Vocal Advancement Podcast

Being aware of your body and how it affects the way you can use your voice is a skill every performer needs. That’s why Chris Johnson, vocal coach and co-host of the popular podcast “The Naked Vocalist”, emphasizes the use of Feldenkrais, an exercise therapy that improves motor performance through body movement exercises.

By incorporating movement exercises into his voice lessons, Johnson helps his students become more aware of how certain positions affect their breathing and voice. This not only improves their singing but also influences the way their stage scenes are choreographed to optimize their voice and movement.

We chatted with Chris Johnson to learn more about his approach to voice lessons. We also learned more about his own performance career, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing for then-Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Chris even shared his thoughts on how to host a successful podcast and the importance of letting yourself “find your groove.”     

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1.    How Chris learned movement could be used as a diagnostic tool for singing 02:17

2.    The benefits of learning how your body affects your singing 05:53

3.    How Chris determines which Feldenkrais exercises are right for certain singers 10:27

4.    Why negative feedback can be beneficial for singers 12:31

5.    How an awareness of the relationship between body and voice helps choregraph scenes that facilitate singing 16:19

6.    When singing is more important than movement — and vice versa 19:09

7.    The surprising way Chris got to sing for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales 20:06

8.    The importance of keeping your love of performing alive while teaching 27:30

9.    How podcasting newbies can reach their ideal audience 32:05

10. Chris’ favorite podcast guest 34:40

11. The future of “The Naked Vocalist” and Chris’ other projects 35:48

Learn more about the Feldenkrais Method Chris discusses at “Voice, Singing, and Feldenkrais.”

Discover how to assess and address vocal issues through movement by watching Chris’ IVA webinar “Movement as Assessment: Let the body tell you what to do” Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Find Chris on at his teaching website Chris Johnson Vocal Coach and Teach Voice. You can also follow him on Instagram.

Interested in attending professional development webinars with leading voice experts and becoming a more effective instructor? The Institute for Vocal Advancement grants you access to a thriving global community of teachers who work in every area of the music industry. Learn more by visiting our list of upcoming events and Teacher Training Programs. 

Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With 2022 ending, now’s the perfect time to look back on everything you’ve accomplished and look forward toward everything you’ll achieve in the coming year. In this podcast, we do just that by discussing how setting goals and coming up with ways to measure your achievements is important to being a successful voice teacher.

We’ll examine the importance of setting achievable goals while also remaining adaptive to unexpected changes. We’ll look at the goals we’ve set for ourselves and discuss how we measure our progress. And we’ll talk about how investing in our own education can benefit not only us but also our students as we become better teachers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The importance of setting goals for your business while remaining adaptive 6:52
2. Measuring the success of your business 9:10
3. The importance of being able to measure the success of your actions to ensure they’re helping your business 14:45
4. Using your life goals as motivation to build the business model that fits your needs the best 19:00
5. How making a year-long plan can help you stick to your goals 21:51
6. How to know when you need to take the leap and move forward with your plans 23:59
7. The demands on your time as your business grows 25:15
8. The importance of having clear outcomes and solid figures to let you know you’re reaching your goals 27:09
9. Breaking your goals down into achievable steps 28:36
10. Making investing in your own personal education one of your prime goals 30:35
11. BONUS! The mental health benefits of singing 34:34

The workbook Tom mentions that will help you reflect on your year, consider what you want to work on, and creating achievable goals can be found here.

Is professional development on your list of goals? Then check out all the webinars at the Institute for Vocal Advancement. Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive a $5 discount on any upcoming webinar event.

Interested in attending professional development webinars with leading voice experts and becoming a more effective instructor? The Institute for Vocal Advancement grants you access to a thriving global community of teachers who work in every area of the music industry. Learn more by visiting our list of upcoming events and Teacher Training Programs. 

Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest episode, Tom and Heather dive into the world of TikTok, trying to unpick why a video went viral on Heather's TikTok Channel.

You can watch the viral video here: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.singingteacher/video/7153160111509245189

Interested in attending professional development webinars with leading voice experts and becoming a more effective instructor? The Institute for Vocal Advancement grants you access to a thriving global community of teachers who work in every area of the music industry. Learn more by visiting our list of upcoming events and Teacher Training Programs. 

Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes, getting your voice to do what you want it to means more than just practicing the right vocal exercises. That’s what professional voice coach Line Hilton discovered after working with thousands of talented performers who found their progress hindered by anxiety, self-doubt, and a lack of motivation.

