11.09.07
Posted in Uncategorized, Vocal Health at 11:18 pm by Administrator
The basic principles of yoga are proper relaxation, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, and positive thinking with meditation. This five-element equation is pretty much what the doctor ordered for any musician. Our profession demands long hours in high-stress situations, while balancing technique with emotional vulnerability. Yoga is an attainable discipline that simultaneously addresses the physical, mental, and emotional disciplines demanded of musicians.
As a vocal instructor I often assign yoga to students struggling with physical tension, or overwhelming performance anxiety (an assignment I learned from my first voice teacher). Here is how each of the five principles of yoga can benefit you as a musician:
Proper Relaxation: Releasing tension caused by daily life (e.g. hours in front of a computer, loading heavy sound equipment. etc.) is critical for musicians. Not only are tense muscles at a highter risk of injury, but muscles that are tense are not really in your control. Onstage we need to know that our bodies are on our side. Many singers, whether they want to or not, carry shoulder and neck tension that puts extra strain on their fragile vocal mechanism. Releasing that tension will take the local stress off the voice and will certainly improve the singer’s vocal health.
Proper Excersize: In addition to increasing energy and strengthening the immune system, excersize releases nervous energy and will help decrease any performance anxiety or pre-show jitters.
Proper Breathing: deeper, slower breathing increases oxygen to the brain and body. More oxygen means increased alertness and energy. Also, breathing is the number-one important technique for singers. Yoga breathing promotes breath-awareness, as well as depth and control of both the inhale and the exhale: all necessary techniques for singers.
Proper Diet: Eating healthily is key in maintaining your health. Also, certain foods can make singing more difficult (see my blog, “Maintaining Vocal Health” for more on voice-friendly eating practices.) Try not to eat too much before a rehearsal or performance, you don’t want to be mentally and physically sluggish when you should be focused on the music.
Positive Thinking: The mental discipline of positive thinking is key in practice productivity and mastering performance anxiety. Controlling overly-critial feedback and mentally visualizing yourself performing well are age-old practices for performers. So, next time you’re nervous before a performance and you’re thinking “what if I mess up,” just stop, focus, and try asking the question “what if I do everything right?”
Do you have a voice or performance question that you would like to ask Rebeqa?
Click Here To Ask!
Permalink
11.01.07
Posted in Uncategorized, Performer Resources at 9:00 pm by Administrator
All performers get nervous - I guarantee it. For most people, those jitters never go away, they just become used to them. Eventually even the feeling of anxiety will be as familiar as feeling the shoes on your feet. The key to getting to that point is to get to know your anxiety, analyze it, understand it…then poke it in the eye and go perform.
Here are some practical ideas for learning to perform through anxiety:
Realize that paralyzing-anxiety is simply a fixation. Anxiety that causes a raised heartrate and a little sweatiness is natural. However, obsessing into a frenzy over what the audience will think of your song, or whether you will trip on the stairs, or why your ex is in the front row is not healthy. Instead of saying “what if I mess up” - calmly keep your focus on your technique so that you won’t mess up. Rather than asking “what if they don’t understand my song” - calmly keep your focus on being real and honest so that people have a good chance of feeling the same emotions you feel. Before you get to the venue make a mental list of 4 or 5 things that you are committed to focusing on. These could be as simple as “plugging into the soundsystem correctly” or “minding my feet so I don’t trip” or as abstract as “feeling real emotions during my song so it’s obvious that I’m emotionally engaged.”
Be prepared. Make sure you have all of your instruments, cords, hookups, stands, music, etc. before you leave your home or studio. Think about getting a transport consol (check out the rolling tool storage cases at
Home Depot) in which you can keep everything you need. First of all, it’s a lot more professional to show up with one organized box of stuff, rather than assorted loose cords and bags. Secondly, having a consolidated carrier that you pack the same way every time will help you realize when something is missing or out of place. Also, you can keep a constant stock of promo material in the case so you are never without posters, fliers, and business cards.
