Articulation- need some!

One of my pet peeves is listening to a song and not being able to tell what the heck it's saying.

I know some people will say they are only into the music and don't care about or listen to lyrics. I remember when my son was little, he used that rationale to protest my veto of music with inappropriate lyrics. (No, hehehe, it didn't work.) But in reality, most people are drawn to a song and to a singer whose message is clear.

What is articulation? A simple definition, for the singer or speaker, is: the forming of words. A synonym for articulation is "diction". I really don't like to use these words a lot in my teaching or in my studio vocal production because they can make people think I want them to speak like an English professor... Which of course is not true. (My apologies to all you English professors!) So I say this instead: Communicate so I can understand you!
(Duh)

All kinds of things are involved in articulation: The mouth, tongue, lips, soft palate, yes. But to articulate not just words but the MEANING behind them involves other body parts such as eyes, nose, even spinal alignment (body language!) For instance, if your eyes are "dead" instead of communicative, I could tell you weren't "with me" - even if you were somewhere I couldn't see you. I would know you weren't really communicating with me in mind. See previous posts for more about the importance of eyes and body language .
Sometimes muddy articulation happens on a recording, but more often I notice it in live performance. The artist gets into the music and slurs through the performance, seeming to just assume everybody knows the lyrics. Hey, even if it's a hit and the audience does know the lyrics, you still need to say them clearly. Why?

When you aren't clear, you are "dis-ing" your audience. Whether or not you are aware of it, you are dismissive and disrespectful. I've heard hugely popular entertainers when they spoke so clearly I could understand every word. I've also heard the same entertainers when I could understand nothing. It was as if they could have cared less if the audience was there or not. An audience is a fickle thing, and my suggestion is to remember that without them your public career becomes a private hobby.

A great way to rev up the clarity of your articulation is to imagine you have a deaf contingent in your audience. Articulate so that a deaf person could read your face and know what the words are. Do this in the studio and the clarity of your performance can amaze you; do it on stage and you may find a connection with your audience that may surprise you. Do it in your next public speaking engagement and you may hear a pin drop because people are actually listening.

Toastmasters is a great organization to join to practice articulation, among other vocal skills.

Next post I plan on discussing: when articulation goes wrong......!

Strange Vocal Exercises That Work

Some of my vocal exercises are, well, strange. Bryan White once wryly observed to me "the more humiliating an exercise, the better it seems to work".

I think the reason a correctly executed weird exercise works so well is...
that it bypasses the tenacious but counter-productive vocal habits of the conscious mind by trickery. The Feldenkrais method used by some chiropractors does the same thing... a slight touch can suggest possibilities of movement that the conscious mind hasn't considered possible, and then amazing healing can take place.

Here's a prime example:

Memphis Cole, a young man who is has been studying with me for a few months, came in to his lesson this week with a grin. Memphis has been growing vocally by leaps and bounds, and has really developed his style, his sound and his confidence. Anyway, he entered his first Nashville contest- "The Grand Ole Opry Country Vocal Challenge"- just to get some experience with competing. In the male category he joined about 46 fellow competitors.

Before he went on, he was doing his "Forrest Gump" imitation of "Life is like a box of chocolates", a vocal exercise he learned from the Power, Path & Performance cd vocal training course he bought to go with his private lessons. One of his competitors started laughing and taunting "what are you doing, man?" Memphis shot back "I'm loosening up my jaw". The guy kept laughing and so Memphis started doing it silently instead of out loud.

Memphis got the last laugh: He won the contest! The other guy... he was eliminated rather quickly.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A SILLY VOCAL EXERCISE! Be willing to ditch a little pride, and you may find a strange and weird sense of ... VOCAL FREEDOM!

Vocal Performance: Reveal... don't display!

There is a classical voice training textbook series by Van A. Christy called "Expressive Singing". In the Third Edition, Volume #1, Christy recommends this excellent suggestion for any performance in any genre:

"Meaning must be REVEALED, never DISPLAYED in a theatrical manner."

