The Naked Vocalist | Advice and Lessons on Singing Technique, Voice Care and Style - Chris Johnson and Steve Giles

We come out of hibernation for an amazing guests who teaches us about VOCAL FOLD SWELLING, how to spot it, and what to do about it! All hail, Lori Sonnenberg... you're welcome!

As we seem to be coming out of this mess, when can we expect to get back to singing together? We invite two scientists to come and give you their take on how the singing world is going to move forward. Listen to find out more!

Today we thought we would devote an entire episode to the world of voice teachers. After all, COVID has messed up A LOT of diaries and we want to help you get back to capacity in this new world of 'online coaching'. Essentially, going from in person to online coaching needs a big shift in approach, but once you understand it you can flourish again.... without a pandemic trashing things again! You can find out more about Michelle here: https://www.faithculturekiss.com

Join us as we host the brilliant vocal coach and scientist Heidi Moss Erickson. We'll be talking about the neuroscience of pitch matching and how we can use science to improve our tuning, how the brain connects to the vocal folds and what that means to our approach, aaaaaaaand the planned aspect of primal (or not so primal) sound.

Walt has trained thousands of voice professionals, speech therapists, ENTs and vocal coaches in manual therapy techniques for voice. Originally a myofascial release champion, Walt now sees the world of touch through a different lens, leaving big questions as to how and why massage REALLY works.... it's not all as it seems.  He also shares self-help tips on jaw, neck, larynx and traps that you can experiment with till your hearts content!    

It's a common thing right? Scales go well, songs go, umm, not so well. There might be some nifty ways for you to work out why that is and eventually solve it. Steve and Chris look into the ways which the brain and body learn skills and transfer them on to similar tasks. They also give you a few ideas as to how you can start to construct scales that are actually more like songs, which helps drag the benefits over from the exercises! For more, go to https://www.thenakedvocalist.com

This episode is an intro to breathing fro singers. Is it important? Why might it be irrelevant? What's with chest breathing vs belly breathing? We tackled all these questions right here.

Admittedly, these tongue strategies might be No’s 1 and 2 of 507 because there are so many way in which you can stop that tongue from being a muscular annoyance in your singing. You don’t have to do them all mind! It’s more due to the fact that the singing world are extremely creative! Plus, the root cause of tension is different from one singer to the next. Trying stuff allows you to figure out the cause for yourself and find the exercises that works best. Find more in the podcast section of your website: https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/  

This podcast is not a quick fix for high notes. The truth about quick fixes is that they only really work when there are parts of your voice that are present already. Vocal registers being one of them. So, high notes are not going to be easy if you haven't really explored your falsetto at all, yet so many singers want to know how to skip this detail. Well, you can’t. At least not without some external and unhelpful muscle getting involved, which will burn you in the long run. It doesn't matter if you're beginner or professional. Going back to basics is a great thing for any voice, so join us for the range groundwork. Tons more stuff on our website: https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

In near enough ten minutes (LOL). In this episode we briefly cover a couple of our favourites for a more relaxed set of vocal cords: the shake and the Y-buzz. Tune in and let us know if they work for you! For more, join us at https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

Welcome to 600 Second Singing, Episode 1! Today we are rattling on about mixed voice! But first, an explanation about this new 'series'.... There is often a leeetle bit of time in-between our full length guest podcasts. To fill that gap, we thought we would do regular ‘mini’ podcasts featuring listener questions. Fortunately, we get many singing queries via our website and Facebook messenger so there was no shortage of inspiration! You can find full video and blog for this episode at: https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/600-second-singing-1

David Harris and Laurel Irene are the brains behind the amazing resource that is Voice Science Works. They take contemporary research on the voice and translate it into directly applicable information so that you, the voice user, can immediately apply it in your practice. Their website is free, accessible and friendly to all voice users who wish to deepen their understanding and empower their learning process! In our latest episode we explore the question of voice science; do you really need to know it to be a good singer or teacher? Blog, supporting material and so much more at our website! Get yourself there.

