“What if you could easily learn the tools to be a
BOLD communicator? - Singing or Speaking...”

Mark Baxter, author of The Rock n Roll Singer’s Survival Guide, was recently my guest on my interview program, Singers Key Notes.

(Singers Key Notes, a FREE weekly interview hosted by Sally Morgan, Mondays at 1-2 pm NY time. Guests are top music industry songwriters, producers, voice teachers, music publishers and performers. For guest list and to sign up visit http://vocalpowertools.com/singers_key_notes.htm)

One of the toughest sounds for a singer to perform is the ‘scream.’ If you want to know how to sing better, read on.

Mark is one of the knowledgeable and insightful voice professionals I know. His techniques are based in solid science and his insights come from having been a rock singer on tour and from teaching professional voice lessons.

We talked about scream – how to do it without hurting the voice. Here’s a clip from that part of our interview. Enjoy!

http://web.me.com/sallymorgan/Site_3/Singers_Key_Notes_Clips.html

To listen to the entire hour with Mark, go to http://vocalpowertools.com/audio_products.htm

My students are always asking me how to play an instrument and sing at the same time. You want to become a singer who can accompany yourself. Very smart. Here’s the dilemma: playing an instrument is one skill; singing is another skill; and playing while singing is a THIRD skill.

When you are playing without singing you still breathe. Obviously you say, but check out when you breathe. You’ll notice that you breathe with the phrasing of the music.

Here are a few steps to follow when learning how to sing while playing.

1. Play without singing and notice when you are breathing.
2. Now play without singing and perform a simple opening inhale when you breathe.
3. Then as you play without singing, do the simple opening inhale then blow the breath out in one continuous stream.
4. Now you are ready to add your voice. Do the simple opening inhale then release your voice just like blowing the breath out.
5. Go get yourself a gig!

Singing voice lessons are sometimes just plain logic of process. Trust the natural intelligence of the body as a musical instrument to become a great singer.

A singer recently asked me if there is a specific name for the middle singing voice between head singing voice and chest voice. Here is the answer.

Voice professionals call this vocal range the mix because it’s supposed to be a mix of head and chest. The way people use the mix is to gradually mix in more head resonance as the pitch goes higher. Pretty complex maneuver to handle while you are at the microphone.

I have a big problem with any technique that makes how to sing anything less than natural and/or anything more than simple. The Morganix Method™: Sing Like You Speak handles registration – head, chest, mix, belt as one voice.

The body is a brilliant musical instrument. The problem with the ‘mix’ theories (and indeed many singing voice lessons) is that they negate or ignore the natural musical intelligence of the body.

If you simply open the instrument on inhale, opening the airways so that breath follows the natural path into the lungs, then use the breath to create sound without interfering as the breath and sound release from the body, your voice will perform head, chest and mix all on it’s own. The color or timbre of the voice and the degree of ‘mix’ are a response to the emotional life of the singer.

Try this vocal training exercise. Take a one-syllable word such as ‘shot’ and simply say it. Say it in a sentence: ‘I shot him!’ (Talk about emotional life when saying that sentence.) Say the sentence several times with different intentions such as regret, fear, triumph.

Continue saying the sentence. Now play a note on an instrument before you say the sentence and when you say it again, say the word ‘shot’ on the pitch you played. Speaking on musical pitches assures a connected, healthy sound every time. It takes away the pressure to sing in tune because you are simply speaking. It also helps your body to understand that it does not need to manipulate any part of the instrument of get a great sound no matter what range you are singing in. This perfect musical instrument will handle registration all on its’ own.

An open letter to all my clients

It is said that ‘to create is to be alive.’ A very wise saying! You all have contributed to a wonderfully creative year.

2009 saw many creative accomplishments by you, my clients. I’d like to share just a few as inspiration for 2010.

2 of my clients co-wrote a song that won an ASCAP award!

One client is writing a wonderful musical! She tells me her writing is becoming stronger right along with her voice.

Several of you performed at the Duplex Songwriters Night and at the Bitter End.

Another client auditioned for American Idol.

One of you is finishing recording a CD of all original songs that are solid!

Another client had a song picked up by a producer for one of his artists and was asked to make a recording of the song herself for placement.