Combining her background as a performer and a nurse, Line developed a unique tool kit that utilizes Rapid Transformational Therapy to identify a performer’s limiting beliefs. From there, she works with students to develop new thinking patterns that foster better creativity, improved performance, and a healthier mindset.

In our chat with Line Hilton, she shares the unexpected journey that led her to become a singing teacher. We learn how a singer’s mindset can impact their performance positively and negatively. And we discover how opening yourself up to multiple schools of thought can lead to many benefits — for both instructors and students.    

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) differs from hypnotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 18:08
2. How an RTT session works 19:17
3. Health conditions RTT can help people with 21:38
4. The value of merging multiple disciplines to build a stronger skillset 22:46
5. How RTT helps more than just singers 24:29
6. Why our modern lifestyle contributes to burnout 25:00
7. Reasons why our attention spans are shrinking 25:50
8. How to condition yourself to want to do difficult tasks 28:30
9. Why admitting you don’t need to know everything can be beneficial for singing teachers 32:47

The book Line talks about is Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice by Seth Riggs.

Learn about the “5 Second Rule” that Line and Tom talk about at Everything You Need to Know About The 5 Second Rule | Mel Robbins.

And learn more about unraveling mindset obstacles by watching Line’s Masterclass “It All Starts with Mindset!” Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Find Line on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Interested in attending professional development webinars with leading voice experts and becoming a more effective instructor? The Institute for Vocal Advancement grants you access to a thriving global community of teachers who work in every area of the music industry. Learn more by visiting our list of upcoming events and Teacher Training Programs. 

Use the code “iva-podcast” to receive $5 off any upcoming webinar event.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all know how important vocal exercises are for singers. But what happens when injuries to different parts of your body lead to changes in your voice? 

This week’s guest Andrew Byrne (aka “The Singing Athlete”) has some first-hand experience with this. Following an inguinal hernia that affected his singing — and elbow pain that threatened his career as a pianist — Andrew began devoting himself to learning how your body’s overall condition creates singing difficulties, and how these issues can be addressed.

Join us as Andrew shares the surprising things that can affect a singer’s voice — including exercise movements, swollen lymph nodes, and even body tattoos. Learn how proper body exercises and improved movement can lead to positive vocal shifts. And discover the value of looking at your strengths and weaknesses honestly and dispassionately to extend your vocal career.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. (4:30) How some early injuries inspired Andrew to study exercise techniques to help his singing and performance talents.
2. (8:17) The importance of constantly expanding your medical knowledge and applying it to your goals and the goals of your students.
3. (11:03) The great opportunity voice teachers have to impact student health in a positive way.
4. (11:53) How getting body tattoos can lead to profound changes in your voice  
5. (18:10) The role of improved lymphatic flow in voice and singing
6. (24:36) How to commit yourself to an exercise routine
7. (27:56) The importance of being willing to share your strengths and weaknesses honestly and dispassionately.

Andrew’s bestselling book, “The Singing Athlete,” can be found on Amazon.

Got the book? Great! Now go to Andrew’s website where you can get FREE LIFETIME ACCESS to its companion online course, complete with a video guide, PDFs, and special bonus content. Andrew’s website also provides plenty of other awesome virtual classes, so be sure to check them out!

If you’re looking for even more great information, Andrew’s IVA webinar, “De-Swell the Vocal Cords and Exercises for the Tongue, Jaw, and Throat” can be found on our website, along with other great webinars.

If you like our webinars, you’ll love following our Vocal Advancement Podcast (mostly because our webinar presenters tend to return as our guests). Be sure to also subscribe to our YouTube channel, so you can see us interacting on video! 

Is there a teacher, performer, or researcher you think would make a great guest on our show? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

The Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA) was created to provide voice teachers with a support network to provide you with the best teaching tools and strategies to advance your career. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset, showing you how to improve your own teaching style.

Check out our webinars in our list of upcoming events and learning how our Teacher Training Programs can help advance your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!

As voice teachers, we often want to focus exclusively on singing and developing more effective lessons for our students.

But being a successful voice coach takes more than proficiency in the classroom. You also need to develop some solid business sense and learn how to market yourself effectively so students know how valuable your services can be.

The good news is, once you develop some business savvy, it can really pay off — like it did for this week’s guest, John Henny, who’s built several nice streams of passive income by writing books on singing and offering webinars.

