The Engaging Performer

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Some possible tips to help:

1. Drinking lots of water is always good for the body.
2. Resting as much as possible before and after the performance is needed by the body.
3. Plan a concert that will have less stress—-maybe include instrumentals or just pacing your whole concert with less high energy songs.
4. Choosing to not engage with the audience before or after the performance will help you conserve energy that's needed for the performance.
5. Take time after a performance to rest again to fill up energy that was depleted. Give yourself permission to rest.
6. Utilize a foam roller or something else to stretch your body to help relieve tightness of pain.
7. When loading or unloading sound equipment or instruments, doing so in ways that create good alignment so your body doesn't get further injuries in the process.
8. Planning accompaniments with less busyness if you play an instrument and have pain is essential.
9. Not taking long gigs or many of them in one day to reserve your body's energy and ability to perform can be a great choice to make.
10. 10. Make sure that you have enough breaks in your concert—either between songs or between sets.

"Ultimately you want to have longevity in playing so you can't push your body—it will only get worse!"

"Lowering your expectations of how you perform…be okay with it. Give yourself grace. Because you can't perform at your best when you have pain."

Please rate/review this podcast wherever you listen!

Please feel free to share this podcast with others on social media.

Tag me when you do:

Facebook: @TaraBmusician

Instagram: @tarabrueskemusic

You can sign up here to join the monthly membership of The Singer's Feedback Zone:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/19

Some things you might notice when singing with a mask:

• You might feel claustrophobic
• You might feel lightheaded or hot
• You might feel like you are in high altitude
• Your mask might impair your ability to see everything below you
• You might have issues with your microphone picking up the sound

Some things to help:

1. Check that your alignment is stellar.
2. Focus on getting breaths that are super relaxed and not shallow—focus on your lower back muscles too.
3. Pace the breath and your phrases in a way that don't give out too much breath at first.
4. Take more breaths when you need them.
5. Change up a phrase/notes/rhythm to have enough energy for the song.
6. Remind yourself to not push/over sing.
7. Play your instrument more simply so as not to give so much energy to the instrument instead of your voice.
8. Don't panic because you feel like your breathing isn't normal.
9. Add instrumentals as songs so that all your songs are not you singing them.
10. 10. Drink enough water to sustain energy and keep lubricated.

Please feel free to share this podcast with others on social media.

Tag me when you do:

Facebook: @TaraBmusician

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Tara plays and sings some familiar Christmas songs that you too can sing along with or harmonize. This episode is a way for you to use your voice and give you practice on the concepts she and others have talked about on this show!

You can get your very own SINGING STRAW for yourself or someone else (as a gift) right here: http://bit.ly/Tarabsingingstraw

Just use code: tarab10 to get 10% off.

Here are the song today that you can sing along with:

1. Deck the Halls
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. Joy To The World
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. Silent Night

Please feel free to share this podcast with others on social media.

Also, you can find my music on my website here: https://tarabrueske.com/music

Tara chats today with singer Gina Morgano all about the singing voice—what ways we can learn to love it and nurture it. She gives her personal journey and then tells how you as a singer can start your journey in a way that will nourish it and cause it to thrive.

Here is where you are can get 50% off the vocal course by subscribing to this newsletter for singing! You will get the coupon code in the emails!

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60748022d4884b5199d615a8

The vocal course is also OPEN! Click here for access:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/12

Gina first fell in love with music by going to a ballet! She then started piano, later added other instruments and then fell in love with the voice after seeing musical theater at Interlochen. She knew deep inside that she wanted to be a musician.

"Each person here on earth matters. Your voice matters because you matter."

"You get to tell stories that matter and stories that make a positive impact." (Through singing)

Gina shares a distinction about taking care of her voice—through maintenance mode and then through training mode. Each is for a different season.

She also talks about what preconceived ideas singers have to break through to get to a healthy and easier way of singing.

She gives a break down of the 5 pillars of inner work that help singers for cultivating your voice:

1. Identity
2. Wellness
3. Growth
4. Collaboration
5. Service

Gina gives two books that can be helpful and inspirational to read for singers:

The Singing Athlete by Andrew Byrne

The Inner Voice by Renee Fleming

"Anything that's a practice is something that you do regularly, consistently and that you do it in a spirit of growth—that you are always looking to go deeper and discover new things."

"Practicing requires us to take an honest look at ourselves and that can be scary."

