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I'm actively working on both a Facebook and Instagram page for this website, as well as a Remind101 service for voice lessons!
When the sites are up and running, and I feel comfortable using these tools, I will be sure to post links on the website. It may take me a few days, but I'm excited. (When I say I'm working on it, I really mean my wife is showing me how to do everything. She is so good at technology, and I love her a lot for her help and advice!) DWS One of the greatest challenges for any singer is the ability to sing 'legato.' Legato is an Italian word meaning "tied together" but we use today to define a singer who can sing a phrase with no accidental breaks or interruptions. This sounds easy, but is in fact the hardest thing for most singers to execute consistently. Indeed, singing legato is often the easiest way to identify a professional versus amateur singer.
There are numerous 'tricks' to help singers achieve a true legato, but most of the time it involves visualization exercises asking the singer to concentrate on maintaining a consistent airflow. Many voice teachers will ask you to 'sing on the breath' or 'think of the air as a river' - when voice teachers use those sayings, they are working on legato! DWS One of my best teachers, an acting coach who teaches at the University of Houston, had a saying that every young actor and singer needed to "steal" from older, more experienced professionals. What does this mean? And how does it make you a better singer?
In education, cheating/stealing/copying from others are definitely frowned upon. Yet we learn as little kids, as well as young professionals, that the best way to become good at something is to watch more experienced people and to 'copy' or 'steal' them. For actors, this means watching the best and understanding how Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks works a scene - how do their individual actions make you believe they are sad, happy etc...? As a singer, vocal technique is not something you can copy...you need to be in the practice room, taking lessons with a good voice teacher, and working on your voice everyday. But singers can still "steal" by listening to other singers and how certain phrasing and musical choices can make one singer incredibly "musical." Most voice teachers tend to take the view that musicality is inherent and cannot be taught. I do not believe this. Musicality is a function of having great ears attuned to what the music is doing, listening and copying great singers, and studying your music and the composing style. Studying musicality is not a simple "A causes B" affair, but it can be learned. DWS |
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