If you’ve struggled with marketing your business, listen as John explains how he worked through the intricacies of Facebook ads and learned the value of outsourcing tasks to other experts. We’ll also cover the value of taking time to master social media marketing, the advantages and disadvantages of starting a podcast, and much more.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. (3:35) How taking voice lesson showed John he could become proficient in a skill without relying on “natural talent.”
2. (5:43) How John approaches writing books to provide readers with definite benefits — and how this can help you establish yourself as an authority on a subject
3. (7:30) What forced John to develop his marketing skills — and the important lesson he learned about how to view the purchase decision.
4. (9:34) The value of outsourcing tasks to other people and building a support team
5. (13:00) What to do early in your career to prepare your support team down the line
6. (15:39) Why it’s important to delegate time in your work schedule to focus on social media marketing, and why it’s important to focus on a single social media platform you’re comfortable with.
7. (17:46) The advantages and disadvantages of different types of social media content, and how YouTube videos and podcasts can reap long-term benefits.
8. (18:33) The importance of producing short content that people can consume quickly
9. (19:15) The importance of consistency when building your content
10. (21:54) The value of TikTok videos
11. (23:07) Why establishing your authority through testimonials and other brand building tactics is important when creating a career.

Find John’s books, his online school, and a FREE vocal warmup course by visiting his website. And start building your authority and attracting more students by listening to John’s IVA webinar, “Grow Your Business with John Henny”

John’s podcast, The Intelligent Vocal Podcast, has now passed over 400 episodes! Follow him to hear all his vocal tips and techniques!

Every one of the guests on the Vocal Advancement Podcast provides unique insights on teaching, vocal health, and building a successful teaching career. Make sure you hear from them all by following us on the Vocal Advancement Podcast and subscribing to our YouTube channel! 

Is there a teacher, performer, or researcher you think would make a great guest on our show? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

The Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA) was created to provide voice teachers with a support network to provide you with the best teaching tools and strategies to advance your career. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset, showing you how to improve your own teaching style.

Check out our webinars in our list of upcoming events and learning how our Teacher Training Programs can help advance your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!

Do you find yourself experiencing Performance Anxiety before (or even during) your time on stage? This episode’s guest Mel Toy understands how what some may call “stage fright” or “nerves” can limit the performance enjoyment of both up-and-coming and established singers.

As a vocal coach and researcher, Mel doesn’t just help singers develop their technique. She offers tailored sessions on Performance Rehabilitation where singers develop strategies to counteract performance inhibitions and perform with greater confidence. 

Listen as Mel covers the reasons why certain people experience performance anxiety and how negative childhood experiences can manifest in detrimental ways later in life. Learn how voice teachers can cultivate a safe space to connect with your lessons in a positive way. And discover how performance anxiety can affect people at all levels of success — but also be managed with the proper techniques. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. (3:37) How a meeting at an IVA conference inspired Mel to pursue a Masters in Psychology and study performance anxiety. 
2. (7:45) How we classify “performance anxiety,” “nerves,” and “stage fright.” 
3. (12:05) The different reasons why certain people are more prone to performance anxiety than others.
4. (13:49) How negative childhood experiences can manifest as performance anxiety later in life.
5. (17:06) How teachers can tailor their language, lessons, and workspace to make students more receptive to negative feedback.
6. (18:00) Why encouraging students to try different techniques (as opposed to pointing out what they’re doing “wrong”) can aid in growth.
7. (19:14) The different “selves” that we present when we interact with others — and ourselves.
8. (23:40) How to manage student expectations when the reality doesn’t meet their desired goal.
9. (26:04) The power of positive performing experiences.
10. (27:50) How pre-performance routines can encourage anxiety — and why breaking these routines can help manage anxiety.
11. (29:43) That performance anxiety can happen to people at all levels of success — not just beginning singers.
12. (31:51) Why focusing on what you love about singing goes a long way in helping you manage fears and enjoy performing.

Hire Mel for her performance rehabilitation services or vocal coaching by visiting her website and follow her on LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Download Mel’s IVA webinar, “Performance Anxiety: The Personal and Social Influences” from our website (and be sure to check out all the other awesome webinars available there!)

And don’t forget to check out Heather’s TED Talk, “Chase the Joy — And Sing!”.

If you’ve been enjoying our guest list so far, be sure you check out all our episodes all by following us on the Vocal Advancement Podcast and subscribing to our YouTube channel! 

