If you are interested in performing in musical theater or opera, you will be preparing for and participating in auditions for your entire career. It will help if you can realize, right from the start, that most auditions will not yield employment. When you genuinely understand that to be true, you can open your heart and begin to relax about…
Voice Tip for the Week #19: Preparing a Solo Performance
Whether you are a pop or cabaret singer assembling a set for a local bar or club, a jazz or rock singer performing with a few instruments or a band, or a classical singer preparing for a recital, you may find yourself putting together a solo performance. Whatever genre you choose, sharing your music is a wonderful and rewarding way…
Voice Tip for the Week #18: Accompanying Yourself on a Musical Instrument
When you sing and play an instrument at the same time, it is paramount that you feature the voice above the instrument. Whether one instrument or an ensemble of instruments is accompanying a singer, an audience will immediately direct its attention to the singer. The challenge for you as a singer when you are accompanying yourself is not to lose…
Voice Tip for the Week #17: Singing in a Foreign Language
As a singer, you may find yourself needing to learn a song in a language other than your own. Singing in a foreign language may be new for you, but you can do it with some help! Don’t rush the process. Take your time to learn the proper nuances of the language so that you don’t have to unlearn and…
Voice Tip for the Week #16: Courage and Community
I recently received a wonderful email from a former student of mine that illustrated the importance of finding courage and building community as a singing artist. When Michelle first started working with me in 2012, she was terrified. She knew that she wanted to sing, but before coming to take lessons with me, she had never sung in front of…
Voice Tip for the Week #15: Gestures
What do I do with my hands? Understanding the use of gestures can free up the performer and enhance your storytelling power. I learned this material from working with Wesley Balk, when I sang and studied with the New Music-Theater Ensemble of Minneapolis many years ago. It has been so helpful to expand my range and comfort level with gestures.…
Voice Tip for the Week #14: Physical Warm-Up
At the beginning of each private voice lesson, I have my students do a series of physical warm-up exercises. These body warm-ups help the student become more aware of their physicality. It is vital to learn to sing without any unnecessary tension that can interfere with vocal production. Physical warm-up exercises are a great way to shake off the concerns…
Voice Tip for the Week #13: Eye Focus
When you are learning to sing, it is important to consider not only your voice but also your eye focus. Understanding eye focus and using it correctly can help you to improve your memorization, steady your attention, and define your performance. Performers who are unaware of eye focus when they sing will commonly shut their eyes, hold tension around wide…
Voice Tip for the Week #12: Getting a Tune into Your Voice
After stretching your body, practicing your diaphragmatic breathing exercises, releasing tension from your face and tongue, and vocalizing to warm up your range, you are ready to sing. Today, I will guide you through my method for getting a tune into your voice. Here’s how it works. Start by playing a phrase from the piece of music you want to…
Voice Tip for the Week #11: Vocalizing
Whether you are a singer, performer, or public speaker, you need to exercise your voice. Vocalizing can help you to expand your vocal range and develop an evenness of tone. I recommend a lighthearted approach to vocal exercise, focused on increasing muscle awareness and muscle memory. Many students run into trouble while vocalizing by squeezing or manipulating the throat in…
Voice Tip for the Week #10: Exercises to Warm Up the Face and Tongue
Today, I will give you an example of serious play by leading you through a series of exercises you can use to warm up your face and tongue. These warm-up exercises will help you prepare for vocalizing for practice or for performance. Take the time to do these warm-up exercises every time before you sing. Exercise #1 — Raisin &…
Voice Tip for the Week #9: Practicing
Practicing singing productively is its own art form. No matter what your skill level is or what natural gifts you have, we all need to practice. One way to stay motivated about practicing is to understand that you are in a process of self-realization. Think of practicing as a way of finding an explanation for your instinctive musical inclinations. When…
Voice Tip for the Week #8: Attitude
When you are learning to sing or taking voice lessons, one of the most important things to keep in mind is your attitude. Remember that you are in a non-linear process. Singing lessons are not about mastering a set of facts. Yes, pitches need to be true, and rhythms need to be accurate, but you achieve these things through a…
Voice Tip for the Week #7: How to Overcome Stage Fright
It is so much fun to be in the flow of a good performance experience. But stage fright can be a huge obstacle to that wonderful, glowing feeling and can rob you of your joy. So let’s unwrap that sinking experience. First off, it is completely normal to be nervous before a performance. Everyone experiences stage fright. Nerves are a…
Voice Tip for the Week #6: Articulation and Plosive Consonants
Over the past few weeks, we have discussed strengthening the diaphragm for breath support and opening up the spaces in the mouth to find resonance. Today, I will share with you about the final element of vocal mechanics: working with articulation, specifically, using plosive consonants to propel vowel sounds forward. In the video above, I demonstrate the articulation of consonants,…
Voice Tip for the Week #5: Resonance
This week, I am sharing a couple of exercises with you that will help you to feel and use your vocal resonance. Proper vocal resonance, supported by the diaphragmatic breath, ensures the health and longevity of your voice. Connecting the resonance with your breath support will keep your voice fresh and strong. Those of you who want to develop a…
Voice Tip for the Week #4: Vowel Sound Exercises to Open the Throat
This week, I’m sharing a voice tip with you that will help you to open your vocal range and prepare you to get the most from your vocal warm up routine. After stretching the torso and strengthening the diaphragm, I ask students to perform these stretches for the tongue, soft palate, and jaw before vocalizing. These exercises will help prepare…
Voice Tip for the Week #3: Strengthening the Diaphragm
In my video this week, you will learn two breathing exercises that you can use to help strengthen your diaphragm. Here, I will share with you more about breathing and developing diaphragmatic strength. When it comes to singing, it is important to initiate sound on the support of your exhalation, which is sustained by the efficient use of your diaphragm.…
Voice Tip for the Week #2: Five Steps for Learning a New Song
Welcome back! This week, I’d like to share with you my special 5-step process for learning a new song. Whether you are brand new to singing or a very experienced performer — and no matter what genre of music interests you — you can experiment with this. Step 1: Dance to the music! Listen to a recording or several different…
Voice Tip for the Week #1: Finding Your Authentic Singing Voice
Hi! This is Marcy Jellison. Welcome to my new blog! Through my career as a performer and my work with many talented and aspiring singers over the years, I have made many observations about the art of singing. Here, I will share some of my experiences with you by presenting a new voice tip for you each week. These tips…