15 things every voice user should aspire to in 2015 (2) 7) Vocal hygiene: Let this be the year that you decide to step up your game with regards to vocal hygiene. Your vocal hygiene habits go a long way in determining how good your vocals sound. It’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day and not just on the days that you are singing. I say this all the time, if you are a professional voice user, water must become your best friend. Drink water until your urine is clear. If your urine is not clear, you most likely do not have enough water in your body system. A good night rest is important. When you are sleep deprived, your vocals suffer and your audience will hear the fatigue in your voice when you sing. Also make it a habit to schedule vocal rests during the day; maybe an hour during the day when you do not speak at all. This will give your voice time to rest and bounce back from any excessive voice use. Do not speak to large audiences without proper amplification. Reduce to the barest minimum, yelling during football games, etc. Visit a laryngologist for a routine check every now and then. If there’s anything wrong with your vocal chords, they will detect it and offer treatment. 8) Style and vocal versatility: This is the year to take some healthy risks and explore vocally. If you are a classical singer, it would be a good idea to explore singing in other genres like maybe pop or RnB. It is true that not many singers can sing different music genres and do each one effectively, but it is nice to have a singer that’s not boxed up in just one genre. It is great to have layers as an artist and as you uncover each layer, your audience will be excited, entertained and pleasantly surprised. Also if you are an RnB singer, it will be a good idea to soak up some classical vocal style. There are elements of the classical style,that if incorporated into your RnB style, will give a richer sound and add colour and depth to your RnB song renditions. In 2014, it was great to see pop star, Lady Gaga, collaborate with 89-year old legend, Tony Bennett on an album. Tony Bennett is mostly known for singing traditional pop standards and jazz. By doing this, she proved that she was not just your regular pop star and that she could expand her fan base to include a whole other generation (Tony Bennett’s fans) that probably never listened to her music before the collaboration 9) Get a voice coach: I met a talented singer a few years ago. She had a good voice and was working on some music at a studio. I asked her if she had ever taken any lessons and she looked at me and said “I already sing well, why do I need to take voice lessons?” There are people out there who feel that they do not need a voice coach because they are already talented and that the only people who need voice lessons from a voice coach are those who have no talent. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every singer needs a voice coach no matter how talented you are. Great singers like Michael Jackson, Barbara Streisand, Stevie Wonder, etc all had/have voice coaches. You need a coach just like a football team or a 100 metres athlete needs a coach. You need someone to teach proper technique and most times, the talent comes naturally, but it is rare that naturally great sounding singers have good technique. That is why sometimes their voices break down after a while. You need an extra set of ears other than yours to listen and provide instruction based on what they have heard and give constructive feedback. Your voice coach will help you set the right vocal goals and work with you to reach those goals. 10) Get a mentor: In an article entitled “The importance of Mentoring” Richard Branson has this to say about mentoring, “Whenever I am asked what is the missing link between a promising businessperson and a successful one, mentoring comes to mind. Giving people advice on how best they can best achieve their goals is something that is often overlooked……mentoring was very important for me personally. For example, Freddie Laker gave me invaluable advice and guidance as we set up Virgin Atlantic, while my mum has been a mentor throughout my life.” I believe the same thing applies if you want to progress vocally. It is important for every artist to find a mentor in another singer who has travelled the path that they wish to travel for advice and guidance. Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng ift.tt/15nBPSF ift.tt/1DEebMd [[Boost your social presence with NAIRALIKES nairalikes ]] #nigeria x #nairalikes #vanguardng
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 23:12:32 +0000
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