This month I am hosting a student showcase at the Western Sky Bar and Taproom in Englewood, CO. All students who have taken a lesson sometime in the past 6 months are invited to come and sing a song, or two! This event is free and open to all ages. Please contact me if you are interested in performing.
I run an ongoing group singing class for avocational adults on a bi-monthly basis. The class is sometimes larger and sometimes smaller and our musical tastes vary. Nonetheless, for the past several years we’ve had a blast!
To supplement the work we do in-person we have collaborative projects we record online through a site called Soundtrap. This is a subsidiary of Spotify and they have created a relatively comprehensive online DAW with free options. The prime feature is the ability to collaborate on the project, remotely, in real time. My students love it!
It’s pretty cool how folks can be a part of a recording process no matter the quality of equipment they have at home and regardless of their experience level. I would recommend Soundtrap as a part of any voice studio and really any music education in the 21st century. Home recording is becoming a part of every musician’s tool kit and it’s applications for furthering learning outside of the classroom are nearly boundless. Additionally, DAWs themselves are an instrument and a compositional tool. I have seen how empowering knowing just a little about how to use a simplified DAW such as Soundtrap can be for a student who is nervous about embarking on songwriting.
Here is a recording some of my adult students made of “Let it Snow” last year. I arranged some vocal harmony for us and we felt the end result turned out well. The students were able to download and share the recording with their friends and family!
Here lies some music and some musical encounters that I found compelling during 2022. It’s not a best-of list. Instead, it’s simply a list of musical items that reflect a personal experience of music this past year that are worth checking out if you didn’t already catch them. Sharing is caring after all.
When I’m buying albums, and yes, I still buy albums, I’m looking for things that are off the beaten path. For that I generally turn to Bandcamp where my collection is easily accessible in one digital location. Additionally, the app provides several ways to get tipped off to new and cool things. Bandcamp Daily promotes 2 or 3 albums every single day and Bandcamp radio is a weekly show that features a guest artist who curates a selection of juicy new releases. The search feature is itself a treasure trove of a deep dive if you’re looking to get completely lost in the world of, say, dark wave goth. That’s just one example of a sub-sub genre they’ll generate search results for.
This year I leaned heavily into ambient. I suppose it felt like a year to be lost and content. It was a sorta-post-panny world that warranted reflection and quiet diligence. Ambient music fit the bill for me. Of course, I’m always on the look out for new punk, Colorado artists, Classical and jazz. That music found its way into my listening rotation as well. But, if I had to pick, thoughtfulness is the theme that connects all these disparate offerings.
Wovenhand is the dark country project of Colorado visionary David Eugene Edwards (16 Horsepower). “Silver Sash” is his 10th studio album in the 20 years he’s been recording as Wovenhand, but it is the first time he’s brought on Chuck French (Planes Mistaken for Stars) as co-writer. French brings a notable grit and wail that elevates the album to something like stadium rock crammed into WAV files. Denverite Jason Begin (Christie Front Drive) can take some credit here as he recorded these songs at his home during the pandemic. Start to finish this is a solid record baked up right here in my hometown.
Zola Jesus, the pen name of Nika Roza Danilova, gave her devoted fans, of which I am one, another tome of deeply, darkly, carefully crafted elegies back in June. “Arkhon” was as commanding as any of her previous albums but gave a new exploration of layering. Her clear and powerful contralto voice remains dominating but delicate artifacts of her singing fade in and out beneath the lead lines. It gives the effect of waiting for her voice to blossom rather than always taking the driver’s seat. Her 2017 album “Okovi” made my end of year mixtape that year and it shows us a Zola Jesus who is bare and bearing it all in a story of true vulnerability. If that is held in reference to “Arkhon” then this album gives us an artist who has moved on from the rawness and is ready to show us a polished and formatted version of her story.
A retrospective of an artist who was largely ignored during their heyday always feels like a precious score. Although Oksana Linde is still living and has been composing since the early 80’s she was only given an album debut in 2022. A Venezuelan artist of Ukrainian descent, Linde spent much of her adult life working as a chemical engineer and scientifically chopping apart soundwaves on early synthesizer technology in her spare time. It could be speculated that she has been, up until now, denied her due in the recording industry partly because experimental-electronic music from Latin American has been shrugged off. Lucky for us, then, that Luis Alvarado of Peruvian based Buh Records heard her old recordings on a Facebook post and decided to give her a much deserved vinyl pressing. “Aquatic and Other Worlds” came out in March and I was one of the folks who snagged a copy. She deserves a place alongside other electronic music pioneers such as Delia Derbyshire, Suzanne Ciani and Laurie Spiegel.
It’s hard not to see a lineage in ambient music that continues through young artists currently producing works. In August Rachika Nayar, a musician based in Brooklyn, put out her second full length album, “Heaven Come Crashing”. The spacious, trance-like, pieces involve guitar licks that expand one’s understanding of how a guitar can function. But don’t worry, there is plenty of digital rhythm and loads of synthey sweeps included to fold layers of soundwaves into a soft blanket of listening pleasure. Get lost, but also find yourself exactly where you are.
Pivoting to one of my tried and true forms of music - punk - I found the demo of Croatian band Mižerija a banner addition to the oeuvre. It was recorded at a squat and sounds exactly like all the contradictions spaces like that inhabit. Upbeat and downtuned; revelling and railing; bright and bitter. Getting Croatian stamps with my 7” was a cool bonus. Punk is doing alright and the kids are fine. Btw, you can’t stream this so throw ‘em a few bucks to listen on Bandcamp.
Caroline Shaw has teamed up with the Attaca Quartet once again on her latest album “Evergreen”. Each composition here is inspired by literature. That’s not to say that there is text in each “essay” - there largely is not - but that the link between written expression and musical expression is close and Shaw would like to remind us of that. This album is one of the best in contemporary Classical to come out in 2022. The variation in how the strings execute phrases, alone, is worth a dedicated listen. There is singing, though, and the highlight is the final track “Cant voi l’aube” which meanders around Shakespeare’s lauded quote, “A rose by any other name.” Shaw’s soprano voice harkens back to a Renaissance tone - scant vibrato, perfectly centered pitch and a silvery quality that would fit well in a small, intimate room. It is quite the opposite of the bombastic soprano of Verdi and Puccini we’re more accustomed to hearing in Classical solo repertoire, but it is the voice that is needed for the literary emphasis to transmit.
Mali Obomsawin is a jazz and folk bassist with extensive touring and performing experience. This much anticipated album, “Sweet Tooth”, released in October, is her first foray as a solo artist, composer, arranger and bandleader. She more than proves her mettle here combining not only her chops in jazz and folk but presenting her stories and cultural traditions as Wabanaki, member of the Odanak First Nation (located in present day Canada). In the selection “Pedegwajois” (Little Round Mountain) gentle jazz improvisation undergirds a field recording of Theophile Panadis of Odanak recounting the tale of a young man receiving a teaching from a metawelinno. According to Obomsawin this story is from ancient times before colonization. This elder retelling a story that transcends time, surrounded by Obomsawin’s present, living compositional prowess gifts us with an indigenous continuity and continued influence over popular musics.
Nigerian-American dancer and singer-songwriter Kingsley Ibeneche teased his sophomore album, “Ubu”, with the single, “Asked for Light”. The entire album is stellar but this one track was the one I kept returning to. It’s plea for positivity, love, the touch of something divine and is a meditation on our beautiful aches as we navigate the mortal. It’s a fitting close to a ponderous list of music that came out in 2022. Didn’t we all ask for some light? I hope we all saw some, or at least heard some.
One of the best writings on music last year was by my dear friend Sascha Hamilton, whose blog Signals Fill the Void often describes a place I recognize well - punk and broken hearts. Just a few weeks ago they wrote about seeing the band Catharsis play. Their description of the show and its aftermath of reflections on youth and rebellion lingered with me for days. I suppose as we age our desire to change the world doesn’t compromise so much as have to take new forms. In the end we all return to survival but survival is critical rebellion too.
My favorite live show of last year was my friend, and fellow Colorado musician, Coy Lim & Her Halo-Halo Band at Dazzle. The show was packed. So much so that me and my date for the night had to sit in the way back behind the bar. The sound was still good and Coy put on a fantastic show to celebrate the release of her new full length, “Mirror, Mirror”. She’s an artist to keep an eye on for sure!
The best music fest I went to was Down in Denver Fest. I was lucky enough to be a volunteer for the final day and caught most of the acts. Back to back sets from Denver bands - well, it just doesn’t happen anymore. The other two big summer fests that feature local acts rely upon large out-of-town acts to draw in crowds. Down in Denver might be small but it has a mighty heart. Sign up for their email list so you get early notice about next year’s lineup. And, make it a point to support local music!
Lastly, my favorite musical anecdote of 2022 was about the late, great Bing Crosby. Known for his rich baritone voice that practically drips like melted chocolate off the plate at a birthday party, he was already a superstar when he launched a radio show. It was the 50’s and the format was variety. He would sing and interview guests. Maybe there was some storytelling with Foley artists involved - I’m not entirely sure. What is certain is that his show was a hit! Sometime during its run live radio became a thing. Bing wanted in on it but the audio quality was inferior to broadcasting pre-recorded material so he was advised against it by his producers. Nonetheless, he craved that electric feeling a live show gives a performer so undaunted he pursued the live broadcasting. At the debut the swooning, deep timbre of his voice was diminished. Audiences were livid! Fans wrote the station demanding a return to pre-recorded programs. Bing, saddened by the fiasco, lost his energy for the radio show. Soon TV would surpass it anyways and the whole thing faded into the annals of a Wikipedia article. Sadly, Wikipedia doesn’t detail the story of his live experiment. Perhaps this is just an apocryphal account. I heard it on a podcaast sometime this past year and I’ve been obsessed with it’s implications. Because, even if it’s only partly true it’s an amazing tale of people’s expectations. We insist that our singing idols continue to sound exactly as we’ve always heard them. I guess you could call it an emotional attachment to tone.
