The Engaging Performer

Do you wish that it was easier for you to improvise while you sing? Do you wish you had the tools to know what to do to make up parts for your singing? Are you a classical singer who isn't sure how to do cadenzas? In this episode, Tara breaks down improvisation and makes it simple even for the beginner.

Improvisation for singing can really be broken down to two different types of music—classical and popular.

Classical Music:

There is ornamentation such as grace notes, turn arounds, trills, or a slides.

Then there are cadenzas—a chance to make up your singing on a fermata hold.

You get to show off your voice by using ornamentations as well as arpeggios, chromatic scales or jumps. Once you make up a cadenza that you like, you can also write it out so you have it for every time you sing the song.

"Improvisation does not have to be complicated!"

Popular Music:

(Includes any kind of genre like rock, folk, country, pop, jazz, etc)

You may use something like running two notes together, doing a turn around, slides, etc

• Scat singing: This is where a singer tries to imitate an instrumental soloist. They use nonsense syllables and many different syncopated rhythms. If you know theory and the makeup of chords, it helps with knowing what notes are available to you at any given moment.
• You can also start with the actual melody and see what are the original notes. Then you can put them in a different order or a different rhythm. Or you can use just some of the notes.
• Even in pop music, you have more options. With the rhythms and melody, you could keep it simple by picking some of the notes and doing a simpler rhythm than the original melody.

"You still want to make sure you have the melody of the song" (even with improvisation)

The last thing to know is that listening to other great singers to gain ideas will help immensely with learning improvisation. Listen for how they add improv to their singing.

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Today's show is all about figuring out how to pick songs that best fit your voice. Sometimes we sing a song that doesn't match what our voice can do. Tara shows you 7 ways to get it right so you can thrive in your performing.

Resources for you for getting sheet music online:

sheetmusicplus.com and musicnotes.com

Resources for apps that can be for accompanying you sing:

Appcompanist

iRealPro

Helps for picking songs:

1. Look at the range of the total song.
2. Tessitura—the pitch range that frequently occurs throughout the piece
3. The Genre of music—some genres require different qualities in a voice.
4. Flexibility vs holding out slow and steady—lyrical voices usually are able to be very flexible while dramatic voices are able to allow a sound to be full when it's super slow.
5. Syncopation vs Straight Rhythm—Figuring out what rhythms best fit your voice.
6. Key of a song—checking the lowest and highest note to make sure it fits your range comfortably
7. Singing in another language: If you know another language or an easily pronounce other languages, these might fit you.

If you still can't decide on a good song for you, pay attention to how your audience responds to the songs you sing.

"Take note of the songs that really move them (the audience)."

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You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

In today's episode, we focus on the concept of resonance in singing. Does everyone have it? What is it and why is it needed in singing? What does it do for the singer? How can we find it? Tara gives you the low down and some exercises to boot for getting resonance!

Definition of Resonance (according to the dictionary)

"(of sound) "deep, clear and continuing to sound or ring"

Also "the quality in a sound of being deep, full and reverberating".

Why is resonance important?

1. The ability to bring "life" to the voice.
2. The ability to fill a room without amplification.
3. It creates a consistency in the tone of the voice throughout the vocal range.

"The vocal tract is the resonator!"

"The uniqueness of our voices starts all the way with each person's unique physical make up of their body."

Why do some people have resonance and some have less?

• It can depend on how they send breath and where they are sending it or holding it.

Resonance will give us that volume and tone without creating added pressure to the vocal folds themselves.

Exercises for Finding and Creating Resonance:

• Hum 1-3-5-4-2-7-1
• Blow out like blowing out a candle, then sing "oo" 5-4-3-2-1. The higher you get you can switch to "ah"
• Zing-ah 5-5——4-3-2-1

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You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

In today's episode, Tara chats with Anne-Sofie Søby Jensen—a Danish singer. They speak about how Anne-Sofie's musical trek took her from Denmark to the UK and the journey of really learning to own and love who she is as a singer. Her story may inspire any singer who struggles with comparison and trying to find their own niche in singing.