Welcome vocal coach and Feldenkrais practitioner Robert Sussuma. Let's delve into why warming up isn't necessary and why really knowing yourself is HUGE! This episode is packed with quotes, books recommendations and gems for all teachers and singers to get hold of! Join us for all of our podcasts at https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

Today we bring you KJ Rose, singer and creator of The Rose Effect - Artist Development & Performance Coaching. She has a fantastic energy so makes for a great listen if you get a chance, you invest in her investment for sure! Most recently, KJ was the on-camera performance coach for Kelly Rowland's BET show "Chasing Destiny" and Khloe Khardashian's E! Entertainment show "Revenge Body". She coached Disney Channel’s Laura Marano from the hit show "Austin & Ally" and worked with Disney talent on the shows "Bizaardvark" & "Bunk'd", as well as Jackie "Flaca" Cruz from the Netflix series "Orange is the New Black". Alongside her vocalist work with artists such as R. Kelly, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, she helps artists hone their craft and maximise their on-stage performance by expanding their perceived capacity. In other words, becoming something bigger than they thought they could be! Full show notes at: https://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast/kj-rose-stage-performance/

Cathrine Sadolin is among the leading voice researchers in the world. Her research across all vocal styles, combined with her own experiences as a professional singer, has inspired innovative thinking within the field. She is the mastermind behind advanced singing techniques, useful for instruction within all musical styles. Author of Complete Vocal Technique (CVT), creator of the Complete Vocal Institute and the CVT app, she talks to us about twang, what it even is, and whether we should be worried about throat constriction! More episode at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

Welcome to todays episode with Vocal Process’s Gillyane Kayes and Jeremy Fisher. They are long-standing coaches in the worldwide community, authors of This Is A Voice, and the brains behind the App Stores successful vocal app, The 1 minute Warm Up. Gillyanne comes from the professional classical singer background and has trained, and had a career, in that field. Jeremy’s experience is around the accompanist, performance and ensemble coach, so as a team they cover all bases!  Expect some nerdy stuff in this episode. Comments always welcome!

On this 51st episode we have Dr. Meribeth Dayme talking us through voice training with the ancient, the old and the new techniques to get the best experience in singing. Stick to the end, as Dr. Dayme has a generous offer for you! Visit the full supporting blog and website here: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you.  For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

It's a big topic today. Extending your vocal range, especially the super high notes! We'll take you through everything from the science, the physiology and the application of the exercise. You also get to see us must it right up as well! Click and listen.  

Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

Timestamps: Denosh Bennett - background/backing vocalist to the stars. 6.30 The Mariah Carey dance audition that led to a wealth of opportunity 17.10 Have you heard any vocal myths along your way? 19.45 Vocal health and aeroplanes? 23.10 What skills do you need to be a background vocalist? 24.00 A tip for learning lyrics 31.37 Where do you go to find background vocal work? 37.32 Some transatlantic translations 41.35 Listener question: how do you manage to swap and change vocal styles and genres without it taking it's toll on the voice Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

Time stamps: 7.37 Should extrinsic muscles be used in singing? Should we be disengaging as much as possible? 14.42 Does whispering make you more hoarse? What does the science say? 19.10 How can I find out more about formants and harmonics? Why should I? 27.45 Why are some singers vibrato fast and some slow? Can you change it? 32.54 Karin listens to a listener's voice and gives her verdict 45.20 The PAVA organisation and the vocal tract simulator 53.29 The premier of Dr Ingo Titze's brand new video explaining the scientific ins and outs of the straw, straw therapy and semi occluded exercises for singing Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. Today we are giving you our best strategies for warming up your voice, particularly for those who feel they are slow to get going or suffer from morning voice.  For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast/44 And please share us! We'd love to reach more people. Website: http://thenakedvocalist.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/tnvquestions Snapchat: nakedvocalist Twitter: http://twitter.com/tnvquestions Instagram: http://instagram.com/thenakedvocalist

This is a big argument between voice teachers, and it's been raging on for centuries. What should you do with your larynx? Who's right? Let us take you through the pros and cons so you don't get caught up in the cross fire. Supporting blog available here.

