SONG PRACTICE
To get to an excellent level at anything – you need to spend 10,000 hours engaged in that endeavor. 10,000 hours divided by 8 hours a day is 1250 days (3.4 years). This is confirmed by many very successful people. Remember this point.
When listening to a song, note the BPM, and the key before practicing a song. Sing along with artist with the song playing at a slower speed. Then listening only to artist singing without the background music. Loop verses when practice singing in order to concentrate your listening analysis and your accurate expression singing.
Sing listening to your voice and artist voice at same time and at normal speed while recording your voice. Then, listen to your voice recording. Your expression should sound very close to the original artist. Pay attention to his inflections.
When practicing a set of several songs always sing each song two or three times before moving on to the next song Sing multiple songs in sequence (a set) with little break between songs.
The song of the Day – sing one song ten times, consecutively, one song after the other.
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PLAYING PIANO
Buy cheap 61 key keyboard know chords for tuning voice Play chords of songs to backing tracks. Memorize song chord changes. When playing the chords, put on a drum beat and play with the original song, and then with the backing track.
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CELEBRITIES
Sinatra
Frank talking bout his voice tuning book
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PROGRAMS & APPS
Cubase 12 for singing practice
Spectra Layers program to produce backing tracks from original songs
Connect program to practice with others at different locations
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SING SPEAK
Do it all day! Listen to Elvis talk … he was always slightly singing his speech …
BEFORE PERFORMING
1 Tune your voice several times in the day, and especially right before the performance. You can tune your voice when you are driving or before you leave.
2 Stretch. Do Yoga several times during the day if possible. Do one set as close as you can in time to the performance.
3 vocalize for one hour or more before a performance. Don’t sing songs. You have done singing practice of your songs for days before this performance.
WHAT AUDIENCES EXPECT
1. Singing in tune to the notes of the scale
2. Singing emphasis on a consistent beat in the verses. This is Music not a speech. People want to hear a beat in your singing. A rhythm. Emphasize a down beat. This is done by going up in volume one level for one beat (ie. level 5 to level 6)
3. Words exaggerated – Ball in the mouth, enunciate big your words
4. Pleasant tones – use nasal and chest resonators, back palate, breath, vibrato
5. Volume changes – minor changes of volume inside verses and changes of volume louder or softer amongst the various verses. There are ten levels of volume. People appreciate when a singer changes between the levels even though they might not realize it. This is a sign of a quality singer. In many slow songs there are several subtle volume changes in just one verse.
Voice is Shot
If you have a bad cold, flu, allergy, etc. where you just can’t sing …. get prescription Prednisone (a steroid) = helps your throat come back if bronchitis or severe cold. It will clear up your voice in hours. In severe cases a Doctor will inject the drug into the throat.