There is more than music. When planning your performance don’t forget that you will be doing more on stage than just music. Think about your entrances and exits for each set. If you have multiple band members do you want to enter or exit in a certain order? Do any of the bandmembers need to switch positions between songs? Don’t wind up milling around on stage akwardly - choreograph it beforehand. Also, do any of the instruments need re-tuned during the performance? Make sure you have some ideas for filling “air time” in case the tuning takes longer than expected. Learn some jokes, tell a story about the time you got your tattoo, whatever. Just keep it natural and talk to the audience like they’re in your living room. Remember, every second that people can see you is part of the performance.
Keep your clothing simple. Don’t make the mistake of choosing your clothes without thinking about your performance. High heels are great, but if you’re going to be on a small, rickety stage with crooked stairs maybe you should opt for flats. Yeah, the tight jeans look hot, but are you really going to do all the equipment loading and hookups in them? Always do a mock-up runthrough of the evening in the clothes you plan to wear. Also, many synthetic blends are 100% see-through when strong light shines on them. (I remember the performance where the singer’s bra and panty set were more clearly visible than her synthetic-blend dress.) Check the fabric of an outfit by shining a flashlight onto yourself in front of a mirror and see if you can see your underpants - if so, either wear nice underpants or choose a different outfit.
Breathe deeply. Shallow breathing brought on by nerves does 2 things:
1. It initiates a fight-or-flight response by simulating hyperventilation.
2. It causes your oxygen levels to fall, leaving you less prepared to deal with situations as they arise.
Take 10 minutes before your performance to breathe slowly and deeply into your abdomen, keeping your shoulders relaxed. Just breathe.
Be ready for things to go wrong. A rule that good performers quote often is that
“something always goes wrong.” This is not a scary thing if you just accept it. There will always be problems - the most important thing is to keep your cool and do what you can to fix them. But ultimately the best thing you can do is to take a few deep breaths, relax and present your material as honestly as you can while maintaining your well-practiced technique.
Do you have a voice or performance question that you would like to ask Rebeqa?
Click Here To Ask!
Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized, Vocal Health, Performer Resources at 7:56 pm by Administrator
Demanding performance schedules, smoky venues, and working two jobs can wreak havoc on a singer’s instrument. Unlike other instruments, the voice is directly affected by each and every thing we eat, drink, and generally do throughout our lives. Keeping this in mind, here are some important guidelines for keeping your voice healthy when life is kicking your ass:Sleep! I cannot stress enough how important this is. The fact is: without sleep your voice will stop working - your vocal folds will swell and you will lose the ability to make sound. There is nothing you can do about this. A regular sleep schedule is best, but if you can’t manage that at least get 6-8 hours of consecutive sleep a day.
Stay hydrated. Caffeine, alcohol, salt, and sugar all dehydrate you. This means that coffee, sodas, and beer really don’t do squat to keep you hydrated - in fact they do the opposite. I do, of course drink coffee and wine - but I keep it within moderation and I increase my water intake to compensate for their dehydrating effects. Carry a 12 oz. water bottle and drink through it 5-6 times a day. If you don’t like water put some lemon or orange in it, or mix 1 part fruit juice with 3 parts water, or try some of the flavored waters that have no added sugars. And if this just seems like a lot of water to drink, remember: you are a singer and one of the hazards of choosing this profession is that you need to be more hydrated than everyone else.
Don’t socialize in loud places. Hanging out with friends and bandmates in loud bars, clubs, parties, and restaurants leads to what is known as the Lombard Effect. The Lombard Effect is the tendency to increase vocal volume and force in response to background noise. This tendency causes us to strain our voices in the effort to be heard. Avoid this unnecessary stress on your voice - choose a quieter place to meet.
Keep your speaking to a minimum. For singers who have a serious performing schedule (such as those on tour) speaking needs to be kept in check. All-night phone conversations with your significant other back home aren’t the best idea. Not that you have to adopt a “strong, silent type” persona, but try to shut off the speaking vocals after 10:00pm and don’t volunteer to lead the band pep talks.