I hope 2022 sounded pretty good to your ears. And I especially hope 2023 brings even more textures to suit your layered, complicated journey in this realm.
Bing Crosby, 1951
Through the remainder of September 2022 you can get 10% off ALL lesson types and the lesson 6-packs! These deals expire October 1st so get ‘em while you can.
Use the code “FALLSINGER” at checkout to get 10% off all private lessons. Online and in-person options available.
This code applies to 30/45/60 minute lessons. You can schedule as far out as November so don’t hesitate to get signed up! Sign up for private lessons here: PRIVATE LESSONS
Get an EXTRA 10% off all lesson 6-packs using the code “AUTUMNLEAVES”.
The lesson 6-packs are already 10% off the regular price. This code gives you 20% off lessons! Buy the 6-pack now and schedule whenever you want! The 6-pack never expires and you can schedule the lessons one at a time if you like. Lesson 6-packs also include a cancelation privilege - all cancelations apply your credit back onto your 6-pack. Buy your 6-pack here! LESSON 6-PACK
I am SO excited to try something new this summer. I brainstormed all the workshops I have ever wanted to teach and, well, there were too many to squeeze in just two months. So, I carefully whittled it down and came up with a stellar calendar of fun offerings to keep you motivated and singing while the days are long and hot. Recreation is calling and I’ve got an answer!
The workshops are offered in three different formats: In Person [IP], Online [OL], and Hybrid [HY]. Hybrid classes give the student flexibility to choose either online or in-person for attendance. In person classes will happen at my home located in Littleton, CO. Online classes are open to everybody, regardless of location, but be aware that times listed here are Mountain.
Want alt text for class details like title, date, time and format? Go here: https://mollyzackaryvoicestudio.as.me/SummerWorkshops
Curious about which class is a good fit for you? Send me a message.
All classes are open to all students. I work hard to build curriculum that invites the beginner to start their journey yet gives experienced musicians new strategies for their tool kit. I’ve been teaching singing and music for 12 years. I’m passionate about helping folks on their creative journey. I am confident that these workshops will be fun and rewarding for you!
Looking for alt text for the descriptions of the workshops? Go here: https://mollyzackaryvoicestudio.as.me/SummerWorkshops
I believe that education should be accessible to all. That’s why all of the Summer Workshops are “Pay What You Want”. It’s easy to fill in the amount that fits your budget and complete registration.
After selecting the workshop you’d like to take, you will fill out your contact information and see this option:
Click on the button that says, “Add a Pay What You Want amount.” You will then be directed to the next screen which looks like this:
![the screen that appears at the completion of the payment page is shown. at the top it says, "you will be billed for ear training and aural skills 7/27 @ 6pm MT [OL] suggested $35." underneath that is a section that says, "pay what you want additiona](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/550a131ae4b0199c2d99efe8/827d4933-0b9e-4275-8b3f-2d1c65335388/Screen+Shot+2022-06-08+at+3.21.21+PM.png)
In the workshop description a suggested tuition is provided. Below is the area in which you enter the amount that works for you. All students are welcome, regardless of tuition rate, and will be given the same quality of instruction.
Are you ready to sign up? I would love to see you this summer! Sign up below:
Every Saturday from 11am to noon, I run Office Hours over on my Discord Server. On this Saturday in February we talked about alignment. Check out the transcript below.
You’ll find resources and a discussion to get you going on good alignment, i.e. posture, for singing. All comments are mine unless otherwise noted. Participant’s comments are in italic.
My Discord server is open to ALL singers. Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/XTWHcCu Join the discussion!
[11:01] Good morning, singers!
[11:06 AM] We'll get started with some resources on alignment today.
[11:08 AM] Alignment refers to posture, but sometimes our understanding of "posture" is bound up in various life experiences that may or may not be helpful.
[11:09 AM] For example, "good posture" is often associated with a rigid body. Rigidity is very problematic in singing
[11:09 AM] This is one reason why many singers prefer the term alignment
[11:10 AM] One thing that has been a struggle with online teaching this past year has been my inability to monitor my student's alignment
[11:10 AM] That's why I wanted to share some tools that you can work on at home to ensure that your alignment is tip top for singing!
[11:12 AM] Especially as we navigate adulthood, we develop poor postural habits. These are just a few examples. The red skeleton, in the image above, is the ideal posture.
[11:13 AM] One of the best ways to check your alignment is to stand sideways and have a friend take a picture of you. You could also use a tripod and your camera's timer.
[11:14 AM] An unbalanced alignment can cause all sorts of issues in your singing because everything in our body is connected.
[11:14 AM] The primary area to be affected is your breathing. However, when breathing is compromised other areas of your instrument will be taxed.
[11:15 AM] For example, if there isn't sufficient breath flow sometimes the laryngeal muscles will unduly contract which, if done excessively over time, can cause vocal cord hemorrhaging, nodes, and other dangerous conditions.
[11:19 AM] Do a quick check on your alignment sometime this week and make notes of where you can strengthen and straighten.
[11:20 AM] Here is a short exercise regimen designed to improve alignment:
[11:20 AM] It's only 4 minutes. Let's try it out.
[11:25 AM] These are good exercises. If you've finished the video take a few moments to try out the reps she suggests: the arm circles, elbow curls and ankle workout.
[11:31 AM] Working on strengthening your scapula and upper back muscles will help you to hold your alignment in a sturdy way
[11:32 AM] Similarly, strengthening your ankles is important to your alignment. When our legs don't distribute our weight evenly our hips become dysfunctional. Again, this would directly impact our breathing for singing.
[11:34 AM] I'm going to bookmark this YouTube video for later reference. I feel that my own alignment has gotten worse since I've been at home and in front of a computer so often.
[11:35] Let's work with this short body warm-up on YouTube. I like it because it's low impact and because it has a timer in the corner plus a video inset for what's coming up next.
[11:40 AM] Phew! that was fun! I got my heart beating a little faster and my breathing feels much more activated.
[11:41 AM] It's good to remember that singing is an athletic activity - much more so than any other instrument.
[11:42 AM] Treating our body as though it's doing athletic feats helps us to prepare for singing appropriately. Getting blood pumping, exercising the core, and loosening up our limbs are all important parts of vocal work outs.
[11:45 AM] Let's queue up one more warm up video.
[11:47 AM] Let's try this one together:
After we tried out some body warm-up videos together we sang a few vocal exercises and chatted about alignment. Join the next Office Hours on Discord to learn more about singing and/or check out the archived chats on my blog.
Every Saturday from 11am to noon, I run Office Hours over on my Discord Server. On this Saturday in February we talked about staccato and legato singing. Check out the transcript below.
You’ll find links to exercises and warm-ups using staccato and legato. All comments are mine unless otherwise noted. Participant’s comments are in italic.
My Discord server is open to ALL singers. Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/XTWHcCu Join the discussion!
/11:05/ We're going to alternate exercises between legato and staccato. Just to review: legato is smooth and connected and staccato is short and disconnected.
[11:10 AM] Most singing - like, 99%, is legato. However, practicing staccato is a great way to improve pitch accuracy. When you only have a moment to sing the note you must land right on it. Kind of like throwing a bull's eye dart every time
[11:11 AM] Let's look at track #3 on my basic warm ups. Do the first one legato - smoothly. Then do the 2nd one staccato - short. Alternate them from there. Do the exercise on an “ah” the whole time.
[11:13 AM] How did that go?
[11:17 AM] We'll do another exercise so we'll get a second chance at practicing this.
[11:15 AM] Staccato singing can be a little tricky. One strategy that can help is to add a very small "h" at the onset. So you're thinking of the syllable "ha" on each note. But, the h is so small that it is barely discernible.
[11:18 AM] Let's try exercise #5 doing the same alternating between legato and staccato. When you're doing legato sing a long "ah" throughout.
[11:20 AM] Let's try this legato/staccato exercise together. It may help illuminate the technique. It's new to me so we'll be testing it out together!
[11:23 AM] If you follow the female voice up it gets pretty high. Remember that you can always drop down an octave when exercises get too high for you.
[11:24 AM] The singers gave a very good demonstration of that "h" strategy I talked about earlier. Take a moment to hit play on the video a second time and just listen. Hear how they add only the smallest of h's on the staccato note to help get into the sound, but it is not so prominent that it is leaking air/breath support.
[11:26 AM] Let's check out these exercises:
[11:26 AM] Skip to about the 1:10 minute mark in the video
[11:28 AM] Her explanation of the breathy onset as compared to the glottal attack onset is very good. It's important to understand the difference between those onset types.
[11:28 AM] She goes into that right around the 2 minute mark
[11:31 AM] VERY fun exercise starting at the 3:45 minute mark
[@J] Nice range. I stopped at about 5:45
[11:32] I LOVE how she explains adding emphasis in legato phrases! All phrasing needs to have a little swell somewhere. We don't always practice that in vocal exercises and instead default to everything being the same volume (at least I know I have that tendency, LOL). It is SO good to practice with a little swell.
[11:34 AM] The swelling legato exercise begins around 6:15
[11:35] The legato exercise she starts at around 6:15 is her last exercise of the video. Just those two exercises though are well worth bookmarking the video for.