Gina gives us a wonderful planner to help us in our practicing—to make it fun and helpful and to progress with purpose!

You can find it here: https://www.ginamorgano.com/planner

She is also at IG and Facebook: @ginamorgano

Website: https://www.ginamorgano.com/

Her podcast is: https://www.ginamorgano.com/the-practice-parlour

Please feel free to share this podcast with others on social media.

You can tag me:

IG @tarabrueskemusic

Facebook @tarabmusician

Tara chats today about why it can be so wonderful to sing with others, whether it's a duo, trio, choir or something else. There are benefits to doing music with other people and this gives you some reasons why!

Here is where you are can get 50% off the vocal course by subscribing to this newsletter for singing! You will get the coupon code in the emails!

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60748022d4884b5199d615a8

The vocal course is also OPEN! Click here for access:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/12

My musical start was doing music with other people—my family!

"We become better musicians when we sing with other people."

"When you come together for creating harmony, that is music that can be so interesting and it holds your audience's attention."

Benefits to you as a musician when you sing with others:

1. It will give you better skills as a musician. You have to listen well to the other people.
2. If you are also playing together instrumentally with other musicians, you can learn skills to be less busy and simply add to the sound.
3. You can sing bouncing off each other with improvisation, adding to the uniqueness and learning how to create in the moment.
4. You can create tight harmonies which help you refine your ear for pitch.
5. When you pick and arrange songs, you have to do it for two or more people and it makes you have to create in a more unique way.
6. Singing with two or more people, especially choirs, you learn how to blend your voice to make it sound as one voice.

Singing with others can be like being on a team and learning how to work together musically.

Where can you find these opportunities to sing with others?

• Find other musicians and share a show with them, in person or online
• At a church, inquire whether there is a choir or worship team you could be a part of.
• In your community, there may be community ed offerings, choral societies or community theater.
• If you still can't find others, sing along with singers on the radio or where you listen to music!
• Do some duetting or remix reels on IG and TikTok

Please rate and review this podcast where you listen:

Chartable: https://chartable.com/podcasts/the-engaging-voice

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

Tara continues the final part three of delving into some basic definitions and terms that make up parts of singing. This week she focuses on the breath—the foundation behind the singing. She breaks down each part to give singers more confidence in exploring their own voice and the physical parts of their body that make up the singing voice.

If you haven't yet subscribed to her newsletter, now is the time so that you get 50% off the vocal course! Click here to sign up: (and you'll get a free PDF to start right off!)

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60748022d4884b5199d615a8

Her vocal course is also OPEN! Click here for access:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/12

What parts work with breathing?

Lungs, voice box, diaphragm, and the muscles surrounding the lungs.

(From Britannica online:)

The lungs maintain equilibrium of atmospheric air pressure.

Breath can be both voluntary and involuntary.

The Diaphragm:

A dome shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. It helps the lungs expand and contract.

Abdominal muscles help with exhalation and support—the transverse abdomenis and the obliques.

The Intercostal muscles surround the rib cage inside and outside: external, internal and innermost.

The lower back muscles: quadratus lumborum and the psoas major help with exhalation and allow the rib cage to drop lower. (From singwise.com The Anatomy of the Voice).

Please share this episode to your social media—either Instagram or Facebook. Tag me when you do:

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In this week's episode Tara speaks with pro music biz coaches Bree Noble and Katie Zaccardi all about the ways of exploring what skills you have as a singer and musician and then how you can turn it into teaching or coaching, adding to your income stream! They chat all about the ins and outs and finding ways to make it happen for you!

My vocal course is NOW OPEN! Click here for access:

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And if you want 50% off the course, click here to get on my newsletter:

How to know when you are ready to teach:

"It's hard to know until you try it." (Bree on knowing when to teach)

She says to get past imposter syndrome and be willing to acknowledge where you are at and then try it out to see if you enjoy it.

"I get lit up about teaching marketing and business." (Bree)

"There are a lot of things that you can teach that aren't necessarily singing…vocal performance…stage presence…" (Katie)

Katie talks about when people start to ask YOU questions about how to do something, that can be a catalyst to know you are ready.

How do you find your strengths:

1. Knowing what you enjoy and feel passionate about.
2. Looking at your own story that you have come through and could help others with.

