Recording "Studio Hands"

I just got back from 3ABN studio in West Frankfort, Illinois. I had the pleasure of working with the awesome husband and wife team Reggie and Ladye Love Smith. During the sessions, I shared a quick vocal technique with them that really made a difference in our singing- and we all needed it- me as well. I call it "studio hands". If this was helpful to such great seasoned singers as Reggie and Ladye, it can work for ANYONE.

What is the technique I call "studio hands"? (I was hoping you'd ask :)

It is simply using your hands in a way that causes the bottom of your ribcage to stay flexibly expanded. This gives your diaphragm the ability to stay taut and to control your air pressure. You see it in great singing of all genres- classical to hip hop. There are many ways to do it, and I recommend trying them all to see what works best for you.

For vocal control, for high or low notes, for sustains (holding notes out), for more volume, for subtle licks, etc... (For just about any vocal chore you'd like to accomplish):

• Clasp your hands together, classical style, at the bottom of your ribcage. Press your hands into each other for vocal power and control.
• Alternately, Lace your fingers together in front of your ribcage. As you "go for" a difficult note, press your fingers into each other. If you're doing this correctly, you'll notice your ribcage just got wider, your butt & abs tightened.
• Or, try touching your fingertips together, again in front of your ribcage. Press your fingertips into each other as you sing.
• Another way: Squeeze your fists to expand your ribcage. Caution: don't squeeze your ribcage when you squeeze your fists. Keep the squeeze only in your hands. Your ribs should go OUT, not IN!
• Or, try "talking" actively with your hands. Sometimes this is all you need.

What to avoid:

• Don't hand your hands and arms stiffly at your sides. Your arms can easily become "rib anchors", causing your ribs to tighten. This will truly screw up your vocal control. If you leave your hands and arms at your sides, be sure there is "life" in the muscles, making them feel weightless.
• Don't press your hands into each other at hip level. This can cause the opposite of what you want... it can make your ribcage tighten. Make sure they are at chest level.

We talk with our hands. Why on earth do we make ourselves sing without them??????? Next time you record something... try using some "studio hands"! Let me know how it comes out... and by the way, Reggie and Ladye have an incredible new Christian music project. I will let you know where to find them when their new website gets up and running.

Spinal movements and the voice

The spine holds incredible secrets for singers. If you know how to say the magic word....

Actually, if you know how to bend the thing!

First of all, there's C-1, or cervical vertebrae one. That's the top of your spine, the bone upon which your skull hinges. If you bring that vertebrae back ever so slightly (without raising your chin), you can double the space at the back of your throat or vocal tract. Especially if you raise your eyebrows in an "I don't think so!" type of facial gesture. Try it... I bet you feel your nose flare.

Then there's the spot in your upper back just below your shoulder blades. You can open your whole ribcage by pressing this spot and moving it inwards. This gives your diaphragm room to hold back, or control, breath. Students of mine often get a hoola hoop lesson to help them literally loosen up so this spot becomes more flexible. According to my chiropractor, Dr. Dwaine Allison, http://www.allisonchiropractic.com , this spot is in fact the accupressure point for the diaphragm, and so affects nerve impulses to the diaphragm as well as physical space. I highly recommend this doctor, by the way.

And lastly there's the lumbar spine. Think of the diaphragm as having a mushroom-like shape. The outer edges are connected along the bottom of the ribcage. The "stem" has fibers that attach to the lower vertebrae of the spine, which sit above the tailbone. It's important to think of the lumbar spine as support. If you bend too much here (at the waist), such as in a sway-back stance, you can cause breathing problems (as well as back problems). Flexibility in unlocked knees will keep the lumbar in a better position to support the voice from the pelvic floor and still allow much needed flexibility in the upper mid-back, as described above.

Here is a site you may find interesting about anatomy and breath. Notice, however, that they are talking about regular breathing, not singing- which requires more control and thus a lifted and open ribcage during phonation. http://www.authentic-breathing.com/abdominal-breathing.htm

I try to visit my chiropractor before every major vocal. I found that a spinal alignment could make a significant difference when I needed maximum voice. Also, feel the dance in your spine, the beat in your legs, sway the groove with bent knees, etc. ...do what it takes to let flexibility into your spine. You might be surprised at how much this can help your vocal cords! (the hip-bone's connected to the jawbone... eventually!)

Do you have trouble with flexibility? What helps you loosen up? Click on "comment" below.

Vocal challenges in Children

Are you a parent, relative, teacher or friend of a little singer- or are you a little singer? This post's for you!