You performed in shows that have blown me away. You thrilled your audiences from the stage. Best of all I witnessed all of you becoming vocally empowered. Such a thrill!

Write down your goals for 2010. Map out how you will get there and let me know how I can support you in making your dreams come alive in 2010!

Thank you all for an inspiring year!

Breathe, Sally

Many of you know about my interview show, Singers Key Notes, a free weekly show, Mondays at 1-2 pm NY time. Special guests are top music industry songwriters, producers, voice teachers, music publishers and performers.

http://vocalpowertools.com/singers_key_notes.htm

The Singing Revolution

This week I had a heartwarming, life-changing experience when I interviewed filmmakers Maureen and Jim Tusty. This husband and wife team made a film of significance, The Singing Revolution.

Matt Zoller Seitz, of the New York Times says,

“Imagine the scene in ‘Casablanca’ in which the French patrons sing ‘La Marseillaise’ in defiance of the Germans, then multiply its power by a factor of thousands, and you’ve only begun to imagine the force of ‘The Singing Revolution’.”

(Read the article Matt Zoller Seitz, The New York Times)

If you are not familiar with the scene from ‘Casablanca,’ it is a perfect example of how a group of people singing, has power and import and impact. The act of singing is a statement of truth.

The film The Singing Revolution walks us through the history of the tiny country of Estonia, it’s 58 yr occupation and the people’s non-violent revolution which gained this remarkable people their independence in 1991.

Yes, 1991! I’m curious to know how many of you reading this article even knew about the Soviet occupation of Estonia, their attempts to wipe out the Estonian people and their culture. I certainly did not know. But that seems to be typical of Estonia.

The story of Estonia and its’ 1.5 million souls is so artfully told by Jim and Maureen that you forget that it’s a documentary. This film could have been told from several different biases. The Tusty’s preferred to have a well-balanced telling of a complex and triumphant history.

Anyone who doubts the healing power of song must watch this film. Anyone who believes firmly in the triumph of singing must watch The Singing Revolution. The film plays in art theaters all over the country and you can also buy it on DVD from their website, http://www.SingingRevolution.com

Please take the time to visit the website and take a peek at this film. Educators, you are going to love all the options offered with The Singing Revolution. Choruses around the country are invited to use the film as a fundraiser. You will probably have Maureen and Jim right there to answer questions after the showing.

It’s heartwarming to know that art is more powerful than weapons of mass destruction. I want to be a better person, more resilient and positive after watching The Singing Revolution.

Go to http://www.SingingRevolution.com now and find out how you can participate in a revolution of your own!

Antonia Bennett and Margie

On Monday, Nov. 30^th, 2009 at 1-2 pm ET I will have the distinct honor of interviewing Margie Hauser. Don’t know that name? That’s OK because you certainly know her music.

Armed with a hot song catalog, Margie Hauser has burst onto the music scene in a startling way. Writing professionally for less than four years, 2008 alone produced 19 published songs. Margie was Music Supervisor and collaborated on most of the music in “Alice Upside Down” starring Alyson Stoner (Camp Rock) and Lucas Grabeel (High School Musical). Alyson and Lucas each sang two of Margie’s songs. Her hit single “Higher” rose to top 20 on Billboard Dance/Club charts after a ten week run, setting a career record for 80’s pop princess, Tiffany. The follow up single, “Just Another Day” was also #1 Billboard breakout and enjoyed an even longer chart appearance. “Higher” was in the top 10 for 2008 at Perfect Beat!

While voting for this years Grammy awards, as a member of NARAS, Margie saw her own song, “Road Of Peace” included in the nominating process. “The Fall” was on Taylor Dayne’s album, “Satisfied”. “Something Out Of Nothing” was recorded by “Lost Tricks” and written with Eliot Sloan (Blessid Union Of Souls). Bryce Palisser recorded “City To City” for his debut album. Some other artists that Margie has recorded with are: Lucas Prada, Chris Korblien, Ace Young, Miriamm, Henri, Eliot Sloan, Chris Doran, Taja Sevelle, Shenkar, and Jaakko.

Because she works best in short, intense, bursts, living in Cincinnati with her husband and four children is an asset for Margie, not a liability. Typically she travels monthly to LA, jamming two or three sessions and meetings a day into a four –day trip. She thrives on the creative milieu and fellow collaborators on those trips, but is equally comfortable composing solo at her piano/keyboards at home.

