2018 was a year of continued advances in singing science and the influence of media savvy voice teachers.
In this year-end wrap-up, John looks at some key areas of voice and discusses the current state of singing and teaching.
Health is extremely important for the singer and performer, as our body is our instrument.
In this follow-up episode, John continues his discussion of losing a large amount of weight in a short period of time, with the help of scientist Ray Cronise.
Food is everpresent in our lives and is part of a large percentage of our social interactions.
The trap of hyper-palatable, calorically dense foods is creating a global health crisis of obesity and overnutrition.
The singer's instrument is their body and vocal, as well as full-body health, should be a priority.
In this episode, John discusses his looming health crisis and how he was able to lose 150 lbs in just eight months to reclaim his health.
The piano is the perfect instrument for developing a greater understanding of music.
Having basic piano skills can help you be a better voice teacher, but it can also help you as a singer, making your practice sessions more efficient and helping you learn songs quicker.
In this episode, John discusses the benefits of learning piano and gives some quick tips on understanding basic keys and common chords.
Life can be hectic and unpredictable and our vocal practice can often fall by the wayside.
"Working in the margins" is an idea John learned from a client who is also a bestselling author. He utilizes this concept to stay prolific in his output while maintaining a rigorous performing schedule.
John has adopted the idea and applied it to vocal practice and growth, which he shares in this episode.
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Breathy singing can be a useful vocal color, but it is often overused or not in the singer's control.
Even worse is when the singer is unable to get out of a chronically breathy condition.
In this episode, John gives some tips and exercises to help overcome an overly-breathy voice.
"I feel like I'm singing from my throat."
"My voice is stuck in my throat."
Singers complain of feeling like their voice is trapped in their throat, unable to break free and soar.
But if your vocal cords are in your throat, shouldn't your voice be there?
How can you be stuck?
In this episode, John looks at this common singing complaint, breaks down what is happening, both physically and acoustically, and gives helpful tips to get you unstuck quickly.
Words have meaning, but they also have sounds. Inside of each word are musical colors, textures, and rhythms just waiting to be brought to life by the singer.
In this episode, John discusses a deeper way to look at language and how to add this new layer of depth and complexity to your singing.
"What should I think about?"
This is often a hard question to answer when working on your voice.
There are so many different variables going on during a practice session and our focus can feel divided and erratic.
In this episode, John discusses developing a fruitful mindset and focus. Use the power of awareness and attention to sing better!
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We all want to avoid mistakes, especially when singing. Who wants to sound terrible?
Yet mistakes are one of the best ways to learn, providing you use them to your benefit.
In this episode, John discusses why making mistakes is all a part of the learning process and the problems with trying to avoid them.
Few singers reach their full potential. Often, singers will raise their skill level to the demands of their current situation, but not much more.
John will ask his advanced students "how good do you want to be?"
This question is intended to inspire, to make the serious student think about possibilities and the level of commitment required.
This episode is for singers who want to explore growth and potential, and the possibilities of fully realizing their natural talents.
A great vocal can be magic. It is the essential element to creating hit songs and classics that are listened to for generations.
There are vital elements the singer needs to bring together for a vocal to work on the highest levels.
In this episode, John breaks down these essential parts and explains what you need to do to raise your recorded vocal to a top-level performance.
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Proper vocal exercises are a lifesaver for the singer. A vocal exercise can diminish certain difficulty levels when warming up or trying to gain new levels of skill.
Unfinished sounds can be particularly useful when used correctly. These exercises can make specific tasks such as extending range or finding balance through difficult vocal transitions much more accessible.
However, there is often a temptation to get "stuck" in these exercises as full, finished sounds add back in levels of difficulty.
In this episode, John explains the proper usage of these exercises and how to be careful not to allow them to creep into your natural singing voice.
Links Mentioned:
Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy $1 Trial
Taking risks is part of the creative process (and life) but there may be those in your life who are stopping you from moving forward.
Not needing permission is a theme social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk speaks about often - and this attitude is vital if you want to have a career as a singer or voice teacher.
In this episode, John talks about why you need to develop a resolve against those who place "ladders" in front of you - keeping you from your goals until you climb to their satisfaction.
Singing terms such as "pulled chest" or "mix" can certainly cause confusion.
