happy Hallowe'en!
It is remarkable that the "secrets" I have to share with you seem to be (and should be) absolutely no-brainers...but sadly, they aren't done with regularity.
If you follow these, you are actually ahead of about 75% of the pack pursuing careers...(and don't get me started on THAT!)
What do you need to do to simply create a positive reputation for yourself and begin to be seen in a positive light?
1. FOLLOW UP.
What is this? If you enquire about an audition or a class or a lesson time - FOLLOW UP. Either book that time and confirm it, and SHOW UP, or let the company/teacher know with plenty of time that you are unable to attend said audition or said lesson/coaching. Our business is small. If you create a reputation for yourself that you are a no-show, you've basically created your path. If you think this isn't remembered, you are HIGHLY mistaken.
Make it your business (and respect of the person's time you are asking of) to find out what the cancellation policy is/how to contact the company/teacher et al and if you need to cancel, change or withdraw - DO IT IN PLENTY OF TIME!! Do not expect a second chance. Why?
When you DO have a consultation, an audition, participate in a masterclass or workshop - FOLLOW UP with a thank you. It can be short and sweet but it is IMPORTANT. Critical decisions are made by how you present yourself and are perceived. When you have some control over that, TAKE IT and use it wisely.
PAY ATTENTION to how people in "authority" wish to be addressed - how formal or informal, and follow through with that in mind!
I do not expect, for instance, to be called Ms. Eichhorn-Young! But if you are following up from a consultation or an audition or workshop - I am not Sue nor Suse nor anything that familiar if I don't know you well!! If I sign my emails "best, Susan" then address me thus. PAY ATTENTION!
THE FOLLOW UP IS CRUCIAL!!!!! We remember who does - and who doesn't and HOW it is done.
Emails are fine and in this day and age, probably the easiest form of communication. Phone calls can often be ignored due to the busy nature of the day. An email can be saved and responded to at any point.
2. BE ON TIME!!!
Seriously?! yes, seriously. Be where you are supposed to be, ready to work with your materials in hand and get there EARLY. Plan for early because there may be travel glitches (and often are). If you arrive early, it will be noted and appreciated. If they can't see you early it gives you time to settle in and focus on the task at hand. Do not come running in, breathless and interrupt a session and waste EVERYBODY'S time.
3. KNOW YOUR STUFF!!!
Are you kidding me?! have your material organized and LEARNED! Much can be taken about the so-called actor/dancer/singer by how organized they are in the room and how they present their material and selves physically.
4. LEAVE THE ATTITUDE AT THE DOOR
I mean, LEAVE IT. I don't want to see aggressive, defiant attitude, nor do I want "jazz hands" phony attitude. DROP IT. Don't try to impress me, antagonize me, or piss me off. Just DO THE WORK. If you are there to learn, then drop it and LEARN. If you are there to audition, just do the work.
5. DO NOT APOLOGIZE OR MAKE EXCUSES!
This does NOTHING to improve your position. Know why you are there, and be there to do it. What are you apologizing for? Why are you making excuses? You are either ready to do what you are there to do or you are not. If you are not - sit down. If you are - then do it.
If you are not late, know your stuff, are prepared to learn and open to the process there is nothing to excuse or apologize for is there?
These seem so basic, but sadly, I see less and less of it.
So if you actually take the time to integrate these little "secrets" into your day to day, perhaps some things will change in your pursuits! If nothing else, you will begin to create a professionalism in your behavior that can be taken seriously and given a second look.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Where is the physicality of singing?
Saturday musings...
Been asked this a great deal lately, and have discussed it with singers, teachers and colleagues alike!
This could be a long and intense treatise, but if we can simplify, let me try!
Singing is a physical and athletic activity. It does not mean you have to be good a sports! I certainly wasn't! But it demands a level of natural co-ordination and accessibility to the muscular balance of the body.
I am amazed at the LACK of body strength, and body co-ordination that I see - especially in this younger generation. Just simple balanced posture seems to be lacking these days.
So - if you want to be a singer you better learn how to get your body is shape to do it well.
Singing strength doesn't come from body building! Strength comes from cardio balance, from intrinsic balance, from co-ordination and breathing while doing so (!), and from building muscle stamina and power with lengthening and engaging the process!
Get thee to the gym is only part of it!
Singing (as acting and dancing!) requires strength, elasticity, engagement, lengthening, and GROUNDING. A body needs to build on these things. The body in its physicality and athleticism needs to be engaged to support FULLY at all times and is never rigid or shortened, but rather, in suspension and stretch!
Are you strong enough?
Are you co-ordinated enough?
Are you aware of your breath WHILE you stretching?
Are you aware of the strengths and conditioning of the many parts of your instrument and physicality, and do you know how to co-ordinate all those parts with your breath in order to support and function as an athletic singer? (and is there any other kind?!)
I am amazed at how many wannabe singers don't have a clue about their legs and how they function. Standing on one leg doesn't support you - especially when you are trying to balance your body to find the elasticity of the voice!
The slumping of the ribcage - or "runway body" as I call it (!) is also completely negating the lengthening and active energy of the support system as a singer. Other muscles that do not and should not take on severe responsibilities, will begin to. Then the downward spiral of begins.
Why wouldn't we, as singers, want to find the most effective and most efficient way to build the athletic and physical instrument? Why not recognize the issues, and develop stronger physical behavior to support the voice?
It is YOUR responsibility to find that athleticism and PRACTICE IT. Make it behavior. Find the co-ordination and DEVELOP it. Create new and positive and STRONG physical behaviors so the physical body has access to the strength necessary to sing WELL and in a healthy manner.
Build power, build elasticity, build co-ordination...the body reflects what the voice COULD do. Why would you ignore that?!
Been asked this a great deal lately, and have discussed it with singers, teachers and colleagues alike!
This could be a long and intense treatise, but if we can simplify, let me try!
Singing is a physical and athletic activity. It does not mean you have to be good a sports! I certainly wasn't! But it demands a level of natural co-ordination and accessibility to the muscular balance of the body.