Join us for a fascinating hour as I pick Margie’s brain about her writing process, working with the best of the best and balancing all this with being the mother of 4 teenagers!

Listen to Margie’s song Higher sung by Tiffany.

Higher sung by Tiffany

Do you find breathing difficult? So many clients say that breathing is the most essential and most troubling aspect of singing well. How about you? What does your breathing look like/fell like?

The irony of the breathing dilemma is that you all breathe naturally all the time. The problem seems to arise when the breath precedes/prepares for singing. That is because you feel that you must do something extra-ordinary to sing.

Reality is the human body is a perfect musical instrument. The human voice is capable of responding to music without conscious thought. An infant can imitate musical sounds on pitch and in rhythm because there is no filter yet that says singing is too difficult or you have to sound like a pop star.

Many people perform great feats of physical effort and mental gymnastics to do what they call singing. A grip of the throat, raising the chin, locking the jaw, holding breath, praying to the voice gods – and all of that occurs within a split second inhale! For some unknown reason a universal concept prevails that singing has to be something other than natural; that one has to do something extraordinary to sing. This concept is absolutely false.

Do you see pop stars singing with effort? Maybe. But believe me the good ones, the ones who are really singing and not lip-syncing to a track, the effort you see is part of the act and not a habit of sound production.

Great singing, great artistry happens when creativity, breath, sound and soul are flowing freely through the body. So forget trying hard, forget effort. Instead, do your best to create a free flow of energy through your instrument. Open the body on inhale, then do your best to keep it open – to let the energy flow through.

Without interference, the vocal folds adjust to pitch by responding to a signal from the brain. Without stopping the energy, the meaning of the song, of your words and the music will flow through you and out to your audience without effort.

This is easier said than done. To leave the body and soul open as you sing is very vulnerable. At first when letting go of the energy you may want to run and hide; you may feel like releasing even one bit more, will kill you but you won’t die – guaranteed. Open the airways to get the perfect, natural inhale without effort and be able to sing with energy.

I can actually tell whether a client is on the right track or not by watching the inhale. If the inhale is a simple, opening of the instrument, I know the sound is going to be good. Keep your courage strong and give it a try.

Sound is vibration; sound has to vibrate to stay alive, so any tension living in a singer’s instrument (body) interferes with sound production and quality. Unfortunately, we have some pretty strange concepts – that in general we are unaware of – that interfere with the free flow of sound and artistry when we are singing.

Ideally, we want breath and sound to move through the body with freedom, abandon and most of all, energy. The unfortunate concept that I see all the time in my voice clients is that they feel they must use effort to create a great sound instead of simply releasing energy.

Singers are usually perfectionists – I’m a recovering perfectionist myself. In the pursuit of perfection (which does not exist) you try harder and harder. I say to a client, ‘ That’s it! That’s the easy release of breath and sound you want.’ And you know what s/he usually does? Tries harder to do it ‘more better’, thus undoing the easy release of energy by replacing it with effort.

Effort involves tension in the body. Energy flows through the body. Effort holds, energy moves. Effort strangles creativity; creativity is energy. Effort makes an audience uncomfortable. Energy excites your audience.

Is your singing full of energy or does your audience worry about you because you are putting so much effort into your performance that they can’t enjoy themselves?

How do you create an exciting performance full of energy and without effort? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Trust your instrument.

Your whole body will vibrate with the resonance of your voice. The instrument of yours is brilliantly put together. Given half a chance: body aligned so the instrument can function; vocal tract open on inhale and sustained open during phonation; then release the sound!

2. Release your breath and sound instead of forcing it out.

How do you release a butterfly you are holding in your hand? You give it an escape route, right? You open up your hands and allow it to fly away. It’s the same principle with your voice.

3. Practice as though you have no mouth

What? Are you crazy? No mouth. Yes. No mouth. If you have no mouth you have no jaw or tongue tension. Use the space above the hard palate to form your words. In the absence of tension, your brilliant instrument will perform brilliantly.

4. Talk to your audience conversationally

Take the pressure off yourself and speak on pitch. Say every word clearly to someone. Your audience will gladly engage with you.