• Anne-Sofie grew up in a small village in Denmark in a family where piano music was often hear.
• Her parents were both pianist and she took piano lessons first from her grandmother. It set the stage for her music.
• Anne-Sofie also took part in some drama and theater in her teen years. During that time, the had a teacher who encouraged her to study classical music, thinking that her voice was be a perfect fit.
• This teacher (whom she had at 14) was super supportive of Anne-Sofie's singing and helped her learn the art of becoming an expressive singer.
• When she met other teens in the classical world of music, her comment was: "I didn't know that you could be a cool teenager having a normal teenage life and still sing classical."

In her pre Academy days, she gained a love for oratorio through a workshop put on by an organist and choral conductor. It made her delve into Baroque music more and learn to love it.

She did end up going to the Royal Danish Academy of Music and after some time there, felt stuck. But another teacher—a guest professor—helped her understand her voice better and encouraged her to pursue new things. This was Professor Susan McCulloch from the UK.

So, Anne-Sofie took the leap and moved to the UK in 2017.

Some of the hardships she struggled with as a singer was simply comparing herself to other singers. Once she acknowledged that her voice was not a lyric mezzo but more of a lower mezzo/contralto, she found more joy.

"Finally realizing and honoring that has given me a freedom to sing the repertoire that I feel fits me. And not to feel that I have to press myself into a box that I don't have to fit in."

In her freedom, she could do this: "I decide what I want to do. I don't have to do an audition…"

She also has been influenced by the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.

On singing and performing, she loves this: "It's the way that we can move other people."

She also has found so much life in allowing herself to "play".

"Letting go of everything and getting back that joy and of singing through 'messing around'. "

Her final advice to singers is this: "Stop comparing yourself to others. Own who you are."

You can find Anne-Sofie at these places to follow:

Instagram: @annesofiesoeby

TikTok: @annesofiesoeby

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ansomezzo

Website: www.annesofiejensen.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8hMAMe7TbLNQSwBXrJOqg

Remember also friends, that **THE SINGING STRAW** is now available for you right here: http://lddy.no/f7zu

You can get 10% off with my code: tarab

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to: www.theengagingvoice.com You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

On today's show, Tara dives into something that probably every singer has faced at some point of their career—being nervous right before you sing! She gives 10 solid and practical helps for what to do to overcome those pesky nerves!

"Nerves can be a combo of fear and excitement."

Getting nervous often starts in our brain and the perception we have of what's going to happen when we sing. Lots of thoughts run through our head that make us feel afraid.

How do we calm our bodies when we are nervous?

10 Practical tips to help you with nerves:

1. Check in with yourself—ask yourself what you are afraid of? "If you're okay with 'making mistakes is human', your audience will be ok with it too!"
2. Be prepared. Have a plan for your concert or audition. "Being prepared lets your body take over naturally with stress."
3. Come early. Way less stress because you can assess the situation.
4. Eat some protein. Helps your body with energy.
5. The day before you sing, hydrate your body with drinking lots of water.
6. Research your audience. Find out what you can about whom you are singing for.
7. Take the time to meet someone in the room before you sing.
8. Find a smiley person in the room!
9. If you have been hired to sing at a concert, remember that someone believes you can already do it!
10. 10. Remember that you have music to give to others. Focus on them.

You can get my free vocal resources and highlights of podcast episodes by signing up right here on my website:

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For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to:

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We've talked often on this show about the health of our voice and the technique behind it. Today, Tara dives into the other parts of our life that can affect our vocal health and what to do about it. This includes foods to eat, those to avoid and other practices that we can add to our lives to keep our voices going strong.

Building our immune system through:

• Exercise
• Good sleep
• A relaxed mindset
• Supplements
• Finding foods that don't cause extra or thick mucus to our voices.

Mucus can be heathy for our vocal tract and cords if it is clear and thin.

What are foods that cause extra mucus?

• Dairy
• Eggs
• Bread, Pasta, Cereal
• Bananas
• Cabbage, Potatoes, Corn and corn products
• Soy products
• Anything with refined sugar—so any sweet desserts
• Drinks with caffeine—soda, coffee, tea
• Alcoholic drinks
• Fried foods

The foods that can strip healthy mucus are oranges and orange juice.