I can't tell you how very much I agree with this. There is a fine line between over- and under- acting. If you REALLY want to sing or speak in such a way as to cause an emotional response from your audience, learn how to master authentic delivery- the kind you can't fake!.

Authentic delivery balances several things:

• Vocal technique is definitely a major factor.
• The message (song or monologue) is a huge factor.
• Other factors include: The size and feel of the venue or room, the state of your own inner self, the cheeseburger you had for lunch, the label rep in the audience. Hey, it's amazing we can focus at all :)

Nevertheless, there must be such a balance in your mind-body-voice connection that you make it look almost effortless to get and hold the attention of the listener.

Here's an example to help you understand the power of revealing instead of displaying meaning:

When I was a recording artist on MTM Records, Alan Bernard (the CEO) let me in on one of his secrets at "meet & greet" events. Alan had been around. Among other things, he had managed Andy Williams and Dusty Springfield. Instead of going up to people to introduce himself and begin a conversation, he would often just sit or stand alone. People were drawn to his cool confidence, and soon were coming over to where he was to meet HIM.

Now think about this: Alan quite openly revealed who he was to people who had been drawn his way. He didn't put on a forward display to try to gain attention. I think this is a psychological tool we need to understand as performers.

Bottom line: Draw people in. Don't be a space invader! Reveal by... being real.

Vocal "Breaks"... how to eliminate them

There are times you want a vocal "break"- such as when you want to yodel or "flip" a little vocal cry (think Emmy Lou Harris). However, most of the time these breaks are unwanted and happen when vocal strain and tightness impede smooth movements in the vocal apparatus. In these cases, your chest voice gets thin, loud and harsh and then finally when you go a bit higher, you find yourself in a weak, useless head voice.

Here are some tips to smoothly blend your chest and head registers so that you seem to have one rich, mixed vocal register without breaks (those unwanted cracks in your voice):

• Try "pulling" your words from your nose when you're in middle voice. Then when you cross over to your upper register, "pull" your words from your mouth. This may seem unnatural, but will serve to mix your registers together so you can't tell from listening where you "crossover" from chest to head.
• If you can't remember to do this at the right time, try touching your nose when in chest or middle voice to remind you to pull from your nose. Then when you cross over to head voice, touch your mouth to remind you to pull from there. Pretty soon you will be able to do it without having to touch your face.
• Try the blending steps exercise in my Power, Path & Performance course at www.judyrodman.com . You will sing three notes in chest, the same notes in head voice, then the third time you'll sing the same notes in what I call a "land between the two registers", or a blend of head and chest. Do this at least once a day.
• BACK OFF THE PRESSURE!!! You can't blend your voice if you're singing too hard. How can you tell if you're doing this? YOU CAN FEEL YOUR THROAT STRAIN! Back off pressure, then add passion (crisply form words with the right emotion).
• Make the beginning of the yawn kick in right before you think the break will occur. You should feel eyes, nose and sinuses expand.
• Touch two fingers VERY LIGHTLY to your larynx. Now sing the phrase, but don't allow any tension near your fingers. If your shoulders, jaw or tongue gets tight, you will become aware and will be able to relax much faster with your fingers here. Notice that you WILL feel your larynx move... if it's working without interference with outside tension, it will actually tilt up and back allowing a smooth and unbroken vocal line.
• Bobble your head on your shoulders. Think James Taylor, Aretha, Alanis Morrisette, Christina, Wynonna. Part of their vocal magic comes from flexibility at the neck and shoulders. This also allows the larynx to tilt.
• Be sure to "lift the lid" but "leave the pan on the stove". What I mean by this is: Lift the inside of your soft palate and back of your nose, but don't lift your shoulders or tighten neck muscles. When you lift this way, you will actually feel your neck getting longer- not shorter. "Talk with your eyes" with relaxed shoulders you will help yourself do this.

Let me know what works for you! Click on the comment button below this post to leave your thoughts.

Music Videos... Do you really need a professional shoot?

Here's an interesting bit of info I came across for those of you needing to make a music video. This is pretty much a requirement these days for getting your music and your face out into the public awareness, but it's an expensive undertaking. You can and should definately shop around before settling on a video production team.

