What I Learned Tonight
Aug 15, 2017
- Less Is More - relaxed, supported & stress-free (relaxed throat) singing produces a higher quality sound when applied collectively among all voice parts.
- Share Your Story - Singing is only part of the delivery. Dig deep and understand what the lyrics mean to you. Deliver your story through performance rather than just singing the song.
- Sing Like You Talk - a natural and comfortable approach to singing.
- Make Breathing Transparent & Mindless - let your posture and your diaphram enable breathing and use your brain to tell your story and deliver your message.
- Entertain - perform like you are telling a story to music.
- Watch Pat's Hands & Always Be Ready - breathe in advance of the first bar to provide a smooth transition to vocal production rather than the forced sound like of a cough or a sneeze. Stopping air flow in your glottis (in the throat), creates what is known in phonetics as a glottal stop created by rapidly closing the vocal cords. In singing, the reverse holds true by holding breath and rapidly opening the vocal cords. Breathing is continuous. Never stop. Never hold.
- High Facial Cheek Buzz - feel the sound in your upper cheeks with the help of a mild smile and the top lip off of the front teeth to produce resonant, non-muted sound. Thanks Ron.
- Stand Proud - don't slouch, align your body vertically, chest out and be ready to perform.
- No Sound In Your Nose - the soft palate (roof of your mouth) should feel tall and high like a yawn does and for me visually, like the ceiling in a church . The sound you produce should be identical when you sing with your nose pinched and when you sing with your nose open.
- Wear It On Your Sleeve - oftentimes revealing our most personal stories and experiences make us better singers. When Hugh shared his story, my mind got an adjustment like a chiropractor would do to a back. What was slightly foggy became crystal clear. Sing with clarity. For me personally, following that "Hugh moment", Little Pal sounded bigger and bolder than ever before. Thanks Hugh.
Barry T.