PRIVATE LESSONS | Music

November 30, 2012

HOW TO KEEP YOUR VOICE HEALTHY | PRIVATELESSONS.com Articles

HOW TO KEEP YOUR VOICE HEALTHY | PRIVATELESSONS.com Articles

HOW TO KEEP YOUR VOICE HEALTHY


Tricia Grey, MM
Submitted: Thursday, November 29, 2012 - 1:13pm
Tricia Grey, MM owner of Sing Like a Star Studios in Atlanta, GA, shows you how to keep your voice healthy
It's important to know how to keep your voice healthy when taking singing lessons. Singers, even more than the average person, need to keep their voice healthy and strong.
What about diet and health habits?Anything that can affect your health, body, skin or mood can affect your singing. The most important element (other than good technique) is WATER. The vocal cords need to remain hydrated (wet) in order to function optimally. Most people do not drink enough plain water, and singers need to drink more water than the average person in order to maintain vocal health. The motto is “pee pale”. That’s right, the more clearly you tinkle, the happier your vocal cords are! Air conditioning and heating units take moisture out of the air, affecting the hydration of the cords. Inhaling steam or cool mist will help replace the lost water. You should be aware that, because of the functioning of the epiglottis, nothing you drink actually touches the vocal cords, so the old “tea and honey” remedy, while it might feel nice, does not affect the voice.
Steam or mist, if inhaled, will hydrate the cords, and help minimize swelling. Humidity, steam, mist, drinking water, and warmth are good for the vocal cords; smoke, pollen, dry air, air conditioning and heating, caffeine, alcohol and drugs are dehydrating and therefore BAD for them! Some singers find that dairy products like milk or cheese cause thick mucus, so these products should be avoided on performance days. Allergies are also mucus producing, but you should avoid most antihistamines because they are too drying. If you must take them, counter the dehydrating effects with plenty of water and steam. Breathing through a warm wet towel will do in an emergency, as will inhaling steam from boiling water, or the local gym’s steam room. Acid reflux is a problem many people do not even know they have. It occurs when stomach acid regurgitates up onto your esophagus, touching your vocal cords and damaging the cords and surrounding tissue. You can prevent this common problem by avoiding late night eating, and by sleeping with your head elevated. Check with your physician- there are new medications that may alleviate this issue for you.To ensure a stellar vocal career, make sure you get plenty of rest and water, and vocalize daily with your Sing Like a Star vocal exercises.
Finally, it really does help to be physically active and fit. Maintaining a physical fitness regimen is a smart investment of your time.An even smarter investment in your vocal future is a weekly (or twice weekly) Sing Like a Star voice lesson and daily practice!
To register for your professional vocal evaluation and consultation at Sing Like a Star Studios, please visit www.singlikeastar.com and click the "Get Started" tab. Lessons are available in person, or by Skype, speakerphone, or Facetime.
To make good progress with your singing lessons, keeping your voice healthy is vitally important.
For professional singing lessons in the Atlanta, Marietta and Alpharetta GA area, or to register for voice training online by skype, facetime, or speakerphone, please visit the website at www.singlikeastar.com, and click on the GET STARTED tab to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation.
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Practice Tips for Between Lessons | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Practice Tips for Between Lessons | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Practice Tips for Between Lessons


Susan Anders Brizick
Submitted: Thursday, November 29, 2012 - 7:56pm
Current Student Successes
How can you maximize your success in singing with practice between lessons?
Practice Tips can be endless- what can you do to maximize your potential between lessons?
Take care of your instrument! Healthy care of the voice can really help your next voice lesson.
Key tips? Sleep, be well hydrated, and practice your music using the key concepts identified by your teacher. Keep good health habits such as washing hands, drinking water and getting lots of sleep.
Use focused practice to help you stay at the top of your game. Identify 2 or 3 concepts in your previous lesson that you should focus on to use in your practice sessions each week. Keep a log of what happens in each practice session and what you what to address in your next lesson.
It is your connection with your instrument that will increase and intensify your success!
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November 28, 2012

Singing Lessons: How to Choose the Right Voice Teacher or Vocal Coach | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Singing Lessons: How to Choose the Right Voice Teacher or Vocal Coach | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Singing Lessons: How to Choose the Right Voice Teacher or Vocal Coach

