Meredith Colby's Blog, page 6
April 11, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY: day 5
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 5 HAVE FUN SINGING ALONEBack when the earth was cooling off (you know, before digital music) you had to play piano or guitar if you wanted to have 24/7 access to accompaniment for your singing. If you couldn’t play, you had to find someone who could, or just sing acapella in your living room.Happily, we now have instant access to the full band or orchestra accompaniment to nearly any song we want to sing. Through our computers or our phones, we can access YouTube, where nice people upload millions of karaoke tracks for free. There are sites like karaokeversion.com that even let you alter the key a little to make a song more comfortable to sing. If you want to buy a nice background track to use in the car it’s a dollar on iTunes.Making Music Magazine has a great article about cool apps for singers. There are also apps for learning to sing harmonies and for warming up your voice.This incredibly easy access to backing tracks is not only fun, it’s a great practice tool to help you improve your skills.TAKEAWAY:Karaoke is the bomb.#funsinging #karaoke #worldvoiceday
No. 5 HAVE FUN SINGING ALONEBack when the earth was cooling off (you know, before digital music) you had to play piano or guitar if you wanted to have 24/7 access to accompaniment for your singing. If you couldn’t play, you had to find someone who could, or just sing acapella in your living room.Happily, we now have instant access to the full band or orchestra accompaniment to nearly any song we want to sing. Through our computers or our phones, we can access YouTube, where nice people upload millions of karaoke tracks for free. There are sites like karaokeversion.com that even let you alter the key a little to make a song more comfortable to sing. If you want to buy a nice background track to use in the car it’s a dollar on iTunes.Making Music Magazine has a great article about cool apps for singers. There are also apps for learning to sing harmonies and for warming up your voice.This incredibly easy access to backing tracks is not only fun, it’s a great practice tool to help you improve your skills.TAKEAWAY:Karaoke is the bomb.#funsinging #karaoke #worldvoiceday
April 10, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY, Day 6
30 Vocal Tips in 30 DaysNo. 6 HAVE FUN SINGING IN A GROUPChoirs are for other people. Until you join one. Then you realize how transformative it is to sing in a group; to have your voice be melded into the greater whole of music and complex sound waves. Singing in a group gets you out of the house, moving your body, interacting
with other people. It cheers you up, enriches your day and your life, and gives you a vehicle through which to add beauty to the world. According to my neuroscience hero, Daniel Levitin, it even releases oxytocin, the hormone of bonding, in the singer.Stacy Horn, a writer who did not consider herself a strong singer, found the experience of singing in group so powerful that she wrote a book about it calledImperfect Harmony.If you’re afraid to try out for a choir, please don’t be. Music people are generally pretty nice. People who run volunteer choral groups are generally especially nice.TAKEAWAY:If you like to sing, the easiest, cheapest, most available way to get you off your ass, bring you joy, and allow you to contribute positively to the world, is joining a singing group or choir.
with other people. It cheers you up, enriches your day and your life, and gives you a vehicle through which to add beauty to the world. According to my neuroscience hero, Daniel Levitin, it even releases oxytocin, the hormone of bonding, in the singer.Stacy Horn, a writer who did not consider herself a strong singer, found the experience of singing in group so powerful that she wrote a book about it calledImperfect Harmony.If you’re afraid to try out for a choir, please don’t be. Music people are generally pretty nice. People who run volunteer choral groups are generally especially nice.TAKEAWAY:If you like to sing, the easiest, cheapest, most available way to get you off your ass, bring you joy, and allow you to contribute positively to the world, is joining a singing group or choir.
April 7, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 8 LESS IS MORESinging is a natural thing that everyone can do. If you’re pursuing being a better singer, then singing probably comes easily to you. That can be a problem.Your voice is a gift, and singing is a skill. To get better at something, you have to practice with intention. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone; something few people are inclined to do. You also have to make time to practice, which is the part that trips singers up more than anything else.Most people can, and will, make time for something if the time being made is short; say, 5 or 10 minutes. You may not be practicing because you think you need to have an hour, or a half an hour, to practice. The days go by and none of those days hand you that hour you need, so you show up at your voice lesson (or whatever) without having practiced. Again.If you’d set aside that 10 minutes a day, you would have practiced for more than an hour that week. You would have moved toward your goals.TAKEAWAY:Something is more than nothing.