You are what you eat. What we eat very much affects our vocal production. First of all, eating healthily supports your immune system (an absolute must for a singer.) Keep up the fruits and vegetables, and think about taking an immune system support supplement. Secondly, dairy products, and greasy or sugary foods increase phlem. Avoid milk, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products the entire day of a show. If you do find yourself plagued with phlem, drink some lemon water (not sugary lemonade!) or eat a tart green apple. The light acidity of these fruits helps to break down the phlem so it can move along more quickly. Finally, don’t eat a large meal within 4 hours of a performance. Your lungs need room to expand when you inhale and you may find yourself quite short of breath if all the room in your body is taken up by chimichangas and beans with rice.
Look out for yourself. Of course everyone wants the fun lead-singer to come to their party and drink with them. Socializing is, of course, one of the perks and necessities of being a musician. Everyone has limits, however, and only you can decide where yours are. Learn to politely decline invitations when you need to sleep or when you feel that a night of talking will strain your instrument. Remember that once your voice is strained only rest can fix it, so don’t let it get to that point.
Do you have a voice or performance question that you would like to ask Rebeqa?
Click Here To Ask!
Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized, Performer Resources at 6:34 pm by Administrator
As a budding performer it can be frustrating to know how to get your music heard. As cliché as it may seem, Open Mics are a great place to get your “performance feet” under you. Open Mics can be, depending on the venue, very relaxed like a living room setting, or more performance oriented. The only way to know for sure about a certain Open Mic dynamic is to visit the venue during an Open Mic and check it out.
A list of Open Mics for the Seattle-area can be found at
www.songspace.net
And how should you act during an Open Mic? Here are some general guidelines:
Check out the venue before you perform. Most Open Mics are weekly. If you want to perform at one, stop in the week before and get a feel for the space and their audience - are they the right age group and dynamic for your music? Does the venue only feature acoustic music? Is there a sound system you can use - and who do you need to talk to if you do want to use it? Is the Open Mic just for music or does it include poetry and spoken word?
Don’t assume the venue will provide anything. Obviously, if you need a sound system and you don’t have your own you will stop into or call the venue beforehand. Just because they have a system, however, don’t assume they’ll have all the cords and hookups you need. Also, if you need other accouterments like a table or music stand bring those, too.
Arrive early to sign up. There will be a sign up sheet, often near the stage, that will open usually 15-20 minutes before the Open Mic is to begin. If you can’t find it, ask around. Most Open Mics have a Host who will answer questions and MC throughout the evening. While some Open Mics will do random selection to determine the order of performance, many will give you time slots to choose from. Getting there early ensures that you won’t be stuck with the unpopular “first time slot.” Make sure to print your name clearly, don’t leave them guessing on what to call you.
Be polite and listen to the other performers Open Mics are a good networking opportunity with other musicians - don’t shoot yourself in the foot by being rude to possible future collaborators. With this in mind, give the other performers the same listening courtesy you expect. Don’t hum along, practice your song, or snicker under your breath. And try not to split as soon as your set is done - stick around and hear what everyone else has worked hard to put together.
When your name is called, go to the stage and set up quickly. Open Mics are, ultimately, time-sensitive. Everyone is waiting for their few minutes in a set block of time. Lollygagging up to the stage cuts into yours and other people’s time slot. Be considerate - get to the stage and set up.
Keep speaking to the necessary minimum. Obviously, some songs need some background introduction - just keep it short and sweet.
Have a few songs ready. The number of songs you will perform is directly related to how many people sign up. If there are two people playing that night you’ll probably be able to play for a while. If there are 20 people signed up, you’ll get 3 minutes. Be prepared for anything in between.
Keep calm and relax! Sure it’s a performance, but Open Mics are purposefully casual. If you mess up it’s not a big deal, just keep playing. Most of all cut yourself some slack - at least you’re up there doing what you love! Do you have a voice or performance question that you would like to ask Rebeqa?
Click Here To Ask!
Permalink
