The Intelligent Vocalist

The vocal break is the dreaded part of the voice that keeps voice teachers in business. The break is the number issue most singers deal with. If you hit this area too hard you jam up, not hard enough and you fall apart. Why does this happen and what to do about it? In this episode, John dives deeper into this most tricky vocal area and gives you some quick tips and tricks to develop the necessary coordinations.  

Singing is a high-level art form that takes an incredible amount of skill and artistry. As a student of singing your work is truly never done. But are you really doing the hard work? In this episode, John delves into the idea of "deep work" and how to use uninterrupted focus and intensity to supercharge your musical development. If you want to take your singing and musical skills to greater heights, this episode is not to be missed.  

Many in the vocal community are talking about Adele and the recent cancellation of the final nights of her tour. The pressures and demands of a career can take a toll on an artist, and it's something professional singers often find themselves worrying about. There is also the pressure to deliver performances that move and excite audiences, sometimes at the expense of vocal health. In this episode John discusses this tricky area and gives advice about what you ultimately need from both your artistry and your vocal technique.

The music of the voice is in the vowel, and therein lies a great key to singing. Understanding how to approach vowels is critical for singing, not only for technical mastery, but also vocal color and nuance. However, the vowels you want for singing can be very different from the vowel sounds you commonly use for speaking. In this podcast John delves into vowel perception, and how the listener actually hears the vowels you are producing. Understanding this topic can help the singer adjust vowels correctly, giving the listener the correct vowel perception while keeping vocal balances and color choices.

Practicing correctly can speed your progress greatly, but singers often wonder how to get the best from their voice during these sessions. In this episode John gives his best advice for having a successful practice session. Practice well and you will sing well!

One of the main reasons to listen to music, and especially good vocalists, is to feel an emotion. Being able to deliver strong (and honest) emotions in your singing is extremely important. Acting your song is not just for musical theatre or opera.  You can use these techniques to up your performances of any style. In this episode John shares some of his favorite techniques to emotionally connect with your music, including some of what he learned from a legendary Hollywood Acting Coach. If you have trouble communicating what you truly want to say when singing, this episode is for you.  

Skype lessons tend to bring our very strong opinions amongst voice teachers.  Some love 'em, some hate 'em. In this episode, John looks at the challenges of learning voice on-line, starting with his early days of teaching over the telephone (yes, he's that old). If you have thought about learning or even teaching over Skype (or zoom, Facetime, etc.) this is a must-listen episode!

Keeping your vocal folds properly hydrated is essential for good healthy speaking and singing, but it is not always easily done. Just drinking more fluids is often not enough, especially for those who use their voices on a professional level. In this episode, John again looks at some of the latest research on vocal fold hydration and the best practices for achieving good vocal health. John also discusses why women need to take extra care in making sure they are properly hydrated as research is showing they have particular issues that men do not. This episode is a must for all singers who want their vocal cords to be as healthy as possible.    

Vocal science has gone from being hidden within the halls of academia to a greater acceptance by voice teachers, and increasingly, singers as well. However, is vocal science becoming overhyped and stopping singers from actually learning to sing? John delves into this subject with his own viewpoint of how vocal science has transformed his approach to the voice and how to use science to help your teaching and singing.

Singers often talk about "mix," but what does it really mean? In this episode, John delves into the world of mix and discusses it from a physical and acoustic standpoint. If you are confused by what mix singing is, this episode is for you!