No. 8 LESS IS MORESinging is a natural thing that everyone can do. If you’re pursuing being a better singer, then singing probably comes easily to you. That can be a problem.Your voice is a gift, and singing is a skill. To get better at something, you have to practice with intention. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone; something few people are inclined to do. You also have to make time to practice, which is the part that trips singers up more than anything else.Most people can, and will, make time for something if the time being made is short; say, 5 or 10 minutes. You may not be practicing because you think you need to have an hour, or a half an hour, to practice. The days go by and none of those days hand you that hour you need, so you show up at your voice lesson (or whatever) without having practiced. Again.If you’d set aside that 10 minutes a day, you would have practiced for more than an hour that week. You would have moved toward your goals.TAKEAWAY:Something is more than nothing.
April 6, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 9 THERE’S ROOM BETWEEN THE SHOWER AND FAMEEvery time someone tells me they “can’t sing” I cringe a little. Singing is one of the great joys of being human, but many people seem to believe that they have to be great at singing to participate in singing.The fact is that there are a lot of reasons to sing, a lot of places to sing, and a lot of people who would like you to sing for them, or with them. The internet has made is very easy to find community choirs, community theater, karaoke nights, and open mics. You don’t have to be ready for The Voice; if you love to sing you can lead a sing-along at an assisted living facility, sing lullabies at a children’s hospital, start a casual singing group, or join the choir at your church/temple. You may not think you have fun friends, but YouTube karaoke and bottle of wine can turn anyone into a fun friend!Nota bene:Maya Rogersis a wonderful writer and advocate for the positive effects of singing.TAKEAWAY:You don’t have to be perfect. Begin.
No. 9 THERE’S ROOM BETWEEN THE SHOWER AND FAMEEvery time someone tells me they “can’t sing” I cringe a little. Singing is one of the great joys of being human, but many people seem to believe that they have to be great at singing to participate in singing.The fact is that there are a lot of reasons to sing, a lot of places to sing, and a lot of people who would like you to sing for them, or with them. The internet has made is very easy to find community choirs, community theater, karaoke nights, and open mics. You don’t have to be ready for The Voice; if you love to sing you can lead a sing-along at an assisted living facility, sing lullabies at a children’s hospital, start a casual singing group, or join the choir at your church/temple. You may not think you have fun friends, but YouTube karaoke and bottle of wine can turn anyone into a fun friend!Nota bene:Maya Rogersis a wonderful writer and advocate for the positive effects of singing.TAKEAWAY:You don’t have to be perfect. Begin.
April 5, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 10 CHEESE WILL NOT KILL YOUA non-singer reading the title of Tip #10 would wonder. A singer would totally get it.Singer are frequently given food & drink rules by voice teachers and fellow singers. For instance:Do not eat dairy; it makes you phlegmyDrink tea with honey; it helps your voiceAvoid caffeine in general, coffee in particularSuck lemons; it breaks up the phlegmDon’t eat two (or three or four) hours before you singThere’s nothing wrong with any of these dietary guidelines. Anything that has helped another singer, especially if that singer has the same issue you do, is worth trying. But don’t get attached to any one proclamation as an absolute truth. Everyone is different, and everyone will respond differently to various things at different times in their lives. What works for someone else might be horrible for you, and vice versa.TAKEAWAY:You’re the only one who can determine whether what (and when) you eat is helping or impeding your singing.
No. 10 CHEESE WILL NOT KILL YOUA non-singer reading the title of Tip #10 would wonder. A singer would totally get it.Singer are frequently given food & drink rules by voice teachers and fellow singers. For instance:Do not eat dairy; it makes you phlegmyDrink tea with honey; it helps your voiceAvoid caffeine in general, coffee in particularSuck lemons; it breaks up the phlegmDon’t eat two (or three or four) hours before you singThere’s nothing wrong with any of these dietary guidelines. Anything that has helped another singer, especially if that singer has the same issue you do, is worth trying. But don’t get attached to any one proclamation as an absolute truth. Everyone is different, and everyone will respond differently to various things at different times in their lives. What works for someone else might be horrible for you, and vice versa.TAKEAWAY:You’re the only one who can determine whether what (and when) you eat is helping or impeding your singing.
