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There are five types of musical accents; the first accent looks like this > and the accent instructs the player to play particular notes louder. It is an emphasis or strong attack placed on a particular set of notes (or note). If the accent mark is standing up like a teepee it’s called a marcato (the hammer) and you play it as loud as the accent and short like a staccato. The accent is placed above or below a note.…

Creating your own music can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding practices you can have as a singer or pianist. Every beginner piano student should challenge themselves and try to compose a simple song. As a singer, use your imagination and create a melody, write a poem or lyrics. Do not let the fear and uncertainty leave you stuck and unable to start. There are some simple steps you can take to help you compose a song and…

To have a great voice you have to pay your dues and work hard. There is a technique called “vocal fry”, which is a healthy husk (growl) or raspy sound you can produce in your voice. The vocal fry is the lowest register of your voice; it is considered a vocal onset (how you start singing a note). How to create that sound takes time and needs to be done properly. Otherwise, too much force can injure your voice. When…

All the sounds we make when we sing are the results of muscles contracting, air passing through the vocal tract, and articulators producing the words we sing. We have a large and complex group of muscles that change the shape of our vocal tract (container of air). Any of the vocal organs above the larynx are used for the purpose of manipulating and generate vocal sound when we singing. The larynx could also be described as an independent and complex…

The singing voice can be considered a wind instrument and has three components: voicing, resonance and articulation. The oral and nasal cavities have very important functions when you sing. They are used as acoustic resonators for your voice along with the larynx (See Blog “Unlocking The Key To Your Voice” 11/4/20) and pharynx. They both act as resonators (See Blog “The Sound Transmission of Your Voice” 11/9/20) that amplify in various degrees of intensity. Think of them as chambers or…

When a musician talks about singing through a phrase smoothly or playing a few measures smoothly, they are talking about connecting the notes and word as they are being sung or played. Do not let go of the note you are on until you’ve started to move the next note; there is smooth flowing sound without a break between the notes. There are no gaps in between the notes. The musical term is called “legato,” which is to be played…

Singers with a great voice have strong vocal control! Yes, it’s all about control, being able to express your emotional through your voice exactly the way you want to with complete control. This enables a singer to use vibrato in strategic places, hold a note solid (without vibrato), being able to articulate runs and riffs, singing with power or singing softly (or even breathy) in just the right places. The most noticeable factor with a great singer is complete control…

Chords with four notes can be broken down into a three-note chord (triad) and one additional note. Let’s use Cmaj7 as an example for a chord with four notes. It would be played C, E, G, and B; this additional note is called a “seventh” because it is written as an interval (the distance between two notes) of a seventh from the root note “C”(counting C, go up seven notes and you land on B). By adding one more note…

Have you ever pulled up next to someone in your car and the sound system was blaring! The bass was just thumping causing a vibration, rattling, and buzzing sound. The sound is coming from them but the sympathetic vibration is felt in your car. Similarly, when you are singing, there are different areas in your body vibrating in sympathy with the singing voice’s vocal folds (cords). You will feel different sympathetic vibrations in your nasopharynx (which is behind the ear).…

If you are serious about your singing or piano performance and want to perfect your craft, practice in front of a full-length mirror. This exercise will allow you to see your body movements and facial expressions while singing or play. There is no better tool to really make improvements while you perform. To really make an impact, your presentation needs to be smooth, seamless and polished, which means the delivery of the song will really touch the audience. Your singing,…