I am amazed at the LACK of body strength, and body co-ordination that I see - especially in this younger generation. Just simple balanced posture seems to be lacking these days.
So - if you want to be a singer you better learn how to get your body is shape to do it well.
Singing strength doesn't come from body building! Strength comes from cardio balance, from intrinsic balance, from co-ordination and breathing while doing so (!), and from building muscle stamina and power with lengthening and engaging the process!
Get thee to the gym is only part of it!
Singing (as acting and dancing!) requires strength, elasticity, engagement, lengthening, and GROUNDING. A body needs to build on these things. The body in its physicality and athleticism needs to be engaged to support FULLY at all times and is never rigid or shortened, but rather, in suspension and stretch!
Are you strong enough?
Are you co-ordinated enough?
Are you aware of your breath WHILE you stretching?
Are you aware of the strengths and conditioning of the many parts of your instrument and physicality, and do you know how to co-ordinate all those parts with your breath in order to support and function as an athletic singer? (and is there any other kind?!)
I am amazed at how many wannabe singers don't have a clue about their legs and how they function. Standing on one leg doesn't support you - especially when you are trying to balance your body to find the elasticity of the voice!
The slumping of the ribcage - or "runway body" as I call it (!) is also completely negating the lengthening and active energy of the support system as a singer. Other muscles that do not and should not take on severe responsibilities, will begin to. Then the downward spiral of begins.
Why wouldn't we, as singers, want to find the most effective and most efficient way to build the athletic and physical instrument? Why not recognize the issues, and develop stronger physical behavior to support the voice?
It is YOUR responsibility to find that athleticism and PRACTICE IT. Make it behavior. Find the co-ordination and DEVELOP it. Create new and positive and STRONG physical behaviors so the physical body has access to the strength necessary to sing WELL and in a healthy manner.
Build power, build elasticity, build co-ordination...the body reflects what the voice COULD do. Why would you ignore that?!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Acting in the Audition - Opera Singers Beware!
The opera audition season is revving up...
As I wear several hats in the studio - one being character development for auditions - this is always an interesting one!
I am often asked the question "do I need to "feel" what the character feels, cause if I start feeling, my throat closes up."
Listen, I have studied many avenues of acting. I do not believe acting is feeling.
I believe acting is DOING.
I have done the feeling thing too - and the method and and and...sure, it was often exciting and on the edge but it was never reliable, and frankly put me at great risk.
At a certain point, I had an 'aha' moment and had to re-evaluate what I was doing and why.
As I have said before, we are required as actors who sing/singers who act - to allow the AUDIENCE to experience the emotion. If we feel, or if we pretend to be a character, we have dismissed the audience. We need to move PAST ourselves to allow the audience to get it and FEEL it. We just have to DO IT.
This doesn't just "happen". This takes time and study and thought and practice. It is another set of muscles and needs nurturing, just like your singing technique.
However, the feeling isn't gonna cut it; nor is the pretending; nor is the "put on and look away" school of acting that my colleague Jagger Kaye and I giggle about: think bad soap opera acting!
If you TRY to act, that's what it is going to look like. If you TRY to feel, that's going to fall flat too.
Engaging a reason to DO something is crucial in acting, and when you are auditioning and pulling an aria out of context to stand alone, the ACTION is crucial to the reality in the moment.
When I say "action" I do not mean miming, pretending to be in the scene, blocking, gesturing with no props or other characters. That is a HUGE NO-NO for an audition. You are not in the scene. You are in an audition. The cheese stands alone. You must embody the reality of the character and allow that character's motivation to physicalize.
So, what DO you do?
Can you deliver the text without the music? Can you discover the musical line within the text and the motivation behind that text? What is the character really saying? Use your own language, don't try to get poetic! Just say what it means! GET REAL!
Who is this character? How does he/she move? Stand? Breathe? WHY???
What is this character's reaction time to the space he/she inhabits? To the characters around him/her?
Can you find the character's subtext in his/her breath?
This should all begin with the text first - no music yet!
Then - can you simply find the physicality of the character in the music? Can you find the subtext of the character's responses in the MUSICAL LINE and REACT AND RESPOND to it physicality without singing or speaking? Can you give a reason for each response? Can you give a reason to each reaction?
This is the beginning...
Then what is the character DOING with his/her textural language and musical language? Not what are they feeling, what are they DOING? HOW do they DO that? WHY?
Each phrase, each sentence, each breath needs ACTION and REACTION.
If you have something to do - an ACTION - it allows the audience an opportunity to FEEL and EXPERIENCE. It moves from action to feeling - from you to the audience.
The action needs a verb and then can have more depth by giving the action an adverb. HOW becomes part of the DOING.
This allows the reality of a character to emerge, and then all of the outer motivations are real - from moving to gesturing to being still. Movement or gesture is only real if it is motivated through action.
Are you willing to pursue the truth of your characterization in the audition?
Or are you simply going to park and bark, or pretend?
Singing isn't pretending! Singing isn't feeling! Singing is ACTION and BEHAVIOR and TECHNIQUE! So is acting! As an opera singer - you are a creature of the theatre, and theatre is about ACTION. Don't cut off a very necessary part of your presentation by not investing in that technical behavior too.
Act because you MUST. Learn and inhabit it. Invest in it.
When acting and singing behavior inhabit the same artist at the same time - magic happens and the reality of the artistry begins to breathe!
As I wear several hats in the studio - one being character development for auditions - this is always an interesting one!
I am often asked the question "do I need to "feel" what the character feels, cause if I start feeling, my throat closes up."
Listen, I have studied many avenues of acting. I do not believe acting is feeling.
I believe acting is DOING.
I have done the feeling thing too - and the method and and and...sure, it was often exciting and on the edge but it was never reliable, and frankly put me at great risk.
At a certain point, I had an 'aha' moment and had to re-evaluate what I was doing and why.