You DO NOT want to miss this. Straw singing is taking over the world, but you need to do it right. Let us show you how and give you the science behind this revolutionary singing essential. Timestamps: 1:02 Music from Emma McGrath 3:05 Fact and Myth  7:30 No-one over the age of 55 filled out our survey 9:19 Why is the straw really really good for singers? 21:05 What is the straw good for? 23:47 What do you do with the straw to become a vocal legend? Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you.  For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people.

Yes, that piece of muscle in the middle of your instrument can be a right pain in the neck (actually though). It's position is important for physiological reasons as well as acoustic reasons, and hence it's effect on the voice is massive! It's knowing what to do with it however.  Let us guide you through the world of tongue tension release, and placement for optimum power and resonance. It's what elite singers do, so why not get on the elite bandwagon.

Timestamps: 0:58 Music from Keith Daniel Washo  www.youtube.com/user/KeithWashoMusic 9:13 Chris talks about breathing techniques in Switzerland 10:04 Steve talks about his new project: www.singfinity.co.uk 15:11 Listener question: why am I losing my voice when I sing with my choir?  32:45 Listener question: how do I teach an adolescent male through the voice break? 40:26 Video of the week - MRI scanner singing  Pop or 'contemporary' choirs are all the rage these days. They create a great social environment for members and a chance to sing for fun! But, what happens if you're losing your voice after every session? And why is it happening? Should we be paying more attention to that? We go in hard on pop choirs in our first listener question. We also have a cracking listener question via Snapchat. A common topic - how to help young boys through the voice break. It can be an emotional time for singer and teacher. We give our input! 

Today we're on about singing supplements... do they work? All those sprays and lozenges. What's the deal? Also, a listener question is featured: how do you coach someone back from a vocal operation or injury? It's a cautious approach and needs considering. Tune in for more chatter, and bit of fun, and some interesting finds on YouTube!

Timestamps: 1:26 Music from Rebel Rae 2:08 Request for reviews 4:06 A homage to Prince 5:26 How do I become more confident? 22:36 Step by step confidence strategy 33:40 High note helper CONFIDENCE. Everyone wants it. No one has it. Or so it seems. That's our listener question today! So we delve into the why's and how's of getting more of the stuff.  We also sneak in a high note helper for all those wanting to nail the big ones. This strategy is centred around occluded exercises. So get your straws at the ready people! Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you.  For the supporting blog and extra info, please visit: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast And please share us! We'd love to reach more people.

6:25 We learn a little bit of Chinese 11:30 What are you doing for world voice day? 13:37 What is Laryngitis and how much does it affect singers? 33:35 What should I look for in a vocal coach? Today we discuss laryngitis! If you're a singer you would, for sure, been scuppered by this pesky little monkey. Where does it come from? What to do if you have a gig AND whether or not you should you sing on it? (The answer to that is no by the way... we didn't want to leave that one open ended). All questions answered! We have another listener question which asks: what should I look for in a vocal coach. Can be a tricky decision to make, especially when some cost hundreds for 20 minutes. What should you look for and how should you choose? Look no further singers!  Welcome to The Naked Vocalist singing podcast. Whether you are a pro singer, novice, a performer or a vocal coach, there's something in here for you. 

Today we discuss the much asked question: are people born to sing? In true Naked Vocalist style we batter the subject to death. 'Passion', mindset, environment and genetics all play a role in the answer to this question and, more importantly, becoming a vocal legend.  We also have a listener question about vibrato. How does one make it healthy? We add some tips on finding it, if it doesn't exist in the first place! Lastly, we've gone Snapchat crazy. Dishing out the vocal love all over the place. Head on over and add us 'nakedvocalist' to see what's going on. 