[11:36 AM] Working on legato and staccato is some heavy lifting, so let's cool down our voice before moving on.
[11:37 AM] For cooling down exercises I prefer either using a straw or a lip trill.
[11:37 AM] I also recommend any exercise that starts in head voice and moves down the keyboard. Track #8 in my basic warm ups folder is great for this.
[11:38 AM] Grab your straw or get ready for a lip trill and let's do #8. If it starts too high for you, just jump in a little later in the track. No worries! It's all about staying relaxed and open in our instrument!
We finished this day’s Office Hours with some side chatting and a few cool down exercises. Be sure to join the next Office Hours and/or check out other past chats in the blog.
I am thrilled to announce that after 15 months of Covid restrictions, I am fully vaccinated and ready to teach in-person once again!!!!
There are a number of things that are still in the air about Covid-19 and I’m sure we’ll continue to hear updates from officials. However, at this time I am able to offer time slots for in-person lessons in as safe a way as possible.
Everyone has to make the decision that makes the most sense for them. What I discovered over the past 15 months is that there are many, many advantages to online teaching and I like teaching online. So, online lessons are here to stay!
On the scheduling page you’ll now see two options: ONLINE and IN-PERSON.
Here is some other information to take into consideration when choosing a lesson type, either IN-PERSON or ONLINE:
IN-PERSON lessons will be at my house in Littleton, Colorado (see details below).
All IN-PERSON students must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19. I and my spouse have both been fully vaccinated, but our 7 year old has not been.
The cancelation policy for IN-PERSON lessons is 24 hours. Cancelations with less than 24 hours notice will forfeit credit.
IN-PERSON lessons can be changed to ONLINE lessons after booking.
If you are under the weather please change your lesson to ONLINE.
ONLINE lessons may cancel or reschedule up until the start time of the lesson.
The LESSON 6-PACK is redeemable for both IN-PERSON and ONLINE. You can even book a combination of each.
At this time NEW STUDENT lessons will continue to be ONLINE.
IN-PERSON lessons are available Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12:30pm and 6pm; Saturdays between 10am and 4pm.
IN-PERSON lessons will be at my house in Littleton, Colorado. I live conveniently off of Broadway, and a short distance from both Santa Fe Drive and C-470.
I’m a happy voice teacher to be able to see students both ONLINE and IN-PERSON. This pandemic forced me to teach in new ways and ultimately I’m a better coach because of it. Regardless of the way we sing together, I’m excited to sing with you!
Setting goals for your musical journey keeps your eye on the prize! (p.s. the prize is you meeting your goals!)
Every Saturday from 11am to noon, I run Office Hours over on my Discord Server. This past Saturday the Office Hours landed on Halloween so we worked on identifying minor scales and chords. Check out the transcript below. Wanna skip to the Goal Setting Worksheet? Here is the word doc and the pdf versions.
All comments are mine unless otherwise noted. Participant’s comments are in italic.
My Discord server is open to ALL singers. Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/XTWHcCu Join the discussion!
[11:07 AM] I want to talk about goal setting today.January is a convenient excuse to take stock of our singing journey. The New Year invites us to come us with lots of resolutions, but I also find it helpful to hone in a specific avenue I'm on and look closely at what's going on there. So, yes, I have resolutions for exercising, diet, time with family, journaling, etc. but singing is super important to me so I'll spend more time looking at just that part of my goal setting.
[11:10 AM] With artistic endeavors we have a unique relationship with what the journey looks like and how we interact with it. Artistic journeys require continual reflection and continual drive.
[11:10 AM] Artistic journeys are paths that we are on for our entire lives.
[11:11 AM] In a broad sense, we all house a creative self. Our creative self is part of our inner lives. So, it is something we are born with - this ability to be creative - and it is something we take with us up until the moment of death - the ability to create.
[11:12 AM] I mean, that's one reason why being a human is so special and so cool!
[11:13 AM] Your relationship with your own singing is continually evolving and you are continually engaged with that.
[11:25 AM] Starting with some personal intake questions can jump start your goal setting. Try these two questions:
[11:25 AM] 1) What are 3 vocal habits or skills that I acquired in 2020?
[11:27 AM] Some example answers include: I started voice lessons, I practiced vocal exercises most days, I learned how to isolate my head and chest voice, My voice became stronger, I learned to enjoy listening to myself and accept compliments, I found out about straw phonation and I love it!
[11:27 AM] Think specific, think small, think accomplishment.
[11:28 AM] 2) What are 3 musical achievements I created/manifested in 2020?
[11:30 AM] Again, it's good to start by acknowledging your accomplishments. If we only look at goal setting for the future we are working out of a deficit mentality - i.e. what we haven't done yet. I find that we come to our best goal setting when we start with a hefty pat on our backs. Congratulate yourself with these 2 questions!
[11:30 AM] Your answers to #2 may overlap with #1. That's ok!
[11:32 AM] Some example answers include: I recorded an album, I performed live for the first time, I played at 10 open mic events, I started learning piano, I wrote a song, I jammed with friends, I learned the harmony part to a favorite song, I invested in a new microphone.
[11:32 AM] Think actions taken, think big and small, think markable.
[11:37 AM] Hopefully you've had a moment to brainstorm some answers to these 2 introductory questions.
[11:38 AM] Continue to reflect and jot down answers. I suggested listing 3 items for each, but if you've got a lot, jot them ALL down. Don't limit your self-acknowledgment! Anything and everything you did for your singing journey in 2020 is worth noting!
/@H/ Sadly, I think I lost a lot of momentum from March on. I find that I am unsure about where my comfortable range, my 'natural' voice if you will. I have restarted doing vocal exercises and that feels good. I just feel like I'm lost touch with what my voice is, what my voice sounds like…
[11:40 AM] @H that's real! Maybe for you it's just acknowledging that you sang at all in the face of surreal circumstances. The fact that you have made some notes about where your voice is at tells me that you're still in touch with it and that's huge!
[11:41 AM] Let's go ahead and introduce some questions that pertain to 2021. Cautiously optimistic though we may be as we head into continued societal precarity!
[11:42 AM] Here are 2 questions I suggest for goal setting in the coming year:
[11:42 AM] 1) What vocal habits and skills would I like to tackle in 2021?
[11:42 AM] Start with 3 and expand from there.
[11:46 AM] Some example answers include: Practicing 5 times/week, Learning 2 new songs in February, Recording myself in GarageBand or Soundtrap, Strengthening my head voice, Learning how to do growl in a rock song, Improving my Italian diction, etc.
[11:45 AM] Think actionable, think concrete, think desired outcome.
[11:46 AM] You want these goals to be things you can immediately begin to find resources for. For example, if your goal is to learn a song in Spanish - that is something you can Google or ask friend who is knowledgable.
/@H/ I would like to work on producing clear tones and hitting the notes. That and working on breath maintenance so I do not run out. I need to practice on singing in a planned manner as well, panning enunciation and diction as well as when to breathe, etc. Mostly what I've been doing is too ad hoc, without purpose or planning.
[11:48 AM] @H, These are fantastic goals! Very actionable and concrete!
[11:49 AM] 2) What musical projects or products would I like to achieve in 2021?
[11:52 AM] For question #2 some example answers include: I want to form a band, I want to write original music, I want to prepare a set list for open mic nights, I want to find out how to get gigs, I want to learn guitar, I want to learn how to scat, I want to audition for a musical, I want to do one of Molly's Student Showcases ;), I want to feel confident about my voice, I want to learn the vocal parts for some Emmylou Harris songs, etc.
[11:54 AM] There may be overlap in goal setting questions 1 and 2. That's ok!
[11:55 AM] For #2 think broadly, think boldly, think a year out.
[11:58 AM] The final question to answer is:
[11:58 AM] How can I build a support network to help me achieve my goals?
[11:59 AM] Art, creativity, cannot be done in a vacuum. Even if much art is made in solitude, it's not made in isolation. Even the most reclusive of writers and painters still read, listened, and sought out advice when necessary.
[11:59 AM] Examples of answers for this question include: find a voice teacher, post my practicing to social media for accountability to myself, reach out to friends who have similar goals and start a study group, tell my spouse/partner that I'm going to be practicing, create a space to practice that has all my favorite tools and comforts (cup of tea, nice lighting, tuner, picks, phonation straw, stereo, etc.)
/@H/ I want to write original music, I want to learn to sing while playing guitar, I want to want to do one of Molly's Student Showcases , I want to feel more confident about my voice.
[12:01PM] @H, Great start to your goal setting! Those are all fantastic things to set your path towards! I can’t wait to watch you progress in this new year full of potential! Thanks for tuning in!
My annual end-of-year playlist is on Spotify. Listen here.
Every year I make a playlist of tunes to finish up the year and tingle the ear drums for the year to come. [Here is last year’s and here is the year before.] I have some very loose parameters for choosing tunes to include in the playlist, which I lovingly call a mixtape in homage to my 90’s adolescence.
Songs released in the previous year to emphasize fresh sounds
Local musicians and friends
Musicians I saw perform live (sadly, not applicable this year.)
Songs that are off the beaten path
Songs that I was obsessed with
Songs that had some lyrical or sonic significance to the events of the previous year
And, for the first time, this year I included songs or artists that were mentioned on my Patreon account. Because I was working on a research paper on computer musical instruments for grad school this past fall, I wrote a LOT about electronic and experimental music. You’ll notice that influence in this year’s mix.
This year’s playlist was by far the largest I’ve ever made because I had a really difficult time saying no to artists I fell in love with. Or, maybe 2020 was just so intense that I consumed more music than ever before. Either way, I ended up with 37 songs! You can start listening to the playlist, “Happy 2021 Mixtape”, right here.
