Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog
When you stand up on stage to sing, there is literally nothing for you to hide behind. No piano, no guitar, no instruments, it’s just you! You never know when an opportunity will arise to sing. That’s why it’s important to keep your voice in excellent condition. Here are five steps to help you get your voice in the best shape and keep it that way. Every few months reevaluate your voice and note the progress you have made. Record…
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Have you ever heard someone say “there is not enough time in the day” or “I don’t have enough time to practice my vocals or piano.” You need to learn how to manage your time. Here are some tips to help manage your time. Try planning out your day the night before. Set deadlines for tasks and stick to a daily schedule. Set a specific time every day to practice singing or play. By implementing effective time management, you will…
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Working through a new song is always fun! As you sing or play through the song, mark the area or areas that need work. Every song has a challenging section or two that needs work. Whether you are a singer, pianist, songwriter or musician, there is always a section in a song where you get stuck. You try singing or playing that section and it’s not working. What do you do? Develop a problem-solving mindset. Look at your problems from…
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Mistakes and failures happen in life and they can be building blocks to success, if you don’t quit. An actress once told me that her parents would cheer her on and celebrate her failures and mistakes. Why, because you are one step closer to success. Instead of beating yourself up over your failures, cheer yourself on! It’s all about your perception of the failure. It’s not the mistakes and failures that make you, it’s how you respond to the situation.…
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“Never limit your vision based on your current resources” quote by Michael Hyatt. If you have no vision, no goals set, you’re adrift with no direction. It does not matter how old you are or how far you’ve come, you must always have a vision and then set your goals to accomplish your vision. Having a vision gives you a sense of purpose and direction. Do you want to be a songwriter? Do you want to be a singer? Do…
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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 relies on a source of air being exhaled in a steady stream, 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…
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There are different styles of singing, but good basic technique is the same regardless of the style. The foundation is paramount; good posture, tongue placement, diaphragm/breath support, and a smooth transition from one register to another. All of these pop singers have flawless technique: Ariana Grande, Whitney Houston, Selena Gomez, Harry Styles and Mariah Carey. Let’s look at the characteristics of the pop singer’s style. Some pop singers use a softer tone when they sing, like Billie Eilish and Harry…
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There are two very important muscles used when you sing. These two muscles are used to move from one register to another. They can also cause vocal breaks in your singing. The two muscles are the Thyroarytenoid and Cricothyroid. Vocal breaks can happen when these two muscles are in opposition and not working well together. To understand how this works, you need to understand what they do. The Thyroarytenoid muscle is a complex muscle used when singing in your lower…
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Every singer should know how to move from one register to another with ease. The ability to sing the low notes, move through the middle voice and hit the high notes without any vocal restriction is something that needs to be taught. It is not something that happens naturally. Most singers natural sing with middle to lower register or middle to higher register. Learning how to move smoothly through is not simple and does take work. When you speak, there…
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As a singer, your body is your instrument and you need to take care of it. The environment and the foods you eat affect your overall health which in turn will affect your singing. We will look at food types and environmental factors you need to avoid to take care of yourself and protect your voice. There are certain foods and beverages to avoid prior to a performance. Dairy, spicy or fried foods, alcohol and caffeine produce mucous and inflammation.…
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