Explore the Michelle Ostrove Blog

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,…

One of the most important characteristics of vocal control is the ability to listen to yourself and sing “on pitch” (singing right on the note)! A good voice embodies fine technique, which requires you to sing notes correctly, not singing a little higher (sharp) or lower (flat). If you have ever heard someone sing and thought, they can’t sing. That’s probably because they are not on the note; they are flat or sharp. From time to time a good vocalist…

Taking care of your voice during cold and flu season really just involves paying attention to the normal habits that most singers should already be considering. First, be sure to drink plenty of water with a minimum eight glasses of water of day to ensure proper hydration. In the winter this is especially important because the air is dryer than usual, therefore vocal cords become stressed with the relatively low humidity. In addition, many of us often drink extra coffee…

Some musicians are born with a natural “ear” for hearing and being able to match the pitch. Others (the majority of us) need to work on this regularly. Even professionals slide sharp or flat. It is something that needs continuous attention and practice. Good singers use their ears as much as their singing voice. The soloist’s ears are as important as their vocal sound. Any vocalist or musician will tell you their ears are tools to help them sound better.…

The human voice can be the most expressive instrument, but it can also be very boring! Distinct and unique musical phrasing is essential for a compelling performance. Musical phrasing creates a recognizable and unmistakable quality for a voice. It makes a singer sound better than just singing the words on a page. Do you know what makes a voice distinctly different…phrasing; how a singer SHAPES each line of the song. The combination of tone, pitch, dynamics, diction and more contribute…

2 WAYS TO HOLD A HIGH NOTE! Knowing how to hold a note for its full length takes practice. This is a skill every singer should have the ability to do; holding a note without wobbling or dropping in pitch (flat). There are a few reasons why a singer has trouble holding notes for their full value. To have strong control you should be able to hold a note, staying on the pitch without wavering or hold a note with…

Any aspiring singer should aim to achieve clear enunciation (to articulate, pronounce each syllable). The right inflections (rise and fall of pitch), diction (words chosen for phasing) and pronunciation (the way you sound out a word) affect the feeling of a song. If you are mumbling the words you are singing, you will not get your message across because no one will know what the song is about. A good singer will have clear enunciation and they will craft each…

There are certain qualities that are needed to be a great singer. There are different ways to help a singer create their own style and make them stand out from the rest. You need the talent, but it’s more than just talent. You need to stand out from the rest. Here are a few tips to help you move forward. Some artists start their career singing a song that was made famous by someone else. If you are going to…

Are you a soprano or tenor who’s hoping to expand your range into those lower notes? While you may have mastered those high notes, you need to develop your lower range to be an amazing singer. When you are practicing your daily vocal exercises really push into those lower notes. With practice, you will be able to sing a range of notes that span from the top of the range down to the bottom. There are five groups of muscles…