FAQs
Q. I would like to study jazz and popular music for vocal. At present I’m studying classic and musical but I’m more interested in jazz. My singing teacher said, if i sing jazz, my voice will become broken. Is it really like that? Should all the jazz singers have an unclear voice?
A. Singing with a clear or unclear or broken voice has nothing whatsoever to do with jazz, music is a language and jazz is a dialect of that language in the same way that rock and rap music are dialects of music.
The confusion occurs when classically trained musicians try to perform or teach jazz using the same criteria as they would for classical music … it’s a totally different mindset.
The underlying motive of jazz is love and expression, jazz demands that you be yourself!
The best jazz musicians sound like themselves; they are not a copy of someone else; they are expressing themselves through the medium of music.
If you want to learn jazz singing you must find a teacher who speaks the language of jazz.
Jazz singers are influenced by jazz instrumentalists i.e., tenor sax, trumpet, trombone therefore the jazz singers articulation, intonation and over all stylistic approach reflects that influence.
Bends, growls, slides are all part of the jazz dialect but none of these musical effects are found in classical music, notice I said ‘effect’ for that is all they are effects that the vocalist employs to express himself or herself.
At the end of the day ‘the music is the thing’ that’s what really matters, it’s what you are saying with your music not how you are saying it.
When the world hears Louis Armstrong sing “What A Wonderful World” everyone gets it! Although from a strictly classical standpoint there’s many articulation issues with Louis’ rendition.
As Shakespeare said ‘the play is the thing’ with music it’s your ability to express yourself, all the scales and exercises are just preparatory studies they are NOT the music.
Q. I’m thinking of becoming a professional singer, is it a good idea to learn to play a musical instrument?
A. Yes I believe that it would be to your advantage to learn a musical instrument, because not only are musicianship skills very important , it also helps to communicate your musical ideas with clarity and confidence.
Q. What is the best way to learn phrasing?
A. I suggest that you listen to instrumentalists (saxophone or trumpet) listen closely to how they phrase and importantly to how they breathe, whilst playing.
Q. I’ve just bought a vocal effects unit and want to know which reverb is best for vocals – spring reverb or plate reverb?
A. Plate reverb is the best for vocals.
Q. I was at a function recently and the singers’ voice sounded squashed and unnatural, what would cause this?
A. It sounds like the sound engineer either had too much compression or the wrong type of compression on the vocals.
Q. Do you have any tips for the health and care of the singers voice?
A.
- Drink a minimum of 8 (ounce) glasses of water daily, more if you drink caffeniated beverages like coffee etc. The water will help hydrate the vocal chords and is excellent for your health.
- Pay attention to how you use your speaking voice, bad habits can translate to the wear and tear of the voice, check that your voice is not gravelly or too low.
- Singing with a cold – Pay attention to where the cold is residing, if you have nasal congestion you can still sing. If your vocal chords aren’t impacted you can still perform. Pay attention to how the voice sounds. Consult your Doctor when in doubt, rather than purchase over the counter medications.
- Use a microphone when you are singing with an amplified band if the band has onstage monitors make use of them. Remember the band may not be as sensitive to your needs as a singer. If the music is too loud it would be best to leave…. rather than suffer unnecessary vocal strain.
Q. I feel that I select the songs that are within my vocal register – do you have any suggestions of a song/songs that could be more challenging for me to learn?
A. It isn’t really a process of selecting a more challenging song – rather, how well one can perform any song. It is best to choose songs that are more melodic, not those that require a ‘dramatic’ or dynamic level. One should avoid material that places great demand on the voice. The 2nd thing to do is try to address the breaks – or the bridge as you go up to the 2nd bridge (i.e. Eb) one has to negotiate or smooth out the transition from where you are coming from to where you want to go.
Q. I’m 12 years old and would like to increase my vocal range how can I learn this?
A. As far as voice training goes, one would treat the training with caution – it is not uncommon for a young singer to vocalize from a low G below mid C to a high E above. and it is possible to maintain this start, however, the key is to keep it Light and Easy … absolutely no heavy singing … for example, musicals or stage performing requires belting – this can damage the vocal cords and for the young voice … that hasn’t developed or coordinated properly, this can place a tremendous strain on it. With care, the young voice will become fuller, without loss of range, and maintain quality and power.