As I have said before, we are required as actors who sing/singers who act - to allow the AUDIENCE to experience the emotion. If we feel, or if we pretend to be a character, we have dismissed the audience. We need to move PAST ourselves to allow the audience to get it and FEEL it. We just have to DO IT.
This doesn't just "happen". This takes time and study and thought and practice. It is another set of muscles and needs nurturing, just like your singing technique.
However, the feeling isn't gonna cut it; nor is the pretending; nor is the "put on and look away" school of acting that my colleague Jagger Kaye and I giggle about: think bad soap opera acting!
If you TRY to act, that's what it is going to look like. If you TRY to feel, that's going to fall flat too.
Engaging a reason to DO something is crucial in acting, and when you are auditioning and pulling an aria out of context to stand alone, the ACTION is crucial to the reality in the moment.
When I say "action" I do not mean miming, pretending to be in the scene, blocking, gesturing with no props or other characters. That is a HUGE NO-NO for an audition. You are not in the scene. You are in an audition. The cheese stands alone. You must embody the reality of the character and allow that character's motivation to physicalize.
So, what DO you do?
Can you deliver the text without the music? Can you discover the musical line within the text and the motivation behind that text? What is the character really saying? Use your own language, don't try to get poetic! Just say what it means! GET REAL!
Who is this character? How does he/she move? Stand? Breathe? WHY???
What is this character's reaction time to the space he/she inhabits? To the characters around him/her?
Can you find the character's subtext in his/her breath?
This should all begin with the text first - no music yet!
Then - can you simply find the physicality of the character in the music? Can you find the subtext of the character's responses in the MUSICAL LINE and REACT AND RESPOND to it physicality without singing or speaking? Can you give a reason for each response? Can you give a reason to each reaction?
This is the beginning...
Then what is the character DOING with his/her textural language and musical language? Not what are they feeling, what are they DOING? HOW do they DO that? WHY?
Each phrase, each sentence, each breath needs ACTION and REACTION.
If you have something to do - an ACTION - it allows the audience an opportunity to FEEL and EXPERIENCE. It moves from action to feeling - from you to the audience.
The action needs a verb and then can have more depth by giving the action an adverb. HOW becomes part of the DOING.
This allows the reality of a character to emerge, and then all of the outer motivations are real - from moving to gesturing to being still. Movement or gesture is only real if it is motivated through action.
Are you willing to pursue the truth of your characterization in the audition?
Or are you simply going to park and bark, or pretend?
Singing isn't pretending! Singing isn't feeling! Singing is ACTION and BEHAVIOR and TECHNIQUE! So is acting! As an opera singer - you are a creature of the theatre, and theatre is about ACTION. Don't cut off a very necessary part of your presentation by not investing in that technical behavior too.
Act because you MUST. Learn and inhabit it. Invest in it.
When acting and singing behavior inhabit the same artist at the same time - magic happens and the reality of the artistry begins to breathe!
Monday, October 18, 2010
It Ain't about TRICKS baby...
As a singer we want magic to happen...
but tricks, magic and slight of hand doesn't make the voice develop or allow you to sing!
Singing is about CRAFT. It is about DEDICATION. It is about WORK, HONESTY, REALITY.
Just like any discipline or athleticism - there are no tricks. Dancing isn't a trick; Acting isn't a trick; playing professional basketball isn't a trick; playing the violin isn't a trick!
Magic happens when you are committed to the building of your instrument, committed to the developing of your craft, committed to the ART of what you say you do or want to do.
True technical athleticism - in ANY field - is being able to summon it at will!
Singing isn't about denial, would-a, could-a, should-a, or "I wanna" - singing is about DOING, and CLAIMING IT.
If you want to sing - you pursue it honestly.
You get ONE instrument. Are you going to ignore it or are you going to face it for what it is? Are you going to be honest with what it can do and what the possibilities are? Are you going to be honest with what you have to do to find those possibilities?
Singing is an athletic development. This is just the beginning. The physicality of the athleticism needs to be developed in order to take on the physical, musical, dramatic and psychological requirements that being a singer DEMANDS. This is not about slight of hand, or quick fix, or a trick. This is about dedication, work ethic, drive, focus and relentless passion.
I believe anybody can learn the physicality of the singing instrument. HOW that physical athleticism manifests itself in a particular body depends on the physicality of that instrument. Some instruments will never be singers, but can learn the basic technical attributes. Some instruments have the potential to be singers, but if there is a physical pathology standing in the way, it may not happen, if the reality is not dealt with. If there is damage, if there is a desire to sing in genres/styles that the physicality cannot sustain, then another reality must be acknowledged. Are you willing to arrive there?
Some instruments can learn what belt technique is - but will never be a belter: may just not have the physical instrument that can sustain the physical and athletic demands on the instrument to support that technical prowess.
Some instruments can learn operatic technique but will never be an opera singer.
Are we willing to accept the reality of our instrument and then accept the RESPONSIBILITY to develop it correctly, healthily, with a realistic outlook in what can be achieved - or are we simply going to hope for a magical trick that allows us to live in denial or a dream-world?
Reality and responsibility responds to a work ethic that recognizes the voice for what it is: a physical athletic instrument that needs time, nurturing, and daily work.
Denial and dream-world tricks belong somewhere else - but definitely not in a voice studio!
There is nothing "instant" about singing if you are truly wanting to pursue it for its longevity.
Tricks and slight of hand belong in a momentary illusionary world. Voice is neither illusion, nor delusion.
If you want to sing - truly WANT to - then perhaps ask yourself why. Why do you want to sing?
Are you willing to commit to the development of your instrument?
Are you willing to hear the truth about your instrument?
Are you willing to trust someone with the development of your instrument and take the time to seek that out?
Are you willing to follow through with the development of that instrument?
Are you willing to commit to the truth of that instrument and find out what it can do honestly and truthfully?
If you aren't - then you really don't want to sing. Not really.
As artists, we need the capacity to be honest, to discover honesty, and to see it clearly. This isn't easy!! There is no trick to being an artist either. Honesty means things aren't always beautiful. Honesty means we sometimes need to get our hands dirty. Honesty means we sometimes get scared.
