Singer Sundays #7

As with any profession, the more experience gained, the more knowledge possessed. After seventeen years of working as a professional vocalist, I have picked up quite a few tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy voice. Singer Sundays is my means of passing on this information and hoping it will serve useful to those who enjoy sharing the gift of vocal music.

Tip #7 — Record yourself and listen, listen, listen!

In life, we are continually evolving and (hopefully) growing as individuals. The same is true for a vocalist. Listen to an interview with one of your favorite vocalists, and you will most likely hear them speak regarding how they are growing musically and vocally. One of my college professors recorded all my vocal lessons and would give them to me on a CD for the purposes of being able to hear myself outside of my own head. Admittedly, I did not take advantage of this opportunity in college. Most of the CD’s sat in my dorm room gathering dust. It was not until later in life when I was sincerely working on strengthening my mix that I realized the gift of modern technology and began to take advantage of audio recording myself while rehearsing. There is no better motivation for correcting than comes from hearing your own voice. Recording gives an aural reflection of the voice, allowing for understanding and familiarization with the individual voice that leads to the ability to correct. Recently, I took a master class online with Christina Aguilera only to find out she frequently records herself as well. From the beginner to the experts, the only way to truly learn your voice, your timbre, your vocal nuances is to listen to yourself. Whether you choose a voice recording or a video recording, take advantage of your smart device and become familiar with your voice – the sooner the better. Fifteen minutes of familiarizing yourself with your voice a day will put your on the fast track to the voice you want.