Have you performed on a commercial audio session and had your performance incorporated into the sound bed of a promotional music video for the track? If so, you may or may not know that as a Musicians’ Union member you are entitled, under the BPI/MU Agreement 2011, to a further payment from the...
The three-day rule is a magic formula used by some professionals over the past three decades. It’s a list of tips for exactly what you need to do and stay away from for three days before a show to ensure a solid vocal performance. You may want to do longer than three days, but at least three days...
It happens to everyone sooner or later: you hit a wall. In a few weeks, you’ll barely remember the whole ordeal, but when you’re staring at a blank piece of sheet music wondering where to start, the situation can seem pretty daunting. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just do away...
We are delighted to announce that the author of our new singing teacher training course will be at the Music Education Expo at Olympia in London on 25th and 26th of February. Please contact him directly to arrange to have a personal meeting with him to talk through the benefits and advantages in...
During a live gig, the relationship between the artist and audience is beyond that of simply performer and observer. Physically and emotionally, there’s little separation between both parties and a huge deal of direct interaction, both explicit and subliminal. Self-assurance is essential and,...
Pitch is certainly one of the Basics of Singing, and these pitching tips will help you to correct your pitching through the use of a variety of techniques involving some aural training as well as actual singing! When we sing in pitch, we are usually employing 3 kinds of techniques: Let us look at...
Yes, it is now 2016. Time to say goodbye to 2015, but of course we do have to be grateful for everything that we were given in the past year, and everyone who has helped us in 2015. For 2016, some of us would have set New Year’s resolutions, and these may include losing weight, getting our...
The boom in DAW software means that anyone can start recording vocals at home; you just need a vocalist, a computer, a mic and a little know how. Paul White, editor-in-chief of Sound on Sound magazine shares his tricks and tips for getting it right every time. Vocals are invariably the most important...
Vocal manipulation has become increasingly common in mainstream music as of late, with artists like Kanye West, the Weeknd, and Grimes leading the way. We’re giving Grammys to musicians who use autotune religiously – and it’s not because our expectations from vocalists are diminishing;...
On the local scene, the vocals are often an afterthought, barely touched on in rehearsals, under-mixed live and hurried in the studio. On the international scene, the singer IS the band. On top of this pressure, many performers are insecure. The prevailing, idiotic, mentality often imposed on singers...
All singers want their voices to sound better, stronger, more controlled, and professional, and of course we all want that bigger range. And yet, vocal training is usually something we only do when we’re first starting out. As a singer, your voice is your instrument. You should be working on improving...
1.Soften the Hard Surfaces. A recording studio is purpose built to record sound, whereas our homes aren’t. Hard surfaces reflect sound so the microphone might pick up, not only your vocal sound, but the reflections of this sound; “the room”. If you have a great acoustic in your room, you’re...
Singers – get a great basic background in Ear Training, this book certainly does give us value for money. Firstly, it is based on the Ear Training Curriculum of the renowned Berklee College of Music! Next, I find that the movable doh system taught in this book is highly useful, and I do practise...
This has got to be one of the most comprehensive books on singing for beginners that I have read. And trust me, I have read quite a few books on singing. The Dummies Guide To Singing covers a great deal of topics and also talks about singing on a level that is suitable for any layman to read and...
One of our My Singing Lessons students was singing one of his usual songs during class. However, he wanted to sing in a more edgy and powerful tone, and so I got him to make some adjustments to his singing. Almost immediately, i noticed that his pitching went slightly off key, and he was not really...