Foods that keep phlegm away:

• Spices like ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, chamomile, turmeric
• Meat like salmon, tuna, sardines, flounder, chicken
• Fruits you can have—lemons, limes, pineapple, grapefruit, watermelon, apples
• Beverages—decaf tea, herbal tea, chicken broth
• Pumpkin, seeds, watercress, celery, pickles, cucumbers, onions
• Raw honey, especially Manuka honey

More helps for your voice:

• Cool mist humidifier
• Neti Poti for sinus cleansing
• Gargle with warm salt water
• Room temp water
• Vocaleze products
• Eucalyptus Oil
• Watch how you are talking—pay attention to not straining and take enough breaths. No vocal fry either.

You can get VOCALEZE products right here!

Get your 15% off through my link: http://vocaleze.refr.cc/tarabrueske

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to: www.theengagingvoice.com

You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

Tara pivots this week to chat specifically to voice teachers who have been affected by this COVID-19 time. She looks at different ways to help teachers transition into online teaching smoothly and with practical helps to get started.

Online teaching can be a blessing to students who need the consistency and structure. It's a way to continue that and the continuity with "seeing" your student and feeling connected to them.

But it also can more time consuming for the teachers themselves.

Platforms that you can teach online:

1. Zoom. https://zoom.us/
2. Skype. https://www.skype.com/en/
3. Facetime for iPhone or iMac users
4. Google Hangouts is for Android users
5. Facebook Messenger
6. MeetFox https://meetfox.com/en/features/

In your actual teaching: check angle, lighting and if you can see and hear each other comfortably. Be near your piano as well. Make sure you are planning out their lesson fully with all the tools they will need.

How to prep accompaniments for students:

• Create mp3's and send to student
• Find Youtube karaoke videos
• Apps that can be for accompanying: The Accompanist App, Piano Trax app

You will also need copies of their music—scanned photos or pics from their phones.

You will want to teach from a desktop, laptop or Ipad/Tablet.

For scheduling, you can use these apps:

Calendly —https://calendly.com/

Acuity--https://www.acuityscheduling.com/

For taking payments:

1. Paypal
2. Stripe
3. Venmo
4. Cash App
5. Zelle
6. MeetFox—through Stripe or PayPal

Bandzoogle is a great website if you don't have one set up yet:

https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r4d3c4

If students need an app for practicing, I highly recommend the Modacity App!

**THE SINGING STRAW is now available for you right here:

http://lddy.no/f7zu

You can get 10% off with my code: tarab

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to: www.theengagingvoice.com

You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

Music Artist and Voice teacher Whitney Cytryn shares today all about the company she founded called The Singing Straw. She show us how this tiny straw tool can change the ways that we take care of our voices—both for singers and for speakers. Whitney teachers us how a straw/straws can help our singing be easier, more efficient and very healthy!

• In her early years, Whitney had no interest in being a teacher—she just wanted to be a singer.
• In her 20's she found a teacher she connected with in contemporary styles that helped lead her into her own teaching.
• Part of the reason she developed The Singing Straw was because of touring and noticing that her voice seemed tired often.
• Dr. Ingo Titze influenced her in her knowledge of straw phonation and how it would help the voice.

On another tour Whitney was on, she said this about using a straw: "I was using a straw on my warmups and my cool down and I was noticing that it was helping keep me less fatigued and it was helping me warmup quicker."

On using a straw in general: "With partially obstructed airflow comes back pressure."

"It allows you to carry less tension and sing efficiently."

++++++Songbird Studios was started by Whitney and her husband in California to help other singers with their vocal journey. They now have 3 different studios.

Different ways that The Singing Straw can help a singer/speaker:

1. With fatigue in voices
2. Warmup/cool downs
3. Balancing a mixed voice
4. Reduce tension in a belt
5. Increase flexibility for riffing

What's important in the Singing Straw is its diameter of 3mm and that there are 3 straws!

