Day: May 1, 2025

Deaf, Dumb or Musically Challenged?
As It Appears to Be All of the Above!

Written by Diana Yampolsky

I would like to tell you about a somewhat recent incident that I had that I believe is representative of a very real problem that exists in the music industry. An associate of mine introduced me to his friend, a record company A.R. Representative. He was a nice enough guy and seemed to genuinely care about his artists but there was one thing about him that struck me as peculiar. After my associate raved to him that I am an incredible vocal coach and could turn anyone into a singer, he responded that he believed I probably was very talented but that I could never teach him how to sing because he was tone deaf! My immediate response was shock. How can you be signing artists and helping them develop MUSICAL careers if you have absolutely no aptitude for music? Now he wasn’t the first A&R I had ever met who was somewhat questionable when it came to musical ability, but he was the first to act like he was completely proud of the fact.

I figured out long ago that music industry “professionals” like him are definitely the norm rather than the exception and that this would partly explain why the majority of singers on the radio aren’t very good to say the least. At this point you are probably expecting me to go into a rant about how the music industry is run by marketing people and accountants instead of musicians. Well I’m not going to. That is an established fact that has been written about many times by other writers. What I would like to talk about is how this type of environment is affecting the vocal development of the majority of singers.

The 1st, 3rd 1/2 and the 5th ? – To our shame, becoming our Musical Standards

Have you heard of the 1st, 3rd and the 5th? This is the standard of music that your piano teacher taught you as a child and this is also not likely to be what you hear on the radio. Instead you will most likely hear what I call the 1st, the 3rd 1/2 and the 5th 1/4 — the standards of today’s music industry – out of tune, off tone, through the nose, etc.

The majority of students who take me on as their vocal coach cannot sing when they first meet me. One reason for this is that they don’t have the proper vocal training. Another and just as important reason is that they have been raised according to the standards of the 1st, the 3rd 1/2 and the 5th 1/4. It’s not that they don’t have the ear or basic musical ability, but they have been raised listening to mediocre singers who are singing out of tune and therefore they think it’s the norm. The only standards they know are fundamentally flawed.

Remember the Walt Disney movie the Jungle Book? It’s the story of Mowgli, a boy who is raised as an animal instead of a human being. When the other human characters meet him they are confused because he acts like an animal instead of a little boy. But really it made perfect sense because animals were the only creatures he had to emulate. The same is true of today’s aspiring singers who are raised in the jungle of the 1st, the 3rd and a half and the 5th and a quarter — they have been brought up by non-musicians for the most part.

Coming from Russia, where the level of music education is exceptional, I never cease to be amazed by the state of musical education in North America. It is truly sad that in such rich countries the musical talent is not nurtured with exceptional training and high musical standards. This is why I work so hard and invest so much time and energy into my students. I want to help them and raise the standards of both music and music education in North America. I strongly believe that the music industry should be the same as other industries such as medicine and computers, i.e ,certified professionals. You would not go to a doctor that did not have a medical degree would you? People in the music industry should have degrees and diplomas and be well educated for the position they are occupying. And A&R Representatives should never be tone deaf! If we could enforce even just that process then the world would be a more musical place and our children would not be raised to be deaf, dumb and musically challenged.

Written by Diana Yampolsky

In a previous article titled “Vocal Impotence – In Need of Vocal Viagra?” I provided important points on how to use your voice correctly and properly. I also enlightened my readers on how to comply with the standards of professional singing, which is a very important variable. Most importantly though, I also highlighted the key actions on how to protect and also save one’s voice from any vocal damage and thus avoid succumbing to (figuratively speaking) “vocal impotence”. With that said, I also explained how to use, in a manner of speaking, “Vocal Viagra” in order to cure any existing voice problems and, nonetheless, assure that the sound of the voice will last longer and also will sound fuller and stronger.

