Day: May 1, 2025

Vocal Engineering

By Diana Yampolsky

Over the years, I have been assisting my vocal students with the recording of their demo tapes and CD’s. I have been in both the best and worst recording studios and worked with both very experienced and novice engineers. In this article, I would like to share my experience as an In-Studio Vocal Consultant/Producer/Expert. A lot of aspiring singers have no idea of what the recording of their voice entails. Let me tell you it is a completely different experience from anything you have ever done – with respect to your voice and the vocal production in general. Now you are wearing headphones and hearing the music through them – it is like having two speakers connected to your head. A completely different perception. Also, you are not singing the whole song all at once. First you are taking it a verse at a time and then, most likely, dissecting it line by line – sometimes even word by word or even syllable by syllable. You need a lot of patience as it takes a long time. Nowadays, a lot of engineers use the Pro Tools program, which allows them to cut and paste not only different words but different syllables flown from track to track. Quite a fascinating experience – however, it is not always useful. This type of recording promotes not always adequate live performance. I personally was completely shocked when I heard Marc Anthony singing a Christmas carol during a televised Christmas concert being held at the White House. The impression was that it was the very first day of his singing career. Prior to that event I was completely in love with his recorded version of “My Baby You”. It possessed a perfect vocal and excellent production. His live performance did not resemble any of it. Therefore, in my opinion, it is good to use advanced technology to enhance an already great performance, but not to use it instead of the actual natural performance. Thus, I make sure that all my recording artists will be able to replicate their recordings at least 90-95% live, which is a pretty good ratio.

An important role in any recording project is played by a good, experienced engineer. If they have the proper technology and they know how to use it, they can save a lot of time and aggravation during the recording venture. As an In-Studio Vocal Consultant, I know what I want to hear on a vocal track and a good, experienced engineer will translate it back to me through the means of his technical skills. It is indeed frustrating when the engineer does not know his craft well enough to encourage faster and better production. For example, my recording artist got stuck on one word in a song. She kept dropping that word out of the context and respectively the pitch was suffering. The creative engineer found the solution. For some very mysterious reason the artist was able to sing the word acappella (also called ‘On Air” in studio terminology) then the engineer added the instrumental track around that word. This was an extreme measure but in this case it was a needed last resort. At another recording session another artist kept singing one of the words very dark and heavy and the impression was that she was a semi-tone lower than she was supposed to be. The engineer found the solution – he took 4 k out of the equalizer and thus lightened up the sound. The next example is an artist who had to sing the same word on the fourth line as on the first line so that they would rhyme perfectly; for some reason they could not do so. The word on the last line was obviously shorter than the same word on the first line. The experienced engineer helped again. The word was extended through the wonder of technology via time compression/expansion (TCE). Those little details may not be heard or perceived during a live performance as the style, emotions, etc. also play a big role. But during recording everything has to be perfect, or at least close to perfect as listeners can only hear the recorded voice. This is where technology becomes very handy (when used in coordination with actual singing skills).

Through the amazing technology you can also enhance the style. You can create a “radio” effect by adding 3 or 4 k to the equalizer. You can use another program called Echo Farm – it almost works the same as a delay (echoing the previous line thus creating the mirror reflection of the main track) but better; and using this program even the demo song will sound more produced. Using either of the programs may eliminate the need for the backup harmonies and is therefore a really good trick to know about. With respect to the harmonies, you have to be very careful too. Working with one of the not-so-experienced engineers we came to the problem where the lead and the harmonies were sounding blended together – thus promoting a choir quality production instead of the Pop/R&B style. Addressing this problem to a more experienced engineer, we were able to move the lead vocal up front (using the volume rider) and keep the backup a little bit further in the back scene, thus the Pop/R&B song style was not lost or mistaken.

Sound Construction and Reconstruction

Throughout over 20 years experience being in studios, I discovered a magic button – the Fader. Once the plain track has been recorded, it can be greatly enhanced by operating the fader properly and accordingly to the phrasing, style and volume. If my client is not of the caliber of Celine Dion or Brian McKnight, they definitely need an enhancement on their tracks. Partly, as they don’t sing the whole song all at once, they sometimes lose the emotion throughout the recording experience, which is totally understandable. That’s where I come in with my “magic button”. “Playing” with the volume I can give a song a certain lift or certain fade – whatever is required. I can make it lighter or heavier and nevertheless louder or softer. I even could give it a certain “bite”, especially at the beginning of the phrases if needed. I like doing it as a last touch during the blend between the instrumental and vocal tracks. It is especially important during the production of a demo CD, as the actual mix is usually not taking place in this instance – especially if a prerecorded instrumental track was used. It’s important to note that there are two ways of using the fader. The first is via volume automation done through a computer program which is not involving a manual touch. I prefer the 2nd option, which is the manual vocal riding; which is recorded from the console to the computer. In my opinion, I am able to give it a more personal touch and add more soul to the performance via this method.