For more tips go to http://www.SingLikeYouSpeak.com

Sound is vibration; sound has to vibrate to stay alive, so any tension living in a singer’s instrument (body) interferes with the sound. Unfortunately, we have some pretty strange concepts – that in general we are unaware of – that interfere with the free flow of sound and artistry when we are singing.

Ideally, we want breath and sound to move through the body with freedom, abandon and most of all, energy. The unfortunate concept that I see all the time in my voice clients is that they feel they must use effort to create a great sound instead of energy.

Singers are usually perfectionists – I’m a recovering perfectionist myself. In the pursuit of perfection (which does not exist) you try harder and harder. I say to a client, ‘ that’s it! That’s the easy release of breath and sound you want.’ And you know what s/he usually does? Tries harder to do it more correctly, thus undoing the wonderful release of energy by replacing it with effort.

Effort involves tension in the body. Energy flows through the body. Effort holds, energy moves. Effort strangles creativity; creativity is energy.

If listening to your iPod was all you craved, why go to a live performance? You are seeking the energy that the performer gives to the audience.

The human body is a perfect musical instrument. The human voice is capable of responding to music without conscious thought. An infant can imitate musical sounds on pitch and in rhythm because there is no filter yet that says singing is too difficult or you have to sound like a pop star.

Many people perform great feats of physical effort and mental gymnastics to do what they call singing. A grip of the throat, raising the chin, locking the jaw, holding breath, praying to the voice gods – and all of that occurs within a split second inhale! For some unknown reason a universal concept prevails that singing has to be something other than natural; that one has to do something extraordinary to sing. This concept is absolutely false.

Do you see pop stars singing with effort? Maybe. But believe me the good ones, the ones who are really singing and not lip-syncing to a track, the effort you see is part of the act and not a habit of sound production.

Great singing, great artistry happens when creativity, breath, sound and soul are flowing freely through the body. So forget trying hard, forget effort. Instead, do your best to create a free flow of energy through your instrument. Open the body on inhale, then do your best to keep it open – to let the energy flow through.

Without interference, the vocal folds adjust to pitch by responding to a signal from the brain. Without stopping the energy, the meaning of the song, of your words and the music will flow through you and out to your audience without effort.

This is easier said than done. To leave the body and soul open as you sing is very vulnerable. At first when letting go of the energy you may want to run and hide; you may feel like releasing even one bit more, will kill you but you won’t die – guaranteed. Keep your courage strong and give it a try.

I’ve been reading a book full of stories that come from the Irish verbal tradition of storytelling. And if you know any true Irish, you know how they love their stories. The inspiration and some actual phrases in this article of mine are taken from one such story written down in a book – Frank Delaney’s Ireland.

As a voice teacher, I love working with singer/songwriters. Being a songwriter myself I always marvel at the creative process. Where do the ideas and inspiration come from? Frank Delaney’s Ireland tells a great tale about where poets get their words. I’ve adapted this story for songwriters.

Many a creative person has been questioned, ‘how did you ever think of that?’ Very tough to answer with any clarity. In the Irish tradition of storytelling, there’s an answer to most everything as you will see.

No one actually writes a song. There’s no such action as writing a song. That’s not how songs become. Of course there is the physical process of writing the notes and lyrics on staff paper. But you can’t just grab a song from where it’s been living. You must wait for the song to arrive.

Songwriters, true songwriters, are merely very intense listeners who’ve learned to recognize when a song is dropping by. Then they copy down what the song’s telling them in their heads. After that, they craft what they’ve heard, write it down, perform it out and then they have a finished song.

The thing about true songwriters is – they never have to wait for a song to drop by. No sooner do they listen out than a song swoops down, whispers something in their ear, and they feel it flowing into their brain, through their bodies and into their instruments.

Songs are like angels. They visit often, but you have to be watching for them, and you must believe in them to benefit from their gifts. They are ready to give. Are you ready to receive?

The creative process, creative energy, inspiration, call it what you will, is a mystery. It is its’ own miracle. To me, there is nothing more exciting and life affirming than creativity. It’s why we live and why we grow and how we connect with others.

To everyone who has a beating heart: Honor your creativity. Keep listening!