If we aren't ready to get real, then everything is a trick.
No tricks in craft. Only a big breath, and a willingness to get to WORK. REALLY.
but tricks, magic and slight of hand doesn't make the voice develop or allow you to sing!
Singing is about CRAFT. It is about DEDICATION. It is about WORK, HONESTY, REALITY.
Just like any discipline or athleticism - there are no tricks. Dancing isn't a trick; Acting isn't a trick; playing professional basketball isn't a trick; playing the violin isn't a trick!
Magic happens when you are committed to the building of your instrument, committed to the developing of your craft, committed to the ART of what you say you do or want to do.
True technical athleticism - in ANY field - is being able to summon it at will!
Singing isn't about denial, would-a, could-a, should-a, or "I wanna" - singing is about DOING, and CLAIMING IT.
If you want to sing - you pursue it honestly.
You get ONE instrument. Are you going to ignore it or are you going to face it for what it is? Are you going to be honest with what it can do and what the possibilities are? Are you going to be honest with what you have to do to find those possibilities?
Singing is an athletic development. This is just the beginning. The physicality of the athleticism needs to be developed in order to take on the physical, musical, dramatic and psychological requirements that being a singer DEMANDS. This is not about slight of hand, or quick fix, or a trick. This is about dedication, work ethic, drive, focus and relentless passion.
I believe anybody can learn the physicality of the singing instrument. HOW that physical athleticism manifests itself in a particular body depends on the physicality of that instrument. Some instruments will never be singers, but can learn the basic technical attributes. Some instruments have the potential to be singers, but if there is a physical pathology standing in the way, it may not happen, if the reality is not dealt with. If there is damage, if there is a desire to sing in genres/styles that the physicality cannot sustain, then another reality must be acknowledged. Are you willing to arrive there?
Some instruments can learn what belt technique is - but will never be a belter: may just not have the physical instrument that can sustain the physical and athletic demands on the instrument to support that technical prowess.
Some instruments can learn operatic technique but will never be an opera singer.
Are we willing to accept the reality of our instrument and then accept the RESPONSIBILITY to develop it correctly, healthily, with a realistic outlook in what can be achieved - or are we simply going to hope for a magical trick that allows us to live in denial or a dream-world?
Reality and responsibility responds to a work ethic that recognizes the voice for what it is: a physical athletic instrument that needs time, nurturing, and daily work.
Denial and dream-world tricks belong somewhere else - but definitely not in a voice studio!
There is nothing "instant" about singing if you are truly wanting to pursue it for its longevity.
Tricks and slight of hand belong in a momentary illusionary world. Voice is neither illusion, nor delusion.
If you want to sing - truly WANT to - then perhaps ask yourself why. Why do you want to sing?
Are you willing to commit to the development of your instrument?
Are you willing to hear the truth about your instrument?
Are you willing to trust someone with the development of your instrument and take the time to seek that out?
Are you willing to follow through with the development of that instrument?
Are you willing to commit to the truth of that instrument and find out what it can do honestly and truthfully?
If you aren't - then you really don't want to sing. Not really.
As artists, we need the capacity to be honest, to discover honesty, and to see it clearly. This isn't easy!! There is no trick to being an artist either. Honesty means things aren't always beautiful. Honesty means we sometimes need to get our hands dirty. Honesty means we sometimes get scared.
If we aren't ready to get real, then everything is a trick.
No tricks in craft. Only a big breath, and a willingness to get to WORK. REALLY.
Monday, October 11, 2010
So you SAY you can sing...
Monday musings...
I am astounded and continue to shake my head at the calls/texts/messages I often get from 'singers' who are in crisis.
Why? Certainly not that they are in crisis, but because they WAITED TOO LONG to get the correct and positive help and reinforcement that could have PREVENTED the crisis.
Opera singers tend not to do this. However, music theatre singers, and pop/commerical/contemporary singers (sorry to sweep you all together) tend to be the ones who wait too long.
WHY!?!?!?!
For those of you in theatre, in pop/rock/commerical genres, who study regularly, who stay healthy in all ways and look after and build the instrument, THANK YOU.
For those of you who wait for crisis to hit - it's often too late.
This is for YOU.
Ultimately, the voice is an athletic instrument. It has a physicality to it that needs DEVELOPMENT. Just because you are musical, or have a pleasing sound, does NOT make you a vocal athlete!
If you are wanting to be hired or are being hired to perform 8 shows a week (or even 5!), or go on tour with a band, et al - and you haven't studied or aren't studying and know what your instrument CAN do and what it can't - then you have no business taking the gig. Period.
Three voice lessons and "I got this" doesn't make you a singer. That would be like you wanting to enter a body building competition, thinking you just had to go to the gym once a week for 30 minutes for 3 weeks and be able to lift 250 without strain or compromise.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
If the voice is not developed properly, correctly, in a healthy and individual way, it will break down and let you down. It needs nurturing, knowledge, and careful development.
If you are even CONSIDERING auditioning for show that will ask you to sing - why would you put craft aside?!?!? This makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME!
If you want to sing - you learn to become a singer. You learn how your voice works, how it develops and you do the work to enable that instrument to become fully realized.
Why should people spend money to come and see/hear you when you haven't invested in yourself?
Honesty, knowledge and a reality are necessary for ANY performer.
Knowing what you have and how to use it to its maximum potential is key.
Strength and athleticism of the vocal instrument result in an instrument that has much more of a chance to stay healthy and not get injured. A strong and healthy voice allows for a strong and healthy performance and a longevity to take on the tasks you have been contracted to DO.
If your voice is injured in ANY way - MTD, reflux, nodes/polyps/, swollen cords, CTR - you are in crisis and need a reality check.
Fatigue - we all get that. Vocal fatigue happens due to the nature of the task. HOWEVER, we can develop a technical behavior and a lifestyle that enables us to recover quickly and deliver the task at hand.
