Category: Vocal Development and Mechanics
Hi, I’m a High-low, Lyric-dramatic, Schwarze-spinto, Helden-leggero, something-or-other....and today I will be singing......whatever you want me to.
Published July 17th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
It is an interesting thing to hear young singers talking about their own voices. Probably no people are more prone to categorizing than the not-yet-employed young singer. Somewhere between the predictions of the teacher and the musical preferences of the aspiring singer, words begin to be thrown around, like dramatic, coloratura, helden-, spinto, soubrette, etc..... […]
Read Post Hi, I’m a High-low, Lyric-dramatic, Schwarze-spinto, Helden-leggero, something-or-other....and today I will be singing......whatever you want me to.Betrayed by our own language.......
Published July 10th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
Language is a tricky thing. I don't mean the study of languages, I mean our use of words. They are incredibly useful tools. They paint pictures that communicate things. They can communicate both the vague and the incredibly specific. But they can also communicate things we don't realize. Our choice of words can communicate things […]
Read Post Betrayed by our own language.......Tell Me A Story......
Published June 26th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
Even though it was over 22 yrs ago, I can remember my very first voice lesson. My teacher asked me to define singing. I shrugged. He looked at me and said, “Singing is sustained talking on a tune.” He asked me to repeat that back to him, and I have never since forgotten those words. […]
Read Post Tell Me A Story......Aaaand breathe......no.... out. Breathe out.
Published June 19th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
You take a breath, you sing. Concern sets in? Long phrase? Start again, this time with a bigger breath.... Singers spend a fair amount of time considering their breathing, as well they should. Very often, particularly in young or amateur singers, this takes the form of thinking exclusively about their inhale (“Did I take a […]
Read Post Aaaand breathe......no.... out. Breathe out.That is definitely the best approach.....and so is that.
Published May 26th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
A couple of years ago I was coaching some music with a friend of mine, a wonderful coach. In the course of the hour, I observed, “Y’know, I have recently been thinking a lot about the relationship between a hook-up (another term for “support”) and legato, and how....” “...They are the same thing?” “Well, sorta. Not exactly the […]
Read Post That is definitely the best approach.....and so is that.Reasonable Expectations, pt.2
Published January 29th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
In my last post, I spoke about singing in terms of time spent. I want to continue that same line of thinking with the following observation, aimed at those struggling with changes to your singing: Think for a moment about how long you have been singing. How long have you been singing more or less […]
Read Post Reasonable Expectations, pt.2Reasonable Expectations #1
Published January 11th, 2013 by Brad Jenks
This one goes out to the many young singers who feel destined for the stage! Let’s take a candid look at your practice schedule...... how much do you actually sing? Consider for a moment the hours of a full-time job. On average, 40 hours per week. For the sake of argument, let’s halve that, so […]
Read Post Reasonable Expectations #1