Here's an email I just got from Ellen Dockery, a dear session singer friend of mine who has begun teaching piano and voice:

judy,
if i could rely on your expertise for a second...i have a 6 yr. old piano/voice student. she's a great little singer-do you have any advice or precautions for a child her age?
i look forward to getting your cd!
thanks SO much!
love and many hugs,
ellen :-)

Here is my advice for little singers:

First of all, check and see if they are straining when they sing. Unfortunately, well-meaning choir directors and school teachers can sometimes encourage volume and power that little voices are not ready to generate. Add the stiffness and uniform stillness that is often encouraged in the posture and you have a recipe for disaster. Hey...sometimes the kid just decides to sing too loud out of the sheer passion!

• How can you tell if they are too loud? Does it sound like yelling? It may be cute now, but it may truly damage their voices. I had a girl who developed little blood blisters (the beginnings of nodes) by a few days of singing too loud. I've read that it is possible to develop this damage from just 20 minutes of over-blowing your vocal cords. (Hear that, little cheerleader??)
• Another way to tell... can you get them to make NON-BREATHY sounds in their head voice? Ask them to mimic Mickey or Minny Mouse. Then have them sing some little tune in head voice and see if they can clear the breathiness up. If not, they may need to be checked out by a doctor- preferably one specializing in the vocal apparatus, like the Vanderbilt Voice Clinic in Nashville.
• If they are yelling, the first thing to do is get them aware that their throat is feeling strained. Many times they don't know there is another way. Have them sing at the wall with their head and heel against the wall so they can't lean forward. Encourage them to stay flexible and to keep the chin level and floating. If they go for a high note and strain, suggest to them that they back off the volume so it feels better. Maybe put a book on their head so they won't lift the chin too much. ASK THEM TO SING FROM THEIR EYES! Make it a game... keep them having fun.
• Teach them the Power, Path & Performance technique of "pulling" words. For help, check my training cds.

Another common problem of children is having a weak voice. Shyness of personality, fear of being heard, and a dislike of the feeling of a tense throat can cause this.

• First of all, talk to them and LISTEN TO THEM. Many times a child just needs to know his or her voice is valid and that someone wants to hear what they say or sing. This fosters a good relationship where they will trust what you ask them to do.
• Next, have them pretend to sing to a stuffed animal or their real pet. Have them "sing a story". (Try to make sure they choose songs they can relate to!!)
• Teach them to open their arms out wide and take a breath in their belly. Then teach them to squeeze a horse or pillow with their legs for power. This tends to crack them up and is great fun. It will teach them to use the correct area of pelvic floor for power, while not squeezing in at the chest or throat.

And then there are children who seem to be tone deaf. I will state unequivocally: Tone deafness is a myth. Anyone with ears can learn to sing on pitch. I once taught a girl who had sustained 70% hearing loss when she was very young. She was determined and I got resourceful and by "pitch target practice" she learned to sing on pitch just fine. I would play a note, she would listen (think it) then mime it, then sing the pitch and I'd tell her if she was right, or if she needed to move it up or down. She also learned to feel and count rhythm.

Here is a website full of wonderful ideas and suggestions for child singers: http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Music/Sing_in_tune.html

And finally I'll reiterate... HELP THEM CHOOSE GOOD SONGS! Encourage them to write their own! They need to learn that singing is communication. And that what they say counts.

Do you have or know a child singer? I'd love to hear from you... what seems to be the vocal challenges in that child? What works? What doesn't? Click on the "comment" link below this post.

What to do for your Speaking Voice

I had a comment on my last post that was a question about the speaking voice. Because I figure most of you may not click on the comments to see what is said, I thought I'd put the info in this new post, with a bit of elaboration.

I remember when I was on the road as an artist, I used to dread interviews before shows. It actually affected my singing voice to do a lot of talking before I sang, so I tried to have them scheduled after the show. Now I can talk all day long, 8- 10 hours a day and my voice never gets tired! (The rest of me does, but not my voice.)

Vocal sound quality and volume - whether speaking or singing- comes from resonation; your vocal cords just create the initial buzz when air moves through them. That buzz needs to reach reverberating zones in your head, throat & chest (some teachers even add your back and tailbone). That's how your speaking (and singing) voice can become much richer, more melodic, and yes, louder. Without adequate resonation, you end up pushing too much air through your cords trying to work up enough volume. Here are some tips for you:

• This advice alone will make immediate improvements: USE YOUR EYES WHEN YOU SPEAK!!! even on the phone!

To convince you, try this little exercise: keep your eyes very still and count to 5 moderately loud. Now count again, but move your eyes very animatedly while you speak, (check the mirror because sometimes your brain really doesn't know what your eyes are doing- your eyebrows should be active).

