The Intelligent Vocalist

The vocal break is what keeps voice teachers in business, and you can find plenty of advice on how to smooth out the break. But what do you do when nothing seems to work? In this episode, John discusses how to approach this problematic vocal area and gives some tips on how to patiently eliminate cracking and straining.

As we approach a new year (and decade), we tend to have a period of new beginnings, with resolutions and promises of doing and being better. But rather than wait for a new year, we can begin again, moment to moment, continually renewing our promise and purpose. This works particularly well for singers, as it is all too easy to drag baggage from the past into each practice session and performance. In this episode, John discusses the benefits of this renewing mindset and how to apply it to your voice.

Nikki Loney is a well-regarded vocal educator who specializes in teaching young children. In this episode, John and Nikki discuss the debate around children and voice lessons and how to best help your child discover the joy of singing. EPISODE LINKS: The Full Voice Website

Singers often want to sing in a breathy style - but it is usually done in a way that weakens their vocal performance. What singers often miss is the variety of texture and intensity great singers use when sounding breathy. In this episode, John discusses how and when to sing breathy for maximum musical effect.

Being a working musical theatre actor is not just the bright lights of Broadway. There is opportunity working in touring and regional companies in the US and all over the world. Alexander Mendoza has a flourishing career touring the world in musical theatre. In this episode, John and Alex discuss his vocal journey and the demands of singing at a very high level.

Learning to sing is an evolving process, and you will need to change your approach as you improve. Exercises to help with common beginner problems can get you "stuck" if you continue with them too long. In this episode, John discusses two of the most common "helpful" exercises that can become a hindrance for singers.

Putting yourself out there is an essential step for a singer. Getting your music heard by other than friends or family can give you invaluable feedback from which to improve. But the troll culture is out there, waiting to derail you. And it's only getting worse. In this episode, John discusses his recent experiences with online trolls, and why you need to prepare to handle this often vicious criticism mentally, so you can get out there and SING!

We are often encouraged to stay positive - think positive thoughts! But can negative thoughts help us with our singing? Negative reframing is a powerful psychological tool that can help break us out of complacency and setbacks. In this episode, John discusses how to use negative reframing to give yourself a mental boost and to stay energetically moving forward on your vocal path.

We all love comparisons - top ten best and worst lists are consistently reliable clickbait. We also love to categorize and compare singers - including ourselves. But the comparison game often leads to frustration loss of motivation. In this episode, John discusses why comparing ourselves to others is often a losing proposition and why you need to compete with only one person - yourself.

A great voice is the product of great thoughts. The delicate balances of singing require precise thoughts to control the many muscles involved in the process. In this episode, John discusses the importance of a clear, focused mind, and how to approach thought in your practice and performance.