Transcripts
1. Introduction: If you are here, it's because
you are interested in singing and possibly taking
your hobby to the next level. Hi. I'm Denise. I'm Neka, and we're professional vocalists
and songwriters. With over 15 years in
the music industry, we have collectively
and individually toured with major recording
artists such as Cole Play, Usher, Anita Baker, Demi Lovato, and Jessie J to name a few. Today's class is
all about finding your singer personality
and pursuits. We will be sharing with you
our personal experiences as music professionals and what we've learned
along the journey. We will work to help you find
your voices uniqueness and personality by exploring
topics like stage presence, phrasing, approach,
ad libs, and more. You will leave with
helpful tips on remaining consistent
and thriving in the industry performance
guidelines and techniques to have fun and
make performance your own. At the end of this class, we will ask that you combine all of the tips we've
shared and put it into a song by submitting a three minute video of yourself performing a song
of your choice. There is beauty in authenticity and there is beauty
in self expression. The ability to fuse those
with professionalism makes for a perfect recipe
for success. So. Let's go.
2. Understanding Stage Presence : While technique and accuracy are greatly respected
and appreciated, the other extremely important
component in true artistry is being able to authentically convey the message
you are sharing. Day's presence is about
being able to express yourself confidently and
freely with your audience, all while sharing your art. What captivates an audience is your charisma and vulnerability. It's the ability to command the full attention
of your crowd. You'd be surprised
to know that some of the biggest artists
actually have stage fright, but they have conquered
their fear and most likely have a
method in doing so. Here are some questions
that you can ask yourself. In order for you to
be more intentional on an emotional level
with your performance, what would you like to
tell your audience? What would you like
your audience to feel? Does it speak to
where you are in the present or where you've
been or where you want to go. Questions like what emotions does it stimulate? Who
are you talking to? What are you talking
about? If you're singing a song about sadness, you wouldn't typically
have a happy approach and vice versa. Use these questions
or develop your own to access the proper
expression of the song. Another exercise we
encourage would be to write out or recite the
lyrics like a poem. Consider this another
form of bonding which ultimately aids
in your stage presence. Adding emotional elements to your performance
is a way to leave a lasting impression on your audience and also on
yourself as an artist. Music has a special
way of communicating not only to the listener,
but to the performer. When you sing, make sure
it's for you first.
3. Exploring Phrasing and Dynamics: Vocal phrasing can have
different meanings. Choosing certain words to emphasize where you
decide to breathe, how fast or slow you
sing the lyrics, and different dynamic approaches throughout the song are
some examples of phrasing. Think of how you
normally communicate. Where do you pause? Do you pause and make space? What words do you choose to use? Are you often excited or
timid with your tone? Do you breathe in the
middle of your sentences? These are examples of how to be aware of your own
natural phrasing. A good singer cares about hitting all the notes
with perfection. A great singer cares about
the phrasing of the song, and an impeccable singer
cares about both. We are going to demonstrate how one should mark
their breaths for either stylistic
approach or in order to have enough breath support
for phrases and notes. We will be singing the
first few lines of one of the most difficult songs to perform, The
Star-spangled Banner. Let's break it down
as an example. Now, we're going to
have Janelle sing up until the B
section of the song. O, say can you see, by the dawn's early light. What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's
last gleaming. Thank you, Janelle.
How did you feel? It didn't seem to flow
real well for me. Did you feel you were running
out of breath in areas? Yeah, it was a little
uncomfortable. Did you find it challenging to find out where to
place your breath? When I got to the second line, I felt a little out of
breath towards the end. You're feeling out of
breath because you're taking a breath in
between the phrases. Typically, it wouldn't go. O say can you see. Typically, it's best to take a deep breath right
before the long phrase. This is how we should sing it. O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's
last gleaming. We want you guys
to try to identify phrasing and marking where
to breathe in songs. If you run out of breath
before a phrase ends, this could mean a few things. Most importantly, know how to gauge how much air you
need for a phrase. Even if you do take a breath
in the area you need, make sure it's enough to sustain you through the
end of the phrase. You can't get to California
on a gallon of gas. You need enough fuel to get
you to the next destination. Now that you've found where to breathe in between phrases, we can get a little more
fancy with some dynamics. Dynamics are just as important
as getting your phrasing, accuracy, and breathing right. They're personalized
to the performer. It could mean singing
specific words quietly or intentionally
putting an emphasis on consonants of words, belting or using less
vibrato, and so on. O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's
last gleaming. You may have heard me breathe in a different
spot than where Neka and I suggested
you breathe before. But sometimes when
you add dynamics, it brings about some of a
stylistic approach where you might take a breath
before a word that you actually want to emphasize
with a certain dynamic. We suggest you play around
with different approaches, which, in turn, will help
to make the song your own.