Waiting til crisis hits and then suddenly looking for a quick fix is desperate and frankly, ridiculous.
If the body is injured, it needs to rest to begin recovery. Why would the voice be any different? If the voice does not get the sufficient rest to begin recovery, you are singing on an injury. That injury will get worse, not better. You have a decision to make:
Are you going to perform with an injured voice, and continue to re-injure it, and give a sub-par performance due to your inability to access a balanced instrument? Or are you going to take the "risk" of healing the instrument and building it correctly to allow for the possibility of a longer career?
You get ONE VOICE. That's it. You blow it out - you are done. Period.
Vocal athleticism is about the physicality of that instrument, the development of that instrument and the CARE of that instrument.
If you choose to become a "professional" and take on a contract that demands your vocal instrument, it is UP TO YOU TO DEVELOP IT FIRST.
Don't wait for crisis and wonder why it won't fix itself.
"I got this?" uhm, no you don't.
Give your head a shake, and get with reality. Do you want to sing or don't you? Then do it properly and well and honor your profession and yourself.
I can't wave a magic wand. Don't expect that. DO THE WORK BEFORE YOU GET TO CRISIS!
I am astounded and continue to shake my head at the calls/texts/messages I often get from 'singers' who are in crisis.
Why? Certainly not that they are in crisis, but because they WAITED TOO LONG to get the correct and positive help and reinforcement that could have PREVENTED the crisis.
Opera singers tend not to do this. However, music theatre singers, and pop/commerical/contemporary singers (sorry to sweep you all together) tend to be the ones who wait too long.
WHY!?!?!?!
For those of you in theatre, in pop/rock/commerical genres, who study regularly, who stay healthy in all ways and look after and build the instrument, THANK YOU.
For those of you who wait for crisis to hit - it's often too late.
This is for YOU.
Ultimately, the voice is an athletic instrument. It has a physicality to it that needs DEVELOPMENT. Just because you are musical, or have a pleasing sound, does NOT make you a vocal athlete!
If you are wanting to be hired or are being hired to perform 8 shows a week (or even 5!), or go on tour with a band, et al - and you haven't studied or aren't studying and know what your instrument CAN do and what it can't - then you have no business taking the gig. Period.
Three voice lessons and "I got this" doesn't make you a singer. That would be like you wanting to enter a body building competition, thinking you just had to go to the gym once a week for 30 minutes for 3 weeks and be able to lift 250 without strain or compromise.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
If the voice is not developed properly, correctly, in a healthy and individual way, it will break down and let you down. It needs nurturing, knowledge, and careful development.
If you are even CONSIDERING auditioning for show that will ask you to sing - why would you put craft aside?!?!? This makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME!
If you want to sing - you learn to become a singer. You learn how your voice works, how it develops and you do the work to enable that instrument to become fully realized.
Why should people spend money to come and see/hear you when you haven't invested in yourself?
Honesty, knowledge and a reality are necessary for ANY performer.
Knowing what you have and how to use it to its maximum potential is key.
Strength and athleticism of the vocal instrument result in an instrument that has much more of a chance to stay healthy and not get injured. A strong and healthy voice allows for a strong and healthy performance and a longevity to take on the tasks you have been contracted to DO.
If your voice is injured in ANY way - MTD, reflux, nodes/polyps/, swollen cords, CTR - you are in crisis and need a reality check.
Fatigue - we all get that. Vocal fatigue happens due to the nature of the task. HOWEVER, we can develop a technical behavior and a lifestyle that enables us to recover quickly and deliver the task at hand.
Waiting til crisis hits and then suddenly looking for a quick fix is desperate and frankly, ridiculous.
If the body is injured, it needs to rest to begin recovery. Why would the voice be any different? If the voice does not get the sufficient rest to begin recovery, you are singing on an injury. That injury will get worse, not better. You have a decision to make:
Are you going to perform with an injured voice, and continue to re-injure it, and give a sub-par performance due to your inability to access a balanced instrument? Or are you going to take the "risk" of healing the instrument and building it correctly to allow for the possibility of a longer career?
You get ONE VOICE. That's it. You blow it out - you are done. Period.
Vocal athleticism is about the physicality of that instrument, the development of that instrument and the CARE of that instrument.
If you choose to become a "professional" and take on a contract that demands your vocal instrument, it is UP TO YOU TO DEVELOP IT FIRST.
Don't wait for crisis and wonder why it won't fix itself.
"I got this?" uhm, no you don't.
Give your head a shake, and get with reality. Do you want to sing or don't you? Then do it properly and well and honor your profession and yourself.
I can't wave a magic wand. Don't expect that. DO THE WORK BEFORE YOU GET TO CRISIS!
Friday, October 8, 2010
So you say you have a large voice...
And my response is simply, so?
Why are so many singers obsessed with how LARGE their voice is?
What difference does it make?
Bigger isn't necessarily better - especially if you don't know how to use it!
This fascination of pushing voices out of alignment or pushing into larger repertoire too soon, or at all, really makes me shake my head.
What happened to developing the voice to find acoustical balance and true resonance?
If the voice is balanced, large or small, it will project and cut. Granted, in North America the expectation is to sing in ridiculous barns, so we often push the voices to try to rise to the expectation, but we when will we learn?!?!?!
Realizing what you have and developing THAT FULLY is more important than anything else. Last time I checked, all opera or music theatre for that matter, isn't just for large dramatic voices.
Why call yourself a dramatic ANYTHING if you simply aren't? You think by saying you are, you'll fool someone? Sadly, all that happens, is that you, the singer, look foolish.
If you truly ARE a large dramatic voice, then learn how to use it well - in ANY room. Leading with the size of your voice means nothing. Sounds like a compensation for something else to me.
"my voice is too large for the room" is simply an excuse that perhaps you have no control, no dynamic or no acoustic balance in your voice.
Ironically, a so-called "large" voice can be very impressive in a small space, but if it is not balanced, it will fall flat with an orchestra or in a large hall. Resonance balance is crucial for ANY voice type.