In this article, I would like to talk about how to use your newfound or recovered ‘instrument’ (body and voice) in such a way that you will truly be able to “satisfy” any kind or type of audience… After all, figuratively speaking, you may have “taken Vocal Viagra”, which, no doubt, solved your physical problems, but you, in reality, had only succeeded in just ‘fixing’ your ‘instrument’…

The question then becomes… Do you actually know how to utilize the maximum capacity of your existing “instrument”?

And do you also know how to use it in front of the audience so that they would ask you for the encore?

Essentially, the moment you went from merely singing in the shower to singing on stage or singing in a recording studio for that matter, you have changed from someone who is solely singing for yourself to someone who is singing for other people.

There could be many reasons why you may have done this. One of them could have been a need to be the center of attention.

The other one, you may be wanted to share your musical talents with other people, or quite possibly, also had a desire to communicate your thoughts and feelings through your authentic performance to others.

Regardless of the reason, you most likely wanted to captivate the audience and leave them with a positive impression of your performance. It has been my observation that the most successful singers are the ones who know how to interact with their audiences in the same way that an accomplished lover does with his or her partner. It is for this reason that I have titled this article “From a Vocal Impotent to a Vocal Casanova”.

The word “casanova” comes from the name of an 18th Century Italian writer, Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, who was reputed to be an extremely skilled and legendary lover. He knew how to please women like no other man and always left them begging for more. Historical records note that while he was basically average-looking, he, nevertheless, possessed exceptional charm, charisma and knowledge of lovemaking.

What does this have to do with singing or even any performance in general, you, my reader may ask?

A lot actually….!

Firstly, your goal as a singer/performer should not only be able to sing/perform for the audience, but, so to speak, “make love” to them through the use of your voice!

Secondly, you do not have to be the most talented singer or speaker (for that matter) in the world or have an extensive-octave range to make an impression, but you do need to know how to use what you have and infuse it with your own natural charisma and charm.

Needless to say, I am definitely a vocal coach/voice specialist, and most definitely not a sex therapist.

I think I can safely say that making love is about more than the mechanics of sexual performance necessary in order to produce a climax. It involves peaks and valleys, either gentle or more energetic movements, foreplay, teasing, kissing and the use of the entire body and not just the midsections.

Casanova was a great lover because he knew how to touch women, how to talk to them and needless to say, how to please them overall…

He also knew how to react to the way they were feeling both physically and emotionally and in turn, he responded accordingly to their needs and desires. You should approach singing performance the same way. Use your voice to “tease” the audience. Vary your voice by singing softly for some parts of the song and harder and more energetically for others. (Peaks and valleys are important because constant highs or lows are too much for the audience and will leave them feeling exhausted rather than elated.) Build a connection with the audience and vary your singing depending on their needs.

A song that perfectly encapsulates what I am trying to say here is ‘Killing Me Softly’ which was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel and then was covered by The Fugees. The song was written from the perspective of a fan who is explaining how much she was touched by the singing of a person, needless to say, that she never even knew personally…

The lyrics talk about a “stranger to her eyes”. She feels that he’s telling “her whole life with his words” and goes on to say that she feels flushed and embarrassed because it’s like the singer had found her “letters and read each one aloud”. With that said, it’s clear that she was able to identify with the lyrics of another singer, while the message was conveyed in a very intimate and authentic manner.

You can have incredible power over your audience and touch them very deeply if you use your voice in the right way. You can literally touch their soul and bring them to the heights of ecstasy if you really learn how to use your unique “instrument”, and nonetheless, being able to produce the desire to communicate with your audience and really share yourself with them.

In essence, anyone can become a “Vocal Casanova” if they approach the audience as if they would approach an intimate relationship. That will happen only when the performer indeed, would like to “share” him/her selves with their audience and not only vocally, but physically and emotionally as well. In a nutshell, the ultimate goal for this type of singer/performer is to achieve a strong bond with the audience, then, in the final analysis, it will create an enduring and truly fulfilling relationship between the singer/performer and their fans.

