singing course: WEEK ONE

We're off! Thirteen singers in two weekly sessions dedicated to spending the next twelve weeks digging deep into singing, singing and more singing. I started this course with some goals (see below!)

What I knew was that, although I could create a 12 week structure, I would have to be open until I met the singers and heard what their goals were.

This Wednesdays we began our twelve week journey by setting some of those goals which arose including:

• Having a consistently strong voice throughout range (Yes! Let’s let go of ‘terms’ like head voice and chest voice and start to see it as ‘our voice’)
• Finding our true authentic voice.
• Fall back in love with singing
• Connect the voice to our emotions.
• Finding the strength and tone in the lower register not just the belt notes
• Accessing a softer tone and more bass resonance.
• Confidence in auditions
• Gaining control and understanding of mental blocks
• Harmony singing
• Consistency of singing to remove the fear of sporadic auditions.
• Acting through song
• Choosing the best repertoire!
• Getting a job!! 
  

This course isn’t about quick fixes. Although we will be using all those ‘magic tricks’ in my bag (and many more that I'm currently researching), I want to start this from the beginning so we understand WHY these things work. 

Thank you to all the singers for being so brave the first week. 
Here's the home work to reiterate the two fundamental components of singing: creating a steady stream of air support and letting go of tension (we'll look at exercises to really meet our resonators soon!)
There's a video below, (with my 18 month old singing herself to sleep in the back ground) or you can just follow these simple exercises:
1) Creating a steady stream of air support, feeling the connection to your body.
 - Do some long 'ssssh's,'
Feel where your breath connects to the body.
2) Add voice so it becomes, 'gzzz,' (see video for the sound, but you can also use zzzz or vvvv
Feel the sound connecting to your body
Feel the channel of vibrations through your body
Feel the connection of voice and sound
NOTE: Think 'or' not 'er" so your vocal tract stays nice and open.
3) Take this sound up, on scales or on a song, and retain the connection between your sound, your breath and your body. ​
NOTE: Observe that effort/muscularity in singing is not the same as tension.
4) Drop your jaw and let the sound become an unrestricted, 'or.'
- Loosen out your body: your wrists, your shoulders, your neck, jaw, tongue, walk around whilst keeping the continued energy of breath flow and the feeling of sound connecting to you body.
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