Learn To Sing Like A Star CD
Learn to sing like a star with this 76 minute instructional
CD. In this CD you will learn how to breathe properly for
singing, identify your range, learn about vocal placement
and style and experience a variety of vocal exercises that
are used by many stars in the entertainment world. Whether
you are a beginner or a professional singer, this method is
for you!
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Singing Evaluation
Have professional singer and
voice teacher to the
stars, Ava Tracht Landman, evaluate your singing
abilities. It is simple!!
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Can I sing if I have a cold?
As long as your cold is not accompanied by a severe sore throat due
to an infection or strep throat, it is all right to do non- strenuous
singing. Be aware that your sound may appear to be nasal due to a
stuffy nose. By dropping your jaw when you sing, you can help alleviate
the nasal pressure, as you focus your attention away from
your mask. (The area where most of your nasal sound comes from.)
Should I sing if I have a sore throat?
It is not advisable to sing with a sore throat. First, it is important to
find the cause of the problem. If your sore throat is due to a cold, try
to wait until your throat clears before singing. If you have a
performance, try resting as much as possible before your show and
drink plenty of warm fluids. - Try to avoid products that contain
caffeine, as they tend to have a drying effect on the throat. If your
sore throat appears to be the cause of improper vocal care (yelling,
talking too loud or forcing your tone when you sing), you need to
re-evaluate your breathing technique and avoid pushing your tone.
Also, do not sing out of your comfortable range.
How can I control my tone from going flat in pitch?
Try to make sure you are taking in enough air before singing and
supporting the tone during your exhalation. Also, look in the mirror
when you sing to monitor your facial expressions. Most have a
tendency to sing flat if they project the tone too “low” or far back into
the palate. Try slightly raising your eyebrows when you ascend the
scale in practice. This will keep you focused on a “lifting” effect.
Can I sing in various styles by using one warm-up
technique?
technique?
Sure. If you experiment with a variety of vocal placement in your voice
lesson routine, you can achieve many different vocal tonalities. By
learning to sing in your chest, mask, and head voice, you should be
able to switch from a Classical song to a Pop tune with ease.
Why is my voice always hoarse after singing in my school chorus?
When you sing in a chorus, you are singing with many other vocalists at the same time. You may not be able to hear your self too well and start to push your tone. Many singers compete with each other in their own chorus to see who can sing louder than the other, therefore adding unnecessary strain to the vocal cords. If you are singing in a chorus it is best to have a “non competitive” attitude. Try to make it a fun learning experience.
At what age should one begin voice lessons?
There really is not an exact age when to start vocal training. It depends on comprehension and a willingness to learn. I have trained toddlers to senior citizens. Some voices however, will go through changes. For example, a young boy may be going through puberty and experience a crack in his voice. This can be worked through with practice. During this time, he should sing songs that are comfortable for his current range.
How often should I practice?
That really depends on your vocal stamina. When you begin to train, you should start out slow (maybe twenty to thirty minutes every other day). As your vocal cords become more developed and you are singing with ease, you may want to increase your practice time to forty minutes every day. (Skipping a few days is fine.) If your vocal warm- ups are accompanied by a rehearsal of songs, you may want to cut the practice time in half so your vocal cords do not become over tired. The ideal time to practice is when your voice feels comfortable and you are well rested.
I am an Alto; can I learn to sing in the Mezzo-Soprano range?
Most definitely! Everyone is capable of increasing his or her vocal range with the proper technique. At first, it is important that you cultivate your comfortable range with practice. When you are ready, proceeded with mild exercises that take you slightly out of your usual range. (Try the exercise called lip trills or bubbles first.) If you start to feel uncomfortable, practice your usual range again for a few more days before continuing. The same idea applies to men as well (example from Baritone to Tenor.)
How much air (inhalation) do I need for singing?