In conclusion, if you are a vocalist (experienced or not so experienced), I would definitely advise you to get a Vocal Expert to go with you into the recording studio, as the engineer and/or producer may not be able to give you “sound” vocal advice. They definitely know what they want to hear, but they do not know how to interpret it to a vocalist in the language that would achieve a desirable outcome. After all, there is nothing wrong when the cardiac patient has different medical personnel working on him at the same time in the operating room. In many cases, when a person has a heart attack they are not treated solely by a cardiologist. For example, in cases of a stroke, a neurologist and brain surgeon are required to work in conjunction with the heart specialist. Given all of that, why has the concept of having a Vocal Specialist in the studio not become a standard operating procedure?

Vocally Speaking – The Cutting Edge

By Diana Yampolsky

In this column, I would like to talk about something that every singer who aspires to greatness must have: a cutting edge. This term is actually the title of an obscure movie about figure skating that I enjoyed very much and, more importantly, perfectly encapsulates exactly what I want to say in this article. In the movie, a figure skating duo from the United States are aiming to win the gold medal at the Olympics. During their practices their coach tries to find something that will give them an advantage over the competition. The turning point in their quest is when he asks them why they think they have a chance of winning? They couldn’t come up with an adequate answer and he goes on to tell them that they need a cutting edge; something extraordinary that will ensure they become Olympic champions. He informs them that their competition will be doing essentially the same jumps and routines as them and, therefore, it really comes down to who has a better day instead of who the greatest skaters are. The coach then goes on to tell them about a very dangerous jump called the Deadly Spiral. It is so difficult and life-threatening that nobody else would ever dare to try it. If the duo could master this jump then they would be absolutely guaranteed the gold medal. At first they are apprehensive but he convinces them that they the technical skills necessary to safely nail it. Much of the rest of this movie is about them practicing the move, nearly killing each other and then finally succeeding in their task – becoming Olympic champions. The Deadly Spiral was obviously their “cutting edge” over the other skaters.

Similarly, I have a lot of CD’s in my collection with good music, decent songs and even adequate vocals, but the majority are missing their own “cutting edge”. Take a moment to ask yourself: as a singer, what makes you different? I think you would agree with me that a singer who sounds just like everyone else is pretty boring. (Nobody ever sold a million records while performing in a tribute band!) Every singer that has become a legend (Elvis, The Beatles, Celine Dion) had something original and unique that set them apart from every singer before them. Their voices were unique and original, but they also had other intangible qualities as well.

Now you are probably asking yourself what you can do to gain your own cutting edge. There are essentially two ways to do it.

The first way is to do it is as the aforementioned skaters did. Find or create something that will give you a leg up on the competition. It may be a particularly difficult or beautiful song that you learn how to sing exceptionally well. (Sort of like your own Deadly Spiral.) Or it could be the way you carry yourself on stage, what most people call stage presence. It can even be a unique look as long as it is relates well to the style of music you are performing. Most people wouldn’t classify the members of KISS as being extraordinary singers and songwriters but they achieved a perfect balance between style of music, songs, vocals, image and performance.

The second way is to develop it from within your self. It is important to understand that you already possess your own unique quality that separates you from every other person on the planet: your spirit. If you wish, you can take this to mean that I am talking about your soul. At the very least you have to admit that your DNA differs in some way from every other human being. Furthermore, your experiences are not completely alike those of any other person. Either way, what you have to learn how to do is to unleash your own individuality and channel it into your vocal performances. Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty is a prime example of a singer whose cutting edge is his own inner energy, which is incredibly high and “orgasmic” and that transfers directly to the audience.

As I outlined in my book, Vocal Science – Flight to the Universe, a singer can only invest their performances with their own individual spirit when they are grounded in flawless technique, which will also prevent them from damaging their main commodity, ie. their voice. Whenever a new student starts instruction with me we first concentrate solely on the technical aspects of singing. As the student progresses and develops to the point that the technique becomes second nature to him, his individuality naturally starts to come out in his vocal performances. This is very exciting to witness and is one of the things I love most about my job. I vividly remember a student who once called me after a performance because he was very excited about what people were saying with regards to his new way of singing in light of the work we had done together. As is the case with many amateur bands, many of the same people (friends, family) usually come to all of their performances. This time, several had told him not only had his pitch and projection improved immensely but he also sounded more original and totally different. They told him that whereas before he had sounded like Bono of U2 and Michael Hutchence of INXS, now they couldn’t really compare him to anyone else. He had developed his own cutting edge and was exhibiting something that was unique to him.

When a singer develops his own cutting edge it is truly a joyous experience. It’s like witnessing the singer being reborn. Until next time, keep working at developing your own unique style and be sure to stay tuned for future excerpts from my new book, Vocal Science II – Flight from the Virtual Music to Reality, in upcoming issues.