BUT... for those of you thinking about a do-it-yourself project and using it professionally, this guy sums it up: DON'T!

Why? Quality, Quality, Quality... oh, and INSURANCE!

Read more at:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Shooting-Your-Own-Music-Video&id=213044

Have you had experience with a good video team you'd like to recommend? Please click comment below and tell us who and where we can reach them. Do you think music can get before the public just fine without an accompanying video? Let us know what you think. Thanks!

Kayla Morrison teaching Power, Path & Performance voice

Judy says:

Kayla Morrison has taken voice from me for several years. As I've gotten to know her, I've come to love, trust and respect her skills in many areas. She has managed several artists through the years, and in fact manages my vocal seminars. Kayla herself has covered lots of miles as a vocalist, group leader and vocal arranger in Christian music ministry. She knows what it means firsthand to have max voice available (OR NOT) for the road or the studio.

I have mentored and approved Kayla to be an official Power, Path & Performance teacher. I don't give this approval lightly; I want any associate teacher of PPP to be truly effective at teaching this method, with rapid results in vocal improvement of students. And so she is!!

Today Kayla graciously offers this guest post concerning her experience with teaching the PPP method.

Kayla says:

After studying Judy Rodman’s Power, Path & Performance myself and observing her as she worked with students in her private studio, the recording studio and through her intense vocal seminars, I have been anxious and excited about the opportunity to use the tools with my own students. I have witnessed so many people being set free by the methods Judy has developed, tested and successfully proved.

Just today, I worked with a new student, 13 years old. She has had three years of vocal training, but had never been taught about anatomy and its relationship to breathing. After I explained the information using the illustrations and props that Judy suggests and provides in her complete cd course, it began to click and make sense to her.

I am thrilled with the effectiveness of this course. My first concern as a teacher is to give my students information that will safely take their vocals and performance to the next level. I am confident that Judy Rodman’s Power, Path & Performance is the key to successfully accomplish my goals as a teacher, and as a performer. My students are excited, too!

Contact Kayla Morrison at 615-315-5519. For information about becoming a Power, Path & Performance teacher, contact Judy at www.judyrodman.com or call 615-834-4747.

The concepts behind "Power, Path & Performance" vocal training method

According to Proverbs...a three stranded cord is not easily broken! (Read: broken, damaged voice.)

The idea for the "PPP" method came to me after I began giving a couple of years of vocal lessons, using all the information I'd gathered through years of professional singing and producing other singers. My professional vocal coach was Gerald Arthur, who is a legendary teacher in Nashville. He was known to be a healer of damaged voices, as was mine. That's what I wanted to do- pass along Gerald's heart and truly affect healing in other voices.

So I began noticing what really, really worked in helping vocal students gain ground. And I found that I could classify everything that was important into three overarching categories: Breath, Throat and Communication. I used some alliteration and changed the words to "Power (support and control of the breath), Path (imagery created by vocal teacher Jeffrey Allen leading to an open throat), and Performance (physical and psychological aspects of articulating communication).

And I found that these three areas actually affect each other in an amazing synergy. If you breath correctly with support and control, you are less likely to have a tight throat. Then you can relax into telling or singing the story because your throat doesn't hurt. If your performance is a true communication TO someone, you breath more correctly naturally because your posture is more confident. You also will have a sparkle in your eyes, communicating in such a way as to open the throat without even knowing you're doing it. I use acting techniques to help students get real and connect authentically. You can learn to pull Power and Path into allignment by authentically communicating.

If you are missing one of these three areas, it will show in the other areas. Put them together and your voice becomes powerful, controllable, effective and passionate, but strain-free.

Great teaching leads students to the same place. There are many ways to teach voice; I have found this to be a great way to teach voice holistically, and I love the way it works- for me and for you. When you sing and speak your best, you are using these techniques automatically. However, you may wish to learn how to make purposeful vocal technique choices on days you are not feeling so confident. If your throat hurts when you speak or sing, take heart... there truly is help.

