Free Singing Tips, Exercises, and Warmups!

How To Start Singing.

2014-07-03T09:57:00.001-07:00

So you want to start singing? Great! You might be so excited you can’t wait for your first lesson. If you are like most people, you may also be filled with a little trepidation or even outright anxiety. Here are 5 pieces of advice to help make that first lesson a great one.
1. You Are Not Supposed To Know Anything Yet.
Your teacher is not a judge on American Idol. Remember that when you walk into your first lesson and first learn how to start singing, it is their job to teach you, not your job to impress them. Relax, take a deep breath, and enjoy learning how to sing from someone who has dedicated their life to it. They will appreciate you acknowledging their expertise, and you will be relieved from the pressure to perform.
2. Love Your Mistakes.
Mistakes are not mistakes, they are part of the learning process. Imagine that instead of learning to sing, you were learning to play guitar. Would you cringe and crumble every time you plucked the wrong note? Probably not. Guitar players understand that the best way to learn is to experiment with their instruments. The same goes for singing! Learn to love your mistakes – they will make you a better singer.
3. You are not Beyonce.
One of the most common complaints I hear from students is, “I want to sound like Beyonce… Kelly Clarkson… Ed Sheeran…” The truth is, you will probably never sound like the famous person you want to sound like. This is because each person is born with their own unique instrument, and there is no changing that. You wouldn’t yell at a ukulele because it doesn’t sound like a Fender Strat. Go into your first lesson excited to discover your own unique sound, and I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised.
4. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Before you begin your lessons know that singing well takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication. How long it will take you to sing well depends on your level of natural talent, the technique you are learning, your practice schedule, and how often you take lessons. Singers are vocal athletes, and muscle memory training takes time. Also remember that your teacher has been studying singing for many years. Don’t expect to match his or her level of mastery overnight.
5. Enjoy the Ride.
You and your teacher have one very important thing in common – you both love to sing. Remember what inspired you to start singing in the first place? Was it a concert you went to? A music video you watched? Perhaps a Broadway show that blew your mind? It is that fire that burns inside of your teacher, too. So much so, in fact, that they decided to make a life out of it. Never lose sight of this shared passion and allow yourself to enjoy the process as your journey unfolds.
Melody M. teaches singing, Broadway singing and songwriting to students of all ages in Valencia, PA, as well as through online lessons. A certified SLS (speech level singing) instructor. For lessons, visit www.melodymolinaro.com.

Vocal Science: A great video for beginners

2013-01-01T09:49:00.003-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Check out this video to understand the basics of Vocal Anatomy and how the voice works. I recommend both the "Voice Production" and "Pitch and Mechanisms" videos. Just click on the link below. Enjoy!
PHYSCLIPS: Human Sound

Win a FREE 45 minute Voice Lesson!

2012-12-11T10:42:00.001-08:00

Want to win a FREE 45 minute Voice lesson?
Ok, Molinaro Vocal Studio students, you are making me do this! =) Since very few of you submitted videos for the Inspiration contest, I am going to open the contest to all of my Facebook friends, Youtube subscribers, and current or past students. Winner receives a free 45 minute voice lesson. Here it is again. Happy Singing!

Record a video of yourself via Youtube answering the question, "What Artist/Singer/Type of Music Inspires you, and why?" After answering the question, sing a song by the Artist/Singer/Genre of Music that most exemplifies why you are inspired by them. You can perform to a karaoke track, accompany yourself on any instrument, or sing A capella. Be creative, but most importantly, be you. =)

Please have the videos sent in to me by December 31st, 2012. Contest is open to everyone. Skype lessons available for those overseas or out of the area.
Let the fun begin!
Keep Singing,

Melody Molinaro
Vocal Technique Instructor

www.melodymolinaro.com

Seth Riggs- Vibrato Explained

2012-11-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Guy Babusek with the founder of SLS, Seth Riggs, speaking about Vibrato. Learn from the Master! Enjoy!

Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Voice?

2012-10-30T18:47:00.001-07:00

I am a self- admitted recovering perfectionist. For a long time I didn’t even know that I was one. I thought my standards were normal. In fact, most perfectionists don’t think they are one until something in their life spins out of control and makes them take notice.