Psychology of Performance – Pavlovian Conditioning

By Diana Yampolsky

In this column, I would like to talk about something human psychology-related. When I speak at Music Conferences, I often make the statement that vocal coaching is not really about working on the voice, it is about working on the mind. I like to think that one reason that I have been successful over the years is that while I did receive a very comprehensive musical education, I have also tried to learn things from other scientific and artistic disciplines and use them to enhance my capabilities as a Vocal Coach/Consultant. One field that has bearing on pretty much every human endeavour, including singing, is Behavioral Psychology. In 1891, the Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov conducted a series of experiments using dogs to prove that behaviours are conditioned over time via repetition. In essence, he programmed the dog’s brains so that they would react in the exact manner in which he wanted them to. For example, if he wanted the dog to learn the command to sit, he had to say it with a very firm voice and put the dog into a sitting position – always rewarding the dog with a treat. Eventually, the dog learned the command and with the command “sit” would do it himself while salivating, obviously at first expecting the treat. Pavlov proved that their saliva was produced in anticipation of the reward. Furthermore, the dog does not know any language. The Russian master would command “Sit” in the Russian language, the Japanese in Japanese, etc. The dog recognizes the sound and responds accordingly. Now let’s suppose that the dog got into an obedience school in which the masters weren’t sure of what command to give and what response they wanted to receive. With the command ‘sit’, they were making the dog ‘lie’. With the command ‘lie’ they were making the dog run and so on. The dog would get completely confused and not know what to do anymore. Furthermore, let’s say the dog then enrolled in a different obedience school and the new master started giving him the correct commands. The new master would be perplexed – he couldn’t understand why the dog was lying when he was commanding the dog to sit and why the dog was running when it was commanded to lie.

Obviously, the signals were mixed up. With vocal coaching, I meet the similar situation every hour of every day. Many singers have mixed signals and “run” when they should “lie”. To recondition the mind and the response of the body is not an easy task, but it can be done; however, in a lot of cases with a great degree of difficulty. Therefore, I am use a structured set of speech and singing exercises to condition the mind and body to work in synchronicity and synergy. In many ways, what I am doing is similar to another scientific methodology – neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), which is basically a methodology that has been designed to help people change and reprogram people’s behaviours by “installing” a certain set of instructions into their brains. Similarly, I have found that while all people are given a voice, nobody per se has given instructions on how to use it, at least not in a scientific way. The “manual” and “programs” that I give singers consist of special speech and singing exercises that train people in a way that is really not all that different from the way that Pavlov trained his dogs. After I have supervised the repetition of these exercises over a consistent but relatively short period of time, the way that singers use their voices are the result of a programmed instinct that will give them optimum results with a minimum amount of effort.

In many instances, the hardest part of improving an individual’s performance is not “programming” the new behaviours, it is actually getting the singer to truly admit and, more importantly, understand that they have a problem. I call this the “Vocaholics Anonymous” syndrome because in many ways it is similar to the behaviour of an alcoholic with respect to alcohol. Alcoholics abuse their bodies through the excessive consumption of alcohol in a manner similar to the way that many singers abuse their vocal chords (and ultimately the ears of their audiences). In both cases, they usually feel pretty sore the next day. Similarly, both are often told by friends and family that they have a problem but they usually do not listen and cannot admit to themselves that they have a problem. The first step for any recovering alcoholic is for them to admit to themself that they have a problem. For a “vocaholic’ the steps are pretty much the same. The singer first has to admit to himself that his current vocal technique (or lack thereof) is a problem. The 2nd step is to commit to doing something about it. The 3rd step is to get expert help and the 4th is to be able to establish the proper habit so that they won’t fall back into their bad habits. As with alcoholism, the goal of any vocal coach should be to cure their students of their bad habits to the point that there is no chance they will ever fall back into their old habits.

In conclusion, singing, like almost any other discipline, is based on conditioning. If your voice is conditioned the right way, you will sound better than you ever imagined possible. Like a dog, you need a competent master and a great obedience school. For more insights into how you can correctly condition your voice and mind, look for my future CM columns, visit my website at www.vocalscience.com , and look out for my upcoming 2nd book, Vocal Science II – Flight from the Virtual Music to Reality.

Vocal Fitness – Vocal Balance

By Diana Yampolsky, Canadian Musician Magazine

IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE!!

You will hear this statement from almost everyone… from new age gurus, from marriage counsellors – and, of course, from numerous fitness instructors. It’s pretty much a cliche, but there is always something of a universal truth there in most of them. Especially when it’s concerning vocalists, the achievement of the total balance is extremely important. As I said again and again, successful singing performances are the result of a combination of the correct technical aspects, a healthy vocal anatomy and a willingness to share your “spirit” (your voice) with the audience. Ultimately, the successful singers must find the correct balance between the physical, emotional and vocal components.