I recommend you start with the first track and go from there. Although the songs represent a diverse spectrum of styles I made sure to create a flow. Listening to them in order will help you go with the flow :)
In fact, I conceived of the playlist in three acts.
Act I: Mostly Mellow
Act II: Approximately Aggressive
Act III: Outsiders and Outliers
Follow along with the liner notes I’ve prepared or keep the liner notes open in a tab. I’ve included links to every artist so that you can purchase their work to directly support them. I highly encourage you to get a Bandcamp account if you don’t already have one. Bandcamp pays artists 85% of what you pay. As you probably know, you’d have to stream the artist a million times for them to see the same amount of money. Spotify is only a place to become a fan. Bandcamp is a way to follow through. Please, purchase songs and albums of artists you enjoy.
from the album “The Expanding Universe” (1980), https://unseenworlds.bandcamp.com/album/the-expanding-universe
as a single (2020), https://elsz.bandcamp.com/track/take-me-to-the-sun Follow them on IG too: @iamelsz
Denver band! from the album s/t (2020), https://ramakhandra.bandcamp.com/album/ramakhandra
from the album “$UCH_IZ_LIFE” (2020), https://rarebyrd.bandcamp.com/album/uch-iz-life-lp Koko La is one half of Denver group Rare Byrd$
from the album “The Cycle” (2020), https://mourningablkstar.bandcamp.com/album/the-cycle This band calls themselves a collective and I love that!
from the EP “Transition East” (2020), https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/transition-east
from the album “Miss Colombia” (2020), https://lidopimienta.bandcamp.com/album/miss-colombia Lido identifies as a Colombian-American. After divorcing a husband who controlled the production of her first album (2010), she learned production and basically made everything in this album happend from writing, to recording to mastering. Woo hoo!
as a single (2020), https://halo-halo.bandcamp.com/track/daydream Denver band!
from the album “Source” (2020), https://nubyagarcia.bandcamp.com/album/source Definitely one of the best jazz albums of 2020.
from the album “Suite for Max Brown” (2020), https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/suite-for-max-brown Out of Chicago, this is also the guitarist in Tortoise (https://youtu.be/EwJf5fw57Yo). Max(ine) Brown is his mom.
from the album “8” (2020), https://moritavargas.bandcamp.com/album/8-2
from the album s/t (2017), https://deliaderbyshireappreciationsociety.bandcamp.com/album/delia-derbyshire-appreciation-society Not lying, this album saved this past fall from being a completely depressing time. Just the opening bars of this piece lift me.
from the album “Transmissions: the music of Beverly Glenn-Copeland” (2020), https://beverlyglenn-copeland.bandcamp.com/album/transmissions-the-music-of-beverly-glenn-copeland-2 This album is a retrospective of his long career as a composer. He prefers to go by Glenn and 2020 was set to be the first year, after four decades of making music!, that he would earn a living off his music. Sadly his world tour was canceled. Please buy his album if you like it!
from the album “Fucking Hell” (2020), https://nohome.bandcamp.com/album/fucking-hell-2
from the album “ANRMAL (live in México)” (2020), https://juanamolina.bandcamp.com/album/anrmal Recorded live in early March of 2020. It’s eerie hearing crowds cheer at a show for what was probably the last time that year.
from the album “Auto” (2020), not on Bandcamp yet. But she released album on BC that isn’t on Spotify - Dehiscense (2020) https://wendyeisenberg.bandcamp.com/album/dehiscence-2020
from the album “Human Snake” (2020), https://p22p22.bandcamp.com/album/human-snake
from the album “Happy” (2019), https://uvtv.bandcamp.com/album/happy-lp
from the album “Ultra Mono” (2020), https://idlesband.bandcamp.com/album/ultra-mono
from their Single Demo (2020), https://cuir1.bandcamp.com/album/single-demo-remastered-lp-version-one-extra-track [not on Spotify]
from the album “Four Steps Towards a Cultural Revolution” (1980; 2004 KRS repress), https://thebeakers.bandcamp.com/album/four-steps-towards-a-cultural-revolution-klp163 Old Seattle band, they were short lived but very influential. One guess as to why the towel is red :)
from the EP “White Boy Music” (2020), https://postpresentmedium.bandcamp.com/album/white-boy-music-e-p Purnell was in Gravy Train and The Younger Lovers. Although he’s been making great music for a long time this is his first solo album. It’s well worth reading the liner notes on the Bandcamp page for an excellent explanation for the album’s title. Purnell is a Black man making punk music and using the medium to bend racial frameworks. Just read it yourself!
from the album “Hunger For a Way Out” (2020), https://sweepingpromises.bandcamp.com/album/hunger-for-a-way-out
from the compilation “Strum & Thrum: the American Jangle Underground 1983-1987” (2020), https://strumandthrum.bandcamp.com/album/strum-thrum-the-american-jangle-underground-1983-1987 This compilation is great! I recommend listening to the whole thing.
from the album “Plastic Ono Band” (1970, remastered 2016), https://yokoono.bandcamp.com/album/plastic-ono-band This album was made at the same time and John’s with the same personnel. Imagining John in the backing tracks makes Yoko’s experimentations all the more powerful. I like to believe that they were feeding off each other in this moment - pushing each other’s artistry further and further. Beautiful.
from the album “Proto” (2019), https://hollyherndon.bandcamp.com/album/proto
from the album “Aerial” (2005), [not on Bandcamp]. Everybody knows that Bush’s ‘86 “Hounds of Love” is amazing. “Aerial” doesn’t get talked about as much but it is solid start to finish.
from the album “Tomorrow Again” (2020), https://saint--saviour.bandcamp.com/album/tomorrow-again
from the album “Inner Song” (2020), https://kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com/album/inner-song
from the album “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” (2020), [not on Bandcamp]. Apple is a perfect outsider and she speaks to that in this song.
from the album “Vari-Colored Songs” (2010; 2020 Smithsonian Folkways reissue), https://leylamccalla.bandcamp.com/album/vari-colored-songs-a-tribute-to-langston-hughes
from the album “Young” (2020), https://ericafreas.bandcamp.com/album/young
from the single “But There’s Still the Moon” (2020), https://tashamusic.bandcamp.com/album/but-theres-still-the-moon
from the album “Aquarian” (2020), https://mallorychipmanandthemystics.bandcamp.com/album/aquarian
from the album “Electronic Sound Patterns” (1962, remastered 2013) [not on Bandcamp]. Oram was extremely important in the early days of computer musical instruments and computer composition. In the original liner notes for this album she wrote, “"Teachers seeking original material have found this new approach exciting and stimulating in their creative work for music, movement and drama. The Sound patterns are intended for children to enjoy and may lead them into movement of dance-like character, or involve them in imaginative situations. People who are interested in sound production may like to know that these sound patterns were created by Daphne Oram at her Electronic Studio in Kent. By using audio generators, many tape recorders, filters, ring modulators and other electronic devices she built up the tone colours, pitched each of the notes separately, gave them duration and dynamics and finally spliced the notes together to obtain the required rhythms and sequences."
from the album “Alphabetland” (2020).
Image from the planner I’ve attached below. Read on for more!
The end of one year and the beginning of another is a powerful and symbolic time. I’m of the opinion that New Year planning goes on throughout January. I like to think that we’ve got some time and space after the hullabaloo of the holidays has abated, in order to evaluate and look ahead. If you’re still planning, good on you!
Every year I share my favorite New Year Planner with my students. I like it because it begins with acknowledging yourself for your accomplishments the year before. If you’re reading this then let me suggest that resilience, adaptability, and resolve were all achievements for you in 2020. You got through this year and that is something remarkable!
If you’d like to check out the planner scroll down. I hope it gives you some new perspectives for the beginning of your 2021 journey.
[11:03 AM] Let's get started
[11:04 AM] Today I definitely need a good vocal work out!
[11:04 AM] I pretty much always start with lip trill sirens for a few minutes
[11:05 AM] It's nice because I can do it anywhere really. I'm doing it while typing right now! I lip trill on any comfortable pitches while getting my space set up - maybe while making a cup of tea, or clearing my piano of clutter.
/@J/ I've gotten a lot better at trilling since I started lessons.
[11:09 AM] It is hands down my favorite exercise!
[11:09 AM] I found some new exercises on Spotify!
[11:09 AM] I'll put a link in the chat
[11:11 AM] I'm going to do a few exercises from this album: https://open.spotify.com/album/5GorfkQpmey0rPzYIcVx1u?si=uCFeRz4fRk2z10zqEP_kNQ
[11:11 AM] Jeannie Deva is a well known voice teacher who has published many books so I expect the exercises to be good.
[11:12 AM]I'm starting with track 4
/@J/ Great! I just tried waving my arms and shaking my hands when I was thrilling and it was a lot of fun.
[11:14 AM] I appreciate that she spends time to demonstrate do's and don'ts and explaining the sensations the singers should be looking for
[11:15 AM] I agree with everything she just said for track 4.
/@J/ Very similar to your exercises.
[11:19 AM] Yes! I know where she's coming from and what she's wanting to accomplish from singers. It's all same musculature that hasn't changed for millenia, ha ha!
[11:20 AM] I really enjoy hearing other voice teachers teach because they'll explain the same concept in their own way and I learn from that too. Hopefully my students enjoy hearing different perspectives that have the same end goal.
[11:20 AM] That's why I would probably recommend this album to my students. But, I want to hear more from Deva......
[11:21 AM] I'm letting the album play on. I'm on track 7 now.