4. Creating Unforgettable Ad-Libs: An ad lib comes from
the term ad libitum, which means performed with
free rhythm and expression. They can be words, melodies, rhythms and phrases in
addition to the main melody. They can also be a different
variation of the melody, rhythm and phrases that
are already there. Think of it as an extra
layer that makes the song more colorful or
as we should say, giving it some flavor. Some of the most iconic songs not only have meaningful lyrics, catchy melodies or the
best vocal performances, but they also have
unforgettable ad libs that are just as legendary
as the song itself. Let's say you have a steady
driving tempo of the song, 1, 2, 3, 4. Then you can practice singing
on beats two and four. Two, four or one and three. One, three. Just take a risk, add some
words that align with the lyrical content of the song over a
course or a bridge. Do a melodic change to the melody that's within
the key of the song. One liners are great. You can find different ways to sing around the original melody, add oohs and ahs or expressions
throughout the song. Remember it's all about
connecting, feeling and flowing. Now we'll be seeing in the
popular Christmas song Silent Night. What we're doing is taking the first line and making
it into a tagline, first Nick and I will be
singing it together in unison and then her and I both will take turns at demonstrating what an ad lib with sound
on top of the tagline. Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright. Silent night. Silent night. Holy light. Holy light. All is calm. All is calm. All is bright. Silent night. Silent night. Holy night. Holy night. All is calm. All is calm. All is bright. Please remember that
with ad libing, it's a form of expression. Just relax, have
fun, take a risk.
5. Learning Proper Microphone Techniques: When it comes to the stage, one of the most important
bonds that you will have is the relationship between
you and the microphone. Microphones are
audio equipment that amplify the voices sound
waves for vocal performances, speech, or sound recordings. Think of your voice as an
acoustic instrument being transformed into a more
amplified instrument. There is a right way and a wrong way to
handle a microphone. You want to hold
it in the middle. To have a good grip,
consider your posture. Don't chicken wing
the mic like this. The common mistake that a lot of people make when
holding it is cutting the grill and expectation
for an amplified sound. This is a myth. It can cause feedback
and even worse, make the sound muffled. The main idea is to aim
your lips and mouth towards the center of the mic so
that your voice is balanced. The further away you
are from the mic, the thinner you will sound. You will always want a full
sound unless you're hitting high notes that will project more volume. Then
you pull it away. There's a saying in the
music industry that we've all said at least
once in our career, and that's to eat
the microphone. What most mean by that is to
basically get so close to the microphone that you almost place your lips on the mic. It's not always encouraged
by audio engineers. But basically, the goal is
to have your voice be heard. There may be parts
of a song where the dynamic calls for a
quiet and soft sound. That's when you want to
pull the microphone close. You want your
audience to hear you. There may also be moments in your performance where
your volume is raised, then you're belting
and your loud. You don't want to still be
close in eating the mic then. That's something
you want to pull away to avoid distortion. Remember that the
microphone is your friend, and let it do the work for you. An example of how to make the
mic work for you is this. Other ways your mic
can work against you is having a distorted sound, a muffled sound, or
feedback, like this. Mary had a little lamb. That's one thing to avoid
when using your microphone. Another example on how to use the microphone while on a
stand would be just like this. You want it to be directly
in front of your face, not too low, not too high, you want your
audience to see you. Then also just still think to maintain that healthy
distance that is within the range of the cage of the microphone so
you can still be heard. If you're interested
in purchasing your own sound system
or microphone, we listed suggestions
in the project gallery.
6. Understanding Soundcheck : Soundcheck is normally
set to happen prior to your performance
or recording. It's incredibly important for reinforcing that sound gets
to the stage monitors, the sound booth, and
the front of house, ensuring that the
technical kinks are worked out before a show. There are two different ways to hear your mix
while performing. Your mix is the overall
blend of the sound of what's coming from the stage and going to either the singer, instrumentalist, or audience. One is a wedge monitor, which is usually a speaker
that is normally on the floor and should be
angled in your direction. The other is in ear monitors, which are likened to a more high-tech version of headphones. Denise and I both use JH Audio, we swear by them. What I love most about this is that they're personally
molded to our ears, so the sound is solid. There are many
different ways to set up the sound design
for our stage, but typically, if
you use in ears, more than likely you won't
need wedge monitors. Both serve as a personalized mix for the performer so that
they can hear themselves. This is where communication with an audio technician
comes into play. They are the operators
of the sound booth, and help you to create, maintain, and edit your
mix to your liking. Not everyone has
the same preference as it pertains to their mix. Someone may prefer to hear
more bass in their ears, more reverb, like me, or different levels
of frequencies. While this may sound
like loaded information, we are here to help you with
the ground level basics of understanding the importance of soundcheck and what to expect. A vocalist should
always make sure their voice is able to be
heard in their monitors. The more you hear,
the less you strain. This goes hand in hand with the mic technique we've
previously mentioned, and being confident while
singing into your microphone. Check all dynamic levels of your voice and how you are going to be singing for
the performance. This is not only
important for you, but also for the front of
house audio technician. They'll be mixing the sound for your audience with a
well balanced sound. Make sure you're able to hear the tempo in order
to keep proper time. Pitch reference,
extremely important. If all instruments are
somewhat overwhelming to hear, then it's okay to have just one dialed in as a
pitch reference, and the rest may be a
little lower in volume. When dialing in your mix, we suggest you
position your voice as the highest in the
mix with the rest of the instruments or tracks as a nice bed for your
vocal to lay on. Note that not every soundcheck
is going to be the same, so remember to be present with any mishaps and be patient
with working through them.
