Soul Sista
28 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
I’ve been soul-searching… music-wise. I’ve been furthering my piano studies and have found that I have a secret love for classical music, and very interesting that I always seem to lean towards the more latin-inspired pieces… especially the ones that have a “voicing” melody (I wonder why that is…hehehe). Maybe it’s in my blood, I am half-Phillipino (with a hint of Spanish in there), so maybe everyone of us has that instinct. I don’t want to group people together like each Italian person should love Italian Arias, or like-wise, but I think that if we all just explore all the different types of music, we’d all notice little patterns, and that are musical heritage is etched in our hearts.
Happy Singing!
Bjaankka
P.S. An interesting discovery; my brother was playing a violin piece a few years ago that, still, is my favorite to hear him play, and found out later, that our great-grandfather used to play that same tune on the violin to my uncle to put him to sleep… Hmmm
Regular Practice
14 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
Practice makes perfect isn’t just a cliché…. it’s the truth! Find out for yourself, find something really hard (anything that you know is a challenge for yourself) and practice it everyday…. say you’re learning piano and you are practicing your scales and triads and there’s one particular key that you have trouble with, practice it 10 times a day for 3 weeks and see what happens…. you may need more time or less, but chances are you have gotten better and it might make you a better pianist as well, it will make playing pieces in that particular key easier. So, try it!
Happy Singing!
Bjaankka
When to Start Singing:
29 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
If you have vocal chords, lungs and a mouth, you can start singing at any point, but if you are looking for voice lessons for your child and wondering whether he/she is ready… this blog is for you….
Every child is different in their maturity level and how much time they have to practice. I recommend that your child take music lessons (of any kind) as soon as possible because it’s important for young minds to grow with something like music so that it becomes second nature to them, like reading or riding a bike, requiring patience and practice.
Piano is nice to start with because you are learning both treble clef and bass clef and it gives you much practice with reading and learning to play notes. Violin, viola, cello or double bass are good for intonation, training your ears to hear the right tones (so you’re not sharp or flat… one of the most common challenges of a beginning singer). I think if you expose your child to different instruments and styles of music, it would help them blossom in learning to make music.
Piano or violin for a 3 year old is a good way to start (in my opinion) because they are beginning to use their motor skills to be successful in playing instruments. I think it is a good idea for a 7 year old to start singing lessons because by then they would have had time to practice with other instruments and they are most likely able to read. People are able to sing without reading music, but I think it really helps if you can, especially when you can look at an instrument knowing where and how far apart the notes are (this really helps with sight reading for singers).
I hope this information helps you and your family in the search for voice lessons.
Happy Singing!
Bjaankka
Build Self-Confidence!
24 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
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There are so many ways to build your self-confidence. You have it in you, you just need a goal to push yourself into confidence. Confidence is often recognized after completing (or just doing) something that you thought you couldn’t do.
So many people get stuck in a rut. People feel comfortable in their routines and like to keep it that way. I am not about to tell you that routines are bad and will ultimately bring your confidence level to a low, but I know that when you start something new, a new hobby, a new sport, new instrument or even just meeting new people, it may shake up your life just enough to realize that you have potential in many other things, and you can keep surprising yourself.
One common hobby (or performing art) that people often think that they “can’t” do or “aren’t good at” is singing. It is one interest that people would rather do in private when there is not a soul around. You are worried that someone might hear you and think that you are a horrible singer. Which to some feels like a huge risk. But believe you, me, the only way to improve your (secret) voice is to let someone hear and give you a little constructive criticism, like paying attention to your breathing or your tone (a common one) and us vocal trainers/voice teachers have little tricks and exercises to help overcome your difficulties.
Yes, I am slowly trying to convince you that you would really like to take voice lessons… slowly but surely! (wink)
Sooo, to recap, one (of many) ways to build your self-confidence can be through the art of singing! Learn from a professional and feel good about yourself!
Happy Singing,
Bjaankka
Starting to Sing?
05 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Uncategorized
So. You’ve been singing to the radio, in the shower and sometimes just while you’re doing laundry, but now you’ve reached a point where you’d like to take the next step to singing in public…. maybe you’re not ready to jump into that boat yet, but you’d like to get there in the future.
You’re not quite sure if the notes coming out of your mouth are in tune, you’re breathing is somewhat to be desired and you’d love to be able to do all those nice runs and turns and add vibrance to your voice.
I’d love to help you out and the best way is to have voice lessons, because just like any instrument, you can learn on your own, but it really helps to have someone encourage you with everything you’ve done right and help you get over certain challenges that may interfere with a healthy sounding voice. I would need to see you and pay attention to the way you stand, breath and listen to your intonation, but since we can’t do this through a blog, I’d like to give you some pointers…
I’d like you to keep in mind that your vocal chords are just another muscle that doesn’t get as much attention of one that should have “training”. Doing simple vocal exercises and warm-ups are as important to singers as a marathon runner practices running and isn’t likely to forget to stretch as well. Some of the exercises I teach are for building a nice sized range, others are for being able to breathe deep breaths, or even help you hear your intonation (whether you’re in tune or not). A healthy voice is also more likely to last a long time (versus someone who keeps singing without warm-ups), did you ever notice how some of the elderly have trouble controlling their voices, well, vocal warm-ups can help with this as well.
Food and Drinks:
Singing is more than breathing and singing the right notes, it can make a difference with what you’ve eaten just before (not good to eat just before singing) and it’s always good to keep hydrated, don’t try to sing for an hour without water at hand… this could do damage. Also, milk can cause phlegm and you could imagine what this could do to the sound of your voice as well as just being an annoying challenge to sing through. Juices, because of the acidity could cause your mouth to become dry as well. The best thing to do is drink lots of water and try to eat at least an hour before singing.
Posture:
You need to stand with feet, hip/shoulder width apart, some argue whether it is better to have one foot slightly ahead of the other, I think it all depends on your style of singing (eg. classical singing-feet should be parallel, musical singing-feet are slightly staggered…. for more of a power “acting” stance). Next, check your shoulders, roll them back and the forward and back and keep them back while letting them relax, picture an imaginary string pulling you up by your sternum. Last, your head, you must pay attention to the position of your head, no gawking forward, and not back so it strains your neck/vocal chords.
Breathing Exercises:
Try these breathing exercises;
Paper on wall:
Cut a small piece of paper (into a 1 X 1 inch square), put that piece of paper against the wall and bring your face close to the paper (not touching it though) while still holding the piece of paper with your fingers, then just as you let go, blow a steady stream of air at the piece of paper to keep it in the same place, then as you master this, try backing up slightly, see how far back you can step while blowing that piece of paper.
Lip trills:
Blow air through your relaxed lips to make a rumbling sound with your lips… the more relaxed your lips are, the better.
-10/5 second breath:
Breath in for 10 seconds and let it out in a slow steady stream with a “hiss” sound, try this again and then try with the “shh” sound. Then try the same thing but shorten the breathing to 5 seconds. If you are unsure about the pressure of the air, put your hand in front of your mouth to feel the strength, then try to back your hand up to really use those breathing muscles. You’ll be able to feel your breath from the “hiss” further than that of the “shh”.
Alright, well, those are a few basic techniques for vocal warm-ups. I hope this helps in your quest to becoming a better singer!
Happy Singing,
Bjaankka
info about singing
27 Jul 2011 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: Uncategorized
Hello All!
Whether you’re planning on singing for a special occasion, a friend’s Wedding or Birthday, studying for a singing part in a musical, or you sing and people around tell you that you sound like a drowning cat. You’re looking for some vocal training.
E-mail me at bjaankka@gmail.com for some more info.
Happy Singing!
Bjaankka
