Posts Tagged ‘singing’

Attacking a High Note When Your Phrase Starts On One.

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when a phrase starts on a high note it’s difficult to start? People end up wavering on it for a second, or “scooping” up to get it, etc.

Here’s a little trick you can use to hit it bang on without wavering or scooping. An instant before you sing the note, quietly sing an “M” or “N” consonant on the note you are supposed to start on to place your tone there correctly.

No one will hear you do this unless you have a microphone, and even if you do it’ll just sound like you’re humming the note right before you start it. “M” and “N” consonants are great for helping to place tone. Something about how the sound they make is one you can hold….  it makes it easy to place tone that way, unlike a “T” for example, which is just a quick staccato sound.

If you do this it gives you an opportunity to find that first high note quietly first so that when you actually start singing the word, you’re already on the note and you won’t waver or scoop.

Make sense? Try it, let me know how it works for you.

More great tips and techniques at www.sing-like-a-pro.com, visit us today!

Elisha Rae

How To Use A Microphone!

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

 

Today’s tip is about microphone control, and how to use one properly! Here are three pointers on how to do it:

 

1) When singing at a normal volume, hold the mic about the distance of your thumb away from your mouth. When you are singing very quietly try not to move it too much closer or the sound can become distorted or muffled, depending on what kind of a sound system you are singing through.

 

2) Never hold the bulb of the microphone. If you surround the bulb with your hand and hold it tightly, it muffles the sound and your audience won’t hear you very well. You’ll likely come out sounding muddy.

 

3) Most importantly, when you are singing loudly, move the mic further away from your mouth. The louder you sing, the further you should move it away.  It can become very uncomfortable for the audience to listen to a booming loud singer while they’re wailing at top volume directly into the microphone. 

 

 

Check out the Sing Like A Pro ebook for more tips and techniques today at www.sing-like-a-pro.com

 

Thanks!

 

Elisha Rae

Sing Like A Pro

www.sing-like-a-pro.com

 

 

What Is The Difference Between Falsetto And Head Voice?

Friday, June 5th, 2009

This is a widely debated question. People have different definitions of falsetto, some people think it’s one thing, other people think it’s another, and some people confuse falsetto and head voice completely, as being the same thing.

 

Here is the difference: When you are singing in falsetto, it is a breathy, airy sound where your vocal cords ARE NOT TOUCHING. Air is flowing completely through them, thus producing the breathy, airy tone which isn’t even really a tone at all.

 

Head voice is the vocal register above chest voice, and when you are singing in head voice your vocal cords ARE touching, somewhere around three quarters of the way together. It’s a higher sound, and most of the tone is being resonated in your head before flowing out of your mouth.

 

Falsetto is actually just a stylistic vocal technique; head voice is a solid vocal register. That’s the difference.

 

Check out the Sing Like A Pro vocal program for tons more vocal information, techniques and lessons at www.sing-like-a-pro.com today!

 

Elisha Rae

www.sing-like-a-pro.com

A Lesson On Stage Presence!

Monday, April 27th, 2009
Connect with your audience! If you’re the singer, chances are you’re fronting your band, or leading your performance if you’re a solo act. Make sure you’re making eye contact and singing directly to specific members of the audience. An easy way to do this is to pick some people close to the front row… sing “to” them… look at them, pretend you’re in love with them, SING to them!

Engaging your audience this way is FANTASTIC for building a following of people to your performances. If you give your audience special attention, they’ll remember you and come back for more.

More great tips and techniques in the Sing Like A Pro vocal e-book, visit www.sing-like-a-pro.com for more information today!

Elisha

Singing Instructor
www.sing-like-a-pro.com

Record Yourself!

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Here’s a little tip to get you really well prepared to sing in front of people…record yourself! You can use your computer’s webcam and microphone, an old-school style stereo and *giggle* cassette tapes, or whatever kind of recording equipment you have. (There are lots of software programs that’ll do it for you too)

You’ll hear things in your voice that you didn’t know were there before, and if you find something you don’t like, you can hear it and fix it BEFORE you go onstage.  This way you’re guarantees to sing your song in a way that you know for sure you’re comfortable with.

Lots more techniques and tips in the Sing Like A Pro vocal e-book system, visit www.sing-like-a-pro.com for more information, free singing tip videos, and lots more free tips and articles today!

Take care,

Elisha Rae

www.sing-like-a-pro.com

Sing Like A Pro has a new friend

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

They’re called The Singer’s Blog, and it’s managed by journalist Gene Myers.  You can find lots of celebrity interviews and helpful singing information, including articles by  Sing Like A Pro!