/@J/ on Spotify I just went to a really great jazzy track from Ken Burton's vocal exercises. I'll go back to track 7 now, but this Ken Burton thing is awesome.
/11:25 AM/ Oh! please link the Ken Burton if you can! I want to try that album!
/@J/ https://open.spotify.com/album/4IHHdTA3IbCkAyczlBc4q2?si=3yrp8vbfQbGnFg9Na-Qcjw
[11:26 AM] I'm on Deva's track 10 now. This is the last one I'm going to do from her album.
[11:28 AM] I'm stretching when she's talking. Feels good to get some blood flowing in between the singing parts.
[11:33 AM] That was an interesting last track. Practicing holding vowel shapes is good work for singers. I believe her goal in alternating an /ng/ sound is to help move the air and sound forward for each of the vowels.
[11:33 AM] Still, with the first half of the Deva album the range is pretty limited. I need some more exercising for my voice so I'm going to move onto the Ken Burton album @J recommended.
[11:34 AM] I feel like my breathing is ready to go so I'm starting with "Loose the Jaw"
[11:36 AM] Whew! That was FUN!
/@J/ Yeah!
[11:39 AM] Start a Sound exercise is about onset
[11:45 AM] Open Up the Voice is also FUN!!
[11:45 AM] challenging but it felt really good
[11:52 AM] The track Stretch the Range is fantastic and Classically focused.
/@J/ I loved that.
[11:54 AM] Arpeggiate is Classically focused and also great!
[11:55 AM] More about Ken Burton https://www.kenburton.com/about
[11:57 AM] Phew! That was just what I needed! I've got to wrap it up and head to a lesson, but I hope everybody had as good of a time as I did this morning.
/@J/ Yes!
[11:59 AM] Final note on the Ken Burton album - I really, really like the backing music. It made the whole thing just a blast to do. I kept thinking "Gee, this feels like I'm in an exercise class at the YMCA!" and then I looked at the album cover and he calls himself a "personal trainer." It's a perfect description. So glad we got to explore it together today!
[11:59 AM] Thanks for letting us know about it, @J!
This is a project I’ve wanted to do for YEARS and I’m so excited that it’s finally come together! The HOLIDAY SINGER’S KIT if for sale now, just in time holiday gift shopping. I put a lot of thought into what I would want in a singer’s kit and I’ve compiled that for you or a loved one who is passionate about singing! Preorder today to guarantee Dec. 1st shipping.
Each kit contains….
a bundle of 10 honey sticks and a reusable straw for healthy vocal warm ups!
A reusable straw is a must-have for any singer! My favorite reusable straw for vocal warm-ups is the maté straw pictured above. I can’t wait to share it with you!
And includes…
a custom tea blend created to soothe singers’ throats and 4 reusable cloth tea bags!
The Special Singer’s Blend is a loose leaf tea I designed myself. It includes many soothing and coating ingredients such as licorice root, marshmallow root and slippery elm. It also has yummy ingredients so that to help any singer feel cozy and warm during their practice!
Plus an EPIC workout!
You’ll have access to a downloadable vocal workout that comes with extensive liner notes and supplemental videos covering a wide range of vocal technique and topics.
The EPIC VOCAL WORKOUT is designed to challenge every level of singer while being accessible to singers wishing to work on new skills. Some of the technical areas that are addressed in it include: breathing, extending range, stylistic tools, pentatonic exercises, agility, phrasing and MORE! It really is EPIC and will be something you or the singer in your life will be able to enjoy throughout 2021. The 2021 EPIC VOCAL WORKOUT has a value of $20 and isn’t available to the public until January, so you’ll get an early release!
It’s the perfect gift for the singer in your life. It’s only available during this holiday season and I’m offering it with discounted lesson gift certificates as an optional addition.
Save $14 off retail value! The Holiday Singer's Kit will be mailed to you or a friend after purchase. This package includes the complete singer's kit PLUS a gift certificate code for 2 30-minute lessons. The recipient will get a redeemable code to schedule lessons whenever it's convenient for them.
Save $21 off retail value! The Holiday Singer's Kit will be mailed to you or a friend after purchase. This package includes the complete singer's kit PLUS a gift certificate code for 2 45-minute lessons. The recipient will get a redeemable code to schedule lessons whenever it's convenient for them.
[11:00 AM] Welcome, singers!
[11:02 AM] We'll jump into things and if a question arises type it out
[11:02 AM] Today I'm thinking about the roles that vocal exercises have in my life as a singer
[11:03 AM] Often we think of exercises as a means to an end and that end is usually some version of "making my voice stronger/louder/more something"
[11:04 AM] As though the exercises are only a thing that serves our dreams and desires for a future moment
[11:04 AM] And, don't get me wrong, they are that too.
[11:05 AM] But, given that this past week was, well, totally brain exploding and anxiety inducing, I found that my vocal exercises were grounding and ritualistic
[11:06 AM] I was better, overall, about doing vocal exercises than I have been in a month and I think it made the week much easier to manage.
[11:06 AM] So, today, let's do some singing without any expectations or agendas attached. Let's see what happens when we sing along just to be in the present moment of doing it.
I'm going to do some tracks from my website:
Exercises — Molly Zackary Music
[11:07 AM] We'll work with the "Basic Warm-Ups" folder. "Bari-tenor" refers to low voices, or all the baritones and tenors, while "Sopr-alto" refers to all the sopranos and altos of the world.
[11:08 AM] Let's start with track #2. I'm going to start out with a lip trill and alternate with an /ooooo/ vowel. Have fun!
[@J] I'm grateful that you told me how to breathe slowly through the nose to fill up my lungs in between.
[11:10 AM] I love how exercises give me an opportunity to pay attention to how my body is moving in that moment. I close my eyes and "watch" my breathing while thinking about the cycle of muscles releasing and then activating. It feels good to notice this about my own body.
[11:12 AM] Yeah - paying attention to the pacing is also part of the grounding practice @J
[11:13 AM] Let's look at track #4 together. It's the major triad. Try some different vowels. Think about how your tongue and jaw are moving in coordination and serving you through a wide range of motions.
[11:17 AM] Let's try some intention setting through vocal exercises. Cuz, why not?
[11:17 AM] Track #4 has 5 different pitches so it works really well with any phrase that has 5 syllables. I thought of "I have happy feet".
[11:18 AM] If you think of any intention setting phrases that have 5 syllables drop them into the conversation
[11:18 AM] Because sopr-alto voices need to do some serious vowel modification as we go higher I'm only going to sing the words about halfway through the track. I'll stop at about 1 minute.
[@J] I like peach ice cream
[11:18 AM] Lol, I love that @jeanette! b/c who doesn't love all things peach - especially CO peaches!
[@A] I'm not even going to tell you what my five syllables are.
[11:21 AM] lol! you may fill in your intentions as you desire @Audrey :)
[11:21 AM] I started singing "I am full of love."
[11:22 AM] In the vast majority of my singing education vocal exercises have been benign and somewhat removed. For example, in k-12 choir the exercises are something to get over and done with so you can move onto the more important work.
[11:23 AM] But singing is the most personal of all instruments. Our voice is a deep reflection of ourselves and when we sing we are exposing our most intimate selves with the world. It is vulnerable and critical to the human experience.
[11:24 AM] So, when we merge our exercising with our intentions of both sharing our human-ness with the world and also with who we see ourselves, the exercising itself becomes the important work.
[11:24 AM] anyways, i think I'll have my students sing "I am full of love" all next week
[11:25 AM] Let's try track 8 - the 5 note walk down. This track starts high and descends as the track progresses. Start with any mouth position that triggers a release muscularly
[11:26 AM] This could be a lip trill, an /ah/ or even a /ya/ as though you are about to yawn.
[@J] I just remembered that I should sing the exercises softly.
[11:27 AM] @J - did I tell you to do that? I don't remember, lol
[@J] I recall you saying that during the Swallow Hill workshop on voice maintenance.
[11:27 AM] @J Generally I like to use the word "gently" to coach singers for certain exercises or specific functions. Gently can result in softness or quietness, and sometimes not so much.
[@J] Ah, that was it.
[11:29 AM] For example, I'm a pretty loud singer regardless so if I artificially try to make my voice quiet during an exercise I can actually make more problems for myself. But, thinking about approaching and exercise like track #8 gently I'm thinking more intentionally about not having tension.
[11:30 AM] I'm going to do track #9 next. Usually I like to do this one on an /ah/ but you do you.
[11:34 AM] Sometimes with singing adjectives can make a big difference. It can go back to our theme du jour - that of setting intentionality, being present in the moment, and allowing our bodies to merge with our instruments in a grounding practice.
[11:35 AM] I hadn't thought of it this way until just now but perhaps the act of being intentional is what is most effective in eliminating tension.
[11:35 AM] And tension is the worst thing we can bring to singing.
[11:35 AM] I'm going to share a new link to some exercises. [EDITED: I’ve removed the link for this blog post b/c I recommend you buy the book!]
[11:36 AM]They're from a book by Judy Niemack that's for jazz singers, but seriously, these vocal exercises are my FAVES! I still do them frequently, even after 7 years since I purchased the book. {EDITED: Here’s the link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Blues-Judy-Niemack-Hear/dp/1458412032/ref=asc_df_1458412032/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312057344057&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17469369624315232206&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028749&hvtargid=pla-459929905621&psc=1]
[@J} I like these! Very jazzy.
[11:39 AM] I like track #2. It's sort of like track #8 on my website but with a little jazzy swing.
[11:39 AM] These exercises invite swaying, tapping, snapping, and any other organic movement your body wants to incorporate.
