Category: Chapters/Articles by Diana Yampolsky:

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.

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.