That all depends on the length of the phrase you are singing. If you are singing a short vocal line, you do not need to take such a deep breath as you would for a longer one. Breathing for singing should be as natural as breathing for speaking. You do not want to over extend your air, just as you do not want to take in too short of a breath. When you begin to practice the breathing exercises however, you may want to take in more air than you do for your actual song. By doing so, you are exercising your diaphragm by preparing the muscles for singing.
How many voice lessons do I need to sing professionally?
That all depends on your dedication to your practice routine. If you feel confident and develop a good tone and repertoire, you could begin singing professionally after several voice lessons.
Primarily it is necessary that you are breathing properly for singing. This involves
using the muscles of your
diaphragm (the partition of muscles and tendons between the chest and abdominal cavity). When you inhale, the diaphragm pushes downward and contracts as the lungs fill up with air. This action enables the rib muscles to expand outward. You take this breath when you are ready to begin singing your tone. As you exhale and release your tone, your rib muscles and diaphragm begin to relax as you return to your position before the inhalation.
diaphragm (the partition of muscles and tendons between the chest and abdominal cavity). When you inhale, the diaphragm pushes downward and contracts as the lungs fill up with air. This action enables the rib muscles to expand outward. You take this breath when you are ready to begin singing your tone. As you exhale and release your tone, your rib muscles and diaphragm begin to relax as you return to your position before the inhalation.
Let us use the song “My Heart Will Go On,” (Titanic) performed by Celine
Dion, as an example. When preparing to
take a breath for singing, you should plan how much air you think you will need
to carry you to the end of the line. (If
you can, try this experiment in front of a mirror.) Inhale as you feel your rib
cage expand, immediately begin thinking
about how much air you “feel” you need. You may want to breathe a bit
deeper at first, especially if you are a bit
nervous or are a beginner. When you are ready to sing, expel as much air as needed.
Be aware not to push out too
much air at one time or your tone will become breathy.
“Every night in my dreams, (breathe)
I see you I feel you (breathe)
That is how I know you go on. (breathe)
Far across the distance (breathe)
And spaces between us (breathe)
You have come to show you go on. (breathe)
Near, far, wherever you are, (breathe)
I believe that the heart does go on. (breathe)
Once more you open the door, (breathe)
And you‘re here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on.”
If you are still having difficulty with breath control try this trick. Cup one hand
around your ear (as you would hold a
telephone), begin to take a breath for singing and proceed to sing the song. As
you begin to expel the air, listen
carefully to your tone. Your attention should be on an even distribution of air
throughout the phrase; with just enough
air to make a smooth ending.
For more breathing exercise check out track #2 on “Learn To Sing Like A Star”
CD.
If you have recently watched the show American Idol on television, you have noticed
a variety of singers waiting in
line to audition for the “opportunity of a lifetime.” For various reasons,
the show has aired some “singers” that sang
off key. These “singers” were ridiculed by the judges of American Idol
in front of millions of people on television. Do
not let this discourage you!
If you want to sing correctly, you should start by training your voice. A variety
of vocal exercises can help you develop
your breath control and strengthen your vocal range (my CD can help). You should
also practice singing acappella
(without musical accompaniment). While you do this, try to record yourself as this
will help develop your “ear” for
music. Also, try to perform in front of an audience as much as often as possible
(even if your audience is only mom
and dad). This will help you get over your stage fright.
Be strong, keep a positive attitude, and you too can “Learn To Sing Like A
Star!”
Dramatic interpretation of the lyrics you are singing in a song can definitely add
“life” to the words you are trying to
convey. A good example in song interpretation can be taken from Whitney Houstons’s
rendition of the song “I Will
Always Love You.” In the first few lines of the song you can almost experience
Whitney‘s sorrow as she begins the
song with a warm, heart-felt entrance. Whitney articulates her vowels as she uses
vivid facial expressions while
singing.
“If I should stay, I would only be in your way.
So I’ll go, but I know I‘ll think of you every step of the way.”
As the song continues, Whitney gradually glides her smooth vocals into the chorus
as she crescendos (adds
volume) in a pop/bluesy tone.
volume) in a pop/bluesy tone.