[11:39 AM] track #6 is really hard but super fun!
[@J] Love it!
[11:40 AM] it doesn't matttter if you fuck it up. go with the flow!
[11:42 AM] My absolute fave is track #7. Give it a try and keep your body moving freely while you do it. Find a rhythm in your limbs. Swing, sway and pulse.
[@J] So pretty!
[11:44 AM] this exercise works well with the lip trill too
[11:46 AM] Going back to memories I have of standard vocal education - I remember that in choir experiences, even those from when I was an adult, the expectation was to stand and deliver, so to speak.
[11:48 AM] Good posture sometimes resulted in a rigid frame. And my attempts to avoid locking my knees sometimes caused me stress and anxiety. I would start thinking "Am I doing this right?" while also trying not to draw attention to myself while in the large ensemble.
[11:48 AM] Oftentimes at home I like to put on vocal tracks and sit on my zafu cushion. Here is an example of one: https://www.yogadirect.com/Round-Cotton-Zafu-Meditation-Cushion_p_1120.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztT9pUe6o5iu4jg2g0mGAxU1aUT8o_svtUQStPwDA2P8N9IXQ94dB4hoC_vwQAvD_BwE#
[11:49 AM] These pillows open up your hips and provide firm support. That way I can sit and still have an open frame that is conducive to healthy, free singing.
[11:49 AM] They work well on the ground and in a chair.
[11:52 AM] Let's do a couple more exercises. I'm going to go back to the exercises on my website and do track #11 - the sliding perfect 5th. Do a lip trill, sing through a straw or stick to a vowel. While we do this one let's stretch.
[11:52 AM] Any stretch at all! Arms, calves, back, hang upside down, try it all!
[11:54 AM] Again, we are filled with images of vocal exercises being done in rigid positions but that doesn't need to be true in all circumstances. Incorporating movement into our exercises can help free our body and ready it for the day's activities - both singing related and non-singing related.
[11:57 AM] Our goal today is to let go of expectations for the warm-ups. So, when we stretch while singing our sound changes and may or may not be "pretty". But, our goal isn't to achieve aesthetic standards of beauty today. Our goal is to be open, free and in the moment with our voice.
[11:58 AM] So, for the last exercise I'm going to return to track #4 on my website. This time I'll sing "I am alive here."
[11:58 AM] This is to affirm myself and the work I've done today
[12:00 PM] I hope you feel affirmed, encouraged, grounded and ready to move through the rest of your day. Feel free to revisit any of these tactics/strategies in your future warm-up sessions!
[12:00 PM] with love, cheers!
This is my son’s jack-o-lantern from this year. I loved that he wanted to give it ears!
Every Saturday from 11am to noon, I run Office Hours over on my Discord Server. This past Saturday the Office Hours landed on Halloween so we worked on identifying minor scales and chords. Check out the transcript below.
You’ll find links to ear training exercises and warm-ups in the minor scale. All comments are mine unless otherwise noted. Participant’s comments are in italic.
My Discord server is open to ALL singers. Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/XTWHcCu Join the discussion!
[11:00 AM]Welcome to Office Hours, friends!
Today being Halloween I was thinking we could delve into minor and diminished sounds! I'll post some stuff about that but jump in with your questions!
[11:04 AM]Ok, let's start with some ear training. I'm going to post links to some customized exercises and you can do them along with me.
The first exercise is to distinguish between a major and natural minor scale
[11:05 AM]Just for the purposes of reviewing for those who'd like it after the fact: the natural minor has a flatted 3rd, 6th and 7th both up and down the scale
[11:05 AM]Here's the link to the exercise: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-scale/8yybyyngneyyyy
[11:06 AM]Do a bunch and then we'll make it harder
Using the same link above, I've added the harmonic minor scale.
[11:10 AM]It's important to get answers wrong here so that you can really hone in on what's different, aurally, between the natural and the harmonic
[11:12 AM]The main difference is that the harmonic adds a leading tone. This short YouTube video does a good job explaining why we want a leading tone, what it is and how it sounds:\
[11:16 AM]You can play the example in the exercise as many times as you want before choosing the answer. After listening to it once, try challenging yourself and singing along before selecting your answer.
Depending on the range you may need to sing an octave lower or higher for it to feel comfy.
[11:17 AM]Try singing each pitch on a "da" or a "la", or you could lip trill the whole thing
[11:20 AM]While you're singing, here are some tips on identification:
[11:21 AM] 1) The main indicator for whether a scale is categorized as major or minor is the 3rd note in the scale. Either the 3rd has that recognizable "lift" that makes it major, or the 3rd feels "depressed", or lowered, which makes it a type of minor scale.
2) There is another type of minor scale taught in music school and that's the melodic minor. This scale is different going up than it is going down. This scale is not quite as important for singers to memorize. When you're practicing an instrument besides singing, or you're working on composition, then you'll likely need to remember your harmonic scale, but since we're only singing today, we'll skip it.
[11:25 AM]Let's move onto chords. Chord types are SUPER important to singers. All of our sung notes relate in some way to the overall harmony occurring in that moment. Being able to quickly identify common chord types will help you sing more in tune, learn songs more quickly, and will help you to melodically vary a song.
[11:26 AM]Let's start with identifying either the major triad or the minor with this exercise: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-chord/dyyybyyngneyyyy
[11:26 AM]Triad means there are three notes in the chord: the root, the 3rd and the 5th.
[11:27 AM]In minor chords, just like in the minor scale, the 3rd is flatted, a.k.a. lowered by a half step.
[11:27 AM]See how you do. I'll make it more challenging in a minute.
[11:28 AM]For an extra challenge, see if you can sing all three pitches being played in the chord. Even if you just get one pitch matched you're doing great!
I tend to hear the 5th, the highest pitch, most strongly so sometimes it's easier for me to start high and sing the chord descending.
[11:30 AM]Try it both ways!
[11:31 AM]I just added the diminished chord to the exercise. Hit refresh and you should see it.
[11:32 AM]The diminished chord sounds extra crunchy. It also sounds more like it belongs in a horror movie. Not only is thee 3rd flatted, as in the minor triad, but the 5th is as well. This means we have two stacked minor thirds, or you could think about it as the notes all being much closer together. They're kind of smashed together harmonically and it sounds like that.
Definitely challenge yourself to find the notes in the diminished chord even if you need to hit the play button 20x!
[A] I really really need to work on this. I can't figure out the notes and I'm having a hard time just telling major from minor.
[11:38 AM] It's hard work! Initially the brain kind of blurs all the sounds together - it's trying to figure out which neural pathway this information belongs in.
[11:38 AM]Go back to singing any note at all that you hear. The brain wants any identifiable information. It'll start to parse it out after some repetition (like maybe over several months).
[11:38 AM]I just added one more chord - the dominant 7th!
[J] I get it if I sing the first note and the last one. okay now to the 7th.
[11:39 AM] Imagine that all chords types have their own unique color and personality. However, both the diminished chord and the dominant 7th both inherently contain tension.
[11:39 AM]We need a little tension in every song in order to keep things interesting and the dominant 7th is the most common type of tension chord you'll encounter.
[11:40 AM]The entire 12-bar blues form is comprised of dominant 7th chords. You may hear it as sounding "bluesey" and that would be accurate.
[11:41 AM]It's also commonly used in country, pop and folk music. It's often thrown in right at the end of a verse or a chorus. The dominant 7th chord really, really, really wants to bring us back to our home base major triad.
[11:43 AM]In this exercise the dominant 7th is out of context so it may not sound like a tension chord leading to a resolution, but when you're working on your own songs look and listen for indications that a dominant 7th is happening. There's a 99.9% chance any song you're singing has a dominant 7th chord - that's why it's "dominant".
[11:44 AM]A final note on the dominant 7th is that it has 4 chord tones rather than 3. The 7th chord is NOT a triad. The chord tones, in order of scale degrees, are: root, 3rd, 5th and 7th.
[11:44 AM]There are a bunch of different types of 7th chords (and that's why jazz sounds like jazz), but the dominant is dominant for a reason
These links are permanent. You can access them at any time and work on your ear training.
[11:46 AM] Now I'm going to try out some vocal exercises that are in minor scales. Let's see how they go. It will show the Spotify track I'm playing next to my name in the top right hand corner.
[A] When I was identifying major vs minor chords, I was trying to key off of whether a chord sounded "sad." Sometimes if there were two major chords in a row, I would mis-identify the second as minor. Is it possible for a major chord to sound sad or ominous depending on the major chord it follows? Or is that just in my head?
[11:53 AM] Yes @A ! the major chord has a major third and then minor 3rd stacked above that (the distance between the 3rd and the 5th in the major scale is minor 3rd interval). So lots of people hear that upper minor 3rd in the major triad and it has that "sad" sound to them.
[11:54 AM]That's why the "sad" vs "happy" method is good as an entry point for hearing the difference between major and minor but isn't really reliable.
[11:54 AM]I like to think of the chords as having their own complex personalities that I'm trying to learn and recognize. That helps me some.
[11:56 AM]Here's the link to the first minor scale exercise I did on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1rvhgkeZF0KfThRRYvxzAs?si=jQUN0lvoR22nEV3oKP2ABQ
[11:56 AM]It's a good run of doing the scale up and down while modulating on the keyboard. I recommend.
[11:57 AM]I'm working on a chromatic scale exercise. The chromatic scale is particularly Halloween-ey sounding!
