The Intelligent Vocalist

"Placement" is a term that often confuses singers: How do I place the voice? What is the right placement for my voice? Is there a lever to move my voice forward and back? What does this even mean? In this episode, John goes through the proper use of placement, and how to control these sensory guideposts.  

One of the main reasons for singers to stop is painful criticism. The opinion usually comes from a person of authority, someone they respected - a choir director in childhood, a less than kind voice teacher, or an industry professional, such as a producer. One opinion causing years, sometimes decades to be lost. In this episode, John discusses the danger of allowing another's opinion to have power over you and your singing.

Developing technical mastery of your vocal instrument is a life-long project of dedication and determination. However, hyper-focusing on technique can cause us to lose touch with the pure joy of singing. In this episode, John talks about keeping the passion for singing alive while continuing to gain technical ability.

For every singer, there are frustrating areas of the voice we just can't seem to conquer. The is where your vocal "crowbar" can be your best tool for solving stubborn issues. By discovering and utilizing your vocal crowbar, you can start eliminating these singing problems quickly and effectively.  

Learning any new skill can be daunting, but the voice has levels of complexity that make it a unique challenge. The fine-tuning and coordination of muscles and energies we scarcely feel (or feel in illusory ways) can confuse and discourage the beginning singer (as well as the more experienced). In this episode, John breaks down the difficulties of learning to sing, both technical and mental, and gives you his best advice for getting through this challenging period of your vocal journey.  

We all have bad days as singers. We can even have extended periods of voice issues that seem never to end. These setbacks can create feelings of discouragement that pull us from the path of improvement. In this episode, John discusses how to bounce back from these difficult days and how you can quickly get back on track to achieving your vocal goals.  

Most human endeavors have an element of competition to them, and music is no different. The problem is when competition between singers turns toxic, it can be a discouraging situation. In this episode, John looks at how to use competition to your benefit, and how to move towards a higher level of competition with yourself, to help push you to new artistic heights.

Your voice will change dramatically from birth to old age. What can you expect during these different periods? Can you sing well your entire life? In this episode, John takes you through the how and why of your changing voice and gives you tips for staying healthy throughout your vocal lifetime.

It is a common question for singers (and all creatives) - do I have what it takes? But is this even the question to ask? And if asked, who is to answer? In this episode, John looks at this fundamental struggle of self-doubt and how it impacts you, the singer.

One of the best compliments you can give a musician is to say he or she has "big ears." This means an ability to hear music at a deep level. Singing is a skill that requires so much attention that the ability to focus on the music around us is often diminished. In this episode, John gives some simple exercises to increase your focus and ability to listen on a deeper level.