Another statement which I often repeat is that “your voice is your instrument” and again it is so commonly stated because it really is a fundamental truth. Indeed your voice is your instrument and its performance is a direct result of how well you take care of it. You wouldn’t spill water on your guitar and then expect that it will sound right, would you? Unfortunately, this is akin to what many people often do! To be able to deliver a technically correct singing performance in order to prevent yourself from doing any damage to your vocal anatomy, (thus continuing to maintain a healthy sounding voice), you really do need to be in a good physical, emotional and vocal shape. The question is; How can a singer or even a professional speaker (for that matter) reach the correct physical condition to benefit their performance overall…? Have you, my reader, guessed it yet? The answer is…. To maintain the total balance! What exactly is a balanced physique you may ask? First of all – it is when both the upper body and lower body are in proportion and are in coordination with each other.

For example, if you go to any gym in your city you will probably see some men that are so obsessed with having big arms and chests that they exercise their upper bodies way more than their lower bodies. As a result, they got huge upper bodies and skinny legs. Conversely, some people that are into activities such as skating or soccer may develop large muscles in their legs while being practically emaciated with respect to their upper body. In both cases, as a result, their physical body overall, obviously is out of balance.

Singers who are out of balance with very muscular legs and skinny upper bodies tend to slouch quite a bit and this type of posture is very detrimental for singing and human health overall. Their whole body is pointed down towards the ground and which is in direct opposition to what good singers are supposed to do – they tend to lift their entire body upwards as a way of lifting the sound off of the vocal cords (off of the vocal box in general), so that the sound of their voice will be able to resonate within their vocal chambers (sinus cavities). A comparison for a singer who slouches is such; When a plane tries to take off, (but due to excessive weight) is unable to reach the proper height, it most likely will crash down to the ground.

Singers who are physically out of balance due to a big upper body and skinny lower body are at an equal disadvantage. Again, while most people assume that singing is purely the domain of the throat and mouth, the truth is that most good singers use their legs to support the required posture necessary to lift the body upwards while singing. If the upper body is so heavy that the legs struggle to lift it upwards, then the sound will again not be lifted off of the vocal cords. Furthermore, if the singer tries to overcompensate for a weak lower body by flexing his chest and neck, this will overstress the upper body. That will result in a weak, shrill and unpleasant sounding singing voice. Therefore, the recipe for success is the right blend of a balanced body, mind, soul and, as a result, a pleasantly sounding singing voice. The achievement of all of that will equate to a reward for hard… but smart work!

The moral of it is; In a healthy body, there is a healthy spirit and… nonetheless, a HEALTHY VOICE!

Be It, Feel It, Love It, Live It

Written by Diana Yampolsky

In this article, I would like to talk about the true dedication that is required to become a singer. What dedication you may ask? How is my life going to change? Let me try to express my point of view with regards to this subject. In many ways, your life will be much like that of an athlete or ballerina: a 100% dedication to your art. Several years ago I saw a movie called “The Mirrors” which was about a pair of ballet dancers. In one of the scenes in the movie, the dancing couple approached the director of a theater with regards to attaining a performance contract. After interviewing them and deciding to hire them, he handed them a contract that did not represent a sufficient amount of money for the couple to accept it. The male dancer asked the female dancer how much she weighed and her reply was 100 pounds! Then the male dancer turned to the theater director and said,”You see, sir, I have to lift my partner six times and this adds up to 600 lbs in total. The money that you are offering us is not enough!” The director at this point could not disagree with him and offered them a more suitable contract. Now let’s suppose for a second that the female dancer would decide to go around the corner and eat a piece of cake. So what you may ask? She is just a human being, right? Not quite. In this instance, she would be taking the risk that she would be adding an extra pound or more to her body weight. What will happen? A couple of things. As you remember the male dancer has to lift her six times each performance and that added up to six hundred pounds. If she puts one pound on, he will have to lift 606 pounds and this was not a part of their professional agreement. Moreover, she is risking the possibility that he will drop her and even injure her because he is not accustomed to having to lift any weight other than 100 pounds at a time. The moral of the story was that she could not do anything she wanted to. She could not eat a piece of cake or any other fatty foods. Nor could she stay out all night partying if she needed to be rested for the next day’s performance or practice. The same is true for a singer. In order to be successful at your craft, you have to realize and accept that you are not the same as everyone else; your profession demands a certain lifestyle and requires a certain degree of commitment and sacrifice.

The truth is that most people either don’t understand what it takes to be a professional singer or aren’t willing to offer the level of commitment necessary. Too many people think that all they have to do is open their mouth and sing and that will automatically make them a professional singer. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would like to identify four areas in which you have to be committed in order to become a truly professional singer: physical conditioning, vocal training, emotional openness and ensuring that you are doing everything for the right reasons.

