The Singing Self
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TEACHERS: What is Voice Training?
I’ve been running a course for the last few years, TEACH WITHOUT TEACHING, which has become the heart of my TEACHER TRACK Program. And, the idea that that course centers around is that it is possible to teach a student whatever it is you feel you could teach them...
SINGERS: What is Voice Training?
Most people, when they hear the term “voice training” think it’s a good thing. They think… I’m going to train my voice to do healthy things, better things, professional things - and by the use of exercises, determination and repetition, make my voice what it should...
7 Ways Voice Teachers can Serve their Students Better
Whether you are a newbie and just starting a voice studio of your own or whether you’ve been doing this for years and years, here’s a list of ways you can up your game and improve the efficacy of your lessons.
Would Farinelli study voice online?
Farinelli (Carlo Broschi) For those of you who know your western music history, classical singer history and 90's movie history (1994), you know that Farinelli (1705-1782), a castrato, is lauded as one of the greatest singers in the history of opera. In those days,...
The Two Main Obstacles to Vocal Learning
We humans are so sneaky: we make problems where there aren’t any and we even find ways to make the fact that something isn’t a problem a problem!
Stop getting in the way of your own learning and start celebrating small improvements.
ORIGINAL BREATH: What is “healthy breathing” and how can we find out for ourselves?
Well, that’s a tricky question! Some say: Healthy breathing is breathing in a certain way, diaphragmatically, for example (a Biomechanical approach). Others say: It’s all about the oxygen/CO2 exchange (a Biochemical approach) or that it’s about the rate and rhythm of...
Learning is a Process of Connecting the Disparate and Diverse!
Linear/Non-Linear Learning - Interleaving and Interweaving What is learning, if not a process of connecting and integrating various actions, topics, knowledge and processes - especially those that seem disparate and disconnected? We are one organism, one self, one...
How to Harness the Power of the Sensorimotor Loop in Your Vocal Learning
Most of us think about movement as mainly involving movement. And even more of us think that in order to improve movement we need to improve movement. This is a typical way of thinking. But, there’s another way. Movement, our movement, is not just a thing we do,...
Learning Triggers – and why singers should consider using them…
If you haven’t already, go out and get and read “The Art of Learning” by Josh Waitzkin. Josh was an internationally recognized childhood chess prodigy and later earned the title of world champion in Tai Chi Push Hands (Martial Arts). His book not only chronicles...
Voice Teachers, Listen Up! Voice Teaching and Voice Learning Facilitation are two VERY different things…
Sure, we call ourselves voice teachers - which is fine, that’s the accepted term in the marketplace, but just because “teacher” is in the title, does that really have to be what we do? No. As Marie Forleo says, “Sell them what they want, give them what they need.” The...