Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog
Have you ever watched Billy Joel perform? As he sings and plays piano at the same time, it seems so effortless. But behind the scenes it takes an enormous amount of time and practice to master that accomplished performance. It’s very easy to lose concentration on one, while focusing on the other. It’s a delicate dance trying to focus on your voice and playing the right notes on the piano simultaneously. Mastering this skill will take plenty of practice. The…
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Many artists have jumpstarted their careers by singing a hit song from another artist. In order to really do the song justice, you have to make it better than the original version. That is not so easy to do! How to make a song your own and really make it pop? You can start by choosing a song you love and know well. Now choose two of your favorite artists (Christina Aguilera and Ariana Grande). Let’s use Sam Smith’s song…
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A good hook is the high point of a well-crafted song. It should be the capstone of the melody and lyric. The hook is normally the title of a song. It is usually repeated in the chorus and sometimes placed in the first or last line of a song. For instance, Stevie Wonder’s song “Superstition” has the hook in the title, melody and lyrical hook as well. The hook can be the answer to all of the verse questions. As…
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Voices are as distinct as a person’s face. Every voice is uniquely different and no voice is exactly alike. The vocal acoustics can be described as the attributes and qualities of a voice. It’s also the way sound is transmitted from it. A singer should use the natural acoustic properties of their voice to sing louder and resonant in a performance. The vocal qualities are affected by the harmonic structure, frequency vibration of the vocal folds (cords), timbre, power and…
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A singer’s vocal tone is like wine, there is a variety of ways to describe them. There is no wrong way to describe your vocal tone. Every singer’s voice has their own unique color and quality of that tone. It’s a distinctly different “something” that sets your voice apart from others. There are all kinds of vocal tone types. The color of a voice’s tone can be bright, light, dark or brassy. There are voice types like: baritone, tenor, alto,…
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Do you want to learn how to sing in falsetto? To create that lighter, headier sound in the upper register is easier that you think. The vocal cords need to thin out and stretched in order to sing those high notes. Singing in falsetto is a lighter, breathier sound. The head voice has a richer, balanced sound when singing the high notes. The falsetto sound is much thinner and has an airy vocal sound when you sing. The original term…
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To create a blues or jazz vocal sound when singing requires a few techniques. Most jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald have a huskier tone, slower vibrato with an edginess and a unique way to enunciate the words. Jazz and blues singing use scatting, moodiness, a little growl, to creative vocal sounds like an instrument. These amazing singers just ooze emotion and feeling when they sing a song. Sometimes pulling back on the volume to create these unique vocal techniques. The…
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Vocal cord injuries happen over time with chronic abuse. There are different types of injuries, but they all stem from the same problem, frequent and repeated strain on the vocal cords. The different types of injuries include, ruptures, nodules, polyps or cysts in the throat. All of these injuries are causes by vocal abuse. For instance, continuously straining of the voice from singing or yelling, smoking, acid reflux and forcing your voice when you are sick. Vocal cord ruptures or…
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The way you think about yourself turns into your reality. Your mind is a very powerful asset! How often do you pay attention to what you are thinking throughout the day. As a singer practicing, what kind of self-talk is going on inside your mind? When you play the piano what are you telling yourself? What you think about daily, directly influences how you feel, as well as how you behave. Think about it, your beliefs about yourself could be…
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There are many different career options for a singer & pianists. It all depends on your strengths and weakness. For instance, do you like performing? Can you sight read music? How is your ear training? Can you find and sing harmonies? Can you write your own songs? There are many things to consider when choosing which direction to go. If you love to perform and sing in front of an audience then singing on a cruise ship, lead singer in…
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