As I have mentioned in other articles, being a professional singer is very similar to being a professional athlete and it demands a certain amount of physical fitness. Do you have to have huge muscles and not an ounce of body fat? No, but you should aim to keep as lean a physique as possible and should have strong abdominal muscles in order to be able to give physical support to the sound you are producing. More importantly, you need to maintain a fairly strict diet. Love milk? Well, as a singer you really need to avoid diary products – as they clog you up with mucous which is definitely the opposite of what you want to achieve. In fact, any of the minerals and vitamins that you have been getting from dairy products can be found in other foods. I know it’s hard ? some of you probably love cheese or ice cream – but you will have to give it up for the sake of your goal. Keep your body clean, free of mucous and your voice will reflect exactly that.

Another serious commitment that you must make if you wish to become a professional singer is a commitment to learn how to properly use your voice. The obvious reason is that you will be a better singer and will learn how to play “your instrument” in the same manner as any other musician playing their instruments. The other obvious reason is to learn how to safely use your voice in order to prevent yourself from ever damaging it due to incorrect technique. As I’ve mentioned in most other fields, training is a prerequisite. If you are a professional or aspiring basketball player, figure skater, ballerina or sprinter you have a coach who assists you in being the best you can be. The same should be true for singers as well. If you are truly committed to becoming a professional singer, professional coaching is a necessity and not a luxury. After all, if you want to become a professional engineer, you will have to go to university for several years. By the time you receive your degree, you will have probably spent at least 30 – 50 thousand dollars. But you are also hoping that once you find a job, you will make back your investment within your first year of working and for the rest of your life you will be gaining a pure profit from your education. Why should it be any different for a professional singer? The word professional implies trained, educated, and certified. Is this worth your investment? Definitely!

There is another important commitment that many aspiring singers are often very apprehensive about: exposing their inner selves to the outside world. I always tell my students that to be a complete performer, one of most important pieces of the puzzle, if not the most important, is having the ability and willingness to share who you are as a person with the audience. All the greatest singers make an emotional connection with their audience through their singing. When I take on a new student I start out by teaching them the technical aspects of singing. Once they have mastered vocal technique and no longer have to consciously worry about staying in key, etc., I work with them on developing the emotional component of their singing. When this happens I actually feel like I am working as both a vocal coach and psychologist. This can be very difficult because a large portion of the population subverts their natural charisma and personality and it can be very hard to “free a person’s spirit”! Furthermore, you do not only need to share yourself with the audience, but also have something worth sharing. Singers need to lead inspired lives. Pull yourself away from the computer at least long enough that you might fall in love or get your heart broken or develop a close friendship.

The final commitment that you need to make should be relatively easy for you: putting singing above everything else because you love it. Be obsessed with it, strive to get better, and perform every performance like you are performing in front of thousands of adoring fans. Furthermore, sing for the right reasons and not because of a desire for money or fame. Only one in a million becomes a Celine Dion or George Michael regardless of talent. For this reason, you need to be doing it purely because you love it. Of course, it’s a wonderful thing if you do sell millions of records and I am in no way trying to convince you to not strive for commercial success. But if you truly love singing and are committed to being the best singer you can be, it will be reflected in your performance and will actually enhance your chances of selling millions of your CD’s.

I’m Not Crazy, I’m Just A Little (Vocally) Unwell

By Diana Yampolsky

“I’m not Crazy, I’m Just a Little Impaired,” sings Rob Thomas (Grammy Nominated Singer and Songwriter) of Matchbox Twenty in his song “Unwell”. This song certainly contains a universal truth. I often think of this song when somebody who wants to become a singer enrolls into one of my introductory sessions (or, to take it even further, takes part in the Canadian Idol auditions). Some people are literally looking and sounding insane while trying to resemble some kind of a sound. However, when you get to know these people you realize that not all of them are necessarily crazy, they are just a little “vocally” unwell.

Recently I met a singer who thought that he was pretty much “It”. He thought he was ready to record. I had a problem keeping a straight face while listening to him. He sounded nasal, throaty, and unnaturally feminine.? Obviously, he had no check with reality. I suppose with the high tech equipment in many of today’s studios, his performances could have been artificially enhanced to a degree. However, he would never be able to resemble it live. Moreover, he looked and acted quite “crazy”. After addressing all of his problems and getting a better understanding of who he was as a person, I saw my client in a different light. When he stopped singing and started listening, he actually appeared to be a nice and intelligent person. After he left I found myself feeling a bit puzzled. I said hello to a “crazy person” and said goodbye to a well-adjusted, sensible and smart guy. The magic happened within an hour. Not knowing how to use his voice, my client brought out the worst from within himself. Using a little bit of proper instruction, the “ugly frog” turned into a “beautiful prince”. Your voice is an identification of who you are and a reflection of the state of your being. Incorrect or bad technique misrepresents who you are and often makes you sound like a less well adjusted person than you really are. In the same way that you are what you eat, you are how you project your voice. Ideally, as a singer your look, your voice, your song, and your actual performance will correspond with each other. Then the puzzle will be complete. If one component is missing or incongruent, your performance will appear to be quite “unwell”.