Your eyepads and eyebrows are very connected to what's going on inside your throat. You'll notice your voice is more melodic and can reach more pitches, and it's richer. It feels like you're pulling your voice out of your head by the word, with no forward "push" pressure. For practical application, just know it's important to communicate with your eyes while you are speaking- imagine your audience is deaf and needs to read your face for the message. Or imagine talking to a child. Use animation. ESPECIALLY on the phone, we tend to speak without expression on our faces.

• SUPPORT YOUR VOICE!

Don't be a talking head...Speak from your pelvic floor! Keep your ribs open by your posture, and you'll have compression power for your voice. This is another thing we do when we're on the phone... slouch. Then the voice feels like it's disconnected from the body. When standing, your voice needs your legs (which your voice considers butt extentions). Another power point: Whether sitting or standing, even on the phone, talk with your hands. It helps your ribs stay weightless and gives your diaphragm room to control the airflow to your cords. Keep your back flexible and keep your head from going forward of your shoulders. All tension can and should be relegated to butt and legs.

• WARM UP your speaking voice, too!

As many voice-over artists and actors know, it is very helpful to warm up the voice for speaking as well as singing. The tissues and muscles involved in your vocal apparatus need to get blood flow and flexibility increased.

• Get a list of tongue tanglers and say them a few times till your tongue and jaw get loosened and flexible, your face starts working, articulation gets animated and fluid... and you don't get your tongue tied behind your eye teeth when you practice (OK, it's a southern phrase, but you get the pic). I have pages of them for my clients...Try these three:

1. red leather yellow leather
2. you know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York
3. eleven benevolent elephants

• A great way to warm up is to make noises like a siren or ghost. You have to become somewhat fearless as to what people may think if they hear you.
• Humming, bubbling and tongue trills are great voice starters, too.

IN SUMMARY:

1. Warm up your voice
2. Talk with body language- especially eyes and hands
3. Keep your chest open, head back, chin level and your back flexible.
4. Loosen your jaw and form words distinctly.
5. And one more time... talk with your eyes!

If you'd like to check out the exercises in my training method Power, Path & Performance, go to my website www.judyrodman.com where you'll learn how to order my 6-cd package or my single cd condensed course.

Happy talking!

Back Off the Pressure!

Here's a very important tip for using max vocal power...

DON'T DO IT!

I mean... never use 100% of the power you have available to sing. It will turn into "pushed" sound instead of what I like to call "pulled" sound.

Instead of "pushing", imagine pulling your voice, by the word, from above and behind you. If you sing as hard as you can, you will tense muscles and tendons in your neck, shoulders, jaw and tongue- oh, yes- and your larynx! This will limit your vocal range, will make it very hard and effortful to reach for upper notes, will fatigue your voice, and will sound strained, thin and brittle.

Instead, back off the pressure and you will find yourself with more vocal range, tone and pitch control. You'll be able to blend your registers much better. Your voice will less likely suffer from strain and fatigue.

That's because when you back off a bit, you'll be better able to keep your throat open, giving the vibrations from your larynx an open path to the resonation zones in your face, sinuses, nose, throat and trachea. You'll be able to blend your vocal registers so you are not screaming chest voice and then changing to weak head voice.

Here's the bottom line: Vocal volume should come from more resonation, not more pressure through your vocal cords!!!

IMPORTANT: As you back off the power, you should (and can) add PASSION! Meaning, with less strain in your face, neck and shoulders, you can articulate the words and emotions of your song even stronger.

So......

Whether live performance or in the studio: Back off the pressure + add passion, and you'll find that less is truly more!

Posture for Singers- Studio

Many times a singer has trouble getting studio vocals and can't figure out why. It happens a lot with vocalists who do a lot of live performance work and are used to singing while holding a microphone (wired or wireless). But of course, it also happens with people who are new to the studio.

Try changing your posture!

