The raspy voice has been a signature sound for some singers with legendary careers. Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Bonny Tyler, Macy Gray and Brian Adams are among the artists that come to mind who have successfully used this sound. In many contemporary music genres, a degree of raspiness can add a cool, communicative factor to vocal…

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Vocal vibrato can be likened to garlic... some songs/dishes call for more, some less. There are different types. Sometimes you want artichoke garlic, sometimes elephant garlic - sometimes you want faster wave vibrato, sometimes slower. Great cooks will tell you that sometimes you want to chop garlic, sometimes…

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I recently had a real-world refresher about how to get a voice that feels fried in shape for a long band rehearsal....because this time the voice was mine!

The year so far in Nashville is full of pollen and other allergens, even more than usual this year. My schedule has been slamming with vocal lessons, studio production, etc. The day of rehearsal, I gave several vocal lessons starting 9am, drove to the studio and did a few hours of vocal production, drove back, gave more vocal…

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If you are wanting to increase your usable vocal range without straining your voice, here's the best way:



Strengthen your middle or mixed voice!



This is also known as bridging or covering, mixing…

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It can be confusing to know that many people can eat chips, coke, even ice cream right at the mic and seem to suffer none of the vocal complaints that lay many others low. Yet voice scientists, doctors and vocal coaches frequently give long lists of things that you should never do if you want your voice to be healthy. Some people become afraid - almost superstitions- that eating anything before singing will sabotage their performance, and then they don't have enough energy to power and control… Continue

As a vocal coach and a singer who frequently plays keyboard instruments, there are things I've had to learn about the most efficient ways of doing these two things at once. Here are 7 tips to make playing piano help - instead of sabotage - your voice:



* Practice playing and singing separately.



Each of these two disciplines needs your undivided attention. When practicing keyboard, just sing very lightly (or don't sing at all), going over to head voice on high… Continue

Vocal strain is one of the most serious concerns for professional singers and speakers. Here's my top 17 causes and contributors to straining the voice:



1. Bad Breathing Technique:

...inhaling too high in chest, too much or uncontrolled breath pressure applied to vocal cords.



2. Tight Throat Channel:

...tightness where nose, throat and mouth meet at the "post-nasal drip zone".



3. Yelling:

... 20 minutes of yelling,… Continue

A large part of vocal training involves learning vocal control. Without vocal control, any vocal recording will suffer dreadfully. With it, you can do things you can only dream about without it.



Another problem with lack of control is that if you are singing with any degree of power, you are going to experience a lot more vocal fatigue and risk damage to your instrument if you sing too long. With it, you can sing all day and not experience vocal strain. Yes, it's true! And a lack of… Continue