Here’s a link to a recent article I wrote on breathing techniques… check it out!

http://blogforsingers.blogspot.com/2009/03/tips-on-breathing-from-sing-like-pro.html

Thanks for reading, I hope you’re enjoying the new YouTube video!

Elisha Rae

Breathing Techniques!

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Do you know how to breathe correctly when singing? Are you able to sustain your notes and phrases, and are you getting as much vocal power as you possibly can to belt out those notes?

Well, if you’re breathing correctly you are! When a singer takes a proper breath before singing a phrase and maintains correct breathing posture, they have increased power, the ability to support themselves on high notes, and the ability to HOLD notes for a pretty long time.

Lots of teachers have different ideas about correct breathing techniques. Here is the way that I have been taught, by most of the authorities I’ve dealt with on the subject. (I find it works FAR better hands down than anything else going around)

Picture your rib cage, all around from your front connecting all the way around your back, with a deflated inner tube underneath it. When you take a breath in, imagine that inner tube filling up with air, all around you, so your ribcage is expanded all around. Your shoulders shouldn’t be rising, only your sides expanding. When you exhale, don’t let your rib cage collapse. You want it to stay expanded while you’re singing.

Keeping this breathing posture allows for louder, higher, longer notes, and a better performance from you!

More tips in the Sing Like A Pro e-book system, www.sing-like-a-pro.com

Thoughts? Comments?

Elisha

Karaoke Star JR. Singing Competition

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

If anyone is interested, here’s a link that a friend of mine found for a singing contest called “Karaoke Star Jr.” There will be singing auditions coming to Winnipeg, and other cities across Canada. It’ll be broadcast on YTV. Here’s the link:

http://www.kstarjr.com/AuditionInfo.aspx

Cheers
Elisha

How Do You Sing When You’re Sick?

Friday, January 9th, 2009

So on New Year’s eve my band played an acoustic set at a small house party. As luck would have it, I was sick and my throat felt swollen; like it was going to close up on me.

I remember this happening last summer too- I was singing at a friend’s wedding and sure enough, that morning I felt sick as anything. Plugged up, congested, sore throat, hurt when I swallowed, the whole bit. So it got me thinking… when you’re in a bind, and you don’t have time to make yourself the usual healing concoctions, what do you do?

Here’s what I did, and despite being sick, the performances BOTH turned out great. Make sure you do these things the next time you have to perform sick, and you don’t have time to get anything ready:

1) Drink LOTS of water, all day long the day you perform
2) Speak as little as possible; and DON’T raise your voice no matter what
3) Warm your voice up shortly before you perform; sing the song you have to perform with and if you can’t hit some high notes, drop them a third, fifth or an octave, whatever fits. (Then you can still sing it without being out of key)
4) Ten minutes before you go on, suck back the STRONGEST cough drop you can find… Fisherman’s Friend and the black flavor of Halls have both worked well for me.

-You can also take Echinacia supplements, if they work for you. Truthfully, they don’t do a whole lot for me. Some people swear by them though, so use them if you like them.

-Some throat sprays work really well too, to keep the vocal cords lubed up. Entertainer’s Secret is a good one.

Then, go up and sing it like you practiced it! And if you’re well prepared, it should go just fine. The key is being well prepared.

In the Sing Like A Pro ebook there is a recipe for a drink (non-alcoholic) that has ingredients that can soothe a scratchy throat in approx. 2 minutes… I’ve used it plenty of times. It takes a couple of minutes to get it ready though, and not everyone has these ingredients handy so it’s best used when you have the time to make it.

Check it out in the Sing Like A Pro ebook, at www.sing-like-a-pro.com

Anyone else got any tips?

Elisha Rae Ewonchuk

Professional Voice Teacher
Sing Like A Pro
www.sing-like-a-pro.com

How To Sing Higher!

Friday, January 9th, 2009

Every singer I know has asked this question… and here’s my first free tip!

“Use less breath to sing your high notes than you would your low ones… simply just let out less breath on these notes.”

Seriously, try it. It’s far easier to approach high notes this way. You’ll find that the notes you used to reach for come out easily and smoothly with this technique.

This will be the first of a series on this topic, and many more to come! Plus lots of other topics, like how to sing with perfect pitch, how to sing louder without forcing your voice, how to breathe properly, microphone control, and TONS more.

Talk to you soon!

-Elisha