Tricia Grey, MM
Submitted: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 3:58pm
Sing Like a Star Singers' Showcase March 2012
Tricia Grey, MM, owner of Sing Like a Star Studios in Atlanta, GA, shows you how to choose the best voice teacher, vocal coach or singing lessons
So, you’ve seen one of the many television shows such as American Idol, The Voice, or The X-Factor, and you have decided that singing is your passion. You would like to someday be on one of these shows, or perhaps touring the world with a band of your own. You go out one evening and sing in a Karaoke venue, and receive less than ego flattering responses from your listeners. What is the next step?
A good next step would be to invest in voice lessons. Many people think singing is a natural gift and that you either have talent or you don’t, but that is just not true. I like to think of talent as being “incipient”- that is, just waiting to bloom but needing development first. Your job is to develop and polish your incipient talent to it’s fullest potential with the right vocal training.
So how do you find the right voice teacher or vocal coach? One thing to be aware of is that many “vocal coaches” actually know very little about the science of vocal production. They can demonstrate style and will try to get you to imitate either themselves or other singers but they have no knowledge about how to correctly train and develop the various elements of the voice. You can try to imitate them, but you will never have a better voice without the right vocal technique- a series of planned exercises and training meant to address your particular vocal issues, rather than a “one size fits all” approach.
If the teacher is chorally oriented and believes in breathy singing and avoidance of the chest register (for females), this type of technique will not benefit you if you are interested in singing contemporary styles of music. It’s only good for the blending necessary in choral singing, and it is not healthy vocal production.
On the other hand, if the teacher ONLY sings in their chest register and only teaches belting, (pushing the chest voice too high), run for the hills! This technique will eventually cause vocal damage. You need to find a teacher who is truly qualified to teach the technique of mix.
Check on credentials. Does the teacher have a music degree? Do they play the piano? How much professional performing has the teacher done? Do they have any CD’s that you can purchase? (They should). If they have never done much performing as a professional singer, the odds of them knowing much about the music business are slight, and the technique they will be teaching you may not help you much. On the other hand, unless they have done extensive study about how to teach mix, they aren’t going to be helpful either.
The old adage “those who can’t do, teach” is absolutely untrue, and those who cannot “do”, in my opinion, should not be teaching either. However, just because someone has had some success as a performer does not mean that they have actually learned how to teach others. Learning to address all kinds of vocal issues rather than telling every student to “do as I do” is part of the art and science of good vocal teaching, and is sometimes a completely different skill set from singing well yourself.
The best teacher will combine professional performing experience with years of studying the art and science of how to build voices correctly, along with a track record of students who sing well, and a successful vocal studio. Listen to the singers who come out of that studio, and judge for yourself. Ask the prospective teacher to provide audio or video samples of their students, and of their own singing.
Finally, check on whether the teacher offers performance opportunities. It’s one thing to vocalize and sing in the teacher’s studio, but there should be regular performances that students can participate in, that are an intermediary step between the vocal studio and the professional world.
I wish you all the best as you reach for your dreams! Tricia Grey, MM
At Sing Like a Star Studios you can learn the vocal technique of the stars. If you don’t live near Atlanta, you can take voice lessons with Skype. Please visit our website at www.singlikeastar.com and click on the GET STARTED tab to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation
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Students Performing | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Students Performing | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Students Performing


Linda's Major Minors class
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Ed Littman | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Ed Littman | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Piano Improv Session and Workshop | PRIVATELESSONS.com Events

Piano Improv Session and Workshop | PRIVATELESSONS.com Events

Piano Improv Session and Workshop


Robert Hitz
Submitted: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 1:56pm
in the moment...in the flow!
Saturday, December 1, 2012 - 4:00pm
Robert Hitz Studio 4523 Old Court Rd Pikesville, MD 21208
Piano Improv Sessions and Workshops cover the wide world of improv on the piano. Improv games, techniques and philosophy to develope and stretch the boundaries of your playing and composing. Free improv, jazz and blues, film and theatre interpretaions and more...
Open to my current students, members of the Baltimore Improv and Composers Group and others who are interested in joining. Beginners to professional welcome and usually attend - the mix of levels and ages offers a great chance to meet as artists at every level and age.