I recommend singing each note on a "da" or 'la" or "va"
[12:00 PM]Here's the scale exercise album that has the chromatic exercise as the first one: https://open.spotify.com/track/1rvhgkeZF0KfThRRYvxzAs?si=jQUN0lvoR22nEV3oKP2ABQ
[12:00 PM] That’s it for today. Thanks for hanging with me today! I hope you all have a spooooooooky Halloween
Every Saturday from 11am to noon, I run Office Hours over on my Discord Server. Wanna join in? Here’s the link: https://discord.gg/XTWHcCu Wondering wth Discord is? Scroll to the bottom to watch my video tutorial.
This past Saturday the Office Hours addressed the topic of how mental health can impact your practicing and I reviewed a warm-up album on Spotify in real time. Check out the transcript below. All comments are mine.
[11:05] This week I want to address practicing and mental health.
[11:06 AM] So, how does your mental health impact your musical practice? And, what kinds of tools help you work through it and get to the practicing?
[11:07 AM] It's on my mind because this past week I've only practiced 3 times (including today). It's actually the non-practicing that clued me in that I wasn't feeling all that well emotionally. When I can't find the motivation to do warm-ups even when the opportunities are there, that's a sign that I'm feeling a little blue.
[11:08 AM] Sometimes, of course, it's the other way around - I know that I'm struggling with life events and/or emotional events and I don't sing as much (or sometimes at all).
[11:10 AM ]It can also sometimes trigger a spiral effect - I'm not practicing as much because of feeling down and then I start beating myself up because I'm not achieving my goals and that makes me feel worse about myself - and on and on.........
[11:11 AM] And when we are already feeling low it's harder to talk ourselves out of false thinking like "I'm bad because I'm not practicing like I'm supposed to." and "I'm letting myself/my bandmates/my voice teacher/etc. down."
[11:12 AM] So, this can be a ferris wheel of emotional space and musical journeying that we can't get off of. We'll get dizzy hanging out here.
[11:13 AM] I think there are a few replacement thoughts that can be a lifeline when we find ourselves spinning repeatedly:
[11:14 AM] 1) It happens to everyone. It happens to me and it happens to every professional musician I know. It's good to remember that you aren't alone in dipping out on your practicing while experiencing emotional ups and downs. This can help us accept what's happening and that's often a critical key to getting off the ferris wheel.
[11:18 AM] 2) Know and trust yourself first and foremost. Whatever practicing you were doing before you can get back into it when your ready. You will never lose what you've established. You've worked hard to build a musical pathway for yourself and the road, with all it's tar and gravel will weather any of life's turbulence.. You can use the onramp anytime, anywhere cuz you've already done the work to make it so.
[11:21 AM] 3) It ain't a competition. Nobody is hiring musicians because they practice x hours y days/week. Yes, preparation is super important, but nobody's keeping track of how often you hit the woodshed. What you need to do in your practice space is determined by what your body and mind need as much as it is determined by what a gig or a band demands. Actually, what you need is more important that what others expect. So, be generous with yourself and what your instrument is asking of you, which is sometimes simply patience.
[11:24 AM] 4) Practice with buddies . I imagine that my singing community is out there right now while I do office hours so it helps motivate me to practice, like, right now! Mark this time in your calendar and practice adjacent to me if it helps keep you motivated. Or, find another singing buddy who can check in with you to see how your practicing is going. Sometimes a text is the nudge we need to move out of that ferris wheel.
[11:25 AM] So, with that, I'm gonna explore some vocal workouts on Spotify. Let's see what's out there!
[11:27 AM] I found an album by Pete Faint. While I'm singing with it you can also play it simultaneously by clicking on my avatar. You'll see the track on Spotify and an option to play it on your end. (you may need to have spotify installed on your device)
Here is the link: https://open.spotify.com/album/63giiARfCErWYolDvvpLKB?si=hGMejz1ZTe2C3wg_-FbCcQ
The track "E A Ah Ah" is challenging and fun
[11:41 AM] Where in the world is spelled "tyres"? UK? Australia?
[11:42 AM] Anyways the "tyres" exercise is also fun
[11:43 AM] "chester cheetah chews a chunk of cheap cheddar cheese"!!!!!! I'm going to have to practice that one
[11:44 AM] these tongue twisters are kicking my butt
[11:47 AM] I don't really know what's going on with "1,2,3,4,5" so I skipped it
[11:49 AM] "1, 121, 12321..." is an exercise I used to do a lot back in high school choir. They've got it going at a break neck speed so it would be hard to follow if you don't know it well. I don't know why the recorded vocalist drops out so soon - maybe these exercises are intended to be used in a choir setting so you'd have your director singing it? Anyways, I'd recommend skipping it if you don't already know it.
[11:50 AM] "Bella Signora" is a great agility exercise. I talked about agility last week. Read the notes I made and then sing this one.
[11:51 AM] Overall I'd recommend this warm-up album.
It's paced really nicely and I love the articulation exercises (the tongue twisters). I think the vowel choices as compared to range would match an AFAB (assigned female at birth) voice best. AMAB larynxes might need to do some vowel modification.
[11:56 AM] You can comment on the transcript from my office hours after the fact! Chime in about how you relate to the conversation on mental health and practicing. What do you do to work through it? How does it impact your practicing, or not? What tips that I provided resonate with you?
[11:58 AM] Before I sign off on this Saturday Office Hours session I wish everybody a wonderful fall weekend. I wish for Colorado rain/snow/mist/dew/spit/any kind of moisture. I'm heartbroken for our beautiful mountain forests and the people who live there. I hope everyone has a good week and that vocal warm-ups play a positive role. If you don't get around to it - that's a-ok
[12:01 PM] Next Office Hours will be next Saturday at 11am. It will be Halloween so maybe we'll do some Halloween exercises!!!!!
Here’s a little walkthrough on what Discord is and how to use it. My voice studio server is open to ALL. I hope to see you over here.
Follow me on Soundtrap!
Soundtrap.com is a valuable resource for students of singing - especially for online learners! While I try to mitigate the overall low sound quality in online lessons, it’s still only a small picture of what you, the singer, are doing in real life. Using a simple, cloud-based, recording studio like Soundtrap enables you to capture a high quality audio file.
This will take your learning journey even deeper! Here are just a few reasons why recording yourself in a program like Soundtrap is really, really useful:
You can send me the audio files so that I can give you more informed feedback on your progress.
You can also use it as a reference for your own study. Use the recordings to objectively listen to your song and make adjustments as necessary.
It’s like practicing being in a real recording studio. In 2020 the recording studio is an important place for musicians and one that all singers are likely to visit at some point in their career regardless of the genre they sing. The recording studio is a unique space for singers and require some different skills than you would use in a live setting.
You can share your best takes with friends and loved ones. Birthday presents, holiday gifts, or just a fun way to spread some joy through music - sharing your songs with others makes the world a little brighter!
I’ve made a tutorial video for Soundtrap.com so you can get started today. Check it out.
Soundtrap has a lot of tutorial videos on their own YouTube channel. Here are a few that can help get you started.
Sunset near my house, August 14. This was towards the beginning of the blanket of smoke and particulates that enveloped the front range. It looks pretty, but it carries with it harmful particulates that can make singing pretty difficult.
Anybody who has lived in Colorado for more than one summer knows that we have beautiful, bright, blue skies most days of the year. They also know that we’ve had increasingly severe fire seasons. This year the smoke descended upon the front range and has stuck around for two weeks.
Singers will likely to notice the impacts of poor air quality sooner and more significantly than those who don’t sing regularly. That’s because we rely upon our respiratory systems to do a lot of heavy lifting. If our total lung capacity is diminished we’ll notice that we can’t hold that one phrase out quite as long. If our throat feels scratchy or irritated our range will shrink and we may even find it difficult to sustain a clear tone. Other symptoms that our instrument is being impacted by low air quality include a clunky passaggio, loss of head voice or falsetto resonance, and fatiguing early on in a practice session.
Here are some tools and resources to help you get through a period of poor air quality in your region, whether from forest fire, pollution, or some other factor.
Colorado wildfires as of August 27, 2020.
For those of us living in the Western US, the US Air Quality website is invaluable. Bookmark this site and get to know it’s features. The Fire and Smoke Map (shown above) is easy to use and has continually updated information about both fire locations and air quality. Click on any of the fire icons and information about the extent of the fire and it’s containment are given. The squares, triangles and circles are all air quality monitors which provide regular readings that are uploaded directly to the map. Click on them and see what the AQI in your area is currently. Note that an AQI below 50 is considered good, 50 to 100 is moderate, above 100 is concerning for sensitive groups. I would put all singers in the sensitive group due to our specific needs for high functioning breathing.
Wildfire in CO on August 29.
AQI report for my neighborhood August 27.
Recommendations from the CDC include staying indoors when the air quality is poor, avoiding candles and incense in the home and limiting vacuuming (which actually kicks up a lot of dust). When air quality is particularly low and/or has been ongoing a portable air filter may be of benefit. The EPA has this guide to commercial air filters.
An abnormal Colorado sky in my neighborhood on August 15.
Singers should continue to sing! Taking time off of singing can be more harmful than singing gently in small doses. When your vocal tract is irritated it’s a good time for those SOVTs (semi occluded vocal tract exercises) - lip trills, straw phonation, humming, cup phonation. In other words, sing with a small mouth space because it’s basically like a little massage for vocal cords which are probably inflamed.
Here is a great video explaining the how and why SOVTs work AND a nice demonstration of using a cup with a hole in the bottom. The cup part starts at 1:43.
Try singing for smaller durations - 15-20 minutes at a time - and several times through the day. This will keep your muscles from atrophying while also allowing them to vocalize in safe and productive way.