If your voice is important to you, learn more about it. This will give you both protection and maximum use of your instrument. If you're interested in checking out Power, Path & Performance method, visit www.judyrodman.com/home.html

The Importance of THE WORD to vocal technique

The articulation of the word to the voice is like the ring in a bull's nose.

Let me explain:
There is a lot that goes into making your best sung or spoken vocal communication. In my training method, I teach you to learn to properly apply concepts of breath ("Power"), open throat ("Path") and telling the story ("Performance"). Your vocal instrument can be considered to include everything from your heels to the top of your head, and extend to the end of your outstretched hands. In other words... your whole body is involved when you are purposefully speaking. Some parts are active, some parts just barely involved and some parts must stay tension-free.

It can get confusing. Think of it like flying a plane. You need to be trained in what all the lights and levers are for, how to diagnose a problem, what to adjust for maximum operation. But it would be hard to fly the thing this way (manually). Sooo... you mostly run the thing on autopilot. Flip one little switch and you can relax (though alertly!)

The switch that should cause your voice to line up and operate properly on autopilot is... THE WORD (lyric)!! BUT.... you have to know how to use the word to make this happen.

1. The word should be defined as "communicating something specific to someone specific"
2. This involves being present with the consonants, vowels, meaning, emotion, and if singing, the pitch with which the word is communicated.
3. Form the consonants in the front of your mouth (not in your jaw)
4. Shape the vowels in the back of your throat (thus keeping it open).
5. Put expression in your eyes (this communicates the meaning of the word!)

Try this and see if the word doesn't feel like it starts at your heels and connects your whole being to communicate a performance that gets through. AND... makes your voice feel great! Let me know how you do by clicking the comment link below.

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.

Recording Studio Vocal Producer...Do You Need One?

What is a vocal producer?
Do I need one?

These are questions which should be asked by everyone needing to record a voice. Period. Why? Because it can make SO MUCH DIFFERENCE to the final outcome.

Ok, I know this may be a bit self-serving, because I am one (a vocal producer). But sometimes you truly do NOT need one. Here's how you can tell:

1. Does your vocal quality really matter that much in this recording? If you are just putting a quick song down that won't be heard by the music industry outside your inner circle, maybe it doesn't matter. Included in under this heading would be: songwriter worktapes (rough recordings to put the song down), pre-production recording (to experiment with vocal style, find the best key for your voice, see if the song really fits you, etc.) , casual or non professional recordings where you don't need to sound your best.
2. Is the producer of your recording project really a good vocal producer as well as an instrumental track producer? Sometimes they are both instrumental and vocal producer rolled into one. Quite frankly, this is rare. There is a difference between KNOWING WHAT TO TELL SOMEONE TO DO when they sing and KNOWING HOW TO HELP THEM DO IT! For example, Tom Paden www.padenplacemusic.com is a great producer and artist developer who is wise enough and caring enough of his clients to suggest they hire me for vocal production. They are not always quite sure why they need this, but after they record, they are amazed and very happy with the results they can get with a vocal producer. They also gain vocal instruction which helps them improve their voices immediately.
3. Are you a veteran of the recording studio? Hey, sometimes even YOU need objective feedback from someone with a qualified ear who knows how you sing at your best. This is especially true with "master" vocals, which are "final vocals" you intend to sell, or with which you intend to pitch yourself or your song to the music industry. Assessing your own vocals while singing is never a good idea anyway. It scatters your focus. It IS best for you to make the final decision on whether to keep the vocal or to re-record it, but get another team member to help pull out your best as you record.
4. Can you afford it? If you can't, try to at least find a recording engineer who knows some things about the voice. If you just get a great "techie" who is not a singer or musician at the board, you're on your own :) I love working with these techies because I can trust them to record the vocals right; when paired with a good vocal producer it can make for a great recording team. I have an engineer I've worked with who has decided to take vocal lessons from me to understand how to better serve his clients who can't afford another recording team member. How cool is that?

Have you had experience with or without a vocal producer? If so, click on the comment link below this post and share your thoughts!