Over the years I have also had people coming to me in their 30’s and 40’s and wanting to sing “Oops, I Did It Again” and other teen songs. Some of them were even male clients. I have also had heavy set clients trying to sing very light dance songs. It looked and sounded ridiculous. Young, skinny, petite girls with light soprano voices were insisting that they wanted to sing “Un-break My Heart” by Toni Braxton. This type of off kilter pairing happened many times on the American Idol and Canadian Idol television shows. Nobody forgets the guy who “performed” a very “unwell” interpretation of Madonna’s Like a Virgin, but nobody remembers him for the reasons that any singer would hope for.

Vocal Fashion

I truly believe that the song should fit the singer like a dress or a suit. For example, being on the more mature side myself, I would never buy myself a little slinky dress designed for a young person. Given my age and status, I am sure that it would look somewhat strange on me. The same applies to songs. Being the President of Royans Universe Records, I often choose the original songs for my roster of artists. I do take into consideration their age, size, look and their overall style. I have run into cases where an older artist would want to sing a very good song that did not fit their age, voice or image. It is sometimes very hard convincing artists that certain material is not right for either them or their voice, but, ultimately, their performances are always better in the end once they agree to choose songs that are suitable for them.

Many aspiring performers often ask me what it takes to become a star. My response is always something along the lines that a star is a Total Performer – someone who has all of the elements in place and these elements complement each other perfectly. I believe the total performance is complete when the assembly of all the parts will be perfect ? the technique, the style, the talent, the song and, finally, the look. Regardless of whether or not Celine Dion is your cup of tea, no one can deny that she has talent, great technique, material and a style that all complement each other. If you don’t want to appear “unwell”, take all of the above into consideration and then the world might discover another hot artist who will be quite sound and definitely vocally well.

How to Achieve a Successful Vocal Performance and Avoid Making a Fool out of Yourself

By Diana Yampolsky

A long time ago I read a book about singing by another writer who gave some simple advice about how to handle stage fright and nervousness. He exclaimed: “Lighten up, make eye contact with the audience and don’t be afraid to make a fool out of yourself.” Now I understand what he was saying, but he didn’t really take into account one really important fact: the reason that many amateur singers are worried about performing live is because they don’t have enough training to be 100% sure that they will be able to fully control their voices! Positive thinking is definitely useful but it can only be taken so far. You wouldn’t tell a prospective pilot with little flying experience to get in the plane, act confident and not be afraid to make a mistake, would you?

The truth is that I have had many students over the years who were confident, charismatic and self assured people in every aspect of life – except singing. Confidence in any discipline generally comes from training and experience. So the fact of the matter is that if you want sing successfully and be 100% sure you won’t make a fool out of yourself, you need training.

One of my previous students was actually a professional pilot and once pointed out that the training he received as a pilot was similar in many ways to the training that I was giving him as a singer. He was trained using a flight simulator and the goal of his exercises was to program him to automatically respond correctly to all possible situations that might confront him as a pilot. Examples include extreme weather, equipment malfunctions, engine fires and violent passengers. The one common thread to all situations was that he had to act instantly and always know the right response as a pilot. If he was wrong, it could mean the life of himself and his passengers. The training that I gave him as a vocal coach was also concerned with instant and 100% correct responses. We “simulated” hundreds of musical situations and trained him to always respond to them correctly. I always tell my students that they should be able to perform all of the technical components of singing subconsciously – leaving their conscious brain capacity towards style, emotion, stage presence, etc.

Essentially, singers should be free to lighten up and take their feet off the brakes when they know how to drive. Actually, they have to do it! I believe once a singer is trained, professional singing should be produced with a minimum of effort. There is actually a danger to over training as well. This truism applies to almost all disciplines, not just singing. I remember one time I went to the ballet and saw a ballet dancer who was so tight and rigid that I could not wait for her to get off the stage. Ideally a ballet will appear graceful and composed without appearing rigid or tight. The same general rule applies to singers as well. You should have good posture, stand up straight and apply all of the required muscles in your body, but also look completely relaxed and composed at the same time. The perfect analogy is actually a hitter in baseball who possesses what baseball aficionados call a sweet swing. A baseball hitter uses all of the muscles in his body to hit the ball but he does it in a relaxed fashion; he does not grip the bat so tightly that his knuckles are white. A “smooth swing” is what singers should strive for as well. In many ways, hitting a baseball with the sweet spot of the bat is akin to properly lifting the voice off the vocal chords and “nailing” a high E.