• Using a variety of 3 straws allows the singer to have more or less resistance, depending on the day and how they feel
• The 3mm size is considered the best size in research that can help with the voice and the back pressure

The Singing Straw is wonderful not only for singers but for speakers as well. Any job where the voice is used often can benefit from using the Singing Straw!

You can find Whitney at both Songbird Studios: https://songbirdsf.com

Or The Singing Straw: https://singingstraw.com

You can also find her at Instagram: @singingstraw

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDae_BabRlw9bIr7ysxBSqA

AND…..

**THE SINGING STRAW is now available for you right here:

http://lddy.no/f7zu

You can get 10% off with my code: tarab

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to: www.theengagingvoice.com

You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

Music Therapist, Sandra Holten, talks with Tara about the use of auditory tools that help with some of life's physical disabilities, including the voice. The brain is used to bypass some of these ailments and therefore create change for those who struggle daily. "The brain is our big motherboard", she says. This approach is educating the brain but melds the traits in music with physical action. Listen to this eye-opening revelation!

• Music Therapy (MT) has biblical history with David calming Saul with music. In the 1940's the VA system used it for soldiers who were shell-shocked.

• MT is: Using music to bring about non-musical goals. Looking at music scientifically aids in bringing physical results.

• Music affects the brain and MT helps the science evolve..

• The brain can compute music into walking using the external and innate cue of rhythm and will awaken the motor system which is not affected by the disability.

• In Parkinson's there is smallness of movement, stiffness, monotone including vocal folds.

• EXERCISES: "Bboo! Bboo!!" / Minnie Pearl "Howdee!" / Lip buzzing. Alternate between talking and singing. Emphasis on individual words. Pace of words.

• MT offers HOPE that you can DO things in the struggle. It gives TOOLS.

Here are some practical things to do: Sing! Join a choir! Karaoke!

References:

www.nmtacademy.co or musictherapy.org

Email Sandi directly: [email protected]

(Sandra Holten, MT-BC, Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow at Struthers Parkinson's Center – Park Nicollet.)

**THE SINGING STRAW is now available for you right here:

http://lddy.no/f7zu

You can get 10% off with my code: tarab

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to:

www.theengagingvoice.com

You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465

Today is an episode where YOU get to sing. Whether you are on your way to audition, warming up to sing in a choir, or doing cool downs after singing at a gig, this episode will be perfect for your voice to keep up optimum health! Tara includes SOVT's, vocalises for flexibility, and a special blend of exercises for maximum effect on maintaining a strong, rich, sonorous voice.

Exercises that are SOVT:

1. Straw exercise: 1-3-5-4-2-7-1-3-5-4-2-7-1
2. Lip buzz or rolled r's: 1-5-1 (slides)
3. Hums: 1-3-5-8-7-5-4-2-1 (slowly at first then speed up)

Easy vocalizing exercises:

1. 5-4-3-2- (zing zing zing zing) 1-3-5-3-1 (zee—ee—much faster)
2. Oo 1-2-3-4-5-3-1
3. Yodel—ah: 1-5-3-8-5-3-1

bah—ah or bah bah bah, etc

Flexibility

1. 1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6-1-7-1-8 and then back down on an "ah"
2. Sing "ee" on half scale, then full scale, then scale plus arpeggio back down 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2 etc.

Synthezied blends of staccato/legato:

1. Ha ha 1-3-5-3-1-4-6-4-1-3-5-3-1-4-6-4-1-3-5-3-1

(staccato) (legato). (staccato)

11. Ya 1———2-3-4-5-6-7-8—5—1

Ha ha ha

12. 5—3—1-3-5-8-7-5-4-2-1

Mm—ah………ha ha ha ha ha

**THE SINGING STRAW is now available for you right here:

http://lddy.no/f7zu

You can get 10% off with my code: tarab

For more info about this episode and to hear other episodes, go to:

www.theengagingvoice.com

You can find this and other episodes at Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart radio, and Apple Podcasts.

Please go to Apple Podcast and click on RATINGS AND REVIEWS to rate this podcast. I would be so grateful! Thank you!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engaging-voice/id1448497465