Don't Practice - Play! | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Don't Practice - Play! | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

Don't Practice - Play!


Morgan Henry
Submitted: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - 1:07am
Learning any instrument requires repeating the same movements repeatedly to build up "muscle memory." But to stay motivated, you have to like what you're doing!
Over the years I've been asked how much my students should practice. The quick answer is, the more you practice, the faster you advance. My students that actually put in an hour a day progress faster than those that can only squeeze in an hour a week.
But the better answer is - don't practice! Who wants to face the drudgery of having to sit down and practice? It's not motivating at all.
On the other hand, if there is a song you are working on - hopefully one you and your teacher chose together because it's one of your favorites - then there's your motivation! If you like it enough, you won't be able to wait to get home and see how much better you can sound playing it each day!
So here's how I'd do it. Plan to work on the great song you're working on towards the end of your practice session. Start your session by going to quiet place, getting comfortable, tuning up your guitar (every time you play!), and "warming up" with familiar chords, scales, or similar exercises. Next practice moving between the chords that are giving you the most difficulty. First play them slowly for accuracy, then play through the changes exactly on time, even if the chords don't come out perfectly - soon they will. Then as your reward for all this work, launch into the song your'e working on. Play the recorded version first to "get it in your head" - then start to play! Hopefully nobody's around so you can rock out without fear of being seen! Playing it over and over won't be a problem if you love the song, and you're secretly teaching your hands the muscle memory it takes to get great.
One last tip - learning to play through ANY changes will enhance your ability to play any others.
So...don't practice...but PLAY a lot!
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November 27, 2012

HOW TO CORRECT NASAL SINGING | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

HOW TO CORRECT NASAL SINGING | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

HOW TO CORRECT NASAL SINGING

Tricia Grey, MM
Submitted: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 - 10:24am
Tricia Grey, MM
Tricia Grey, MM owner of Sing Like a Star Studios, shows you how to correct nasal singing
Sometimes singers come in to my Sing Like a Star Vocal Studios with a very nasal and pinched vocal sound. A certain amount of what has traditionally been called mask resonance is necessary to sing with a brilliant tone, but placing the voice in the nose will result in a sound that is unpleasant to listen to. On the other extreme, If you don’t have enough of the mask resonance, you sound like Rocky Balboa saying “Yo, Adrian”. It’s always a question of “just enough but not too much”- or in other words, my favorite word “balance”.
Nasality can occur when the tongue and the soft palate (the moveable part of the upper mouth that goes up when you yawn) are too close together. Say the word “sing” and sustain the NG If you place your fingers on your nose you will feel a sympathetic vibration occurring there, and that pinching the nostrils stops the airflow and the sound.
If you can affect the tone by deliberately making one sound, you can change an incorrect and too nasal vocal production just as easily.
Take a deep, relaxed breath, and say the word “go” in a very dopey, dumb sound. While you are doing this pinch your nose and then let go. Repeat this several times until the sound is exactly the same whether your nose is pinched or not pinched. Now alternate the word “go” with different syllables and words, returning to “go” as your home base. Avoid words with “NG” or “M” while you are trying to establish this new coordination, because those consonants will activate a more nasal sound.
With some practice you should be able to train yourself to speak and sing with a more rich and resonant vocal quality, and avoid singing and speaking with too much nasality.
I wish you all the best as you reach for your dreams! Tricia Grey, MM
At Sing Like a Star Studios you can learn the vocal technique of the stars. If you don’t live near Atlanta, you can take voice lessons with Skype. Please visit our website at www.singlikeastar.com and click on the GET STARTED tab to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation.