• First of all, stand with your feet in farther towards the mic than you're used to. Ask the engineer to make this possible, which may entail a longer boom stand position so you can move under it. You may need to move the music stand farther back, too. (THOUGH I HOPE YOU'RE NOT READING THE LYRIC WHILE PERFORMING!!)It's so important not to move your head forward (closing the ribs and the throat), and if you move it forward while in this position, you'll hit the mic with your mouth!
• Stand tall, flexible, and confident! Don't stand there like a bump on a log. Unless your voice needs to communicate that you are a bump on a log :)
• Talk with your hands!!! Use your hands just like you would with your friendliest live crowd (or your favorite unguarded vocal performance in the shower or to a pet audience) Your hands are connected to your arms...which are connected to your shoulders... spine... ribcage... DIAPHRAGM. Your expressive hands & arms can keep your chest from caving in, which gives your diaphragm too much slack and also limits your inhale. You need to keep the bottom of your ribs expanded but not frozen, and "talking with your hands" can help.
• Use a dummy mic! I've had amazing success having vocalists use to live performance hold a dead mic or similarly weighted object in their hands while singing. It psychologically causes the body to balance itself differently. Without the mic, these singers feel front-heavy, like a fish out of water. Sometimes all they need to do is to use the previous tip and "talk with their hands". However, sometimes that's not enough. If you'd like to try this, grab the dummy mic and hold it close to your mouth like you do on stage, but keep your mouth closer to the live mic which is recording you.
• Air out your armpits! Don't clench your ribcage with your upper arms. This is a position you assume when you're scared. If you're scared, don't show it with body language.
• Let the groove get into your legs! If you allow a dance-like sway in your feet, legs and hips, you will affect your spine in such a way as to free up your ribcage, and also to free up your mind. It will tell your automatic nervous system that you are confident, into the music, and confident. Act as if, and ye shall be!
• Keep your head level! Don't lift or dip your chin. Just flexibly balance your head on your neck... don't let your neck or shoulders get tight for any reason.
• Keep your eyes communicating. This affects your posture, your open throat, and your emotional impact.
• MOVE YOUR MOUTH! Communicate, communicate, communicate. What the heck are you saying? And remember, you're not singing to the control room- you're singing to the object of the song, for the sake of those who will listen to the final product and hopefully, be moved!

While you are doing your studio vocals, it is not the time to be worrying about technique... use your posture to set you up, literally, in the right position and then just get uninhibited with body language and go for it!

Posture for Singers- Live Performance

Posture sounds like a technical, cold word. But you wouldn't believe how assuming a better one can change your life as a vocalist.

First let's talk about live performance. Next post will concentrate on posture for the recording studio.

Don't -

• DON'T STAND STIFFLY with your arms clenched into your sides- you will lose both resonance and control. Especially watch the hand holding the mic... don't let that arm clench. This "non-verbal" body language will communicates a lack of confidence, too. The voice will obey the cue with an unsure, thin, pitchy sound.
• DON'T LEAN FORWARD toward the audience in such a way as to cause your ribcage to tighten in front, you're also going to have trouble with support and control of breath and your voice will not be as wide. If you lean forward, do so from the hips so as to keep the ribs wide open.
• DON'T TIGHTEN YOUR RIBCAGE by slouching when you sing while playing guitar, keyboard, drums or other instrument. Instead... play your instrument with your chest out! Move into the mic with your feet and body so you can lean back a bit- NOT FORWARD! Chin level. This will help you use your butt for power, whether standing or seated on a stool. I will reiterate this point below...

DO -

• PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT WITH YOUR CHEST OUT, SPINE FLEXIBLE!
• STAND OR SIT SO THAT YOUR WEIGHT IS BALANCED ON YOUR BUTT.
• STAND OR SIT TALL AND FLEXIBLE
• MOVE! Feel the groove in your feet, legs and spine- like dancing. This will also transfer energy to the hips and butt, and will result in a more correct breath support (vocal power should come from the pelvic floor).
• MAKE YOUR POSTURE COMMUNICATE CONFIDENT BODY LANGUAGE...This is not an arrogant stance. It's a taking care of business stance that tells your audience you've got something good to give them!
• KEEP YOUR HEAD BACK , chin down (level), neck floating and when going for a high note, pulling slightly to the side!! (Hint...Study a good hip hop artist for this posture)
• KEEP YOUR CHIN floating and level.
• MOVE YOUR FEET FORWARD (causing you to lean back and open the chest) - when using a boom stand while standing, singing and playing. This tip is HUGELY important. If you're using a straight stand, be sure and get close enough that you don't have to lean forward and close your ribs (have I said this enough??) Or take the stand in your hand and lean it towards YOU. Or better yet, take the mic out and use it to help balance you. Don't lean your head in to follow the mic.
• USE YOUR HANDS! Talk with your hands... they are connected to your arms, shoulders, spine, ribcage and eventually your diaphragm. This is good stage presence, too. Just make it look REAL... make sure the hands are communicating what you're saying or singing. Don't let them become dead weight pulling your ribs down and inward.

Next time... studio posture!

Breath work for singing- WALL WORK!

Ever had trouble having enough breath to singing?

Try this: Stand with your back to the wall. Keep the back of your head and at least one of your heels firmly planted against the wall. Put your finger on your chin so your chin stays level- DON'T LIFT YOUR CHIN!. Now try singing that song again.

Let me know how it works for you!