Soubrettes, lyric coloraturas, leggiero tenors et al don't have to have "large" instruments, if they have athletic ones and know how to balance it acoustically to cut through an orchestra and into a hall.
Voice ultimately has to fit the body, find an athletic physicality, an acoustic resonance in the body and then into the room - not matter the size. Then, the repertoire simply must tailor fit the vocal prowess.
Last time I checked, no one opera has all dramatic voices all of the time. What's wrong with being a lighter voice? a soubrette? a light lyric? There are ROLES for these voices too! A dramatic voice doesn't sing these roles!!! And what about all the roles in between? There are MANY!
So, to those of you who do NOT have a large dramatic voice - EMBRACE WHAT YOU ARE! EMBRACE WHAT YOU HAVE! Why would you want to sing something that is not really showing you off well? Why wouldn't you want to sing something that truly "fits", and allows you discover the balance and intensity of your athleticism? Why would you want to wear something that doesn't fit you?
And those who DO have dramatic and/or large instruments - are you developing that instrument and that physical athleticism to work and adjust to ANY space you might need to sing in? Instead of complaining that the room is too small, perhaps singing for the space using your athleticism would allow you more control, finesse and artistry. If it's a big voice, I think we'll get that at ANY dynamic and at ANY intensity. Imagine not having to use it all, all of the time.
SO - when you say you have a large voice - know what you mean by that. Compared to what? Compared to where? Compared to whom?
And the proof is in the pudding. JUST SING. Do your work, sing your repertoire, find the fit that shows YOU beautifully.
If you are pursuing craft, technical prowess, musicality, artistry and truth - THAT is what we need to experience. The size of the voice doesn't matter if all these things are HEARD and EXPERIENCED.
Large or small or somewhere in between is JUST FINE if you've claimed it.
If you choose to leave it unclaimed, it remains unimpressive. Period.
Why are so many singers obsessed with how LARGE their voice is?
What difference does it make?
Bigger isn't necessarily better - especially if you don't know how to use it!
This fascination of pushing voices out of alignment or pushing into larger repertoire too soon, or at all, really makes me shake my head.
What happened to developing the voice to find acoustical balance and true resonance?
If the voice is balanced, large or small, it will project and cut. Granted, in North America the expectation is to sing in ridiculous barns, so we often push the voices to try to rise to the expectation, but we when will we learn?!?!?!
Realizing what you have and developing THAT FULLY is more important than anything else. Last time I checked, all opera or music theatre for that matter, isn't just for large dramatic voices.
Why call yourself a dramatic ANYTHING if you simply aren't? You think by saying you are, you'll fool someone? Sadly, all that happens, is that you, the singer, look foolish.
If you truly ARE a large dramatic voice, then learn how to use it well - in ANY room. Leading with the size of your voice means nothing. Sounds like a compensation for something else to me.
"my voice is too large for the room" is simply an excuse that perhaps you have no control, no dynamic or no acoustic balance in your voice.
Ironically, a so-called "large" voice can be very impressive in a small space, but if it is not balanced, it will fall flat with an orchestra or in a large hall. Resonance balance is crucial for ANY voice type.
Soubrettes, lyric coloraturas, leggiero tenors et al don't have to have "large" instruments, if they have athletic ones and know how to balance it acoustically to cut through an orchestra and into a hall.
Voice ultimately has to fit the body, find an athletic physicality, an acoustic resonance in the body and then into the room - not matter the size. Then, the repertoire simply must tailor fit the vocal prowess.
Last time I checked, no one opera has all dramatic voices all of the time. What's wrong with being a lighter voice? a soubrette? a light lyric? There are ROLES for these voices too! A dramatic voice doesn't sing these roles!!! And what about all the roles in between? There are MANY!
So, to those of you who do NOT have a large dramatic voice - EMBRACE WHAT YOU ARE! EMBRACE WHAT YOU HAVE! Why would you want to sing something that is not really showing you off well? Why wouldn't you want to sing something that truly "fits", and allows you discover the balance and intensity of your athleticism? Why would you want to wear something that doesn't fit you?
And those who DO have dramatic and/or large instruments - are you developing that instrument and that physical athleticism to work and adjust to ANY space you might need to sing in? Instead of complaining that the room is too small, perhaps singing for the space using your athleticism would allow you more control, finesse and artistry. If it's a big voice, I think we'll get that at ANY dynamic and at ANY intensity. Imagine not having to use it all, all of the time.
SO - when you say you have a large voice - know what you mean by that. Compared to what? Compared to where? Compared to whom?
And the proof is in the pudding. JUST SING. Do your work, sing your repertoire, find the fit that shows YOU beautifully.
If you are pursuing craft, technical prowess, musicality, artistry and truth - THAT is what we need to experience. The size of the voice doesn't matter if all these things are HEARD and EXPERIENCED.
Large or small or somewhere in between is JUST FINE if you've claimed it.
If you choose to leave it unclaimed, it remains unimpressive. Period.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Journey - sing to stage!
Wednesday musings...
I get all kinds of these questions - and ask myself so many more!!!
The journey we are on as singers are individual certainly, but there are many factors and realities we need to consider and acknowledge to discover where we are, why we are, what we are!!! This isn't just for singers, but I will use singing as that is what I KNOW and DO!
Wanting to sing doesn't make you a singer.
Being a singer doesn't mean you will have a career making music.
And, sadly, sometimes none of these have anything to do with career!!!
Yes, it's tough, but it's true. All of these places in the journey require their own temperament, talent and personality, as well as process and engagement.
In a perfect world, the process would start with the ability to sing, to becoming a singer, to developing the craft and acumen to have a career.
It simply doesn't work that way. There is no clear or clean-cut path. There is, however, a REALITY OF RECOGNITION to discover the honesty of where you are, and what you are.
First, can you sing? There are many kinds of singers - we don't all come to our singing the same way! Some are natural singers, some are musical singers, some are built singers. This is the raw beginning. No matter if it is natural or not, it has to be developed.
