Singing Tips Category: Vocal Pedagogy

Vocal Harmonics and Formants

Harmonics and Formants Harmonics and Formants drive your singing. Formants are the resulting resonances of the vocal tract between the glottis and the lips and nostrils. When we group the fundamental frequency together with its overtones we collectively call them a harmonic series. Essentially, there is an interaction between the source and the tube that…

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Steal Like an Artist: Top 5 Quotes

Steal Like an Artist I have a small inspirational book that sits on my shelves here in the studio called ‘Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative.” This New York Times bestseller was written by Austin Kleon and is a short, sit and read in one sitting kind of book….

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Vocal fold cyst treatment for Singers

Vocal Fold Cyst Many vocal pathologies develop because the singer is using their voice in a less than optimal way, but a vocal fold cyst typically eventuates for all manner of reasons; not necessarily because of anything the singer did or didn’t do. Vocal fold cysts fall into the organic grouping of voice disorders. A…

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Singing with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Singing Many things can place hurdles in front of our vocal development. Some of these challenges, such as feeling discouraged or feeling complacent, can be overcome with a little bit of determination and grit. There are some hurdles however that can prove to be somewhat more challenging than most. Rheumatoid Arthritis is…

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Should singers workout at the Gym?

Gym and Singing Do the gym and singing mix? I’m in the habit of saying that singers are ‘Vocal Athletes.’ Singing and performance are high-energy tasks that require the voice user to be fit and healthy. And when we add the modern expectation to ‘look good’ as well it’s not surprising that many singers find…

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Calling All Baritones!

Baritone Voice The Baritone Voice type has a beautiful rich timbre that Tenors like me can only dream of. Why is it then that so many men with a baritone voice spend their time wishing they could sing high like Tenors? Surely there’s more to being a great singer than uber-high notes. Well, there is,…

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What is Bel Canto Singing Technique?

Bel Canto Singing It has been my observation that singers and singing teachers alike often use terminology to confound the uninitiated. One term that gets thrown around a lot is Bel Canto. What is Bel Canto singing and is it something that contemporary singers need to know about? Bel Canto is an Italian term which…

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Tips for Singing with Allergies

Singing with Allergies If you suffer from chronic allergies, then I don’t have to tell you how frustrating, and at times, how painful they can be. And when you add singing with allergies into the mix, you have a recipe for disaster. Is there anything that will help alleviate your allergy symptoms all while you…

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The Changing Voice

Pubescent Voice I think we’ve all had a friendly chuckle at ourselves and others when our voice, without warning, suddenly breaks into a spoken kind of yodel. And if you’re currently going through puberty, especially if you’re male, these funny little voice breaks can be all too common. Why does your pubescent voice do that…

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Thyroid Issues and Singing

Thyroid Function and Singing We’re all born with one, but very few of us know about thyroid function and singing. The Thyroid gland plays an important role in your overall health, and it can also have a significant impact on your singing. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped or bow-like shaped gland that is situated…

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