Let Your Spirit Fly

As a Vocal Coach/Consultant, every day I come into contact with a multitude of people that want to become singers. Strangely enough, quite a few of these aspiring singers actually exhibit opposite characteristics of what it takes to be a truly authentic singer. They are cold, closed off, robotic and trying to instruct them is like trying to communicate with a wall. I can see them breathing, blinking and moving but it is like they are not all there emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It’s like the lights are on but nobody is home.

The main thesis of my first book, Vocal Science – Flight to the Universe, was that affecting and great singing only occurs through the synergy and integration of the mind, body and soul with the voice as a final projection of the state of your being. Therefore, being a true singer is about sharing your spirit – who you truly are as a person. Your physical body, mind and spirit work in conjunction with each other to deliver your performance to the audience. In essence, releasing your spirit and letting it fly is what singing is all about. If the person is tight emotionally, and thus unable or unwilling to do so, the true authentic performance will never take place, independently of how technically good and sound the singer is.

That said, it never ceases to amaze me how people who have completely subverted and closed off their spirits want to become artists. Their very natures are the antithesis of what being an artist is always about. It is like being in a coma. The person is still alive, but not really present. The machines are doing the work.

The conclusion of this is – get over yourself, come out of your shell and start singing, ie. sharing yourself, your body and soul and mainly your spirit with the audience and the sky will be your limit.

Vocal “Assurance” – Do You Need an Agent?

Written by Diana Yampolsky (written in 2000)

In certain situations, insurance is a must! For example: No insurance? No car driving. That is the law!

Consequently, no proper vocal technique? Evidently “no assurance”.  In this case, most likely, the vocal performance will be greatly compromised. 

Recent examples of a few well known artists who neglected to take out some form of “vocal assurance” are: Adele, Shania Twain, Celion Dion, Sam Smith, and previously – Elton John, Steven Tyler, Julie Andrews, Leann Rimes and many others – at one time or another, lost their voices and were unable to continue performing at their previous capacities and had to cancel tours.

Regular insurance agents suggest to buy ‘term insurance’ as they say life insurance is not going to give a sufficient return to a beneficiary compared to the money spent to obtain the policy. I say otherwise!

On a day to day basis, our lives revolve around all kinds of insurances’. We have car, home, business and all other kinds of insurance policies. How come nobody in the music industry ever thought to “insure” their prime commodity: the ARTISTS in whom they are investing thousands upon thousands of dollars for their recordings, performances, etc.

What I mean by insurance is the intellectual property being instilled in the artists, which will allow them to assure the proper use of their voices in such a manner that they will be able to produce a high level of performance with the minimum possible effort. This, in turn, will save and protect their vocal anatomies FOR LIFE! The artist becomes a beneficiary who, throughout his/her artistic life, would enjoy the positive dividends from the policy – quality of the voice, strength of the voice, assured aimed vocal delivery, i.e. the total performance for life. The “policy holders”, i.e. managers, producers, record companies, will also be able to sleep comfortably knowing that their artists are completely “covered”. 

I have to say that I truly believe that with respect to protecting their “assets” – singers and their mentors can learn a lot from the example set by athletes. For instance, a sprinter such as Donovan Bailey has actually taken out quite an extensive “insurance policy” on his “instrument”, i.e. his mind and body. He has a coach who has given him the proper mental and physical instructions that will allow him to always perform at the highest possible level. He also employs massage therapists, doctors, trainers and nutritionists that “assure” that his body will not break down or succumb to injury. In essence, his “policy” assures Donovan that he will run in scheduled races and will always perform at his maximum capacity.

Essentially, if I could reinforce one idea in this article, it would be to point out the importance of the people behind the scenes who make all the difference in the world, regardless if you are talking about sports, music or anything else for that matter. (By the way, according to Celine Dion herself, her travelling crew includes over 97 people, whom she acknowledges as an important part of her success.)

With regards to my own experience as someone who “assures” proper vocal performance for my clients, I would like to share with you the story of one of my former students. This person came to me asking for help; she informed me that she had been hired to sing on a record even though she had no idea how to deliver a “safe and sound” performance. She sang! But she had no direction with regards to where her sound was going and also admitted that she was worried she was ruining her voice, as her throat was becoming dry and scratchy at all times.

To help her “instrument”, in a manner of speaking, I also had to administer some natural herbs and remedies. To help the “player”(herself), I had to put her through my specially developed speech exercises, vocal exercises, and the reading of the lyrics of her song in the proper fashion,  i.e. using her cheekbone muscles (minimizing the use of the vocal cords) working in conjunction and coordination with her abdominal muscles. This enabled her to completely release her vocal box from tension and assure a proper aimed vocal delivery without any pain or strain on her vocal anatomy. 

In my opinion, this has assured that my client will be able to perform at her optimum capacity while, at the same time, complying with established standards of professional singing.

