The Intelligent Vocalist

In this episode, John Henny interviews Leigh McRae, a 30-year veteran of the music industry as a singer, actor, songwriter, vocal coach and recording artist. They discuss Leigh’s journey as a singer, the influence of his professional experience on his teaching, and the importance of consistent vocal habits and skills. They also touch on the challenges performers face, the impact of the pandemic on singers, and the importance of maintaining vocal health and technique. Leigh shares his daily regimen for vocal maintenance and emphasizes the need for preparation and conditioning in order to achieve consistency in singing.

Episode highlights:

• Consistent vocal habits and skills are crucial for successful singers, and they require regular practice and refinement.
• Performers need to be prepared for the demands of their profession, including the challenges of touring and maintaining vocal health.
• Maintaining vocal health and technique requires a daily regimen and a mindset of readiness for performance.

You can learn more about Leigh McRae at leighmcrae.com and vocalmastery.com

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny shares his own experiences of waiting for the right time to work on projects and emphasizes the importance of taking action and starting now. Time is limited, and waiting for the perfect moment is a fantasy. The right time doesn’t exist, and if you wait for that, you’ll never get started.

Episode highlights:

• There is never a perfect time to work on your voice, so start now.
• Successful musicians like the Beatles had a strong work ethic and didn't wait for inspiration or the right time.
• Even if you can't afford private lessons, there are affordable or free resources available to improve your voice.
• Time is limited, so make the most of it and appreciate your current circumstances.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John shares a story of a student who was afraid to bring new information to their teacher. The need for trust and open communication in the student-teacher relationship is especially crucial when it comes to the voice. The role of the teacher is a guide, and it is important to take control of your own voice and education. He encourages students to question their teachers and bring in outside information, while also respecting the expertise and guidance of their teacher.

Episode highlights:

• Trust and open communication are essential in the student-teacher relationship.
• Students should feel comfortable bringing new information and questions to their teacher.
• It is important to find a teacher who is open to new information and willing to discuss and explore different approaches that align with your vocal needs and goals.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny discusses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning to sing, and the potential benefits and challenges of AI. He explains how he uses AI, particularly ChatGPT, to train and have conversations with custom AI models. He also explores the future possibilities of AI in voice teaching and learning. John encourages listeners to embrace AI as a tool for learning and expanding their knowledge.

Episode highlights:

• AI has the potential to make focused voice instruction more accessible to a wider audience.
• The human element and connection in voice teaching will continue to be valuable and sought after, even with the advancements of AI.
• AI can be a valuable tool for learning and expanding knowledge, but it should be used with caution and critical thinking.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John shares the story of his mother, who decided to learn piano in her 80s and how it has improved her musical abilities. John emphasizes the importance of audiation skills for singers and how learning a fixed instrument like piano or ukulele can enhance these skills. He also highlights the impact of rhythm and phrasing on vocal performance and the benefits of playing an instrument for singers.

Episode highlights:

• Learning an instrument can enhance audiation skills for singers.
• Rhythm and phrasing are crucial for vocal performance.
• Playing a fixed instrument like piano or ukulele can improve musicality and musicianship.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John explains that the spotlight effect is a cognitive bias that leads us to believe that we are being noticed more than we actually are. This can hinder our progress and make us afraid of taking risks and making mistakes. John shares personal experiences from his own life to illustrate the importance of taking risks and embracing failure in order to grow and improve. He encourages us to change our perspective, understand that the fear of failure is unfounded, and invest in ourselves to become better singers.

Episode highlights:

• Taking risks and embracing failure are essential for growth and improvement as a singer.
• Performing in live situations and recording in professional studios provide valuable learning experiences.
• Investing in ourselves, seeking professional help, and practicing regularly are key to becoming better singers.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny talks about honoring and nurturing your natural gifts in singing. We need both natural talent and hard work to achieve success in singing. John shares examples of singers with natural ability who have also put in the work to develop their skills, and he encourages singers to embrace their unique gifts and work hard to refine and share them with others.

Episode highlights:

• Natural talent alone is not enough to achieve success in singing; hard work and training are also necessary.
• Singers with natural ability should not take their gifts for granted and should work even harder to refine their skills.
• Developing a strong work ethic is crucial for singers who may not have natural talent but can surpass others through dedication and effort.
• Artistry in singing is not just about having a perfect voice; it also involves developing one's unique gifts and using them to create meaningful music.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny discusses the uniqueness of each voice, and encourages singers to reflect on why they sing and what brings them joy. He explores the concept of limitations and how to work within them while following your natural gifts. Be honest, and check in regularly with yourself about what truly makes you happy as a singer.

Episode highlights:

• Reflect on why you sing and what brings you joy in order to stay motivated.
• Recognize and work within your limitations as a singer.
• Focus on a narrow lane of expertise and develop your natural gifts.
• Regular self-reflection is important to understand what truly makes you happy as a singer.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny explains that while it is helpful to group similar things together to understand complex skills, it becomes problematic when we assume that similar things are the same. The physical and acoustic aspects of different vocal modes and how they relate to chest voice, head voice, and mix are often misunderstood.  It is important to constantly refine our approach to singing and be aware of the nuances and subtleties of our own voice.

Episode highlights:

• Grouping similar things together helps us understand complex skills, but assuming they are the same can be problematic.
• Vocal registers, such as chest voice, head voice, and mix, have both physical and acoustic aspects.
• As we age and our voice changes, we need to constantly refine our approach to singing.
• Every note in our voice is its own register, and it's important to treat them differently.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com

In this episode, John Henny discusses the impact of social media on our focus and attention. He warns about the addictive nature of platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, and how they can consume our time and mental energy. John emphasizes the importance of reclaiming our focus and taking control of our time by limiting our use of social media. By doing so, we can have more time and mental clarity to focus on our passions, such as singing.

Episode highlights:

• Social media platforms can be addictive and consume our time and mental energy.
• It is important to be mindful of the content we consume on social media and the impact it has on our focus and attention.
• Removing social media apps from our phones and limiting our use can help us reclaim our focus and have more time, energy, and mental clarity for our passions, like singing.

To learn more about John Henny, his best-selling books, on-line courses, Voiceschool.com featuring his Teaching Team of Experts, Speaker Training and the Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, visit: JohnHenny.com