Spotlight on the Singer

Many of the world’s top songwriters have performed and recorded songs written by other writers. Some of the greatest songs of all time have been “covered” by many different singers. There’s a big difference, though between covering a song that was written and/or performed by another artist and copying the other artist exactly. There’s a great old saying “A good song, is a good song, is a good song.” But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t many ways in which to sing that song. While we, as listeners, may enjoy the way Artist A sang a particular song, we don’t necessarily want to hear singer after singer singing the same song the exact same way. We want to hear YOUR interpretation of it. As singers, while we may also appreciate the way Artist A sang the song, to perform an exact duplicate would be, well, boring. When singing a “cover song”, how can you make the song your own?  To accomplish this task, you have a number of musical tools from which to choose, including:  –      tempo (how fast or slow); –       meter (time signature); –       key; –       rhythmic variation; –       variations in the harmonic structure (changing the chords); –       melodic variation; –       dynamics (loud or soft); –       vocal tone (clear, breathy, etc); –       phrasing (the rhythm of the words and which words are accented); and –       instrumentation Before you decide to use any of these tools however, you must first ask yourself a VERY important question. What am I trying to say with this song? What mood, or emotional context do I want to create? Answering this question should and WILL inform all of the musical choices you make with the song. […]

It’s true that singers don’t need to have a lot of musical equipment. We are unique in that our bodies are our instruments. In the world of classical singing, many singers never encounter the use of electronic equipment during live performance. However in the world of contemporary singing we do. While you may not need a lot of gear, there are a few key pieces that you should have and some key things that you should know. This will not only make your live performances more enjoyable but could also save your voice! Did you know that one of the leading causes of vocal fatigue and damage is inadequate, incorrect, or improper use of electronic equipment? Maybe this has happened to you….You’re onstage with your band, the instruments are loud and you simply can’t hear yourself! Or maybe you can hear yourself, but your voice sounds strange – muffled or thin – not like YOU at all! As a result you are very likely to push for volume or otherwise manipulate your voice in an attempt to make it sound more like YOUR voice. You may not even be aware that you’re doing these things however you’ll know it at the end of the night! Even singers with excellent vocal technique can run into vocal problems when the sound isn’t right. So what can you do? Bring your own microphone. I highly recommend that you buy and use your own microphone. Not all microphones are created equal and some (even the very expensive or most popular ones) may simply not be right for your voice.  Dynamic microphones are the type most commonly used for live performance and within that category there are many to choose from. […]

Carpe Diem – Seize The Day! In saying farewell to 2014 I find myself looking back over the last 365 days. Maybe you are doing the same. Some days were great, some not so great, but each was, in it’s own way, an opportunity. An opportunity to grow, to love, to create, learn, explore, experience and move forward. Did we make the most of each opportunity? Probably not. Should we dwell on it? Nope. What we can do is recognize that this bright shiny new year will present each of us with 365 MORE opportunities to seize the day. I could wish you much success in the coming year – I DO sincerely hope that all of your wishes and dreams come true. Instead, my New Year’s wish for you is simple: Carpe Diem!     “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt What’s your wish for 2015?

A while back I gave an interview with the Voice Council Magazine in the UK about my book Get Paid To Sing: The Singer’s Guide to Making a Living Making Music and thought I would share it with you! Enjoy 🙂 Get Paid to Sing It’s time for vocalists to see themselves as entrepreneurs –says Jennifer Truesdale Jennifer Truesdale has always been interested in the business of singing. She’s the coordinator of Chick Singer Night in Boston and has spent 10 years in music marketing at a large independent record label – not to mention managing her own singing career and vocal coaching practice. Now she’s written a book, Get Paid to Sing, to encourage all vocalists to monetize their music. You’ve just finished a book on money and singers – when did you first get interested in this subject? The idea really came about as a result of my work as a vocal coach. My vocal students – largely semi-professional and professional singers and songwriters – would ask me, “how can I make more money with my music?”. So, what did you say?  Well, actually, my initial response was to ask them a question: how much? “More” is just too vague. I would first have them decide on an annual amount that they’d like to make in their first few years, then we would break it down by month and by week into “bite-sized” doable amounts. Then I would work with them to create customized plans for accomplishing these financial (and career) goals. Did you ever get ripped off in your first gigs? Oh, probably! (laughs). Though at the time I don’t think I knew enough to even know that I was getting ripped […]

A few weeks ago I received an urgent e-mail from a local singer. She had a BIG event coming up the following week and had been struck by the dreaded viral laryngitis! Her e-mail went something like this: “I have a serious case of laryngitis and am desperately trying to rest my voice and repair before next week. Hot water, lemon, honey? or no? I’ve never been clear if lemon and honey are good or drying to the throat. HELP!” For many singers there’s a definite lack of clarity and certainty regarding what to do in these types of situations. We’ve all heard about various remedies, but which ones actually work? I’m happy to report that my suggested remedies REALLY worked and she was in excellent voice for her event. While I hope you never find yourself in a similar situation, I thought you might find the information helpful as well. **Note: I am not a trained medical professional and the information contained here is not intended to take the place of professional medical advice. These are simply suggestions that I have found to be very helpful, both as a singer and as a vocal coach. If you are experiencing vocal problems or general health conditions that are not resolving, I encourage you to seek advice from a trained medical professional.** Here is my response: “I’m sorry to hear you aren’t feeling well! Ok, remedies.  Remember that when your voice is hoarse it’s generally due to an inflammation of the vocal cords or a situation where the vocal cords are so coated with mucous that they can’t vibrate properly. Lemon, honey, etc. aren’t going to directly affect the vocal cords (either negatively or positively), though […]