With the above said, the safety of her vocal anatomy was also assured

For those in the industry who did not obtain a similar type of “policy” in time, they may find that their artists are victims of vocal disability. In cases such as these, I also have personally been able to offer an additional benefit to the “original policy”: Vocal Disability, i.e. voice repair consisting of the use of the aforementioned natural remedies, alternative speech therapy, special low-range vocal exercises, etc., which will result in the restoration of the lost vocal abilities.

Another additional benefit to the above is Voice Maintenance, i.e. vocal tune up, mental, physical, emotional & vocal fitness, and Dr. Zinger’s diet prescription (see my book Vocal Science – Flight to the Universe, p.83). This benefit will also “assure” that above everything else, your artists will be able to survive that nasty upcoming tour, where the singer is required to sing at least four 45 minute sets each night and still often, in a smokey environment. All of these benefits are “cashable”, which means that they are equivalent to “money in the bank” and guarantee that everybody involved will be “laughing all the way to the bank” as opposed to “crying all the way from the bank” because SOMEBODY forgot to purchase a “Vocal Policy” which would have secured their investment.

You can find out more about how to become a better and more professional singer or speaker, by reading some of the other articles available through my website, www.vocalscience.com.

Vocal Labour – Vocal Delivery

Written by Diana Yampolsky

One evening I was unwinding from a long day of intense vocal coaching sessions and flicked through the channels on my T.V. until I got to the Learning Channel. This particular show was about the delivery of babies and was set in a maternity ward. It was about how some births are relatively simple while others are very hard and full of complications. As I watched the video footage of the doctor and his patient I immediately felt some kinship with the doctor. Coincidentally, earlier that day I had had a session with a student who had literally made me feel like an obstetrician because I really had to work hard to help him deliver his “baby”!

After this session I was exhausted and covered with sweat. When I teach I engage myself completely with my students – mind, heart and, to some extent, body. I use my arms to position their body and use my own body to demonstrate positioning and technique to them. This had definitely been a delivery with complications. I could not fault how much he was trying. His neck was almost purple, his face dark red, his eyes were almost teary. He was pushing hard but the sound he wanted would not come out. (I think I actually laboured less when I delivered my daughter in eight hours!)

We worked hard on his breathing, body positioning and all of the technical aspects of singing. After an hour we could actually see the “head” of his performance coming out and this only motivated us to work to reach the aimed conclusion. Eventually we conquered all of our obstacles and the delivery was complete. We were both exhausted but felt released and happy as well. And our “baby” seemed to be healthy and doing well. A somewhat healthy sound resembling singing was now coming from his mouth.

He sincerely thanked me and we hugged. We had shared a truly fulfilling experience and I know it is one that my “patient” will never forget. I was completely spent but at that point I realized how much I truly loved my job and felt similar to a doctor who brings new lives into the world every day.

Delivering a vocal performance is very much like delivering a baby. Sometimes it is painless and requires little more than nominal support from a vocal coach. Other times it is a lot of hard work for both the student and the coach. In both cases, something special is created and the world is a more beautiful place because of it.

How to Comply with the Standards of Professional Singing

Written by Diana Yampolsky

Whenever an aspiring singer approaches me to become their vocal coach I always ask them what they are trying to achieve. One of the most common answers is that they want to become a professional singer. In most cases, after I hear them sing a couple of lines I know they have quite a way to go if they want to comply with the standards of professional singing. I do make a distinction between professional singing, which is essentially getting paid money to sing, and the standards of professional singing, which are what you should aspire to if you truly want to learn your craft and gain the respect of your peers.

As you may have surmised from the above paragraph, I have a much more critical ear when it comes to judging the quality of singing. The closest thing I would compare myself with is a ballet instructor because I do not only look for talent but also a strong grasp of the fundamentals. When the general public views a ballet dancer they see the grace and the poise. However, experts in the field see more. They are first and foremost looking at the compulsory elements which are required for all ballet dancers at the professional level. After they see that these basic elements have been mastered they then view how graceful and poised the dancer is, ie. their artistic impression. I listen to singers as a professional vocal coach not a casual music fan. I too am looking to see if the basic elements required for professional singing are in place. If a singer is pulling on their vocal chords and howling like a cat in heat, the audience can tell the singing is not that great, I can tell exactly what the singer is doing wrong. I can also pick up the smaller mistakes by more accomplished singers that the general audience misses.

It is my opinion that quite a few of today’s professional singers are merely stylists not singers. They don’t know how to consistently project or control their voices. They have little grasp of the technical elements required for professional singing. In actuality, they can’t really sing but they somehow get by on style alone, which singers can do to some extent. In disciplines such as ballet and figure skating, this is not possible. Skaters need to be able to do the basic jumps, moves, etc., or they are not considered professional – someone that is not ready for prime time.

I strongly believe that the fact the singers are not held to as strict guidelines is the reason we hear so much bad singing and why so many singers cannot sing live.