Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio
It’s important to set aside daily practice sessions, whether it’s 15 minutes or 2 hours. Daily practice will build stamina just like an athlete. If you are an athlete, you will not make it the top unless you practice. It’s the same with a singer or musician. Beneath the success lies hard work and dedication. For instance, Lady Gaga writes music for an hour every morning, works out for one and a half hours and practices piano/voice for an hour…
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Have you ever heard someone say to a singer “I like how you sound” which is his or her tone. Have you ever noticed how pianos sound differently, a Steinway verses a Baldwin piano, instruments sound differently depending on type and brand. This is referring to is the specific tone of your voice or the way the instrument sounds. The specific qualities and colors (warm, dark, bright, harsh) of the sound differs from singer to singer, or one instrument to…
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A primary ingredient for success is passion. Passion comes in many ways. If you are passionate about being a singer or musician, and want to gain insight, listen to people who have been down the road you are on. Listen to the people who have accomplished the goals you want to accomplish. Listen to what experienced successful singers and musicians have to say. If you are a singer and love to sing, but you really don’t have the passion for…
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There are always ups and downs in life. It’s the same with your career, your personal life and life in general. You may have strained your voice and can’t sing. Or had an accident and can’t play the piano for a while. Maybe you lost your job. All these things happen to everyone, there are no exceptions. Someone may look like they have the perfect life, but there are dealing with challenges that you cannot see. That’s life! It’s all…
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The lead sheet is an abbreviated form of music notation. It contains just the essential musical information for a song. The lead sheet is a very efficient way to show a musical idea for a song. None of the piano accompaniment is written out in music notation. A songwriter would be wise to create a lead sheet for a band. This will allow creativity and not put the band members in a box. The typical lead sheet contains the lyrics,…
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Breathing is so natural and automatic to us, it’s hard to believe that we could be doing it wrong. Breath exercises for singing can dramatically improve the caliber of vocal performance. Each note and phrase are produced by a continuous stream of air being exhaled holding the notes in place. Proper breath work is crucial for any singer! The description of breath work in vocal pedagogy is described like this: the diaphragm pushes the air from the lungs through the…
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What is inside your voice box? There are many components of the voice box. They are the larynx and the vocal cords (folds), but the larynx has many parts. The voice box is another name for the larynx. The larynx helps you to breathe and the vocal cords make the sound. The Larynx is made up of the laryngeal skeleton which has nine cartilages: the thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, cuneiform cartilages, corniculate cartilages, arytenoid cartilages, and the epiglottis. The cuneiform,…
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Your health is the foundation for everything! Whether you are singing, playing piano, taking a walk, or enjoying time with family, without good health you cannot enjoy anything. In order to have good vocal health, and have a solid vocal foundation to belt out a song, you must have good physical and mental health. Singing is a sport, as well as an art. Always keep your voice in tip top shape. During the holiday season it’s important to take care…
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There are different ways to sing in your head register. You can sing in a classical way, the sound feels like it’s going to the top of your head. That can be done with some power or a lighter tone. You can also sing in your head register with a mixed voice. This gives a fuller, richer and more powerful sound. What is the difference? It’s where the sound is vibrating. When singing classically or old school, the sound feels…
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It’s important to know how your voice works and what is going on when you sing. We will discuss the chest and head register today. The difference between the two registers is where you feel the vibration. When singing in your head register, you will feel the soft palate lift. The soft palate is located to the rear, roof of your mouth. When singing in chest register, you will feel your larynx drop. Let’s start with the chest register. To…
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