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In the musical theater world, you will often hear the need for actors to be a "triple threat". This refers to an actor who excels in the three disciplines for musicals: acting, singing, and dancing.
What is not known so widely is that the need to be a "triple threat" has expanded to the opera world and the music business in general. Every type of singer, whether they are pop, musical, or classical, MUST be a convincing actor. And if you want to be a stage singer (musicals and opera), dance training is also a must. How does one acquire training for each discipline without breaking the bank? Here are some strategies: 1) Get on-stage. It doesn't matter where: community theater, church activities, chorus etc...any sort of practical experience in front of people is the BEST training you can get. Not only will you get advice from the directors, you can watch others who are successful singers and actors, observe them, and steal what works from them. Yes, I said steal. The best singers and actors are those who copy their predecessors and THEN develop their own personal style. 2) Take private singing lessons with a reputable singer in your area. Learning how to sing requires one-on-one attention because each person's voice is unique and needs a curriculum designed specifically for their instrument. 3) Take dance and acting courses at a local community college. Dance courses are relatively inexpensive, and a great way to meet people and exercise! 4) For acting, observe people in real life. How do they act in certain situations? Also, when you do find a voice teacher, make sure you find one who is willing to talk about acting while singing. It is relatively easy to deliver lines on stage, but extremely difficult to sing and act without looking silly. I talk to all my students on how to deliver a song, acting techniques etc...because it is so important to audiences. DWS No. As your voice teacher, I can make numerous recordings for songs that you are working on, and I can also make recordings of the technical exercises we do in lessons.
As your voice teacher, however, I will strongly encourage you to learn how to read music. There are numerous free websites that teach the basics of reading music, and many texts available for those students who want to learn more about chords, harmonic progressions etc...In addition to these sources, I do teach basic music reading skills in your lessons because it is an important skill to learn to become a proficient musician. DWS How does one go about increasing one's vocal range? And do you need a voice teacher to help you?
First, to increase one's range, several factors need to be considered and worked on during practice: 1) Breath Management and Support 2) Larynx Position 3) Shaping of the Vocal Tract and Resonance 4) General "Freedom" in one's singer/Lack of physical tension 5) Picking the Right Music to Sing that builds your range. As you can see from the above, all of these topics should be the area of expertise of a great voice teacher. While you can probably gain a note or two by just practicing on your own, most singers need a voice teacher to help them expand their range by a considerable amount. I have had students literally add an octave or more to their voice and gain notes on both ends (more low and high pitches). I do this primarily by working the middle of the voice and addressing the topics above, which, after some time, results in a major increase in one's range. Singing one high note (or low note) repeatedly will not increase your range and may even reduce your range if you are singing with significant tension. Unfortunately, increasing your vocal range is not easy, simple, or fast. A voice teacher can be your guiding hand to increasing your range through the careful choice of music repertoire and technical exercises. DWS Have you ever made a recording of yourself, speaking or singing, and then you hear yourself and go "I do not sound like that!"
Believe it or not, this is a very natural and widespread reaction, and it has almost NOTHING to do with the quality of your speaking or singing voice. You see, what we hear versus what others hear is dramatically different because the process of hearing oneself is very different from hearing someone else. When you listen to yourself, you are hearing the sound as it goes through your body and your bones and body conduct the sound. When the audience hears YOU, all they hear is the finished product. This is what creates the "I can't sound like that!" reaction in so many singers. What we envision our sound to be, versus the finished product, creates a huge discrepancy to our ears. This is where a good voice teacher comes in. A great voice teacher, while instructing you on how to improve your sound, ALSO helps teach you to learn what a good singing tone sounds and feels like TO YOU. Many times, this new aural or physical sensation seems counter-intuitive. Ask any professional singer, and they will tell you their high notes often sound, to THEM, as weak, small, muted etc....but the finished product we hear is beautiful. Over time, the teacher trains you to hear and feel your singing in a new way that is aligned with a beautiful sound. DWS Dear readers,
My life has been extremely hectic with 3 upcoming concerts, makeup lessons due to weather, and my high school students preparing for contests this February. I plan on resuming these technique blogs this weekend! Thanks! DWS Just a quick update - I am one of the winners of the Houston Masterworks Young Artists Competition! I will be performing two selections with the orchestra: "Hai gia vinta la causa" from the Marriage of Figaro and "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific. More information can be found at the website www.houstonmasterworks.org. Hope to see you there on February 12th!
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