Are you prepared to do what it takes to develop that voice and the artistry of singing to discover if you ARE a singer? Having a natural voice doesn't make you a singer. Being musical doesn't make you a singer. WANTING to be a singer, doesn't make you a singer.
Being a singer requires the raw material yes, but then there's MORE. It demands the passion and the pursuit of study to develop the technical behavior, the musical knowledge, the languages, the stylistic definitions, the possibilities of the instrument you are gifted with.
Potential means nothing if it isn't developed into a reality!
BEING a singer requires not just a physicality and athleticism of instrument, but it requires a state of mind that is often single-minded to discover what is necessary and DOING that.
Having a beautiful voice doesn't mean being a singer if you are unable, unwilling or not passionate enough to develop the totality of the artistry and craft of that voice. A beautiful voice means NOTHING if the singer shows no compatibility to the FIRE that needs to exist to develop the instrument fully. A voice isn't a singer. A singer isn't always a voice.
The singer's temperament and dedication speaks louder than the talent in many cases. BEING a singer is not the same as having a lovely voice. It would be great if the two go together, but they DO NOT.
A singer CLAIMS his/her voice and develops it fully. A singer does not make excuses for him/herself. A singer DOES THE WORK and does not expect an entitled handout. A singer develop a realistic understanding of what she/he is able to do and what is simply not in the grasp of their ability or reality.
And even if the the voice becomes a singer - a singer is not guaranteed a career.
A career is an animal all unto itself. It demands a further tenacity, a further fire, a further pursuit, and a little luck - or a lot of luck!
The temperament of a singer who makes a living AS a singer is not for the weak of heart! It demands a commitment that often takes you far from those you love and who love you. It is a commitment that often leaves you alone. The pursuit of a career demands a commitment that honestly, you have very little control over - as the business itself makes a decision to make room for you or not.
Perhaps your talent and temperament is simply to sing. Then claim that.
Perhaps your talent and temperament is to take that voice and develop the skill and craft to be a singer. Then claim that.
Perhaps that talent and temperament is take that singer energy and pursue a career. Then claim that.
And perhaps that journey plays in the spaces in between. YOUR journey is yours. Just don't assume or expect with a reality check of where you ARE.
Where you WANT to be has to be begin with YOU. Where you end up - too many variables that are out of your hands, and yet many specifics you CAN control and develop and be ready for.
We are here to claim what we do not yet own. (thanks to my husband for that).
Why wouldn't you want to being claiming YOUR reality? It is in THIS claim that your journey begins to have substance and purpose.
GO GET IT!!!
I get all kinds of these questions - and ask myself so many more!!!
The journey we are on as singers are individual certainly, but there are many factors and realities we need to consider and acknowledge to discover where we are, why we are, what we are!!! This isn't just for singers, but I will use singing as that is what I KNOW and DO!
Wanting to sing doesn't make you a singer.
Being a singer doesn't mean you will have a career making music.
And, sadly, sometimes none of these have anything to do with career!!!
Yes, it's tough, but it's true. All of these places in the journey require their own temperament, talent and personality, as well as process and engagement.
In a perfect world, the process would start with the ability to sing, to becoming a singer, to developing the craft and acumen to have a career.
It simply doesn't work that way. There is no clear or clean-cut path. There is, however, a REALITY OF RECOGNITION to discover the honesty of where you are, and what you are.
First, can you sing? There are many kinds of singers - we don't all come to our singing the same way! Some are natural singers, some are musical singers, some are built singers. This is the raw beginning. No matter if it is natural or not, it has to be developed.
Are you prepared to do what it takes to develop that voice and the artistry of singing to discover if you ARE a singer? Having a natural voice doesn't make you a singer. Being musical doesn't make you a singer. WANTING to be a singer, doesn't make you a singer.
Being a singer requires the raw material yes, but then there's MORE. It demands the passion and the pursuit of study to develop the technical behavior, the musical knowledge, the languages, the stylistic definitions, the possibilities of the instrument you are gifted with.
Potential means nothing if it isn't developed into a reality!
BEING a singer requires not just a physicality and athleticism of instrument, but it requires a state of mind that is often single-minded to discover what is necessary and DOING that.
Having a beautiful voice doesn't mean being a singer if you are unable, unwilling or not passionate enough to develop the totality of the artistry and craft of that voice. A beautiful voice means NOTHING if the singer shows no compatibility to the FIRE that needs to exist to develop the instrument fully. A voice isn't a singer. A singer isn't always a voice.
The singer's temperament and dedication speaks louder than the talent in many cases. BEING a singer is not the same as having a lovely voice. It would be great if the two go together, but they DO NOT.
A singer CLAIMS his/her voice and develops it fully. A singer does not make excuses for him/herself. A singer DOES THE WORK and does not expect an entitled handout. A singer develop a realistic understanding of what she/he is able to do and what is simply not in the grasp of their ability or reality.
And even if the the voice becomes a singer - a singer is not guaranteed a career.
A career is an animal all unto itself. It demands a further tenacity, a further fire, a further pursuit, and a little luck - or a lot of luck!
The temperament of a singer who makes a living AS a singer is not for the weak of heart! It demands a commitment that often takes you far from those you love and who love you. It is a commitment that often leaves you alone. The pursuit of a career demands a commitment that honestly, you have very little control over - as the business itself makes a decision to make room for you or not.
Perhaps your talent and temperament is simply to sing. Then claim that.
Perhaps your talent and temperament is to take that voice and develop the skill and craft to be a singer. Then claim that.
Perhaps that talent and temperament is take that singer energy and pursue a career. Then claim that.
And perhaps that journey plays in the spaces in between. YOUR journey is yours. Just don't assume or expect with a reality check of where you ARE.
Where you WANT to be has to be begin with YOU. Where you end up - too many variables that are out of your hands, and yet many specifics you CAN control and develop and be ready for.
We are here to claim what we do not yet own. (thanks to my husband for that).