Desire and Deserve!!

Vocal Congestion – In Need of a Cure? We’ve Got It!

Written by Diana Yampolsky

In this column, I would like to talk about a common problem among many aspiring singers: singing with the nasal voice.

Often at both the amateur and even professional level, you will hear singers that sound like they are literally whining instead of singing. The sound they are producing is very thin and nasal because they are evidently singing through their nose, which is totally incorrect. The mistake they are making is that they are placing the voice vertically, starting at the throat and out through the nasal cavity instead of the “vocal chambers”. This prevents any resonation, and the sound coming out of their mouth is very unpleasant to say the least. One way of describing this type of singing is to think of the difference between broadcasting with a small antenna instead of a satellite dish – The former would sound quieter, fuzzier (so to speak) and would, no doubt, frustrate the listener a great deal.

Actually, for some people, a nasal sounding voice is not necessarily the result of incorrect vocal technique. Nevertheles, it can also be attributed to the environment in which these people live. It’s no secret that modern cities are very polluted and today’s speakers and singers have to deal with polluted air which can also contribute to various allergies; thus a large percentage of the population have plugged up sinuse. Those sinus cavities need to be cleared up in general, and nevertheless, for proper singing in particular.

Evidently, quite a few people have to deal with the above. In my profession, an example of this was an aspiring singer who asked me to become her vocal coach. She told me that there was one thing that had always bothered her: Whenever she performed and people heard her sing, they always asked her if she had a cold. This story did have a happy ending, as I was able to help her though a methodology very similar to one that I always use for clients with damaged voices. For most people that have damaged their vocal anatomy due to incorrect vocal technique, I am usually able to help them regain their voices; and not only through my revolutionary approach to voice mechanics, but also through a combination of natural herbal  and homeopathic remedies.

To modify the incorrect vocal technique that often produces vocal congestion and a thick ‘nasally’-sounding voice, I use a number of specific speech and singing exercises designed to condition the student to bring the sound through their facial cavities (vocal chambers) instead of their nasal passages.

The main vowels of the “singing alphabet” are: Ah, Ooo, Eh, Oh, Eee. If you visualize each vowel going in a circular direction around your face and above your head, you will be able to avoid the nasal cavities. If the sound becomes narrower (in its body circomfrence) than 360 degrees radius, the sound will most likely end up in your nose. Unless you need a little bit of a nasal sound for your style of music, I would not recommend using it. For example, to counter stuffed up sinuses due to allergies, I use a number of natural herbal remedies; SNX is very effective for clearing the sinuses and it can even alleviate chronic sinusitis. Fenugreek and Thyme is very good for treating sinus headaches. Two drops of Lobelia in each ear 2-3 times a day will clear your mucus membranes and relieve congestion.

To conclude, I’d like to say that ‘Vocal Congestion’ is a common and completely treatable problem. As discussed above, it can stem from either incorrect technique or allergic reactions, or even both. A combination of vocal exercises and herbal remedies will cure even the most ‘stuffed-up’ singer. However, some times, I read an article written by a singer who said: “Singing off a phlegmy, congested vocal anatomy helps him achieve a rock’n roll ‘raspy’ style”.

I can assure you that you can learn how to sing in this style (or any other styles) naturally and without the ‘aid’ of any phlegm and congestion.

So if you can relate to the above and feel that you really want to rectify this unpleasent vocal issue, then please refer to our Non-Surgical Voice Repair section to learn more about the treatments of this and various other vocal disorders.

Considering taking Opera Lessons to become an Opera Singer…? 

If so, do you think that you have a Vocal Box Size XXX or, perhaps, even bigger??? 

Written by Diana Yampolsky

In this article, I would like to start off by talking about human genetics, anatomy and physiology. It is a common fact that people come in all shapes and sizes and that, in many instances, their body types are determined by genetics. For example; Often people inherit structures that determine their height and, in the majority of cases, also their weight. Now, what does this have to do with vocals you may ask? In fact, a lot! 