Is there a teacher, performer, or researcher you think would make a great guest on our show? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

The Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA) was created to provide voice teachers with a support network to provide you with the best teaching tools and strategies to advance your career. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset, showing you how to improve your own teaching style.

Check out our webinars in our list of upcoming events and learning how our Teacher Training Programs can help advance your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!

Welcome back! Our first interview introduces you to Kerrie Obert, one of the world’s leading experts in voice training and pedagogical practice. For the past 25 years, Kerrie’s research into speech-language pathology has led her to make groundbreaking discoveries on twang quality and tongue root — knowledge she shares with performers to help them gain the vocal quality they want from their singing. 

Kerrie has been published in many peer-reviewed journals, co-authored four books on voice, and held a very popular IVA webinar, “Tongue: The Most Under-Appreciated Structure with Kerrie Obert” which you can download from our website. 

Today, Kerrie offers Tom and Heather more insights on the changing attitudes toward vocal health, common misconceptions about vocal anatomy, and how to get the most out of your medical checkups. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. (5:58) How a meeting with a voice scientist propelled Kerrie into a career in speech science.
2. (12:48) The changes Kerrie has seen in attitudes toward vocal health
3. (16:09) How access to information about vocal anatomy has changed over the years
4. (17:59) Misunderstandings surrounding the tongue and vocal anatomy
5. (21:00) How our perception of “singing with an open throat” differs greatly from the reality
6. (22:29) Why you should record your doctor visits and play back those recordings after each visit
7. (26:02) How the infamous “Nashville squint” helps many singers (not just country-western!) hit the high note
8. (32:11) How watching James Cordon’s “carpool karaoke” segments can help you study celebrity singer vocal techniques

Connect with Kerrie as a singer, voice teacher, or patient by visiting her on her website and download her informative IVA webinar!

The website Kerrie mentions, GetVocal-Now.com, provides extensive courses on vocal anatomy without a lot of medical jargon. Download the courses today!

Kerrie’s books on vocal health include “The Owner’s Manual to the Voice: A Guide for Singers and Other Professional Voice Users,” available on Amazon.

We’ve got a lot more fascinating guests this season! Make sure you hear from them all by following us on the Vocal Advancement Podcast and subscribing to our YouTube channel! 

Is there a teacher, performer, or researcher you think would make a great guest on our show? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

The Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA) was created to provide voice teachers with a support network to provide you with the best teaching tools and strategies to advance your career. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset, showing you how to improve your own teaching style.

Check out our webinars in our list of upcoming events and learning how our Teacher Training Programs can help advance your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!

Welcome to the very first episode of the Vocal Advancement Podcast! In this introduction, you’ll get to hear hosts Tom and Heather engage in a conversation (or a “chinwag” to our U.K. listeners) of all the exciting plans we have for our fledgling podcast — which we hope singers, voice teachers, and researchers will tune into every week as we explore all the fascinating aspects of voice and vocal performance.

Learn about all the amazing guests we’ll be interviewing on the show, including everyone from marketing expert John Henny to “singing athlete” Andrew Byrne. Discover more about our main organization the Institute for Vocal Advancement, and all the insightful webinars and classes we offer to veteran and new vocal coaches. And find out how YOU can have a voice in the way our podcast develops with each new episode!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. (0:45) What a “chinwag” is (hint, it’s not a vocal technique!)
2. (1:44) Who we designed this show for
3. (2:40) More about the Institute for Vocal Advancement and how we train singing teachers from around the world
4. (5:54) How our conferences evolved from a get-together in Heather’s studio to a major annual event attracting teachers and singers from multiple countries.
5. (7:08) Why Tom’s colorful resume makes him the perfect CEO of the IVA
6. (9:40) Who you can expect to hear from in future episodes of the podcast! 
7. (11:38) Where we find our guests — and where you can learn more from them
8. (12:35) How the Vocal Advancement Podcast differs from our popular webinars and online courses

Make sure you catch all our episodes by following us on the Vocal Advancement Podcast and subscribing to our YouTube channel! 

Want to have a voice in how our podcast develops? Email us at [email protected] and let us know if there’s a teacher, performer, or researcher you think would make a great guest on our show. We’re always on the lookout for new people to spotlight, so tell us who you’d like to hear from next! 

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

The Institute of Vocal Advancement (IVA) was created to provide voice teachers with a support network to provide you with the best teaching tools and strategies to advance your career. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset, showing you how to improve your own teaching style.

Check out our webinars in our list of upcoming events and learning how our Teacher Training Programs can help advance your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.