4 Things to Follow When You are Learning to Sing

A lot of people want to be singers. It is an outlet for everything you feel. It is a stress buster, an emotional medium and an activity you can just have fun doing it. However, it requires skill, preparation and correct knowledge to fully utilise your vocal cords and be the professional you have always dreamed of. Here are some of our tips and guidelines to help you become a professional vocalist.

1. Practicing

Make sure you warm up your voice early in the morning and do all the necessary vocal exercises, as it is the time of the day when you have the most energy, your voice is strongest and can access your full capabilities. Make a habit of doing this regularly and you will see the difference in just a few weeks. Your vocal cords are a sensitive instrument, it can be really affected by simple cold, sore throat, fatigue and will suffer if you overdo it.  So take care of it, and practice early in the morning to get the most efficiency out of your voice.

2. Pitch Reference

If you know an instrument like the keyboard or the guitar, it will help you out a lot when you are singing as it will help you identify the pitch that you have to sing and also give you the idea about when to change your pitch. However if you don't, you can use recommended products to help keep a pitch reference audio when you are singing. Nowadays you have a number of free apps for pitch reference, but knowing an instrument can really amplify your singing ability.

3. Listening

A good professional musician has excellent listening skills. If you develop the skill of listening to music and relating it with the music theory knowledge, you will then able to reach the full potential of your voice. You could use this understanding to improve your vocal range,  apply the right techniques based on genres and to create melodies or tunes. Listen to as many different genres of music as you can to expand your knowledge about music and different techniques which can help you become a better vocalist and musician.

4. Eating Right

For vocalists, it is very important to regulate your food/drink intake. Control and carefully choose what you are eating or drinking to maintain the best quality in the texture and tone of your voice. While we don’t recommend completely cutting out your favourite friend foods or ice creams, taking it in moderation is key. Avoid cold things like ice cream and drinks, oily foods and foods that give you acid reflux, if you have to sing or perform in couple of hours. There are various other drinks that really help your cords, one such example is a drink made of Tulsi (Holy Basil), Turmeric, Honey and Warm Water. Although it taste bitter it really helps your cords to soothe down. You can always ask your mentor the do's and don'ts before your performance but these are the few ones you should know. Don't eat very heavy food, avoid too much spices and most importantly rest your voice before a performance. However, do ensure you warm up 30-45 minutes before your show/performance to prepare your voice to deliver its best.

These points should you give you a head start into becoming a professional vocalist or singer. Learn, Understand and Practise each of these tips regularly to see an improvement in your vocal range, capability and performance ability.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

4 Things to do Before You Record Vocals In A Studio

Recording in a studio can be sometimes intimidating as the whole process of doing it is quite different from how you would approach when recording at home. Especially, for vocalists, they can end up sounding completely different from what they might have imagined that they sound like. But one can always prepare to get the best out of your voice and studio time and here is how: 

1. Preparation

You must practice a lot before you head to the studio. Try to understand and correct the mistakes you have been doing while singing your part. You can record yourself (even on a phone) and listen to it, figuring out the mistakes and parts you need to work on and certain pronunciation that you might be struggling to get it out on the record. Clarity in your delivery of the song plays an important role in the quality of the output. Also, practice on delivering your phrases with emotion as it can give colour and weight to your voice which will help you get the sound you are looking for in recording. Also, it is vitally important that you do vocal warm-ups before you start recording as you want your best voice to be recorded.

2. Understanding your voice

Voices have different qualities, textures and ranges. You must have heard the terms like Soprano, Tenor, Alto, Bass which basically tells the voice type you have.Then there are other factors like the raspiness or the hint of nasal in your voice. All of these has its own charm, thus to get the best out of the type of voice you possess, there are different approaches you can take in the studio. So, understand the type of voice you have so that you can give an idea to the sound engineer - this also allows him to do what he must to get the best vocal recording out of you. Do a rehearsal and brief them about the type of sound your want to get out of your vocal range.

3. Knowing the Microphones

There are different type of microphones which functions differently due to its build. For vocals, there are mainly Condenser and Dynamic microphones. 

Condenser microphones usually captures the room sound and subtle nuances of vocalist’s voice, making it sound organic. Most studios prefer condenser microphones as it does the work of recording voices very well with defined high and low ends. However, there are certain rules one must follow when using a condenser microphones, like the distance of your mouth from the mic should be around 15-20 cms. Eg. Neumann TLM 102

Dynamic microphones pick up lesser room noise and cuts off the sibilance. They work well with voices that have brighter tones in their upper range or those who tend to use their nasal voice. Dynamic microphones are flexible and durable as compared to condenser microphones. Eg. Shure SM57, SM58. Sometimes, if there is raspiness and lot of lows in a voice, we can also use the combination of both the microphones. But it always helps when you know and understand these microphones and confidently use your voice on it. 