“And I will always love you.”
Voice Lesson Exercise: If you want to experiment with this technique try standing
in front of a mirror and either speak
the words to this song (if you don’t know the melody) or sing them. Before
you actually begin to sing the phrase,
imagine that you are trying to convey your feelings to someone a few feet in front
of you. Keep your posture straight,
and your head up.
Let us begin with the verse. Take a long breath from your diaphragm. (Diaphragmatic
breathing is explained more in
tracks 1 & 2 of “Learn To Sing Like A Star”-CD.) With this breath
you will sing the words “If I should stay.” Now take
another breath as you get ready to sing the words: “I would only be in your
way”. Breathe again: “So I‘ll go, but I
know I’ll think of you every step of the way.” When entering the chorus
add a bit more volume and open your hands
slightly from your sides. Gradually raise your hands (into the shape of an angel)
as you breathe and continue into
the chorus.
“And I will always love you.”
When performing this phrase be aware of your facial expressions. Are you just moving
your lips, or are you gradually
moving your mouth to accommodate the vowels in the song? This is important to be
aware of. You also want to
focus on the raising (slightly) of the eye/eyebrow area. This technique enhances
the use of facial expressions while
adding more depth and expression to your tone. Your face and body are very vital
to your song delivery. You could
either just stand there or make the song come alive! It is up to you; notice the
difference.
Yes! It is possible to sing in various vocal styles (Pop, Classical, Country, Broadway).
It is
all in the vocal placement.
It is important to realize that even though you have one voice there are different
places physically where the voice
can resonate, thus creating different sounds that lead to various vocal placements.
The various vocal placements
are: chest voice, mask, head voice, and falsetto. The diaphragmatic breathing preparation
is the same for all of the
vocal placements; however the concentration of air resonance is different during
exhalation. For example: When you
let air resonate into your chest, you are using the chest voice. This vocal placement
seems closest to our natural
speaking voice. Chest voice singing is popular in Rock, Country, Pop and Broadway
music that requires “belting”
(powerful singing).
When you focus your singing tone closest to your nasal passages, you are using your
middle voice or mask. This
placement seems to alleviate pressure when the use of the chest voice becomes too
high or strenuous. The mask
placement is also common in popular music (Pop) and Rhythm and Blues.
When you concentrate your air vibrations closest to the head, you are using your
head voice. Classical music or
music that ventures into the higher range seems more apt in this category. When
first trying to attempt the head
voice, you might notice that this placement seems to be somewhat weaker than the
chest or mask tones. With
constant practice of the head voice, however, it will definitely strengthen. (“Learn
To Sing Like A Star” CD includes
many exercises to help you with range expansion.)
Finally, in the male voice, the falsetto seems to go beyond the head voice creating
a thin whispery sound. Tenors
occasionally sing in their falsetto voice. It is mostly for an effect.
Check out track #4 on “Learn To Sing Like A Star” CD for more information
on the topic of style.
In women, there are three comfortable ranges: the Alto, Mezzo-Soprano, and the Soprano.
In a woman who feels
comfortable in the lower register, the Alto, the approximate vocal range can begin
at the note C below middle C and
end approximately at the note G below the note high C. The Mezzo Soprano, in between
the Alto and Soprano
range may feel comfortable from the note G below the note middle C to approximately
the note B before high C. The
Soprano, the highest vocal range may feel comfortable from the note G below the
note middle C to beyond the note
high C.
In men, there are three comfortable ranges: the Bass, Baritone, and Tenor.
In a man who feels comfortable in the lower register, the Bass, the approximate
vocal range can begin at the note F an octave below the note middle C to the note F above middle C. The Baritone, in
between the Bass and Tenor range may feel comfortable from the note A an octave below the note middle C to
the note B above middle C. The Tenor, the highest male vocal range may feel comfortable from the note C below the
note middle C to C above middle C.
Piano/vocal demonstration of this topic can
be found on track #3 of “Learn To Sing Like A Star” CD.
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