Thursday, April 30, 2009

my notes on the first CD

Its been several weeks since I started listening to the Brett Manning Singing Success CDs. I've gone through about four CDs, still appreciating them very much. Its a great way for me to learn. I don't have a teacher available. I don't have a lot of free time. I get anxious doing just one thing. I have the CDs in the kitchen so I actually look forward to doing dishes and cooking because I know I can listen and sing along.

Tonight I went back and listened to the first CD again. I decided I wanted to go through them one time again, taking notes, before I go on to the other technique and style CDs. I wrote down a few things. These are my notes.

-Speech level singing

-importance of "the God given unique facial structure" gives us our own resonance or unique sound

-different coordinations make different sounds...i.e. chest, middle, head

-middle voice has "deeper vocal chord compression" and an "edgier sound"

-inner and outer larynx muscles..use inner to sing with less effort

-deliniation...gradual blend

-when larynx is too tight we are using the swallowing

muscles..want to find a middle ground

-don't lift soft pallet too high...don't want to distort natural bell shape

-if voice lacks power..don't shout...don't force the voice "let it blossom"

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

my first tunepack widget

This is the first widget we created from reverbnation. Jessie and I recorded it on April 15, 2009.

Okay, my comments. The Fantasticks is my favorite musical. I find myself thinking about "plant a radish get a radish not a brussel sprout" in regards to my own children. Soon its gonna Rain has been our bedtime song for a few years. I wish I could make good recording of it, if only for posterity.

Quel Guardo il Cavaliere....not such a great beginning. I wish I could feel more confident and have a smooth consistent vibrato. I hope it sounds better live...my recording limitations may be even greater than my vocal limitations. The high notes felt better than they sounded. There again I am inexperienced with recording, especially classical. The little tantrum in the background is my sweet daughter, Mary, who is home early on Wednesdays. I am committed to leaving household sounds in the background for authenticity...but I had to cut out my own tantrum...if you want to be a nicer parent just record yourself talking to your children...

The first song, A Hard Rain is Gonna Fall, is something I recorded with my husband. He loves Bob Dylan. I don't think I'll go on and on here about the others. I'll just hope to see some improvements in my next recordings.

(This widget is having issues. You can find a working player on my other blog.. our nine.)

A package from Nashville!

April 8, 2009
My first day to listen to the Brett Manning Singing Success vocal system I ordered on-line. Rob was a missionary in Tennessee. We’ve traveled through several times. We both love it. So we were happy to get a package from Nashville. So far I am really pleased with his philosophy…inclusive. His style is entertaining and informative…in fact, I will need to listen to the part I listened to this morning several times to be sure that I’ve understood everything.

He talked about using zipping up to high notes, a technique I also read about in Roger Love’s Set your voice free. It works for me. Also, he spoke about using less air to move through the registers. I didn’t listen to as much as I would like because I needed to get moving on to other parts of the house…the kitchen, my practice room, was clean. I can’t wait to hear some new exercises.

Jessie came today and I concentrated on using less air. I am eager to smoothen out my vibrato…just to make the sound less tense and more pleasing to the ear…like Alison Krauss..only opera.