April 4, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 DaysNo. 11 THE SKINNY ON VOCAL NODESVocal nodules are, basically, little bumps on your vocal folds. There are several conditions that can result in vocal chord bumps. (British Voice Assc.has a good article about nodes.)Nodes are typically caused from speech habits, overuse, or trauma.Your voice teacher did not give you nodes.Different people have different voices; more or less vulnerable to damage and fatigue.Being diagnosed with vocal nodes only means that you need to find out why you have them, and address the issue.Nodes are not a statement about your singing.Nodes are small bumps that keep the vocal folds from coming completely together. Continuing to sing and speak with nodes will create other compensatory behaviors in the larynx, as well as allowing “soft” nodes to become “hard.”If you change your speech habits and rest your voice, most vocal nodular-type conditions can heal and go away.Speech therapists help people with this. So do voice teachers.If a laryngologist determines that you need surgery to remove your nodes, don’t fret. Laser surgery for voices is precise, heals quickly, and is very low risk.TAKEAWAY:If you have nodes, or think you have vocal nodes, don’t judge. Get a diagnosis, learn, and heal.
April 3, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days[image error]No. 12 4 HACKS FOR STAGE FRIGHTStage fright is a particularly frustrating problem because it feels beyond your control. You think you’re doing well, or you imagine you can talk yourself out of it, and then – 30 minutes before you go on, or 30 seconds after you’ve begun – you’re victimized by a cascade of symptoms. There’s no sure-fire way to get control of your response to stage fright, but here are some things that could help.Diaphragm breathing: When you’re afraid or stressed, you take short, shallow, and irregular breaths. When you sleep, you take long, deep, and regular breaths. If you can make yourself take “sleeping breaths” it will be harder for your body to remember that it’s panicking.Choose your thoughts: People with stage fright tend to imagine the worst, and those thoughts increase the symptoms. Instead, think (or even say out loud) thoughts that will calm and reassure you.Visualize: This won’t help in the moment, but is your best investment in the long term.Beta Blockers: Better living through chemistry, people. Beta blockers are a non-addicting, cheap drug that blocks the effects of adrenaline. They really work for musicians with stage fright. You’ll need an Rx.TAKEAWAY:Stage fright is treatable.
April 2, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 13 WHY YOU GET STAGE FRIGHTAnything that is a shared trait among a large number of people is a trait that helped you get here. Evolution theory says that individuals with traits that help them survive are then, because of surviving, able to pass those genes on to their progeny. One sensible theory about stage frights says that social anxiety was a survival response to “hostile dominants,” triggering escape, avoidance, or submissive behavior. So, from a monkey-brain perspective, you’re getting stage fright because you think your audience is going to kill you. That’s extreme, but not unnatural. Your monkey brain may just think they’re hostile, aggressors, or want your stuff.Stage fright becomes debilitating – causing nausea, dry-mouth, tremors, blurred vision, etc. – when your mind invests in or exaggerates that natural response. If you want to know more,George Dvorskyhas a wonderful article about this. Tomorrow I’ll have some suggestions for you.TAKEAWAY:Stage fright is normal, but extreme stage fright sucks. Check in tomorrow for ways to deal with it.
No. 13 WHY YOU GET STAGE FRIGHTAnything that is a shared trait among a large number of people is a trait that helped you get here. Evolution theory says that individuals with traits that help them survive are then, because of surviving, able to pass those genes on to their progeny. One sensible theory about stage frights says that social anxiety was a survival response to “hostile dominants,” triggering escape, avoidance, or submissive behavior. So, from a monkey-brain perspective, you’re getting stage fright because you think your audience is going to kill you. That’s extreme, but not unnatural. Your monkey brain may just think they’re hostile, aggressors, or want your stuff.Stage fright becomes debilitating – causing nausea, dry-mouth, tremors, blurred vision, etc. – when your mind invests in or exaggerates that natural response. If you want to know more,George Dvorskyhas a wonderful article about this. Tomorrow I’ll have some suggestions for you.TAKEAWAY:Stage fright is normal, but extreme stage fright sucks. Check in tomorrow for ways to deal with it.
