Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog

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ARTICULATION CAN IMPROVE YOUR SINGING INSTANTLY!

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

When you sing, articulation shapes your tone, the formation of a clear and distinct sound while singing and vowel articulation forms your vowel sounds and makes a huge impact on how you sound when you sing. If you are not forming them properly you will not sound your best. You can change the way you sound instantly through articulation. Articulation also deals with the clarity of playing piano or any other instrument. For a singer, articulation deals with the clarity,…

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HOW TO ADD STYLE TO YOUR SINGING!

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

Do you want to get the most out of your singing voice? Are you trying to make your voice stand out from the rest? There are a few techniques you can use to make your singing stand out from the rest. How you begin to sing a note or initiate pitch is key. Today we will talk about one of the techniques. A hard vocal onset or glottal attack when singing a note. There is a gap between the two…

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VOCAL SOUND PRODUCTION – YOUR VOCAL TRACT

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

The vocal tract is made up of four parts: the oral cavity (which is the inside of your mouth from the lips to the front two-thirds of you tongue), the nasal cavity (inside the nose), the larynx (voice box which houses the vocal folds – cords), and the pharynx (hollow tube that starts behind the nose and goes down the back of the neck). Each of these four components of your vocal tract used to produce sound. You can think…

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PRODUCTION OF SOUND (PART 2) – PHONATION

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

I’m sure you’ve heard the term phonation (production of speech sound), phonatory process, voicing (speech sound with resonance of the vocal cords) and they all mean the same thing. They are all describing the physical process in which sound is produced. As a singer you are converting air pressure into audible sound through vocal fold vibrations. The vocal folds (cords) produce sound through vibration. When you begin to sing, inhalation of air causes pressure to drop in the larynx. The…

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COLOR IN YOUR VOICE – BRIGHT VS. DARK

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

There is such a thing as vocal color; it is the distinct quality of tone that gives color and personality to your voice. Every voice has it’s own unique timbre. Once you have established good vocal technique you need to add different shades of color. It’s like adding highlights to your hair. Tone is the overall sound of the voice. If Christina Aguilera and Adele sang the same song, it would sound completely different because of their tone and shades…

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Tips For Singing or Playing Piano With Good Technique!

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

Technique is a skillful way of executing a song, whether it is singing or playing the piano. Technique deals with the concept of tone, musicality and expression in your performance. These techniques will improve your voice and help extend your vocal range as well as sharpen your ability to play piano. Proper vocal technique allows singers to produce a warm, rich sound that is conducive to achieving a good vocal performance. Your posture (standing tall – no slouching), breathing (from…

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A Method Used To Help Create A Singing Style – Diphthong

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

To articulate (the shape of your sounds) two vowel sounds next to each other, when you are singing, is called diphthong. You’re probably thinking, “what on earth is a diphthong?”, but it’s a real thing! It is a sound formed by two vowel sounds, next to each other in a single syllable. The sound begins as one vowel and moves into another vowel sound. For example ‘night’ ‘N-IH–EE-T’ or ‘day’ ‘D-AYY–EEE’; it has a compound vowel character or gliding vowel.…

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THE BEST WAY TO SING!!

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

The best way to sing is with a balanced voice! The balanced voice is airflow & vocal folds are brought together at the same time. This will give a singer a well-balanced connection and a natural singing voice, which creates a smooth sound. The best thing you can ever do as a singer is really build a solid foundation when you sing. It kind of like building a house, you have to have a solid foundation of cement. As a…

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GREAT SINGERS HAVE BREATH CONTROL!

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

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 improved by breath control, which is a source of air being exhaled in steady stream, holding the notes in place. Proper breathing for a singer is crucial! Great singers learn how to control their air flow on the exhale. When you exhale the diaphragm…

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HOW TO SING WITH MIXED VOICE POWER!

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

Singing in a mixed voice will produce a fuller sound in your head register. The middle voice feels like a lighter version of chest voice and a fuller version of head voice. Mixed voice combines the beautiful highs of head voice with the deep and strong lows of chest voice. It produces a fuller, powerful tone with richness in your head voice when you hit those higher notes. You will feel chest (lower register) and head (head register) vibrations at…

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