Even under these types, there are different models and brands of microphones that respond differently to different qualities of voices, however all that depends on their availability in the studio. All the good studios would keep the best options of microphones and provide you with the one that will work best for you. It also helps to call ahead or check out the studio's website for more information on their equipment. 

4. Preventing Vocal fatigue

Your vocal cords are a sensitive instrument. You can quickly lose your voice if you overdo certain things. Vocal fatigue is a common issue amongst singers but there are techniques you can learn to preserve your voice. 

Stay hydrated with water, avoid fizzy and sugary drinks, don’t overdo your vocal exercises and most importantly rest your voice regularly. If you have a recording scheduled in a day or two, make sure you don’t strain your voice too hard, just ease into warm-ups and vocal exercises, make sure you have a light meal before you are entering the studio and always keep a bottle of water with you. 

Live a healthy schedule, and give yourself a sleep of at least 7-8 hours, keep your oral hygiene clean - all of this will help you develop your voice in the right way.

In summary, studio time is precious and expensive. Make sure you are well prepared before you go into a studio so that you get the most bang for your buck and the best sound out of your voice.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company with Music 

Education spaces, Jam Room and Recording studio 

based out of Whitefield, Bangalore, India. 

BlueTimbre also provides complete end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

Understanding Vocal Vibrato

Several beginner or amateur singers often question the need for Vibrato. So, what is Vibrato and what is the Importance of Vibrato?

"Vibrato" is the modulation of pitch in the voice.

It's a soft, narrow, rapid fluctuation of the pitch of the notes while singing.

"Tremolo" is the modulation of volume in the voice.

Using real tremolo in singing is not a standard technique

Singing with vibrato is something that many professional singers learned to do in the era before amplification was invented and became widespread and practical (in all the years before about 1925). The idea of singing with a band without vibrato, which used to be called crooning (that was originally a derisive term) only became practical if you assumed the use of a microphone and amplification on stage, or in the case of recording the singing voice in a recording studio.

Vibrato is essential to operatic singing because using vibrato is part of the technique which enables a solo singer to be heard, unamplified, singing with a 40 piece orchestra in front of an audience of 2,000 people. Using vibrato also enables a singer to sing very loud and project clearly for a considerable amount of time without fatiguing or injuring the voice. You can't do that without vibrato.

Of course some pop singers who do not use vibrato develop a permanently raspy, weak voice (think Tom Petty or Bob Dylan). They like it that way, and some way or another they learn how to keep using their voice that way. It is different with every singer; they each develop their own technique and sound which works for them.

Healthy vibrato can be achieved in a rather short period of time. Usually the time factor is dependent upon the singer's mind/body coordination. Some singers have more of a connection to their body than others. any singer can achieve a properly regulated and even vibrato with concentration, proper instruction, and by embracing the process rather than the result. Patience is a most important aspect while training and balancing vocal production.

BlueTimbre is a Music Company with Music Education spaces, Jam Room and Recording studio located in Whitefield, Bangalore, India. BlueTimbre provides complete end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running structured businesses, music curriculum development, music education and performance.

Source: 

https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/29355/what-is-the-importance-of-vocal-vibrato

http://www.voiceteacher.com/vibrato.html

How to Sight Sing Efficiently

What Is Sight Singing?

Sight singing is sight reading for singers. When singers sight read, they need to think about three factors at once:

    •      The rhythm

    •      The pitches

    •      The words

Rhythm, Pitches, Words

When you practice sight reading, words are not very important; sing “la la la” if you have to. Pitches, while important, are not as important as the rhythm in sight singing. If you sing the wrong pitches and the right rhythm, you’ll know exactly where you are in the music and be able to catch yourself, even if it sounds bad. If you sing the wrong rhythm, on the other hand, you’re in danger of losing your place in the music and having to stop.

Orient Yourself

Check out the key signature. What key are you in? Is it a major or minor key? How many beats are in each measure? Is there a tempo marking?

Scan

Quickly scan the piece to root out surprises. Is it in mixed meter? Are there tempo changes? Any hidden high notes? This is all helpful information.

Get Your Note

Play the opening chords, or at least your first note, on a piano. The more information you and your ears have, the better.

Tap the Beat

Establish the beat for yourself by tapping it on your leg or collarbone. This will help you stay in rhythm when things get crazy.

Think Solfege

If you know what key you’re in, you should know where the movable ‘do’ is If you know where ‘do’ is, identifying ‘so’ and other key notes becomes easier. Thinking in solfege helps many singers sight read more accurately.

BlueTimbre is a Music Company with Music Education spaces, Jam Room and Recording studio located in Whitefield, Bangalore, India. BlueTimbre provides complete end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running structured businesses, music curriculum development, music education and performance.

Source: 

http://www.jamminwithyou.com/nyc/musicblog/topic/sight-reading

http://takelessons.com/blog/sight-singing-practice-z02