#techniquetipoftheday

[gillianwormley]

Here’s this week’s #Singer’s Technique Tip for Tuesday! So simple, yet often difficult to grasp this initial step of the overall vocal technique concept. Trust the process. Let go, and allow. See what happens when you release and enable. Tip the balance.

[gillianwormley]

A bit of invaluable tough love for Technique Tuesday. Technical ability as a #singer is often assumed to be a ‘gift’; actually, it is the result of tenacious habit. 

[gillianwormley]

Vocal nuts and bolts

It’s Technique Tuesday and as usual, I have shared a new info-graphic to inspire #singers and #students alike as they explore their vocal journey or path. As with all things #vocaltechnique - patience and tenacity are essential ingredients. 

Learning about #vocalnutsandbolts is not a sprint - and we should never assume we’ve reached journey’s end. Our destination is always there, just on the horizon. Its fascination still happily holds my attention after all these years of learning.

Vocal technique issues around the interaction between vowels and consonants - the relationship they have when it comes to maintaining the feeling of support, the airflow to the source of the sound - continues to be a source of frustration for #singers.

Look at the info-graphic. It gives a clue as to why a smooth phrase in a song might be sprinkled with pebbles and boulders to trip us up. We need to pay just as much attention to the way in which consonants (always specific to the singer) might sabotage the flow of concentration and so lead to the idea of ‘drop-off’.

I post these visual thought-provoking info-graphics every week; they are a great way to make ME think as well. But within my online mentoring community, Virtually Vocalise, I go on to provide its members with a teaching video, where I expand the idea and give more substance to their learning. Further group conversation and sharing ensues.

Our resource library is growing. Drip, drip, drip.

Anyone can join us: http://www.littlesoprano.co.uk/virtuallyvocalise

[gillianwormley]

Don’t beat yourself up - learning is a process. Be patient, be kind and be methodical. Find an excellent teacher. 

[gillianwormley]

For #singers, this simple ‘connection’ idea can seem impossible to achieve. But, as a sequence of ideas, it is a MUST. Tap into it, get a feel for it and a whole new level of vocal possibility is revealed.

[gillianwormley]

Singers! It’s Technique-Tuesday and time for another vocal tip!

Want to see more tips? Check out this vocal technique Pinterest Board - or subscribe to my YouTube channel Vlog for more singing insights.

[gillianwormley]

A seasonal vocal tip for #singers

Improvement to the voice, spoken or sung, takes time. It requires expert guidance, patience and gentle, CONSISTENT pursuit. Know your vocal basics, explore them thoroughly and revisit them, often.

As a teacher, what more can I say? This is MUSIC to my teaching ears and heart. If any of this resonates with you and you too would like to get involved with any Little Soprano vocal activities, just click on the relevant links below:

Workshop Weekends at Dartington Hall: (Places are available for other weekend courses for singers March 10/11 2018, Oct 5-8 2018). Visit the webpage and make contact if you’d like to be involved.)

Tutti Workshops: next up, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Jan 20th 2018

Virtually Vocalise mentoring group: special introductory offer available.

Vocal Coaching: 1-1 teaching in studio or online.

Free online resources: vocal warm-up audio/video and MORE to get you started.

[gillianwormley]

Alexander Technique Directions

I love Sunday mornings; a chance to browse and allow my mind to graze...

One such snippet that continues to catch my attention, is this lovely, simple recipe from Mark Josefsberg about the logic of Alexander Technique, what he calls Alexander Technique Directions.

So pertinent for singing. And - for Life too.

I wish to free my neck ... so that

My head can move forward and up...so that

My torso can lengthen and widen and...

My legs can move away from my torso and...

My shoulders can release out the sides.

Alexander Technique postural directions act as verbal, or neuro-linguistc cues. They tell us where we want to go, which is often upward, outward, into expansion. Up, down, and out. Head up, feet or sit bones down, shoulders out, legs away...

[gillianwormley]

Knowing your Ps and Qs: An Alphabetical Festive Challenge

Feeling creative?

I've recently written and published The A-Z of Vocal Technique.

It's a catalogue of vocal dos and don'ts, listed alphabetically. I had great fun working through it, but have to confess to being stumped when it came to those obviously more tricky letters. Q for example - and K.

And X, Y and Z. 

I did persist, and in each case, settled on something that I liked. 

I've got a spare copy waiting for the first person to fulfills the criteria** I've posted below.

Little Soprano Festive Challenge:

Question: 

IF 

A is for AIRFLOW, B is for BREATH.

C is for CONNECTION, D is for DIAPHRAGM etc, etc

What, oh WHAT could 'X' be for?

ANSWER: 

X is for __________?

**The author of the finest and most original answer, will receive a complimentary copy of The A-Z of Vocal Technique. 

If tweeting your answer, use the hashtag: #techniquetipoftheday. Or you can find me on the Little Soprano Facebook page.

Closing date: 12 noon on 26 December 2013.