7. Pursuing a Career in Music: There is no one
way to arrive as a professional in the
music industry. But there is one thing that we'd like to believe we all have in common and that is driving dedication to
bettering our craft. We've been in the industry
for 15 plus years and we can tell you
firsthand that it is not easy, but
it is rewarding. We are often asked how we've gotten into and
maintained being in the industry and it's that talent is what
will get you the job. But professionalism is what will keep the job and
keep you working. What does it mean to be a professional
singer or musician? You've got to teach
yourself how to quickly retain music, do a song study, know the music and know it
well. Write the lyrics out. Take notes, study the
background singing parts, and all the songs and the key, the ad libs the
format of the song. When it comes to
the professional side of the music industry, things can move quite
fast and sometimes, things don't go as planned. You should be prepared for
change at any given moment. Knowing the material
well and being able to tweak on the spot is a
good skill set to have. Invest in yourself, if
possible to record with someone who is
knowledgeable with using professional
recording equipment, we recommend doing so. Record your favorite
cover song to sing or write or
compose something. Listen back to your
voice and study it. See what you hear
that can improve and celebrate the things you
actually like about your voice. You must be capable of
working well with others. That's very important. Chances are, most
musical environments involve groups of people
working together. Be friendly, but
remember to be you. Never compromise your integrity. Learn how to read the room. Social cues are important
and act accordingly. Networking, this is
vital to your career. Do your research on who
it is you should know. If you see yourself
being an artist, find out who the manager of
the artist is that you love, what label they belong to, who produces their records, who belongs in their band, is anybody that has
made successful at marble moves in the
industry accessible to you? The answer is yes. You must put yourself out
there to be heard and seen. Find their point of contact,
whether it be an email, a phone number, a Twitter, Instagram account or TikTok. There are plenty of ways
available to you to connect with others that are actually
working in this music industry. When reaching to them, it's
important to ask questions. Ask them to hear your demos
and what advice they can give to someone who wants to be a part of the music industry. What is the best and
worst part about being an artist or manager or
person in the music industry? Mentorship. A mentor is essential to have alongside
you on your musical journey. If you can connect with someone
that can help guide and provide insight in various
spaces of industry, ask them what is the best
and worst part about being an artist or manager or
person in the music industry. Remember that
mentorship is essential to have alongside you on
your musical journey. If you can connect
with someone that can help guide and provide insight on how to navigate in various spaces of the industry, that will help a great deal. Having someone that
can speak from their experiences
and share their personal do's and don'ts can in turn help you
establish yours. Their knowledge can shed light on your strengths
and weaknesses. At times, it serves an even more rewarding
purpose when a mentor can entrust you
with their resources, which may include their network. Social media, web presence, make yourself easily accessible. It would work in your favor to showcase your
abilities and include some contact
information if someone would like to support
or higher you. Some ways in which
you can make yourself accessible are to utilize the resources that
are around you. Extend your reach beyond your
area by building a website, posting your music
to SoundCloud, iTunes, having a music page
on Instagram or TikTok. You can be one of
the best singers, but no one would know if they don't have an
opportunity to hear you. Be punctual. They say if you're on time,
you're actually late. Always show up to the opportunity early
and make sure you give yourself a good 15-20
minutes, to be early. Attend concerts and gain knowledge from the
audience's perspective. It's always important
to be mindful and observant of how
performances are viewed. That way, you can have a takeaway on how you
would like to be viewed. We've gone down a list of
essentials to be successful. But the most important thing
you can do is believe. Do your best to find out where
your personal boundaries and limits are and
push yourself to them. Whether you believe you can
or can't, you're right.
8. Final Thoughts: Every thing in you. Congratulations. You've made it to
the end of class. Our hope is that you've gained more confidence and more
knowledge about singing, your voice, and a little bit
about the music industry. Listen, this is a
marathon, not a race. If you find yourself really wanting to pursue
this professionally, then you've got to
work smart for it. Know your strengths,
know your weaknesses, and never let fear
get the best of you. If you find yourself
being intimidated by the thought of getting
into the industry, just always remember there is only one you and no one can
beat you at being yourself. Just because you hear a no, doesn't mean that you won't
get another opportunity. When one door closes,
another one opens. Continue to keep your
head looking forward. Always ask questions. Never be afraid to try again, and if you're going
to make a mistake, make sure it's a new one. For your class assignment, submit a three-minute video of yourself performing a
song of your choice. Consider stage presence,
emotion, technique, and even if you don't have a
microphone or sound system, fake it until you make it, and use your hair
brush or a remote. We want to see you
combining all of the tips we shared
into one song. To end our class,
we would like to close out with some affirmation, so you can remain
encouraged along the journey of learning
and finding your voice. You can repeat after us or just listen and absorb
the positive vibes. I am capable. I am
patient with myself. I give myself
permission to learn. If it's meant to be, it's up
to me. We'll see as soon.
Denise Carite and Neka Hamilton, Songwriters, Vocalists