Why wouldn't you want to being claiming YOUR reality? It is in THIS claim that your journey begins to have substance and purpose.
GO GET IT!!!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Are you READY to walk into that audition room?
Sunday musings...
The fall is upon us - and so are ongoing auditions in the world of theatre!
With music theatre - are you really ready???
Just like your back to school check list - perhaps it's time to take stock of what you have/what you need/what you should be prepared for and be prepared to DO.
Here's a few to consider:
1. are you studying? have you studied? Especially those of you who are doing cross-disciplines: dancing to singing, acting to singing. Don't assume cause you are a dancer primarily that you can just walk into a singer call!!! Disciplines needs TIME and FOCUS and CRAFT. One lesson, or one lesson once in awhile isn't gonna cut it. You have to develop craft through CONSISTENCY.
2. Do you know your type? what you are trying to show you can do SPECIFICALLY in a room?
3. Do you have music???? I mean seriously, do I have to say this? YES!!! You need a 3 ring binder with your music in it!!! You need to MARK YOUR CUTS CLEARLY for the pianist. It HAS TO BE IN THE KEY YOU WANT TO SING IT IN!
4. ONE SONG DOESN"T CUT IT!!! Your audition book needs to be rather extensive - all genres, styles and time periods so that you can audition with a piece that specifically evokes your type - both theatrical and vocal - as well as evokes the style of the show you are auditioning for. THIS TAKES TIME. You cannot do this THE NIGHT BEFORE. Take the time to BUILD YOUR BOOK and LEARN YOUR BOOK. It has to be sung in, and developed in order for you to look professional when you present it.
5. Trying to prepare all of the above takes time, and it takes dedication. You cannot expect you can do this alone. You need a teacher, a coach (or several!), a few classes to develop audition technique, and then check-ins/brush ups and the like to keep you FRESH!
If you have the nerve/balls/stupidity to call a teacher or coach the night before an audition and have NOTHING prepared for that audition and expect miracles to happen - give your head a shake and guess again! You are wasting your time, their time, and the audition panel's time the next day.
Those of us on THAT side of the table KNOW when you aren't prepared. It comes into the room FIRST!
So, why not BE prepared? Why not INVEST in your studies and in your professionalism?
If this is what you want to do with your life, and who you want to be - then why wouldn't you take your work seriously?????
Don't wait until panic sets in to get instruction, help and guidance!! Seek it out NOW and CONTINUOUSLY in order to feel prepared, under yourself and ready to do a strong audition, and show by your actions how professional you are!!
Being professional means PREPARING like one and being prepared like one. If this is new to you, then ASK and LEARN and DO IT. If it's not new -then just brush up, get some solid trustworthy feedback and consistency, and DO IT.
If you are NOT ready to walk into that audition room - yet - then WAIT. And get to WORK on your craft and the details that need to be in place FIRST. You'll be more prepared, more polished, and more professional - and people can take you seriously.
If you walk in unprepared, this follows you. Our business is too small. You don't need to be labelled "not ready" because that will follow you.
Simply BE READY. Do the work. The rewards come to those who are willing to do the work, and who are simply prepared.
The fall is upon us - and so are ongoing auditions in the world of theatre!
With music theatre - are you really ready???
Just like your back to school check list - perhaps it's time to take stock of what you have/what you need/what you should be prepared for and be prepared to DO.
Here's a few to consider:
1. are you studying? have you studied? Especially those of you who are doing cross-disciplines: dancing to singing, acting to singing. Don't assume cause you are a dancer primarily that you can just walk into a singer call!!! Disciplines needs TIME and FOCUS and CRAFT. One lesson, or one lesson once in awhile isn't gonna cut it. You have to develop craft through CONSISTENCY.
2. Do you know your type? what you are trying to show you can do SPECIFICALLY in a room?
3. Do you have music???? I mean seriously, do I have to say this? YES!!! You need a 3 ring binder with your music in it!!! You need to MARK YOUR CUTS CLEARLY for the pianist. It HAS TO BE IN THE KEY YOU WANT TO SING IT IN!
4. ONE SONG DOESN"T CUT IT!!! Your audition book needs to be rather extensive - all genres, styles and time periods so that you can audition with a piece that specifically evokes your type - both theatrical and vocal - as well as evokes the style of the show you are auditioning for. THIS TAKES TIME. You cannot do this THE NIGHT BEFORE. Take the time to BUILD YOUR BOOK and LEARN YOUR BOOK. It has to be sung in, and developed in order for you to look professional when you present it.
5. Trying to prepare all of the above takes time, and it takes dedication. You cannot expect you can do this alone. You need a teacher, a coach (or several!), a few classes to develop audition technique, and then check-ins/brush ups and the like to keep you FRESH!
If you have the nerve/balls/stupidity to call a teacher or coach the night before an audition and have NOTHING prepared for that audition and expect miracles to happen - give your head a shake and guess again! You are wasting your time, their time, and the audition panel's time the next day.
Those of us on THAT side of the table KNOW when you aren't prepared. It comes into the room FIRST!
So, why not BE prepared? Why not INVEST in your studies and in your professionalism?
If this is what you want to do with your life, and who you want to be - then why wouldn't you take your work seriously?????
Don't wait until panic sets in to get instruction, help and guidance!! Seek it out NOW and CONTINUOUSLY in order to feel prepared, under yourself and ready to do a strong audition, and show by your actions how professional you are!!
Being professional means PREPARING like one and being prepared like one. If this is new to you, then ASK and LEARN and DO IT. If it's not new -then just brush up, get some solid trustworthy feedback and consistency, and DO IT.
If you are NOT ready to walk into that audition room - yet - then WAIT. And get to WORK on your craft and the details that need to be in place FIRST. You'll be more prepared, more polished, and more professional - and people can take you seriously.
If you walk in unprepared, this follows you. Our business is too small. You don't need to be labelled "not ready" because that will follow you.
Simply BE READY. Do the work. The rewards come to those who are willing to do the work, and who are simply prepared.
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