites to treat your ears.
--Alex Makris
Really great music is a rare thing. I’m talking about the kind of music that doesn’t just entertain us or set the right mood for driving in the car. I'm talking about music that touches us and connects us, artist to audience.. This connection fuels my love and deep appreciation for singer-songwriters. A well-written song can feel like I'm reading someone's journal--maybe it's the artist's, maybe it's my own.
The list of artists and titles below includes songs that have plucked my heart strings, given me chills, inspired me, told a compelling story, reinforced my own story, made me cry, made my smile, and taken me back through memories of love.
(Side note: I made this list and sent it to Liz to publish. She got so excited about all this music she had never heard that she made a bunch of notes, some of which are included.)
1. Gavin Degraw, "Warerfall" and "A Song For You."
Gavin has some influence of John Mayer, and his floating voice and sparse phrasing will pull you in to the music and under the waterfall before you even know it's happening. His cover of "A Song For You" shows off his soulful voice, and the live version is captivating.
2. Noah Gunderson. "Cigarettes"
Noah introduces the live version of "Cigarettes" with this little thought: "this is a song about the relationship between a person and a substance that you tend to abuse and then get over, and then so easily fall back into.," and I imagine you're already thinking of what that is for you,
3. Lianne La Havas, "Gone"
Lianne's straight-forward and conversational lyrics are reminiscent of Adele's first album, but with a sprinkling of gospel. "Gone" starts immediately with vocals and has minimal accompaniment, giving Lianne's voice freedom to move and take you along for the ride.
4. Sara Bareilles, "Gravity" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The first few notes of "Gravity," like many of Sara's songs, evoke a quiet jazz club buried in a vibrant city. There isn't much else to say about this song except that I invite you let her voice and beautiful piano harmonies take hold. Her cover of this classic Elton John tune is also gripping to say the least. Gives me chills every time I hear it.
5. The Lone Bellow - I couldn't even choose a song to represent The Lone Bellow, so this link takes you to a full concert. This amazing three-piece band has heart-punching harmonies that get me with every single song.
6. Lou Rawls "You'll never find a love like mine"
A classic love song that you can't help but dance and sway to. While you're at it, hang out with Al Green after you've listened to this song.
7. Avril Lavigne "Why"
It's so refreshing to hear Avril, whose voice is already raw and full of emotion, sing without a full band. This song almost has a country or folk flavor to it, another change from her typical punky teen angst.
8. The Civil Wars "Barton Hollow"
Maybe it's overplayed by now, but when I first heard this song I couldn't stop listening to it. It just makes my head bob thinking about it. Grace Potter's "Nothing But The Water Part II," particularly the last minute or so, is also exceptionally good in a similar way.
9. The Avett Brothers "Murder In the City"
The first line, "If I get murdered in the city/don't go revenging in my name/a person dead from such is plenty/no need to go get locked away" pulls you in and sets you down to hear the story from the start. The rest of the song doesn't disappoint, with raw and unprocessed honesty in their harmonies and lyrics.
10. Lauren Pritchard "Not The Drinking"
Another powerful and soulful voice added to this list, along with her obvious musical chops and great showmanship, she's easy to watch and fun to sing along with.
Although some of the links to these songs are live performances and some are not, I find most inspiration in the raw stripped versions of these songs. If you're hungry for more great music, NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts are a great resource for acoustic sessions. I also love The Mahogany Sessions channel.
I hope you found these as moving as I did or find something else just as great along the way.
Happy listening!
-Alex
The list of artists and titles below includes songs that have plucked my heart strings, given me chills, inspired me, told a compelling story, reinforced my own story, made me cry, made my smile, and taken me back through memories of love.
(Side note: I made this list and sent it to Liz to publish. She got so excited about all this music she had never heard that she made a bunch of notes, some of which are included.)
1. Gavin Degraw, "Warerfall" and "A Song For You."
Gavin has some influence of John Mayer, and his floating voice and sparse phrasing will pull you in to the music and under the waterfall before you even know it's happening. His cover of "A Song For You" shows off his soulful voice, and the live version is captivating.