For singers it’s important to keep in mind that environmental factors are outside of your control. If you need to take more frequent breaths during a song don’t beat yourself up over it, just breathe more often. If your head voice has a thin or reedy tone because the vocal folds are inflamed, transpose your song down or sing repertoire that sits lower in your voice. Stressing out over what your voice can’t do during respiratory limitations will only make your symptoms worse, or just lead to you feeling bummed out about singing.
Making some adjustments to your vocal demands can help you to sing in spite of external challenges. And being able to keep doing the thing you love might just make the regular news stories about air pollution more emotionally bearable.
If you are feeling as though poor air quality is impacting you, trust your gut and begin to address the symptoms immediately. If you have chronic issues don’t hesitate to reach out to your physician before the situation becomes acute.
I am a singer who also has chronic asthma so I know that I’m prone to being affected. I’ve been staying mostly indoors and if I have needed to drive I’ve been using the “max AC” setting because it circulates the air inside through the air filter. I’ve been drinking LOTS of water to keep my system hydrated and to flush the particulates I’ve inhaled out. Sleep, diet and exercise are also important factors in overall health. Do your best to prioritize love and care for your body during this time.
When the visibility around my house started to get really hazy and I woke up to ash covering my car windshield I also started to get itchy all over my body. Red patches appeared on my face and back and the urge to scratch was uncontrollable. About a week after the smoke levels were noticeably high my occipital lymph nodes became so swollen it hurt to turn my head.
I can’t say for sure that these symptoms were a result of the prolonged air pollution but there is significant scientific evidence that air pollution combined with high UV levels (which was the case in Denver last week) can lead to eczema and other skin irritation.
Here is a super detailed scientific study from the NCBI and here is another super geeky report connecting air pollution with skin inflammation. The TL;DR is that when there is a high amount of particulates in the air skin harmful UV rays are converted more rapidly into harmful O3. This is especially true on hot, sunny days which we have had in August. The surface of your skin is irritated by this and the barrier is damaged microscopically. This means that dirt, debris and those particulates can get in. That’s a big problem and leads to inflammation. Additionally your respiratory system, which is taking in those particulates is trying to get them back out and your skin is one of the ways it can eject these. This means you’ll have inflammation both internally and externally. Furthering the compounding stress on one’s body, both studies report that folks who are suffering from air pollution and skin inflammation had significantly lower levels of vitamin E and vitamin C. That would obviously cause even bigger problems if the issue is left unaddressed.
Again, I don’t know if the air pollution is the cause of my skin problem, but it’s entirely possible. Regardless, we know that respiratory problems are connected to problems in other bodily systems. And, when we don’t feel good, in general, it’s really hard to sing.
I’m feeling much better now, but the lesson here is that our bodies are designed to run as a well-oiled machine. It’s a beautiful thing, this body that we have and even more spectacular that it breathes and sings for us. However, any health event can make it difficult to function in the way we’re used to and environmental factors, like worsening fire seasons and climate change, doubly impact our ability to thrive. As singers our body IS our instrument. Caring for, managing, and monitoring our body is the same thing as taking care of our voice.
Are these tips and resources helpful? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy singing!
You may have heard me go on and on about how great Bandcamp is for musicians and fans. Well, on June 19th they’ll be donating all their proceeds to the NAACP!!! You can directly support black artists on this day and an organization that constantly works towards achieving racial equality in the US. Bam!
Below is a list of both Denver artists and national artists you can send your money to. I've chosen to focus on living artists for this list. Guess what? You can bookmark these items on a wishlist so that you are ready to go on June 19th. You can also fill in a higher amount than the asking price to really make you money go further!
I don’t know every black musician in town, obvs, but here are some that I know, or know of, and like. Let me know who I may have missed and I’ll add them pronto!
Bianca Mikahn http://headroomsessions.bandcamp.com/album/bianca-mikahn-head-room-sessions-12
Kim Dawson http://kimdawson.bandcamp.com/track/try-feat-wil-blades
RareByrd$ http://rarebyrd.bandcamp.com/track/key-lady-risque
Felix Ayodele http://felixayodele.bandcamp.com/album/walking-distance-digital-download
Kayla Marque http://headroomsessions.bandcamp.com/album/kayla-marque-head-room-sessions-26
NAME BCKWRDS http://namebckwrds.bandcamp.com/track/113015
SUCH http://iamsuch.bandcamp.com/album/wide-nose-full-lips
Lee Clark Allen http://leeclarkallen.bandcamp.com/track/mud-featuring-britney-jane
Wes Watkins http://cosmicslim.bandcamp.com/album/rain
Matador Soul Sounds https://matadorsoulsounds.bandcamp.com/
Poor Bodhi https://headroomsessions.bandcamp.com/album/poor-bodhi-head-room-sessions-16-3
Wheelchair Sports Camp ft Machete Mouth and KOKO LA https://wheelchairsportscamp.bandcamp.com/track/187bpm-demo
Read this article at the Denver Post: https://theknow.denverpost.com/2020/06/04/denver-artists-george-floyd-protests/240001/?fbclid=IwAR0kNfOqRKMv_s4I4_FU_Iw9mH70H_kxb6pG_xcE_r7nmQWM08BCvOf4w9g
Read this article from the 303 Magazine: https://303magazine.com/2020/06/39-local-black-musicians-you-should-check-out-right-now/?fbclid=IwAR2YOuXEck9pz5arcN55B3kklINmjwofULm7dYSN6iAvskvrs3VflkwLU7I
A brand new online music publication called Free Music for Free People is featuring the diversity in the local music scene: https://www.fm4fp.com/the-denver-underground-archive/2020/6/12/music-as-nonviolent-direct-action-how-armando-lopez-is-fighting-systemic-racism-as-a-musician?fbclid=IwAR3e2wPJW9ARKKBXSJ3EeBoTIqSlAxGo2KmK6A1zzYABlgR0ylE9c7lgZW4
Check out this Spotify playlist my friend Bonnie made: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gfxtKwp3EriKsHdTHHnuP?si=zoIUolTGRBKlgxlbyJsEmg&fbclid=IwAR0K50gUsvw5bIqnZimkqv1mUkoxTABjRDmvthh-Ex5HEHfq2WkFAx3XbPk
There’s no way I could list every single black musician on Bandcamp in the US so these are musicians I really, really like just in case you haven’t heard of them before.
KING http://wearekingmusic.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-king
Aye Nako http://ayenako.bandcamp.com/album/silver-haze
Moor Mother http://moormother.bandcamp.com/album/fetish-bones
Hear in Now http://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/not-living-in-fear
L'Rain http://astronautico.bandcamp.com/album/lrain-deluxe-edition
Dwight Trible http://dwighttrible.bandcamp.com/track/what-the-world-needs-now-is-love-feat-matthew-halsal
Of Empress http://empressof.bandcamp.com/album/trust-me-baby-in-dreams
Kadhja Bonet http://kadhjabonet.bandcamp.com/album/childqueen
Neneh Cherry http://nenehcherry.bandcamp.com/track/fallen-leaves
Hailu Mergia http://hailumergia.bandcamp.com/album/lala-belu
Nia Andrew http://worldgalaxyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/no-place-is-safe
Sudan Archives http://sudanarchives.bandcamp.com/album/athena
SPELLING http://spellling.bandcamp.com/album/mazy-fly
Jamila Woods http://jamilawoodsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/legacy-legacy
Kingsley Ibaneche http://astronautico.bandcamp.com/album/realms
Ryan Porter http://worldgalaxyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-optimist
Jeff Parker http://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/suite-for-max-brown
Mourning [A] BLKstar http://mourningablkstar.bandcamp.com/album/the-cycle
Dua Saleh http://duasaleh.bandcamp.com/track/body-cast
Tasha https://tashamusic.bandcamp.com/album/but-theres-still-the-moon
Nicole Mitchell and Moor Mother https://moormother.bandcamp.com/album/offering-live-at-le-guess-who
Here’s my entire wishlist for even more suggestions for music consumption: https://bandcamp.com/mollygrowler/wishlist. You can even follow me on Bandcamp to see what I buy all year long!
Dearest Singers,
We have entered a stage of great and audible grief as a society. This grief is old and storied. Now, we as a world are standing up and speaking out against racism.
As an independent voice teacher I believe it is important for me to ensure that my teaching space is safe for singers to enter. I work hard to make sure that students feel supported and encouraged in their musical journeys and that is not separate from my work to become an anti-racist. I want to make it clear that students from diverse backgrounds are safe in my teaching studio.
Black Lives Matter. In our work together we are often singing/playing music that comes from the African diaspora. (Check out this podcast as one resource for this.) Black Music Matters. I commit to honoring the stories and legacies bound in these songs and the struggle for freedom. To my BIPoC students, I see you and I am holding space for you to be safe.
Happy Pride Month! In my studio gender is fluid. I commit to respecting and honoring the stories and legacies of the LGBT struggle for freedom. The LGBT liberation movement in the US was begun by black, trans women like Marsha P. Johnson. (Read more here.) To my LGBT students, I see you and I am holding space for you to be safe.
Bigotry, racism and discrimination will never have a place in my studio.
There are many forms of oppression at play in our society. In this moment we have been granted a gift. We have an opportunity to recognize these structures and expose them. I believe that each one of us is given a voice to use. My role is to help you maintain a healthy voice so that it doesn’t break when you need it most. My job is to aid you in finding the strongest, most confident application of your voice in the way you feel called to use it.
Grief is a powerful force and not one to eschew. Rather, in this time I hope that music can provide solace. I am here to be of service to you in however you connect with using your beautiful, rightful voice. Let’s sing and breathe deeply together.
In love and solidarity,
Molly