For me, my perfectionism caused my artistic output to grind to a halt. I couldn’t stand not living up to some standard in my mind so I set out to become the best, the most, the highest, the absolutely perfectly perfect version of myself that would finally at least be “good enough.” Until I reached that oh so high place of exalted grandeur I didn’t feel that the gifts I already possessed were worth sharing. And so for many, many years, I shared nothing.

I shifted abruptly from living a life as a full time performer and artist to one of crushing incubation and silence. Stuffing my creative spirit, I promised myself that I would hibernate until I could emerge, one day, unblemished. I continued to study, study, study, and all along the way grew more and more discouraged. It seemed that for every step forward there were five more steps added in front of me. The more I learned, the higher the bar was set. There were so many teachers, successful artists, sets of artistic values, and techniques. I tried to learn and practice them with precision, often finding myself in a frustrating mess of beliefs and philosophies. My own spirit became heavy with negative self-talk that echoed the opinions and values of others, and my ears seemed to have magic filters on them that only let in the sounds of mistakes, poor technique, and sour notes. It became a very dark and gloomy way to live.

Unfortunately, I was not alone. Students, friends, other artists. . . I began to see so many of us stuck in our own perfectionist mud. Where was the merry music making? What about our self-expression? What about MY self-expression? This was not the life that I had inside of me, bursting to get out, joyfully singing “Hallelujah” at full volume complete with accompanying choreography while driving down the street. This was not the sweet breeze-like hum that magically appeared in my ears on some mornings, begging to be jotted down, put to music, and given to the world to enjoy. This was not the real me.

The perfectionist waiting game is a game that never ends. If you wait until you are “perfect” or “good enough” to begin your incredible journey as an artist you will never take that first step. You will remain stuck in the mud, holding your dreams to your chest like tattered rags, gazing longingly at the horizon and wondering what it might be like to touch that golden sunset. The only way to win the perfectionist waiting game is to refuse to play it.

I am un-sticking. I highly recommend you consider doing the same, no matter where you are in your career as a singer or artist. Hibernating until you are “good enough” will actually have the opposite affect than you intend. You will grow faster, much faster, if you allow yourself to make mistakes, be where you are, and enjoy the process. Making art will grind to a halt if you sit in constant judgment of its every sway. Swaying is the job of your inspiration- don’t squash it with negativity- encourage it with permission to explore itself and all of its infinite possibilities.

I am a teacher of Speech Level Singing because it has helped me become a more well-rounded singer, eased tension in my voice, taught me how to mix vocal registers, and extended my range. However, be careful, lovely students, that you don’t let it box you into a corner. I made some very beautiful art before I even knew that SLS existed, and I had a very promising career built on that raw talent. Do not wait until your technique is “perfect” to sing. Do not for a second think that technique is more important than the thing that makes you special- which is YOUR unique voice.

When I say it, I mean it. Keep Singing.

Love, Melody

2012-10-30T18:41:00.003-07:00

Hey Guys,
Here is a new video that will help clear up the confusion about Chest Voice, Mix Voice, and Head Voice. I hope you enjoy!

Sing It Stupid!!!

2011-12-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

     On Sunday I was fortunate enough to attend the SLS Teachers Vocal Master Class with Seth Riggs and Greg Enriquez in HollyWood, CA. Learning from these masters has proven to be the single most influential force in my teaching career, and Sunday was no exception.   As a vocal technique instructor, my job is to hear what is going on inside of your throat, and it is a skill I am constantly refining.   I wish every student had the opportunity to be exposed to the kind of mastery that Seth and Greg have accomplished. Although that may not be possible, it is possible for me to give you as much information as I can, via this blog site.
    One thing that I already knew but was solidly reinforced last Sunday was the importance of vowels. Let your mantra as a singer be "Vowels are everything!!" When I am listening to a singer, I listen for a pure vowel. Many singers who have a heavy chest voice will constantly widen or "open" the vowel, causing a splat sound and resulting in the distortion of the word. For example, a singer whose larynx tends to be high may sing the word "love" on a high note, but what comes out is the word, "Lav." Many singers don't even realize this is happening until they listen back to a recording of themselves.
     The good news is that there is always help! If you can't afford to work with a qualified instructor, you can still help get control of your larynx and the tendency to splat or open vowels. During my volunteer lesson in front of a whole theatre of voice teachers, I chose to sing Adele's "Someone Like You." Greg walked up to me and whispered in my ear, "Sing it Stupid. Just be dumb." I knew immediately that what he was trying to accomplish was a lower, more stable larynx in my mix voice. The result was astounding, and every teacher wanted to know the "secret" that Greg has whispered into my ear. Ha!
   There are many exercises throughout this website that employ the "dumb" sound as a tool for stabilizing the larynx. Record yourself and listen closely to the vowels in your words. Does "love" sound like "Laav?" Does "girl" sound like "Gal?" If so, sing it dumb! Although the dumb sound is a temporary, unfinished sound, it will allow you to experience a free and stable larynx. Singing will become so easy, you will think you must be doing it wrong!
Keep Singing!
Melody