2. Noah Gunderson. "Cigarettes"
Noah introduces the live version of "Cigarettes" with this little thought: "this is a song about the relationship between a person and a substance that you tend to abuse and then get over, and then so easily fall back into.," and I imagine you're already thinking of what that is for you,
3. Lianne La Havas, "Gone"
Lianne's straight-forward and conversational lyrics are reminiscent of Adele's first album, but with a sprinkling of gospel. "Gone" starts immediately with vocals and has minimal accompaniment, giving Lianne's voice freedom to move and take you along for the ride.
4. Sara Bareilles, "Gravity" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
The first few notes of "Gravity," like many of Sara's songs, evoke a quiet jazz club buried in a vibrant city. There isn't much else to say about this song except that I invite you let her voice and beautiful piano harmonies take hold. Her cover of this classic Elton John tune is also gripping to say the least. Gives me chills every time I hear it.
5. The Lone Bellow - I couldn't even choose a song to represent The Lone Bellow, so this link takes you to a full concert. This amazing three-piece band has heart-punching harmonies that get me with every single song.
6. Lou Rawls "You'll never find a love like mine"
A classic love song that you can't help but dance and sway to. While you're at it, hang out with Al Green after you've listened to this song.
7. Avril Lavigne "Why"
It's so refreshing to hear Avril, whose voice is already raw and full of emotion, sing without a full band. This song almost has a country or folk flavor to it, another change from her typical punky teen angst.
8. The Civil Wars "Barton Hollow"
Maybe it's overplayed by now, but when I first heard this song I couldn't stop listening to it. It just makes my head bob thinking about it. Grace Potter's "Nothing But The Water Part II," particularly the last minute or so, is also exceptionally good in a similar way.
9. The Avett Brothers "Murder In the City"
The first line, "If I get murdered in the city/don't go revenging in my name/a person dead from such is plenty/no need to go get locked away" pulls you in and sets you down to hear the story from the start. The rest of the song doesn't disappoint, with raw and unprocessed honesty in their harmonies and lyrics.
10. Lauren Pritchard "Not The Drinking"
Another powerful and soulful voice added to this list, along with her obvious musical chops and great showmanship, she's easy to watch and fun to sing along with.
Although some of the links to these songs are live performances and some are not, I find most inspiration in the raw stripped versions of these songs. If you're hungry for more great music, NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts are a great resource for acoustic sessions. I also love The Mahogany Sessions channel.
I hope you found these as moving as I did or find something else just as great along the way.
Happy listening!
-Alex
A weird trick to help you find a stronger, more flexible voice
--Liz Jackson Hearns
You may have noticed that we’re all about straws here at The Voice Lab, and if you haven’t heard about it from your voice teacher already, you deserve an explanation!
Straw phonation is a voice therapy technique developed by Dr. Ingo Titze and Dr. Kittie Verdolini-Abbott. After attending the Summer Vocology Institute where I learned from both of these amazing voice care professionals and excellent instructors, I was hooked on straw phonation. Their vocology literature, as well as other resources, are listed below.
What is straw phonation?
Let’s start with phonation first: phonation refers to the vibration of your vocal folds; when you make sound with your voice that requires your vocal folds to vibrate, you are phonating. How can you tell if you’re phonating? Place your hand on the front of your neck and see if you can feel all those bumpy cartilages. Now say the word “wowee.” Do you feel those cartilages vibrate under your hand? Try the same word again, but whisper the word “wowee” instead of speaking it. No vibration this time, right? Right! Because whispering doesn’t [exactly] require you to phonate. Anytime you use your voice to speak, sing, hum, sigh, squawk, or laugh, your vocal folds vibrate, and we call that vibration phonation.
Straw phonation refers to phonating through a straw. Ever used a kazoo? Same concept. By singing, or phonating, through a straw, you are doing some really groovy and unique things to your voice, which are all beneficial!
What does straw phonation do to help singers and voice users?