Just like people generally come in different sizes, so, respectively, their vocal boxes also come in different sizes. The size of your vocal box will usually determine the type of music material (genre) that you are able to sing in a competent manner, and which doesn’t put unnecessary strain on your vocal anatomy. The very size of your vocal box will also determine the style of singing that is right for you, at least anatomically speaking. 

Having been in the business of vocal coaching and producing singers for close to four decades now, I have met a vast number of singers (some previously trained and some untrained). 

I always have noticed that many people are often inquiring about Opera Lessons! 

Especially a decade ago, those Opera Lessons very much seemed to be in fashion. 

Many parents look at opera lessons as a trend and as something they can brag about to their relatives and neighbours, like something along the lines of ‘We just went to see an Opera, so my daughter is taking opera lessons now!’ 

Personally, I think that many parents believe that Opera lessons are something that is safe and sound for their children. After all, there is no sex or drugs in opera, right? Also, many parents predominantly don’t even want their children to grow up to be singers, they want them to become lawyers, doctors or accountants. And in the back of their minds, they know that their children likely will not grow up to be the next Opera singing legend. So in their perception, it is safe in a number of ways. But is that really so…?

How To Become An Opera Singer And Really Assure That It Will Never Happen…?

Nowadays, how many opera singers most people can name – Pavarotti? Domingo? Carreras? Bocelli? The answer is usually not too many. 

The reason for this is that really good opera singers are a genetic minority. For you sports fans, they are as rare as athletic 7 foot 6 basketball players from China. With all of the opera teachers out there you would think that opera singers are made, not born – but that really isn’t the case.

Unless you are born with a 3X (or better yet 4X) size vocal box, you cannot swing (let alone sing) opera, because the opera style requires the performer to drop their jaw down low to interconnect the chest register, the throat and the head register. Unless the vocal box is really of an extra, extra, extra large size and is well arched, it won’t be possible, at least without wrecking one’s vocal anatomy. 

Since the whole world is trying to teach opera style… I, therefore, am bombarded by those so-called ‘opera’ students (victims) from all over the world with requests for voice repair. 

Go figure! 

Yes, by all means, drop your jaw as far as your knee if you were born with a vocal box the size of a ‘Vocal Casanova’ – figuratively speaking. (See my previous column entitled Vocal Casanova). 

The term means to have an adequate size instrument and know how to use it to its maximum capability. But don’t worry, even if you have a medium, large or, better yet, extra large size vocal box, you will be able to achieve great success in any other genre of music – Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, etc. In fact, each style has its own application and none of them requires the singer to drop the jaw down. (See my previous column entitled The Technical Elements of Vocal Style.) On the contrary, bring your sound to the upper cheekbone muscles and coordinate them with your lower abdominal and upper diaphragm muscles and you will sing in style and with absolute ease and safety.

To conclude; If you really want to become a singer, please define your purpose and style and then take your training accordingly. For reference, please remember that if you want to learn how to jump a triple axel while wearing figure skates, please do not search for a hockey coach to teach you how to do it.

Stay tuned for a more detailed elaboration on the subject in my future articles. 

In this column, I would like to talk about the vocal parts and the proper assembly of them that contributes to the Total Vocal Performance. When a potential student comes to me for assessment and evaluation, I look at many of the components that could be crucial to his future success as a singing performer. First, I conduct an interview with the person and make an assessment of his or her interaction with me. If the responses are right on target and given at a reasonable speed, the person has a very good chance to become a future successful singer. It is, in a manner of speaking, like a low speed computer vs. a high powered Super Computer. If there is no proper ‘hardware’ on someone’s shoulders, there is no point in instilling a high quality ‘software program’ into them. After they have ‘passed’ the interview, I put them on the floor to see how they can connect their brain to the other parts of their body, as the Vocal Science technique is ultimately an integration and synergy between the mental, physical, emotional and vocal state of the human being. If any of the components are missing or not properly connected, the installation of the proper instructions might be virtually impossible. This is the wholesome mechanism that we are talking about and the parts cannot be useful unless they are working in conjunction with each other. It’s just like starting a car. You can’t kind of start a car – you either start it or not. Obviously, if one of the components is missing or disconnected, or even if just the fuel is missing, the car is not going to take you anywhere. In this instance, as in the singing mechanism, we need a driving force, ie. a global performance of all of the components.