The 8 Minute Vocal Warm-Up

2011-11-21T20:49:00.001-08:00

Hello Singers!
Here is a great warm-up for all voice types. Men, please only sing as high as comfortable, I do not split the scales into two different sections. Otherwise, enjoy joining me in this vocal warm-up!

The Number One Breathing Exercise for Singers!

2011-10-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

Breathing. You've all heard about how important it is when it comes to singing, so what I am about to say may come as a big surprise to you. But, oh well, here goes. "Ah Hem. . .( throat clearing). . . PLEASE stop concentrating on your breath so much!"
There! I said it! Classical Bel Canto technique teachers often pummel their students with a barrage of, "support, support!" and "Breath deeply!" and "Push down with the stomach muscles!" and so on and so forth. The truth is, many teachers resort to this kind of training because they don't know how to fix their student's vocal issue, so they just throw more breathing instruction at them hoping they will somehow fix themselves. Many vocal instructors were born naturally talented, so when they hear a student with an issue they never had, they simply resort to what their teachers told them, which was mostly, "Breathe, breathe, breathe!!"
I come from a school of technique that is founded in classical training ( see www.speechlevelsinging.com) but understands how to address every voice type. Diaphragmatic breathing is actually quite simple.

The following exercise is about the only exercise I use for my students when it comes to breathing. If you find yourself running out of air after just 10 or 15 seconds, breath technique is something that may need to be addressed. If you can make it to 25 or 30 seconds, good job. With the vocal technique training, not breath technique training, you will eventually be able to make it to 60 seconds, like me.

Enjoy!

Vocal Registers - What they are and how to find them!

2011-10-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

I have had many students come in who can navigate through their vocal registers, but have no idea how they are doing it or even what a vocal register is. Most students, however, have difficulty bridging the gap between vocal registers, and although they may not know the word for it, they sure know that they get to a place in their voices where things either stop working or crack. Either way, it is important to understand what your vocal registers are and how it impacts your singing voice.
The first vocal register is the lowest, and it is called the "vocal fry" register. It isn't really used in a lot of singing, however it is sometimes used as a tool for warming up, or to ease tension in the voice, or to create the creaky, croaking sound at the beginning of phrases in country music. Vocal fry register sounds like a low, creaky, groan. The vocal folds are pulsing very slowly compared other registers. Here is yours truly demonstrating Vocal Fry register.

The next register is called the Chest voice. Chest voice is the voice you speak with and for most men it is the voice they sing with as well. Some women sing entirely in their chest voices, and have a very difficult time finding their head voices. Others, especially classically trained Opera singers, have been taught to never use their chest voices, and instead sing only in their head registers. From a Speech Level Singing standpoint, this is a severely limited take on a vocal register that can be beautiful crafted and maintained with the right training. Many pop singers use only chest voice, which is equally limiting. The chest voice "resonates" in the chest cavity and the mouth.

Here is an example of me using chest voice, and an exercise to help you find your very own Chest Voice.

As your voice increases in pitch, the resonance must begin to shift from the chest and mouth cavity to the head. Each person has unique voice not only because of the size and shape of their vocal chords but also the size and shape of the resonance structures in their head. Your nasal passages and sinus cavities act like little drums for your voice to bounce around in, creating volume and shaping your tone. "Head voice" refers to the shift of resonance from the mouth and chest into the head cavities. Take a listen, and try and exercise to find your head voice.