How do people set themselves apart from others who are teaching:

By knowing your identity and your personal experience. Looking at your story and the things that are personal to you—example: being a mom or starting a career later. "You can attract them just by telling your story and talking about the struggles that you went through. They're really going to identify with that." (Bree)

What are some barriers to starting to teach:

Imposter syndrome—putting yourself out there—being willing to say that you can help.

People often think that the strategy is going to be the issue of starting to teach when really it's the mindset to take the leap and do it with confidence.

What are some aspects of teaching private lessons:

One-on-one or private can be the simplest way to start out and will give you the opportunity to see how you actually coach.

"One-on-one is great because you can meet your client where they are at." (Katie)

What are some aspects of teaching group lessons/classes:

In group coaching, they can learn from each other through someone else asking the questions that they needed.

Also, since people aren't at the same level, they can take the pieces they need and encourage each other. There is a lot of support that can happen.

"As artists, we are in such an island mentality..It's us against the world…we don't have other people around us that are understanding what we are going through…" (Bree)

What are ways to get students:

1. In person—referrals can be a great way to do it.
2. Virtual—you can target anyone anywhere. So you need to be showing up on social media, and connecting with others there. Also, leaning into your identity to help people find common connection points with you.

What are things to consider in setup of teaching:

Making it easy is the best way to start. Don't overthink. Don't get tripped up on the tech. Just do it.

Use a Facebook group, or do Zoom calls, or Muzie, Or host a course on Teachable, Kajabi, Membervault or other online hosts.

The most important thing is to:

Know what you are teaching, have a means to meet with your clients, have a way to reach your clients!

OUT TO LAUNCH program—opening doors the fall of 2021.

Here is the link to the free video series:

http://katiezaccardi.com/videoseries

http://profitablemusician.com/videoseries

You can follow Katie here: katiezaccardi.com

(IG) @katiezaccardi

The Out to Be Podcast

TikTok: Katie.zaccardi

You can follow Bree here: profitablemusician.com (podcast)

femusician.com (podcast

(IG) @profitablemusicianllc

Tara continues part two of delving into some basic definitions and terms that make up parts of singing. This week she focuses on the larynx itself—the voice box. She breaks down each part to give singers more confidence in exploring their own voice and the physical parts of their body that make up the voice.

My vocal course is NOW OPEN! Click here for access:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/12

Today we look at the Larynx—what is it?

It is also called the Voice Box and sits in the anterior neck.

The epiglottis is the valve that closes over the trachea when swallowing is needed. It lifts when breathing and phonation is done.

(From TEACHMEANATOMY.info)

The layrnx is made up of extrinsic and intrinsic muscles.

What are the extrinsic muscles?

• The suprahyoid and the infrahyoid group sets make up these muscles and attach to the hyoid bone.
• Ligaments bind these to the larynx itself, causing it to move as one whole.
• The suprahyoid raises the larynx and the infrahyoid muscles move it down.

What are the intrinsic muscles and what do they do?

• They control the shape of the opening (glottis) and the length and tension of the vocal folds themselves.

Cricothyroid—stretches and causes tension on the vocal ligaments—increases pitch

Thyroarytenoid—Relaxes the vocal ligaments—loosens and lowers pitch

Transverse and oblique cricoarytenoid—closes the arytenoid cartilages during exhalation—they act in a sliding motion. (The area at the middle of the vocal folds in the voice box looking down.)

Lateral cricoarytenoid—The adductors of the vocal folds—closes them—exhalation.

(Also how whispering is produced.)

Posterior cricoarytenoid—the abductors of the vocal folds—opens them—inhalation.

"It's more important if you simply remember the things that they (these intrinsic muscles) actually do."

Here is a link to see the video that shows these parts:

https://youtu.be/b89RSYCaUBo

Vocal folds themselves: They are attached at the front to the thyroid cartilage and at the back to the arytenoids.

They contain the vestibular folds and the vocal folds.

Vestibular folds: (false vocal folds)

They are the vestibular ligament covered by a mucous membrane and are pink. They are fixed folds.

Vocal folds: They are white in color and are controlled by the muscles to open/close, relax/tense.

"The beautiful part of this is that all of these muscles and ligaments are working together to create all the pitches and the actual sound of what's being produced."

Another video to watch to help you see how these work together:

https://youtu.be/f62dqc-L36o

On all the parts of the voice box and vocal tract combining together:

"When they do work together…it becomes effortless. It feels effortless."