Next, after the brain, I definitely assess the physical muscles that are responsible for the vocal performance. These ‘Vocal Parts’ are as follows. The vocal box, which could be small or big (bigger is obviously better) and flat or arched (arched is much preferred as the curved roof of the mouth will allow a greater body for the sound – just like a properly arched ballerina’s feet will allow her to achieve a greater ballet performance). The vocal chords, which can be short or long (ultimately, the longer the better, as that automatically implies a greater range). The vocal chords can also be thin or thick (average size is the best). If the vocal chords are thin the voice will be much higher, but may lack the lower tones and the body. If the vocal chords are on the thicker side, it will be much harder for the singer to achieve the higher range, yet the lower notes and the body of the sound will be perfectly intact. The anatomy of the face (facial cavities and facial muscles) – the wider the face is and the deeper the cavities are, the fuller sound will be that is produced. The length of the jaw should be proportional to the size of the head, otherwise it will be much harder to control the sound. The lips (thin or full) and the mouth opening also play a crucial role in the vocal performance. Fuller lips and a bigger mouth are the best combination for a much easier and more pleasantly produced sound. The abdominal muscles (lower abdomen and upper diaphragm ‘ the strength of the former and the width of the latter) also play a very important role, as well as the proportions of the physical body. Longer legs and a shorter upper body are much preferred as the sound flies on top and above the body and, in this instance, the altitude of the sound will be much greater and the sound will be much easier to throw to its aimed destination. Proper posture plays a very important role in the equation. At the beginning stages of the installation of the Vocal Science technique, the posture has to resemble that of a ballet dancer. Speaking of ballet, any dancer who is involved in serious ballet dancing begins his/her day at the bar, where, according to the great dancers, everything begins and ends. At the bar they check their posture, centre, etc. They also work on separate elements of which the future dance will consist of. Then they let go of the bar and their routines start usually at the corner of the ballet studio. If before they were repeating each element up to 32 times (ie. 32 bars of music), now in these 32 bars they fit in five, six or more elements combined together. And then and only then does the dance begin. All the elements are properly interconnected in sequence and now we can witness, for instance, a part of a future ‘Giselle’ or ‘Nutcracker’. The dance was born. Similarly for singing, as we have the proper body parts working with the proper elements of the future song, we will have the SONG. The singer could relax now. By the repetition of certain vocal exercises, achieving proper posture with the certain body exercises, this will put him into the proper mode on automatic pilot. At this point the singer only has to be concerned about his artistic presentation, as all the physical parts are now intact. The perfect ensemble between the mental, physical and vocal parts, as well as the combination of technical and artistic merit, will help to achieve the totality of the vocal performance.

Vocal Dyslexia – Anatomy and Psychology of Vocal Performance

Often people ask me how I come up with so much material on singing. I write on the subject for several music publications and have written two books on the subject that do not borrow or use any of the standard ideas of other writers and theorists. The truth is that I have no shortage of material, I simply teach a lot of students how to sing. Almost everything I have ever written on the topic of singing has come to me because of an experience with a student or group of students. In this chapter, I would like to talk about something that has afflicted quite a few of my students over the years: ‘Vocal Dyslexia’.

