Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog
Vocal resonance, power and projection can be developed. You want to develop these skills the correct way. This blog will give you some great tips and exercises to improve your vocal resonance, power and projection. Vocal resonance is sound and quality of your singing. It is the result of your vocal cords vibrating and the amplification of your sound through the different chest and head cavities. You can improve your resonance with your breath and articulation. Think of your breath…
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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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