This is a big one. Breathing heavy weight Robin de Haas has some great information and techniques for you to try for balancing the voices fuel: breath. Many singers and humans suffer from 'High Residual Volume' in the lungs. Tune in to find out what that is, why it's trashing your singing, and how to solve it!

We have coaching royalty on! Yes, Jaime is in the house. We get to chat to this great teacher, who's clients include James LaBrie of Dream Theater, about his colourful history as a rock teacher. Jaime also gives his his top tips when it comes to training for distortion and screaming, as well as a delve into his voice care routine. Throat Coat tea at the ready!

Yes yes yes! We got some listeners on the show to talk about anything and everything, and some of the conversation got out of hand. Standard.In this show we talk to our listeners about these cracking subjects: Favourite vowels to get you in the good place  Why New York is such a great place to live  How much does your voice type matter in your style?  Painful singing moments  How not to deal with forgetting your words in a performance.  How Justin Bieber can help you sing.  How much do I need to open my mouth when I sing?  How the default vocal settings work for and against men and/or women?  Does Adele 'pull chest' in a bad way?  Why Adele's 'Hello' is hard to sing!  How to find where YOUR voice should sit.  What does 'natural' voice even mean and should I copy a successful singer?  How to remember the names of people you meet.  Mongolian throat singing What a feast! Join us for more at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/ Happy New Year!!!

Dr, Daniel is one of the best coaches in the world! He's completed a PhD under highly respected voice scientist Johan Sundberg, written successful pop songs, coached for Eurovision and is an experienced recording artist in his own right. He's got some skills, let us tell you! Daniels covers his passion for technique in this show, along with lots of his views around training, the best warm up and the demands on the modern vocalist! Join us for the ride. Listen to all of our episodes and read our blog at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/

Jump onboard for this one! It's a hot topic for almost everyone in contemporary singing, and we're no different. Plus, we spend almost our whole careers helping singers achieve this very thing healthily and routinely. We'll let you know the basic methods for your training regime, and what to look out for. Give yourself some time to take it in however... it's a big subject!Join us for more at www.thenakedvocalist.com and join our newsletter here to keep up-to-date with each episode. Keep in touch!

Welcome to Episode 30! We're hear with Michael Goodrich - the mindset man. Michael has devoted his life's work to figuring out singers and their crazy minds. Let's face it... we're all a little bit crazy. Listen in for some advice on dealing with negative thoughts and improving your performances through mindset! Join us for more at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/. We have a ton of free content for you on everything 'singing'.

Brad is the man when it comes to sneaky marketing tips and effective management of working musicians. He has a ton of experience promoting signed artists and working with labels, but in recent years he has dedicated his time to helping cover band artists reach new heights. We don't want to say it's all about money, but this one kind of is. Who doesn't like a bit of cash huh?! Tune in for marketing hints and tips from the guy in the know. He's a great talker too, so even if you're not a cover singer you'll still enjoy his charismatic chatter! Join us as always at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/ for our full back catalogue.

Well, this one is awesome then?!? Wendy Parr really brings some amazing content with her for this episode. If you any kind of performer, songwriter or casual singer you must listen to this. It will strike a chord in any vocalists heart! Wendy has tons of experience in all of these areas, and she's a talented teacher and coaches artists such as A Great Big World and Regina Spektor. Find more of our content at www.thenakedvocalist.com and join our mailing list for more stuff too!