"Mix Voice" isn't necessarily its own register, in fact, it is a blend of the Chest and Head vocal registers. Through training, a vocalist can learn to "split" the resonance so that they are utilizing both the head and chest registers simultaneously. This creates a bridge from one register to the next, taking a fractured voice and molding it into one, smooth, continuous instrument. Here is an example of Mix voice:

Last but not least is Whistle register. It is also known as "Super Head" voice. Finding it can take a lot of time and patience, so for now take a listen to my example and play around with your voice on the same vocal fry exercise in the first exercise. Eventually you will be able to find a whistle register in your vocal fry. Not making sense? Shoot me an e-mail or post a comment! I'm here to help!

2011-10-07T12:08:00.001-07:00

New Vocal Warm-Ups posted! Just click " Vocal Warm-Ups." Also, if it is your first time here, scroll down to learn about the four vocal tendency types and fine out which one you are.
Let me know what you like and what you need!
Keep Singing,
Melody

What kind of voice tendency type are you?

2011-09-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

As a voice teacher, my first job when assessing a voice is to figure out what the student's vocal tendency is. Once I have established whether they are a chest puller, a flipper, a mixer, or lacking chord closure, then I can create vocal exercises to address each issue. You are probably sitting there thinking, "What the heck is a flipper? What does my chest have to do with my voice?" Well, folks, hold on to yer hats because you are about to find out. And once you know what voice tendency type YOU are, it will give you the knowledge and power to address your vocal issues and get the voice you want.

The first type, and most common type coming into my studio, is the Chest Puller. A Chest Puller is someone who refuses to allow resonance shift into the head voice, and instead "pulls" chest voice as high as it can go. This will cause a big disconnection at the end of the first bridge- you may know this as your "break."

Here is an example of a someone (yours truly) "Pulling Chest."

The next type is the flipper. Flippers flip from one voice to the next, not necessarily due to strain caused by a high larynx. Are you a flipper? Here I am purposefully "flipping."

If your voice sounds airy in your lower range, or perhaps even your whole range, you may be what we call, "No Chest." Many opera singers have been taught not to use chest voice, and this can cause problems when they attempt to sing pop. "No Chest" is caused by not enough chord adduction, or chord closure. The following video demonstrates a "No Chest" tendency.

The last vocal tendency is called "mixing." It is what we all strive for! If you are lucky enough to be a natural mixer then you will notice a smooth transition through vocal registers. Here is what mix voice sounds like.

Don't worry if you think you might fit in more than one category! Most people have one prominent tendency, but some people may be a little bit of a moving target. Try to find the one that seems like the best fit to you, and try the exercises I will be posting for that voice type. If you are still having a hard time, you can leave a comment or video and I'll try to diagnose you the best I can. Of course, the best way to find out your vocal tendency is to work with and educated instructor. If you are in San Diego, you can visit my website to register for lessons at www.sandiegovocalstudios.musicteachershelper.com. You can also visit www.speechlevelsinging.com for a complete list of SLS teachers across the world.
Good luck and don't be shy!! Comments and questions are encouraged!

Welcome!

2011-09-15T23:22:00.001-07:00

Hello fellow singers!
I am so happy you have found my blog and that you are interested in improving your skill set or learning how to sing from scratch. This blog will contain LOADS of information I have taken years to accumulate.   I will be posting vocal exercises, everyday warmups, instruction, information on voice types, and tricks of the trade for high notes. Feel free to hit me up with requests and comments! I want to know what was helpful, confusing, missing, or too much. Before we get started, let me tell you a bit about myself.

   I have been a performer since I was a young child. My career started in musical theatre and graduated into acting in commercials and independent films. I decided to concentrate on music alone about 8 years ago, and since then I have been a full time professional performer, teacher, and student. I recently received my BA in music from San Diego State University, and I am currently working towards my Level 1 Speech Level Singing certification. I have studied with many amazing teachers, the most recent being Kathy Kennedy (Level 5 SLS) and Guy Babusek (Level 5 SLS.)

    Most importantly, I absolutely LOVE teaching voice. It has become a passion that even overshadows my love for performing. I am excited to have a new venue for sharing my knowledge and helping my fellow singers, so don't be shy! I want to know what you like, hate, need, and dream about when it comes to your voice. If you can't afford singing lessons, stay tuned and I will give you as much information for free as I can! If you are just learning how to sing, this is a great place to begin.

    Coming VERY soon:
    The four voice type TENDENCIES: find out which one you are and how to fix it!

Keep Singing,
    Melody