Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog

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WHAT HAS ONE SOUND & TWO NAMES?

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

You should think of music as a language all it’s own. The term enharmonic is like a woman being called a wife and mother but it is the same person; one person with two titles. An enharmonic is somewhat the same, it has two names but one sound (one tone), similar concept. An enharmonic is one pitch (tone) but the note name is two different names. Pitches such as F# (F sharp) and Gb (G flat) are written differently in…

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WHAT ARE ACCIDENTALS?

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

What is an accidental? An accidental is a sharp (#), flat (â™­), natural sign (â™®), and various other symbols. An accidental affects the note it precedes in music notation. The accidental is written before the note in the staff or after the letter name, like F#. A sharp (#) looks like a pound sign or hash tag, and what it does is raises the pitch (note) a half step. So if you look at piano keys, you will see white…

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HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN LOOK AS AN ARTIST

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

Trying to define your own style or image as an artist can be intimidating, but it’s less scary if you have some simple steps to guide you along the way. There are a few things you can do to help create the image you feel inside. Finding your own personal artistic look takes time, thought and research. You need to know what clothing items work for you and which items meet the criteria. The first step is to look into…

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What Does The Term “Enharmonic” Mean?

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

You should think of music as a language all it’s own. Let’s look at the letters C and K in the English language; they have different letter names but can sound exactly the same (cat and kick). The word enharmonic in music has the same concept. An enharmonic is two pitches (tones) that sound exactly the same but the note name is different. Pitches such as F# (F sharp) and Gb (G flat) are written differently in music notation but…

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HOW TO DEVELOP A WELL BALANCED VOICE

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

If you desire to sing beautifully, you need to work on some basic vocal exercises that will give you a well-rounded singing voice. There are many ways to build flexibility and develop stamina to tackle difficult songs. All of this happens through daily practice! Let’s look at some of the ways you can build your vocal technique. Learning how to sing many different scales, major, minor and harmonic minor scales really help with versatility. A singer can use these scales…

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SINGING WITH POW

SINGING WITH POWER!!

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

Every singer strives to sing with control and power in their voice, very few start out that way. I have come across just a few that start naturally with that power. It takes time and work to achieve those goals. Where does the power come from? It’s not yelling; the power comes from the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a thin muscle that sits at the base of your chest and above your abdomen; it’s in between your tummy and your…

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THE BENEFITS OF SINGING OR PLAYING PIANO

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

Did you know that singing and playing piano are good for you on many levels. Every singer and pianist have one thing in common, you need to be in tune and play or sing the correct notes. Learning to consistently sing on pitch playing the correct notes on the piano is an is an important first step. Learning to sing or play an instrument can benefit your body in many ways. There are many perks for any singer or musician,…

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How to Develop Good Technique

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

If you want to develop good technique as a singer or pianist, learning how to play or sing scales is key! What is a scale? A scale is a sequence of related notes moving up or down the piano, like a ladder. Each scale begins on its key note (let’s use middle C) and goes up the piano C, D, E, F, G, A, B, to the next highest C. The major and minor scales consists of 8 notes, which…

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR VOICE IN SHAPE DURING THE SUMMER!

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

The summer months are filled with fun and outdoors activities, it’s important to be conscientious of the weather and environment to keep you voice in tip-top shape. Hot weather can create many problems stemming from dehydration. It’s vital to keep yourself hydrated to prevent a dry throat and vocal cords. Your throat and mouth need the lubrication to sing. A dry throat will really impact your tone, so drink plenty of water, coconut water and grapes; all three help with…

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How To Count In Music

By Michelle Ostrove Vocal & Piano Studio | November 3, 2021

A time signature tells you how to count in the song. For instance, if you’ve ever been to a basketball game and they play the song “We Will Rock You”, I’m sure you’ve clapped to the beat or stomped your feet 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4. The time signature is 4/4 for that song and the top number (4) represents the number of beats per measure or what you would count in each measure 1,2,3,4 over and over. The time signature consist…

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