Not only are the terms imperfect descriptions of what is occurring in the voice, they also mean different things depending on the teacher or singer.
In this episode, John explains where some of the more popular terms come from and how to understand the various possible meanings.
There are many criteria to use in selecting a voice teacher, a great singing voice is an obvious metric to use.
There are those who argue singing well is the ONLY criteria for choosing a voice teacher.
However, the reality doesn't always match up to conventional wisdom.
In this episode, John discusses teaching versus "doing" and why a teacher with vocal struggles may be a more effective educator.
EPISODE LINKS:
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
Coming Soon
Just the mention of the Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor (ENT) can strike terror in the hearts (and throats of singers). However, a good ENT can be your voice's best friend.
In this episode, John covers what to look for in choosing an ENT, when you should go, what to expect, and the main vocal issues you may encounter.
This episode is essential for all professional voice users.
SHOW LINKS:
Dr. Reena Gupta - An excellent resource website as well as a highly qualified voice specialist.
Dr. Curt Stock - A skilled ENT as well as a passionate supporter of vocal science and healthy singing.
Semi-occluded Vocal Tract Exercises are not some strange ritual being practiced on a commune in Oregon - no, they are perhaps one of the best and most foolproof ways to get your voice working correctly.
Semi-occluded (partially blocked) vocal sounds create healthy backpressure in the voice, which presses down and helps the vocal cords align properly and hold back the air to produce great sounding waves of vibrating air.
If it all seems a bit confusing, John will explain how and why they work in the episode.
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The Oovo Straw is a handy device to aide in SOVT exercises.
The creative mind can be a challenge to manage.
We are constantly bombarded with new thoughts and ideas which can lead to overwhelm and project paralysis.
In this episode, John shares how the power of habit can fuel you to greater success in your singing and musical endeavors.
SHOW LINKS
SHOW TRANSCRIPT
(coming soon)
Teaching yourself to sing can be a confusing and frustrating experience.
For various reasons, singers will try and go it alone, and while not often the best option there are ways to make the process more efficient and effective.
In this episode, John gives his Teaching Triangle, the method he uses to stay on track when working with a student or practicing his own singing.
SHOW LINKS
For those of you who want to delve more deeply into the Teaching Triangle, you can get John's FREE three-part video series by clicking HERE.
Theoretical Physicist, David Deutsch breaks all goals into two steps.
1. It must be achievable according to the physical laws of the universe.
2. If it is possible, then it is merely a matter of acquiring the knowledge necessary to achieve it.
It is not a time or resources problem - it is a knowledge problem.
You can achieve almost anything if you have the right knowledge.
In this episode, John breaks down how to define goals and then acquire the needed knowledge efficiently.
Nothing is stopping you from your goals except for lack of knowledge.
It's time to get your learning on!!!
We all hear about vocal health, vocal rest, proper technique.
But what about your overall health?
Is this something you have been ignoring?
Is it something you are beginning to worry about?
In this episode, John looks at his own health journey and what it has meant to him as a teacher and content creator.
Better health does indeed equal better singing.
Humble thyself!
Yep, it turns out ego and confidence not only makes you unpleasant on social media, but it can also slow your progress and learning.
In this episode, John looks at how adopting intellectual humility and a growth mindset can be critical in rapid growth as a singer, voice teacher, musician, and yes, human being.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Benefits of Admitting When You Don't Know: http://behavioralscientist.org/the-benefits-of-admitting-when-you-dont-know/
Mix is an often misunderstood term (as are most in singing).
Singers often refer to mix as "something less than belt," but in this episode, John discusses how to take your mix into the world of intense belting without the usual vocal fatigue and danger.
The acoustics of mix are incredibly fascinating and open up an understanding of a wide range of contemporary vocal possibilities.
Episode Links:
Ken Bozeman "Practical Vocal Acoustics."
Dr. Ian Howell "Parsing the Spectral Envelope."
Drop your jaw!
If you take voice lessons you have no doubt heard this command. You have even likely felt the beneficial effects of doing the jaw drop.
Why does dropping the jaw help?
And why do we often resist doing it?
In this episode, John looks at the acoustic science behind dropping your jaw and why it is critical to vocal balance in the upper register.
He also digs into why singers resist this and how it can be done wrong.
A jaw-droppingly good episode - ok, sorry for that.