Procrastination

Procrastination. As far as life goes, procrastination is a negative thing. I am a collage student and have learned the pros of doing things on time and being prepared. I have also learned what it feels like to walk into a class not prepared. Bad feeling. This concept applies to singing as well. If the voice is well trained, it can reach heights that it could not otherwise reach. From personal experience, I know that my nerves are calmed when I am on stage to sing if I am prepared. If the voice has not had practice, it cannot do well on the spot.

Style of the Month! Jazz!

Every month I would like to dedicate a blog post to a specific style of vocal music. For May I want to write about Jazz. The neat thing about Jazz is that you don't need much technique or an amazing vocal range to sing it. Jazz is all about using the unique qualities of your voice and making the Jazz songs your own. I think of Jazz as a personal style that can be felt close to the heart. It is kind of like an extension of your speaking voice.

Microphones are especially important when singing Jazz. With a microphone, Jazz singers can whisper or sing in a breathy way and still be heard by a large audience. Using these kinds of techniques add much to Jazz and like I said earlier, make it more personal. Jazz singers should become comfortable with singing into microphones because microphones are a very beneficial tool to use with Jazz.

When singing or listening to Jazz, I tend to find my body moving with the beat. I love the beat! Jazz music has a unique sort of swing to it. For example, in a Jazz song in 4/4 time, the emphasized beats are beats 2 and 4. With so much attention put on these "off beats", the song is able to attain that swingin' and jazzy sound. One classic jazz singer is Frank Sinatra. I am sure you know of this well known star. In his song "Come Fly with Me", you can really hear and feel the "swing". Listen to this great Jazz song. You will notice that you begin to move and maybe even snap your fingers to the beat. It is hard not to!

Breakthrough Treatment That Saves Vocal Cords

He has saved the voices of singers like Aerosmith, Cher, and Julie Andrews. He is known worldwide and is the director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital. His name is Dr. Steven Zeitels. By using an advanced laser, Dr. Zeitels saves voices and lives by skillfully using radiation.

In a recent case, one of Israel's most popular comic actors, Sefi Rivlin, had developed a severe case of vocal cord cancer. By losing his voice, he would be losing his career and wouldn't be able to talk and sing with his family: the things that he most enjoyed in his life. While searching for help, Rivlin heard about a new radical procedure done by Dr. Zeitels to save vocal cords filled with cancer. Wanting so badly to keep his voice, Rivlin decided to try the procedure. In 2006 his throat was so full of cancer that his vocal cords could not be seen by doctors. But today, Rivlin is cancer free. "I see no evidence of cancer. The dysplasia is mostly resolved," Zeitels said. Some may wonder how the laser doesn't hurt the vocal cords themselves. Dr. Zeitels explains, "For vocal cords to vibrate, they need to be soft and pliable, very similar to a child's skin or an infant's skin. This laser is absorbed by hemoglobin and blood and only heats the tumor, which is why the pliability is basically preserved."

This is truly an amazing procedure that has saved lives and voices. To watch a news clip from ABC news on this story click here.

It is such a comfort to know that there is now technology that can help us save something that helps to make us who we are: our voices.

The Crucial Step

The runner stretches her legs before her competitive race. The football player awakes his muscles as the crowd gathers in the stands. The arms of the tennis player are exercised to gain needed muscle for her matches.

Preparing beforehand for big events like these is needed so that injury doesn't occur. Some athletes may think that this is an obvious bit of information, but other individuals may not be as knowledgeable. Just like athletes, singers (whether experienced or new) must grasp the importance of warming their voices before singing. This is a crucial step, and its benefits greatly outweigh the time it takes to do so. By warming up, the diaphragm and vocal cords become ready to create and support the sounds that singing requires.


So, what are some beneficial warm-ups for vocalists to perform before singing? Dr. Titze from the National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS) has some answers. Dr. Titze gave five of his favorite vocal warm-ups for singers (trilling, two-octave pitch glides etc.) on the NCVS website here.

Just like runners need to warm their muscles and stretch before running, vocalists need to warm-up their voices before singing. Never forget that crucial step.