here I am in Nashville

This is a picture of the new symphony in Nashville (sorry I forgot the name.)

So here I am in Nashville. This all started when I went looking for voice lesson-related blogs on-line. I googled. I found many, mostly very dry. I found the Singing Success web-site. My first impression was...hmmm, looks pretty slick and commercial. But I kept looking. I forget what exactly impressed me the most. I was intrigued that they promised to increase your range by an octave and a half. I was impressed by the testimonials, from well-known names in the music industry, other things as well, the underlying philosophies. You can go read them for yourself. I chunked out the money and waited for the package.

In the meantime I began using my audio studio to record with Jessie. I did notice a difference in my songs as I listened to the CDs. Use less air I think was the most helpful suggestion. It is intriguing to me how the exercises designed to help more contemporary styled singers avoid using head voice actually made my head voice feel more free and effortless, when I returned to head voice singing.

So one day Rob started talking about an work-related trip to Xi'an and I started to feel like I needed the chance to do some exploring on my own too. It had been thirteen years, nine pregnancies, do I need to go on? Rob was immediately supportive. He has always encouraged me to find what made me happy. All our happiness can't be totally wrapped up in the family. That's too much pressure on them.

I was so enthusiastic about this Singing Success method that I wanted to come see where it all began, meet these guys, find out if I was following the method correctly. And I've never spent time in Nashville. I had thought about going out to meet Roger Love in LA but I've been there many times. I was more intrigued by Nashville.

So I have been to three out of the five hours of lessons that I bought with Dave Brooks. He is very kind and encouraging, and an extremely talented singer. We have worked on some interesting new exercises to bring my voice in to a more commercial sound, that is less vibrato and more chest voice in to the higher notes. We haven't approached at all the classical pieces. We've focused on my more com temporary sound...however we should call that. Do I love the very commercial compressed sound? I'm not sure. But I am happy to be able to learn how to do what other singers do. I've always wanted to be able to be versatile. I'm not sure that my popular sound is really that good. Dave suggested I write my own songs to find my voice and my style. Finding myself as a singer has definitely been on my mind. Writing songs...that's big homework.

I am grateful to my friends and my family who went to my reverbnation page to listen to my recordings. Rob found reverbnation on-line. We used it to power my songs for my blog. I wasn't concerned about chart positions. But after we made the new recordings I felt ready to invite friends to see the page. It's been fun to watch my position go from about 450 to number 65, today. I'm not sure what to do next...now that I've troubled my friends to go listen. Wait for inspiration, I guess.

I've been preoccupied with getting ready for our trip, both packing and thinking about preparing for the lessons in Nashville.

Tuesday Jessie came out to Shunyi. We are still rehearsing our songs for our recital in the fall. They are starting to feel more polished. Memorizing is a trick for my brain!

I was grateful that Rob sent the my invitation e-mail around work. His co-worker, and friend from church, suggested that we prepare an evening of folk songs to sing for Chinese college students. So Rob and I need to start working on that. We can gather some material in the States.

mr. xu's studio

One of these pictures doesn't belong here, but it was too cute to delete.

helpful kids

The kids were so cute today. I asked them to pick partners and do homeschool. They couldn't decide who to pair up with so they made stations so everybody could have a turn to work with the other. What does this have to do with this blog? I actually had a big chunk of time to sing up for singing success on-line. So I got to watch some recorded lessons. I like it better than real lessons. Instead of having to sit there and look interested and polite and can listen and do sit-ups or something else useful. My multi-tasker's dream! William rolled around on the floor to keep me company.

Yesterday I went to a local recording studio to record the music that I've been working on with Jessie. I have pictures but I'm too tired to post them now. It was a lot of fun and hard work too. I haven't been able to hear the finished product yet. Looking forward to that.

no more big chunks

I look at last week and how busy I was, just keeping up with everyone at home, and I feel grateful that I was able to practice as much as I did. A couple of reasons...my wonderfully helpful son Sam was cooking and helping out. The other kids keep Caitlin and Grant entertained. And I followed some advise from the Artist's Way; stop looking for big chunks of time. When I thought about practicing...piano, guitar or singing I just did it, even just a few scales or one song.

I got to the third vibrato CD and found it very helpful. The excerizes aren't fun because vibrato is such a tricky thing...but I can apply them to the arias and they seem to help. I also did a lot of breathing exercizes that I made up myself while doing some similiarly self-made-up yoga positions, pulled a few muscles, but kept up with it. I hope they help! I'd like to be a good breather. Haha.

I've been trying to "coerce" some original material out of myself...not with much success. But today I made some progress on a piece of music I am arranging from a friend's hymn. We'll see.

First week of summer vacation

I've made it to the end of the 12 CDs and I've moved on to the vibrato CDs. I'm going to listen to it either while making dinner, or organizing my drawer, which ever comes first. I went on the Singing Success website and spent some times reading the tips of the week. I think I will join Singing Success on-line after I finish the CDs and DVD.

My appointments and reservations for plane and hotel are all scheduled...thanks to my "manager" Rob. He is very supportive and I am very grateful for that. I am excited but now a bit concerned about doing all that I can to prepare..so I don't get tips that are already in the back of my mind. I want to do the things I am thinking about doing now...so they can give me new suggestions.

So material is a big issue for me and just knowing what style to move towards.

style CDs

This week I focused on the style CDs. I particularly like the lessons on improvising over chord progressions.

I set up appointments for voice lessons in Nashville. Now to make the other arrangements.

I managed to practice guitar several times during the week.

I need to be better about keeping up with the classical practice. I also want to prepare program notes for the next time we perform the recital.