Dyslexia is defined as a disturbance of the ability to read. Essentially, when a dyslexic person tries to read, the words are all jumbled and mixed up. Vocal Dyslexics have a similar problem – they have a misalignment with regards to the conscious and subconscious minds and the voice as an outcome. Basically, Vocal Dyslexia is the result of a ‘short circuit’ in the connection between the speech center in the brain and the voice. In many ways, it’s similar to a mild form of epilepsy and attention deficit disorder. In fact, I have taught quite a few people with ADD and it has resulted in not only improving their singing abilities, but also their school studies and work performance. By doing special repetitive exercises, I establish a precedent (picture) in the brain and train the brain to give the signal to the voice without any gaps, ie. the thought and response work on a parallel track simultaneously and in synchronicity. In effect, this puts the person in balance and ensures that they will think and act in unison. This also cures both chronic procrastinators and overly manic personalities alike.

Indeed, I meet a lot of different people and different personality types due to my profession. I’d like to share with you some observations that I have made over the years. People with light inner energy benefit from my method the most. They are usually very easygoing, very easily take directions, absorb the information well, and, most importantly, are able to ‘fly to the universe’ without any obstructions. They take off very easily (lift the sound off their physical body), enjoy the flight and land safely. Usually, these people are already very balanced and make good singers down the road. Another category is the people who have heavy-duty inner energy (the physical weight has no relevance to the issue); to get these people to release their voices from their physical bodies is nearly impossible. During these lessons, I feel like I am trying to lift two three-hundred-pound dumbells. Of course, they can become singers similarly to figure skaters who flawlessly skate their programs but look like “hippos on ice”! I prefer to watch a figure skater who might make a mistake or two, but is nonetheless ‘flying above the ice’.

Several years ago at the Juno Awards, I saw the Canadian artist Amanda Marshall perform. Yes, I was able to pinpoint some technical flaws in her singing – after all, I can’t help it, due to my occupational hazard of being a Vocal Specialist – but what I was amazed by was her stage presence. She was literally flying above the stage or at least it seemed to me that she did. I could see that other people in the audience were also ‘flown and blown away’ with her performance. Her performance was the perfect definition of a ‘flight to the universe’. Essentially, I use a ‘Pavlovian’ approach to voice training. You’re probably familiar with the story of “Pavlov’s Dog.” In the early 1900s, Dr. Pavlov, a Russian Chemist and Physiologist, was studying the digestive process in dogs and the interaction between salivation and the action of the stomach. He realized that they were closely linked by reflexes in the autonomic nervous system. Without salivation, the stomach didn’t get the message to start digesting. Pavlov wanted to see if external stimuli could affect this process, so he rang a bell at the same time he gave the dogs food. After a while, the dogs – which before only salivated when they saw and ate their food – would begin to salivate when the bell rang, even if no food was present. He called this a “conditioned reflex,” an action that has to be learned. Pavlov called this learning process “conditioning.” I approach vocal instruction in a similar manner – the exercises I have developed are meant to ensure that my students develop conditioned vocal reflexes so that they will eventually work on ‘automatic pilot’ upon command.

It is for this reason, that I describe my Vocal Science method as a scientific approach to vocal mechanics; I work mainly on the brain to better the voice. To conclude, the important components that I believe will make an exceptional singer are; good physical vocal abilities, a proportional body, balanced personality, well-rounded intelligence, light inner energy and the capability to receive and then process the proper instruction. When these components are firmly in place, a beautiful performance is guaranteed!

In this article, I would like to talk about the modern recording studio and its inherent advantages and disadvantages. One of the most frustrating things for me as a music lover is when I see a performer who cannot come even remotely close to reproducing live what we have heard on CD. Unfortunately, this has become the norm rather than the exception and much of the reason for it is the modern recording studio. At the advent of popular music, artists such as Elvis and the Beatles had only very rudimentary recording equipment at their disposal and their albums were essentially live performances recorded in a studio. The band played together and the singers often shared a single microphone. Most people would not even think of recording this way today, but this method of recording produced the very real benefit of not allowing performers the opportunity to hide behind technology and mask their flaws. Singers had to be able to sing well and bands had to play well. There were no overdubs or pitch shifting tools available. Unlike today, most performers did not go into the studio until they had really honed their skills as a live performer. The benefit of this was that when they had to play live to support their record, they were genuinely good performers and could replicate what people heard on the radio.