April 1, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 14 JUST SAY “NO”“The most common performance-related practice that results in injury to the vocal folds is continuing to perform when one has an upper respiratory tract infection that involves the vocal folds…The second most common injury is not treating an excessive cough during an upper respiratory tract infection and just “waiting it out.” A chronic cough, in and of itself, will cause nodules on the vocal folds, whether you are performing or not”.Yolanda D. Heman-Ackah, MDI promise I’m not trying to freak you out by quoting Dr. Heman-Ackah. My real intention is to give you permission to say “no.”I know you’re not a whiner. You’re respecting your obligation. You said you’d be there. You may not want to miss an opportunity to perform. But sometimes, you just have to bow out. Sometimes you have to measure whether or not this gig is worth gambling on your vocal health.TAKEAWAY:If you’ve been coughing or struggling with laryngitis, your voice is vulnerable to damage. It’s up to you to protect it.
No. 14 JUST SAY “NO”“The most common performance-related practice that results in injury to the vocal folds is continuing to perform when one has an upper respiratory tract infection that involves the vocal folds…The second most common injury is not treating an excessive cough during an upper respiratory tract infection and just “waiting it out.” A chronic cough, in and of itself, will cause nodules on the vocal folds, whether you are performing or not”.Yolanda D. Heman-Ackah, MDI promise I’m not trying to freak you out by quoting Dr. Heman-Ackah. My real intention is to give you permission to say “no.”I know you’re not a whiner. You’re respecting your obligation. You said you’d be there. You may not want to miss an opportunity to perform. But sometimes, you just have to bow out. Sometimes you have to measure whether or not this gig is worth gambling on your vocal health.TAKEAWAY:If you’ve been coughing or struggling with laryngitis, your voice is vulnerable to damage. It’s up to you to protect it.
March 31, 2017
COUNTDOWN TO WORLD VOICE DAY
30 Vocal Tips in 30 Days
No. 15 KEEP YOUR VOICE YOUNGJust when I thought I knew everything there is to know about singing rats, I stumbled on bit of research fromUniversity of Illinois about the aging voice.We all know that aging affects our voices; you can make an educated guess about someone’s age just by listening to them. Many people find that when they hit 60 or 65 their voices start changing it in ways they’re not happy with. That’s because their voices are doing what the rest of the body is doing: age stuff. Stiffer muscles and joints, dryer…everything, and physical responses to neural impulses that are slower or less specific.What the singing rats study found, though, adhered to the use-it-or-lose-it truth of aging. The older rats that didn’t sing were the ones that suffered atrophy of the vocal muscles. The older rats that sang expressed “vocal intensities” similar to the young (singing) rats. As a voice teacher, I’ve observed that the same is true for people.TAKEAWAY:For a strong and responsive voice, particularly as you get older, make vocal exercise and singing a regular part of your life.
No. 15 KEEP YOUR VOICE YOUNGJust when I thought I knew everything there is to know about singing rats, I stumbled on bit of research fromUniversity of Illinois about the aging voice.We all know that aging affects our voices; you can make an educated guess about someone’s age just by listening to them. Many people find that when they hit 60 or 65 their voices start changing it in ways they’re not happy with. That’s because their voices are doing what the rest of the body is doing: age stuff. Stiffer muscles and joints, dryer…everything, and physical responses to neural impulses that are slower or less specific.What the singing rats study found, though, adhered to the use-it-or-lose-it truth of aging. The older rats that didn’t sing were the ones that suffered atrophy of the vocal muscles. The older rats that sang expressed “vocal intensities” similar to the young (singing) rats. As a voice teacher, I’ve observed that the same is true for people.TAKEAWAY:For a strong and responsive voice, particularly as you get older, make vocal exercise and singing a regular part of your life.