Straw phonation is such a handy tool, I use it with every student and I think it’s a great warm-up to start every lesson. I also like to use my straws in the car, on the train, while I’m typing (right now), and whenever I’m feeling a little vocally fatigued after a long day of teaching or rehearsing.
We can’t wait to start using straws with you!
Books:
Titze, Ingo R. Principles of Voice Production. Iowa City, IA: National Center for Voice and Speech, 2000.
Titze, Ingo R. and Katherine Verdolini Abbot. Vocology: The Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation. Iowa City, IA: National Center for Voice and Speech, 2012.
Online Articles:
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Voice Therapy Protocols
Voice Training and Therapy With a Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract: Rationale and Scientific Underpinnings
Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Postures and their Application in the Singing Voice Studio
Straw phonation is a voice therapy technique developed by Dr. Ingo Titze and Dr. Kittie Verdolini-Abbott. After attending the Summer Vocology Institute where I learned from both of these amazing voice care professionals and excellent instructors, I was hooked on straw phonation. Their vocology literature, as well as other resources, are listed below.
What is straw phonation?
Let’s start with phonation first: phonation refers to the vibration of your vocal folds; when you make sound with your voice that requires your vocal folds to vibrate, you are phonating. How can you tell if you’re phonating? Place your hand on the front of your neck and see if you can feel all those bumpy cartilages. Now say the word “wowee.” Do you feel those cartilages vibrate under your hand? Try the same word again, but whisper the word “wowee” instead of speaking it. No vibration this time, right? Right! Because whispering doesn’t [exactly] require you to phonate. Anytime you use your voice to speak, sing, hum, sigh, squawk, or laugh, your vocal folds vibrate, and we call that vibration phonation.
Straw phonation refers to phonating through a straw. Ever used a kazoo? Same concept. By singing, or phonating, through a straw, you are doing some really groovy and unique things to your voice, which are all beneficial!
What does straw phonation do to help singers and voice users?
- Repairs vocal fold tissue. This study performed by Mara Kapsner-Smith and her team showed that Resonant Voice therapies, including straw phonation helps repair vocal fold tissue.
- Builds laryngeal muscles. You might notice the first time you sing through a straw that it’s quite difficult, and the smaller the straw, the harder the task. Not only is producing sound at all (phonation, remember?) difficult, but your voice breaks will probably become more abrupt and difficult to navigate. Utilizing straw phonation helps create a more efficient vocal system. I like to analogize this as to taking your voice to the gym with extra gravity on; you get real buff, real fast.
- Improves breath management. When using the straw, you might hear a hissing or whooshing sound that you’ll recognize as extra air leaking or blowing through the straw. This immediate aural feedback lets you know you’re using too much breath, and helps develop your breath mechanism to be more efficient and have better stamina.
- Increases sensations of resonance. One of the comments I hear regularly when someone tries straw phonation for the first time is, “my whole head is buzzing!” That’s exactly what we want! Straw phonation helps you find efficient and effective ways to improve the resonance of your voice by amplifying those sensations of resonance (some voice teachers call it “placement”). It feels weird at first, but can become a very useful tool.
Straw phonation is such a handy tool, I use it with every student and I think it’s a great warm-up to start every lesson. I also like to use my straws in the car, on the train, while I’m typing (right now), and whenever I’m feeling a little vocally fatigued after a long day of teaching or rehearsing.
We can’t wait to start using straws with you!
Books:
Titze, Ingo R. Principles of Voice Production. Iowa City, IA: National Center for Voice and Speech, 2000.
Titze, Ingo R. and Katherine Verdolini Abbot. Vocology: The Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation. Iowa City, IA: National Center for Voice and Speech, 2012.
Online Articles:
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Voice Therapy Protocols
Voice Training and Therapy With a Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract: Rationale and Scientific Underpinnings
Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Postures and their Application in the Singing Voice Studio
Authors
Liz, Alexandra, and Katherine are all faculty at The Voice Lab in Chicago.
Each brings a diverse singing and voice care background ranging from operatic to pop, language studies, songwriting, and voice science research. We believe in combining technical and pedagogical expertise with a deep love of voice and singing.
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