Today’s studios possess millions of dollars of sophisticated equipment. They can change the pitches of a recorded instrument or voice, they can add all kinds of effects to make things sound different and performances are not captured on tape but edited and compiled on computers. This has been great for creating CD’s that sound fabulous in headphones but has also had quite a few very negative effects on the recording industry.

Firstly, the majority of live performances are pretty unsatisfying. Because the recording studio can now compensate for unpolished or weak performers, many artists have great sounding records that they can’t reproduce live. Their voices sound thinner, shakier and more off key in person. (The ones that are really weak singers will simply lip synch to their record when giving a “live” performance!) That said, technology is never inherently harmful or evil, it is how human beings apply technology that is either good or bad and music is no exception. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in two recording sessions that utilized the modern recording studio in very different ways.

Vocal Genie in a Bottle

The first of these two sessions was a real revelation to me. Having worked for years as an In-studio Vocal Producer in many different recording studios I was very familiar with the technology available to artists. But in this instance, the things that the engineers were doing were truly remarkable and showed that technology seems to have experienced another big jump in the last several years. I showed up at the studio and proceeded to watch the artist lay down her vocal track. It was thin sounding, off-key in places and generally sounded bad. After all, she was very inexperienced. I was sure that the engineers would tell her that this track was pretty much useless and that she would have to record another. Instead, they told her that it was great and basically sent her home so they could fix and mix the track in private. After this artist left I approached the engineers and told them I was surprised that they were going to keep the track she recorded. Their response was that it really didn’t matter; they knew she couldn’t sing and that they could fix her performance in the mix. They went to work and did exactly that. The final result was stunning. The artist’s voice was not recognizable. It was almost a state of the art performance, but it had nothing to do with the original state of the track. What’s the point? I know for a fact that the artist was never going to be able to produce the mixed track live or at least she wouldn’t be able to at this point in her development as a singer. Furthermore, although the singing sounded full and completely in key, it also sounded somewhat cold and sterile, as well as lacking any type of human emotion. I was both impressed and appalled by what the engineers had created. They literally engineered a Frankenstein monster of a song. In many ways, this approach to vocal production is akin to the artificial insemination techniques that are often used to help couples conceive babies when for whatever reason they cannot accomplish it naturally. In this instance, modern technology is very helpful as it allows people to realize their dreams. But in the case of ‘vocal invitro fertilization’ I consider it to be a complete fraud. Furthermore, in the cases of artificial insemination the baby was conceived in a ‘bottle’ but was implanted back into the mother’s womb and then naturally delivered by her. In the cases of ‘vocal invitro fertilization’ the ‘baby’ (vocal genie) was not ‘implanted’ back into the singer’s anatomy and, therefore, in the final analysis, the performer could not sing to save her life. Either the performer can sing or he or she should not be given the opportunity to do it artificially. Afterall, there are more than enough talented singers who wouldn’t need to have a performance engineered for them. They can cut it naturally.

Enhancing of the Natural Performance

A few weeks later I took part in another recording session with one of my most talented and accomplished clients. Again, she was singing in a studio that had all the bells and whistles. After she had recorded her performance (which was very good) the producers mixed the track. The song sounded great, as it retained all of the spirit and emotional qualities of my artist. Yes, of course they also used state of the art technology but only used it to enhance the original performance rather than to create something entirely new, ie. a little reverb here and there and a cool flanging effect during the bridge. This was a prime example of how to use the modern studio to add the icing on the cake and not to create the cake from scratch with artificial ingredients. In my opinion, this is the way that artists should record. The new technology should be used along with the natural talent of the artist in the same way that a great writer now uses word processing and benefits from computer graphics and desktop publishing software. Change is the one thing in this world that is constant and to resist it outright is futile. But with respect to how people are using modern recording technology, we need to ensure that it is beneficial to the final product, instead of being harmful.