Please share this episode to your social media—either Instagram or Facebook. Tag me when you do:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tarabrueskemusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaraBmusician

Tara delves into some basic definitions and terms that make up parts of the vocal tract and the sound. She breaks down each part to give singers more confidence in exploring their own voice and the physical parts of their body that make up their vocal tone.

My vocal course is NOW OPEN! Click here for access:

https://tarab.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/12

The vocal tract is a resonator tube that includes the throat, mouth and nose.

Johann Sundberg "The Acoustics of the Singing Voice" (Scientific American):

"The vocal tract is a resonator whose shape, which determines vowel sounds, is modified by changes in the position of the articulators."

"The vocal tract can change shape."

Pharynx—throat. Anything from where the vocal folds are housed on up to your neck.

Oral pharynx—mouth. The space in your mouth and includes your your articulators, your hard palate, your soft palate (velum) and your uvula.

Nasal pharynx—nose. Your nasal cavity and the area that goes down to your throat.

All three of these parts can change shape and thus can make the sound of your vocal tract different depending on each of the shapes of these parts.

The articulators are: lips, tongue, jaw

The hyoid bone is connected to the back of the tongue but it also sits right above the larynx so it can affect the voice box itself.

"As the parts of the vocal tract work together, combined with great breath support and going through those vocal folds themselves, that's what is producing our glorious unique sounds that each of us possess."

You can follow THE ENGAGING VOICE on the platform you listen on and you can share the episode on social media.

(Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Audible and PlayerFM too!! )

If you would take a moment, please go to Apple Podcasts or Amazon Audible to rate/review this podcast:

Amazon Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Engaging-Voice-Podcast/B08K5661QR

Apple Podcasts:

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

Tara interviews Valerie Gabail, an amazing classical French singer and teacher. Valerie shares her musical journey from child to adult, with giving us a glimpse into what it was like to have a vocal injury and how she moved through it into recovery and beyond.

Valerie was influenced to love music as a child through her father, who brought so many styles of music into their home.

In high school, Valerie had a jazz group music teacher who encouraged her to keep training because "she had a voice."

She performed classically through the years in a lot of places and some of her favorites were the Paris Opera and Taormina in Sicily.

One gentleman, Howard Crook took Valerie under his wings and was one of her early voice teachers that really helped her in many ways of encouragement. "I want to be as important for other people—encouragement, supporting them…"

• Valerie, while performing, in her early 30's injured her voice through a number of things going on in her singing. She sang way too much, had stage fright, was sick sometimes, had to travel often, didn't give herself time to recover and it affected her voice. They found nodules on her voice and she was losing her range. She didn't need an operation but had so many avenues of her singing that needed addressing because they weren't healthy.
• Valerie reassessed her technique, her psychological approach to singing, and more. She utilized different specialists to address her posture, her jaw, her tongue and other physical aspects. She also worked through some of her speech itself—including the pitch of where she spoke. She also worked with a teacher who introduced her to the the Swedish/Italian school of music.

Here is the method and its main features and history:

https://vocalwisdom.com/swedishitalian-school/

The teacher she works with is David Jones https://www.voiceteacher.com/biography.html

"Being aware of the anatomy and how the instrument functions is so important."

Valerie gives some great tips to keep your voice from getting injured:

1. Good technique/good teacher is so important.
2. Daily lifestyle of your vocal health.
3. Psychological aspect of being happy in your career.

One of the bigger issues that Valerie sees in her students is this:

• They dissociate the spoken mode from the singing mode.
• "Singing opera is crying in pitch." By Stanislavski

Here are some tips for long term singing from Valerie:

• Having a good teacher and carrying on with the technique
• Have a healthy lifestyle
• Knowing yourself and surrounding yourself with those who support you
• Being in the process of your singing and being okay with not always being consumed by the end game—being in the "NOW" moment

Her website is:

https://www.valeriegabail.com

You can follow THE ENGAGING VOICE on the platform you listen on and you can share the episode on social media.

(Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart radio, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Audible and PlayerFM too!! )

If you would take a moment, please go to Apple Podcasts or Amazon Audible to rate/review this podcast:

Amazon Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Engaging-Voice-Podcast/B08K5661QR

Apple Podcasts:

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

You can find me: @tarabrueskemusic on IG and

TaraBrueskeMusic on Facebook!