How to play, understand and figure out all scales - Part I | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

How to play, understand and figure out all scales - Part I | PRIVATELESSONS.com Music Lesson Tips

How to play, understand and figure out all scales - Part I


Vince Lauria
Submitted: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 - 7:31am
C major Scale on guitar Fretboard
The C Major Scale is the foundation for all scales. C is the starting or root note (key).
The diagram below is the C Major Scale on the guitar. The note names and distance from note to note is exactly the same for all instruments.
C Major Scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C
The note to note intervals are the same. This applies to any string, octave, position, instrument or starting key.
Memorize the note formula C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. Using the note name chart below - play the C major scale starting from open low thick E string play each note up neck, then back down neck. Repeat this same process for each string. Remember to say note names out loud as you play each note up and then down in tone. Repeat this process for all 6 strings: Low E, then A, D, G, B and thin E string. The underlined fret number indicates dot positions: 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17 19, 21, 24
open 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
E F B C E F B C
Notice there is only two notes that have half steps E, F and B, C. (Elvis Fans Buy Cars)
Half step = one fret distance (one key). Whole step = two fret distance (two keys).
Now play and say out loud the C major scale for each note up and back string. Repeat the C note to memorize root note positions.
E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E - E, D, C, B, A, G, F, E
this is C major Scale starting on E to E octave.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A - A, G, F, E, D, C, B, A
this is C Major Scale starting on A to A octave.
D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D - D, C, B, A, G, F, E, D
this is C Major Scale starting on D to D octave.
G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G - G, F, E, D, C, B, A, G
this is C Major Scale starting on G to G octave.
B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B - B, A, G, F, E, D, C, B
this is C Major Scale starting on B to B octave.
E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E - E, D, C, B, A, G, F, E
this is C Major Scale starting on E to E octave.
The note to note intervals are the same. This applies to any string, octave, position, instrument or Key. Repeat this same process for bass, piano and any other instrument.
All materials for personal use only.
Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music
Copyright © 2012
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Singing Lessons: Talent is Over-Rated | PRIVATELESSONS.com Articles

Singing Lessons: Talent is Over-Rated | PRIVATELESSONS.com Articles

Singing Lessons: Talent is Over-Rated


Tricia Grey, MM
Submitted: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 - 10:30am
Tricia Grey, MM
Tricia Grey, MM, owner of Sing Like a Star Studios, discusses the benefits of practice and how work ethic often outweighs talent
One of the most insidious and incorrect notions about singing talent is “Either you have it or you don’t”. That psychologically damaging point of view prevents many people from even attempting to reach for their dream of becoming a good singer. I recently had a student come to me whose mother constantly told her not to sing, and that she had no talent. However this girl managed to hold on to her dream of becoming a singer, through some very tough years, of living in an orphanage in Eastern Europe, eventually being adopted by a wonderful family, brought to the US, and finally coming to me for voice lessons. What a happy ending to a very tough start in life! This girl is learning to speak English very quickly and is so happy to be in a situation where she can explore and develop her vocal gifts. Her adoptive mother told me that the only thing that kept this girl going for all those years was the hope that someday she could be a singer.
More important than “talent” (which is a euphemism for anything that comes easily to a person) is dedication, persistence, and disciplined practice habits. Over and over again, in my over 30 years of teaching voice, I have seen supposedly less talented singers overtake (and leave in the dust) the supposedly more talented ones, because of their commitment, dedication, and disciplined practice habits.
It’s lovely to have something come easily, or to be “naturally gifted”, but sometimes it may be more beneficial to have to learn skills such as singing by working on building a vocal technique with a step by step process that is perfected over time.
The benefit to working hard to develop a good foundation of vocal technique rather than just being blessed “talent” is that often, so-called “natural” singers lose their natural abilities at some point. And since they never really knew how they sang before, they are unable to fix their voices if anything goes wrong. It’s better to develop skills over time, and to know exactly how you are creating sound, by working with a good voice teacher.
Nothing takes the place of persistence and determination. If your dream is to become a singer, you can do it, with the right training and a healthy amount of persistence, dedication, discipline and determination. Develop those qualities in yourself and you will certainly rise!
I wish you all the best as you reach for your dreams! Tricia Grey, MM
At Sing Like a Star Studios you can learn the vocal technique of the stars. If you don’t live near Atlanta, you can take voice lessons with Skype. Please visit our website at www.singlikeastar.com and click on the GET STARTED tab to register for a professional vocal evaluation and consultation.
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Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) played by Vince Lauria | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) played by Vince Lauria | PRIVATELESSONS.com Photos

Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) played by Vince Lauria

Little Wing
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