If you spend any time reading music industry publications or follow music-related media, you might have picked up on a recent trend: a lot of high profile performers are “experiencing difficulties?” with their voices. Not to sound insensitive, but in a way, this is actually a blessing in disguise. How so you may ask? They have been given a wakeup call that, if heeded, will make them better singers and their music that much more pleasureable to listen to.

Recently, a new client approached me because both his singing voice and his speaking voice were damaged. The person admitted that he had known about me for many years, had seen my advertising all over the place and had read my articles in Canadian Musician and other publications. Like the majority of singers, he did not see the need to consult a vocal specialist until he started having problems with his voice. (I believe this is akin to somebody realizing they should have taken some skydiving lessons after they have jumped out of the plane!) This fellow had damaged his voice by singing for years with incorrect vocal technique and did not decide to contact anybody until his voice was almost literally gone. The fact that he has all but lost his voice and finally decided to seek the help of a Vocal Specialist is actually a blessing because he will now learn how to sing without damaging his vocal anatomy and, as a side effect, will also sound exponentially better.

As strange as it may sound, I have found that these types of vocal problems are the norm rather than the exception. Furthermore, I must admit that I am not that impressed with the majority of “professional” singers I hear on the radio. Many can sing as well as I can fly an airplane and I most definitely do not have a pilot’s license. Therefore, at the risking of sounding quite cold, I must admit that voice problems are actually a positive occurrence for many aspiring singers. The benefits are two fold. Firstly, they will learn to sing in a way that will not damage their voice. Secondly, they will no longer be insulting listeners with off key singing, strained deliveries, and all forms of “meowing”, “howling” and “whining”! If that is not a blessing, then what is?

A safe voice revolution is my take off on the safe sex revolution. When people realized that unprotected sex could harm their health and even kill them, they started to engage in safe sex. Most people were also motivated to change their sexual habits because they did not want to catch a sexually transmitted disease and pass it on to someone they cared about. Too many performers do not apply the same type of thinking to singing. As I already mentioned before, they strain their voice until nodes appear and often hurt the ears of the people they should care about the most – the audience. Just as it is insane to have unprotected sex in this day and age, so too is it to not consult a vocal specialist. Vocal Specialist’s services should not be considered expensive at any cost as a safe voice for the performer and increased pleasure for the audience is guaranteed! We all know that the best medicine is preventative medicine, therefore, taking care of your health before illness occurs is a must. In many ways, instruction in the basic technical aspects of singing should be as central a part of a singer’s life as a healthy diet and physical exercise.

Unfortunately, the majority of people do not even recognize the technical part of singing. In art forms such as ballet and figure skating the performers are judged on artistic merit AND technical ability. With singing most people only talk about the artistic aspects. I believe that vocal technique needs to be recognized and emphasized as it is in other art forms. I suspect that one reason that vocal technique is not really recognized by people in the music business is because there is no one, true established technique that is accepted by everyone.

 However, I am encouraged that a safe voice revolution truly has begun. The increasing acceptance of the importance of my profession attests to it. One of the greatest truisms is that sometimes bad things that happen to you are actually just what you need. I would like to note that even though I can make a decent living repairing damaged voices and I believe that helping the sick is the most honourable thing a person can do, my preference is to work with healthy voices. In many ways, I would compare myself to a builder who prefers to build a castle with good marble instead of cracked and chipped bricks. Too often I have to work with the latter but I find solace in the fact that a Safe Voice Revolution is truly picking up steam. So please strive to practice safe (and correct) singing. You audience will thank you!