What a treat we have for you today. Mega-coach John Henny talks to us about his own brand of singing. John is steeped in years of experimenting with vocal science principles in voice training, and has arrived at a singular vowel as his main tool. The 'UH' vowel delivers less strain and more power. Check out this episode for a bunch of knowledge bombs and a great quick fix for those high notes. You'll surely love John by the end too.Don't forget to get more stuff through our website:www.thenakedvocalist.com

We are very lucky to have the founders of the newest vocal massage technique on our show this time. David and Elissa from Vibrant Voice Technique! They tell us what to do when tension strikes, why it strikes and what will happen if you leave it too long! If you're suffering vocal fatigue then this could be for you. Besides, they are great talkers and immensely fun to listen and learn from. Tune in to find out :) Join our mailing list for semi-regular and non-irritating emails full of vocal tips and tricks. Sign up at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/ Thank you all!

Welcome to a new episode! We talk about how you can tell the difference between fatigue that contributes to stamina, and fatigue that contributes to vocal health problems. We also take a look at Speech Level Singing as a technique, and a singers chronic acid reflux problems. Tune in now! Join us at http://thenakedvocalist.com/ for loads more singing stuff!

This episode is not to be missed. Dr Reena Gupta is LAs top Laryngologist, helping professional voice users through vocal health problems and often surgery. She gives us the lowdown on nodules, and other vocal pathologies, and why and how they occur. She also gives us great tips on how to recover from them, and why female singers are more at risk of nodules. Tune in, but don't freak out ok? Join us at www.thenakedvocalist.com for loads more voice and singing podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 23! Q&A - Today we're looking at someone is is struggling with connecting the bottom of their voice with the top of their voice, via the mixed voice. We're also looking at someone who is struggling to finish phrases tidily and loses power when sustaining. Listen in for useful tools and tips for these subjects! Also, join us at www.thenakedvocalist.com for more great content! 

It's always a hot topic.... CONFIDENCE! We hook up with peak performance coach Mike Cunningham for this episode. He delves into the world of auditioning and performing, how terribly scary it can be to get out there and singing, and how harshly singers judge themselves. This is the podcast for you if you can relate to any of the above.  Join us at http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/ for more amazing free advice!

This episode is a Q&A featuring questions on pitching issues and singing intervals. There’s also a bunch about developing musicality and general music skills, as well as head voice development and finding your own way with covers. Keep in touch with us at www.thenakedvocalist.com or on www.facebook.com/tnvquestions

Today we are unbelievably honoured to have leading voice researcher Dr Ingo Titze giving us the lowdown on vocal science. This episode is definitely for those who want to get a deeper understanding of vocal function and resonance. Check out the blog post at www.thenakedvocalist.com/podcast/20 for a detailed transcription and jargon buster.

Today we have voice coach Ian Davidson on the show. He is a studio owner, a gospel choir expert, a senior lecturer and has a masters in music performance. Safe to say, he knows his onions! Join us for the search into developing vibrato, how to combat mucous, and the strange world of tone deafness.  www.thenakedvocalist.com

Here we are with episode 18 and we are privileged to have vocal coach and confidence guru Chip Jenkins with us. She answers questions on high note worries, stage fright and dealing with a difficult crowd. Get yourself on this episode if you get the nerves in any way. It'll be worth it! 

Today's show is with Josh Alamu.  Josh is a brilliant coach who’s popularity is growing to astronomical levels across the globe with every year that passes. He started out life as a backing vocalist working with artists like Joss Stone, and was helped on that journey as a young singer by two industry giants; David and Carrie Grant.  During the earlier part of his career, Josh became familiar with legendary technique Speech Level Singing (SLS) and eventually certified as an instructor. That is how we all became aware of each other, as we too were part of SLS for a while. Over recent years, Josh has worked as a coach on Pop Idol, The Voice series 1 & 2, choir talent show Don’t Stop Believing. Currently he has a rock school in Malta which he visits regularly, a busy studio in Hampstead, London, and he has just written the first in a series of books called Mad About Vocal Style: http://www.joshuaalamu.com/mad-about-vocal-style-ebook-series-1/ We talk all about essential skills for a singer in this episode including technique, style and work ethic. It's a valuable hour so please join us! Also, jump on over to our website for more wonderful content: http://www.thenakedvocalist.com/